Chapter 73 The traitor loved me like a treasure when he loved me, and discarded me like... when he hated me.
Shen Yan knew that Li Yaozhi was always intelligent, and now that she had guessed it, there was no point in making other excuses.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hide it from you, it's just... it's a very important matter, and I really didn't want you to get involved."
She had only been in the capital for a short time and had finally made two close friends, whom she cherished very much.
But as things gradually became clearer regarding the Cheng'an Marquis's residence, and she realized that the person behind it might be the Crown Prince or the Prince of Ning, she began to have some worries.
Although Li Yaozhi and Gu Niannian were not daughters of ordinary families, since ancient times there has been a distinction between ruler and subject. No matter how noble their background was, it was insignificant in front of the royal family.
The Crown Prince or Prince Ning might have some reservations because of their status, but that's all they'll do. If it really comes down to it, they will still act without hesitation.
Fearing she would be a burden to them, Shen Yan gradually distanced herself from them, and never mentioned anything related to the Cheng'an Marquis's Spring Banquet to them again.
She had originally planned to tell them after things were settled, but unexpectedly, the two of them suddenly came to her door today and guessed the reason for her recent strange behavior, so they asked her directly.
Gu Niannian, always straightforward, immediately said, "What are you saying? We're good friends, so what's there to confuse us? Besides, that incident wasn't your fault in the first place. Since that's the case, what can't be said? Once the truth is out, it should be announced to the world, and the person who harmed you should be thrown in jail and made to suffer!"
Unlike Gu Niannian, Li Yaozhi frowned and said, "So... you really found out something?"
Shen Yan nodded, but didn't mention a word about the details.
"I don't know what you've found out, nor do I know what matters or people are involved, but the fact that you're so secretive about it, leaving even Prince Ping helpless, suggests that it's definitely not something we can get involved in."
"Although we are good friends, I cannot guarantee that I will stand by you through thick and thin and do everything in my power to help you resolve this matter. But remember, if your life is ever in danger, you must tell me. I will do everything in my power to ensure your safe departure from the capital."
Li Yaozhi is the daughter of the Li family, and the most beloved granddaughter of Grand Secretary Li. If she were to ask, Grand Secretary Li might lend a hand.
But she couldn't let her grandfather take risks just because she was favored, or even involve the entire clan.
Shen Yan was merely the daughter of a sixth-rank lecturer in the Hanlin Academy, while Qi Jingxuan was a prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the emperor's most favored son. Now that they had clearly discovered the inside story but dared not speak of it, and could only discuss countermeasures behind closed doors, it could only mean one thing—the person behind it was also a member of the royal family, and of no lower status than Qi Jingxuan.
Since the matter involves the royal family, Li Yaozhi dared not easily guarantee that she could help Shen Yan, but if Shen Yan's life were in danger in the future, she would do her best to protect her.
By then, she definitely couldn't stay in the capital; the only option was to send her away...
Li Yaozhi felt sad and guilty when she thought of this.
I am saddened by the injustices of fate and feel guilty for not being able to help my friend more.
Although Gu Niannian was simple-minded, she was not stupid. Seeing Li Yaozhi's somber expression and the seriousness of her words, she guessed that the matter was probably not simple. She could only say, "Me too! I... I really want to help you."
His voice trailed off as he spoke, and he pursed his lips and lowered his head.
I just swore I would go to great lengths for my friend, but now I realize I'm not up to the task. I feel really ashamed.
Shen Yan's eyes welled up slightly, and her nose tingled. She said gratefully, "Thank you. I am already very content to be treated like this by you all."
In truth, they had only known each other for three months. For someone to treat her so kindly in such a short time was already her good fortune.
The three of them chatted openly for a long time. Shen Yan then led them on a tour around the Prince's mansion. Before leaving, Li Yaozhi said, "I know you have concerns that prevent you from getting too close to us, but don't worry too much."
"Now that you are the Princess Consort of Pingjun, you are bound to have interactions with the women of various families. No matter who framed you, they can't possibly eliminate all the women you associate with. If you feel stifled at home, just come to us anytime, it's alright."
