Chapter 8 Betrayal
"Princess, please step aside!" Lin Xiao's voice was extremely cold.
Shen Panyan's mind was a complete mess. She couldn't understand why Lin Xiao, who had gone to catch snakes, would come out of the forest, and why he was carrying a long, blood-dripping knife.
He must have killed someone!
And now, he wants to kill Qiu Shuang.
Shen Panyan didn't understand, "Why? You always have to give me a reason. Qiu Shuang is my personal maid..."
Lin Xiao's expression grew impatient, and his voice became even colder, "She was your personal maid, but did you know that she betrayed her master?"
"She tried every trick in the book to get rid of her subordinates, all in an attempt to harm you."
What? !
Shen Panyan was stunned by the sudden news, her mind blank, and she murmured, "Impossible, Qiu Shuang isn't like this..."
"Lin Xiao, are you lying to me...?"
Lin Xiao had no intention of getting entangled with the princess any longer and planned to bypass her and deal directly with Qiu Shuang. Qiu Shuang hid behind Shen Panyan, her body trembling, overwhelmed by immense fear and dread.
She was discovered?
When did he discover it?
Qiu Shuang couldn't understand it. As the sharp blade, carrying the scent of blood, hurtled towards her, her pupils constricted, and she screamed uncontrollably, "Princess, save me!!"
With the blade almost within reach, Shen Panyan panicked, "Lin Xiao, are you not listening to me?"
The strong smell of blood stopped the moment it approached Qiu Shuang's heart. The surrounding environment seemed to fall silent for a moment, and Qiu Shuang could only hear her own heartbeat.
Bang bang bang!
They jumped extremely fast.
Shen Panyan spoke hastily, "Lin Xiao, you say Qiu Shuang betrayed her master, where's the evidence? Without evidence, how can I believe you?"
Lin Xiao's face was as cold as frost, and his eyes were full of irritation.
This kind of thing doesn't need evidence; if you see it, just kill them.
His gaze towards Qiu Shuang was extremely sharp, as if he wanted to see right through her. Qiu Shuang trembled with fear, shaking her head and crying, "Princess, I have been by your side since you were ten years old. You know me better than anyone. Back then, you angered the Empress, and she wouldn't allow the imperial physician to treat you. I knelt for a whole day, begging the Empress all day long, before I finally got her permission to summon the imperial physician. Have you forgotten all of that?"
Shen Panyan certainly hadn't forgotten.
Although Qiu Shuang was prone to being temperamental and sometimes neglected herself, she never made a mistake on important matters.
She couldn't let Qiu Shuang be slandered by Lin Xiao like this, and Shen Panyan's gaze toward Lin Xiao gradually hardened.
"Lin Xiao, if you can't give me an explanation today, I will not allow you to touch a single hair on Qiu Shuang's head."
"You say Qiu Shuang betrayed her master, then produce the evidence."
"If you have no evidence, then apologize to Qiu Shuang."
Apologize?
ridiculous.
Lin Xiao felt even more agitated.
He has lived for so many years, killed so many people, and never apologized to anyone, let alone a treacherous maid!
Lin Xiao chuckled and sheathed his long sword. "Please forgive me, Your Highness, for being unable to comply."
He thought the princess had a special personality, different from the other masters, but it turns out he was wrong.
Not only are they cowardly, they can't even distinguish right from wrong.
Fine, if he doesn't want to kill her, he doesn't want to kill her. Anyway, His Majesty's mission for him is only four months. After the mission is over, he won't have any entanglement with her.
As for what happens to her in the future, that's none of his business.
As long as she was alive while he was around, that was enough.
Lin Xiao had no mood to explain, and bowed, saying, "This subordinate takes his leave."
Seeing him leave, Shen Panyan wanted to call him back, but she saw that he was distant and looked at her with indifference. She felt wronged and sad, and couldn't help but want to cry.
He wanted to kill Qiu Shuang without saying anything. People shouldn't be taken for no reason. If what he said was true, he should produce evidence, and she would not stop him.
But he had nothing to offer, and he was so cold to me, not even offering an apology.
The smoke from the cigarette made my nose sting terribly.
She thought Lin Xiao was different from others, that he would care about her and be concerned about her, but now it seems that he is arrogant and unruly, doesn't listen to her at all, and has never taken her seriously.
She's not going to pay any attention to him anymore!
Shen Panyan turned around, reaching out to grab Qiu Shuang's hand, her voice choked with sobs and filled with anger, "Qiu Shuang, let's go!"
At this moment, Qiu Shuang was filled with fear and apprehension.
She's been discovered! She's been discovered!!
From their first meeting, Lin Xiao threatened her. Later, he tried to harm her several times, and now he almost killed her.
If it weren't for the princess, she would have been dead just now.
The two seem to have fallen out, but Lin Xiao is still by the princess's side. Her actions will eventually be exposed, and when that happens, the princess will no longer stop Lin Xiao, and she will surely die.
She didn't want to die.
Qiu Shuang's mind was filled with immense panic.
No! She can't go back!
She failed to complete the Empress's task, and the Empress will not let her off the hook, nor will Lin Xiao!
