Chapter 18 — Kieu Hoa went to the wrong door, I don't want to go back

I looked at the assassin lying on the ground.

“Who told you to come here?”

The assassin's mouth was full of blood and he suddenly burst into laughter.

“Do you think that by finding a notebook, you can turn back the case from thirteen years ago?”

He looked at Co Hoai Nghien, then turned to Luc Thua Uyen.

"The Gu family died one person, the Tran Bac army died more than ten thousand people, is that still not enough?"

Luc Thua Uyen grabbed him by the collar.

“Speak clearly!”

The assassin's smile became even more strange.

“In the General's palace... there are also people who have been waiting for this book for a long time.”

The back of Luc Thua Uyen's hand was covered with blue veins. Right at that moment, from the outer courtyard suddenly came the sound of military guards shouting loudly.

“There is an oil fire!”

My heart suddenly sank. Someone not only wants to rob things, but also wants to burn down this old building. Co Hoai Nghien immediately said: He reached out and pulled me. I had just taken a step when the blue stone under my feet suddenly loosened. From the underground trench just when I took the oilcloth roll, there was a "click" sound. Co Hoai Nghien's eyes suddenly stopped.

“Don't move.”

But it was too late. The ground under the tree slowly cracked, revealing a narrow stone step. A stream of old moisture billowed up from underground, mixed with the faint smell of medicine. I lowered my head and looked down, my heart beating faster and faster. What my mother kept hidden... It's not just the notebook and the letter. Under this begonia tree... There is also a path. The smell of kerosene became stronger and stronger. Outside the courtyard, the Imperial Guard fought with that group of people, the torchlight blown by the wind flickered at dawn and dusk. Co Hoai Nghien looked at the stone steps that had just appeared under the tree, his eyebrows and eyes were cold as if covered with a layer of frost. Luc Thua Uyen handed over the assassin on the ground to the guards, then quickly walked over.

“Can't go down.”

I look at him.

"I don't know what's underneath, but the fire is about to spread."

We ask in return:

“Is it safe up here?”

Luc Thua Uyen was speechless when asked by me. Co Hoai Nghien said:

"They brought kerosene here, proving they didn't know there was a secret passage down here."

I immediately understood what he meant. If they knew, they should have guarded the exit, not hastily set fire to the entire building. Thanh Chi was scared and grabbed me tightly.

“Miss, it's even darker down there.”

I took her hand.

“Then follow me closely.”

Luc Thua Uyen frowned.

“Tham Duong Ninh, you don't have to choose a dangerous place every time.”

I look at him.

“If Major General can make the people outside stop, I will not go down.”

There was another terrible scream outside. He looked silent and did not advise further. Co Hoai Nghien took the lamp from the hand of a guard and was the first to walk down the stone steps.

“I'll go first.”

Luc Thua Uyen said:

“I am behind.”

Thanh Chi and I go in the middle. The stone steps are very narrow, wet and cold, and there are shallow engravings left by the knife blade on the wall. I held onto the wall and went down step by step. Behind, from above the old courtyard came the sound of crackling fire. Thanh Chi's voice trembled.

“Miss, where does this secret passage go?”

“I don't know.”

“That year, how could you dig a place like this in the Tham palace?”

We also want to know. My mother in the Tham palace has always been gentle and quiet, but when she fell ill, she became even more aggressive I rarely step out of the hospital gate. But this secret passage absolutely cannot be dug overnight. In the end, how many secrets does she still hide in the Tham palace? Going about twenty steps, the front gradually becomes wider. Co Hoai Nghien stopped walking.

“There are words on the wall.”

We came closer to look. On the cliff, there are a few very faint lines of writing, as if each line was carved by a woman using a brooch. If Duong Ninh gets here, don't turn back. The bridge of my nose suddenly stings. Thanh Chi also covered her mouth with her hand. Looking down, there is one more line. If the Co family goes together, we can temporarily believe it. Co Hoai Nghien's finger stopped on those words, not moving for a long time. I said softly:

“My mother said I can trust you for now.”

He looked at me.

“It's just a temporary belief.”

“Being able to believe it is better than not being able to believe it at all.”

He said softly:

“Miss Tham also knows how to comfort herself.”

I slightly curled the corners of my lips.

“If I hadn't consoled myself, I'm afraid I would have cried to death in the palanquin a long time ago.”

Behind, Luc Thua Uyen said in a deep voice:

“There are still words.”

We continue to look down. The last line is even fainter, almost impossible to see clearly. Beware of insiders in the Luc family. Luc Thua Uyen's face immediately changed. Thanh Chi gently took a breath. I look at him.

“Major general, you just said that in the General's palace, there is someone who has been waiting for this book for a long time.”

Luc Thua Uyen's hand holding the knife tightened.

"The Luc family has served in the army for many generations, and in the palace there are many former ministries, relatives and advisors."

“Don't you know who it is?”

He was silent. Co Hoai Nghien said:

“There is someone in your heart who has doubts.”