Fu Chen suppressed his doubts: "Please speak, Your Excellency."
Guo Xun put away his folding fan and looked over with a deep gaze: "I watched for a long time in the crowd just now. This is a private matter between the young master and these two. I shouldn't have interrupted, but I just couldn't stand it, so I couldn't help it."
"Please speak frankly if you have something to say."
Guo Xun's smile was gentle, but Fu Chen couldn't see any kindness in his eyes. Thinking this, Fu Chen felt a strange feeling.
Guo Xun's gaze swept over the group of people who had just been discussing, and he said quietly, "Scholars and writers value 'reputation,' and unmarried young women also value 'reputation.' Putting aside the fact that the young master let this young woman sit on the ground, the matter involves the young master. If he acts uprightly and honestly, right and wrong will be judged by the people. If he is too deliberate, he will only make things worse."
"Apart from the current Crown Princess, none of the other ladies in the Xu family of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion are married. The young master says he already has someone he loves, yet he lets others speculate. If I'm not mistaken, the young master is not engaged, is he? Could it be said that the young master is tarnishing the reputation of the Xu family ladies?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the servant behind him stepped forward, followed by an old man who appeared to be a doctor.
The servant was handsome, just like his master, with a refined appearance that put people at ease. Respecting the difference between men and women, he leaned down and said from a distance, "This is a doctor. Miss, you should have your health checked first. This is my master's wish; safety is the priority."
Fan Sanniang collapsed to the ground, only realizing she had been abandoned after being stunned by Fu Chen's words. Her face was dejected, and after listening to the servant's words, she stared blankly in Guo Xun's direction.
At this moment, all eyes around her were fixed on her, watching with anticipation. She desperately wanted to escape. The person stood there, backlit, far away from her, and it was as if she had seen a glimmer of light in the abyss.
Guo Xun didn't realize that he couldn't help with anything anymore. The only thing he could do was find a doctor; at least his life was at stake, and everything else was secondary.
"Since the young master has someone he loves, did he just tacitly agree with what everyone is saying about the Rongguo Duke's Mansion? If so, I wonder if the young master's sweetheart feels the same way about him?"
"If not, Your Highness, do not ruin the reputation of this young lady for your own selfish desires. It is not right to do so."
His tone was gentle, but his words were forceful and resonated in everyone's ears. Some people realized what he meant and their gazes toward Fu Chen changed.
Fu Chen watched as the situation he had envisioned changed course because of Guo Xun's few words. He was still young and couldn't handle things. His face was filled with anger: "Who exactly are you? You know my identity, yet you dare to talk nonsense."
"He is Guo Xun, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review."
The crowd parted, and three men and three women walked over one after another.
Xu Yunci walked to Guo Xun's side, his gaze sweeping lightly over Fu Chen's shocked face, a sneer on his lips: "I don't know which of my sisters you like, yet you make such a fuss about it."
The three women were not wearing veils or hats. Xu Lingzi's expression was calm, as if everything was irrelevant to her, and she didn't even spare Fu Chen a glance.
Fu Chen was naturally anxious. The situation before him made his scalp tingle; it was completely different from what he had expected.
That incorruptible Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review? Fu Chen's face was extremely ugly, and the pointing and whispering gazes around him were about to strip away his last shred of dignity.
His gaze involuntarily fell on the three women accompanying Xu Yunci. Xu Lingzi stood there, not sparing him even a glance. He was unwilling to accept this.
"Your Highness, are you saying that the child in my belly isn't yours?"
Fan San Niang's voice was weak behind him. Her face was dejected, and the despair in her eyes seemed to devour Fu Chen's back. The questioning tone in her voice drew everyone's attention.
Pushing away the maid's support, she stopped hunching over and straightened her back, her protruding belly particularly noticeable.
Normally, she would deliberately hunch her back, and when she was dressed, she would look even more like she had gained weight. Now that she was standing up straight, her protruding belly looked more like she was pregnant.
"Shiro, you didn't say that before."
Fu Chen's body visibly trembled, but Fan San Niang closed her eyes, leaving behind a tear and a bitter smile. Her voice was as light as smoke, drifting into everyone's ears.
"You said that after you marry the sixth daughter of the Xu family, and the Crown Princess and the Heir Apparent of Xu pave the way for your official career, you will make me your official wife and establish our child as the young heir of the Marquis's mansion."
"You said you liked me from the first time you met me, and that you felt sorry for me because I was so careful following behind my elder sister. You told me I would never live like that again, and I believed you."
Fu Chen had his back to Fan San Niang. He never expected that this usually docile person would undermine him here, and all his efforts had been in vain.
He practically gritted his teeth: "Stop talking."
Fan San Niang opened her eyes and looked at his back in despair. She was vain and chose this coward who put himself out of the way in the face of unexpected events. She had actually wasted her whole life on this kind of person.
She gritted her teeth and suddenly laughed, a laugh so eerie that everyone present was stunned. Unexpectedly, she abruptly stopped laughing, her face filled with despair, and rushed through the crowd, leaping straight into the lake.
With a "plop," Fan San Niang jumped into the lake without struggling, letting the lake surface submerge her mouth and nose. As she sank, gurgling bubbles suddenly appeared on the surface of the lake.
Guo Xun's gaze was deep: "Quickly, save them."
If things continue this way, it's no longer just a matter of Fu Chen defaming Nvniang's reputation; someone has already lost their life.
One is the Vice Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, and the other is the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Both are responsible for the security of the capital. I'm afraid this matter will not end well.
The courtroom of the Jingzhao Prefecture was surrounded by three layers of people, and even the maternal grandfather's family, the Grand Secretary's Mansion, had been alerted, which showed that this matter could not be easily dismissed.
The inner room in the back hall was simply furnished with a bed and a table. Fan San Niang had changed into clean clothes, but her face was pale. She had drunk too much water and was unconscious.
Separated by the screen, Li Shiyue sat on a wooden chair, watching the basins of blood being brought out one after another, and was shocked.
Sure enough, the doctor came out looking worried and shook his head: "The fetus is still small and cannot be saved after this. However, the mother has drunk too much water and will probably develop a fever."
Li Shiyue remembered Xu Yunci's instructions: no matter what, people must live, which is why she stayed here.
"Whatever medicine it is, it would be best if it could help her recover. This person cannot be harmed."
The doctor nodded and was led away to write the prescription.
Li Shiyue sat back down, and through the screen she could vaguely see the figure on the bed: "Chunling, go and tell your cousin the truth about the situation here, and ask him if I should go back to the manor with my cousin and the others."
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