sincere
This shout drew everyone's attention to a spot not far ahead.
The young man entered the house.
Liu Xu was the first to notice where Xie Lingxi was standing. He glanced at her, and his beautiful wife, as lovely as an orchid in the dew, gently parted her lips and casually called out, "A-Xu."
The scene remained completely calm and composed.
Looking down again, the kneeling figure below was none other than A-Luan, the girl who had met the wrong man in the brothel yesterday. At this moment, her hair was disheveled and tears were streaming down her face, making her look like a beautiful, delicate flower.
Liu Xu knew what had happened without even thinking. He simply walked over and gently supported Xie Lingxi's waist, softening his gaze and speaking softly, "You're not well yet, why did you invite so many guests today?"
Xie Lingxi looked up at him and said only briefly, "A-Luan has nowhere to go after leaving Qilou and wants to make a living in our mansion. What do you think?"
Upon hearing this, Ah Luan, who was kneeling below, suddenly looked up. Her surprise was fleeting, as if she hadn't expected that the person who had so firmly refused to make a promise to her this morning would now take the initiative to offer to take her in.
So, with a quick thought, he used Xie Lingxi's words to explain his intentions in a fragmented and apprehensive manner.
After saying this, he kept kowtowing, "I offended you just now, my lady, I deserve to die... Please forgive me, my lady... Please don't send me away!"
The scene was so brutal, with bloodshed already involved, that it was impossible to cover up the truth.
After hearing what A-Luan said yesterday about Yan Ji, Liu Xu felt no pity for the young woman before him, especially since A-Luan's identity was unknown, and he didn't know which side's spy she was.
Seeing that the princess had already sat down, letting the maid pour her a cup of hot tea and adopting a spectator's attitude, he was no longer in a hurry. He spoke slowly and deliberately: "Forgiveness?"
Ah Luan's hands trembled as she said, "My appearance is a gift from my parents. If it has offended Madam Xie, it is my fault—"
Her eyes grew increasingly fierce and sorrowful. She raised her arm, picked up a sharp pebble, and began to slash her face. "I have nowhere else to go... I am willing to disfigure myself, I only beg you, madam, to be magnanimous and let me stay in the manor, to be the lowest of maids..."
"you--!"
In a flash, Liu Xu grabbed her wrist with such force that A-Luan screamed, her fingers forced open, and pebbles slipped from her palm.
His face instantly turned cold. "One cry, two tantrums, three threats of suicide—it seems we should hand them over to the government and ask them to exercise their jurisdiction and guidance."
Liu Xu was an official, and A Luan was a commoner. Even though she was used to throwing tantrums and pestering people, and was willing to use desperate measures to achieve her goals, she still felt a chill run down her spine and her body trembled upon hearing these words.
If she were truly someone of the Prince of Jin, that would be fine. But the problem is, she genuinely has no connection whatsoever with the Prince of Jin. All the fabrications, once exposed to the light of day, can only vanish into nothingness. All the so-called glory and wealth are nothing but a mirage.
"No!" Ah Luan cried out in fear, staggering to her feet.
This time she finally understood that men were completely unreliable, and she grabbed Xie Lingxi's skirt, crying, "Wife, wife, save me!"
Xie Lingxi only lost her composure for a moment before feeling as if her clothes had become as heavy as stones. Looking down, she realized that A-Luan's arms were wrapped around her without her noticing.
She frowned slightly, which made Ah Luan feel uneasy. She still didn't want to let go of her hand and whispered, "Please... don't report this to the authorities."
Xie Lingxi: "..."
She truly understood: Ah Luan dared not offend the princess, nor Ah Xu, yet she was incredibly arrogant towards her. Just how good was her reputation that it could inspire such "contempt and disrespect"?
So the kind and gentle Lady Xie said, "Alright, get up."
"I'm nobody to you, why are you kneeling and begging me?"
That's easy for you to say.
Ah Luan dared not make any rash moves, and only said, "Does Madam agree to what I just said?"
Xie Lingxi raised an eyebrow: "Which sentence?"
"Oh," she rubbed her temples, as if waking from a dream, "I remember now, A-Luan said that the Prince of Jin sent people to arrest you, and asked me to rescue you—"
At this point, she changed the subject, "But I am already a married woman. My husband's official position is neither high nor low, and he may have to rely on some prince to get promoted and make money. Why would I offend the Prince of Jin for your sake?"
Ah Luan's eyes were brimming with tears, and she stammered incoherently, "You..."
Yes.
She had come to ask Xie Lingxi for help, but the princess's jokes distracted her, and she began to kneel before heaven and earth in an attempt to appease the nobleman's anger.
He had completely forgotten why he had come here.
Xie Lingxi refused decisively, saying that she couldn't continue singing the opera.
But Ah Luan still forced herself to say, "I am just a dispensable... Prince Jin is just infatuated with me for a while. I suppose that if you just write a letter and send it to Prince Jin's mansion, you can not only save me, but also perhaps secure a future for your husband."
Why not have the best of both worlds?
After listening, Xie Lingxi remained silent, seemingly considering the feasibility of this method.
After a long pause, she smoothed her hair and spoke softly, "In A-Luan's opinion, what should I write on this letter?"
Ah Luan immediately replied, "Naturally, they were some tender words—"
She glanced at Liu Xu out of the corner of her eye. His face was cold and stern, and the hand around Xie Lingxi's waist tightened slightly, with veins bulging on the back of his hand.
