Chapter 74 Rumors Spread
After returning to the Xu Mansion, Xu's mother used the money that was originally used to smooth over relations with the government to spread rumors.
Soon, rumors spread throughout the capital that Xu Qingyan and Pei Jingchuan framed Xu Shikai because they had conflicts with the Xu family.
On this day, Pei Jinyu happened to make an appointment with Xu Qingyan to go to a newly opened restaurant in the capital to eat riverside charcoal grilled fish.
The two of them sat by the window, overlooking the bustling street through the window, while listening to the noise in the restaurant and feeling the daily life.
"Have you heard the news recently? I heard that the young master of the Duke's Mansion was bewitched by his new wife and lost his sense of right and wrong, and framed the genius boy from Tianqing Academy for cheating!"
Xu Qingyan was happily picking up the fish when she suddenly heard such a voice. Her hand suddenly stopped and she couldn't help but prick up her ears and listen curiously.
"What is the relationship between this talented young man and the Crown Prince's wife? Why do they want to frame him?" someone asked curiously.
"I heard that the genius boy is the half-brother of the Crown Prince's wife. The Crown Prince's wife was originally just a concubine's daughter of the Xu family. She had a twisted mentality since she was young and was jealous of her legitimate sister and brother. Later, because of her legitimate sister's influence, she was married to the concubine's son of the Duke's Mansion. Who knew that this concubine's daughter was so scheming that she dared to switch and marry the young master!"
"I heard that this concubine's daughter is pretty, and she learned some seductive tricks from her lowly mother, so she consummated the marriage on the night of the wedding. The bewitched young master refused to change back even though he knew he was wrong!"
"After this man gained power, he not only bullied and framed her elder sister everywhere in the Duke's Mansion, but also persuaded the young master to frame his own brother! Xu Shikai is from Tianqing Academy, everyone praises him, how could he cheat!"
"Yes! I heard that Xu Shikai was the youngest scholar in Daxia and he got first place in the exam. Who did he copy from to get first place?"
"So, this is the young master being bewitched by a vixen and framing a good person. Tsk tsk...how can these people be so evil!"
People were talking one after another, insisting on describing Xu Qingyan as a vicious woman.
"Sister-in-law, how can they talk nonsense! Who spread these words? Was it Xu Qingyue? She has been demoted to second brother's concubine by her father, why is she still so restless!" Pei Jinyu, who was sitting opposite Xu Qingyan, couldn't help but speak up for Xu Qingyan after hearing these unpleasant words.
Pei Jinyu put down the chopsticks in her hand, and said as if she was going to stand up and argue with others, "No, I have to tell those people the truth. I can't let them slander you and Big Brother like this!"
Xu Qingyan hurriedly stopped her and said, "Jinyu, you are the eldest daughter, how can you go down and argue with those gossiping men? Besides, if you go, they won't believe you."
"What should we do? Are we just going to watch them slander you and your elder brother's reputation?" Pei Jinyu was so angry that her eyes turned red. What she hated most in her life was being wronged, especially by her respected elder brother and sister-in-law.
Xu Qingyan glanced at the people downstairs calmly and said calmly: "Let's go back to the mansion and discuss it with your eldest brother. This rumor is definitely not spread for no reason."
On the other hand, Pei Jingchuan soon learned about the rumors spreading from the capital from his subordinates. When he learned that people were scolding Xu Qingyan as a vixen, a surge of anger welled up in his eyes. After all, he had implicated her. He could guess who was behind this without even thinking about it.
So, after Pei Jingchuan came back from court, he immediately went to Xu Qingyan's Tingyu Pavilion.
"Qingyan, did you just come back from outside?" When Pei Jingchuan just walked to the gate of the yard, he happened to meet Xu Qingyan who was walking back from another way.
"Yes, Jinyu and I just went to eat Linjiang charcoal grilled fish." Xu Qingyan looked at Pei Jingchuan and answered with a smile.
Pei Jingchuan's heart sank when he heard this. In a crowded and noisy place like a restaurant, had she heard those ugly rumors?
Pei Jingchuan took a closer look at Xu Qingyan's expression, and saw that she was not sad or angry at all, so he thought that maybe she was lucky that she didn't hear it. Otherwise, if she heard it, she would be angry. What if she cried out of anger? Those unpleasant words, even a grown man like him felt a little too much, not to mention that his wife was such a delicate person? It would be better for him to tell her tactfully that everything was left to him, and let her go out less during this period.
So, Pei Jingchuan said to Xu Qingyan gently: "Qingyan, I have something to say to you, so let Jinyu go back first."
At this moment, Pei Jinyu, who was standing aside, was still angry about what she heard in the restaurant. How could she leave so quickly? She immediately complained to Pei Jingchuan: "Brother, you have to make the decision for my sister-in-law! People outside are spreading rumors and saying bad things about my sister-in-law!"
"You already know all this?" Pei Jingchuan asked in surprise, then looked at Xu Qingyan.
"Husband, let's go inside and talk!" Xu Qingyan stepped forward and took Pei Jingchuan's hand and said.
When they entered the house, they sent the servants away and began to talk about what they had heard in the restaurant today.
"Qingyan, it's all my fault. I have implicated you. Don't worry, I will handle this matter. They resorted to such despicable methods just to force us to release Xu Shikai. However, there is sufficient evidence that Xu Shikai cheated, and these rumors will not have any impact at all. They will only make those confused people outside follow the crowd. The more they do this, the heavier the sentence Xu Shikai will receive, and then they will suffer the consequences." Pei Jingchuan said to Xu Qingyan with some guilt.
"Young Master, are you just going to handle this coldly like this?" Upon hearing this, Xu Qingyan stared at Pei Jingchuan and said.
Pei Jingchuan nodded and said, "Rumors stop at wise people. What they did can only affect some people who don't know the truth. The current emperor is not so foolish. Now, there is enough evidence. These rumors will not affect Xu Shikai's guilt at all. When the punishment comes in the future, I believe those people will shut up. But, this is unfair to you. Before Xu Shikai's case is closed, you should go out less recently, so as not to be affected by those dirty words."
"Young Master, although your approach will make the Xu family empty-handed, it does not reduce our own losses! The saying 'Rumors stop at the wise' is not entirely true. Think about it, how many wise people are there in our daily lives? Most of them are just fools who follow the crowd. Even if the emperor believes in you, the final result will be in your favor. But if the rumor is not resolved, others will not say it, but in their hearts they will think that you are taking revenge for a foxy woman like me!" Xu Qingyan refuted Pei Jingchuan's words with some disapproval.
Pei Jingchuan couldn't help but frown when he heard this, and said, "So what do you think is the best way to do this?"
After hearing this, Xu Qingyan hesitated for a moment before looking at Pei Jingchuan seriously and said softly, "Since they are so anxious to rescue Xu Shikai, why don't we just give in to their wishes?"
"Qingyan, what do you mean?" Pei Jingchuan was a little surprised when he heard it.
Xu Qingyan raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Before a cat catches a mouse, it will tease the other party first. Only when the cat jumps more happily will it fall harder."
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