She had intended to use this fire to sever her grandmother and Madam Song’s murderous intentions toward her, but who could have predicted such an unexpected complication!
Chen Wanqing’s heart instantly tightened!
“Lord Chen, why not let your younger sister continue what was left unfinished tonight?” Xiao Xin’s gaze passed over Chen Hanying, fixing distantly on Chen Wanqing. His tone was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.
Yet fine beads of sweat broke out on Chen Hanying’s forehead. His clasped hands remained raised, never lowering. “Lord Xiao, this place is in disarray. Might I request Your Excellency to move to the main hall, where this official can have tea served!”
Xiao Xin’s inscrutable gaze remained fixed on Chen Wanqing, and he said nothing.
Meeting his intensely oppressive stare, Chen Wanqing felt a wave of astonishment. Could he have seen through something?
Xiao Xin watched her for a moment before shifting his gaze away. “Since this official commands the Jinyiwei, interrogation and investigation fall precisely within my duties. Someone has accused Second Miss Chen of arson. How could I turn a blind eye?”
Chen Wanqing’s heart skipped a beat, leaping instantly into her throat!
Fire cases were usually investigated by the Five City Military and Police Command. The tampering she had done was not afraid of inspection, but if the Jinyiwei intervened, the situation would no longer be under her control!
Chen Hanying hurriedly turned his head, shooting a meaningful glance at Chen Wanqing, urging her to understand the gravity of the situation.
Chen Wanqing’s expression shifted slightly. Just as she was about to speak, Xiao Xin cut her off forcefully: “If Lord Chen continues to obstruct, this official will impeach you tomorrow for the crime of harboring a criminal!”
How could Chen Hanying fail to hear the threat in those words?
On his way back to the residence, he had coincidentally run into Xiao Xin, who had just returned to the capital. After exchanging only a few pleasantries, Xiao Xin claimed he had official business to discuss. Due to the urgency of the family matter, Chen Hanying had no choice but to invite Xiao Xin to accompany him.
Countless thoughts swirled in Chen Hanying’s mind, trying to guess the purpose behind this young but ruthlessly effective Jinyiwei Commander, Xiao Xin—whom all court officials feared—deliberately seeking his acquaintance.
Xiao Xin was originally a eunuch by background, with no foundation of his own yet enjoying the Emperor’s extreme favor. The Jinyiwei was established entirely under his hand, secretly monitoring court officials and controlling the Imperial Prison. Any official who entered the Imperial Prison either died or was maimed.
Before he had even reached the age of twenty, he single-handedly orchestrated the case that brought down Prime Minister He Wei, implicating and purging over ten thousand people.
After that case, the Emperor abolished the millennia-old system of the prime minister, placing the Six Ministries under direct imperial control and consolidating the monarch’s power.
Even the Crown Prince’s former tutor, Liang Changhai, was implicated and imprisoned by Xiao Xin through the He Wei case.
The Liang family was connected to the Eastern Palace Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince, in turn, had close ties with Chen Sheng and other meritorious factions. Therefore, when Chen Sheng pleaded for the Liang family, only Liang Changhai himself was exiled; his family remained unharmed, though his descendants were barred from the imperial examinations for three generations.
Considering the intricate and dangerous connections involved, Chen Hanying felt a chill run through his entire body, not daring to show the slightest neglect.
Xiao Xin’s notorious reputation was already household knowledge. The Chen family had no usual dealings with him, yet he had taken the initiative to approach. Chen Hanying was filled with suspicion, planning to send a letter to his second uncle, Chen Sheng, for inquiry once Xiao Xin left. Who could have guessed that Xiao Xin would actually involve himself in this fire incident!
The fire itself was a minor matter, but if he were to learn of the family’s female members harming their own offspring and use it as a pretext to make trouble…
Chen Hanying felt his vision darken. It was clear that Xiao Xin’s intentions lay elsewhere!
Of the three major meritorious factions at the founding of the Emperor’s reign, in just sixteen short years, two had already been eliminated, leaving only the original loyalists who had followed him.
Although his uncle had rendered distinguished service in establishing the Emperor’s rule, there was often a sense of shared peril. Therefore, he had ordered Chen Hanying and his mother to establish a separate residence early on, so that in the worst-case scenario, the Chen family bloodline might still survive…
Could it be that Xiao Xin intended to use today’s incident to make a move against the Chen family?
Before Chen Hanying could figure it out, Xiao Xin spoke up: “Why not invite the Third Madam of the Chen family to explain the fire that broke out tonight?”
Madam Song, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, rolled her eyes and then viciously pointed at Chen Wanqing: “Sir, you must uphold justice for me!”
