Chapter 125: Hysteria
Ping Le’s neck hairs stood on end.
“Husband? Why are you here so suddenly?”
Lu You’an looked at her and slowly walked over.
“Where is Fan Bing?”
His voice was laced with the chill of the night dew, clear, faint, and with a hint of distance.
Ping Le had once loved this tone dearly.
But at this moment, it felt like a sharp blade, piercing her heart.
“Has my husband lost his mind?”
She fiddled with her handkerchief, subconsciously glancing at the open stone cave. A bone-chilling coldness shot down her spine to her heart. She forced herself to remain calm and giggled sweetly,
“Isn’t Fan Bing Wen Jia’s Imperial Son-in-law? How would I know where he is? You should ask Wen Jia about her Imperial Son-in-law.”
Lu You’an smiled faintly, full of mockery.
“The Princess is quite good at evading.”
The waterfall, under the moonlight, resembled the Milky Way cascading down.
The sound of the rushing water was a continuous roar.
Beyond the turbulent flow, thick smoke billowed out, indicating that an unspeakable secret was hidden here.
Lu You’an took a deep breath, “I’ll find him myself.”
Ping Le’s heart tightened, and she instinctively tried to stop him.
Just then, a servant boy came running over in a panic.
“Princess, General Wei Yuan, Lord Qi, and Colonel Yi Hui, Lord Xue, are here and requesting an audience outside the courtyard gate.”
Ping Le’s face changed drastically, “Why are they here?”
The servant boy said, “The General said they were patrolling nearby barracks and saw thick smoke rising from the West Mountain Villa, so they brought people to help extinguish the fire.”
“No! Don’t let them in.”
Ping Le’s expression was flustered, and her hands clenched involuntarily.
Why would the stone cave behind the cascading waterfall be designed with a Tian Gong lock, yet have no guards? It was to prevent anyone from knowing.
This was her private treasury; every treasure, every piece of gold and silver, carried her greed and desire. This wealth was a symbol of her power, and more importantly, her fallback plan…
She had even dealt with the artisans who designed and built the secret room, so how could she let the secret leak?
“Just say the fire isn’t serious and the villa can handle it itself, no need for help…”
“But, but…”
The servant boy looked crestfallen, staring at the billowing smoke, hesitating greatly.
“Hurry up, or I’ll have your head!” Ping Le’s eyebrows shot up, and she reprimanded him sharply.
“Yes!” The servant boy trembled with fear, quickly agreed, and turned to leave.
“Wait—” Lu You’an suddenly spoke.
He had been watching Ping Le, observing her panicked expression, her brazen demeanor that was so different from before…
This was a side of her he didn’t know.
He had never seen it, yet he wasn’t surprised at all.
It was as if Ping Le was meant to be this way, that this was the real Ping Le.
The beautiful facade from before was merely a self-deceptive illusion he had long used to comfort himself and convince himself.
Lu You’an’s heart was filled with mixed emotions, and his tone was no longer warm, “Fighting a fire is like saving a life. Why is the Princess afraid to accept help? Could it be that she has something to hide?”
Ping Le was speechless.
Lu You’an smiled gently and instructed the servant boy.
“Go! Invite General Wei Yuan to lead his men to extinguish the fire.”
Seeing this, Ping Le said sternly, “Without my command as Princess, no one is allowed to enter!”
Lu You’an’s lips curved upwards, revealing a cold smile, “What is the Princess afraid of? Afraid that her affair with Fan Bing will be known? Or is there something hidden in here that cannot see the light of day?”
Ping Le’s face turned ashen, and her body stiffened.
Lu You’an gave her a cold look, then suddenly walked past her, striding through the cascading waterfall, past the open Pixiu wooden door, and went straight inside.
“Husband, don’t…”
Ping Le eagerly tried to grab him but only grasped air.
Inside the stone cave, smoke gradually filled the air, and the pungent smell assaulted their senses, making it difficult to breathe.
