Dementia
Li Wan was afraid of going to prison. She had heard people say that prisons were not only damp and cold, but also infested with snakes, insects, and rats. Moreover, people who did not cooperate with interrogations would be tortured in various ways.
A red-hot iron branding post, a whip soaked in salt water, a finger clamp...
She broke out in a cold sweat just thinking about it, and besides, with Jiang Feiwan's health, she probably wouldn't even last a day.
"grown ups."
She looked up at Xie Qi pitifully and said, "You saw it yesterday. I have cut ties with Xiao Xian and now I only care about you. Can you help me? I don't want to be arrested."
"Besides, we are husband and wife, and if I am accused of plotting to murder the prince, the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion will definitely be implicated as well."
Xie Qi lowered his eyes to look at her bright eyelashes, and asked in a seductive low voice, "Oh? Then, for the sake of Madam and the Marquis's mansion, what do you want your husband to do?"
Li Wan's pupils darted around as she quickly analyzed the current situation.
Xiao Fan's death is a momentous event; the Emperor, Empress, and the court will surely investigate it thoroughly.
The fact that they arrested Xiao Xian and then her indicates that part of what happened yesterday has already been leaked.
She smashed the person herself. Whether the person died at the time or not, she is the perpetrator. Once the charge is established, she will undoubtedly die.
Unless... the blame is shifted to someone else.
Li Wan's fingertips dug into her palm. Xiao Xian had betrayed Jiang Feiwan and was not a good person to begin with. Perhaps he was the one who plotted against Xie Qi in her past life.
This is a perfect opportunity to get rid of him.
Even if he wasn't the culprit in the previous life, it's a fact that he wronged Jiang Feiwan. Moreover, as a prince, he wouldn't be killed even if he committed a serious crime; at most, he would be demoted to a commoner.
He's the one!
Having made up her mind, Li Wan looked up and met Xie Qi's patiently waiting gaze.
"My lord, as you probably know, I have a past relationship with Xiao Cheng. I thought he was someone I could entrust my life to, but I never expected that he would harbor such evil intentions and use the Fourth Prince to trick me into coming to your side as a spy."
"Now I see his true colors. If he is unrighteous, then I will be unrighteous too. Since the Dali Temple has already arrested him, why don't we pin the attack on Xiao Fan on him? After all, he is of royal blood, and the court will not kill him."
As Li Wan spoke, she observed Xie Qi's reaction. He listened calmly until she said that the blame should be placed on Xiao Xian, at which point a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
Li Wan's heart sank. Fearing he wouldn't help, she added, "I think Xiao Xian also has a grudge against you. If he rises to a high position in the future, you might be in danger, sir."
Xie Qi's eyebrows twitched slightly.
He looked down at her, and the name Xiao Xian came out of her mouth more crisply and decisively than he had imagined.
Her former lover, with whom she once shared intimate moments, has now become a stepping stone for her to save her life.
"Oh?" He lifted her chin with his fingertips, the touch gentle, yet forcing her to look up at him. "Madam and the Third Prince have a deep past relationship; how could you bear to let him take the blame?"
Li Wan's breath hitched; that scoundrel's mouth was truly venomous.
The candlelight illuminated her pale face, still streaked with tears. She gently pressed her face against his palm. "What past affections are there? My heart can only hold you, my lord..."
Xie Qi chuckled softly.
He gently stroked the corner of her eye with his fingertips. Fine, she was acting all sentimental, so he would just stay with her.
If Xiao Xianruo knew that the person he had gone to great lengths to protect was going to betray him, I wonder what he would think.
Wonderful!
"good."
Xie Qi suddenly relented, his voice unhurried, "You should tell the people of the Dali Temple that the Fourth Prince tried to harm you, but Xiao Cheng happened to witness it, and he used the pretext of saving you to kill Xiao Fan?"
This was a good excuse. Li Wan's eyes lit up. The princes were already at odds, so it would be a good opportunity to get rid of them.
“But his guards were also there,” Li Wan asked him, still worried.
"Don't worry, I'll handle it."
Xie Qi looked at her, his peripheral vision darting past the carved window lattice into the deep night.
I can't wait to see Xiao Xian's reaction after hearing the news.
The Third Prince's Residence.
Morning light streamed through the window, causing the dust motes on the jade pen holder to tremble slightly.
"Your Highness!"
Commander Liang Huan of the Imperial Guards knelt on one knee. "Jiang Feiwan confessed to the Dali Temple that the death of the Fourth Prince was your doing!"
Xiao Xian paused, his hand holding the pen still.
