Chapter Thirty-Five: The Enmity of Resting Upon the Bow
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As Luo Yanqing spoke, a cold smile curled on her lips. “You truly believed the Prince of War and Wei Spoon Qingyu to be deeply in love, but it turns out the Prince of War and the man in black are the real conspirators.”
“Wei Spoon Qingyu is even more pitiable than I am. I never obtained anything, but all she gained was false!” Yun Ming suspected that Wei Spoon Qingyu’s so-called hypnosis had failed, but recalling Feng Jinye’s expression, he felt it impossible...
Wei Spoon Qingyu’s eyes blazed with an uncontrollable fury, her gaze bloodshot and ice-cold as she uttered three words: “Wake up now!”
Just those three words, each as sharp as an icy dagger, pierced Luo Yanqing’s subconscious. Suddenly, Luo Yanqing felt as if her mind had been stabbed by a chilling, pointed awl!
She was jolted awake, her head struck as if by a heavy blow, pain indescribable...
Wei Spoon Qingyu, gathering all her strength, slapped Luo Yanqing hard. Luo Yanqing, along with her rocking chair, crashed with a loud bang toward the nearby sandalwood tea table.
Luo Yanqing felt as if her bones were shattered, forced herself to open her eyes and rise, but her blood surged uncontrollably, and she spat a mouthful of fresh blood onto the floor.
She raised her hand to touch her swollen, aching cheek, but before she could reach it, the kettle of hot water simmering on the tea table’s little stove trembled and poured its contents over her.
Hearing the commotion inside the private room, Qingxia and the others hadn’t yet pushed open the door, but Luo Yanqing’s shrill scream echoed through: “Ah...”
Wei Spoon Qingyu never liked to strike people with her hand; she knew well that force always rebounds. But if she didn’t vent her anger, it would suffocate her—today, this grudge must be avenged!
Yun Ming immediately signaled Dongnuan to fetch Feng Jinye. If anything major happened today, there would be no way to explain...
A father slain, a wife stolen, a child murdered—grievances irreconcilable, hatred as deep as the heavens. Dongnuan, Xuechun, and Qingxia recalled how their mistress reacted when she heard of General Wei Spoon’s passing at the border; their hearts all hung in suspense...
Dongnuan could hardly bear to leave, looking back every few steps...
Just as Dongnuan stepped out of the private room, she heard Wei Spoon Qingyu’s voice behind her: “Dongnuan, seal off Drunken Qiong Pavilion.”
At her words, Xuechun, Dongnuan, and Qingxia simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief. Wei Spoon Qingyu continued to instruct: “Xuechun, go inform Dingyuan Marquis’s manor.”
Wei Spoon Qingyu slowly approached Luo Yanqing, lifted the other kettle of boiling water from the tea table, and, looking down from above, poured it over Luo Yanqing while commanding, “Qingxia, fetch the physician.”
Luo Yanqing, in agony, rolled and crawled, staring at Wei Spoon Qingyu in terror—she was more frightening than a demon from hell.
Wei Spoon Qingyu knew Feng Jinye had arranged shadow guards to follow her outside. She called, “Ye Jiu, bring Imperial Physician Leng here.”
“You, fall ill! Collapse!” Wei Spoon Qingyu rose and turned to Yun Ming.
Yun Ming sighed—his worries were redundant. He suddenly lifted his fan and tapped his forehead, helplessly thinking, “The year has barely begun. How many more times will I have to cooperate with this witch’s performances?”
Luo Yanqing, having been slapped, crashed into the tea table, scalded by boiling water, her body convulsing uncontrollably on the ground from the pain...
Dongnuan returned at once to the Prince of War’s manor, bringing people to surround Drunken Qiong Pavilion...
Qingxia also returned quickly. At the nearest medical hall, invoking the Prince of War’s name, the physician immediately dropped his work and followed Qingxia.
Drunken Qiong Pavilion was already in the east of the city, so Xuechun quickly brought the Marquis of Dingyuan and his wife from their manor.
Drunken Qiong Pavilion was surrounded, and for a time, anxiety swept through the crowd...
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Xuechun emerged from the private room and spoke, “Everyone, please remain calm. An incident has occurred at Drunken Qiong Pavilion today. We ask all present to stay and bear witness. Once matters are resolved, you will be free to leave. Rest assured—the losses today, as well as everyone’s expenses, will be covered by the Prince of War’s manor.”
Xuechun spoke at length because her mistress had invested in Drunken Qiong Pavilion; maintaining client relations was crucial, and they could not let anyone think a murder had happened, lest customers fear to return!
Inside the private room, the physician brought by Qingxia was examining Luo Yanqing, while in the outer room, Yun Ming had already fainted. The Marquis and his wife entered the room, stunned...
Wei Spoon Qingyu, expressionless, stared at the Marquis and his wife, exuding immense strength and authority.
The Marquis of Dingyuan was nearly intimidated by her presence, but broke the silence first: “May I ask, Princess of War, what exactly has happened?”
Wei Spoon Qingyu did not know how much the fire at Shuiyue Pavilion implicated the Dingyuan Marquis’s manor...
But the murder of a parent cannot go unavenged—an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot. Luo Yanqing had harmed her father; Wei Spoon Qingyu would show no mercy to the Dingyuan Marquis’s manor.
She regarded the Marquis and his wife as insignificant, her tone utterly indifferent:
“Today, Luo Yanqing came to the Prince of War’s manor, asking me to help her meet with Heir Yun Ming. I agreed.”
“Heir Yun Ming felt a private meeting was improper and asked me to hide behind the screen so that, should anything happen, I could bear witness.”
