Yet he couldn’t tell the truth, nor could he hesitate for too long.
After a moment of thought, he steeled himself and replied, “Your Highness, this humble general did not question her further about the matter. I only felt it was likely true. Disappointed, I returned. The reason I did not come immediately to beg for Your Highness’s forgiveness was that I felt too ashamed to face you. However, this matter ultimately requires an explanation to Your Highness, so I came early this morning.”
With this explanation, even if Qingyao were later exposed, the prince wouldn’t blame him, right?
Song Jiuchen reviewed the official documents, his focused gaze deep and inscrutable. It seemed as though he was pondering every detail presented in the documents while also assessing the truth of Liu Hui’s words.
The guards on either side cautiously glanced at him.
Liu Hui didn’t even dare to breathe loudly.
Then, as Song Jiuchen picked up his brush and leaned over the desk to make annotations, he spoke.
“Go back and tell Shen Qingyao that although I am the ruler of the Southern Territory, I am not a tyrannical or unreasonable man who would force myself upon a woman. If she is unwilling, she may honestly state her thoughts. Based on proper principles and boundaries, I will not insist.
But if this reason is a deliberate deception born of her arrogance, meant to fool me, then by law, she shall be punished with twenty lashes, exiled to a harsh and cold land for three years of hard labor, and have her family property confiscated. However, if you are aware of this and shield her, you will be dismissed from your post and never employed again.”
“…” Wh-what?
Upon hearing this, Liu Hui was greatly shocked, frozen in place, utterly terrified.
Dismissed and never employed again?
No, no, no…
He hurriedly lowered his head, feeling as if he stood on the edge of an abyss or a frigid valley. “Yes, this humble official will go and inform her immediately.”
Already disregarding proper etiquette, he retreated from the hall with unsteady steps.
From his reaction, the two guards could already sense something amiss. After exchanging glances, they turned their eyes back to their prince.
From beginning to end, Song Jiuchen never looked up at Liu Hui, focusing solely on the task at hand, his emotions unreadable.
After finishing that document, he picked up the next one and opened it for review.
As his eyes scanned the lines, he calmly ordered, “Secretly surround the Drifting Clouds Teahouse. If Shen Qingyao does not come to confess her guilt by the hour of Chen the day after tomorrow, bring the imperial physician and the matron to examine her. If the facts do not match the truth, punish her according to my earlier words. Interrogate her maid strictly to determine whether Liu Hui was aware of this matter.”
His tone was even but brooked no argument.
Ye Zhao accepted the order. “Yes.”
Liu Hui sat trembling uncontrollably in the carriage, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
It’s over. It’s all over now. My official career has finally come to an end.
The prince still had suspicions—no, he was certain that Qingyao was deceiving him.
If only he had come to report the truth yesterday.
Thinking this, Liu Hui closed his eyes in despair, unsure if there was any room left for his situation to turn around.
At the Drifting Clouds Teahouse, Shen Qingyao leaned against the windowsill, casually observing Mo Niang across from her. “I haven’t seen you for so many days. I thought something had happened to you!”
“Hah!”
Mo Niang gave a forced, insincere smile. “Thank you for your concern?”
Shen Qingyao shook her head. “I’m not mocking you. The courage and sense of responsibility to stand up for your own lady—I admire that.”
“…” Mo Niang, who had prepared for a verbal battle, was slightly taken aback.
Then, she observed Shen Qingyao with suspicion and surprise. What trick was this girl trying to pull?
“Enough.” Shen Qingyao noted her reaction. “Stop being so suspicious. Have you settled the matter with that Young Master Zhang? Do you need my help?”
Although this woman had a sharp tongue and often tried to harm her, still…
Putting aside the fact that this woman was overly protective of her own.
The fact that she had persisted for two years, secretly giving Xiao Mei ten coins every day without expecting anything in return or praise—this kind of heart was something she admired even more.
Because in this woman’s perception, Xiao Mei was just a pitiful little beggar.
Mo Niang was stunned, unable to respond to her unusual attitude.
