amaotonovel Chapter 134 also lets them taste the bitterness of betrayal.
Chapter 134 also lets them taste the bitterness of betrayal.
Realizing that her attitude was inappropriate, Wan Shuang quickly apologized.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I was just worried that you had drunk too much and panicked. Please forgive me, Your Highness!"
Xiao Jingyan knew that Wan Shuang was concerned about Qin Wan, so he didn't blame her. On the contrary, he felt a little embarrassed because he hadn't asked Qin Wan about her alcohol tolerance before drinking so much with her.
"This was my oversight. I will remember this next time and not let Wan'er drink so much!"
Wan Shuang nodded and began to help Qin Wan change her clothes, but when she got to Qin Wan's side and was about to start, Xiao Jingyan had not yet left.
Evening Frost waited a while longer, but he still showed no sign of leaving.
Wan Shuang sighed inwardly and had no choice but to get up and shoo him away, saying, "Your Highness, this servant needs to help Miss change her clothes. If Your Highness has nothing else to do, please excuse us!"
Xiao Jingyan then realized that he was superfluous in this situation.
He had been wondering if there was anything he could help with, but now it seemed there wasn't.
"Okay, I'll be going now!"
Wan Shuang saw Xiao Jingyan out of the room, and as she closed the door, her heart was filled with worry.
Is someone like the Fifth Prince really capable of protecting Miss?
......
Three days later.
The Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.
Xiao Jingyu threw the various letters in her hand at Shen Zhong, her anger reaching its peak, as if she wanted to chop him up with a knife on the spot.
"Uncle, is this the evidence of smuggled salt you mentioned?" Xiao Jingyu gritted his teeth in hatred, his fingers clenched so tightly behind his back that they had turned white.
"You saw it at the morning court session this day. When this evidence was presented, so many people were ready to criticize me. You said the smuggled salt came from Qingzhou, but their evidence shows that it came from Lianzhou. My dear uncle, you've really gotten me into serious trouble this time!"
Xiao Jingyu's anger had no outlet, and if it weren't for their uncle-nephew relationship, he would probably have been even angrier.
This morning at court, when he presented the evidence about the smuggled salt that Shen Zhong had given him in advance, he thought he would receive praise from Emperor Xiao and the respect of all the officials.
Little did they know that Emperor Xiao was indeed furious, saying that he had used any means necessary to achieve merit and had fabricated evidence at will.
Not only was he publicly reprimanded during the morning court session, but he was also dismissed from his post for investigating the illegal salt trade.
This was all a result of his over-reliance on Shen Zhong, and naturally, he blamed Shen Zhong for the mistake.
Shen Zhong was also bewildered. He had investigated all the evidence beforehand and even sent someone to Qingzhou to ensure that everything was in order. Why was it different today?
"Your Highness, please calm down. There must be some misunderstanding!"
"Misunderstanding?" Xiao Jingyu frowned and asked, "What misunderstanding could there be? Ouyang Wenxiu had already submitted the evidence a step ahead. We were a step too late and got kicked in the back!"
Shen Zhong couldn't understand it either. When he started investigating this matter, there were no signs at all, but this morning at court, Ouyang Wenxiu had the upper hand and presented the evidence he had investigated as full of errors and omissions.
Moreover, he had additional evidence, as if it had been prepared in advance.
Ouyang Wenxiu is the Grand Secretary of the court and is someone His Majesty trusts greatly.
If he lies, even if it is true, His Majesty will still have to send someone to investigate.
But he believed he had no grudge against Ouyang Wenxiu, so why was he being targeted like this today? Could it be that the Fourth Prince had offended him somehow?
Shen Zhong's heart trembled violently, and he turned the tables on Shen Zhong.
"Your Highness, have you offended Chief Minister Ouyang?"
Xiao Jingyu's eyes widened. What was he saying? Was he trying to shirk responsibility?
"Uncle, what do you mean by this?"
“Your Highness, please calm down. What I mean is that Chief Minister Ouyang would not target someone for no reason. If Your Highness has not offended him, why would he target Your Highness like this?”
Xiao Jingyu was so angry that her liver trembled. "Isn't it all because of your investigation error? You got the evidence wrong, and someone found a loophole!"
That's what she said, but after calming down, Xiao Jingyu thought of something else.
Last time, Ouyang Wenxiu targeted the Pingding Marquis's residence.
He suggested to His Majesty that Qin Lang be sent to Yunzhou to suppress bandits, but Qin Lang was injured in the leg and still cannot stand up.
He investigated but found no evidence that Ouyang Wenxiu had any conflict with the Marquis's family.
Although this is a different matter from today, Xiao Jingyu vaguely felt that this matter was not simple, and it seemed that someone was deliberately using it to target her.
But who is behind this?
......
Pingding Marquis's Mansion.
Wanyue Courtyard.
“Miss, I have investigated everything these past few days. The day you encountered Su Yan'er returning weak, you went to an alley in Zhuque Street and found an old woman named Granny Tang. She performed a spell called ‘Restore Your Virginity’, which can restore a woman’s virginity, but it can only be done once in a lifetime!”
Qin Wan opened her eyes slightly. When Nianqi told her about it a few days ago, she was still a little doubtful, so she asked Nianqi to investigate again. She didn't expect it to be true.
That means Su Yan'er was no longer a virgin.
The person who defiled her was Qin Lang, as Wan Shuang had mentioned that day.
But now that she's gone to someone to regain her virginity, it means she doesn't want to marry Qin Lang anymore...
Qin Wan kept thinking, and everything seemed to make sense now.
But after she figured everything out, she felt that it was all too outrageous.
Although Han Shu didn't say it explicitly, she treated Su Yan'er like her own daughter and daughter-in-law.
Rumors are circulating in the manor that Su Yan'er and Qin Lang's wedding is imminent. If Su Yan'er were to say that she does not want to marry Qin Lang, things would get quite interesting!
Just thinking about Han Shu and Qin Lang's surprised faces made Qin Wan unable to hold back her anger.
They treated her the way they had, so let them taste the bitterness of betrayal.
"Is there any evidence for this?" Qin Wan asked.
Nianqi handed a hairpin to Qin Wan, saying, "This is the jewelry that Su Yan'er paid for that day. The old woman asked for too much money, and Su Yan'er didn't have enough silver prepared. But the old woman wouldn't give credit, so she pawned her hairpin. This is what I bought from that old woman at a high price!"
Qin Wan took the hairpin and immediately recognized it as the one Su Yan'er often wore in her hair. It was a gift from Han Shu when Su Yan'er first entered the mansion.
When Qin Wan saw the hairpin, she thought Han Shu had bought it for her, never expecting that it was actually a gift for someone else.
However, the hairpin that Han Shu gave away was used to pay back the debt to Su Yan'er. I wonder if Han Shu will be sad when she finds out!
This matter must not be revealed. If Su Yan'er succeeds in the end, the hairpin alone will not be enough as evidence; we will need other witnesses.
"Nianqi, take the silver to the Nine Stars Society and buy two people to secretly protect that old woman. She's still useful!"
"Yes!"
Qin Wan has just received the betrothal gifts, so she is not short of money now.
"Wan Shuang, keep this hairpin safe!" Qin Wan handed the hairpin to Wan Shuang and added, "Don't reveal a single word of what we just said!"
"Yes, I understand!"
Qin Wan took a deep breath, sipped her tea, and her mind was still replaying what had just happened.
At this moment, a maidservant reported from the doorway.
"Miss, Changfeng, the guard by the Marquis's side, has come to deliver a message, saying that the Marquis wants you to go to his study!"
Qin Wan paused, her hand still holding the tea. Why was he looking for her at this time?