Fan Bing was still alive, his breath faint, his mouth gaping open like a worm whose spine had been removed. His limbs twitched powerlessly, his body contorted in pain.
“Save… save… me…”
He crawled forward with difficulty, his lower body already charred black. Seeing Lu You’an, a flicker of desire to survive flashed in his eyes, and he reached out his hand towards him.
Something fell from his palm, making a crisp sound on the ground.
It was a Jade Leaf Golden Cicada Hairpin.
Lu You’an took a step back.
In that instant, he seemed to see Wen Jia walking towards him with a smile, wearing this very gold-inlaid and enameled Jade Leaf Golden Cicada in her hair.
At that time, the cherry blossoms in the garden were in full bloom. A gentle breeze blew, and the luster of the kingfisher feathers complemented the vibrant cherry blossoms. Wen Jia spoke softly.
“Lu Lang’s talent is extraordinary and should be used to benefit the state and its people. It would be a pity if you were confined to the inner chambers. Wen Jia does not blame you; may you soar like a roc in the future, reaching thousands of miles!”
Flames licked at Fan Bing’s tattered clothes…
He was on his last breath, having lost the strength to struggle,
Behind him lay mountains of gold and silver jewelry…
A chill, like a viper, slithered up his spine. Lu You’an’s eyes ached with terror, and he coughed uncontrollably from the smoke, staggering back in a daze.
“What have you done?”
He pointed at Fan Bing, looking at Ping Le in disbelief.
“Did you kill Fan Bing?”
“In these red lacquer wooden boxes, are the severed fingers of Jiangnan boatmen, or the eyeballs of salt merchants from Lianghuai?”
“Are these chests of treasures plundered from the people’s hard-earned money, or embezzled military pay and imperial taxes?”
“Princess, you are so bold to commit such heinous acts!”
Ping Le, in a panic, turned and pressed the mechanism, twisting it with all her might until her nails turned white before letting go.
“Husband, hurry and leave!”
“Quick, take the Imperial Son-in-law out!”
Lu You’an was dragged out by two guards—
The heavy stone door slammed shut with the sound of grinding mechanisms.
The raging flames and billowing smoke were sealed inside…
Seamlessly.
The turbulent waterfall then poured down, concealing all traces, leaving almost no flaw visible.
“Amazing! Truly exquisite!” Lu You’an broke free from the guards, laughing in extreme anger.
“I never knew I had a viper by my side all these years!”
Ping Le grabbed Lu You’an and stumbled out of the cascading waterfall, then pleaded desperately.
“Husband, please do not make a fuss. You must believe me, Fan Bing and I have absolutely no illicit relationship…”
Lu You’an was still smiling.
His laughter was filled with resolve.
“Fan Bing is still inside, he’s not dead yet, and you closed the stone door. You treat your lover so cruelly… What do you intend to do next? Kill me to silence me, just like you killed Fan Bing?”
“No, Fan Bing is not my lover, husband, how could I kill you?”
“Then open the stone door!”
Lu You’an couldn’t imagine what it felt like to be burned alive.
Although he detested Fan Bing to the extreme, his noble and benevolent nature made it difficult for him to stand by and do nothing.
He had never been so enraged before; his whole body trembled slightly, his eyes were bloodshot.
“Go, open the door and rescue Fan Bing!”
Ping Le stared into his eyes and shook her head.
“Fan Bing must die!”
Once someone knew her secret, there was no possibility of them living.
Lu You’an’s brow furrowed, his face full of disappointment, “Princess Ping Le, disregarding human life has always been your way, hasn’t it?”
“Husband, I didn’t… you listen to my explanation…”
Lu You’an’s expression was stern, his tone firm, “The Princess needs no explanation to me. If you don’t kill me, then I will drag you to the Golden Palace to explain to His Majesty, and to Zhuque Street to explain to the people of Shangjing.”
Ping Le’s legs felt weak, “Husband…”
Tears streamed down her face. Seeing Lu You’an’s icy gaze, her heart sank to the bottom.
