Chapter 227: With You Here, What Do I Have To Fear?
He Sheng also hadn’t expected her to be so difficult to deal with.
Her heart involuntarily tightened.
“Crown Princess, I can guarantee it to you.”
“First Madam Lin, if only your mouth could stay shut, perhaps your son and the He family could avoid disaster.”
He Sheng saw through it clearly; Jiang Ruanxi was threatening her, and her expression changed drastically. “Crown Princess, no matter what, please show mercy.”
“First Madam Lin is joking; the one who should show mercy is you.”
He Sheng’s face was deathly pale, but Jiang Ruanxi had no time to tangle with her further. She simply smiled. “It’s late; this palace is tired. First Madam Lin should head back early.”
He Sheng pursed her lips, as if she had a thousand words to say, but in the end, she merely sighed and turned to leave.
Jiang Ruanxi watched her desolate figure, the former arrogance long gone, and the corners of her mouth curved up slightly.
Was this the taste of trampling an enemy into the mud?
Those who ignored you in the past are now beyond your reach.
“Crown Princess, the Imperial Advisor is here.” Yushui’s words interrupted Jiang Ruanxi’s thoughts. She plucked a chrysanthemum from the courtyard and smiled faintly. “Tell him this palace has no time and won’t see him.”
Yushui relayed the message to Jiang Kui. “Imperial Advisor, the Crown Princess is tired and resting inside; it’s not convenient to see you.”
Jiang Kui’s face turned ashen; he naturally understood that Yushui was doing it on purpose.
But now there was no way around it. After being turned away, he immediately stormed off in a huff.
Yushui returned and described it vividly. “Crown Princess, you should have seen the Imperial Advisor’s stern face—it was utterly unsightly.”
Even without going out, Jiang Ruanxi could almost picture it.
But as Yushui spoke, she felt something was off. “Crown Princess, with the Imperial Advisor provoked like this, he surely won’t let it go.”
Jiang Ruanxi calmly sipped her tea. “What is there to fear? He still wants to keep me alive to continue devouring my good fortune. At most, he’ll try to expose my identity, but everyone in the capital who knows it has been silenced. What tricks can he play?”
Even if he did come up with some trick, she wasn’t afraid at all.
“By the way, any news from the Sun family?”
Jiang Ruanxi didn’t care about Jiang Kui’s matter; now she was concerned about Lin Tingting.
“I heard she was taken straight from the Imperial Palace to see Censor Qi. With Concubine Lin doing something like this, I think she’s as good as dead.” Yushui spoke excitedly. “But for someone like her, it’s her own fault.”
As good as dead?
Jiang Ruanxi thought of Qi Wu’s attitude and realized it wasn’t certain.
But if Lin Tingting survived, it wouldn’t benefit her at all.
“Deliver this letter to Censor Qi.”
Yushui nodded. As she went out, Wei Chang was just coming in.
Seeing her unharmed, he finally let out a long breath.
“What was that just now?” Wei Chang took her hand and pulled her onto his lap.
“A death warrant.”
Wei Chang smiled. “Aren’t you afraid Censor Qi will impeach you?”
“With you here, what is there to fear?”
As the two were discussing this, the Sun family of Yongning Marquis Manor was already a scene of wailing and howling.
Lin Tingting knelt on the ground, pleading bitterly. “Old Marquis, please spare me. I really know I was wrong…”
Marquis Yongning was furious. “Men, beat her—beat her hard.”
Seeing the Sun family wouldn’t let her off, Lin Tingting could only look to Qi Wu nearby. “Sir Qi, save me…”
Qi Wu’s handsome face tightened. He tried to speak several times, but seeing Marquis Yongning’s icy expression, he could only swallow hard.
“Sir Qi, no matter what, Concubine Lin is from our Sun family. How this matter is handled is up to our Sun family.”
Qi Wu smiled awkwardly; after all, he was at fault in this matter.
That night, he shouldn’t have been moved.
“How the Marquis disposes of Concubine Lin is indeed the Sun family’s affair, but Concubine Lin’s child is my Qi family’s blood. Please return it, Marquis Yongning.”
At that moment, a person entered from the doorway.
This man was rotund in build but dignified in appearance, with a stern expression.
He had an aura of natural authority.
Qi Wu was overjoyed to the point of tears, as if seeing his savior, and rushed forward. “Father, you’ve finally come.”
Censor Qi glared at him fiercely. “Look at the mess you’ve made.”
Not yet married and already fathering a child outside—and with whom? Of all people, a concubine from Yongning Marquis Manor.
This cuckold hat was directly placed on the head of the deceased heir of Yongning Marquis Manor—an utter humiliation for them.
So even now that he had arrived, he felt in the wrong before Marquis Yongning.
His voice naturally lowered. “Marquis, my Qi family has wronged you.”
Marquis Yongning was already harboring anger, which now erupted. “Censor Qi overstates it. Look at the fine son you’ve raised—the shame of your Qi family.”
“For this boy to do something so outrageous, it’s only natural for Marquis Yongning to be angry. Beat or punish as you wish; Qi has no grievances however you handle it. The child is innocent—please show mercy, Marquis Yongning, and spare the child’s life.”
“Does Sir Qi mean to take the child back?” Marquis Yongning’s words already carried anger. “The child may be innocent, but it is still a disgrace to my Sun family. You absolutely cannot take it back.”
Censor Qi’s face immediately darkened. “In that case, how does the Marquis intend to dispose of them?”
“Only their deaths can quell my manor’s fury.”
The cold voice made Qi Wu terrified at once. “Marquis, I know I was wrong in this matter, but these are two lives—we can’t just kill them.”
Qi Wu’s pity gave Lin Tingting hope, and she looked at him eagerly, her eyes full of expectation.
As if hoping he would save her for the sake of that night, for the sake of the child.
“Shut up.”
Censor Qi’s words directly shattered the fantasy in Lin Tingting’s heart. “Mere two cheap lives—as long as it calms Marquis Yongning’s anger, their deaths would be worthwhile.”
Censor Qi’s objective was merely to protect his son and grandson; he wished Lin Tingting would die quickly.
Now that he couldn’t save his grandson, saving his son was the bottom line.
“Men, drag Concubine Lin away and beat her to death with clubs.”
Lin Tingting panicked completely, scrambling on the ground with tears streaming down. “Sir Qi, save me.”
Her plaintive voice cut into Qi Wu’s heart like a knife.
At this moment, his mind was filled with memories of her tenderness and affection that night.
