Chapter 13 Reversal
Chu Shiyuan heard the servant report what happened tonight on the way, and hurried over before he had time to take off his official uniform.
As soon as I approached the door, I saw a mess.
Those who cry cry, those who are hurt are hurt.
Concubine Jin took the initiative and fell to her knees in front of Chu Shiyuan, crying heartbreakingly, "Master! If you were even half a step later, I would have collected Yao'er's body! The princess is going to kill someone."
Aunt Jin then used her fingertips to lift up Chu Xinyao's sleeves, revealing bruises and bloodstains on her arms.
Chu Xinyao walked forward crying, covering her red and swollen face.
Chu Shiyuan's chest was heaving violently. During the dinner party tonight, he received a message from Chu Yangyang informing him that she had caught the mastermind behind the Guoqing Temple's attack on the Prime Minister's Mansion, and hoped that he would return home as soon as possible to deal with the matter.
He was anxious and quickly found an excuse and returned home.
Unexpectedly, my family was in such chaos again.
"Yangyang, what's going on?" Chu Shiyuan asked angrily.
Chu Yangyang said slowly, glancing at Chu Xinyao, who was crying bitterly, "Father, I'm sorry. The noise we made catching thieves tonight was indeed a bit loud."
"Where is the thief?" Chu Shiyuan looked around. Aren't they all people from the Prime Minister's Mansion?
Xiao Renyu, who had been hiding in the shadows and remaining silent, stepped forward and replied, "Foster father, according to the princess, the person who framed the Prime Minister's Mansion and me in the Guoqing Temple incident was none other than Chu Xinyao."
Chu Shiyuan frowned.
Chu Xinyao hurriedly tried to argue, "It wasn't me, Father. It was my sister who wronged me. She beat me without any reason and even threatened to kill me. She couldn't produce any evidence at all."
Aunt Jin nodded. "That's right. When I walked in, I saw the princess putting Yao'er in a sack and several maids beating her mercilessly. This is simply taking human life lightly. Master, please make a decision for Yao'er."
Chu Shiyuan narrowed his eyes. This time, he did not follow the trend and blame Chu Yangyang. Instead, he asked calmly, "Yangyang, please tell me the reason."
Chu Yangyang smiled and spread out the oil paper in her hand. Inside was a pile of burnt ashes. She said, "This is the ashes from the sacrifice in the main hall of Guoqing Temple that day. I ordered people to bring them back. My husband, please help me take a look. What do these ashes smell like?"
When Luo Xifeng took the ashes, Chu Yangyang's fingertips brushed against his palm.
The warmth was fleeting, but it made him instinctively want to hide.
He bent his head and sniffed.
"In these ashes..." Luo Xifeng's voice was hoarse like rough sandpaper, "there are threads of love."
This is an extremely powerful aphrodisiac. Once you smell a little bit of it, you will lose your mind. Only sexual intercourse can detoxify you.
He caught a glimpse of Chu Yangyang's lips slightly raised, the curve was like a hunter seeing a silver fox struggling in a trap.
Luo Xifeng was not interested in this evidence. Another confusion was plaguing his mind: when did Chu Yangyang become so smart?
Chu Shiyuan looked serious and said nothing.
He knew clearly that this was a banned drug in Dai Viet. Once, the palace was in chaos because of love affairs, and the emperor executed hundreds of people. From then on, the emperor ordered that anyone who dared to use this drug again would be sentenced to death.
Chu Shiyuan had witnessed the power of the Love Thread when he was young and knew how powerful it was.
No wonder even Master Huiyuan, who was known for his calmness and composure, found it difficult to resist.
Chu Yangyang smiled faintly and said, "A few days ago, I spread the news that I had collected evidence from the ashes of Guoqing Temple, which could prove the identity of the mastermind behind the incident. In fact, I was just trying to lure the snake out of its hole. Look, today, the snake sneaked into my room and tried to steal the evidence from the ashes."
"I was prepared and covered the man with a sack on the spot. Unexpectedly, the man inside struggled frantically, so I could only give him a slight punishment. Am I right, Sister Yao'er?"
Chu Xinyao's hands, hidden under her sleeves, were shaking, and her eyes flickered left and right. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know anything about the ashes of Guoqing Temple."
Chu Yangyang's eyes held a smile, like spring ice suddenly cracking, beautiful yet dangerous. "Since you don't admit it, I can only produce some more evidence. Miaoyun, bring the person up."
