Chapter 142 What to Do Next

Zhao Xuan laughed triumphantly:

"So what if it is? So what if it isn't? I was just a little bit away... just a little bit away, and the one who would have inherited the title would have been my Yu'er!"

"I didn't expect this, Shen Yiqiu. You do have some tricks up your sleeve, quite different from your foolish mother. It's a pity, don't forget, Yu'er is now the consort of the Earl's heir."

"I am the biological mother of the Crown Prince's concubine. If you kill me, Yu'er will never let this go!"

Shen Yiqiu scoffed at her threats:

"I have no interest in your mother-daughter affection. I only ask you, where were you on the night the Yongjia Marquis's mansion was attacked by bandits? What were you doing?"

Zhao Xuan hadn't expected her to ask about what happened back then; her eyes flickered, but she forced herself to remain calm.

"I don't know! The manor was in such chaos that night, what could a lowly maid like me do?"

Shen Yiqiu noticed her panic, but instead of pressing her, she spoke calmly:

"Alright. So the chronic poison that my mother, Shen Ruyi, suffered from must be related to you, right? I'm about to lose my mother. Do you think I would let Song Sangyu still have a mother? At worst, we'll both go to hell."

The ruthless intent in her words, bordering on the same as mutual destruction, convinced Zhao Xuan that she was truly capable of taking action.

"I'll talk...I'll talk..."

Zhao Xuan glanced outside the door, seemingly trying to stall for time.

"It was Song Qingming. He made me guard the back gate of the Yongjia Marquis's residence to open the gate for those bandits..."

Even though she had suspected it beforehand, hearing with her own ears that her father was an accomplice in the murder of her grandmother still sent a shock through Shen Yiqiu's heart.

She pressed further:

"Why? Why would he do that?"

Zhao Xuan smiled broadly:

"Because...we have a common enemy."

A common enemy?

Shen Yiqiu was taken aback. Just as she was about to ask who this enemy was, she saw Zhao Xuan's expression change drastically. She suddenly bit down on the poison sac hidden between her teeth, and a trickle of black blood instantly spilled from the corner of her mouth.

Shen Yiqiu instinctively struck, pressing several acupoints on her body in an attempt to stop the spread of the poison. However, the poison was extremely potent and had already penetrated her heart meridian within a few breaths.

Zhao Xuan collapsed to the ground, looking at Shen Yiqiu with a mixture of malice and smugness, and said intermittently:

"Rather than... waiting for you to make a move... I'd rather end it myself... You... you'll never... know... that secret..."

Her head lolled to the side, and she died instantly. Before she died, she deliberately spat a mouthful of poisonous blood onto Shen Yiqiu's sleeve.

Shen Yiqiu looked at the corpse on the ground and the bloodstains on her sleeves, and knew something was wrong.

This is not outside the palace, but inside the strictly regulated imperial palace.

The death of a palace maid in the room where she was alone was extremely disadvantageous to her, regardless of the reason.

Zhao Xuan is willing to risk her life to drag herself down with her.

Just as she was frantically thinking of a solution, the door was suddenly pushed open.

Fu Langxing burst in, saw the corpse on the ground, and took two steps back in fright, pointing at Shen Yiqiu:

"You...you actually dared to kill someone in the palace?!"

Shen Yiqiu quickly composed herself, showing no sign of panic on her face. Instead, she raised an eyebrow and asked in return:

"Why did Prince Fu find this secluded room instead of accompanying his concubine in the main hall?"

Fu Langxing hurriedly closed the door behind him, and after confirming that no one was watching, he quickly stepped forward and began to act out the scene in an anxious tone:

"Yiqiu! You're foolish! No matter how much you hate, you shouldn't have done it in the palace. You should leave now before anyone finds out. If they investigate, I'll say I killed him."

"Yiqiu, let me protect you one last time!"

Watching his performance, Shen Yiqiu couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Fu Langxing was baffled by her laughter and became somewhat embarrassed and angry:

"Yiqiu, what are you laughing at? What time is it!"

A smile appeared on Chen Yiqiu's face as she reminisced about the autumn harvest.

