Chapter 37 Losing an Eye

"Did you impersonate me and pretend to be Miss Shen's ex-husband?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present gasped in shock.

"What's the meaning?"

"Is it what I understand it to mean?"

Everyone's eyes darted back and forth between Chu Xiao and Shen You, all filled with disbelief.

Chu Xiao's long sword was still pressed against Wang Meng's neck, and with a slight exertion, blood immediately flowed.

Wang Meng quickly raised his hand, "Sir, I wouldn't dare."

"I wouldn't dare..."

He said he wouldn't dare to do it again, but in reality, his gaze towards Shen You was still greedy and lewd.

However, the next moment...

—"Aaaaaah!"

The pig-like screams echoed throughout the garden.

Wang Meng covered his eyes, blood seeping from between his fingers, and rolled on the ground.

Everyone present was startled, and many timid young ladies even collapsed onto their armchairs.

The instigator, Chu Xiao, glared coldly at Wang Meng, his tone chilling, "If you dare look at her like that again, it won't just be one eye that gets damaged."

Chu Xiao's current status is all thanks to his military achievements.

A man who has been on the battlefield, killed enemies, and slew his enemies, will be as terrifying as he is now if he doesn't restrain his bloodthirsty and sinister nature.

The pampered nobles in Lin'an City, even though they knew Chu Xiao was ruthless and serious, had never seen such a scene before.

Blood splattered in the garden, its red even more vibrant than the red on the multicolored peonies.

Madam Wen almost fainted after just one glance.

Chu Xiao looked indifferently at his subordinates, "Take the person back."

"yes."

Shen You frowned slightly and whispered a reminder, "Don't let him die..."

Wang Meng must have come to the Yong'an Marquis's mansion under someone's orders. Only by sparing his life can we find out who is behind it all.

Chu Xiao sheathed his longsword, turned to look at Shen Youshi, and the coldness in his eyes dissipated considerably. He replied softly, "Okay."

Chen Qiurong stared at Shen You in astonishment, then stammered, "...Young Miss..."

"Is the Duke your ex-husband?"

This question reflected the sentiments of everyone present.

In fact, everything that had just happened was enough to answer the question, but everyone still stared intently at the two of them, wanting to get a definite answer from them.

Upon hearing Chen Qiurong's words, Shen You's body stiffened slightly.

Previously, she had been trying her best to hide her relationship with Chu Xiao, not wanting anyone else to know anything about it, nor wanting to have any further involvement with him.

Unexpectedly, it was made public under such circumstances.

She pursed her lips, her mind racing, her beautiful eyes filled with complex emotions.

The garden was deathly silent, the fragrance of the multicolored peonies mingled with a faint smell of blood.

It's very strange.

In the silence, the man in the wheelchair turned around and looked coldly at Madam Wen, who was in the main seat.

"This flower-viewing banquet will now come to an end. What does Madam Wen think?"

The flower-viewing banquet was not for the sake of the wine; Madam Wen's purpose in choosing a husband for her daughter had already been achieved.

There's no need to keep giving gifts.

Madam Wen snapped back to her senses, her eyes still showing a hint of fear as she looked at Chu Xiao.

She swallowed hard, trying her best to adopt the demeanor of a duke's wife, "...Then, as the Duke of Zhenguo said."

The farce ended with Wang Meng being taken away and the servants of the Earl's mansion shaking as they carried water to clean the bloodstains in the garden.

Even after leaving the Yong'an Marquis's residence, everyone still felt a sense of unease.

Shen You lagged behind the group, with Chu Xiao pushing her wheelchair beside her.

She hadn't uttered a word since then, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes filled with turbulent emotions.

As I stepped out of the Earl's mansion, a gentle male voice came from beside the carriage in front of me.

"Miss Shen."

Shen You looked up and saw Yao Yiqian walking over and bowing to her.

"We had a brief meeting today, but I enjoyed a very pleasant conversation with Miss Shen. If there is an opportunity, would you do me the honor of joining me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a sharp and cold gaze shot straight at him from the side.

Yao Yiqian tried his best to ignore that gaze and smiled calmly.

Shen You was taken aback, then smiled and nodded slightly, "Thank you, Third Young Master Yao, but..."

Yao Yiqian had indeed left a good impression on her, but right now her attention was focused on today's unexpected event, and she couldn't think of anything else.

Yao Yiqian understood what she meant, but he didn't give up. "It's alright."

“Miss Shen, please take care of your own affairs first. I am not in a hurry.”

Having said that, Shen You did not refuse again.

“In that case, I’ll head back now,” Yao Yiqian said, turning around and getting into his carriage.

On the other side.

Shen Xiangning stood beside the Marquis's carriage, her gaze fixed on Shen You.

The maidservant beside her reminded her, "Second Miss, let's get in the carriage."

The lady is still waiting in the carriage.

Knowing that Shen You had his own things to do, Shen Xiangning looked away and, with the help of her maid, stepped onto the carriage using a stool.

The sound of horses' hooves clattered as they gradually moved away from the main road in front of the Earl's mansion.

Only Chu Xiao and Shen You remained in this place.

His gaze never left her from beginning to end.