"Yes, Princess."
Miaoyun took the order and left.
Soon, she came in with several servants and a thin man.
The moment Chu Xinyao raised her eyes, she immediately recognized those greedy and turbid eyes.
How could it be him?!
Chu Yangyang said slowly, "Look up."
The man was forced to raise his head by the servant, his thin and sunken face was filled with fear.
"Tell me." Chu Yangyang smiled, but there was an inexplicable sense of creepiness in her. "Tell me the truth, and I won't kill you."
Upon hearing there was a way out, the man couldn't wait to say, "Princess, I'll tell you everything. It was the Second Young Lady of the Prime Minister's Mansion who asked me to buy her a love string rope on the black market. I used to work in the palace and brought this item to the nobles there, so I know where it came from. It was the Second Young Lady who forced me to do this!"
"You're talking nonsense!" Chu Xinyao was hysterical, "I don't even know you!"
To prove his words were true, the man took out a jade pendant from his pocket and showed it to everyone, "Look, this is what the second lady gave me as payment for the purchase."
The old servant quickly handed the jade pendant to Chu Shiyuan.
Chu Shiyuan looked at the thing in his hand. This was the birthday gift he gave to Chu Xinyao on her birthday last year.
Chu Xinyao was still struggling to defend herself, "She's talking nonsense, Father. Sister Renyu and I have no grudges against each other, and there's no reason for me to harm the Prime Minister's Mansion. The Prime Minister's Mansion is my support, and there's no reason for me to destroy it."
"The reason is simple."
Chu Yangyang said, "Because the person you want to frame is me, not Sister Renyu."
She glanced at Luo Xifeng who was staring at her, as if to make sure whether he heard this crucial answer.
Their eyes met, and Luo Xifeng was looking back at her with an inquiring look.
Chu Yangyang turned to look at Chu Xinyao again. "You were so entwined with love for the Panchang knot you gave me. According to your plan, I would go to the Main Hall that night and burn the Panchang knot along with the prayer pagoda to honor my mother. But you didn't expect that not only would I not go to the Main Hall, I would actually throw the Panchang knot away. As luck would have it, it was picked up by the kindhearted Sister Renyu, which led to this series of consequences."
At this point, the whole story is about to be revealed.
Chu Shiyuan also understood the key.
He actually attacked Yangyang repeatedly, and he was extremely disappointed with Chu Xinyao.
He pointed at the skinny man on the ground and said, "Beat this slave to death with a stick."
"As for Yao'er, I will have someone send her back to my hometown in Luochuan tomorrow. She is not allowed to return to Tiantong City without my order."
Chu Shiyuan didn't want to see her at all, nor did he want to listen to her explanation.
Chu Xinyao slumped on the ground in despair, but Concubine Jin still tried to save the situation, "Master, please have mercy. This was all just a momentary mistake on Yaoer's part. She won't do it again. The Spring Hunt is coming up soon, and Yaoer wants to participate. It's her lifelong event, and she can't afford to miss it."
Chu Shiyuan shook his head, his eyes filled with heartache. "With such a vicious mind of hers, if she doesn't go back to the countryside to reflect on her mistakes, no one will look down on her for attending such a banquet."
"Father..." Chu Shenhao also wanted to plead.
"Shut up, everyone." Chu Shiyuan shouted suddenly.
Chu Shenhao didn't dare to say more, and even Jin Yi Niang, who still wanted to fight for it, retreated in disappointment.
Chu Shiyuan was silent for a moment, then said to Xiao Renyu, "Renyu, I, the Prime Minister's Office, have let you down on this matter. If you have any problems in the future, the Prime Minister's Office will do its best to help you. It's just that I, your father, hope that this matter ends here."
Xiao Renyu understood the principle of knowing when to act and being a hero. She hadn't really suffered any loss, so she nodded and said, "Foster father, since I admit my mistake and accept the punishment, I will pretend this never happened. Thank you for taking this upon yourself."
Chu Shiyuan was very pleased with Xiao Renyu's understanding. He looked up and glanced at Chu Yangyang, "Yangyang, stop messing around. You and Xifeng should live a good life together, which is better than anything else. A woman should behave like a woman!"
After saying that, he ordered everyone to leave.
When Luo Xifeng wanted to leave as well, Chu Shiyuan stopped him, "Xifeng, where are you going? Aren't you going to live with Yangyang?"
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