Chapter 2 The little girl was naughty and shy; she ran away after sleeping with me.

She instinctively pulled her collar tighter, feeling a warm sensation spreading across her neck.

Yes, there are indeed markings, on one side.

Fortunately, she was wearing a cross-collar robe, which covered the mark on her neck.

"I only stumbled upon this place early this morning and didn't see anything. I have things to do at home, so I'll take my leave."

She pushed away the jade fan that was pressing on her shoulder and ran away in a somewhat disheveled state.

Pei Yuan stroked the jade-bone fan, his gaze sweeping over the disheveled bed.

This is a dark room behind the main hall of Jingguo Temple, which is usually used to store incense and candles for offerings. The light is somewhat dim.

But a faint fragrance permeated the air.

It wasn't the smell of incense or candles.

His gaze sharpened slightly as he used his jade-bone fan to lift the blanket.

A blood-red plum blossom bloomed on the mattress, and a blurry image flashed through my mind.

"It hurts, be gentle."

He couldn't see in the night and couldn't see the woman's face, but he could sense that her voice was soft and her skin was as smooth as snow.

Strangely, he had difficulty falling asleep at night, but last night he slept exceptionally soundly while holding that woman, without even dreaming.

His gaze sharpened slightly as he picked up a lake-blue purse from the foot of the bed. A medicinal fragrance mixed with a delicate aroma wafted out.

It was a sedative, which is why he slept so soundly.

Was this left behind by the woman last night?

Pei Yuan twirled his fingers and called in his personal guard. "I'll give you two days to find out who the woman from last night was."

-----

Despite her aching body, Shen Chu climbed out of the window and returned to her room without disturbing anyone.

As soon as she landed, she smelled a strong stench of blood.

When he saw the scene on the bed, he couldn't help but gasp.

A pale-faced, naked woman lay on the disheveled bed.

The woman's eyes were wide open, and blood was gushing from a fist-sized wound on her chest, staining the bedsheets beneath her with bright red blood.

Shen Chu reached out and checked her breath; she was already dead. Only the bruises all over her body showed what she had gone through before she died.

A gust of wind came from behind her. Just as she was about to duck to avoid it, her eyes suddenly turned and she collapsed softly to the ground.

A cold snort sounded from above, "You can only blame your bad luck for running into this door."

Shen Chu remained motionless.

It seems that the stepmother, Lady Changning, had come up with another plan after one failed.

A series of events involving murder, framing, and fabricating the crime scene.

The person died in her room, and she was unable to defend herself.

What a vicious scheme!

Feeling a dagger being shoved into her hand, the man dragged her to the bedside, his hand casually stroking Shen Chu's face.

"A man who is even fairer and more delicate than a woman, rather than letting him go to jail and benefit the jailers, I'd rather have a taste of him first."

The man grinned maliciously and reached out to tear at Chen Chu's clothes.

Shen Chu suddenly opened her eyes and plunged the dagger into the man's chest.

The man's eyes bulged out, his face filled with shock, and he collapsed to the ground dead.

Death came so suddenly that he had no time to react.

Shen Chu lowered her eyes. She recognized the man; he was Zhao Er, a guard brought from her maiden home by her stepmother, the Lady of Changning Marquis.

A month ago, on her way back to the capital to take the imperial examination, Zhao Er led men to assassinate her, and more than once.

It seems that after she became the top scholar in the imperial examination, her stepmother became even more jealous, to the point of no return.

Since that's the case, let's settle all the old and new scores together.

-----

As the sun rose, Lady Chen, the wife of the Marquis of Changning, was instructing her trusted servant, Wang Mama.

"You take some men and stand guard outside Shen Chu's room. I'll lead the Empress Dowager over there in a bit."

I want the Empress Dowager to see the scene with her own eyes, to confirm Shen Chu's guilt in torturing and killing the maid.

While doing Chen's hair and makeup, Madam Wang smiled and said, "This servant congratulates you in advance, Madam, on relieving your great worry."

A smile appeared on Chen's lips. "This bastard, he was only born two months earlier than my son, yet he dares to try and put himself above my son. Bah!"

“Who says otherwise? Madam is just too kind-hearted. You shouldn’t have let Aunt Qiao give birth to this bastard when you were pregnant.”

As Chen recalled what happened back then, a ruthless glint flashed across her sallow face.

"Back then, the Marquis promised to send him to a Taoist temple in my hometown of Huzhou to be raised. Who knew that this bastard would secretly participate in the imperial examination and even pass it?"

If I had known it would turn out like this, I should have strangled him on the way to the Taoist temple.

"Alright, hurry up and make the arrangements. I want this newly appointed top scholar to become a prison inmate today."

The master and servant made a decision and left soon.

Everything proceeded according to plan. Wang's mother led a group of people around the yard, subtly spreading the news.

When Lady Chen passed by with the Empress Dowager, she saw the mess and deliberately asked:

"What happened?"

