Qin Liangyu narrowed her eyes slightly and pinched out the incense. The man had likely been there for some time, having inhaled a deeper dose of the stupefying drug, and could not be roused for the moment.
Though she had sensed it earlier, she had still breathed in some of the stupefying smoke and felt somewhat weakened. She could only lean against the wall to recover her strength while pondering how to get out.
The windows of the chamber had also been sealed shut, but she had seen this sort of method used before and thought it might be worth attempting.
She tore down a strip of the curtain beside her, soaked it with the clean water on the table, found a pole used to prop the door, and twisted them together.
The method actually worked. With a forceful twist, the window creaked open.
She had heard footsteps earlier, and now that the window was open, she paid no mind to the man on the bed. Stepping onto the table, she leapt out through the window.
A quick glance showed that the group heading this way around the corner was none other than Madam Fang and Qin Yi's party.
The two were indeed birds of a feather, having devised such a contemptible scheme to harm her.
Perhaps out of fear of disturbing the sanctity of the Buddhist temple, they had not gone to the extreme—using only ordinary stupefying smoke. Had they used those base drugs instead, had she caught even a whiff of them, she would have been left helpless in that room, at their mercy.
The original owner of this body was pitiable as well. Her days were already hard enough, yet the people of the household were still doing their utmost to harm a young girl.
Seeing that the group was about to discover her, Qin Liangyu turned on her heel, passed through the corridor behind, and entered a rather secluded chamber.
She had barely closed the door and caught her breath when a flash of cold light appeared before her eyes, and a chill sensation touched her neck.
Realizing she had likely stumbled into someone's resting place by accident, she could only calm herself and speak.
"Sir, do not misunderstand. I did not intend to intrude. If you lower your sword, I will leave."
"Accidentally?" came a voice from behind, slightly unsteady in its breathing.
Hearing this familiar voice, Qin Liangyu's breath caught, and a flurry of thoughts raced through her mind.
"Indeed, I have no ill intentions whatsoever. If you do not believe me, you may ask the abbot. I came only to offer incense and stay a few days. I am unfamiliar with the temple's paths, which is why I wandered into your quarters by mistake."
The woman spoke with clear logic, and seeing that she posed no real threat, Jiang Zhi had no choice but to lower his sword and say coldly, "In that case, you may return."
Qin Liangyu let out a breath. Without looking at him further, she was about to unbolt the door when she heard Jiang Zhi speak again from behind: "Miss, it would be best not to mention to anyone what you saw in this room today. Otherwise…"
With her back turned to him, her cool brows and eyes fixed on the wood shavings on the door, she spoke solemnly: "Sir, rest assured. We are strangers to each other, and I will not invite trouble."
Though she had entered in haste and had been held at swordpoint by Jiang Zhi, she had still caught the faint scent of blood on him—he was likely badly wounded.
In a sacred Buddhist site, bearing the smell of blood—what good could that possibly mean?
Only after stepping out the door did Qin Liangyu slowly press a hand to her chest, astonishment flooding her heart…
Jiang Zhi… How could he be in the capital?
The two had grown up together. Jiang Zhi's father and her own father shared the bond of comrades-in-arms, and the two families had frequent dealings. Before she had married, she had often played with him, and later they had spent two years together at the border.
It was only after they had returned to the capital that war had once again broken out at the frontier.
Jiang Zhi was the heir of the Xiping Marquis Manor, carrying on his father's ambitions. In his youth, he was full of aspirations, and without much deliberation, he requested to return to the border once more—another two years gone.
During those years at the border, they had very little contact. It was only before her death that she vaguely heard Jiang Zhi had won a great victory, and the emperor, greatly pleased, had bestowed upon him the rank of General of the Flying Cavalry, a second-grade official title.
But at this moment, the border conflict should not yet have subsided—how could he have returned to the capital?
There was no time to dwell on it. The side chamber likely still had a mess waiting for her, so she could only smooth her slightly disheveled hair from running, straighten her clothes, and then retrace her steps back to her own quarters.
Sure enough, Madam Fang and Qin Yi were both seated inside, and the unconscious man had already awakened, standing off to the side looking bewildered.
Qin Liangyu found it amusing—had they set up the stage and were merely waiting for the lead actress to make her entrance?
She pretended nothing was amiss as she walked in, addressing Madam Fang as "Mother," then feigning confusion, asked in a timid voice: "Mother and Sister, were you both waiting here for me?"
Qin Yi saw that her face was perfectly clear-headed, let alone showing any sign of having inhaled stupefying smoke, and knew that today's scheme had likely already failed. But at this point, she could only strike first: "We happened to pass by here and saw your door shut tight. We called out for ages with no answer, and when we opened it, we found Wang Ran lying inside with his clothes in disarray."
Qin Liangyu smiled, asking with an innocent air: "Wang Ran? I've only met him once that day—how could there be any entanglement between us?"
"Could it be that someone arranged to meet him but didn't give clear directions, and he entered the wrong room?"
She glanced at Wang Ran, who seemed to have just woken up, gathering his clothes, his rather ordinary face betraying no expression.
But Madam Fang slammed the table: "You still have the nerve to quibble here! He is your Second Sister's betrothed. Who knows if you seduced him while he was visiting the manor, luring him here for a secret rendezvous."
Qin Liangyu sneered coldly, finding it utterly amusing.
These two had played their cards well.
Today's scheme was a two-birds-with-one-stone affair—it could ruin her reputation while also destroying the marriage Qin Yi was dissatisfied with.
At this point, she understood everything clearly. She sat down as well, lightly tapping the table, raising an eyebrow at Madam Fang: "Mother, you should think twice before speaking. Though Grandmother stays within the manor, her authority is not to be trifled with. She told me today that Father is preparing to select the imperial merchants. This is Zhengqing Temple, where many nobles and officials are present. If I were truly wronged and went outside to cry about it, I fear no one would come out well from that."
Of course, the Old Madam had never told her anything about selecting imperial merchants—that was something she had heard from Qin Wenyan earlier today.
But now, she intended to frighten this Madam Fang.
Madam Fang felt as though an invisible slap had been dealt to her face. These days, nothing annoyed her more than anyone bringing up the matter of being reprimanded by the Old Madam.
Yet this girl had done so time and again, and now she was even threatening her. Still, what she said was not without reason—she truly did not dare to make a scene within the temple.
So she steadied herself and cast a sidelong glance at Qin Liangyu: "Aren't you afraid that making a big scene will damage your own reputation?"
Qin Liangyu: "I'm only afraid that human hearts have turned wicked, and I'll be schemed against."
Madam Fang was left speechless, about to press further, when Wang Ran, who had been watching quietly from the side all along, finally spoke.
“This young lady speaks the truth. I did enter the wrong place—I came here with a fellow student but took a wrong turn. I must have been weary, so I lay down here and dozed off for a while. Fortunately, no great harm was done, though it has unfairly caused Miss Five to be misunderstood. Rest assured, Madam, I, Wang Ran, will surely inform my uncle of this matter and seek his understanding.”
Qin Yi stared at her betrothed before her, her mind buzzing. How could he have come up with such a story!
Yet with his words, Wang Ran had taken the entire matter upon himself—something they had never anticipated, and she found herself at a loss for how to handle it.
Just moments ago, Cuiping had clearly seen her enter the side chamber with her own eyes and had personally locked the door.
But when they had come in just now, they had not seen Qin Liangyu—only the half-open window and Wang Ran, still dazed and unaware.