Chapter 240 Caught in rape

On the other side of the screen, Shen Wantang sipped hot tea, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

Liao Youhe didn't get his position at the Dali Temple by solving cases; he got it because of her.

He was even transferred from a remote county town back to the capital thanks to her.

Moreover, Chu Yanluo got the order wrong. Liao Youhe was right. He doesn't have any official rank now, so even if he solves the Xin family's case, it won't make any difference.

In his previous life, he was able to make a name for himself with the Xin family case because he had already passed the imperial examination and become an official. With this foundation, coupled with his astonishing ability to solve cases, he was able to enter the Dali Temple and wield real power.

In today's world, people are very pragmatic. If you don't have official rank or hold a government position, even if you have the ability, it's difficult to gain recognition and promotion.

Like Shen Wantang, she knew that her abilities were far superior to Liao Youhe's. Unfortunately, she was a woman, and she could neither pass the imperial examinations nor become an official. She even had to rely on Liao Youhe's identity to enter the scene of the case for investigation and autopsy.

Seeing her smile, Qin Xin couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Princess Consort, what are you laughing at? Is Aunt Chu wrong? Can't Young Master Liao solve the case?"

Shen Wantang gently shook her head.

Qin Xin was puzzled. Did the Crown Princess mean she didn't know, or did she mean she didn't know?

Du Juan, being from the Shen family, whispered to Qin Xin, "Young Master Liao was someone the eldest young lady insisted on marrying. She had said before that he would become the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review in the future, and that he was particularly good at solving cases. But we have never seen him interested in these things. The servant who serves Young Master Liao said that he only knows how to study and doesn't care about anything else."

Qin Xin asked curiously, "Then why does Aunt Chu still need to ask Young Master Liao for help in solving the case?"

"Who knows? Maybe she heard about the young lady's story and believed her claims about being reborn!"

Meanwhile, Chu Yanluo was still trying to persuade Liao Youhe to leave. When Liao Youhe tried to leave, she held onto him and wouldn't let him go.

As Shen Wantang listened, she looked around the third floor and saw someone suddenly coming up the stairs.

She was slightly taken aback. Xiao Qingyuan?

Why is he here? Did he come with her, or with Chu Yanluo?

As Shen Wantang was wondering, she saw him stride towards her with a cold face.

He quickly came to her, and Qin Xin and Du Juan hurriedly stood up to greet him.

Xiao Qingyuan frowned. Why was Shen Wantang all alone? There wasn't even any food or wine on the table, just a pot of tea. She didn't look like she was there to meet her lover at all.

Just as he was about to speak, he heard a very familiar voice coming from the next table: "Young Master Liao, I'm begging you, please don't leave! I can give you money, as much as you want, just don't leave, let's have a good chat!"

Xiao Qingyuan's body stiffened. He slowly turned his head and stepped over the carved screen separating the two tables.

Then he saw that Chu Yanluo was holding onto a man's arm. The man tried to pry her hand off, but she refused to let go.

The two were so engrossed in their back-and-forth tug-of-war that they didn't even notice the person standing next to them.

Mo Ji glanced at his master's face and saw that his expression was gloomy and his teeth were almost ground to powder.

He had no choice but to cough lightly to interrupt their tug-of-war: "Ahem, Aunt Chu, the young master has arrived."

Chu Yanlu was so shocked that she immediately let go of Liao Youhe's arm.

Liao Youhe's clothes were all crumpled from her pulling, and his collar was loosened. He straightened his clothes in a rather disheveled manner, and then bowed to Xiao Qingyuan with a guilty expression: "Young Master, it's not what you think. Please don't misunderstand."

Xiao Qingyuan's face was extremely ugly. He originally came to catch Shen Wantang cheating, but he did catch her cheating, but it wasn't Shen Wantang, but Chu Yanluo again!

He spoke with a grim face: "And who are you? When did you get involved with Chu Yanluo?!"

Liao Youhe was shocked. He hurriedly waved his hands and said, "No, no, no, Your Highness, I have nothing to do with her. It was purely by accident that I came out to see her today!"

"Your Highness, don't you remember me? We met when you and your wife got married! We also met when you accompanied your wife on her homecoming!"

"I am Liao Youhe, and my wife is Shen Mingxuan, the eldest daughter of the Shen family. We are brothers-in-law!"

Xiao Qingyuan didn't remember such a person at all. Strictly speaking, during the wedding and the return visit, he didn't take anyone in the Shen family seriously, so of course he wouldn't remember anyone's face or name. At that time, the only person he was thinking about was Chu Yanluo.

However, reality gave him a resounding slap in the face.

Chu Yanluo, whom he cared about most, betrayed him the most and hurt him the deepest.

Chu Yanluo had recovered her composure and quickly stepped forward, saying, "Young Master, I came to see Young Master Liao because of the Xin family's case. Didn't you want evidence? He knows that!"

Liao Youhe was so anxious he almost stammered, "No, no, no, don't talk nonsense! I don't know anything! I haven't left the house for days!"

The mysterious disappearance of thirteen members of the Xin family shocked the entire capital. Liao Youhe had absolutely no desire to be involved in such a major case, otherwise, if the Ministry of Justice suspected him of being a suspect, it would be troublesome!

The Shen family was already under suspicion because Xin Huailin's sister had once worked as a maid in the mansion. At this time, Chu Yanluo's nonsense about knowing evidence would get him killed!

Xiao Qingyuan didn't care about the case or the evidence at this moment. He looked at Chu Yanluo, his eyes red: "Chu Yanluo, what are you wearing? Aren't you only wearing white? Am I blind? Is this white?"

Even Mo Ji couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Chu Yanluo. He had been surprised the moment he saw her.

Because Chu Yanluo's current attire is completely different from when she was in the Prince's mansion. She is wearing a lake-green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a smoky purple cloak draped over her shoulders. Her long hair is no longer loose, but is styled into a common pin-shaped bun.

Chu Yanluo now dresses like an ordinary woman in the capital.

Chu Yanluo's face turned a little pale. She didn't expect Xiao Qingyuan to appear here, and she didn't expect him to see her not wearing white.

But she quickly shifted the blame onto Xiao Qingyuan: "Your Highness, how dare you ask me? You won't even buy me a white dress, leaving me with nothing decent to wear when I go out. I had no choice but to wear this."

In the past, if Chu Yanluo had said this, Xiao Qingyuan would have felt guilty and heartbroken. But now, he only felt angry: "You lied to me! You could have worn other colors, but you insisted that I buy you white!"

"Tell me, where did you get this outfit? This isn't the kind of clothing the Prince's mansion would make!"