Chapter 299: Absurdity

“An’an, don’t be afraid. Your father and I are here—we will stand up for you.” Princess Yongfu’s heart ached as if it were being cut by a knife, but she understood the gravity of the situation. The most urgent matter now was to avoid further disgrace in front of so many people. “Put on your clothes first. As for those who wronged you, I won’t let a single one of them go.”

County Princess Lin’an, as if finding an emotional pillar to lean on, collapsed into Princess Yongfu’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Princess Yongfu remained composed as she picked up the clothing from the ground and helped County Princess Lin’an put it on.

At that moment, the madam of the Zhao residence arrived, followed by a crowd of curious guests eager to witness the spectacle.

The guests who had previously gathered here were all attendees leaving the banquet. Upon hearing the commotion, they had rushed over to see what was happening.

As the master of the house arrived, the gathered guests stepped aside, making way.

Old Madam Zhao stood at the front. The moment she saw the chaotic scene inside the room—Liu Baocheng lying on the ground, his head covered in blood; Princess Yongfu dressing County Princess Lin’an; and Lin’an herself, pale as a sheet, completely drained of color—her expression darkened.

County Princess Lin’an was supported by Princess Yongfu, her delicate frame appearing frail and fragile, as if she had just endured a great catastrophe. A layer of deep resentment and utter despair clouded her eyes, casting a deathly stillness over her gaze.

“What is going on here?” Old Madam Zhao’s aged yet commanding voice echoed through Penglai Pavilion.

As Princess Yongfu helped County Princess Lin’an dress, she had already calmed herself. In this moment of crisis, she couldn’t afford to lose control—she couldn’t allow herself to collapse! Otherwise, there would be no one left to stand up for Lin’an.

“Old Madam, Lin’an has been violated in the Zhao residence—you must give us an explanation.”

Princess Yongfu’s gaze was icy. Since this marriage alliance with the Zhao family was now impossible, she saw no need to maintain any pretense of courtesy.

Someone leaned in close to Old Madam Zhao’s ear and quietly explained the sequence of events.

Old Madam Zhao frowned and asked, “Penglai Pavilion has always been a residence for honored guests. In the past year or two, our household has not taken in any guests, nor have we repurposed it for entertaining visitors. That is precisely why no attendants were assigned to guard it. I have one question—why were Young Master Liu and County Princess Lin’an in Penglai Pavilion?”

Liu Baocheng clutched his head, groaning in pain. Upon hearing Old Madam Zhao’s question, his expression shifted. As he glanced toward the crowd, he spotted Tang Haoyue standing on the outskirts.

Tang Haoyue seemed to notice his gaze. He subtly moved to the side, avoiding eye contact, but there was a clear hint of warning in his eyes.

“Old Madam, I’ve never been one to follow rules—I’m a bit of a scoundrel. I came to this residence today because I heard that the Zhao family had invited an opera troupe. The performer was said to be both beautiful and skilled, so I wanted to see if her performance was worth spending a fortune on. I got carried away and drank a few too many cups, then randomly entered a room to sober up. But she was the one who came in after me.” Liu Baocheng firmly insisted that it was County Princess Lin’an who had forced herself on him.

In reality, he had been waiting here for Su Wan all along. He had prepared incense inside the room, and the moment someone entered, he pressed them against the door from behind.

In his mind, Su Wan was already married—there was no way she was still an untouched maiden. So without hesitation, he stripped off his pants and went straight for it.

When he heard her cry out in pain, Liu Baocheng realized something was wrong. But by then, he had already inhaled too much of the incense’s scent, his blood surging with uncontrollable desire. His mind was in turmoil, and he was too far gone to stop—so he simply buried himself in the act and carried on to the end.

It wasn’t until her legs gave out that he carried her onto the bed. When she was lost in confusion and desire, she finally opened her eyes and saw his face clearly. With a horrified scream, she shoved him away, grabbed a porcelain pillow, and smashed it against his head. Dazed and reeling, he was then kicked off the bed. The commotion alerted those outside, drawing them in to witness this dramatic scene.

When Liu Baocheng learned of County Princess Lin’an’s identity, a deep sense of dread crept into his heart.

Though he was an illegitimate son, he was the only son of the Earl of Qinghe. The entire household had doted on him like a precious gem, spoiling him endlessly. It was precisely this indulgence that had shaped him into the arrogant, reckless scoundrel he was today.