Shen Yan nodded, smiling as she saw them off, a sigh escaping her lips. Regardless of what the future held, having made two such good friends was already a blessing beyond her previous life.
Thinking this way, she felt much more at ease. She asked someone to fetch her bow and arrows, preparing to finish what she hadn't done earlier and then go to the garden to practice archery.
Although Qi Jingxuan had learned some martial arts from a martial arts instructor while in the palace, it was all forced upon him for the sake of physical fitness. After establishing his own residence, he had no need for a training ground, so there was naturally no such place in his residence.
Shen Yan wanted to practice archery, but the courtyard wasn't big enough, so she set up several grass targets in the garden.
When she arrived, she saw that someone was already standing in front of the straw target; it was Qi Jingxuan.
After seeing Xu Jinyu and the other person off, Qi Jingxuan heard that Li Yaozhi and her friends had come to see Shen Yan, and he wanted to go with them. However, he thought that Shen Yan had been so busy lately that she hadn't had a moment to spare and hadn't gone out much. It was a rare occasion for her friends to come and see her, so he didn't want to spoil their fun. After all, he and Li Yaozhi had never gotten along, and if he went, the two of them would inevitably start arguing again.
Qi Jingxuan wasn't afraid to argue with Li Yaozhi, but he didn't want to upset Shen Yan, so he simply went to the garden to practice archery by himself.
Ever since Shen Yan started practicing archery, he had been practicing with her whenever he had free time. But whether it was because he disliked A Qing and preferred to figure things out on his own rather than learn from her, or because he genuinely lacked talent in this area, possessing only strength but no accuracy, he couldn't seem to hit the target even after several volleys of arrows.
He was getting frustrated with his practice when he heard footsteps approaching from afar, followed by Shen Yan's exclamation: "Your Highness, how did you do that? You're amazing!"
Qi Jingxuan exclaimed "Ah!" because he was subconsciously pleased by the praise but didn't understand why. Just as he was about to ask, he heard Shen Yan say again, "How can you shoot around the target so accurately?"
Qi Jingxuan looked at the densely packed arrows around the straw target and the empty straw target itself: "..."
…………
In mid-July, the heat was oppressive. Most families with estates outside the city moved their elders and female relatives, who could not bear the heat, to the estates to escape the heat, and the Cheng'an Marquis's residence was no exception.
Xu Jinyu was young and healthy. As the heir of the Marquis of Cheng'an, he had to entertain guests in the capital. Therefore, he usually stayed in the capital. But at this time, he was in a villa of his own estate.
The incident at the spring banquet in early March still hadn't revealed the mole within the household. Eventually, when all else failed, they summoned everyone who might have been involved to this place, stating that they could return home once the matter was resolved.
Although they were still servants in the Marquis's mansion and did the same work, the estate was naturally different from the mansion. Here, the work was mostly dirty and strenuous, the monthly allowance was less than before, and there were no frequent rewards from their masters. They did much more work each month than before, but received less than half the silver they used to earn. Over time, many couldn't bear it and began to denounce each other.
Before, everyone was afraid of saying too much or making a mistake and offending someone for no reason. Now, they couldn't care less about that. They only hoped that what they said would be useful so that the matter could be investigated and they could return to the Marquis's residence as soon as possible. Those who believed they were innocent even began to band together to recall if they had missed any details that day. They reported everything they could remember, whether it was useful or not.
Xu Jinning was in charge of this matter and had been staying here for the past few months. However, the information she initially obtained was of little use until recently when she finally learned something truly useful.
But all of this... points to someone they never suspected or even considered, someone who, by all accounts, should have no connection to this matter.
Xu Jinning dared not make a decision on her own, so she informed her family, and then Xu Jinyu came.
The secluded courtyard where he was was quiet and secluded, with swaying trees that almost blocked out the sun, and the room was even darker.
A thin, pale figure leaned against the couch, holding a small cup in one hand and a silver fork in the other, deftly stirring the cherry omelet in the cup.
"Why"
Xu Jinyu asked.
