The servants brought axes, and two burly men swung them at the tree trunk. The tree shook violently, chunks of bark mixed with accumulated snow rustling down. Yan Zhuxing quickly clung to the swaying branch. The tree’s main trunk was twice as thick as a water bucket, yet now it trembled under the axe blows.
She grew anxious, cold sweat beading on the back of her neck.
Her current skills were no match for her past life. If she fell like this, she would surely suffer serious injuries.
Moreover, with the guards below watching like hawks, she feared there was no escape.
Wen Rushuang’s brows gradually relaxed, while Yan Mingxiu and Yan Mingyue’s expressions grew increasingly gleeful.
Yan Zhuxing could only silently pray in her heart that Shuangli would hurry back with reinforcements.
If they didn’t come, she would have to seize the right moment to jump down and then take Yan Mingyue hostage.
As both sides remained deadlocked, a lazy voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard.
“Well, isn’t the Marquis’s Mansion lively today.” Everyone looked over and saw that the Dingyuan Marquis had returned, bringing someone with him.
The one who had just commented on the commotion was this person.
“Hurry and pay your respects to Prince Yong’an,” the Dingyuan Marquis urged.
Wen Rushuang and the others were startled. Why had Prince Yong’an come?
They hastily bowed: “Greetings to Prince Yong’an.”
From the tree, Yan Zhuxing saw Xie Yining and instinctively searched for Shuangli, but found no trace of her.
She couldn’t help but frown.
Why had Prince Yong’an arrived, yet Shuangli was nowhere to be seen?
Could something have happened to her?
“What is all this commotion about now?” the Dingyuan Marquis asked, his face dark as he glared at them.
He had just been reprimanded by the Emperor for failing to manage his household properly, and now Prince Yong’an had stumbled upon this chaotic scene in the inner courtyard. He dreaded what further reprimands the Emperor might deliver tomorrow.
Wen Rushuang didn’t know why Prince Yong’an had suddenly appeared at the Marquis’s Mansion.
But since things had come to this, she had no choice but to continue her lie: “Today, while visiting the Weining Marquis Estate, Xing’er foolishly drugged the heir of the Lieguo Duke’s Mansion. I wanted her to go to the Guogong Fu to apologize, but she refused.”
Hearing this, the Dingyuan Marquis instinctively glanced at Xie Yining.
Such a scandal had actually been overheard by Prince Yong’an.
His anger flared instantly, and his scolding of Yan Zhuxing grew even harsher: “You rebellious girl! How dare you be so audacious! Get down here at once!”
Before Yan Zhuxing could retort, she saw Shuangli hurriedly leading Pei Mingjing over.
Seeing Yan Zhuxing standing on a tree over ten feet high, Shuangli turned deathly pale.
She opened her mouth, her voice trembling: “Miss, you… you must not do anything foolish. I’ve brought Lord Pei. Lord Pei will surely uphold justice for you.”
Hearing this, the Dingyuan Marquis’s family all wore expressions as sour as pickled vegetables left for three autumns—extremely unpleasant.
Why had Pei Mingjing come too?
One Prince Yong’an was troublesome enough; now with Pei Mingjing here as well, today’s humiliation was truly complete.
Pei Mingjing first glanced at Yan Zhuxing in the tree before speaking: “Greetings to Prince Yong’an, greetings to Dingyuan Marquis.”
Seeing that the reinforcements she had called for had arrived, Yan Zhuxing’s anxious heart settled back into place.
With both Pei Mingjing and Prince Yong’an present, Wen Rushuang could no longer threaten her life.
Since Shuangli had brought Pei Mingjing, it meant Prince Yong’an wasn’t the one she had sought.
Then why had Prince Yong’an arrived so quickly?
Xie Yining had been watching her out of the corner of his eye.
Seeing her relieved expression upon noticing Pei Mingjing, he felt an inexplicable dissatisfaction in his heart.
Why, wouldn’t his presence be more reassuring to her than Pei Mingjing’s?
“May I ask what brings Lord Pei here today?” Dingyuan Marquis forced a smile as he looked at Pei Mingjing.
Pei Mingjing cupped his hands and said, “This official received a report from this maid, stating that the eldest young lady of your esteemed mansion is in critical condition and requested that I come to investigate. It is within my duties, so I hope the Marquis will understand.”
The Dingyuan Marquis’s family glared at Shuangli as if their eyes were dripping with poison—this disloyal maid actually dared to bring the matter to the Metropolitan Prefecture.
Shuangli was startled and lowered her head, hiding behind Pei Mingjing.
Suppressing the irritation in his heart, Dingyuan Marquis said, “Lord Pei, this is a family matter and does not require your trouble. This maid is ignorant; I will discipline her properly later.”
“Earlier, the Marchioness said I am not her daughter, so how can this be considered a family matter?” Yan Zhuxing spoke clearly.
As soon as these words were spoken, an uproar ensued.
Yan Zhuxing used the ladder that had not yet been moved away to return to the ground. Shuangli hurriedly ran to her side, brushing off the remaining snow from her clothes.
Pei Mingjing watched her thoughtfully.
Yan Zhuxing had already been steeling herself for a while while up in the tree. By the time she walked up to Pei Mingjing, her eyes were already red, tears welling up and swirling in her sockets, looking utterly pitiful.
“Please, Lord Pei, uphold justice for me!” Yan Zhuxing knelt on the ground and recounted the entire sequence of events of how Wen Rushuang and her daughter had wronged her.
Wen Rushuang cried out, “It’s a false accusation! Lord Pei, you must not believe her one-sided account. It was after she learned that she is not the biological child of the Marquis and me, and fearing that we would drive her out of the Marquis’s Mansion, that she committed such a wrong.”
Both sides stuck to their own stories, and Pei Mingjing did not immediately draw a conclusion.
“If you do not believe it, you may send someone to inquire at the Weining Marquis Estate. However, since the matter involves the Marquis’s Mansion and the Lieguo Duke’s Mansion, I ask that Lord Pei handle it discreetly.” Wen Rushuang was desperate.
After all, she had already discussed it with the Weining Marchioness, and their servants would also come forward to testify.
If Yan Zhuxing wanted to make a scene, she was only digging her own grave.
Hearing Wen Rushuang’s words, Yan Zhuxing realized that she must have colluded with the Weining Marquis Estate.
Her heart sank to the depths.
“This official understands,” Pei Mingjing nodded.
“Verification will take time. I will visit again tomorrow. At that time, I will need the Marchioness and the eldest young lady to answer my questions.”
“Very well,” Wen Rushuang replied with full confidence.
One night was enough time to accomplish many things.
After Pei Mingjing left, Dingyuan Marquis raised his foot to kick Yan Zhuxing on the ground, but Xie Yining gently lifted his foot to block him, causing the Marquis to stagger several steps.
“Your Highness?”
Only then did he remember that Prince Yong’an had not yet left.
“My jade pendant has not been found. If you kick her and injure her, whom shall I ask?” Xie Yining shot him a cold glance.
“Right, right, Your Highness, please ask,” Dingyuan Marquis recalled Prince Yong’an’s earlier visit to the mansion.
“You wretched girl, when you were at the Weining Marquis Estate, did you see His Highness’s jade pendant?” he urged, wanting Yan Zhuxing to answer quickly so he could send Prince Yong’an away.