framing
Jiang Yan found no other useful information and went to bed with Huang Ying early in the morning.
The next morning, before they were even awake, someone started pounding on their door.
"Who is it? What are you doing so early in the morning?" Jiang Yan was sleeping soundly when she was woken up for no reason, so she shouted without any politeness.
But the knocking didn't stop; instead, it got even louder.
Jiang Yan sat up abruptly in anger.
The nightingale, still sleepy-eyed, had already gone to open the door.
"Where is Ruyi? Where is Ruyi?" Madam Liu's voice, filled with such anxiety as if the sky had fallen, reached Jiang Yan's ears in an instant.
Jiang Yan reluctantly got out of bed and put on her outer robe.
Madam Liu looked haggard and hurriedly walked to her side.
"Ruyi! Something terrible has happened!!"
"What's wrong?"
"Your sister...she..."
Could it be that Liu Ruyan is dead?
That can't be right.
What major event has happened that has her so worried?
"Please tell me slowly, what exactly happened?"
Madam Liu glanced at her guiltily, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke.
"Ruyi, for your sister's future, you must agree!"
What are you agreeing to?
"What exactly happened?" Jiang Yan asked, looking at Huang Ying, who was equally bewildered.
Lady Liu stammered, "Yan'er...she...became...became Prince Duan's woman!"
"......What?"
Is this... considered [illegible]?
That's her brother-in-law!
How could that be?
Jiang Yan was shocked.
Madam Liu glanced at her furtively: "Yesterday was your father's birthday, and Yan'er drank a few too many cups... Yan'er didn't come home all night, and I only found out this morning... Ruyi, if you don't agree, Yan'er's future will be ruined!!"
Jiang Yan was stunned for a moment.
Strange!
That's really strange!
How come I'm being blamed for the mistakes that Liu Ruyan herself made?
Could it be that I orchestrated all of this?
"Mother, this matter could be a big deal or a small deal, and I don't know what to do. Perhaps we should listen to the Prince."
“It takes two to tango; they must be kind and righteous. I was worried you would be upset, since you'll need to help your sister if she marries into that family. I came here to comfort you because I was afraid you'd feel uneasy.”
Oh!
What kind of talk is that?
Did they know all along that this was going to happen, so they just went through the motions and tested my feelings?
I'm truly speechless. Of all the men she could marry, why did she have to marry a scoundrel with a harem of wives and concubines? And she even tried to steal him from her own sister?
What's this all about?
Is this necessary?
I really feel sorry for Liu Ruyi!!
“Mother, I have no objection to this matter. As long as my sister is happy and the prince agrees, everything is fine.”
Madam Liu seemed very distrustful of Jiang Yan's attitude, and looked her over carefully from head to toe with suspicion.
"Mother, things have come to this point. You should quickly discuss with Father what to do about my sister's marriage."
Madam Liu still couldn't believe Jiang Yan's magnanimity and left, full of suspicion.
Huang Ying: "Master, isn't the Second Miss treating you like this? How can she do this? This servant will go to Master and ask him to stand up for you!"
"Need not."
"Master! They've gone too far as to bully you!!"
"I know. But what can I do now? If I don't agree, all sorts of charges will be leveled against me. Besides, as Madam Liu said, 'it takes two to tango,' and Shangguan Zeyu might have his own selfish motives. I can't control this matter, and I don't want to!"
“But my lord, you haven’t won the prince’s favor yet, and the second young lady is going to marry him. It won’t be good for you.”
"Huang Ying! You must understand, winning favor is not our primary task! Gaining a man's affection is not our goal either. There has only been one thing we need to do from beginning to end: seek justice for your young lady. I was just thinking about how to get information out of Liu Ruyan, who has always been in the Liu residence. Now that's perfect, her going to the Prince's residence is exactly what I wanted!"
"...What Master means is..."
"It's okay if you don't understand now, you'll understand in time."
Hmph! Liu Ruyan, once I've dealt with you for Liu Ruyi, my mission will be complete, and I can go back!
You'd better behave yourself, so I can find something to use against you!
After such a disgraceful incident, Shangguan Zeyu must have felt ashamed. After lunch, he ordered someone to send Jiang Yan back to the Prince's mansion.
Jiang Yan was happy to have some peace and quiet, and obediently rode back in the carriage without making a fuss.
As soon as she returned to the Prince's Mansion, before she even got back to Pear Blossom Residence, Princess Xiao Yiqing invited her to Peach Blossom Village.
She was extremely unwilling, but Chunhua said she had to go, and she had to go immediately.
She had no choice but to bite the bullet and go.
Xiao Yiqing was having her maid paint her nails.
Her left hand was already dyed peony red, while her right hand had just started.
She seemed not to see Jiang Yan standing not far in front of her and ignored her completely.
