Chapter 2 Xue Nu's Seductive Charm: "I should avoid her? Ridiculous!"...
"Please enjoy your meal, my lord."
As dawn broke and the morning bells rang, the bustling marketplace officially began with the drumbeats of the markets on both the east and west sides. The shopkeepers served almond porridge, Anise fennel and mutton buns, and cherry bread with cheese. They bowed respectfully, then glanced at the Hu merchants scurrying away in the corner, their hearts trembling. They dared not linger and turned to leave.
The heart-wrenching wails were muffled by rags as several guards punched and kicked the bruised and swollen Hu merchant, subjecting him to severe torture to extract a confession.
"Brother Qin, I'm making an exception for you this time."
Beneath the half-curtain, the figures of two young men sitting upright on the other side could be vaguely seen.
A short, round-faced, plump man picked up an almond porridge, drank half a bowl, and then ate a few steamed buns before stopping.
Another person wore a brocade robe embroidered with golden cranes and a red jade and gold crown, indicating wealth and status. Standing by the window, he was tall and upright with skin as white as jade. His eyes were lowered to the window, and although his face was not clearly seen, his slender waist and bushy hair gave him an air of heroic spirit.
His fingers, slender and strong like bamboo shoots, were long and thin. He casually stroked his beloved pet in his arms and said lazily, "From now on, whatever you like in Qionglin Pavilion, just put it on my tab."
"Thank you for your generosity, Brother Qin." Zhou Mengqiao thanked him happily, then looked at the tortured Hu merchant and asked in surprise, "He's just selling some banned drugs. You don't usually concern yourself with such trivial matters. Why are you making things difficult for him?"
The man did not answer, but lowered his eyes to stroke his beloved pet with its bright feathers, revealing its sharp and smooth jawline.
Zhou Mengqiao wisely refrained from pressing the matter. Only after the Hu merchant had revealed everything and the guards quickly presented the list did he put down his chopsticks. However, upon glancing at the list, he was immediately shocked: "Xuanmiao Taoist Temple? He sold forbidden drugs to the Taoist acolytes at Xuanmiao Taoist Temple yesterday!?"
The guard replied, "Indeed."
“This… today Princess Yu’an is hosting a banquet here, and that young Taoist…” Zhou Mengqiao dared not think any further and abruptly stood up.
Princess Yu'an hosted a banquet in the crabapple garden of the Xuanmiao Taoist Temple. Many high-ranking officials, nobles, kings and generals went to the banquet. If the forbidden drug that the Taoist boy bought harmed any noble, and this harmful forbidden drug came from the market under his family's jurisdiction, there would be a disaster that would wipe out his entire family.
"Give it to me."
A casual remark by the window stopped Zhou Mengqiao from leaving in his haste.
Zhou Mengqiao suddenly realized something, quickly presented the list, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and said urgently, "This matter is of great importance. I implore Prince Qin to accompany me to inform the Princess and arrest that Taoist boy."
Zhou Mengqiao knew that without the person in front of him, given his status, he probably wouldn't even be able to enter the Begonia Garden.
The two descended the steps, where guards had prepared two fast horses at the back gate.
Leading the horse, Zhou Mengqiao thought for a moment, then whispered to the person beside him, "Young Master Qin, today I saw the Xue family's carriage heading towards the Xuanmiao Taoist Temple. I suppose Madam Xue will also be attending the banquet. Why don't you stay away for now, and I'll lend you my token to inform the Princess?"
Upon hearing this, the man sitting upright on the horse slowly raised his head, revealing a handsome face with a face as white as jade. His sword-like eyebrows were slanted upwards, his sharp black eyes were slightly narrowed, and his thin lips curled into a cold arc. He seemed to sneer disdainfully.
"I should avoid her? That's absurd."
*
"Has Old Man Zhang not arrived yet?"
The sudden chirping of birds interrupted Xue Rongyue's reverie, and she opened her eyes in annoyance.
Since last night, the system's chatter has been as incessant as cicadas in summer, but right now, even though she is still full of resentment, she has no time to curse fate for being blind.
Noon had passed, and the banquet in the crabapple garden finally began. The melodious sound of the zither drifted over the lush and blooming crabapple trees, intertwining with the sound of the bells ringing from the Xuanmiao Taoist Temple, attracting many pilgrims to stop and watch.
At this moment, the time when she was to fall into the water was drawing ever closer.
Jingnu carried in the replaced incense burner. Upon hearing this, she was about to go out to investigate when a familiar figure appeared in the corridor.
After returning the incense burner to its place, Jingnu whispered a reminder: "Madam, Old Master Zhang is here."
