Chapter 10

My mother, who had caught up, called out, "Hey, Xiao Cui, a guest has called your name."

"Who? Are you really that brave?"

The door to the left opened, and a young man with loose clothes walked out. He looked at Lu Shenxing with contempt, "It's you?"

I have seen it somewhere before, but I can’t remember.

"That's me." Lu Shenxing waved the fan he had picked up from a roadside stall. "How about we have a competition?"

Xin Yuan's expression was disdainful, "You are worthy!"

"You don't dare?" Lu Shenxing asked loudly, "Master Xin, you don't dare?"

His intentionally raised voice attracted onlookers from upstairs and downstairs. Everyone pointed and talked, and Xin Yuan's face suddenly changed. "What are you competing for?"

"Let's play something simple, arm wrestling." Lu Shenxing curled his lips and said, "If I win, I'll only ask Miss Xiao Cui for one night."

Xin Yuan snorted coldly, "What if this young master wins..."

Lu Shenxing gave him a smile, arrogant and domineering, "You don't have this chance."

Xin Yuan, who has always been arrogant, was provoked.

Mom ordered someone to bring a table. Amidst everyone's cheers, Lu Shenxing and Xin Yuan stood on each side and put a hand on it.

In a few moments, Xin Yuan lost. Veins bulged on his neck. "Come again!"

"I'm still waiting to spend the night with Miss Xiao Cui." Lu Shenxing straightened his sleeves. "I'll see you another day."

Xin Yuan was breathing rapidly. Xiao Cui was just a form of entertainment for him, but this incident had made him lose face, and he couldn't just let it go.

Lu Shenxing raised his eyebrows and asked loudly, "Why? Master Xin can't afford to lose?"

The onlookers immediately turned to look at Xin Yuan, their contempt obvious.

"Just a bitch." Xin Yuan turned away.

Lu Shenxing walked into the room slowly, his eyes scanning the woman in red. He smiled while waving a fan, "Miss Xiao Cui, I'm sure you heard the noise outside. You are mine tonight."

Xiao Cui clenched her handkerchief, bit her lips, and had a sad look on her face.

"As expected of a top-notch courtesan, you're truly stunning." Lu Shenxing lifted her chin and gently rubbed it with his thumb. "What a pity! I don't really like things that have been used by others."

Xiao Cui said, "Then please leave, sir."

The money has been spent, and I would be sorry if I didn't do something. Lu Shenxing sat down on the chair and said, "The night is long. I wonder if Miss Xiao Cui would be willing to play a song for me?"

Xiao Cui then looked at Lu Shenxing, hesitated for a moment, and then started playing the piano.

Listening to the beautiful piano music, Lu Shenxing smiled lazily and said, "Miss Xiao Cui, if I am not here today, there will be others in the future."

"You're talking nonsense!" The strings of the zither trembled violently, and Xiao Cui stood up. "He's sincere to me and said he would marry me!"

Lu Shenxing clicked his tongue and shook his head. "To be the eldest young lady of the Xin family, she must be either rich or noble. She definitely can't be from a brothel. Why are you deceiving yourself, Miss Xiao Cui?"

"That's enough!" Xiao Cui looked at Lu Shenxing warily, "You're not here for fun at all. What's your purpose in coming to me?"

Lu Shenxing picked up the grapes from the plate and put them into his mouth. He narrowed his eyes and chuckled softly, "I heard that Shuiyan and Luoluo from Yingchun Pavilion are twins, and Qiuyue from Silian Pavilion has a very flexible figure, and..."

Xiao Cui trembled all over and ran out crying.

"Women's hearts are easier to guess."

Lu Shenxing walked over the screen to the bed, took out a white porcelain bottle from his sleeve, and sprinkled the rice powder inside on the bed.

Xiao Cui ended up being strangled to death by Xin Yuan, he just brought the event forward that day.

After leaving Huayue Tower, Xiao Cui went directly to Yingchun Pavilion. She did not go in, but stayed in the shadow outside the door. After a while, she saw Xin Yuan coming out with people hugging him.

The green-shirted woman on the left said in a coquettish voice, "Xin Lang, you said you would marry us sisters, so don't lie to us."

The woman in blue on the right rubbed against Xin Yuan's arms.

"How could I possibly lie to you?" Xin Yuan pinched their buttocks and laughed heartily, "Marry them all."

After hearing those words, Xiao Cui's hands and feet turned cold, and she squatted on the ground, crying and laughing.

The next day, Xin Yuan found Xiao Cui, carried her to bed, and kissed her as usual.

Xiao Cui looked at the hibiscus tent above her head and asked, "Do you love me?"

Xin Yuan's breathing was heavy as he buried himself in her neck. "Love, I love you so much."

"Then go to hell." Xiao Cui gripped the scissors tightly and stabbed Xin Yuan.

Xin Yuan's body tilted, and the scissors pierced his arm. He angrily grabbed Xiao Cui's neck and said, "You are crazy!"

By the time he reacted, Xiao Cui was already dead.

A scream was heard at the door. It was Xiao Cui's maid. Xin Yuan's attempt to silence her was stopped by the footsteps outside, and he was sent to the Sizheng Yamen.

From Xiao Cui's death to Xin Yuan's arrest, everything happened so quickly that Hua Yuelou's mother was stunned when she rushed over.