Lu You’an came from a noble background and had a gentle disposition. After becoming an Imperial Son-in-law, he maintained his integrity and was upright and honest. Ping Le, in order to preserve her image in his eyes, had also pretended to be frugal in their residence, creating an image of a dignified, virtuous, and knowledgeable princess.
But now, the most unbearable scene had been witnessed by him.
She was flustered and at a loss.
“No…”
She slowly knelt down, tightly gripping Lu You’an’s robe corner. The Phoenix Hairpin in her hair tilted, and tears mixed with rouge smeared her cheeks, creating a look of despair.
“For Guan Chen and Tong Tong, for our two children, husband, I beg you, don’t say anything… Besides Imperial Father and Imperial Mother, I have never knelt to anyone. Imperial Son-in-law, I am kneeling to you… I only beg you, for the sake of the children, let me go…”
Lu You’an slowly pried apart her fingers, which had turned white from exertion, and looked at her tear-streaked, delicate face.
“You still know to consider the children? If the children knew they had such a mother, how would they hold their heads up in the future?”
Lu You’an’s eyes were filled with pain. He slowly lifted the corner of his robe and knelt down opposite her, cupping his hands towards the heavens.
“The Lu family ancestral hall has rules. The seven grounds for divorce can be waived, but not ‘harming one’s offspring.’ If Your Highness the Princess truly considers the children, you should generously let me and the children go…”
Ping Le’s pupils contracted.
“What are you going to do?”
“Divorce,” Lu You’an said. “Take the children and leave.”
Ping Le slowly stood up and let out a mournful laugh.
Her hysterical laughter echoed in the empty courtyard.
“Imperial Son-in-law, I gave you my whole heart, yet you completely disregard our marital bond and show me no mercy?”
Lu You’an’s eyes were like frost, “The Princess’s actions do not deserve even a shred of my pity!”
Ping Le swayed, on the verge of collapse.
“Hahaha, Imperial Son-in-law, are you so resolute because of that slut Wen Jia?”
A strange smile flashed across her face.
“Do you know how Wen Jia has lived all these years? You don’t, do you? Gambling was just the least of Fan Bing’s many wicked deeds. He would beat and humiliate Wen Jia at every turn. Every time he lost all his money, he would take it out on Wen Jia. If he was even slightly displeased, he would beat her black and blue, leaving her covered in bruises…”
“You thought she married a good man, raised children, and lived a peaceful life, but you didn’t know she was living in hell, worse than a pig or a dog…”
“Hahahaha, in that case, do you still want to save Fan Bing? Wasn’t it right for me to kill him?”
“It was you?! You ordered it?” Lu You’an suddenly stood up, his eyes suddenly bloodshot, his face contorted with rage. He grabbed her by the neck. His hands trembled slightly with anger, his knuckles white, his grip so fierce it seemed he would crush Ping Le’s neck.
Ping Le pried his hands off her, her lips twitching slightly, but her eyes held a mocking and contemptuous smile.
She was in pain,
So why should she let others feel good?
No one could betray her.
Not even her beloved Imperial Son-in-law!
At this moment, a loud shout came from the back courtyard. General Wei Yuan, Qi Mingyang, strode over, followed by the newly appointed Colonel Yi Hui, Xue Qingxiu, and a group of elite soldiers, who surged into the courtyard like a flood.
The servant boy who had delivered the message looked terrified. He looked at the tearful Princess Ping Le, lowered his head, and his voice trembled.
“Princess, General Wei Yuan insisted on helping, and I couldn’t stop him…”
Wishing all readers a Happy Lantern Festival!
Mini Theater:
Li Zhao: I observed the stars tonight, and there was an anomaly in the Ziwei constellation. I fear Ping An will bring Lantern Festival treats and try to harm the Crown Prince…
Xue Sui: Wake up, no one is bringing you Lantern Festival treats. You’ll just be so hungry your eyes will spin.
