Chapter 20: Taking the Blame

Xia Tong found this statement somewhat familiar, as if she had heard it before. Meanwhile, she wiped her hair with a dry towel, trying to recall who might have pushed her into the water.

“I’ll take my leave now, Miss Xia. If you need anything, just call for someone outside.” The maid spoke respectfully, lowering her head.

Xia Tong nodded without responding. Qing’er had gone to change into clean clothes, as even in the heat, being soaked could lead to a chill.

As the door closed, the fragrant scent intensified. The aroma did indeed have a soothing effect, making Xia Tong feel drowsy as she leaned back against the bed.

From the perspective of the person who pushed her, they must have been standing not far behind her, with a strong grip that certainly exceeded the strength of any delicate young lady. But…

Wait…

Aren’t the words of the maid just now the same as what was said to the heroine in the story.

Suddenly, she scanned the room again, and the potent scent seemed to cloud her mind. It felt as if her strength was being drained away.

Seeing the incense burner emitting white smoke, even a fool would realize something was off. But who would go to such lengths to set her up?

There was no time to think about it; she had to get out of there before the trap succeeded.

Leaning on the bed’s railing, she struggled to get up. Shaking her dizzy head, she grabbed a hairpin from the table and plunged it into her thigh!

“Hiss—”

Gritting her teeth, she concealed the bloodied pin in her sleeve and stumbled toward the door, but found no one waiting outside.

Xia Tong vowed to herself that if she discovered who was behind this, she would not rest until they were dealt with!

As she stumbled along the corridor, leaning against the pillars, sharp pain radiated from her thigh. Her vision blurred increasingly, and just as she was about to take another step, the hairpin clattered to the floor with a “ding.”

Nearby, a slender figure lay motionless in the shade, eyes shut tight, with long, delicate lashes and a slightly pale complexion.

As a pair of grey boots came to a halt, a man with his hands clasped behind his back observed her with a grim expression.

“Your Highness, isn’t that the Fourth Young Lady of the Xiahou family?” one subordinate asked curiously as he leaned in for a closer look. “But why is she unconscious here?”

The girl’s complexion was clearly abnormal. After a moment of silence, the man’s lips curled into a slight smirk as he said, “The Xiahou family is favored by the Emperor. I’ve heard the Empress wishes for her to be the Crown Princess, and my royal brother hasn’t refused. But… what if she is a promiscuous woman? I wonder how the Empress would feel about that?”

“What does Your Highness mean…” The subordinate glanced meaningfully at Xia Tong.

The man shot him a cold look. “Keep your twisted thoughts to yourself. Find a servant from the Grand Tutor’s residence. You’re not to show your face in this matter.”

Upon hearing this, the subordinate nodded respectfully, not daring to say more, though he felt regretful that such a beautiful woman would end up in the hands of coarse men.

While they spoke, a dark figure slipped past behind a rockery nearby.

The Grand Tutor’s residence had plenty of empty rooms. When they found her, the bearded man’s eyes widened at the sight of the ethereal beauty lying on the bed.

“Move quickly, you’re lucky to have her,” said the blue-clad subordinate with a fierce expression. It was infuriating to think such a gorgeous woman would be given to someone so lowly.

The bearded man gradually pulled his gaze away and, rubbing his hands together, looked eagerly at the man. “Who is this young lady…”

“Enough with the small talk! Get to it, or get lost!” The man snapped coldly, clearly displeased.

Instantly, the bearded man fell silent and hurried over to the bed, leaving the others to leave reluctantly.

The young woman on the bed had skin like snow, with a figure that was alluringly delicate. The bearded man had never seen anyone so beautiful. He couldn’t help but swallow hard, disregarding the risks involved. To be with someone like her, even death would be worth it.

He slowly extended his dark hand, lightly resting it on the girl’s abdomen, captivated as he fumbled with her waistband, impatiently tearing at the silk garment draped over her.

As he peeled away the pink outer garment, he couldn’t resist inhaling deeply, intoxicated by her alluring scent.

The girl’s fair, slender arm was now exposed to the air, smooth and pale. The man swallowed frantically, threw away his outer garment, and with trembling hands tried to peel off the lining embroidered with peonies…

“Bang!”

Suddenly, the door was kicked open with a loud crash. The burly man cursed under his breath, frustrated that someone had interrupted his plans. But before he could turn around, a silver needle shot from behind him, piercing into the headboard of the bed with a sharp “whoosh.”

With wide eyes filled with terror, the man froze for a moment before collapsing to the ground, lifeless.

As he stepped inside, Xifeng quickly turned around, pretending he hadn’t seen anything.

The man who entered next stared intently at the scene by the bed. Suddenly, he caught sight of Xifeng out of the corner of his eye and coldly ordered, “Get out.”

“Yes!”

Xifeng, gripping his sword tightly, dared not lift his head. Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. He had sensed a hint of murderous intent from his master just now.

Weren’t they supposed to torment the people from the Xiahou family? Why had the master rushed over as soon as he heard the news?