"Who reported it to the authorities?" The person is dead and the Xin family cannot afford to offend him.

Everyone shook their heads. They only saw the officers rushing in and knew nothing else.

After hearing the news, the Xin family had their own ulterior motives.

The atmosphere in the hall was a little subtle and no one spoke.

Xin Liang lowered his head and touched the bamboo stick again and again. No one knew what he was thinking.

"Dad, I'll go and beg the prince when he comes back." Xin Weichen cried, "Big brother will be fine."

Xin Hongyuan was more concerned about the Xin family's reputation. He frowned and said, "Alright, if you speak to the prince on your brother's behalf, maybe this matter can be resolved."

It was just a brothel girl who died.

However, unexpectedly, Xin Yuan died in prison that night. The guarding officer described that he had no wounds on his body, except for his eyes which were scratched and bloody. After examination by the coroner, it was determined that he died of poisoning.

Gray cloud was found on Xiao Cui's bed. It is a spice in itself, but when combined with the expensive purple leaves, it becomes highly poisonous.

It just so happened that the food the Xin family sent that day was what Xin Yuan liked to eat, and it included purple leaves.

Whether it is a coincidence or a conspiracy, there is no way to tell.

Lu Shenxing used his actions to tell Xin Liang that it was easy for someone to die.

While the Xin Mansion was busy arranging Xin Yuan's funeral, Xin Liang, who had never been asked about his affairs, found Lu Shenxing. His first question was, "You did it?"

Lu Shenxing poured out the water in the bucket and lowered his rolled-up sleeves. "I have no grudge against him, so there's no need to bother."

For some reason, perhaps bewildered, Xin Liang actually thought that this person was doing this for him.

It's ridiculous.

"My place is very big, let me show you around." Lu Shenxing was satisfied with the progress of the task. If he continued like this, he would be able to leave soon.

Xin Liang listened to his voice and said, "You seem very happy."

"Yes, I'm very happy." Lu Shenxing put down the wooden barrel and reached out to hold Xin Liang's hand. "The ground is wet, follow me."

Holding his broad, calloused hand, Xin Liang felt reassured. Suddenly, she asked, "Why are you so nice to me?"

Lu Shenxing didn't hear clearly, "Huh? What?"

"Nothing." Xin Liang seemed to be flustered and did not mention it again.

Lu Shenxing turned his head to look at the person next to him. He looked indifferent on the surface, but he was very happy in his heart. He secretly remembered that this person said one thing and meant another. From now on, if he said no, it meant he wanted it very much, and if he said he didn't like it, it meant he loved it very much.

When Lu Shenxing brought Xin Liang to Wang, they were both surprised.

"Please sit down." Wang looked at Xin Liang, paused at the black cloth on his face, then removed it, revealing a gentle smile. "This is the first time Zhou'er has introduced his friends to me."

Xin Liang didn't talk much, so Lu Shenxing did all the talking. After chatting for a few sentences, Wang started coughing badly, so she drank some medicine and lay down to sleep.

Being led across the threshold, Xin Liang said softly, "She already knows you are not Changzhou."

Lu Shenxing turned his head instantly, "How did you know?"

Xin Liang gave two words, "intuition."

After being shocked, Lu Shenxing calmed down. Since the other party didn't expose him now, he would continue to pretend that he didn't know.

Xin Liang suddenly said, "She won't live long."

Lu Shenxing twitched the corners of his lips, quite speechless, "Is there anything you don't know?"

Xin Liang pursed his lips, "Yes."

Lu Shenxing became curious, but no matter how he asked, he couldn't get any answer.

After staying at home for two days, Lu Shenxing had to wear court robes and go to court. When he saw the people standing in the first row of the hall, their faces were full of astonishment.

How did you get back so soon? Do you have invisible wings?

Of course, King Jing understood Lu Shenxing's expression. He came back lying on his stomach the whole time, and he urinated and defecated in the carriage. The tragic scene he experienced would never be told to outsiders in his lifetime.

"Chang Aiqing?"

The voice above pulled Lu Shenxing back to his thoughts. He straightened his face and bent slightly, "I am here."

The emperor sighed, "My dear, are you worried about something?"

Lu Shenxing immediately said seriously, "Your Majesty, I am thinking about the matter of Ku Hai. I hope to help Your Majesty get them to submit to our dynasty as soon as possible."

The emperor was deeply pleased and said, "If everyone is like you, my country will surely be peaceful and prosperous."

The other ministers all nodded in agreement, and for a time Lu Shenxing's image of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism became increasingly established.

Suddenly, a voice said, "Father, the day after tomorrow is Mid-Autumn Festival. I would like to have a discussion with General Chang at the banquet to entertain you and Mother."

Discuss? Lu Shenxing's eyes twitched. Fuck you.

Then, the emperor agreed, King Jing smiled, and Lu Shenxing cried.

The young eunuch shouted in a shrill voice, and the emperor left the dragon throne. Lu Shenxing strode out without stopping.

"General Chang."

A voice came from behind, but Lu Shenxing pretended not to hear it. He passed the ministers one by one and continued to move forward, walking so fast that it seemed as if he was rushing to be reincarnated.

"Changzhou, stop right there!"

Lu Shenxing gritted his teeth, turned around, and asked in surprise, "Is there something wrong, Your Majesty?"

King Jing walked over slowly and smiled sinisterly, "Yes."