“Young Master Fu, I didn’t kill him, so why should I run away? You keep pointing the finger at me, but where is the evidence? The body is spitting out black blood, clearly indicating that it died of poisoning.”

"She lured me here first, then committed suicide by poisoning herself, clearly trying to frame me. Could it be that I could foresee the future and force her to take the poison beforehand?"

She didn't fall into the trap of self-justification; her sharp retort left Fu Langxing speechless.

Shen Yiqiu stopped looking at him, calmly wiped the dagger clean, and put it back in her sleeve.

Just then, she suddenly smelled an unusual sweet fragrance.

Oh no! It's sleeping potion!

She immediately held her breath, but the drug was extremely potent, and in an instant, a strong feeling of dizziness rushed to the top of her head.

My vision began to blur, and Fu Langxing's face kept getting bigger and bigger in front of me, twisted like a demon from hell.

Looking at her swaying figure, Fu Langxing's face revealed a crazed expression, and he whispered in her ear:

"Yiqiu, don't blame me... I originally disdained to use such methods, but I love you too much, and I absolutely cannot watch you marry the Crown Prince!"

Just before she completely lost consciousness, Shen Yiqiu saw Song Sangyu slowly stroll in from outside the door.

Her face still held a sweet smile as she leaned down and gently touched Shen Yiqiu's face twice.

“Sister, there’s really no way around it. How can I just watch you ascend to the throne of Crown Princess and sit high above everyone else? I would rather... you and I were both just the Crown Prince’s people.”

"From today onwards, the deed is done, and we sisters will share one husband. It won't be a bad thing if word gets out. Even if His Highness the Crown Prince is resentful, he won't be able to do anything about it then..."

Darkness gradually swallowed her consciousness. Before she completely lost consciousness, Shen Yiqiu could only squeeze out two words through gritted teeth:

"...Shameless."

Fu Langxing scooped up the unconscious Shen Yiqiu and carried her toward the bed in the room.

At this moment, driven by a twisted possessiveness, he completely disregarded propriety and shame.

Just as he was about to put Shen Yiqiu down, his sleeve was gently tugged from behind.

Song Sangyu stood behind him, her face full of grievance:

"Brother Langxing...then...what about me? Even if you get my sister, what am I, Song Sangyu?"

Fu Langxing paused, frowning impatiently, but his mind was preoccupied with his impending success with Shen Yiqiu, and he didn't want any complications. So he made a perfunctory promise:

“Sang Yu, you are naturally sensible. Even if you have her, how can someone who has lost her chastity surpass you? Don’t worry, the position of the principal wife will always be yours. She… at most, will be a concubine, and will have to live at your mercy in the future. Are you satisfied with this?”

All he wanted was to destroy Shen Yiqiu's pride and bring her down from her pedestal; as for her status, he didn't care.

That's exactly what Song Sangyu wanted to hear.

What she wanted was never Fu Langxing's love, but to forever trample Shen Yiqiu under her feet and ensure she would never have a chance to rise again.

Hearing Fu Langxing's assurance, she obediently let go of his hand.

"Brother Langxing is the best to me. Well... I'll go outside and keep watch for you, don't worry."

She turned around, tiptoed out, and thoughtfully closed the door behind her.

However, as soon as she stepped out of the room, before she could even see her surroundings clearly, a hand grabbed the back of her neck.

"Well……"

Song Sangye tried to turn around in terror, but before she could speak, a sharp pain shot through the back of her neck, her vision went black, and she collapsed to the ground unconscious.

Xiao Yongjing's figure emerged from the shadows of the porch. He didn't even look at Song Sangyu on the ground, but simply made a gesture to the shadows. Immediately, two guards appeared silently and dragged Song Sangyu away.

Inside the room, Fu Langxing gently placed Shen Yiqiu on the bed, gazing at her aloof and stunningly beautiful face.

Her breathing quickened, and her hand trembled as she reached for the sash around Chen Yiqiu's waist...

Just as his fingertips were about to touch the fabric, a teasing voice slowly came from behind him:

"What are you planning to do next?"

Fu Langxing's hand suddenly froze in mid-air, and he turned around in shock.

Xiao Yongjing was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed, looking at him with a half-smile.