Madam Wang immediately knelt down, "Madam, Chunxing from our room didn't return all night. Someone saw her being summoned by the eldest young master last night."

"This servant came to ask the eldest young master, but he won't open the door, so this servant doesn't dare to barge in."

The noble families around Madam Chen began to whisper among themselves.

"Didn't come home all night? No way..."

"Although young people are full of vigor, this is still a sacred Buddhist site, and doing this will anger the Buddha."

"I never expected that the seemingly gentlemanly Scholar Shen would be such a lecher."

“Oh dear, I was originally considering marrying my daughter to Scholar Shen, but thankfully I didn’t bring it up. A man like that is not a good match.”

As Chen listened to the surrounding discussions, a smile flashed in her eyes.

The Empress Dowager's face darkened. "Outrageous! This is a sacred Buddhist site. How can we act recklessly? Let Chen Chu come out and speak."

The room was quiet, as if no one was there.

The Empress Dowager ordered, "Someone, break down the door and see what Chen Chu is up to."

A hint of smugness flashed across Chen's eyes.

Once this door opens, Shen Chu will become a murderer.

Even the title of top scholar won't save her then.

Just as the people around the Empress Dowager were about to break down the door, a clear and gentle voice suddenly rang out from behind them.

"Chen Chu greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."

Everyone turned around and saw Chen Chu walking over in a sky-blue robe embroidered with bamboo patterns.

With her delicate eyebrows and long eyes, and her tall and slender figure, she walked slowly, like a tall and verdant bamboo, attracting everyone's attention.

Chen was somewhat surprised to see Shen Chu.

I can't believe that bastard managed to escape last night. I'm so angry.

Fortunately, she quickly changed her plan, and the thought of the room's arrangement made her resentment subside.

The Empress Dowager looked displeased. "Young Scholar Shen, you've come at just the right time. I heard you took the Changning Marquis's maid away all night and she hasn't returned. What's going on?"

Shen Chu blinked. "Chunxing? This humble subject has never seen Chunxing."

The Empress Dowager was furious. "Those around your mother can testify. Are you still going to try to deny it?"

Mrs. Chen smiled kindly and gently, yet with a hint of helplessness.

"My child, if you've taken a fancy to Chunxing, just say so. Do you think I wouldn't be willing to give you a maid?"

"Oh, no need for that. The maids around my mother aren't even as pretty as me. I really don't find them attractive."

Pfft.

A few low laughs rang out from the surroundings.

Chen was so angry that her face turned pale. She wanted to retort, but when her gaze fell on Shen Chu's handsome face, she couldn't find the words to refute him.

"Do you dare to open the door and let us see for ourselves to prove that Chunxing isn't in your room?"

Chen Chu hesitated for a moment, "A-Chu got drunk last night and didn't come home all night. The room is probably a bit messy."

Hearing that she hadn't returned all night, Chen became even more certain that Zhao Er had already arranged things in the room.

"Don't worry about things getting messy; just open the door and I'll clear your name."

Chen Chu reached out to stop Chen Shi, "Mother, listen to me..."

The more he tried to stop her, the more eager Mrs. Chen became to open the door.

"Mother, let me do it..."

Chen pushed Chen Chu aside and slammed the door open.

A basin of cold water fell from the doorway, pouring down and drenching Chen Shi completely, the sound echoing.

"Ahh!"

The weather was still a bit cold in early April. Chen, who was soaked to the bone, glared angrily at Shen Chu.

"Chen Chu, did you deliberately try to harm me?"

“Achu was raised in a Taoist temple since she was a child and was always bullied by the Taoists, so she developed a habit of always putting a basin of water on the door at night.”

That way, if a bad person comes in, the basin will fall to the ground, and Ah Chu will wake up.

Just now, Achu stopped her mother to explain this matter, but her mother wouldn't listen to her explanation at all.

Shen Chu looked completely innocent, as if she had no choice but to let him open the door.

"You!" Chen was both cold and angry.

laugh.

A sneer came from behind.

She turned around and saw Pei Yuan leaning against the pear tree, now dressed in a pale green robe, looking even more dazzling than the pear blossoms on the tree.

His shimmering, peach-blossom eyes gazed at her languidly, as if he could see right through her thoughts, his gaze filled with undisguised mockery.

She remembered something and felt a chill run down her spine.

Could it be that this guy knows something?

Just as he was feeling uneasy, he heard the Empress Dowager ask, "Little Six, what are you doing here?"

Pei Yuan glanced at Chen Chu, then swiftly opened his jade fan. The image of the maidservant on the fan was so beautiful and captivating that it was impossible to look away.

“My grandson slept with a woman last night, but the girl was naughty and shy. She ran away after we finished, so I came here to catch her.”

Shen Chu's heart skipped a beat.

Could it be that this guy discovered she was the one from last night?