Qian Jiaoniang exchanged a glance with Qingya, then patted Xing Pingchun’s shoulder and motioned for him to go into the inner room. Xing Pingchun gave Xing Muzheng a few furtive looks, as if wanting to say something but not daring to, and then ran off.
Feng Yuyan appeared dressed in a pale moon-white gown, a jade pendant given by Xing Muzheng hanging at her waist. She walked delicately, supported by Wet Nurse Ye, with the look of a fragile willow swaying in the wind. She purposely slowed her pace to observe Xing Muzheng’s and the others’ expressions.
But Xing Muzheng and Qian Jiaoniang’s faces were unreadable, neither warm nor cold. The others, however, looked visibly nervous and uneasy. Feng Yuyan had already guessed Xing Muzheng wouldn’t remember what happened while he was insane, and now she felt even more confident.
She abruptly let go of the wet nurse’s hand and lifted her skirt, rushing into the hall like a delicate bird into its perch. She threw herself into Xing Muzheng’s arms, teary-eyed and softly crying, “Tanlang…”
Xing Muzheng felt revulsion in his heart and nearly flung her off, but Qian Jiaoniang was watching them intently from the side. He had no choice but to endure his disgust and politely steadied Feng Yuyan with both hands, addressing her calmly.
Feng Yuyan’s eyes immediately lit up—this was her refined and handsome fiancé, not that raving lunatic. He was back—her beloved had returned! She couldn’t hide her excitement. Dabbing her tears with a handkerchief, she looked up at him with misty eyes. “Tanlang, you’ve finally come back. I prayed day and night to the Bodhisattva for your recovery. This must be her answering my prayers!”
Ah Da rolled his eyes so hard it nearly gave him a headache. What did this have to do with the Bodhisattva? What did it have to do with her? The Marquis had been afflicted by a gu curse—if it weren’t for Madam exposing the culprit and forcing him to lift the curse, would the Marquis have recovered at all?
“I was cured of the gu. It had nothing to do with the Bodhisattva,” Xing Muzheng said, staring at Feng Yuyan’s delicate face, recalling the cruel look in her eyes when she ordered him locked in a chair. His hands clenched inside his sleeves, restraining the urge to strangle her. “Didn’t you know?”
Qian Jiaoniang raised her eyebrows and silently found a seat to sit down, waving Qingya over to join her—only missing a plate of sunflower seeds to complete the picture.
Feng Yuyan immediately put on the expression of having suffered great injustice, covering her face and weeping. “I didn’t know! They wouldn’t let me know! Your subordinates—every last one of them—have been misled by Madam Qian! They treated me like a criminal and wouldn’t let me near you! During the days you were… sick, I was in such agony, I nearly died of grief!”
Wet Nurse Ye also wailed, “Miss, you’ve finally made it through! It was all out of true love for the Marquis!”
Ah Da nearly exploded from rage. This woman—just because the Commander didn’t remember what happened under the gu—was now lying through her teeth?! He opened his mouth, but Li Qingquan quickly pulled him back. Ah Da growled, “Why are you stopping me?”
Li Qingquan said, “Don’t get involved. Miss Feng is carrying the Commander’s child. If the Commander gets angry and kills her…”
But he managed to stop only one. Wang Yong couldn’t take it any longer and said loudly, “Commander, I was never misled by Madam. I saw with my own eyes how Miss Feng ordered you locked up in that hut, shackled and chained—so horrible I can’t even speak of it! It was Madam who brought us to rescue you!”
“I didn’t! Why would I lock up the Marquis?” Feng Yuyan immediately protested. She turned to Xing Muzheng and said tearfully, “Tanlang, you hurt me when your illness struck. I was afraid you’d hurt others, so I had people confine you temporarily. But then Madam Qian and the steward Zhou Mu took advantage while I was bedridden and staged this whole farce, manipulating your subordinates into believing I was the one who ordered you chained up. They played them like pawns to seize power in the Marquis’s household! They even used your madness to hold you hostage and took control of everything!”
Qian Jiaoniang nearly stood up and applauded—what a masterclass in reversing black and white! What a face—not red, not flustered. She really wanted to test whether even a knife could pierce through such shamelessness.
“You’re full of it! We told you to release him, but you stubbornly refused. It wasn’t until Qingquan had a blade at your throat that you handed over the key!” Ah Da could no longer hold back.
Feng Yuyan said, “When did I say I wouldn’t let them go? I never said such a thing. You all didn’t let me finish speaking—before I could say a word, the blade was already at my neck. What else could I have said?”
“You…” Ah Da scratched his bald head in frustration. Why wasn’t there a spell that could let the Marshal see what really happened back then?
Qingya glanced at Qian Jiaoniang. Even heroes fall for beauties—right now it’s all just words without proof. Hopefully Feng Yuyan’s silver tongue doesn’t manage to turn rot into fragrance. Qian Jiaoniang met her gaze and gently shook her head.
“Tanlang,” Feng Yuyan lifted her head and looked earnestly into Xing Muzheng’s eyes, “my feelings for you are sincere—heaven and earth can bear witness, the sun and moon can testify. If there’s even half a lie in what I just said, may the heavens strike me down with lightning, may I die a miserable death!”
Her words were firm and resounding, and many present widened their eyes at her. Xing Muzheng fixed his gaze on her, silently wondering: if he had really lost his memory, would he have believed her? After some contemplation, a cold sweat broke out down his back. Even if he didn’t fully believe her, he might have had doubts. And if that caused him to suspect Jiaoniang, how devastated she must have been.
Truly, seeing is not always believing. The line between man and ghost is but a thin layer of skin.
Xing Muzheng’s silence made Ah Da and the others panic. A flicker of smugness flashed in Feng Yuyan’s eyes. Sensing her momentum, she pressed forward: “Tanlang, Madam Qian tried everything to drive me away and even falsely accused me of taking money to leave you. I endured humiliation and claimed I carried your child only to protect you. That’s the only reason Li Qingquan and Lord Li allowed me to stay in the marquis manor. Otherwise, Madam Qian would’ve had me thrown out long ago!”
“Bravo!” Qian Jiaoniang could no longer hold back. She stood up and clapped. What a sharp tongue—it even plugged the earlier holes in her story!
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