He stepped slowly toward the bed. The woman lying there still had her eyes tightly shut, her face unusually pale. Dressed in disheveled clothes, her smooth, fair arms were exposed, and the edge of a red bellyband peeked out from her waist, sparking unwanted thoughts.

Seeing such a scene for the first time, Gu Qin instinctively looked away. However, when his gaze fell upon the body on the floor, his expression turned icy.

Before long, the corpse had turned into a puddle of bubbling liquid, and the room was filled with the stench of decay.

Without any hesitation, the man cradled the woman in his arms. The soft, smooth feel of her skin made him tighten his grip on her slender arm, his gaze dark and brooding.

Human skin is indeed more convenient than tiger skin…

“What are you doing?”

“Tong’er!”

Amidst the clamor outside, the man quickly wrapped the woman in a quilt. The next moment, a flurry of people burst into the room.

When they saw the scene inside, everyone was taken aback!

Xifeng instinctively lowered his head. He couldn’t blame himself for not stopping anyone. Had it been someone else, he would have acted long ago. But these were people from the Xiahou family, and he still wasn’t clear about his master’s true intentions.

The Madam of the Grand Tutor, coming from a prestigious background and having seen many grand occasions, still showed signs of shock upon seeing the scene. She couldn’t help but clutch her maid’s hand tightly, her eyes filled with astonishment.

The others were even more taken aback. After a long moment, Xia Zhian stepped forward, disbelief etched on his face as he trembled and questioned, “Your Highness… why… why did you treat my daughter like this!”

Upon hearing that his daughter had fallen into the water, he had rushed over eagerly, only to find her missing. While searching, he had been informed she had been here, but never had he expected to witness this scene!

“Tong’er!” Madam Liu cried, tears brimming in her eyes as she tried to step forward.

Madam Wang immediately pulled her back, shaking her head slightly. It was the Regent they were dealing with. Even if something had happened to the Fourth Young Lady, they couldn’t afford to act against him. Offending the Regent would have dire consequences, something they all understood well.

The group consisted mainly of people from the Xiahou family and the Grand Tutor’s family, and they each displayed a mix of emotions. None of them had expected the usually aloof Regent to behave so brutally, and they felt a sense of pity for the Fourth Young Lady of the Xiahou family as they gazed at the scattered clothing on the floor.

Scanning the crowd, Gu Qin still held the woman in his arms. He frowned, his voice laced with displeasure, “Does Lord Xia think this king is unworthy of your daughter?”

“That’s not what I meant!” Xia Zhian quickly lowered his head in fear. He suddenly remembered that his daughter was already betrothed to the other party, which eased some of his discomfort. But why did the Regent do such a dirty thing to Tong’er here?

Xifeng’s head drooped even lower. His master had already faced numerous unjust accusations, and he knew explanations wouldn’t come to light.

“In three days, I will send someone to propose marriage. Does Lord Xia have any objections?” The man’s expression remained cold and devoid of any emotion as he kept his hold on the woman in plain view.

At this declaration, everyone’s expressions changed drastically. Madam Liu fainted on the spot, and those around her rushed to catch her.

Just waking up, Xia Tong had not yet comprehended her surroundings when she suddenly heard such a shocking statement, causing her to faint again.

The Grand Tutor’s wife wore an expression of surprise as her gaze swept across the scene. Suddenly, she smiled and bowed slowly, saying, “Congratulations, Your Highness, on your engagement to Miss Xia.”

She had been troubled about who was sabotaging her household, knowing Xia Tong was favored by the empress. She never expected the Regent would also take a liking to Xia Tong, not only tarnishing her purity but doing so publicly—something no one could have anticipated.

In an instant, the servants of the Grand Tutor’s household began to congratulate the couple, while the people from the Xiahou family exchanged glances, uncertain of how to respond. Xia Zhian wore a grim expression, not knowing what to do.

Unlike the bizarre atmosphere inside, the front hall was lively, filled with ministers toasting and discussing court matters while flattering the imposing figure seated at the head of the table.

Opposite him sat an elderly man with graying hair, the host of the banquet. His eyes sparkled with energy as he sipped his hot tea with a smile.

“I’ve heard that the richest man in Yingzhou, Wan Baoguo, has mysteriously vanished. He has donated to the court numerous times. Your Highness, we must find him to avoid accusations of ungratefulness against our court,” the elderly man said, setting down his teacup. His wrinkled face was filled with righteousness.

The people below nodded in agreement, but it felt less like a suggestion and more like a demand.

Xiao Jing lowered his eyes slightly, holding the teacup in one hand, and smiled faintly, “The old master is right, the court has been looking for the person’s whereabouts, and they will definitely find him.”

After he spoke, a glint of sharpness flashed in the old man’s cloudy eyes as he looked at the calm young man opposite him, suddenly breaking into a grin. “I have always trusted you, Your Highness.”

At that moment, a hurriedly moving figure in black rushed into the front hall. He leaned close to the Crown Prince, whispering a few urgent words. In an instant, the Crown Prince sprang to his feet, his demeanor drastically changing.

The man in black lowered his head, not daring to look at his master’s face, and could only whisper: “This is absolutely true, everyone should still be in the room at this time.”