Old Zhang was still dressed in an indigo robe, carrying a cage of fighting cocks. After the servants led the people in, Old Zhang wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief, and without much small talk, he eagerly began to introduce the fighting cocks in the cage.
Xue Rongyue observed Zhang Weng without making a sound.
This time, her mind wasn't on cockfighting, so she immediately noticed Zhang Weng's flustered state, and her fingertips unconsciously rubbed the long whip.
She suddenly spoke up: "Uncle Zhang, it's been many days since I last saw you. You look much thinner and are sweating so much. Are you feeling unwell?"
Mr. Zhang paused slightly, his rambling speech coming to a halt.
Xue Rongyue said calmly, "We've known each other for three years and done several business deals together. If you're feeling unwell or have any difficulties, feel free to tell me, and I can help you."
Old Zhang kept his head down, so his expression was not visible. His voice trembled slightly as he said, "Thank you, madam. I just walked too fast on the way here, and the sweat hasn't dried yet."
Xue Rongyue played with the long whip in her hand, paused for a moment after hearing this, and then said, "If you have encountered any difficulties at home, you can also tell me."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Weng's heart sank, and large beads of sweat rolled down his face. His fingers, which were holding the chicken coop, lost their strength, and he almost dropped the coop.
After a moment of silence, he managed to compose himself and chuckled twice, "Thank you for your concern, my wife. Everything is fine at home."
"Everything is fine..."
Xue Rongyue smiled faintly, slowly chewing on those four words.
The anger that had been building up since the dreamlike fall into the water erupted at this moment. Xue Rongyue closed her eyes, then suddenly lashed out with her whip. With a sharp whooshing sound, the screen placed in the center of the warm pavilion crashed to the ground.
Xue Rongyue stood up and coldly retorted, "If you have no difficulties or unspeakable secrets, then you are deliberately trying to harm me!"
Caught off guard, Zhang Weng was so frightened that he staggered back, raised his head, and stared at Xue Rongyue in astonishment with his bloodshot, cloudy eyes.
Realizing what was happening, he turned to run away!
Having dealt with Xue Rongyue for so many years, I naturally know that she is used to traveling with few servants, and as long as she runs out of the warm pavilion, she will have a way to survive.
However, Xue Rongyue gave the order: "Take him down!"
A faint sound rang out from the warm pavilion. Jingnu led six thugs in and burst in. Eight guards and servants who had been hiding under the eaves also appeared.
How many people could possibly hide under that roof?!
Zhang Weng was dumbfounded and collapsed to the ground surrounded by burly men.
The twenty men surrounding him held long swords and short blades to his neck, forming layers upon layers. Some of them even had to stand on tiptoe or climb onto the round table to squeeze their way in and aim their swords at his head.
Terrified by the sight, Zhang Weng nearly fainted. His face twitched, and he lost his voice in fear, no longer daring to struggle.
Jingnu wanted to step forward and scold him, but there were too many people and she couldn't squeeze through. She had no choice but to squat down and find a gap in the crowd to glare at him: "My wife has treated you well. Every time she sees you, she treats you to good wine and meat. She gives you more than twice the amount of money as others. But you are so ungrateful that you want to harm her!"
Jingnu drew her long whip from her waist and lashed it to the ground: "Speak quickly, who ordered you to poison my wife in the incense burner!"
"If you don't tell the truth, we'll take you to see the authorities right now!"
...Is it just about meeting with officials?
Zhang Weng glanced at the fierce-looking man in front of him, believing that if he dared to make a move, his neck would be slit in the process.
Seeing an official is good, seeing an official is good! At least the government will spare his life.
Old Zhang's head was buzzing, his heart was pounding, and at this critical moment he thought of things in a jumbled mess. Suddenly his body stiffened, and he belatedly realized that something was wrong.
"W-what? Drugged?!"
Old Zhang finally found his voice, and said in a panic, "What...what do you mean? Even if I had the guts of a bear and the gall of a leopard, I wouldn't dare to drug my wife. I did indeed embezzle a large sum of money my wife gave me to pay off my debts, and used free-range chickens raised by farmers to make do..."
Finally realizing what had happened, Old Man Zhang kowtowed and cried out his innocence: "I have failed in my duty to raise my son, resulting in a wicked child. I owe the young master of the Liu family a huge debt that I cannot repay, and I was forced to commit this disloyal and unjust act. But I would never dare to do such a heinous thing as poisoning him. I beg you, my lady, to investigate!"
Xue Rongyue frowned and suddenly looked out the window.
The bright sunshine, like shattered gold, spread across the water's surface, while the cool breeze scattered the crimson hues of spring across the river.
Carp in the lake sometimes leap up, snatch a bright red piece, and dive to the bottom, causing ripples on the surface.
