In the corridor, Crown Prince Xiao Yongjing was half-supporting, half-holding Song Yiqiu, who was feigning unconsciousness.
Song Sangyu deliberately slowed her pace, her eyes glancing back from time to time. When she saw Hongxiu rushing over with a few servant women, she quickly exchanged a look with her.
Putting on a shy smile, she stepped forward and gave a graceful curtsy.
“Your Highness, you are of noble and precious status; it is too much trouble for you to support my elder sister. It is best to let these servant women handle such coarse tasks.”
“I heard that Father acquired a painting by the great master Xu of the previous dynasty, ‘Autumn Evening in the Mountains,’ the other day. An authentic work is hard to find, and he has it treasured in the elegant pavilion of the front hall. I wonder if Your Highness would do me the honor of allowing Sangyu to lead you there for a look?”
A knowing smile touched the corners of Xiao Yongjing’s lips. His gaze swept over the ‘unconscious’ Song Yiqiu, and he took the opportunity to push her toward the servant women.
“Oh? An authentic work by the great master Xu? That is indeed a rarity.”
“Very well. It is indeed inconvenient for me to linger in a lady’s private chambers. Your elder sister… I shall leave her in your good care.”
A chill went through the heart of the feigning-unconscious Song Yiqiu. She had originally wanted to rely on the Crown Prince to expose Song Sangyu’s scheme, but now…
She subconsciously clutched a corner of the Crown Prince’s sleeve.
Xiao Yongjing felt the tug on his cuff. He looked down at Song Yiqiu’s tightly shut eyes, the interest in his own growing stronger. He gently but firmly brushed her hand away.
He whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:
“Song Yiqiu, let me see if you are merely a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, or… a wolf that bites.”
Song Yiqiu bit her lower lip tightly.
Damn it. If I were a wolf, you’d be the first one I’d bite to death.
Song Sangyu was overjoyed, forcefully suppressing her excitement.
“Yes! Hongxiu, you all must see the Eldest Miss back to her room to rest properly!”
Turning to the Crown Prince, she smiled sweetly.
“Your Highness, this way, please.”
Hongxiu and the servant women supported Song Yiqiu and walked toward her private chambers in the opposite direction.
After returning home, Song Yiqiu had been living in a corner room, sparsely populated and in extremely poor condition.
Hongxiu shoved Song Yiqiu roughly toward the edge of the bed, quickly locked the door from the outside, and said in a cold, triumphant tone:
“Eldest Miss, please enjoy yourself! This servant won’t disturb you!”
The door clicked shut.
Song Yiqiu’s eyes flew open. She quickly stuck her fingers down her throat and retched violently, spitting most of the wine mixed with Bewitching Powder onto the floor.
At that moment, the groom on the bed, his clothes in disarray and his mind already clouded by the drug’s effects, lunged at her.
A cold glint flashed in Song Yiqiu’s eyes. She dodged to the side, simultaneously pulling out the hairpin hidden in her sleeve and stabbing it viciously into the groom’s thigh.
Her other hand clamped down hard over his mouth.
“Shut up if you don’t want to die!”
The groom’s face contorted in pain, but he couldn’t make a sound.
Song Yiqiu turned, grabbed a cup of cold tea from the table, and poured it over his head.
“Speak! Who put you up to this!”
Jolted into some clarity by the cold water and sharp pain, the groom was scared out of his wits. “Eldest Miss, spare me, spare me! It was, it was the Second Miss! The Second Miss told me to do this, she gave me money…”
Hearing the clamor of voices approaching from a distance outside, Song Yiqiu knew time was short. She yanked out the hairpin and pressed it against the groom’s throat once more.
“Do as I say, and you might live! Otherwise, you die right now!”
The groom nodded frantically.
“Whatever Eldest Miss commands, this lowly one will do, I’ll definitely do it!”
Song Yiqiu gave her orders calmly, constantly observing the situation nearby.
“Get your clothes on properly, then tear them up a bit, make yourself look wretched. Later, no matter who comes in, just say you were here to steal money. If you dare mention a single word about Bewitching Powder or sully my reputation, I’ll take your life immediately!”