The ink spread on the rice paper. He suddenly chuckled and shook his head: "Absurd."
Liang Huan exclaimed urgently, "Xie Qi, to cover for her, silenced all ten guards who came to the Marquis's residence yesterday! This vile woman is clearly—"
“Liang Huan,” Xiao Xian interrupted gently.
He put down his pen. "She won't."
His voice was so soft it was as if he were talking to himself, “Even if the whole world betrays me, Wanwan will not.”
Liang Huan's temple veins bulged: "Your Highness! To protect her, you insisted to the Dali Temple that the Fourth Prince had fallen while drunk and died from his injuries. This reason alone aroused His Majesty's suspicion! Now she turns around and colludes with Xie Qi. Do you still believe her?"
Xiao Xian closed his eyes, and the study remained silent for a long time.
He suddenly said, "I'll ask her out... tomorrow at 1-3 PM, at the usual place."
Liang Huan was taken aback: "You still want to see her?"
The candlelight outside the window illuminated Xiao Xian's profile, creating an interplay of light and shadow.
His eyes betrayed no emotion, as if he were talking to himself: "I should at least hear her say 'yes' or 'no' herself."
On the other side.
Inside the majestic palace, Xie Qi stood before the dragon bed, the dark cloud patterns on his scarlet official robe appearing and disappearing in the light and shadow.
He did not kneel, but merely cupped his hands slightly and said, "Your Majesty."
Xiao Sheng leaned against the dragon-patterned pillow, his cloudy eyes fixed on him: "Has the Dali Temple issued any statement? Did the Fourth Prince truly die in an accident?"
Xie Qi straightened up, his eyes lowered and his expression calm.
The emperor's withered fingers suddenly clenched the brocade quilt: "Speak plainly, what is it?"
Xie Qi lowered his eyes and said calmly, "The Dali Temple has investigated and found that the Fourth Prince's death was not due to an accidental fall, but rather he was struck on the head and died."
The air suddenly froze.
Xiao Sheng coughed violently, and the chief eunuch Cao Shun hurriedly offered him a handkerchief, but it was brushed aside. The emperor stared intently at Xie Qi: "Who? Who dares to openly murder a prince?"
Xie Qi slowly scanned Xiao Sheng's aged face, "Third Prince Xiao Xian."
"Insolence!" Xiao Sheng suddenly sat up, but fell back onto the bed due to dizziness. "How dare you slander the prince!"
Xie Qi raised his eyes and looked at Xiao Sheng calmly, "If Your Majesty does not believe me, you may summon the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review for questioning."
Xiao Sheng coughed violently again, pointing at him with trembling hands: "Fan'er's incident happened in your residence, so you should be the most suspicious person."
Xie Qi took out a roll of account books from his sleeve and casually placed it next to the dragon bed.
"Last year, the Jinlin Army was short of 300,000 taels of silver in military pay. It was I who handed over the list of soldiers to the Fourth Prince so that he could settle the accounts. If I wanted to harm him, why would I wait until today?"
The emperor stared at the account book, his chest heaving more and more violently. He knew that his fourth son was embezzling.
The hall was deathly silent.
Xie Qi concealed the sarcasm in his eyes.
"Yesterday, the Third Prince saw the Fourth Prince drunk at my residence and suddenly told me that he was investigating a case of official corruption. He said that if I knew what was good for me, I should let go of those officials who were on good terms with me."
He sighed. "Now that I think about it, the Third Prince must have already conceived the idea of harming the Fourth Prince back then, and threatened me to shut up by threatening to protect officials?"
"puff--"
A mouthful of blood splattered onto the bright yellow brocade quilt.
Cao Shun exclaimed that he wanted to summon the imperial physician, but Xiao Sheng stopped him.
The once noble and mighty emperor now resembled a frail and aged old man, his eyes closed as he suppressed his heavy breathing.
Half an hour later, he opened his cloudy eyes and said, "Keep the news of this matter closed. Continue to say to the outside world that the death of the fourth prince was an accident. As for the third prince... let me think about it."
Xie Qi sneered inwardly. He really was getting old; having lost one son, he dared not let another die.
"Your Majesty, please take care of your health."
Xie Qi maintained a respectful demeanor and stepped out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
As I stepped out of the palace gate, a cold wind carrying snowflakes rushed towards me.
Xie Qi took a deep breath and let the ice and snow pour into his throat. The icy coldness made his blood flow freely.
Behind him, in the hall filled with the pungent smell of medicine mixed with the fragrance of dragon's breath, Xiao Sheng asked Cao Shun in a weak voice, "Tell me, is what he said true?"