“As expected, Luo Yanqing drugged the incense burner, seeking to sedate Heir Yun Ming and commit misconduct.”
“Heir Yun Ming, alert, countered and pushed Luo Yanqing into the tea table, overturning the boiling water onto her.”
Within the private room, there had been only Wei Spoon Qingyu, Yun Ming, and Luo Yanqing. Now, with one ill and one injured unable to speak, only Wei Spoon Qingyu’s account prevailed; Yun Ming silently listened to her fabrication, ready to cooperate if necessary.
Wei Spoon Qingyu recounted the events without emotion, cold and frosty: “This matter requires an explanation!”
The Marquis and his wife, hearing Wei Spoon Qingyu’s account, clearly did not believe her, especially when she demanded an explanation.
The Marquis, displeased by her bluntness, sneered, “An explanation? By your account, this is a matter between my daughter and Heir Yun Ming. What right do you have to demand an explanation here, Princess of War? Ridiculous!”
“The explanation was requested by Heir Yun Ming,” Wei Spoon Qingyu replied calmly...
The Marquis choked, secretly resenting this Princess of War for her arrogance and disregard for the Dingyuan Marquis’s manor.
He raised his voice to intimidate: “In that case, let the Dingyuan Marquis’s manor and the Xibo Marquis’s manor handle it. Please, Princess, withdraw your people. My daughter is injured; I must take her home to recover!”
In court, even Wei Spoon Qingyu’s uncle Lu Qin would have to address him as ‘Marquis.’ How could he allow her to oppose him?
“This matter will not be resolved until it is settled!” Wei Spoon Qingyu’s voice carried the familiar coolness of Feng Jinye.
“You...” The Marquise, furious, was about to curse at Wei Spoon Qingyu, but remembering they were at Drunken Qiong Pavilion, swallowed her anger, only grinding her teeth.
The Marquis suppressed his rage, conceding for the sake of the Prince of War’s manor: “How does the Princess wish to resolve it?”
“No death, no maiming, no crippling—resolve what cannot be resolved!” Wei Spoon Qingyu replied bluntly.
This response was intolerable to the Marquis, who roared, “You go too far!”
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“Do not rely on your status as Princess of War to insult my Dingyuan Marquis’s manor!” the Marquise snapped impatiently.
“Heh, the ones disgracing your manor are your precious daughter!” Wei Spoon Qingyu laughed coldly, speaking with careless ease.
“Lu Qingyu!” The Marquis, enraged, called her by name, rebuking her sharply: “I warn you, even if the Prince of War were here today, he would not allow you to act recklessly! You’d better weigh your own worth!”
Wei Spoon Qingyu raised her brows; it seemed the Marquis knew about Luo Yanqing receiving Feng Jinye’s letter. No wonder the Dingyuan Marquis’s manor dared to provoke her openly.
Seeing her silent, the Marquis assumed she was intimidated and continued, “The Prince of War has lost his military authority, now nothing but a leisure prince. If you wish to oppose my Dingyuan Marquis’s manor, let us see how capable you truly are!”
The Marquise, seeing her husband seemingly subdue Wei Spoon Qingyu, thought of their daughter writhing in pain upstairs and couldn’t help but criticize: “The Prince of War never entangles with court nobles. He chose an unremarkable bride from the powerless Wei Spoon family. If not for the emperor’s marriage decree, you would have nothing to do with him. He would not protect you!”
Wei Spoon Qingyu cared little for their ramblings, but their noise irritated her. She commanded impatiently, “Qingxia, open the door!”
With a sudden order, Qingxia pulled open the private room door. The Marquis and his wife were momentarily unsure of Wei Spoon Qingyu’s intentions, but soon they heard clearly...
“Who would have thought the Dingyuan Marquis would raise such a disgraceful daughter? In broad daylight, no less...!”
“Her reputation is ruined—she might never marry. After today’s scandal, Heir Yun Ming will have to marry her.”
“Indeed, just this morning, the Xibo Marquis went to the Dingyuan Marquis’s manor to break off the engagement. And now, this plot—how scheming people can be!”
Wei Spoon Qingyu had instructed Qingxia, Xuechun, and Dongnuan to spread the story if anyone inquired. Soon, rumors swirled outside.
Wei Spoon Qingyu had arranged everything meticulously. Her water-blue dress and veil made her stand out; anyone mentioning her would know she was the Princess of War.
When Luo Yanqing ascended the stairs, there was a minor incident; people looked at her as if she were a beggar and remembered her well.
Yun Ming, handsome as Pan An, wore striking black attire. All three followed Wei Spoon Qingyu’s fabricated story sequence upstairs.
Luo Yanqing had indeed visited the Prince of War’s manor today, convincing everyone she sought the Princess’s help to meet Heir Yun Ming.
The Xibo Marquis had also visited the Dingyuan Marquis’s manor, further convincing people that Luo Yanqing, fearing the engagement’s annulment, tried to secure Yun Ming first.
Everything fit together seamlessly, step by step, perfectly logical. People, predisposed to believe, trusted Wei Spoon Qingyu’s fabricated tale without doubt.
The Marquis and his wife’s faces darkened. Previously, the rumors were merely gossip, dismissible with a brush-off, but now the facts lay before them. Unless Yun Ming married Luo Yanqing, she would either be forced to become a nun or face a dead end.
Would Yun Ming marry Luo Yanqing?
Since the lawsuit on the sixth, the marriage had been precarious, and with today’s events, the likelihood of Yun Ming marrying Luo Yanqing was almost nil.