Quickly tying the sack tightly with a rope, ng Qianqian dusted off her hands indifferently: "I warned you, taking one more step forward, you’ll regret it. But you just wouldn’t listen!"
Bai Yuwei wiped the sweat off her forehead and took a long breath: "So exhausting!"
In all her years of living, it was the first ti Bai Yuwei realized crying could be such a workout.
ng Qianqian curled her lips into a smile: "Thanks for your hard work, little sister."
Bai Yuwei snorted: "You can’t accomplish anything on your own. Always need to rely on for everything!"
ng Qianqian didn’t hold back her praise: "Exactly! Without my dear cousin, I could’ve never caught this fellow. All the credit goes to you."
Bai Yuwei liked hearing this kind of talk.
Grandfather always said she was immature, but look—what would this household do without her?
At their feet, Xun Yu, tightly curled up and struggling inside the sack, upon hearing all this, suddenly had clarity.
He’d been duped.
He fell victim to Bai Yuwei and ng Qianqian’s joint trickery!
Bai Yuwei didn’t have the brains for this; he could almost be certain that ng Qianqian was orchestrating everything behind the scenes.
ng Qianqian must’ve long guessed that he hadn’t given up on Miaojiang and calculated that this hunting trip would be his perfect excuse to get close to Bai Yuwei.
If they were back in the Capital City, there’d be no chance for Bai Yuwei to be left alone.
At which point did he fall into ng Qianqian’s trap?
Was it when he confessed his feelings to Bai Yuwei, or when he staged the "injure-the-self-to-gain-their-sympathy" act in front of her?
Or perhaps even earlier.
He used two Silver Foxes to separate Bai Yuwei from the maid Tan’er. But could it be possible that all along, these two won were just waiting for him to deliver himself to their hands?
No, it couldn’t be!
ng Qianqian couldn’t be this clever!
He refused to believe there existed a woman who could play him like a fiddle.
But no matter his unwillingness to accept it, the grand spectacle staged before him today by the two won left no room for doubt or flaw.
If Bai Yuwei had shown understanding and affection toward him from the start, it would’ve only made him suspicious.
On the contrary, Bai Yuwei expressed utter hatred and rejection, even openly sharing ng Qianqian’s admonitions with him in full detail, making everything seem perfectly reasonable.
To top it off, she subtly revealed a hint of innate innocence and reluctance.
These sheltered, pampered daughters of noble families—he’d seen enough of them before—naïve and easily tricked.
How could she possibly challenge him?
With a bit of strategic maneuvering and charm, he’d conquer her entirely.
But never in his wildest dreams did he expect to fall into their trap!
"ng Qianqian!"
He roared furiously.
ng Qianqian rcilessly kicked him: "Yelling? Not convinced, huh? Let tell you, my little sister might be pure, but she’s no fool. A man like you, who has to cheat in exams, would naturally fail to understand how others can actually be smart."
Each sentence avoided self-praise, attributing all credit to others.
One had to admit, ng Qianqian certainly knew how to win people over.
Bai Yuwei, showered in complints, was floating on air. She kept a calm facade, but behind her back, her invisible little tail was practically wagging up to the heavens.
Xun Yu clenched his teeth: "ng Qianqian, you’d better release ! Otherwise—"
ng Qianqian deliberately cupped a hand behind her ear: "Otherwise what? Speak louder. I’m not afraid of people overhearing!"
"You—"
Xun Yu choked on his words furiously.
ng Qianqian chuckled: "Can’t say it out loud? Want to help you yell?"
Xun Yu furrowed his brows, puzzled over what she ant by that. Then, he heard ng Qianqian speak again, "Little sister, pass the wooden stick."
Bai Yuwei tossed over a sturdy stick.
Xun Yu’s face instantly turned ashen: "Private brawls are forbidden in the hunting grounds! Do you know the consequences of such reckless behavior? Violating the rules knowingly will double your punishnt!"
ng Qianqian lightly slapped the stick against her palm, smiling serenely: "What consequences I may face is still uncertain, but yours are crystal-clear."
Xun Yu broke out in cold sweat, stamring: "ng Qianqian, I advise you to think thrice—"
"This marshal here has been dying to beat you up for ages! After much thought, I figured one round wouldn’t be enough!"
ng Qianqian fiercely struck the sack with the stick.
"Argh—!"
Xun Yu took the full brunt of a blow straight to the head, spraying the sack with blood from his nose.
Without hesitation, ng Qianqian landed another strike.
"Argh—!"
Xun Yu shrieked miserably.
Bai Yuwei stared wide-eyed, covering her mouth.
So vicious!
Sis-in-law is so vicious!
Elsewhere, Xun Liu, busy luring a black bear deeper into the forest, vaguely heard the commotion from Xun Yu.
He paused his steps, intending to turn back and look for him.
But then, he recalled Xun Yu’s instructions.
Don’t reveal yourself unless Third Brother sends up a signal flare.
Xun Yu wanted to send one—of course he did! But damn it, he was trapped in a sack!
Could he light firecrackers for himself?
Set off a flare on his own head?
At this mont, regret was eating Xun Yu alive. If he’d known this would happen, he would never have blocked off his fallback option with Xun Liu!
ng Qianqian landed blow after blow with her stick.
"Make my husband sleep in a stable?"
Another strike!
"Make my husband kneel in the snow?"
And another!