The old servant walked towards the pavilion by the water, bowed to the elegant lady who was sitting alone in the pavilion admiring the scenery, and then whispered in her ear: "Madam, Lady Xue has left the warm pavilion and is coming towards the garden."
Madam Xu picked up the teacup, the rising steam obscuring her eyes: "That medicine..."
The old servant hurriedly said, "The medicine has been put into the incense burner. Our people have been watching outside the warm pavilion at all times, and there has been nothing unusual. After Madam Xue and her party left, we immediately sneaked in to check. The medicine has been burned completely, and the incense ash has been cleaned up. There is absolutely no chance of anything going wrong. We are just waiting for the medicine to take effect."
Madam Xu's brows relaxed, and she sighed, "Go find someone to follow her, lest she be left in a sorry state by the roadside."
The old servant was about to leave when he was stopped. A dark glint flashed in Madam Xu's eyes as she lowered her voice and ordered, "My son can't hold his liquor. Go and prepare a bowl of hangover soup and help him come here to rest. Remember, you go yourself."
The old servant understood immediately, bowed, and left.
After the old servant left, Madam Xu picked up the string of beads on the table, gently twirled the beads with her fingertips, and softly recited Buddhist scriptures.
Birds perched on branches and chirped, disturbing people's peace of mind.
Even after reciting the prayer beads, Xu was still uneasy, so she could only put her hands together and pray for their protection.
"That vixen Xue has bewitched my son, causing him to be bedridden for days, both physically and mentally, until he falls ill. I beg Buddha to have mercy on me, to have compassion on my mother's desire to save my son, and to grant him his wish so that he may be free from his obsession, thus atoning for Xue's sins. When she marries into my family, I will certainly forgive her and no longer hold a grudge against her, and will treat her well..."
The elegant music of silk and bamboo instruments drifted from the waterside pavilion, amidst the boundless splendor of spring.
The crabapple blossoms, stirred by the wind, fell to the ground.
Xu placed her fingertips on her pounding heart, still worried. She had just stood up when she heard a commotion coming from the lake ahead. Taking a few steps closer, her maid exclaimed in surprise—
"Help! Lady Xue has fallen into the water!"
Xu paused, and the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand suddenly fell to the ground.
She looked up in disbelief.
***
As a woman of the Xue family, falling into the water at the Princess's banquet was no small matter.
The noble ladies who came to the banquet gathered in the Broken Jade Pavilion. Seeing that even the imperial physician had been summoned by the princess, they couldn't help but look at each other in bewilderment.
Princess Chang Le tiptoed, covering her lips with a round fan, and pulled a maid who came out of the pavilion: "Was it really Xue Rongyue who fell into the water?"
"How could someone fall into the water in broad daylight?"
Seeing that the maidservant agreed, Madam Zhang, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, sighed and looked up to see that her good friend Madam Xu was restless. She couldn't help but ask with concern, "Madam Xu, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Xu suddenly snapped back to reality and subconsciously looked into the depths of the garden, but still couldn't see the old servant. She became increasingly uneasy, and forced a smile: "It's nothing, I'm just a little dizzy, I'll be fine after sitting down and resting."
Upon hearing this, Madam Zhang instructed the maid to pour tea and then helped Madam Xu to sit down on the corridor: "Today is truly turbulent. First, Prince Qin led his servants to arrest the foreign merchants who sold forbidden drugs. Now, Madam Xue came to the banquet in good health, but fell into the water and fainted."
"Banned drugs!"
Xu's heart skipped a beat, and her face turned several shades pale.
Scalding hot tea spilled onto the back of her hand, but she seemed oblivious, stammering, "Why would Prince Qin interfere in this matter..."
Madam Zhang was also quite puzzled: "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes when I came to the banquet today, I wouldn't believe it either."
With a "snap".
The teacup slipped from Xu's palm and shattered on the ground.
Hearing the sound, Madam Zhang looked over and saw that Madam Xu's face was as pale as paper. Before she could ask, Madam Xu's eyes rolled back, and her swaying body collapsed limply to the ground.
Snap.
Princess Yu'an, with her graceful and elegant figure hidden behind the screen, placed the white chess piece face down on the chessboard: "It's quite timely that she fainted."
The ruby-inlaid golden sparrow tassel in her hair swayed with her movements. Princess Yu'an looked up and smiled at the woman sitting opposite her: "It's your turn."
Xue Rongyue had no interest in playing chess. She was upset and put down the black pieces in her hand, walking over to Xu Shi's side.
"She's so impatient. She promised to finish this game of chess with me before interrogating her." Princess Yu'an shook her head helplessly at the sight.