Cao Shun hunched over, not daring to answer.
Xiao Sheng gave a bitter smile, staring at the tightly closed palace doors, and said softly, "I know he hates me."
*
The snow fell even heavier at night, but the lights in Yingyueju were still on.
Li Wan was nestled on the couch by the window, holding a hand warmer, absentmindedly watching Xiu Zhu embroider a handkerchief.
This evening, a maid who looked unfamiliar slipped her a note while bringing her some snacks.
Xiao Xian asked her to meet him at their usual spot.
The usual place?!
She had no idea where the usual place was.
Although the questioning by the Dali Temple was dealt with, Xiao Xian's side was clearly there to demand an explanation.
Indeed, they are of royal blood, of noble lineage. Even if they are accused of plotting to murder a prince, they will get away with it.
I had hoped to take this opportunity to eliminate this potential threat, but now it seems like all my efforts have been in vain, and I've even offended him.
He will definitely retaliate.
"Bang!"
Suddenly a loud noise startled Li Wan, making her jump.
The door slammed against the wall, and Xie Qi stepped in, exuding a chill.
His official robe collar was slightly disheveled, and his eyes were tinged with the red of alcohol.
"go out!"
He gave the order in a deep voice. Xiuzhu glanced at Liwan with concern and had no choice but to hurriedly leave the room.
"grown ups."
Li Wan hurriedly got up, but he pressed her back down onto the bed with a palm.
Xie Qi leaned down, his hot, alcohol-scented breath brushing against her ear: "Still up so late? Are you too excited to sleep because you're meeting your old flame tomorrow?"
Li Wan's face stiffened. It seemed that nothing in the Marquis's mansion could escape his notice. It was possible that he had deliberately sent someone in to deliver a message.
Does he want her to see the Third Prince or not?
Besides, he was too close to her; his broad, muscular body pressed against one side of her chest, and shame and pain made her eyes redden.
Xie Qi stared into her dark, bright eyes and suddenly felt a surge of heat.
This woman was clearly a liar, cunning and fickle-minded woman, the kind of spineless woman he despised the most. Yet, at this moment, the red blush at the corner of her eyes made him unable to look away.
"Sir, please get up."
Her chest ached from the pressure, and she pushed against his chest with her bare hand, trying to avoid his breath.
Her fingertips had barely touched the hem of her clothes when they were gripped tightly. Xie Qi dragged her completely beneath him, his black cloak sweeping away the unfinished lotus-patterned silk handkerchief.
"What, he can move, but I can't?"
The hem of his shirt came undone, and rough fingertips slid inside.
"What are you hiding for? Is it because I am not as handsome as the Third Prince, or do you think I am not as skilled as him?"
His words became increasingly offensive, and his subordinates became even more unruly.
no!
Li Wan resisted with both hands and feet, desperately wanting to bite through the bulging veins on his neck.
She had easily overlooked his transgressions before because she thought he was Jiang Feiwan's lover, but now that she knew Jiang Feiwan loved someone else, she could not ruin her body.
The man on top of her was strong and domineering; if force didn't work, she could only try a softer approach.
"My husband..."
The woman's suppressed sobs, filled with grievance, reached his ears like a bucket of cold water being poured over him. Xie Qi abruptly stopped and looked down at her.
Her eyes welled up with tears at just the right moment: "My lord, you...please don't wrong yourself. I have a girl named Jixiang in my room. She is pure and beautiful, clean and charming. May I have her serve you?"
Her expression was both aggrieved and sincere, her watery eyes like a bottomless, icy pool, which drew Xie Qi's gaze for a long time.
Ha! He suddenly laughed self-deprecatingly. How could a few drinks have made him so blinded by this woman? How ridiculous.
"OK."
The effects of the alcohol suddenly wore off, and he propped himself up with one arm, not lingering on her again.
"Let that girl named... Ruyi go to my room."
He left a message and then turned and left.
Li Wan lay on her back on the couch for a moment, as if she had survived a disaster, before getting up to straighten her clothes.
"Pah!" she muttered under her breath.
What a lecherous scoundrel! Hearing about a better woman, he got so flustered that he even forgot her name.
Well, at least I escaped a disaster.
Li Wan hurriedly summoned Xiuzhu and asked her to inform Jixiang that the eldest young master had summoned her to his room to serve him.
"Girl!" Xiuzhu stared in confusion.
Li Wan didn't have the energy to explain to her, and simply said, "Go quickly."
Xiuzhu stomped her foot hard before leaving the house.
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