Chapter 95: Trick
In the dimly lit room, the disheveled Erlang of the Pei family was seen strangling a girl in half-dressed costume and pressing her down on a round table. He was filled with hostility and his eyes were filled with the menacing look of a dark cloud pressing down on the city, completely different from his usual sunny and bright self.
The servants reacted immediately and rushed forward to block the door, preventing the guests from taking another look.
"Is that Pei Jilang in there?"
"Today is the engagement party, why is he entangled with an actor? How shameless!"
"The Lu and Pei families are old friends. If the Duke's Mansion knew about this marriage..."
The guests in the courtyard were talking about this, and all their words reached Pei Zhao's ears clearly.
He pinched the actress with a little more force, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged. In his muddled mind, he had only one thought, which was to kill the person in front of him.
The strong feeling of suffocation made the beggar's hands and feet gradually lose strength.
In a trance, Huadan caught sight of Lu Qian. Her eyes suddenly widened, and she looked at him urgently for help.
I’m afraid that if I’m one second late, I’ll die.
Pei Zhao accurately caught the subtle look in Hua Dan's eyes, tilted his head, and looked at Lu Qian who was standing at the door, leaning leisurely against the door frame.
The two men's eyes met, each with a different expression.
Lu Qian hadn't expected the drug's effects to wear off so quickly, but at least his goal had been achieved. With a wicked grin on his face, he softly tutted, "If Pei Erlang had killed someone, wouldn't Kyoto be in turmoil?"
These words brought Pei Zhao back to his senses. He realized that he had almost lost control, and his hand that was pinching Hua Dan's neck suddenly loosened. His scarlet eyes were still staring at Lu Qian with a sharp gaze.
"Get out of the way!"
The old lady's voice came from the courtyard. Her voice was like a loud bell. The guests fell silent immediately and dared not act rashly. The servants who were blocking the door also made way for her.
Wang helped the old lady into the side room. Seeing the extra girl in the room, she was shocked, but she did not rush to question Pei Zhao.
"Who are you?"
The actress's throat was pinched and she couldn't speak for a while. Due to the strong oppression from the old lady and Wang, she looked timid and her eyes were wandering.
"Mother, can't you see it? Pei Zhao and this woman are in the same room with their clothes disheveled. It's obvious that they are having an affair." Lu Qian said.
"Shut up!" Wang glared at him unhappily. This dead kid only caused trouble.
“…”
Lu Qian curled his lips, retreated to the door and leaned against it, then gave Hua Dan a look from an angle where no one could see.
The Hua Dan's eyes flickered slightly, and she said in a hoarse voice, "This slave... This slave has admired the Second Young Master for a long time. Today, I can spend a night with the Second Young Master. Even if I die, I will be satisfied."
Wang's expression changed drastically, and her eyes moved back and forth between Pei Zhao and the actress.
Having lived in the harem for so many years, I have certainly seen scenes of people offering themselves for marriage, but today is an engagement banquet, and the one being engaged is my own niece. If this matter is not handled well, it will be a blow to my niece.
The actress's words could fool Wang, but they couldn't fool the old lady.
"Spending the night together?" The old lady sneered, her eyes sharp. "I've lived half my life, and I'm not afraid of saying something shameful. You two are still wearing your clothes, and there's not a single romantic scene in the room. How can this be called spending the night together?"
After saying this, the old lady glanced at Pei Zhao again and said loudly, "Erlang grew up under my care. I know his temperament best. This fire started by chance. If you say there's no trick, I don't believe it at all!"
When the guests in the courtyard heard the old lady's words, they also felt that it made sense. Pei Erlang had always been a man of integrity, so how could he have had an affair with an actor at the engagement banquet? He must have been framed.
The actress glanced towards the door and said in a wronged tone, "If the old lady wants to put the blame on me alone, I have nothing to say. I know that Erlang is engaged to your granddaughter, and you love your granddaughter, so there is nothing wrong with you doing this..."
Wang's eyes were fixed.
What a cunning girl! She actually dared to accuse the old lady of protecting her own family.
The old lady's expression remained unchanged: "Erlang, tell me what happened."
The young man leaning against the door raised his eyes and cast a deep gaze at Pei Zhao. This drug was so potent that even if he woke up early, he would still have a headache.
Pei Zhao's mind was pounding, his hands clenched into fists beneath his sleeves, his knuckles turning pale. His loss of control was like falling off a cliff into an abyss.
He knew full well that Lu Qian was absolutely involved in the drugging incident. His eyes darkened and he said in a hoarse voice, "I accidentally lost my clothes at the banquet and went back to the backyard to change. I was drugged halfway through and when I woke up, I was already in this room."
"Everyone heard it, right?"
The old lady said sternly, "Erlang was drugged. This woman is weak, how could she lift a young man? She must have had help. They framed Erlang and brought you here to ruin his reputation and this marriage!"
The guests' attitudes were one-sided, and they all accused the actress of having ulterior motives and demanded a thorough investigation and no leniency.
The lights in the room were dim, casting a large shadow on Lu Qian. His face was hidden in the darkness, and his expression could not be seen clearly. Only his pair of auspicious phoenix eyes were hot and sharp, as if there were undercurrents.
Pei Zhao had a very good reputation in Kyoto, so he never thought that this little trick could ruin the marriage, but it could disgust him a little.
It wouldn't be long before the news of the actress drugging and seducing Pei's son would spread throughout Kyoto. This marriage had just been arranged, and already there was trouble. If there were any further problems, it wouldn't be so easy to resolve.
"I...I resorted to this desperate measure because I admire Erlang. I have no helpers. Everything is my own idea." The Huadan's eyes flickered and tears fell, looking pitiful.
She didn't expect that Old Madam Lu was so difficult to deal with. She put all the blame on her in just a few words. If she implicated the young master, she would not be able to get the money.
Wang snorted coldly, "You thought we would believe your lies about setting fire to the engagement banquet?"
"Little girl, the method of drugging and seducing you is really despicable. If the two families pursue it, you will not be able to escape the lawsuit. With so many relatives and friends here today, I don't want to make it too difficult for you. As long as you tell me who is behind this, I will let you go." said the old lady.
The actress's eyelashes drooped as she glanced calmly at the young man at the door. When she looked up again, a hint of disdain appeared in her eyes. "Old lady, there's no need to scare me. I know I'm of humble status and unworthy of Erlang. Even if something really happened, the Pei family wouldn't let me in."
"My methods were somewhat despicable, but I wouldn't go so far as to accuse others of drugging, seducing, or framing an official after being frightened by you. I know the severity of the charges. If you insist on forcing me, the worst that can happen is that I'll just run into my head and die in front of the Pei family's gate."
The old lady narrowed her eyes. This little girl was quite clever. No wonder the person behind the scenes asked her to ruin the marriage.
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