Su Wan was a commoner with no official status—he had nothing to fear from her. A married woman who failed to observe her wifely virtue would be drowned in a pig cage; he wouldn’t have to take any responsibility.

But County Princess Lin’an was different. Even if his father could protect him, he would still have to pay a heavy price—perhaps even half his life.

“Old Madam, if you want to question someone, you should ask Tang Qingyu what she was doing at Penglai Pavilion.”

Liu Baocheng shamelessly threw mud on County Princess Lin’an, sneering, “She came here to meet her lover. She must have mistaken me for him!”

County Princess Lin’an was so enraged by his words that she nearly lunged at him to strangle him. However, Princess Yongfu held her back with all her strength. “An’an, don’t let him provoke you! Answer Old Madam Zhao, why did you come to Penglai Pavilion?”

County Princess Lin’an clenched her fists tightly, tears streaming down her face as she choked out, “I found a note that Zhao Wei had invited Su Wan to Penglai Pavilion. The note fell from Su Wan’s sleeve, and I didn’t doubt its authenticity. So I came to see for myself, but who would have thought I’d run into this beast instead!”

The scene from that moment, County Princess Lin’an didn’t even dare to recall it. Her personal maid had come to Penglai Pavilion to investigate and found that there was no one guarding the area. Through the lattice door, she could faintly see a tall figure inside the room, seemingly waiting for someone.

She had waved her maid away and quietly pushed the door open, only to be pressed down by someone the moment she stepped inside.

At that moment, she gritted her teeth in hatred, a feeling of so it really was true surging within her—Su Wan and Zhao Wei were secretly involved.

Amidst her shock and fury, a trace of secret delight rose in her heart. Fortunately, she had come in Su Wan’s place. As long as Zhao Wei defiled her, he would have no choice but to marry her.

When she was forcibly taken, she sensed that something was off—her head grew heavy, and her body felt strange. Instead of resisting, she found herself responding to him, cooperating in a way that felt unnatural.

It wasn’t until she saw his face clearly that she was struck by a thunderous realization. The fleeting sweetness in her heart instantly turned into seething hatred.

Old Madam Zhao’s expression was one of utter disbelief. “If Zhao Wei and Su Wan truly had feelings for each other, why would they need to meet in secret and carry on clandestinely? Even if she is a remarried woman, Zhao Wei would never wrong her—he would bring her into the house with a grand eight-carriage wedding procession.”

County Princess Lin’an refused to accept this. She pushed Princess Yongfu away and began searching frantically around the room. At the foot of the bed, she found a piece of paper. Her hands trembled violently as she unfolded it and thrust it in front of Old Madam Zhao.

“Do you dare say this is not Zhao Wei’s own handwriting?”

Old Madam Zhao shook her head. “At first glance, this handwriting does resemble Zhao Wei’s, but anyone familiar with him would recognize the difference. It imitates his form but lacks his essence.”

“No, no…!” County Princess Lin’an suddenly recalled something, her teeth gnashing in fury. “It was her! It must have been her! She deliberately mimicked Zhao Wei’s handwriting and purposely dropped this note in front of me. She set up this entire trap just to ruin me!”

Old Madam Zhao furrowed her brows.

“Mother, it was Su Wan! You must kill that wretch!” County Princess Lin’an suddenly grabbed Princess Yongfu’s arm, desperately pleading for her to avenge her!

Princess Yongfu did not let County Princess Lin’an’s words cloud her judgment. Su Wan had only recently returned to the capital—unless there was a deep-seated hatred, she wouldn’t go to such lengths to ruin Lin’an.

The most crucial factor, however, was Liu Baocheng’s background.

The Earl of Qinghe was Tang Haoyue’s mother’s elder brother. If Su Wan had truly set this trap, how could she have possibly manipulated Liu Baocheng into playing along?

Rather than suspecting Su Wan, it was far more likely that Tang Haoyue and Tang Nuan were behind this scheme.

Princess Yongfu’s sharp gaze locked onto Tang Haoyue at the back of the crowd. For a fleeting moment, she saw Tang Haoyue’s eyes evade hers. In a cold voice, Princess Yongfu declared, “This matter has nothing to do with the Zhao family, but since it happened in your residence, it was a failure in oversight. Out of respect for Old Madam Zhao, as today is her birthday, I will not pursue the matter further. However, your household must send two men to bind Liu Baocheng and deliver him to the Marquis of Guangyuan’s carriage.”