Chapter 77 I've Ruined Your Innocence
As soon as Jiang Zhi returned to the Jiang residence, she heard Jiang Zhengting's shouts and curses coming from the front hall.
Wang Yuru knelt at his feet, pleading, "Master, you can scold me however you want, but Yun'er is still locked up in the imperial prison, and we don't know how she is. Please send someone to find out if we can get her out."
Jiang Zhengting sneered, "What kind of place is the Imperial Prison? It's not something I can control."
"But Yun'er is your own daughter after all, you can't just abandon her!"
"How do you expect me to manage this? How dare you be so audacious as to use your own sister as an excuse to deliberately seduce the heir of the Marquis of Wuyi, and even drug him? If the Marquis of Wuyi's mansion finds out about this, do you think they'll let you off the hook!"
Wang Yuru was terrified and her face turned pale. "Master, I only wanted to find a good match for Yun'er. If it weren't for the Crown Princess being poisoned, Yun'er might have already succeeded! I'm doing this for your career advancement!"
It turns out that Xie Qi's Chinese medicine was actually made by Wang Yuru and Jiang Yunqian.
Jiang Zhi lost interest in listening to their argument and returned to Chuntang Garden with Qingxing.
When the night was deep and quiet, Xie Qi indeed sneaked in again.
Having anticipated his arrival, Jiang Zhi leaned against the window frame, looking at him with a half-smile. "It seems that Lord Lu's thirty lashes haven't taught Prince Xie a lesson."
Xie Qi squatted on the window frame, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "It's not convenient to talk in the prison. I came here specifically to apologize to Miss Jiang."
Jiang Zhi stepped aside to let him in, "Hasn't Young Master Xie already been punished?"
“That is a punishment under criminal law. I said I would personally go to apologize.”
Xie Qi landed lightly, and bowed to her with a serious expression. "What happened during the day was truly offensive. If Miss Jiang is still not satisfied, you may lash me a few more times to vent your anger."
As he spoke, he took out a long whip from his side and handed it to her.
Jiang Zhi did not answer.
Ultimately, Xie Qi was deceived by Jiang Yunqian because of his own actions.
He can't be entirely blamed.
"That's enough, thirty lashes are enough," Jiang Zhi looked him up and down, "How are your injuries?"
Seeing that Jiang Zhi was concerned about him, Xie Qi immediately waved his hand dismissively, "It's just a minor injury. A few dozen lashes wouldn't have seriously injured me."
Jiang Zhi noticed that he was still wearing his original clothes and asked him, "Young Master Xie, did you apply any medicine after you came out of the imperial prison?"
"I was planning to apply the medicine together after you finished hitting me." Xie Qi chuckled, his peach blossom eyes reflecting the candlelight as if they were filled with starlight.
Jiang Zhi couldn't help but sigh, "Please sit down, Young Master Xie, and take off your coat."
"Huh? This isn't appropriate." Xie Qi was startled, and only realized that she wanted to help him apply the medicine when he saw Jiang Zhi take a bottle of wound medicine out of the medicine box.
A faint blush immediately spread across the tips of his ears.
He was quick and decisive when he was in prison, but now he became awkward and hesitant when he was alone with Jiang Zhi.
Meeting Jiang Zhi's urging gaze, Xie Qi gritted his teeth and opened his shirt.
I should have practiced properly before coming here.
When Xie Qi's injuries were fully revealed, even though Jiang Zhi had already prepared herself mentally, her pupils still couldn't help but shrink.
Lu Yuan was ruthless; he showed no mercy whatsoever.
Xie Qi's body was now covered with scarlet, hideous whip marks, with blood seeping from the edges, and some even showing the curve of the flesh being turned outwards.
These new whip marks, interspersed with his old wounds from the battlefield, looked shocking.
This is practically a death sentence.
If Xie Qi hadn't always been physically strong, he probably would have collapsed by now.
Jiang Zhi could only be more careful, applying the medicine to him with a cotton cloth.
The moment she touched the wound, she felt Xie Qi's back tense up, but he didn't utter a sound, and even had the leisure to comfort her.
"Don't worry about applying the medicine, I'm not in pain—ouch!"
Jiang Zhi glanced at him silently, and Xie Qi also felt a little embarrassed. He couldn't help but touch the tip of his high nose and dared not say anything more.
After applying the medicine, Jiang Zhi reminded him, "Lord Lu just said that the effects of the medicine haven't completely worn off yet. Remember to see the imperial physician when you get back, so you don't develop any chronic illness."
Speaking of medicinal properties, Xie Qi thought of what he had done in the Jade Balance Palace.
Although he was confused and lost all reason at the time, knowing that the person in his arms was Jiang Zhi, the excitement and joy in his heart almost overflowed.
Those moist, crimson lips, that delicate, boneless body, and that pervasive, subtle orchid fragrance—just thinking about them now makes him feel hot all over and completely intoxicated.
Another surge of heat rose in his lower abdomen, and he subconsciously sensed something was wrong, quickly stopping himself from thinking about it.
Lu Yuan was right; the effects of the drug on his body had not yet worn off.
We can't stay here any longer.
He replied that he was sure, put on his clothes, and hurriedly left Chuntang Garden as if he were fleeing.
*
Jiang Yunqian was released from the imperial prison two days later.
She was quite clever; no matter how much Yu Jun tried to scare her, she insisted that she had only gone to the dressing room because her clothes had gotten wet from the tea, and that she knew nothing else.
The Crown Prince had decreed that officials' families should not be tortured to extract confessions. Yu Jun had detained her for two days but had not gotten anything out of her, so he released her back to the Jiang residence.
The servants, however, were not so lucky.
It is said that a lot of information was indeed extracted under severe torture.
However, Jiang Zhi had no interest in finding out the outcome of the case, because Yan Wenhong sent someone to deliver a message to her, saying that he had important matters to discuss.
She guessed that there must be some progress in dealing with Wang Yuru.
Still inside the Shuyu Tower, Yan Wenhong prepared tea and snacks according to her preferences.
“Yesterday, your stepmother came to the manor looking for my mother,” Yan Wenhong said bluntly.
Jiang Zhi raised an eyebrow. "What mischief is she plotting now?"
“It’s nothing more than some underhanded tricks in the inner quarters,” Yan Wenhong smiled disdainfully. “She had my mother use the power of the Earl of Zhongqin’s mansion to find two desperate outlaws for her to do for money.”
"She will meet you at night and guide you through the Jiang residence, leading the two directly to your courtyard. Once they have ruined your reputation, she will spread the news so that everyone knows about it."
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