"What did I do? I'd like to ask you what you did to her." Xin Ran sneered, flipping her hand and slapping Zhao Qiang directly in the chest: "If it weren't for you, how could she be in this state now? If she dies, Zhao Qiang, I'll make you pay with your life."
Enraged, Xin Ran unleashed a palm strike, which Zhao Qiang barely dodged. The only table in the room was instantly destroyed by Xin Ran's palm.
"What I do with her is none of your business." Relying on the advantage of his long sword, Zhao Qiang fought against the two men single-handedly. Every time his gaze swept over the woman on the bed, the anger in his heart surged, and the sword in his hand became even more powerful.
“This woman was born a maid of my Seventh Prince’s Mansion. Even if she is dead, she is still a corpse of my Seventh Prince’s Mansion. Where I bury her is up to me.” A fierce glint flashed in Zhao Qiang’s eyes. He flicked his long sword and slashed at Xin Ran’s right hand that was slapping at him. “And now, I will cut off your hand first. I will take that shameless woman back and deal with her properly.”
Zhao Qiang was blinded by rage. Just thinking about Xin Ran's hand reaching for Wen Xiang's clothes when he entered the room made him want to chop it off right now.
"Oh? You remember now?" Xin Ran sneered, effortlessly dodging Zhao Qiang's sword attacks with the help of the Dharma Lamp. "It wasn't for nothing that I went to such lengths to remind you. However, the first thing you did after regaining your memory wasn't to go find your little princess lover, but instead, you went to all the trouble of coming here to hunt down a little maid you had long ago driven out of the Seventh Prince's Mansion. That's quite unexpected."
Xinran's words came from the bottom of her heart.
The moment he realized Zhao Qiang had lost his memory, he was determined to help him recover as soon as possible; otherwise, given his current dependence on Hua Cai, he would have no chance at all.
Therefore, he deliberately brought up past events with Hua Cai in front of Zhao Qiang, and even deliberately acted as if he had a close relationship with Hua Cai, all in order to provoke Zhao Qiang.
Once Zhao Qiang regains his memory, he will be eager to return to Zhao Min's side and will no longer pay attention to Hua Cai. In that case, only I will be by her side from now on.
Unexpectedly, although the effect was significant, Zhao Qiang overstimulated her and seemed to lose his mind, injuring Hua Cai like this.
"Pursue? Don't try to stir up trouble here. From the day I brought Wenxiang back to my manor, she has been my woman, Zhao Qiang's woman." Zhao Qiang's moves became increasingly ruthless, each strike aimed directly at Xinran's vitals.
Xin Ran was also secretly shocked. He had fought with Zhao Qiang on Bright Peak, and the two were clearly evenly matched. Only a month had passed, and the two of them together could only suppress him. His progress was terrifying.
Xinran was also furious about Hua Cai's injuries. Seeing that Zhao Qiang not only denied it but also acted as if Hua Cai had wronged him, the sarcasm in his tone became obvious: "Spreading rumors? Your Highness, you should understand that I did not cause these injuries to Wen Xiang."
He didn't do it.
Zhao Qiang's heart skipped a beat, and his hand moved half a beat too slow. Fa Deng seized the opportunity and swiftly slapped Zhao Qiang's wrist, causing the longsword to fall to the ground.
Without his longsword, Zhao Qiang quickly fell into a disadvantageous position and had no choice but to stop his attack, his eyes still fixed on the woman on the bed, searching for an opening to strike.
"You want to take her away?" Xin Ran noticed Zhao Qiang's actions, and a mocking smile appeared on her lips: "Zhao Qiang, you only gave her four years of peace, and she has already paid you back with her life. Don't always think that you can control other people's lives and deaths. She doesn't owe you anything now."
Zhao Qiang ignored him and continued searching for an opening.
"What, you don't believe me?" Xin Ran snorted and walked to the bedside, lifting the thin blanket covering Hua Cai.
Zhao Qiang was furious and wanted to step forward, but was stopped by Fa Deng.
"There's a slight fracture in the upper right sternum and shoulder bone. Let me think, it seems to be from two palm strikes by one of your princess's men. It's a bit strange that the old man didn't use the Xuanming Divine Palm, but considering that his target was you, it's not so strange. Is it now fashionable among your court nobles to have servants attack their masters and be the ones to shield them with their bodies?" Xin Ran sneered, "Your interests are indeed peculiar."
"I--"
"The wounds on your face are one deep and one shallow. Do you think you got them when you rolled down the cliff?" Xin Ran didn't give Zhao Qiang a chance to speak and continued to look at the person lying quietly: "Tsk tsk, it's such a pity that this little face is ruined like this."
"Look at her lips, they've turned blue. Her internal organs are so badly injured, it's probably too late to save her." Xin Ran traced two red marks on Hua Cai's cheek with her fingertips, then placed them on her pale lips. "Her face is so pale, do you want to guess how much blood this woman has vomited without your knowledge?"
Zhao Qiang stood there, stunned, unable to utter a single word. His mind was reeling, Xin Ran's words echoing in his head, each one striking his heart like a hammer blow.
"Look at the scarf around her neck, isn't it pretty?" Xin Ran chuckled, gently touching one end of the scarf, and pulled it lightly under Zhao Qiang's gaze.
The scarf slipped off, revealing four twisted black scars against her fair skin, a shocking sight.
Zhao Qiang gasped, staring incredulously at Hua Cai's neck, speechless with shock.
"What, you can't even recognize the merit of your own lackeys?" Xin Ran chuckled. "Are you wondering when it happened? Let me think... Oh, it was in the backyard of Green Willow Manor. She suddenly saw you and, in her panic, broke a jar of wine. When you were chasing after your little lover, you broke such a fine jar of wine. Of course, Old Man Hebi needed a place to vent his anger. After all, she was just a little maid. How could her life be more important than a jar of fine wine?"
Zhao Qiang abruptly took a step back, his face as pale as paper: "No—no—"
"What do you mean 'no'? Your subordinates, don't you know what kind of person he is? At this point, you still want to deceive yourself?" Xin Ran sneered: "By the way, take a look at this freshly severed hand. You really went all out, leaving no way out. Even if Hu Qingniu came, he wouldn't be able to do anything about it."
As Xinran spoke, she delivered the final blow to Zhao Qiang, gently raising Hua Cai's right hand from the inside.
Zhao Qiang staggered a step toward the bed, almost tripping over the shattered table beneath his feet.
Her once slender arms, from wrist to back of hand, were completely covered with bluish-black blood vessels, so swollen that their original shape was no longer visible.
"I—did it—" Zhao Qiang muttered to himself, staring at his hands in disbelief.
"Isn't that right?" Xinran smiled. "So, stop calling her someone's woman. Even if you ignore everything else, just look at the injuries and suffering she's endured for you this past month. Please have pity on her and stay away from her." Xinran's hand trembled, and the thin blanket in her hand was put back over Hua Cai.
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