The female official was bending down to take the pulse when she saw Xue Rongyue and Princess Yu'an approaching. She stood up and reported, "Madam Xu is suffering from excessive shock and anxiety. She will wake up after acupuncture."
Xue Rongyue scrutinized Xu Shi's eyes: "Why go to such trouble?"
Having said that, he picked up a cup of cold tea and splashed it on Xu's face.
With a slight tremor of her eyelashes, Xu opened her eyes in a daze.
With her fingertips stained with tea as she touched her cheek, Xu Shi was still not clear-headed. She looked up and surveyed her surroundings, meeting Xue Rongyue's almond-shaped eyes filled with cold anger.
As if someone had poured cold water over her head, Xu instantly sobered up, her heart pounding like thunder.
Princess Yu'an put down her teacup and asked, "Madam Xu, are you feeling any better?"
Madam Xu knelt down stiffly to pay her respects, not daring to think too deeply: "Greetings to the Princess, Your Highness. I am much better now, thank you for your concern."
Princess Yu'an nodded: "You suddenly fainted, so you should have been allowed to return to your residence to recuperate, but..."
With her head bowed to the ground, Xu Shi's heart grew even more uneasy as Princess Yu'an paused in her words, her lips trembling.
Do you know your crime?
Those four seemingly light words now felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. Xu's body slumped under the weight of an invisible force, groaning, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
Princess Yu'an laughed: "Now that things have come to this, don't you think you still have room for argument?"
“You want to be stubborn, but the old servant and the young Taoist you sent out are spineless and confessed before you even questioned them.”
Xu felt a sudden tightness in her chest. She looked at the old servant and the young Taoist priest who had been thrown in, bound hand and foot. She couldn't catch her breath and almost fainted again.
Startled, she noticed a shadow looming over her. Xu Shi timidly raised her head: "Your Highness..."
Unexpectedly, he met Xue Rongyue's condescending gaze once again.
Under that undisguised, scrutinizing, and malicious gaze, Xu was in turmoil, and felt ashamed and indignant. She awkwardly looked away, not daring to meet his eyes.
Xue Rongyue sneered: "Madam Xu, I have no dealings with you, nor any grudges between us. I don't know why you want to kill me?"
"When did I ever intend to kill you!" Xu blurted out, her emotions rising as if stung by some unspoken remark. "No grudges? Madam Xue, as a mother, how can I not cherish my own child?!"
Once the words were spoken, there was no turning back. Xu Shi, in a fit of despair, angrily said with red eyes, "Have you ever seen my son? Seeing how thin and bony he is now, have you felt even a little bit of remorse?"
A note from the author:
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I'd like to recommend the author's completed novel, "My Pure White Lotus Persona Can't Fall," which has over 170,000 favorites.
Click on the column to read directly~
Copywriting:
On her very first day transmigrating into the book, Qi Qiu was killed as cannon fodder. Crying, she asked: Do I still have a chance?
System: Okay! Maintain your innocent, pure image and focus on winning over the male lead, Xie Shu.
Qi Qiu: ...
Looking back on her life, in which she had absolutely no experience in flirting with men, Qi Qiu felt suffocated.
Fortunately, Qi Qiu soon discovered that her cousin was a genuine straight male protagonist.
He perfectly embodies the stereotype of a blind and clueless straight man.
Not only did he ignore her clumsy attempt at playing the innocent victim, but he also readily accepted her awkward flirting techniques.
Qi Qiu was secretly delighted; this was a sure thing.
*
Ever since witnessing Qi Qiu teaching someone a lesson, Xie Shu felt that he couldn't understand his cousin anymore.
Even though she had already fought back after being bullied, she started crying again as soon as she saw him.
—You need onion water to cry.
In order to find out her true colors, Xie Shu outwardly protected her, but secretly observed her without making a sound.
As he observed her more, he gradually realized that Qi Qiu's contradictory behavior seemed to stem from her admiration for him.
She tried to win him over little by little with clumsy tricks.
After reaching this conclusion, Xie Shu's hand trembled violently, and he stood in the snow all night.
Later, on a sunny day, Xie Shu and his friends witnessed Qi Qiu stabbing someone with a knife.
—Accurate and ruthless.
A friend who had always believed that Qi Qiu was a delicate woman shuddered and almost collapsed to the ground.
When she looked tremblingly at Xie Shu, she saw Xie Shu smiling silently.
Friend:...?
Xie Shu smiled.
Don't ask, the answer is simply that I'm smitten.
The answer is like Jiang Taigong fishing; those who are willing will take the bait.
[1v1 + HE]
[True Straight Man vs. Fake Innocent Woman]
[Later on, the ultimate mission will change, and the male lead will pursue her instead.]
[An unconventional dating guide: a love story of elementary school kids playfully pecking at each other]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