After speaking, she quickly knocked over the jewelry box left to her by her grandmother, scattering jewels all over the floor. Then she picked up a wooden chair and smashed it violently against the wall.
The huge crash successfully attracted the crowd that was ‘coincidentally’ walking nearby.
Song Sangyu was leading the group. Hearing the noise, a flash of confusion crossed her eyes. How could it be so fast…
It quickly turned into smugness. She immediately raised her voice, her tone worried.
“Ah! What was that sound? It came from my sister’s room. Sister? Sister, are you alright? Don’t scare me!”
She curtsied to the people around her, her face anxious, as if she truly felt deep affection for her sister.
“Everyone, please, let’s go see. My sister was feeling unwell and returned to her room just now. I hope nothing has happened!”
When Hongxiu saw the crowd arrive, she immediately knelt on the ground and, according to their plan, cried out loudly:
“Master, Madam! This servant… this servant thinks she saw the Eldest Miss and, and a groom in the room… This servant dares not say it!”
Her older brother, Song Tianhan, furiously rebuked:
“Absurd! Song Yiqiu! What wanton habits did you learn on the frontier, that you dare to do such a shameless thing in our own residence!”
The surrounding guests instantly broke into a flurry of discussion.
“Heavens, could such a thing happen…”
“An unmarried man and woman, alone in a room…”
“This Eldest Miss of the Song family is too…”
Her father’s face was ashen as he ordered, “Break down the door!”
The family servants quickly broke the door open. What everyone saw, however, was Song Yiqiu holding a blood-dripping gold hairpin, her clothes slightly disheveled but completely intact, her eyes vigilant.
The groom’s clothes were tattered. He was kneeling on the ground, clutching his face and wailing in agony, blood streaming down his leg.
Jewels were scattered on the floor, the wall bore the marks of being struck, and the room was a complete mess.
Song Yiqiu spoke first, her voice laced with the panic of a struggle.
“Father, Mother, esteemed uncles, this thief was audacious enough to sneak into my room to steal while I was unprepared. When I discovered him, he even tried to harm me. Fortunately, I learned some self-defense skills on the frontier and prevented him from succeeding!”
Song Sangyu was dumbfounded, completely taken by surprise. She subconsciously retorted:
“Impossible, Sister… you, are you alright? But… an unmarried man and woman alone in a room… in the end…”
She deliberately emphasized the words ‘unmarried man and woman,’ trying to steer the crowd’s thoughts back to her reputation.
Song Yiqiu sneered, then suddenly collapsed to the ground as if ‘exhausted.’ She squeezed out tears, her voice taking on a sobbing tone.
“Father, Mother, you must seek justice for your daughter!”
“I believe this was no simple robbery. This was clearly Second Sister’s personal maid, Hongxiu, colluding with an outside thief to steal my grandmother’s heirlooms.”
“After being discovered, they even wanted to kill me to silence me. This has become robbery and attempted murder!”
She had successfully shifted the focus to robbery and attempted murder, and the severity of the incident immediately escalated.
Song Sangyu’s face turned deathly pale. “Song Yiqiu! You’re spouting baseless accusations!”
Song Yiqiu abruptly raised her head, her gaze shooting straight at Song Sangyu.
“Oh? Then let me ask you, if not for a guilty conscience, why did Hongxiu lock the door from the outside after escorting me back to my room?”
She pointed to the lock on the floor.
“His Highness the Crown Prince can also testify that it was Hongxiu who helped me back!”
Xiao Yongjing stood leisurely at the back of the crowd. Seeing all eyes turn to him, he spoke faintly.
“It is indeed as I saw. It was that maid named Hongxiu who locked the door.”
Song Yiqiu burst into loud sobs, every word a piercing blow.
“Father, Mother, that a thief within the family is so hard to guard against!”
“Today, she dares to collude with an outsider to steal my property and harm my life. In the future, will she dare to steal the residence’s secrets and damage the family’s interests?”
“If this matter is not thoroughly investigated to serve as a warning to others, will there be any place left for me, the legitimate eldest daughter, in this Song residence?”