The moment she smiled gently at Yao Yiqian had deeply pierced his eyes.

Besides irritability, those dark eyes also held an inescapable sadness and restlessness.

“Chen You…”

Shen You glanced back at him. "Lord Duke, let's go."

Wang Meng was arrested and brought back to the Criminal Investigation Department, supposedly under the pretext of impersonating an official of the imperial court. But she was also very curious about who was instructing him.

When they arrived, Chen Qiurong was in a carriage by herself, while Shen You and Shen Xiangning were in another carriage.

Now that Chen Xiangning and Chen Qiurong were going back together, Shen You naturally came to another carriage belonging to the Shen family.

Chu Xiao's gaze followed her the whole time.

When Shen You was silent, she kept her lips pursed, making it impossible to tell whether she was angry.

He understood that she didn't want others to know about their relationship, but today's events happened suddenly. Although it wasn't a helpless act, it still concealed his own selfish motives to some extent.

But in the end, he didn't want her to be troubled or worried about these things, and he was even more afraid that she would get angry.

What's more, he only found out when he arrived that Yao Yiqian was also at the flower-viewing banquet.

He had heard of Yao Yiqian.

He is the third son of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, and on the surface, he does appear to be a well-mannered young man.

Could it be that Shen You now likes this type?

Thinking of this, the man's eyes suddenly turned cold.

He asked Mu Geng to bring him a cane, and followed Shen You directly into the carriage.

"you..."

Shen You sat on the cushion, and when she looked up, she saw his tall figure blocking the light when the carriage curtain was lifted.

Her gaze unconsciously fell on his injured leg.

Chu Xiao leaned straight against the car window, his knees barely an arm's length away from hers.

Noticing her gaze, he whispered, "Don't worry, my injury is nothing."

Shen You calmly looked away. "Why are you in my carriage again?"

Chu Xiao looked at her and said, "I think you have something to say to me about Wang Meng."

When it came to business, Shen You didn't want to dwell on the matter of him getting into his carriage anymore, and said directly, "When we arrive at the Criminal Investigation Department, I would like to trouble the Duke of Zhenguo to lend me some writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone."

What do you want to do?

Shen You completely trusted him in this matter. "If Wang Meng was acting under someone's orders, then he must have met that person. No matter what that person was dressed up as when they met, there must have been some distinctive features."

"I have a guess in my mind that I need to verify."

Chu Xiao nodded in agreement.

He also sent people out to investigate a few days ago, and if all goes well, news should come back in the next couple of days.

At that time, Shen You will not be without evidence.

After finishing the business, an eerie silence fell over the carriage.

Shen You lowered his eyes slightly, lost in thought.

Her curled eyelashes cast small shadows on her eyelids, and the hair ornaments on her hair swayed gently as the carriage moved forward.

The curtains of the car window were blown open by the wind, and sunlight streamed in.

It landed on the hairpin and dazzled his eyes.

Chu Xiao's gaze towards her remained unwavering, deep and intense.

“Shen You,” he said carefully, “I’m sorry about what happened just now.”

He apologized, but he didn't regret it at all. However, he was also afraid that she would be angry and that this incident would make her want to distance herself from him even more.

Deep down, he knew that Shen You was not without a way to handle Wang Meng's matter in the Earl's mansion garden.

It may take some effort and time.

But she can do it.

His appearance disrupted her plans.

The light from the carriage curtains flickered, reflecting the complex and conflicted emotions in the man's eyes as he quietly waited for Shen You to speak.

Shen You pursed his lips, recalling the ruthless and decisive sword strike he had delivered to Wang Meng's right eye in the Bo Mansion garden, and said in a low voice, "I know you are helping me."

If someone like Wang Meng isn't taught a lesson, even if she clears things up in the garden today, she'll never have peace in the future.

It's actually easier for Chu Xiao to just arrest the person directly now.

She knew what the Criminal Investigation Department was.

The charge of impersonating an official of the imperial court was not entirely unfounded, and Wang Meng would certainly be punished there.

This is advantageous for her in uncovering the person behind the scenes.

Thinking of this, Shen You's chaotic thoughts cleared up a little.

However, the next moment, Chu Xiao said, "What about Yao Yiqian..."

She suddenly looked up at him, her eyes clear and firm, and she didn't shy away from admitting to him that she was looking at Yao Yiqian.

Chu Xiao's Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty. "Shen You, can we please not be interested in him?"

here we go again.

It's that same aggrieved tone again.

Shen You smiled gently, about to coldly reply with "No," when she suddenly remembered that she would need his help when she entered the Criminal Investigation Department later.

She cleared her throat and said, "The most important thing right now is Wang Meng's case."

Chu Xiao's expectant gaze was ultimately disappointed, and his upright back slowly leaned against the carriage wall.

No one spoke again inside the car.

Only the sound of wheels rolling outside could be heard, accompanied by the noisy shouts of vendors passing through the bustling city.

The carriage in the Shen residence was spacious, and the two were spaced at a distance that was neither too close nor too far apart.

He could smell the faint fragrance that belonged only to her.

I don't know how much time passed.

The man's deep voice rang out again inside the carriage.

"Shen You, could you please give me a chance...?"

A chance like Yao Yiqian?