Chapter 187 A Bet: Disfigurement vs. Tongue Cutting
Some of the onlookers had already kindly gone to find the imperial physician, eager to know the results of the pulse diagnosis.
Zhuiying pushed Xiao Xuance to the scene, and the wheelchair slid to Yun Zhaoxue's side, grabbing her hand as if to support her.
His sinister phoenix eyes swept over the crowd, and he said in a deep voice, "My wife is carrying my child! Anyone who dares to spread a single rumor will have their tongue cut out!"
Those who had been talking the loudest quickly shut their mouths. A few timid ones ran away in fright, tripping over pebbles and falling heavily to the ground with a "hiss!"
His knees were scraped and bruised, and he grimaced as he scrambled to escape for his life.
They still remembered the scene of Xiao Xuance cutting off Chen Yan's tongue; with a swift stroke, a piece of tongue flew out.
They were hoping to return to the capital and live a good life, but becoming mute is worse than killing them.
Yun Zhaoxue retorted to the crowd, "Taking my pulse? Did I agree to that?"
"You don't dare? Are you feeling guilty?" Shen Qingyu had already gone mad. She didn't believe that Xiao Xuance would lay a hand on a woman like her.
She had heard before that the Xiao family army did not kill female prisoners of war on the battlefield. Was she even less than a female prisoner of war?
Yun Zhaoxue asked her, "If it's twins, what will you do about these rumors?"
The rumors have spread, and if we don't verify them in person, people will really think she's guilty. We can ask her to prove it, but someone has to pay the price.
Before the other person could answer, she continued, "Cut off your tongue? Cut off your finger? Sew your mouth back together? Which one do you bet on?"
Everyone was horrified.
That's too cruel.
"You prove your innocence by taking your pulse, why should I gamble with you?"
Yun Zhaoxue shrugged. "Please, get this straight. You're the ones who suspect me. You're practically dragging me in for a pulse check. You're afraid to gamble because you're lying? Lying has serious consequences too."
"What if I weren't twins? I'd slash your face, would you dare agree?"
Shen Qingyu stared at her stunningly beautiful face, wishing she could peel off her skin and stick it on her own face to swap faces with her.
A face transplant is impossible; the only option is to ruin her appearance.
Xiao Xuance drew his knife. "No need to waste words with her, just cut off her tongue."
Yun Zhaoxue chuckled and patted the back of his hand. "Don't be so rough. It's just taking a pulse, it won't cost you anything. I bet you, if I'm carrying twins, I want your tongue."
Shen Qingyu's disfigurement drove her to madness; she wished everyone could be disfigured like her. "Fine! Let's gamble."
Three exiled imperial physicians were pushed forward by the "enthusiastic onlookers" to take turns taking Yun Zhaoxue's pulse.
Imperial physicians often checked the pulses of the empresses in the palace, and could tell from the pulse that they were carrying twins.
The three stood in a line, and the couple cupped their hands in congratulations, saying, "Congratulations, Your Highness and Princess, on the birth of your twins!"
Shen Qingyu's eyes widened, filled with astonishment and confusion. "Twins? How is that possible?"
She quickly realized what was happening and shouted, "You must have been bribed by Yun Zhaoxue! How much did she give you? I'll give you double, no, triple!"
The Shen family received a considerable amount of silver from the Xu family, at least several thousand taels, which she could afford to pay.
Physician Chen was the first to stand up and defend his savior, saying, "From now on, I will not treat any member of the Shen family on the road to exile. I, Chen Dongqing, swear to heaven that if I have uttered a single lie, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death."
Physician Zhang said, "Miss Shen, I cannot cure your face. Please seek a more skilled doctor."
Physician Li said, "Please do not slander our medical ethics. We will tell you the truth about the pulse diagnosis. There is absolutely no bribery involved."
...
Seeing the three imperial physicians' seriousness, no one dared to raise any questions, except for Shen Qingyu, who continued to shout.
Shen Yichun believed what Shen Qingyu had just said, "Twins could also be from our Shen family."
Xiao Xuance slowly raised his eyes and glanced at him, his phoenix eyes dark and filled with murderous intent. "If Master Shen wants Shen Yan's son, then go to the underworld to get him, or I can grant your wish."
"Yu'er, say something! Is everything you just said true?"
"I...I don't know, I don't know anything, don't come any closer." Shen Qingyu looked at Zhuiying approaching her.
He turned and ran, but tripped over a stone and his other cheek was cut by a sharp rock.
"Ouch! My face hurts so much."
Zhuiying had no sympathy for this kind of bad person who repeatedly caused trouble for their master. He squatted down, grabbed her chin, and forced her to stick out her tongue.
Shen Qingyu screamed again, "Ah! No..."
With a swift movement, a flash of cold light appeared, and a piece of tongue flew into the river.
"Smack!"
A bloodstain appeared on the river surface, but the rushing water from upstream washed it away instantly.
On the other side, Shen Yichun was pleading with Lao Liao to stop it, but Lao Liao only gave him a cold reply: "A talkative person will stop causing trouble if he loses his tongue."
He had just mentioned spending money to bribe her when he heard Shen Qingyu's scream. It was too late!
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