Therefore, she quickly added, "It's just a formality, nothing serious. If you have any concerns and don't want to write it yourself, I can write it for you!"
Xie Lingxi was still worried, "But I..."
Her voice was melodious, her eyebrows were furrowed, and she gently covered her chest with one hand, looking frail and delicate. Although she was dressed in fine clothes, the chill emanating from her made her seem the most pitiful one among them.
Beside him, Liu Chengzhi's expression grew increasingly cold, his jawline taut. Suddenly, he saw the person in his arms sway, and he instinctively pulled them close, lowering his head to look away—
Xie Lingxi suddenly fell ill and fainted!
The incident happened so suddenly that even the princess, who had been sitting calmly to the side, hurriedly stood up. A-Luan's eyes widened instantly, and before she could even defend herself, she was suddenly shouted at, "Get out of the way!"
"I……"
Ah Luan felt wronged: How could she have known that her wife was so easily offended? She didn't mean it!
She stumbled, regained her footing awkwardly, and watched as Liu Xu carried Xie Lingxi away into the distance.
...
Sleeping room.
The carved gate was pushed open from the outside, and a group of people rushed in in a flurry. In the midst of the chaos, Liu Xu gently placed Xie Lingxi on the bed, staring at her pale face with an anxious expression, "Has the doctor not arrived yet?"
Peach Blossom lowered her head: "Not yet."
The princess arrived next, looked around, glanced at the person on the bed with closed eyes with a complicated expression, and said, "Everyone, get out."
The doctor had not yet arrived, and Tao Hongchu couldn't hide her worry. Seeing Liu Xu nod slightly, she then left with the others, closing the door tightly before leaving, leaving no gaps.
Liu Xu was deep in thought.
Although Xie Lingxi's health was poor, it was far from being this weak, except for last time...
But the love potion has already been neutralized, hasn't it?
unless……
Thinking of this, and seeing the princess's behavior just now, he suddenly looked at Yan Ying, his eyes turning completely cold, like an ice shard, "Your Highness, what important matter do you want to tell me by dispersing the others?"
The only connection he had with the princess was thanks to Xie Lingxi's mediation. Xie Lingxi told him that he and the princess were natural accomplices, but how could accomplices harm each other behind their backs?
He asked bluntly, "Is the antidote real or fake?"
Yan Ying was surprised: "How could it be fake?"
She sat down on the bed, gently touched Xie Lingxi's wrist, lowered her eyes, and said casually, "What? Does Lord Liu think that Lingxi's fainting today was my fault that day?"
Liu Xu did not answer.
The meaning is self-evident.
As the sun gradually set, the brocade curtains blocked out most of the sunlight, making the room dark and gloomy. Yan Ying had just taken Xie Lingxi's pulse and already had a good idea of what was going on. Turning back, she saw her cold and hard husband standing there like a stubborn rock with sharp edges. She smiled and said, "Lingxi considers me her confidante, so how could I harm her? Lord Liu doesn't trust me, but doesn't he trust his own wife?"
"Perhaps he really did listen to that person's words and decided not to bet on me alone, but instead to curry favor with Yan Ji so as to make some other plans for you, sir?"
It was too dark, and Liu Xu suddenly seemed unable to see the person on the bed clearly. His breath hitched, and he mechanically repeated, "Other plans?"
"For example, fame and fortune—Lord Liu, you've been a minor official for quite some time now. With your talent, it wouldn't be impossible for you to be promoted further. But the Emperor is stubborn and always suspects that you come from a prestigious family, so he's unwilling to give you important positions. A great man should strive to achieve great things. Lord Liu is in the prime of your life; are you really willing to just be a minor official, dealing with trivial matters?"
Yan Ying said meaningfully, "Every single thing Lingxi has done is for your sake, sir."
What she said made sense. Moreover, Xie Lingxi and Yan Ji were husband and wife in their previous lives. If she were driven by interests in this life, it wouldn't be impossible for her to submit to Yan Ji. However, Liu Xu retorted immediately after hearing this: "Impossible."
"Oh?" Yan Ying raised an eyebrow. "Why not? I think it's a win-win situation."
In the back and forth, Liu Xu finally understood that this princess did not do any real work but always loved to stir up trouble. He suppressed his anger and said, "She will not sell her wife to seek an official position, nor will I allow it."
"You speak so kindly, but why didn't you stop Ah Luan when she was talking nonsense?"
Liu Xu subconsciously looked down at his palm, where several bloodstains were clearly visible on his fingers, from where he had pinched himself earlier. After being told about it, they started to hurt again.
Xie Lingxi remained unconscious, and the doctor outside was nowhere to be seen. He was extremely anxious and did not want to say much, but then he felt something was amiss and said, "Aluan is Liu Rumei's person. She came here to put on an act. Why is she putting on an act? We must find out and do it properly."
“My feelings for Lingxi are as clear as day and night; Princess, there is no need to stir up trouble here.”
After saying that, he walked out, saying, "I'll go and call the doctor."
Yan Ying hissed, "Stop!"
Liu Xu ignored her and continued striding towards the door. Just as he was about to push it open, he heard the princess speak coolly behind him: "Leaving me alone in the room, aren't you afraid that I'll use some more potent poison?"
Liu Xu turned around abruptly, gritting his teeth and glaring, "You—!"
Before he could finish speaking, he saw a hand slowly rise from the bed and wave playfully at him.
The woman, who had been unconscious, now had clear eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings. "Ah Xu, I love you too."
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