With Xu Jia’s approval, she couldn’t care less anymore, and she tightly wrapped her arms around Yun Huai’s neck, her face inevitably pressed against his chest, her nose filled with Yun Huai’s fresh scent.
She was sowhat lost, so much so that she didn’t know when they arrived at the Princess Mansion.
Yun Huai put her down on the rooftop and pointed to the courtyard below where a light was on, his expression still very calm, "Mrs. Li’s courtyard."
Seeing Xu Jia preparing to go down, he reminded her again, "There are people guarding outside, be careful."
Xu Jia nodded and softly expressed her gratitude.
If it weren’t for Yun Huai, with her Qinggong, she wouldn’t know when she could have arrived.
The two exchanged briefly, and Xu Jia swiftly leapt down into the courtyard.
From the main house ca the faint sound of a woman’s low crying, with a maidservant beside advising, "Grandma, the night is deep, you should sleep early!"
The one being referred to as "Grandma" was Feng Chuan’s wife, Mrs. Li.
She kept sobbing, intermittently asking the maid, "I heard Mr. Feng is already asking soone to write a petition. He wants to take this matter to the governnt office. Is it true?"
The maid replied, "Mr. Feng wants to seek justice for you, Grandma."
"How can this be considered justice?" Mrs. Li cried harder, "Once it’s taken to the governnt office, everyone in the Capital will know."
She was already ashad enough, and if this continued, the rumors outside would undoubtedly be terrible.
"Surely we can’t let that shaless thief go free, can we?" the maid advised, but internally rolled her eyes; wasn’t it you who admitted you were violated by the Heir of Duke Zhenxi? Now your family wants justice for you, yet you still want to appear virtuous, who are you showing this to?
Mrs. Li wiped her tears, feeling suffocated.
There were several who violated her; her clothes were nearly stripped off. The Heir of Duke Zhenxi happened to hear her cries for help and ca in to save her.
When she fled out of that alley disheveled, only the Heir of Duke Zhenxi followed her, making her seen by outsiders. No matter how she explained, she couldn’t possibly admit she was violated by several people, could she? What would beco of her reputation? She could only tacitly accept that it was the Heir of Duke Zhenxi who committed the misdeed.
She didn’t know her silent acceptance would have such dire consequences; the Heir of Duke Zhenxi was imprisoned by her family, and her husband Feng Chuan was preparing to file a petition to the governnt office.
At present, Mrs. Li was sowhat at her wit’s end.
Finally managing to wipe her tears, Mrs. Li looked up, only to see her maidservant had been knocked out at so point, and standing next to her was a masked woman in black. The woman’s eyes glead coldly, making Mrs. Li shiver.
Mrs. Li was instantly terrified, her blood draining from her face, and instinctively wanted to cry for help.
Xu Jia was faster, covering her mouth and threatening coldly, "If you dare to shout, I’ll make sure you won’t live!"
Mrs. Li forgot to shed any more tears, her entire body trembling like a leaf.
Seeing her compliance, Xu Jia slowly released her hold.
Mrs. Li shrank back, her voice quivering as she asked, "Who, who exactly are you?"
Xu Jia didn’t answer Mrs. Li’s question, her eyes appeared even colder and indifferent under the light, "Why did the Heir of Duke Zhenxi insult you?"
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Li was initially stunned, then she thought perhaps her family sent soone to rescue her, and she instantly felt relieved but soon started crying again, "I, I don’t know, I only rember taking two maids to buy embroidery threads. Then, for so reason, I was knocked unconscious, and when I woke up, Heir Xu, he was... was..."
At this point, Mrs. Li seed unable to continue, only covering her face and crying, displaying a frailty that scread she was wronged by Xu Shu’s bullying.
Xu Jia’s gaze turned colder, "So, you’re saying he did commit a misdeed against you?"
Mrs. Li only cried, evidently tacitly agreeing.
Xu Jia suppressed the anger in her heart, "You better think carefully. If you are found lying, you will be accused of framing noble children."
Mrs. Li sneered inwardly. Framing noble children is certainly less shaful than being humiliated by so many people.
Her father was the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and had many connections in the court. Even if it turned out Xu Shu did nothing, the most that could happen was an apology. But if it were known she was nearly humiliated by so many people, that would be a lifelong stain, one that could never be washed away!
No matter who ca now, she could only insist that it was Xu Shu; otherwise, she could no longer survive!
Xu Jia looked at her, thinking she was clinging to Xu Shu as if he were her last straw.
After a mont of silence, Xu Jia sat down, the coldness in her eyes dissipating slightly, "Mrs. Feng, I’m here today to save you from suffering. If you don’t tell the truth, the only one who will suffer in the future is you."