“It was her who set the fire, trying to burn me to death!”
Xiao Xin looked at Chen Wanqing, his gaze deep, his expression calm and unreadable: “Second Miss Chen, what do you have to say?”
Chen Wanqing’s hands were hidden beneath her sleeves, tightly clenched together, her heart in turmoil. What did he mean by this?
Was he truly here to settle the case?
What should she do?
Should she reveal that Madam Song and her grandmother had tried to poison her?
If she spoke, she would have to admit that she had tampered with the fire!
If she didn’t speak, Madam Song would escape unscathed and would surely return with a vengeance, causing endless trouble!
She had originally intended to use today’s incident to suppress Madam Song and reclaim control of the household, but in this current situation, what exactly was Xiao Xin trying to do?
Chen Wanqing’s heart pounded like a drum. She looked up and met Xiao Xin’s gaze. His expression was inscrutable, showing neither joy nor anger, as he stared fixedly at her, seemingly waiting for her response.
Chen Wanqing’s heart tightened. Only then did she realize why her cousin had wanted to settle the matter quietly. Toppling Madam Song and suppressing her grandmother were merely internal affairs of the household. But if Xiao Xin used this as an excuse to implicate her father, who was leading troops outside, it would be a loss far greater than the gain!
Thinking of her father, Chen Wanqing’s eyes grew hot. “Today’s fire was originally caused by accidentally knocking over a candle…”
“You lying wretch!” Madam Song pointed at Chen Wanqing and shouted sharply, “Sir, have someone go and see for themselves. Could a fire that big have been started by a candle?”
As she berated, she gestured for others to look at the injuries on her body and face. “It was clearly you who threw a lamp at me!”
Xiao Xin’s expression suddenly changed, his gaze turning cold and stern as he looked at Madam Song. “I wonder what Third Madam Chen was delivering to Second Miss Chen on the orders of the Old Madam?”
Madam Song, who had been gesturing and speaking animatedly, suddenly fell silent, as if her neck had been wrung.
Then, she waved her hands repeatedly, forcing a smile. “Nothing, nothing, just a bowl of medicine!”
“What kind of medicine?”
“Third Aunt!!” Chen Hanying urgently shouted.
Xiao Xin glanced at Chen Hanying, a faint, ambiguous smile on his lips.
Chen Hanying’s face was anxious, the veins on his forehead throbbing.
Madam Song shot a glance at Chen Wanqing, her expression venomous, her voice shrill: “An abortion drug!”
Xiao Xin suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed directly on Chen Wanqing, then shifting to her abdomen, his expression dark and unreadable.
Chen Wanqing’s body trembled slightly, but her back remained straight, her face pale and bloodless. She kept her eyes lowered, saying nothing.
Seeing this, Madam Song grew even more triumphant, spitting as she spoke, her eyes filled with contempt: “Our Second Miss Chen, not yet married, has already engaged in an illicit affair and even conceived a child. We merely wanted to abort this bastard, but she actually tried to burn me to death?”
“Sir, tell me, shouldn’t someone so immoral and shameless be drowned in a pig cage?”
Xiao Xin watched Chen Wanqing, noticing her trembling eyelashes and deathly pale face, yet she offered no defense. He asked, “Second Miss Chen, is what Third Madam Song said true?”
His tone was even, but Chen Wanqing sensed a chilling coldness in it. Her nails dug deep into her palms, yet she felt no pain, only the cold, dampness of her clothes piercing her bones, making her shiver.
It had only been a day since her rebirth. Her grandmother tried to kill her, her third aunt forced poison down her throat, and just as she was on the verge of surviving against all odds, another obstacle had appeared out of nowhere!
Originally, she had planned to reclaim control of the household and completely suppress the news of her pregnancy out of wedlock. Little did she expect Xiao Xin to confront her directly about it. Within a day, her story would surely spread throughout Jingdu, making her the target of public scorn.
Reputation?
In her previous life, it was the shackles of reputation that led her to a tragic end.
In this life, must she still be bound by reputation?
In an instant, Chen Wanqing made her decision. She slowly raised her head and met Xiao Xin’s gaze directly. “What Third Aunt said is true!”
As these words left her lips, the heavy stone weighing on Chen Wanqing’s heart finally fell away.
What did it matter if she had lost her chastity?
What did it matter if she was pregnant out of wedlock?
What did it matter if her reputation was ruined? Since she had been given a second chance at life, her destiny was hers to control. What others thought had nothing to do with her!
The path she was destined to walk was fraught with thorns. She should focus on the steps ahead—why bother with the opinions of outsiders?
For some reason, Xiao Xin’s originally cold and stern expression softened instantly, giving off an almost spring-like warmth.