She had to find a way to make a living.
Qiu Shuang suppressed her fear and followed Shen Panyan's lead, leaving with her. She pretended to obey, trembling all over, and looked at her with a terrified expression. "Princess, I'm so scared. What did I do wrong? Why did the guards of Linxiao try to kill me time and time again?"
Seeing Qiu Shuang's terrified face, Shen Panyan gently comforted her, "Qiu Shuang, don't be afraid, I won't let Lin Xiao touch a single hair on your head."
“We have been master and servant for many years, and I know your temperament well; you are just a bit willful.”
"Don't be afraid!"
After saying that, Shen Panyan hugged Qiu Shuang's trembling back and patted her gently.
"Princess, you are truly the best princess in the world!" Qiu Shuang looked at her with deep emotion.
Chen Panyan was embarrassed by her praise and turned her head away. Just as she was about to say something, Qiu Shuang's pleading voice rang out again.
"Princess, may I not go back now? I'm terrified!"
"The thought of going back and encountering Lin Xiao's guards fills me with uncontrollable fear..."
Shen Panyan was soft-hearted to begin with, and seeing Qiu Shuang's fear and pleading, she naturally wouldn't refuse.
"Then I'll walk around this area with you for a bit, and we'll go back later."
"Thank you, Princess." Qiu Shuang smiled through her tears.
Shen Panyan patted her hand reassuringly, "Don't worry, Qiushuang, I'm here."
“Mmm.” Qiu Shuang nodded, her eyes full of gratitude as she looked at her. “Princess, may we go to West Mountain? In previous years, you loved to pick winter plum blossoms from West Mountain to make sachets. I would like to go to West Mountain to pick some winter plum blossoms for you to take back and make sachets.”
Completely surprised that Qiu Shuang would make this request, a hint of astonishment flashed in Shen Panyan's eyes.
Even though he was still in shock, he was still thinking about her.
Shen Panyan is an easily satisfied person; she will unconditionally trust whoever treats her well.
Looking at Qiu Shuang, she recalled what had just happened and felt a sudden pang of guilt.
It was all because she didn't protect her well that she suffered such a great shock.
"Okay, then let's go to Xishan."
"Thank you, Princess!"
"Why are you thanking me? I'm the one who should be thanking you..."
The two walked together toward the Western Hills, chatting as they went. Shen Panyan's eyes crinkled with joy; she hadn't been this happy in a long time.
Xishan is not too far from the Royal Villa, but it is a bit tiring to walk there. Shen Panyan has only recently recovered, and after walking for a while, she was sweating profusely.
Qiu Shuang encouraged her from the side, "Princess, hang in there a little longer, we'll be there soon."
"Mm." Shen Panyan nodded and walked with her through the mountains and forests.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, when Shen Panyan was panting heavily from exhaustion, Qiu Shuang suddenly stopped and turned to look at Shen Panyan.
"Princess, we've arrived!"
"We're here?" Shen Panyan had been so focused on climbing the mountain that she had completely forgotten the way. Now, looking at the cliff not far ahead, with its layered mountains, wisps of mist, and frost-covered ground, it was like a fairyland. She thought she was going to take her to admire the scenery, so she smiled and said, "Qiushuang, let's go pick some plum blossoms first!"
"Come back and enjoy the scenery here after the plum blossoms are all picked."
Unexpectedly, Qiu Shuang said, "Princess, please come with me."
"When I came to West Hill to pick plum blossoms last year, I saw a plum tree here, wasn't that nice..."
Before she could finish speaking, a sharp gust of wind swept in from behind. Qiu Shuang turned around and saw that familiar figure. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart pounded uncontrollably. "Princess!!!"
Shen Panyan never expected Lin Xiao to suddenly reappear, and that he was targeting Qiu Shuang. He was too fast, and she didn't have time to stop him. She could only use her body to block him.
This time, Lin Xiao used a dagger instead of a longsword. Shen Panyan blocked it with his own body. Even he couldn't retract his dagger in time, so he could only quickly use his internal force to change the trajectory of the dagger, changing the target from the heart to the shoulder.
"puff!"
The dagger plunged into Shen Panyan's left shoulder, and blood instantly soaked her clothes.
Blood dripped steadily from the pristine white fox fur coat.
Shen Panyan's face turned visibly pale, and she staggered back two steps.
Her gaze toward Lin Xiao was filled with disbelief.
"Approaching...approaching the sky..."
"Princess!!" Qiu Shuang cried out, as if she were terrified.
Shen Panyan's body swayed precariously.
At that moment, Qiu Shuang suddenly reached out and shoved her hard.
In an instant, Shen Panyan's body plummeted from the cliff like a graceful butterfly...
The mountain wind blew past her ears, her dress fluttering wildly, and she looked at Qiu Shuang's face with disbelief.
"Why....."
She believed she had never wronged her, so why...?
The pain of betrayal and physical pain came at the same time. Shen Panyan coughed violently, almost overwhelming her. In a daze, she seemed to see a black figure leaping down towards her.
It seems to be... Lin Xiao!
A note from the author:
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