Mrs. Li originally thought this black-clad masked woman was soone arranged by her family, but hearing this, it seed not. Suddenly, she grew cautious, squinting her eyes without daring to call out, fearing the other person might kill her first. She could only feign ignorance, "This is how it is. I don’t understand what exactly you want to ask."
Xu Jia smiled slightly, "Mrs. Feng, as the legitimate daughter of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, you’re acting like a turtle when faced with trouble, even dragging your saviors into the water. It thoroughly disgraces the Li family. Do you think this can protect you? One person violating you or a group of people, the result is the sa; you’re destined to be divorced."
Mrs. Li’s heart sank, but she stubbornly said, "Nonsense! What saviors, what one person, a group of people? If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll really call for soone!"
She knew there were guards outside. Since the incident, Mr. Feng had arranged quite a few guards to stay outside, probably afraid she might do sothing rash.
Thinking about how, even now, her husband was considering her feelings first, Mrs. Li felt deeply moved.
Luckily, Xu Jia didn’t understand micro-expressions and couldn’t see anything from Mrs. Li’s face. Otherwise, she’d truly be infuriated by her.
Seeing Mrs. Li lost in thought, Xu Jia asked, "Don’t you want to know who knocked you out and who arranged for so many people waiting to violate you in Shiban Alley? As the daughter of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, are you going to swallow the insult and let the real mastermind get away?"
Mrs. Li’s already unsightly face instantly stiffened.
Xu Jia, unhurried, said, "If you’re willing to cooperate and prove the innocence of the Heir of Marquis Zhenxi, I’ll tell you the whole truth and help you fight back."
"Who are you? Who are you really?" Mrs. Li was terrified. She had no idea how this masked woman knew the details of the Shiban Alley incident so well. If she spread this information, Mrs. Li felt she couldn’t go on living.
Xu Jia didn’t remove her veil and never revealed her identity, "There is a docunt and a divorce letter awaiting you now. Do you want to go to court and co back divorced, or fight back in court to free yourself for the rest of your life? It’s your choice."
Seeing Mrs. Li bewildered, Xu Jia sneered, "The one who arranged for you to be violated was your husband, Feng Chuan."
Mrs. Li felt a blackness before her eyes, then burst out in anger and disbelief, "No! Impossible! You’re lying! You’re trying to sow discord between us, but I won’t let you succeed!"
Xu Jia’s eyes held a touch of sarcasm, "I said it wasn’t to hit you; Grandma Feng, at her age, you cannot compare with the Heir of Marquis Zhenxi’s wife in terms of age or looks. Even if Heir Xu were blind, he wouldn’t choose you, let alone violate you? Anyone with a bit of sense would realize there’s sothing amiss. It’s ridiculous you think others are fools, never realizing you’re the foolish one."
Mrs. Li was furious and humiliated by her words, choking on emotions stuck in her throat, unable to retort.
Thinking about what the woman said, that the people were arranged by her husband Feng Chuan, Mrs. Li’s sha turned into anger, her expression turning grave.
Seeing she finally took it to heart, Xu Jia continued, "The late Emperor has passed, and the new emperor has ascended. The Eldest Princess’ special treatnt from the late Emperor has ended, and the paynts to her from the palace have stopped. Coincidentally, the new emperor is reforming the governnt. One of his commands targeted the Princess Mansion, resulting in huge losses for the Feng family. Such a large loss had to be made up sohow.
As it happens, when you’re drowsy, soone provides a pillow; the intermarriage policy ca out. From its implentation to the end of this year, any rchant marrying Jiuli Clan won could apply to reduce their lifeti taxes by seventy percent.
The one doing business in the Feng family is Prince Consort Feng. He cannot divorce and remarry, but his son can. By then, he could transfer all his estates to Mr. Feng, turning the seventy-percent tax intended for the National Treasury into silver for the Feng family’s pocket.
Grandma, as a businessperson, would you give up on that seventy-percent tax reduction?"
As Mrs. Li listened, her expression turned indescribable.
A few days ago, she had returned to her family and heard her father ntion the intermarriage policy, saying there was a serious aversion to Jiuli Clan people among the citizens of Chu Country. The Cabinet and Ministry of Revenue had agreed only to increase the benefits of intermarriage, allowing a seventy-percent tax reduction for any rchant marrying a Jiuli woman as his legitimate wife in the first year of the policy.
The thought was only a joke then, that such huge benefits might lead so unscrupulous n to divorce and remarry a Jiuli girl.
Unexpectedly, that joke ca true in her own life!
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