Chapter 210 Who Promised to Marry You
"Father, what secrets of Duke Su do you hold in your hands?"
Su Cheng raised his hand to fill the wine glass in front of him and asked casually, "My daughter sees that he is very afraid of his father."
Zhao Hu paused holding the wine glass, looked at her, and the smile on his lips deepened. "Are you trying to find out for Xie Suzhou?"
Su Cheng pursed her lips and smiled, then obediently picked up some food for him. "My daughter knows that nothing can escape her father's eyes, so she never intended to hide it."
"I know you have a special friendship with that kid Xie Suzhou, so it's understandable that you want to help him remove the obstacles on his path." Zhao Hu raised his head and drank the wine in his glass, saying in a deep voice, "Now that Tang Yuan is living a life neither human nor ghost, it's okay to tell you about what happened back then."
"When Tang Yuan was young, he won three top honors in the imperial examinations, shocking the court and the public. He was instantly famous and became a renowned talent throughout the Chu State." Zhao Hu sighed and shook his head helplessly. "But he was the first to cheat in the imperial examinations. The three people on the list were also involved. Unfortunately, the invigilator was my teacher, Peng Chuan, a Grand Secretary of the Hanlin Academy. That's why I know all about the scheme."
"Cheating?" Su Cheng paused, a hint of suspicion flashing in his eyes, "Aren't they afraid of losing their heads?"
"This move may be risky, but if it succeeds, their future careers will be bright. All they desire is power. Even if they know it could cost them their lives, they still want to give it a try."
Zhao Hu took the wine jug from Steward Liu and whispered, "Eighteen years ago, the Duke of Su's mansion was suddenly hit by a fire. Rumor has it that a little maid was lazy, misjudged the time to make medicine for the mistress, and slipped out to play, which caused the fire in the backyard."
"But I still remember that fire was so fierce that even officials and nearby residents rushed over to put it out. Countless people toiled for two quarters of an hour before the fire was finally put out." Zhao Hu sighed, no longer in the mood for drinking. "Later, I heard that the Duke's Mansion replaced all the maids and servants in the backyard. As for those who came before and after, they all disappeared without a trace."
Su Cheng's eyebrows knitted together, a suspicion brewing in her mind. "That day in front of the Duke's Mansion, Tang Yuan acted arrogantly and even admitted that he was the one who ordered the fire. But Suzhou is alive and well now, and the old couple from the Xie family who abducted him are long dead. Without evidence, Tang Yuan is naturally not afraid."
"Who said there's no evidence?" Steward Liu sat quietly to the side, his eyes narrowed slightly. "The little maid was blamed innocently back then and was subsequently hunted. Fortunately, she had relatives in the capital to rely on, so she escaped death and hid in the Zhao family."
"...hidden in the Zhao family?" Su Cheng was startled and asked quickly, "Who is it?"
"Madame Li, who helps light the fire and cook in the young lady's courtyard, is the maid's biological sister. She knelt before the master of the house, her forehead bruised, and begged him to take her sister in. The master softened his heart and agreed."
"That--"
"Miss," Steward Liu interrupted softly, as if he knew what Su Cheng was about to say. He raised his dark eyes and looked at her quietly for a moment before saying, "It's been many years since that happened. I don't know how Nanny Li's sister escaped from the knife, but when I saw her that year, she had become insane and insane, unable to speak a complete sentence. She could only do rough work in the backyard."
"Madame Li has been so consumed by worry about this sister that she's never married. Even if the young lady goes looking for her, what are the chances of uncovering the secrets between the two sisters and getting them to testify in court?"
Su Cheng's heart sank. He sat in his chair blankly, his brows knitted into a knot. "I'm stuck in a dead end again..."
Zhao Hu couldn't bear to see her upset, so he tried to comfort her, "The Li sisters have gone to great lengths to hide for years, not even daring to leave the Zhao family's door. They're truly terrified. I don't want to use my kindness to blackmail them. If you really want to do something for Xie Suzhou, you can only go to them yourself. Perhaps over time, their persistence will waver."
"Dad has evidence of Tang Yuan's fraud. If you need it, just ask."
Su Cheng pursed her lips, a sharp look flashed in her eyes, "Just cheating is useless."
Xie Suzhou was framed and abducted to another place, separated from his mother for eighteen years. This is hatred and resentment.
Cheating is indeed a serious crime, but what can be done to save the situation if Tang Yuan dies?
A hasty beheading would undoubtedly be too easy for that bastard.
She wanted Tang Yuan to become a complete pariah, hated by everyone. She wanted the Duke Su's Mansion to be nailed to the pillar of shame and cursed from now on. She wanted Tang Yuan to be ashamed to face his ancestors after his death, and all his glory would be gone.
"I'll sue for both fraud and plotting to harm others." Su Cheng took a deep breath and cheered up. "I'll go find Nanny Li and try to plead for mercy. Once I gather enough evidence, I'll punish Tang Yuan for both crimes. He'll never be able to turn things around."
Zhao Hu's eyes were filled with smiles as he looked lovingly at the determined Su Cheng. "Girl, I've never seen you care so much about anyone before."
Su Cheng was stunned for a moment, then her cheeks flushed and she stammered, unable to speak.
"Don't be embarrassed. Dad is so old, can't he see anything?" Zhao Hu found it funny and swirled the wine in his glass. "Suzhou has already told Dad that he will marry you after his palace examination is over."
"What..." Su Cheng's eyes suddenly widened, his eyes full of shock, "What!"
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Xie Family Residence
"Xie Suzhou...Xie Doctor, you are really amazing."
Su Cheng sat at the bottom, staring with a pair of watery eyes, her eyes full of displeasure, "You have learned to act first and ask for permission later, running to the Zhao family to say some nonsense, who agreed to marry you?"
Xie Suzhou lowered his head to sip his tea, ignoring her anger. As the tea took his sip, he slowly said, "If it weren't for me, when would that fool have said this?"
Even holding hands and kissing require a question. If the girl doesn't want to, the fool won't dare to move.
By the time he takes the initiative to speak, it will be too late!
How could he live such a useless life under the name of Xie Suzhou?
Not understanding, let alone respect.
"I didn't expect you to be so kind-hearted." Su Cheng nearly bit his back teeth to pieces. If one listened carefully, one could even hear the grinding of teeth. "You know you're not the master of this body, right? Then what gives you the right to make decisions for Suzhou?"
Xie Suzhou put down the teacup in his hand, walked over to her, bent down, and held her in his arms. His eyes were filled with emotions that Su Cheng couldn't understand. "Can't you see that he likes you?"
Su Cheng was speechless for a moment. Before she could say anything, her cheeks flushed. "You...what Suzhou means to me has nothing to do with you. The one who loves me is not you. You have no right to ask for marriage on his behalf."
"Are you so sure that I don't like you?"
Su Cheng was stunned. She looked up and met his smiling peach blossom eyes, and lost her reaction.
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