"Break my husband’s hand?"
ng Qianqian stepped on Xun Yu’s left wrist and delivered a brutal blow to crush his hand!
Xun Yu convulsed in pain, unable to even scream.
Bai Yuwei asked: "Are you planning to kill him?"
ng Qianqian replied casually: "That would be far too rciful."
Bai Yuwei glanced at Xun Yu, battered to the point of doubting his existence, and muttered under her breath: "So beating him up counts as rcy in your book, huh..."
Suddenly, Bai Yuwei felt that ng Qianqian had been pretty lenient with her before.
ng Qianqian remarked with satisfaction: "Let my husband bear accusations for years while you take the moral high ground? It’s about ti to claim back every bit of reputation."
Bai Yuwei asked: "How do you plan to do that?"
ng Qianqian sighed lightly: "I’ve tried being the good person for years, only to realize that disasters outlive the virtuous. Sotis, it’s better not to be too righteous."
Bai Yuwei frowned bitterly with confusion: She didn’t understand again...
-
By the creek, Princess Wanping had been waiting for so ti without seeing ng Qianqian or Tao Shiyu return. A trace of worry began to show.
"Chang Kuan."
She called.
Chang Kuan, the Supre Emperor’s sent Imperial Guard and now the Chief Guard at the Princess Mansion, had just finished feeding Princess Wanping’s horse. Hearing her call, he imdiately approached to bow: "What are your orders, Princess?"
"Take so n to search for Young Madam Lu and Miss Tao."
"I must ensure the Princess’s safety and cannot leave your side."
Princess Wanping frowned, about to reprimand him, when suddenly, Tao Shiyu returned.
Princess Wanping looked at her and asked with a frown: "You ca back alone? What about Young Madam Lu? Didn’t she go out to look for you?"
Tao Shiyu, with an astonished look, replied: "No, I haven’t co across her."
Princess Wanping said puzzledly: "Strange, she clearly left following you."
Tao Shiyu’s eyes flickered: "Could it be, she ran into soone and got delayed?"
Princess Wanping stood at once: "Chang Kuan! Gather everyone and follow to search for Young Madam Lu!"
"Yes!"
The Chief Guard Chang Kuan obeyed.
"Princess, we..."
"I intend to bring all the guards together to find her. Either join or wait here yourselves."
The two seed startled at her words.
When Tao Shiyu had disappeared earlier, Princess Wanping had only sent ng Qianqian alone to search. Yet now that ng Qianqian was missing, the princess was mobilizing everyone, even personally joining the search.
Tao Shiyu was consud with jealousy. ng Qianqian was rely a rchant’s daughter of humble origin, while she was of imperial lineage. Yet ng Qianqian had won the approval of Princess Wanping.
And of Lady Yun, too.
Whatever the woman has done to captivate them remains a mystery.
But after today, ng Qianqian would be utterly disgraced.
"Miss Huo, Miss Li, the forest is perilous. Let’s follow the Princess."
After all, the more witnesses, the better.
The group set out to search for ng Qianqian.
Along their way, Tao Shiyu occasionally "discovered" traces of ng Qianqian in the bushes—a handkerchief, a bead—all items swiped from ng Qianqian beforehand.
Following the clues, the group soon reached the entrance of a cave.
Tao Shiyu’s eyes glead slightly: "Could Young Madam Lu be inside the cave?"
Princess Wanping instructed Chang Kuan: "Go in and have a look."
Chang Kuan entered the cave: "Princess, there are people inside!"
"Is it Young Madam Lu?" Princess Wanping asked.
Chang Kuan hesitated near the cave’s opening: "Seems to be Wei Mingxuan, and another—"
"What are you all doing?"
ng Qianqian’s voice rang out suddenly from behind the group.
They instinctively turned around.
ng Qianqian stood there, hands behind her back, looking stunned: "Huh? Everyone’s here?"
Tao Shiyu, eyes widening in disbelief: "You... you... how can you..."
ng Qianqian cast her gaze on Tao Shiyu’s utterly shocked expression: "Miss Tao, no wonder I couldn’t find you anywhere. Turns out you’ve been here all along."
Tao Shiyu staggered backward two steps.
She had personally witnessed ng Qianqian entering the cave and had sprinkled the drugged powder onto her.
Xun Yu had said himself—this drug could incapacitate even a bull. No martial arts master could resist its effects!
What on earth was going on?
Why was ng Qianqian—
Also, if the person in the cave wasn’t ng Qianqian, then who could it be?
Using his torch, Chang Kuan cast light inside the cave.
When the fire illuminated the scene, he froze: "Princely Heir Xun Yu?"
Tao Shiyu charged into the cave, incredulous.
"Miss Tao—"
Chang Kuan tried to stop her, but it was too late.
Tao Shiyu let out a terrified scream: "Ah—"
ng Qianqian blinked innocently: "Oh my, what’s the matter?"
Chang Kuan: "Princess, don’t go in—"
Too late.
Princess Wanping entered the cave.
Miss Li, curious by nature, and Miss Huo, fearlessly bold, followed the Princess inside.
The scene before them instantly caused the two noble daughters to turn away and cover their eyes in embarrassnt.
Even Princess Wanping, though maintaining her composure as royalty demands, wished she could blind herself on the spot.
Two grown n, disheveled and hugging each other, evidently drunk, were fast asleep, reeking of alcohol.
ng Qianqian fanned the flas dramatically: "Oh my, broad daylight! The degradation of morals, the degradation of morals!"
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