“Father treats you better than anyone else. You have everything we have, and you also have things we don’t have. Anything unique in the manor is always something we ask you if you want first, and only if you don’t want it do we get it.”
"My second brother and I have never disobeyed you. Following Father's teachings, we have always put you first without question! Has anyone in this household ever wronged you?"
The person on the couch chuckled softly, picking up a pickled cherry with a silver fork and twirling it back and forth: "When I was a child, I loved eating cherries. Every year when cherries came out, my father would buy them for me immediately. But although they taste good, they don't keep well. Once the season is over, it's hard to find them again."
"To make me happy, my father would always buy a lot of cherries when the last batch was about to be sold out, and have them made into cherry omelets that are easy to preserve."
"But I only like eating fresh cherries, and I don't like this kind of thing... preserved with lots and lots of sugar and honey. This thing... has lost the original flavor of cherries, and it has lost its original appearance. Can it still be called a cherry?"
He looked up at Xu Jinyu as he spoke: "Like me... even though I say the same things as you, eat the same food as you, and wear the same clothes, do you think I can still be considered a human being?"
The face that was raised was as white as snow, with white hair and beard, and even the pupils were extremely light in color, which made the high cheekbones, which were high due to the thinness, look even more frightening.
Xu Jinyu, having grown accustomed to his appearance, felt no fear, only a chill in her heart: "You were born this way; it wasn't intentional on our part. You can complain about heaven and earth, but you shouldn't resent the family members who have always treated you kindly!"
Treat your family members well.
The man laughed even louder, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, his mouth stretching almost to his ears.
"Why don't you go back and ask your father, ask him how your so-called relatives have treated me? Ask him who broke my leg and trapped me in this tiny space, never seeing the light of day!"
The man's question startled Xu Jinyu. His expression stiffened slightly, and he immediately shook his head: "Impossible. Father would never do such a thing."
If his father really did it, how could he not know that Uncle Nine harbored resentment towards him, and how could he not guess that the incident at the March Spring Banquet might have been orchestrated by Uncle Nine?
Xu Che was still smiling, but the smile was twisted and his eyes were full of hatred: "It was indeed not him who did it, it was our father, your grandfather! For the sake of the Cheng'an Marquis's reputation, and to ensure that your father could secure his position as heir, he broke the legs of this ominous creature! He made sure that I could never go out and see anyone again, and could only be trapped in the inner courtyard of the Xu family, begging for food from you like a pig or a dog!"
"How ridiculous! When I was born, he was promoted and ennobled, and he regarded me as an auspicious omen. He doted on me and loved me from childhood, making me feel that I was not a monster, but the most precious treasure in the world! But later, as his official position grew higher and his status rose, the people around him regarded me as an oddity, and he also began to think that I was an omen of bad luck..."
"I'm obedient and don't go out to cause him trouble, but he still dislikes me more and more... Why? What did I do wrong? They gave birth to me, they made me this way! If they don't like me, why did they bring me into this world? Why didn't they kill me when I was born? Why did they deceive me with those sweets and honeys!"
He spoke incoherently, and by the end his hair was disheveled and he looked like a madman. He forcefully threw the small cup and silver fork in his hand at Xu Jinyu, as if the person standing in front of him was not his nephew or niece, but his father, the father who had cruelly broken his legs.
Xu Jinyu slightly turned aside, her feelings quite complicated.
He was unaware of this past event, only assuming that his ninth uncle was born weak and that his legs were congenitally disabled, but it turned out that... they had been broken by his grandfather's hand.
As a junior, Xu Jinyu was not in a position to comment on her elders' past, and could only say, "Grandfather has been gone for many years."
These words stung Xu Che once more. He screamed, "So everything can just vanish like smoke? He's dead, but I'm still alive! I have to live to endure this pain of broken bones every day! Tossing and turning, unable to sleep day and night!"
"And your father, he inherited the Marquis's estate and enjoys everything it has! He casually gives me a little something, and you think that's being kind to me, as if I should be grateful to him. How ridiculous! I am his brother, and I also share the surname Xu. This Marquis's estate is rightfully mine, and all this is what I deserve! But just because of my hideous appearance, you think that providing me with food and clothing is a huge favor! It's as if I owe you a great debt of gratitude just for living! But if it weren't for your father, why would I be like this? It's all for him. How could Father treat me like this!"
