Chapter 154 Caught in rape

The plan was fraught with risk, and Hongtao hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing. It was indeed the most advantageous situation for both of them. She had also considered that it was unrealistic to expect the courtyard to be completely empty, yet as witnesses, she and Lin Yuesha would still face risks.

"The prince is high above, and if he finds out he's been cuckolded, and the adulterous couple can't live, then how can we escape?"

Men all have pride, especially those in positions of power. If the Prince of Zhenbei were to become ruthless and kill them to silence them, she and Hongtao would have little chance of escaping.

After considering it for several days, Lin Yuesha finally decided to take the risk herself and make everything seem more natural. She couldn't possibly plot against Xuan Yao and He Xing, aiming to kill them, without paying any price herself.

"Sister Red Peach, let's inhale some calming incense first, and then set a fire in the kitchen."

Lin Yuesha decided that the calming incense really had to be inhaled, but not both of them would fall into a coma; one of them had to remain conscious.

In this way, if no one comes, the conscious person can adapt to the situation and escape with the unconscious person, since their life is more important.

"Moonlight Sister, you're so clever, I'm entrusting my life to you."

Hongtao steeled her resolve. She had to admit that her adaptability was not as good as Lin Yuesha's, and right now, she didn't have much time to think about it.

"Sister Red Peach, don't worry."

After the two finished their discussion, Hongtao inhaled the calming incense and quickly fell into a coma, while Lin Yuesha turned and went to the tea room. Outside the stove, she gathered some thatch as a kindling, waiting for the water to be drawn.

At this moment, while unconscious, Xuan Yao felt a burning sensation all over her body. She touched it casually and found a cool spot. She rubbed it against the other person forcefully. He Xing was not in a daze. He then hugged Xuan Yao in his arms, and the two of them subconsciously twisted and turned.

Fifteen minutes later, the water in the tea room caught fire, and black smoke billowed out. In no time, thick smoke was billowing out.

Prince Xiao Su of Zhenbei had just returned from the camp and happened to pass by the back gate. Upon seeing this, he asked, "What's going on here?"

"Your Highness, something terrible has happened! There's a fire!"

It was dinnertime, and there were few people in the courtyards. If a fire broke out, it would be a terrible disaster.

The weather is dry and the fire could spread to the entire mansion or even the camp if it is not extinguished in time.

"Let's go see which courtyard it is."

It was the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month. There were no more old women guarding the back gate. Xiao Su, along with his guards and servants, climbed over the courtyard wall and headed straight for the source of the thick smoke.

Today, the main kitchen made steamed fish, which was exactly what Lin Yuesha had been longing to eat. Granny Xiao went there and specially brought back a portion. She found an excuse to come to the courtyard and was startled by the thick smoke.

"Your Highness!"

When Granny Xiao saw the Prince of Zhenbei, she quickly stopped him, saying, "There's a fire here, it's dangerous. You are of noble birth, you should stay away from this place!"

"Granny Xiao, what are you doing here?"

This small courtyard is the most remote part of the mansion, and no one has lived here for a long time.

Xiao Su looked at Granny Xiao and saw that she was carrying a small basket, so she must have come to see someone.

"Your Highness, you must have a bad memory. The young lady Xuan Yao you brought back from Yutan Temple lives here."

Because she was worried about Lin Yuesha, Granny Xiao spoke very quickly, "The New Year is just around the corner, so this old servant came to check if the young lady has prepared the New Year's goods properly."

As the manager of the backyard, Granny Xiao was responsible for handling these trivial matters.

"Oh, it's her."

Xiao Su finally remembered Xuan Yao, the woman who acted as a human shield and lost control of her bladder in the carriage, which left a deep impression on him.

"Let's go in and put out the fire."

Xiao Su beckoned to his men and entered the courtyard first, followed closely by Granny Xiao.

"Red Peach, Lin girl!"

Granny Xiao entered the room first and was startled to see Hongtao and Lin Yuesha lying on the ground.

The two were still breathing, so they seemed to have been knocked unconscious by the smoke, but there wasn't much black smoke in the room.

Granny Xiao looked up and saw the calming incense on the table. Her eyes darkened. The two maids had been set up.

"Your Highness, Hongtao and Lin have inhaled the calming incense and have fainted."

Granny Xiao went to report to the Prince of Zhenbei, but was once again shocked by the glaring scene in the main room.

Inside the gauze curtain, Xuan Yao's body coiled around He Xing like a serpent, and the two of them were still writhing together.

Xiao Su's face was so black it could drip ink; what didn't he understand? These two, in order to live a life of ignominy and fearing that the maid would reveal it, had given each other a calming incense to make them fall into a deep sleep.

There was still firewood in the tea room, and because no one was watching it, it caught fire.

"Guards, drag these two to the courtyard and pour a bucket of ice water over them to sober them up!"

At the command of the Prince of Zhenbei, guards immediately stepped forward. Xuan Yao, with a strength she didn't know she had, stubbornly held onto He Xing and wouldn't let go. The guards were covered in sweat trying to separate the two.

"absurd!"

Xiao Su walked into the courtyard with his hands behind his back. The fire in the tea room had been extinguished, leaving only black smoke.

"Your Highness, look at this..."

Granny Xiao breathed a sigh of relief. It was fortunate that Hongtao and Lin Yuesha were unconscious; otherwise, they would have been in trouble too if they had witnessed this scene.

Well, Xuan Yao is definitely not going to make it through the end after doing something like this. Before long, she will be able to send Lin Yatou home so she can reunite with her family.

"Find a doctor to examine the two maids first."

Xiao Su waved his hand; his current focus was solely on Xuan Yao and her lover.

Even if she was his concubine in name only, it didn't mean she was bold enough to have an affair on his turf.

After being doused with cold water, Xuan Yao and He Xing gradually came to their senses. They were confused for a while before they understood the situation.

He Xing's legs were trembling, and he managed to remain calm, but he knew that he couldn't find a reasonable explanation, and he was finished.

"Your Highness!"

Xuan Yao looked down at the bruises all over her body and immediately burst into tears, unable to utter a complete sentence.

"Who are you, and why are you in the backyard?"

The guards brought Xiao Su a chair, and Xiao Su, barely suppressing his impatience, asked...

"Your Highness, I am He Xing, the fiancé of Xuan Yao."

He Xing quickly realized that he should shift all the blame onto Xuan Yao. If he did that, he might be able to save his life.

“Xuan Yao asked me to meet today, saying she had something to say. I believed her, but as soon as I entered the door, I felt dizzy and unconscious.”

He Xing kowtowed to the Prince of Zhenbei, saying that he had been framed and that it was all Xuan Yao's plan; he was the victim.

As for why he came, it was because the two of them were engaged, and he thought Xuan Yao had something to entrust to him.

"So, it was I who broke up your marriage?"

The Prince of Zhenbei sneered. The man before him was a talent. He hadn't wet his pants in the crucial moment and still had the energy to argue.

He has always admired ruthless people, the more ruthless the better. That's how a man should be; a man who isn't ruthless isn't a real man.