"Who?" Qian Shengyan was very startled and took a step back, but the hand slid down and grabbed her arm. A smiling male voice rang out: "It really breaks my heart that Consort Qian is so cold-hearted."
"Get away! I don't know you!" Qian Shengyan was already struggling to break free, but the man's hand went down again, grabbed Qian Shengyan's hand, and pulled her hand towards his face.
"You said yesterday that you liked my face the most, how come you don't recognize it today?" The man's glib tongue made Qian Shengyan feel nauseous.
She wanted to kick him, but he was standing inside the house, just leaning out of the window. Qian Shengyan couldn't do anything about him and couldn't shake him off.
Qingxue finally reacted and pounced on the man to scratch his face, while pulling Qian Shengyan's arm back. But for some reason, the man refused to let go even after Qingxue scratched his face, and stubbornly pressed Qian Shengyan's hand against his face.
The maidservants following Qian Shengyan were quick-witted and immediately ran to the side hall to try and pull the man out, but the side hall door was locked from the inside. The group of people couldn't break the door open, so they had to go back and pull Qian Shengyan out again.
Qian Shengyan felt like her arm was about to dislocate, but the man held her hand tightly with all his might. He looked at her with a smile, his face covered in blood: "My concubine's hands are so smooth and tender. I would be willing to die even if I had to be close to my concubine just once."
Qian Shengyan was utterly disgusted by his behavior. Xiao Shunzi had already pushed open the window next to her and jumped in, grabbing the man's waist and pulling him backward.
At this moment, the man who had been smiling suddenly changed his expression and shouted with a panicked yet unyielding look, "Yanyan! Yanyan! I know your predicament. There are too many people here. I... I won't say any more to you. Remember to come find me at the usual place this evening!"
As he spoke, he tried to kiss Qian Shengyan's hand while forcefully pulling at it. Qian Shengyan almost vomited and used all her strength to shake him off, yelling, "Get the hell out of here! I've never seen you before! Let go of me! Let go!"
"Yan Yan, Yan Yan!" The man's hand finally loosened a little under the pull of several people, and Qian Shengyan took the opportunity to pull her hand away. She hurriedly backed away while shaking her hand, but unexpectedly bumped into someone on her back.
...With that familiar smell and touch, Qian Shengyan knew who it was without even turning around.
She couldn't help but curse inwardly, finally understanding what kind of show the Nian family had put on at their birthday banquet.
It was originally a scene meant to kill her!
Yinzhen behind her remained silent, while Qian Shengyan held her swollen, red hand and pursed her lips.
The man inside the window continued his act, putting on a show of unwavering love: "Yanyan, I know, I know you can't help it... I understand, I understand everything. I will wait for you, even if I die, I will always love you, Yanyan!"
Qian Shengyan: "Ugh..."
"I'm sorry, this acting is really bad, it's an eyesore," she couldn't help but gag twice, and the next moment someone hugged her waist.
"oops!"
At this moment, Lady Nian, who had finally arrived late, stood to the side, covering her mouth with a handkerchief, her face full of schadenfreude yet feigning surprise: "Consort Qian, even if the Prince has been too busy lately and neglected you, you don't need to go looking for other men..."
She glanced at the man with feigned nonchalance: "Isn't this Doctor Su's disciple? Ah!" She turned to speak to Granny Wei, but raised her voice considerably, "No wonder I haven't seen this Young Master Duan with me the last few times Doctor Su came to examine my pulse. Is there some familiar place we've arranged to meet?"
Duan Linwen immediately cried out, "Please forgive me, Consort! I and Yan Yan were truly unable to control our feelings!"
"Hehe, very well, Madam Qian, you are so unchaste, do you know what your punishment is?" Madam Nian covered her mouth and laughed, but her eyes were filled with smugness and disdain as she looked at Qian Shengyan.
Upon seeing Qian Shengyan and Yinzhen's posture, Madam Nian's expression froze, a flash of jealousy crossing her eyes, and her voice sharpened: "Why don't you take advantage of the Prince's presence and give a proper explanation, Madam Qian, about how many times you've met this Young Master Duan, what you've done, and whether any shameless illicit affairs have occurred..."
"Guards!" Yinzhen's deep voice interrupted Nian Shi's words. "Duan Linwen harbored treacherous intentions and sneaked into the Prince's residence. His left hand is to be crippled, and he is to be escorted back to the capital for trial."
"Your Highness!" Lady Nian screamed in disbelief. Duan Linwen also trembled and shouted, "I couldn't control my feelings for Consort Qian. I knew this would happen, but no matter what, Prince Yong, your Consort is in love with you..."
"Hurry up and drag him out!" Su Peisheng wished he could roll up his sleeves and do it himself. Xiao Shunzi also jumped up and covered Duan Linwen's mouth. A tall guard walked up and, at Yinzhen's signal, drew his sword without hesitation and cut off Duan Linwen's left hand.
Duan Linwen let out a muffled groan that was extremely painful despite his mouth being covered. Nian Shi also screamed in fright and took several steps back.
Qian Shengyan, however, neither dodged nor flinched, staring directly at the man who was on the verge of fainting. She gently pulled her hand away from Yinzhen's and stepped forward, saying to the guard, "May I borrow your knife?"
The guard glanced at Yinzhen, and seeing that the other party nodded, he reversed the blade and presented it to Qian Shengyan with both hands.
Qian Shengyan grabbed the knife handle, slowly, slowly approached Duan Linwen, and then placed the knife against his neck.
Under the man's incredulous gaze, Qian Shengyan sneered: "Let go of his mouth, I want to hear what he has to say."
Xiao Shunzi was startled by her gaze and subconsciously let go of her hand. At this moment, Duan Linwen was trembling and unable to speak, only looking at Qian Shengyan, his pale lips moving: "Yan..."
"Say that again and I'll chop you up!" Qian Shengyan roared, startling Duan Linwen, who immediately shut his mouth.
"Speak, who instructed you to frame me?" Qian Shengyan's gaze was sharp, and the blood-stained knife went a little deeper into Duan Linwen's neck. Seeing that the other party still refused to speak, she suddenly laughed, "Tell the truth, and I beg the prince to spare your life."
Duan Linwen glanced at her, trembling, then at Yinzhen, forcing a smile: "What are you saying, Consort? My feelings for you are naturally mutual... Ah, ah, no, no, no!"
The knife had cut into his skin, leaving a red mark from which blood seeped.
The pain made Duan Linwen dare not be reckless anymore. His eyes darted around, and although he knew he shouldn't, he still subconsciously looked at Madam Nian and the old woman Wei standing behind her.
Qian Shengyan naturally noticed the direction of his gaze and immediately sneered, "No wonder, I was wondering why Consort Nian would suddenly celebrate her birthday. She actually put on such a show for me, huh?"
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