Chapter 66 Walking Out Hand in Hand
Xiao Qingyuan was shocked: "What? It really is him? How could this be?"
"Does Your Highness think I would lie about something like this? Is it something to be proud of?"
“But Shen Wantang said it was Yuan Zheng.”
Chu Yanluo immediately became displeased. She pushed Xiao Qingyuan away, her expression losing its usual cold arrogance: "Since Your Highness trusts that Shen Wantang so much, why not go ask her? Why ask me? Did Your Highness come here specifically to humiliate me?"
“I’m not trying to humiliate you. I just have some doubts. Don’t be so sensitive. Besides, Mo Ji said that Gu Qianhan left very early that night. He didn’t stay in my courtyard long, thinking I was wasting his time. Since he’s gone, why would he bully you?”
Chu Yanlu lowered her eyes, quickly thinking of a solution while slowly saying, "He left at first, but then he came back. He barged into the inner room. At first, I thought it was you who came in, but I didn't expect it to be him."
No matter what, she couldn't tell the truth. She dared not involve Yuan Zheng. Otherwise, if Yuan Zheng produced the letters she had written to him, her carefully crafted aloof and arrogant persona would crumble, and all her lies would be exposed in an instant.
Moreover, she knew that even if Xiao Qingyuan went to ask Yuan Zheng, Yuan Zheng would never tell the truth. After all, he had finally managed to get on the good side of the Prince of Ning's son, and he was unwilling to offend him so badly.
"That Gu Qianhan, he seems so virtuous, he acts one way when you're around, and a completely different way when you're not. I originally thought he was a gentleman, but I never expected him to be like this..."
Chu Yanluo began to sob softly: "He said he was amazed by my beauty the moment he saw me, and fell in love with me at first sight. Then he started touching me inappropriately. I struggled desperately, but he suddenly stuffed a pill into my mouth, and then I lost the ability to resist."
Xiao Qingyuan listened with a mixture of heartache and anger: "Yanluo, is everything you're saying true? Did that bastard Gu Qianhan really bully you?"
"It's absolutely true, Your Highness!"
Chu Yanluo was in tears: "It's all my fault for being too beautiful. I always attract men who covet me. If I could, I would really like to be ugly, even like Qin Xin, I would be willing!"
Xiao Qingyuan didn't think Qin Xin was ugly; a first-class maid in the Ning Prince's mansion couldn't possibly be unattractive.
However, he had no time to care what Qin Xin looked like. He was furious and wished he could rush to the Duke's mansion and beat Gu Qianhan up!
He never expected that Gu Qianhan would take advantage of him while he was drunk and bully his woman!
It turns out that his usual act of not being interested in women was all an act!
Seeing his anger, Chu Yanlu thought for a moment, then bent down and picked up a piece of firewood, preparing to add more fuel to the fire and completely arouse Xiao Qingyuan's soft heart and pity.
She picked up the firewood and slashed it directly at her face.
Bright red blood beads gushed out of her fair face, quickly staining her cheeks and neck.
Xiao Qingyuan was shocked and hurriedly snatched the firewood from her hand: "Yanluo, what are you doing? Why did you cut your own face?"
Chu Yanlu smiled bitterly: "Your Highness, my face is a curse. They say that beauty is a curse, and I keep getting into trouble because I'm too beautiful. If I ruin my face, no man will ever want to touch me again, and I can finally have some peace and quiet."
Xiao Qingyuan was heartbroken, and now he truly believed that Chu Yanluo was innocent.
If she hadn't been bullied so badly, how could a weak woman like her have the heart to ruin her own face?
He gently stroked Chu Yanluo's cheek, feeling both regret and relief: "Luckily, I snatched it in time, otherwise your face would have been completely ruined."
Chu Yanluo seemed completely unconcerned about her face and didn't seem to feel any pain. She let the blood drip down her chin and asked with red eyes, "If my face is completely ruined, will the young master still want me? Will he lock me in the woodshed from now on and not let me go out?"
"No, absolutely not! I'm not the kind of person who judges people by their appearance. No matter how disfigured your face is, I'll still want you!"
Chu Yanluo threw herself into his arms and hugged his waist tightly: "Your Highness, I knew it. You are different from those ordinary people. You are so much more refined than them!"
Xiao Qingyuan hugged her back: "Yanluo, come back to Xinghe Courtyard with me. I'll have someone fetch the imperial physician for you. You need to get your facial injuries treated quickly."
"No need. Your Highness is short of money right now, and I shouldn't waste your money. Calling the imperial physician is so expensive, don't bother. My injury will heal on its own in ten days or half a month."
Xiao Qingyuan felt even more distressed: "It's all my fault. You never cared about gold and silver before, but now you're forced to start worrying about it because I'm short of money. Your injury isn't minor. If you don't call the imperial physician and get medicine, it will leave a scar, so we can't skimp on the money for the imperial physician."
Chu Yanluo was adamant: "There's really no need to call the imperial physician. I want to keep the scar. Even if Your Highness calls the imperial physician for me, I won't let him see me. Even if you have someone prepare the medicine, I won't take it. So, Your Highness, don't waste your money."
Xiao Qingyuan felt not only heartache but also deep guilt: "It's all my fault for not protecting you properly, letting you be bullied in my courtyard. Yanluo, don't worry, I will definitely get justice for you! I will never let Gu Qianhan get away with this!"
Chu Yanlu shook her head: "Your Highness doesn't need to seek justice for me. Gu Qianhan is the second young master of the Duke's Mansion, with a noble status. I don't want Your Highness to have a conflict with him because of me. I'll just bear with those grievances!"
"Why should you tolerate this? My woman, Xiao Qingyuan's woman, doesn't need to endure any grievances! Gu Qianhan is the second young master of the Duke's mansion, while I, Xiao Qingyuan, am the heir of the Prince of Ning's mansion! In terms of status, how can he compare to me?"
"But he is still the Empress's nephew. What if he goes to the Empress and causes trouble?"
"So what if he's the Empress's nephew? I'm the Emperor's nephew! If he has the nerve to cause trouble at the Empress's place, I'll cause trouble at the Emperor's place, and we'll see who can outdo whom!"
Xiao Qingyuan took her hand: "Alright, don't worry about this. I'll take you back to Xinghe Courtyard first. Since you don't want to call the imperial physician, I'll clean your wounds myself."
Then, the door to the woodshed opened, and the two of them walked out hand in hand.
Mo Ji, who was waiting outside, was stunned, as were the maids and servants who wanted to watch the excitement!
No one expected that Chu Yanluo would come out in this way!
She had injuries on her face, but her expression was incredibly proud, her chin almost pointing to the sky, as if the injuries on her face were some incredible get-out-of-jail-free card.
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