Chapter 462: The Jealous Wusun Princess (Part 1)
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Marquis Changxing and his wife also refused to acknowledge the female corpse as Jiang Shanshan. Instead, they focused their attention on Yuwen You, insisting that he provide an explanation.
For example, since the person disappeared after attending his wedding, why was this female corpse dressed in Jiang Shanshan’s clothes and found dead in the Linan Wang Mansion? Furthermore, why was Jiang Shanshan’s jade bracelet pawned by a guard from the Linan Wang Mansion? Did Linan Wang truly have no knowledge of this? Could it be that Linan Wang had intentions towards Jiang Shanshan, and when rejected, resorted to murder?
It’s worth noting that Linan Wang had a bad reputation. Didn’t he once beat Ying Wanfeiin the Jade Emperor Pavilion because he didn’t want to annul their engagement? Later, he even went to her room and attempted to attack her with a dagger. These were the deeds that only Linan Wang could do.
There’s no possibility that the Jiang family’s second young miss had intentions of becoming a side concubine. It’s all a slanderous fabrication. This was all concocted by Linan Wang to achieve his goals. Therefore, either Jiang Shanshan was murdered by Linan Wang and disposed of elsewhere, or she was secretly detained by him.
In this situation, Yuwen You had to provide a reasonable explanation. Couldn’t provide one? Well, then sorry, the Dali Temple invites His Highness for tea.
Mingzhu found it amusing. Even if Yuwen You detained Jiang Shanshan, the only people involved would be his trusted confidants. How could they possibly be caught pawning Jiang Shanshan’s jade bracelet and be caught red-handed?
Clearly, it was a good deed orchestrated by Yuwen Chu and Fourth Brother. As for the female official token and the female corpse by the lotus pond, it went without saying that they were also the handiwork of Fourth Brother.
Marquis Changxing’s sudden accusation against Yuwen You was not sudden at all. Rather, it stemmed from their receipt of benefits, promises, and serious threats. Most likely, these matters were orchestrated by these two men: the wealthy man in the room who used money to buy people’s loyalty and Fourth Brother, who was shameless and reckless in his threats.
It’s unknown how the Central City Commander Li Dazhong got involved again.
Mingzhu instructed to close the gate: “If anyone else comes, we won’t see them. Just say that His Highness is unwell and needs rest. I’m also exhausted and can’t move.”
But shortly after the order was given, Lei Liu came in with news, “Linan Wangfei is here, insisting on seeing the Wangfei. Shall we see her or not?”
Wusun Princess? What was she here for? Mingzhu had no intention of pretending to be polite with the Wusun Princess, and immediately said, “We won’t see her.”
Not long after the message was sent out, Lei Liu came back, looking embarrassed, “Linan Wangfei said that she happened to be idle and was wandering around the mansion. She accidentally found something in Jingting Pavilion, which people said was Wangfei’s beloved item. She specially came to return it to Wangfei.”
Was she trying to deceive her? Did she think she was so easily fooled? Mingzhu had carefully inspected everything after she came back that day, and nothing had been lost. She had just disappeared for a while at that moment, and then asked the servants of the Linan Wang Mansion about the route to the Suiyu Pavilion. Therefore, she guessed that she had gone to Jingting Pavilion.
The Wusun Princess had just married into the family and probably didn’t know about these things, so she most likely came at Yuwen You’s arrangement. Mingzhu still refused to see her: “Tell her I haven’t been to Jingting Pavilion. Who knows what that item is? Tell her to find the rightful owner elsewhere.”
Lei Liu relayed the message, and the maidservant who accompanied the Wusun Princess became furious, muttering a bunch of complaints, mostly about how Mingzhu was arrogant and bullying.
Lei Liu pretended not to hear and stood aside with a silly smile. The Wusun Princess fell silent for a moment and whispered, “Enough, let’s go.”
That Momo was an old servant from the Linan Wang Mansion, sent by Yuwen You, and she was dissatisfied that the Wusun Princess was leaving without seeing Mingzhu. She chased after the Wusun Princess and said a long string of words.
The Wusun Princess listened with half-lowered eyes and said faintly, “If the main gate won’t open, do you expect me to find someone to force it open? Momo, do you have the strength and courage for that? I don’t.”
If there were discerning observers witnessing this scene, they would understand that although this Wusun Princess might struggle with speaking Han language fluently, she could both understand and speak it. She wasn’t at all like the rumors suggested, incapable of understanding or speaking anything without Jiang Shanshan’s translation.
The Momo wore an expression of dissatisfaction and said, “Your Highness is still suffering. Shouldn’t the Wangfei think of more ways to help?”
The Wusun Princess ignored her and ordered the carriage to go back. By this time, there were few people on the street, and it was already dark. Only a few shops that had not closed yet still had their lights on. The cold wind blew through the deserted street, causing the lanterns on the carriage to sway back and forth, making a “clanging” sound as they hit the carriage.
The Wusun Princess frowned and whispered in Wusun language to her attendant, “It’s not as cold here as it is in our hometown, but it feels even colder.” She didn’t like it here, nor did she like the people here.
The attendant, named Liuli, had grown up with the Wusun Princess since childhood and understood her meaning. She whispered comfortingly, “But His Highness is here.”
The Wusun Princess lowered her eyes and remained silent. Yuwen You was indeed good, young, handsome, ambitious, and kind to her, much better than the old men she had imagined before coming here. But she always had a feeling—when he looked at her, he wasn’t seeing her.
At times like this, she couldn’t help but wonder, when Yuwen You looked at her, was he seeing Fu Mingzhu? That woman in red, beautiful, domineering, and charming. Even she admired her, let alone Yuwen You, who had been engaged to Fu Mingzhu.
The Wusun Princess felt uncomfortable, which was why she refused to listen to Yuwen You’s words today and insisted on waiting outside Ying Wang Mansion. Who knew what Yuwen You was trying to convey to Fu Mingzhu through her?
The carriage suddenly stopped, and a middle-aged man stood alone under the street lamp, smiling and saying, “Linan Wangfei, would you please honor me with a cup of hot tea?”
The Wusun Princess looked out through the crack in the curtains and saw this man wearing a blue cotton robe, slim and tall, with handsome features and a warm and pleasant smile. Even if he was getting older, it didn’t diminish his grace and charm. She smiled and ordered the carriage to stop, addressing the man on the street, “Teacher, when did you arrive?”
The middle-aged man smiled, “I just arrived a few days ago.”
The Wusun Princess got off the carriage and warmly greeted him with a Wusun-style gesture, “Teacher, where are you staying? Come and stay with us in our mansion. Let me take care of you.”
The middle-aged man shook his head, “I came this time for some private matters, and I didn’t want to disturb you. But I heard that there was some trouble in your mansion, so I came to see if I could help.”
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