Xu Jinyu's breathing hitched slightly; she wanted to retort but didn't know how to begin.
He didn't think his father was wrong, but he couldn't ignore the pain Xu Che had suffered. His fists clenched at his sides, and just as he was wondering what to do, a familiar voice came from behind him.
“Father didn’t treat you this way for my sake, but for the future of the Marquis of Cheng’an’s mansion, and for the person who was to inherit the position of heir. No matter who that person was, he would have done the same. I was simply chosen through my own efforts.”
The visitor was none other than Xu Han, the current Marquis of Cheng'an.
He was unwilling to face the fact that the mole in the Marquis's mansion was his own younger brother, so he did not come to interrogate Xu Che himself. However, he was also very curious about why Xu Che had done this, so he still followed him, but stood outside the door without coming in.
Just now, Xu Che said that everything the old Marquis Cheng An did was for him. He originally didn't want to pay attention to it, but seeing that Xu Jinyu seemed to have really listened, he still came in as a father.
He could ignore what Xu Che said, but he didn't want his child to be burdened with this responsibility and feel indebted to Xu Che.
Looking at his younger brother, who was now emaciated, Marquis Cheng'an said in a cold voice, "When Father wanted to break your legs, I was the only one besides Mother who strongly opposed it. Mother was later imprisoned, and I stood in front of you when Father made his move. In the end, I still couldn't protect you, but it wasn't my fault."
“Xu Che, you hate me not because I did anything wrong, not because I owe you anything, but simply because I am the one sitting in this position now. But I have not done anything wrong to you.”
When Marquis Cheng'an's voice rang out, Xu Che seemed to have been frozen in place. His hysteria came to an abrupt halt, his features still contorted in anger, making him appear even more ferocious.
After Marquis Cheng'an finished speaking, he chuckled and leaned back on the couch, saying softly, "No matter what you say, you've enjoyed everything in the end. So enjoy my hatred too."
Marquis Cheng'an remained silent for a moment before saying to Xu Jinyu, "You should go back first. I'll handle things here."
"father……"
"It's alright, go ahead."
Marquis Cheng'an said.
Xu Jinyu glanced at him, then at Xu Che on the bed, and finally said nothing, nodding as she left.
After he left, Marquis Cheng'an asked, "Who ordered you to do the Spring Banquet in March? Can you tell me?"
"It makes no difference whether you tell me or not. I don't know who's behind this. Someone just bribed my steward to get Prince Ping drunk during a banquet at our residence and lock him in a room with a noble lady. It would be even better if it were Miss Shen."
"When I found out, I thought it was a good idea, so I didn't stop it and even helped out a bit."
"But you must have interrogated that manager as well. He was just doing what he was told after receiving the bribe, and he didn't know who the real mastermind was."
Xu Che was the master of the Marquis's mansion, and also disabled, relying entirely on the mansion's support to survive. Any trouble at the mansion would bring him no benefit, so no one ever suspected he was involved. It was precisely because the mansion was completely unprepared for him that he succeeded so easily. His only aim was to destroy the Cheng'an Marquis's mansion, to destroy the cage that had imprisoned him for decades.
But the cage was as sturdy as iron; he rammed it with all his might, but it only made it sway.
Marquis Cheng'an nodded and said nothing more.
Xu Che looked up at him and asked, "I've said everything I needed to say. What do you plan to do with me?"
Marquis Cheng'an remained silent for a long time. After a while, as if he had made up his mind, he walked to the window and opened all the tightly closed doors and windows, letting in the sunlight.
"Since you don't want to live this life without sunlight, you should get more sunshine from now on. I'll have someone take you outside more often."
After saying that, he walked out without looking back, heading into the sunlight that Xu Che both longed for and avoided.
Xu Che raised his hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sunlight, squinted at his departing figure, and chuckled, "You and Dad are so alike."
Marquis Cheng'an paused slightly: "You too."
He stepped across the threshold and never lingered.
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