She simply closed the window, “No need, you should just worry about yourself!”
Shen Qingyao curled her lips, thinking, What a waste of good intentions.
Fine, if she didn’t want it, she didn’t want it.
She also closed her window, swayed her hips over to the desk, and decided to count her silver notes!
Her life could only be like this!
Little did she know, after Mo Niang closed the window, she didn’t leave. Instead, she watched through the window screen as Shen Qingyao closed her window and left, her eyes lowered with a complex expression flickering in them!
Liu Hui had already arrived at the teahouse and went straight into Shen Qingyao’s room, looking as if the sky had fallen.
When Shen Qingyao saw him, she didn’t even have time to put away the silver notes, “Uncle?”
“Uncle? I’m dead because of you.”
Liu Hui spat out his words angrily, his face grave as he pushed her aside and sat down on the chair himself.
Shen Qingyao, forced to stand aside, was completely bewildered!
But then she grew suspicious. Although she had already guessed what it was about in her heart, she still pretended to ask, “What’s wrong, Uncle?”
Liu Hui grabbed a handful of silver notes, glanced at them, and then tossed them aside indifferently.
Thirsty, he directly picked up Shen Qingyao’s cup of tea and gulped it down.
Shen Qingyao watched, disgusted but not daring to say anything.
After quenching his thirst, Liu Hui frowned and urged her, “You need to hurry, go to the Prince’s mansion and confess your crime. Beg the Prince properly, agree to all his demands, or we’re both finished.”
“…”
Shen Qingyao’s eyes flickered, and her face immediately paled, “What do you mean?”
Had he investigated her?
“What do you think?”
Liu Hui frowned at her, then repeated Song Jiuchen’s words verbatim.
A moment later, “Now, do you still have any illusions? Do you still think lying was the right thing to do?”
Shen Qingyao was stunned.
The shock and confusion in her eyes were nothing compared to the panic she felt at that moment.
This wasn’t just a message; it was clearly an ultimatum for her.
But how was this possible?
That day, the Prince had been so certain she was a fallen woman. Without anyone else raising doubts, the Prince would hardly have suspected her.
So…
Her clenched fingertips suddenly dug into her palm, and she looked at Liu Hui with an unusually calm gaze.
“Did you tell the Prince?”
She tilted her face, frowned, and asked, suppressing the disappointment in her heart.
Apart from her and Xiao Mei, only her uncle before her knew about this.
Liu Hui glared at her fiercely, “Stupid, if I had betrayed you, I wouldn’t be here delivering a message.”
Right.
Shen Qingyao immediately averted her gaze, as if she had obtained the truth she most desired. Nothing else mattered now.
If her uncle hadn’t betrayed her, then where had things gone wrong?
“Qingyao, don’t hold onto any illusions anymore. Hurry and come with me to confess. Maybe there’s still a chance for us to turn things around.” Liu Hui looked at her eagerly.
His future depended entirely on her ability to appease the Prince and turn the situation around. There was no other way.
Shen Qingyao’s gaze, blank and tinged with despair, fell on his face.
After hesitating for a moment, she forced a reassuring smile, “Uncle, don’t worry for now. How about this: you go back first, and let me think about how to confess. Don’t worry, I’ll do my best to protect your official position.”
Even she herself found her words unconvincing—how could she protect her uncle when she could barely protect herself?
But if she didn’t say that, what else could she say?
She needed time to calm down and sort through her thoughts.
Upon hearing this, Liu Hui paused, initially wanting to say, “What is there left to think about?” But then he felt this matter truly deserved careful consideration.
He stood up. “Alright, send someone to inform your uncle once you’ve made up your mind.”
“Mm!” Shen Qingyao nodded.
Liu Hui left.
Shen Qingyao watched him go, then sank into a chair.
She felt utterly drained, as if she were about to face a firing squad!
Where had things gone wrong?
She slumped forward onto the table, burying her face in her arms.
When a pair of deep, calm eyes that seemed to see through everything flashed through her mind…
Damn it!
She slammed her fist hard onto the table.