Jiang Yan guessed that she was angry, probably because her beloved Shangguan Zeyu had taken her back to the Liu residence, so he spoke first to explain.
“Your Highness, my sister originally planned to return to her parents’ home alone, since the Prince is busy with official duties and cannot be delayed. But Your Highness, my sister has never returned home since marrying into the Prince’s mansion. Now that my father’s birthday is approaching, if the Prince does not visit the Liu family, it may damage the Prince’s reputation.”
"Furthermore, when we returned to the Liu residence, my father was discussing matters with the Prince all day long, and my sister didn't say more than a few words to him. She didn't bother the Prince at all."
Perhaps it was something that touched Xiao Yiqing's heart, because she slightly raised her eyelids and smiled a little.
“If that’s the case, then there’s no need for you to say anything more, sister. This is what the prince should do. But why hasn’t the prince returned yet? Has something delayed him?”
No, if I told you the reason, you'd probably be so angry you'd vomit blood and die on the spot, right?
However, I'm not getting involved in this matter; you guys can make a fuss about it yourselves!
"Your Highness, I am unaware. This morning, the Prince suddenly ordered someone to bring me back. I have not seen the Prince."
Xiao Yiqing felt uneasy again.
Jiang Yan stood obediently to the side, not intending to say anything more.
Xiao Yiqing became increasingly agitated and eventually sent Jiang Yan back.
As soon as Jiang Yan left Peach Blossom Village, he sighed deeply and quickly left this place of trouble with Huang Ying.
She already felt that the Prince's mansion was in a state of chaos, and now that something like this has happened, if Liu Ruyan were to enter the mansion again, it would truly be a scene of utter chaos.
Shangguan Zeyu returned in the latter half of the day, I heard it was already evening.
Jiang Yan asked Huang Ying to inquire in the front yard and learned that only he had returned and had not mentioned "Liu Ruyan" at all, which puzzled him greatly.
However, she didn't worry for long, because she knew very well that with Liu Xiangyi's wealth and status among the high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital, Shangguan Zeyu would definitely marry Liu Ruyan; it was just a matter of time.
Jiang Yan thought she could finally relax for a few days, but the day after returning to Pear Blossom Residence, Chunhua and her men forcibly invited her to Peach Blossom Village.
Jiang Yan went with Huang Ying.
She was filled with anxiety the whole way.
Upon arriving at Peach Blossom Village, before she could even pay her respects to Xiao Yiqing, he immediately launched into a tirade of abuse against her.
She was puzzled and was about to defend herself when Wang Qianqian suddenly walked in from outside.
"What else does Consort Sister want to say? Do you think Princess Sister has wronged you?"
Jiang Yan looked over and saw Wu Lanyu, who was with her, looking at her smugly. A sense of foreboding suddenly arose in her heart.
"What is Madam Wang's intention?"
"What a joke! Didn't Princess Consort already make it very clear?"
Wang Qianqian and Wu Lanyu bowed to Xiao Yiqing and sat down to one side.
“I have acted uprightly and sat properly, and have not harmed Madam Shen. I beg Your Highness to see the truth.”
Xiao Yiqing was furious: "Consort Liu! You say you have no intention of harming Madam Shen, then tell me, what is it?"
Jiang Yan looked over and saw that she was holding a pink and translucent ball in her left hand.
If she remembered correctly, that was the "Jade Exquisite Ball" that Wu Lanyu had given her when she came to ask for something that day!
She guessed right!
They really did use it to do bad things and frame her!
"Your Highness, that is indeed my possession. However, Madam Wu came to ask for it back a few days ago, and I have already given it to her."
Upon hearing this, Wu Lanyu panicked and stammered, "No, no. Your Highness, I didn't do this! It's true that my sister asked Consort Liu for the item, but I didn't expect it to be poisoned! Please investigate, Your Highness."
"What did you say about Consort Liu?"
Xiao Yiqing clearly believed what Wu Lanyu said.
"Your Highness, why would I harm Madam Shen?"
Wang Qianqian interjected, "Of course you're just jealous that Sister Shen is pregnant with the Prince's child!!"
Xiao Yiqing clenched her fists involuntarily, as if she wanted to squeeze her palms until they bled.
Jiang Yan: "Since he is the prince's child, why would I, this princess, want to harm him? Besides, if I really intended to harm him, would I be so foolish as to give him the item?"
Wang Qianqian: "We understand that you're using someone else to do your dirty work!!"
Jiang Yan sneered: "This exquisite ball also passed through Madam Wu's hands, why not determine that Madam Wu poisoned it along the way?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Lanyu's voice trembled with fear: "No, Your Highness, no, I didn't do it!"
Jiang Yan: "Words are meaningless. It's like accusing me of poisoning someone out of nowhere. Do you have any evidence?"
Xiao Yiqing stared at her coldly, as if a thousand knives were piercing her from his eyes.
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