Wei Chan was pushed into the side yard, with messy hair, red eyes and untidied clothes. Jian Xubai was waiting for her. How dare Ji Su give her enough time to do any make-up!

After seeing clearly Jian Xubai sitting on the seat of honor, this 13-year-old girl still was frightened with terror, as pale and weak as a flower in the stormy rain. Even though she was not very beautiful, she looked very delicate and charming now.

Pitifully, Jian Xubai didn't care about it at all. He glanced at her coldly without even offering her a seat, asking bluntly, “What did you say to your cousin? She cried for a long time after going back to the bedroom!”

“It is not a secret that you love Yixiao.” Wei Chan was dazed. Suspicion and despair were lingering on her face at first, which turned into derision, “In light of your ident.i.ty, if you want to fulfill filial duty for Yixiao, just do it. Why do you bother to find an excuse?”

“Fulfill filial duty?” Jian Xubai had a keen mind. Hearing that, he sensed that it must have something to do with his mother-in-law. He hesitated and then asked with a cold face, “Your cousin almost pa.s.sed out for crying too heavily after returning to our room. I tried to ask her but she still didn't tell me why. What on earth happened?”

“Yixiao didn't tell you?” Wei Chan stayed silent for a while and suddenly chuckled, “Ah, right! Putting aside her duty, it is always said that like mother, like daughter. Even if you like her very much, how long are you two married? How dare she take the risk and let you know about it?”

Jian Xubai laughed too. He was a handsome man, who looked extremely charming and spirited when he stretched his eyebrows and smiled. However, his eyes were as dark and cold as a pond, containing no emotion at all; meanwhile, they were also as sharp as an unsheathed sword.

“Since you turn to Yixiao, obviously you don't want to die.” He talked in a relaxed and yet teasing tone but his words made Wei Chan s.h.i.+ver subconsciously, “It is easiest to handle those who fear death. If you want to play a petty trick, I won't mind having you taught well before questioning you about the matter again!”

Wei Chan wanted to sound out for more information, but as she glimpsed his gloomy and impatient face, she didn't dare to hesitate anymore. She braced herself up and asked fearfully, “You… You are here not to kill me?”

“Idiot!” Ji Su couldn't stand her anymore and then yelled at her as a reminder, “Who are you? If His Highness wants to kill you, only a bit of hint can have you buried alive! It is late at night now and His Highness has to go to court tomorrow. If His Highness didn't want to give you a chance, why would His Highness come here to question you himself?”

Actually, Wei Chan also knew about it, but as her life was involved, how could she feel a.s.sured without a guarantee?

After hearing Ji Su's words, she laughed with self-mockery and said, “Now that my reputation is ruined, I have nothing but my life. Although people all think I deserve to die, I will absolutely not abandon myself then!”

Since she wanted to live, she must be obedient for now. She started to talk from the beginning, “My auntie has been trying to make Guanyun the heir of the prince after he was born. Unfortunately, the Dowager Consort wants Lu Guanlun to the heir!”

The Dowager Consort and Wei Mengying didn't get along and even contended for the position seriously. However, Prince of Hengshan halted among the candidates. Even though they took the upper hand, the die was not cast yet.

Under this circ.u.mstance, Wei Mengying felt worried because her birth son, Lu Guanyun was too young with an unexpected prospect while Lu Guanlun was old enough to get married. “Once the Dowager Consort successfully helps Lu Guanlun marry a girl of high birth, he will gain the support of his wife. By then, Auntie may not be able to withstand him. Therefore, Auntie focused on winning favor from the Prince and protecting Guanyun, thus paying less attention to Yixiao. Gradually, Auntie and Yixiao have harbored grudge.”

“Especially after Yixiao was chosen by you at the feast of the Shangsi Festival, she returned to Prince of Hengshan's mansion and yet didn't tell Auntie about it. She didn't confess until the imperial decree was issued! However, Auntie has learnt about it beforehand, so she is worried that Yixiao won't do the favor for Guanyun even if she gains favor from you after getting married!”

Wei Mengying was confident to get her daughter to side with her, but it took time!

However, the Dowager Consort didn't give her the time!

Therefore, Wei Mengying thought back and forth and decided to set against Lu Guanlun directly.

After all, Prince of Hengshan had several other sons. His eldest son and fifth son were both concubines' children, who were born inferior to Lu Guanyun, a legitimate son born of the step-wife; his second son, born by his first wife, was inherently superior to Lu Guanyun, but he was not favored by the Dowager Consort or Prince of Hengshan. Worse still, he married a jealous, unreasonable and sonless woman. It was fair enough to say that there were too many reasons why he couldn't be the heir!

Only Lu Guanlun, born by a legitimate wife, was also honest and sincere, whose academic performance was not bad, thus being the Dowager Consort's favor. He even gained the favor from Prince of Hengshan. If it were not for that Wei Mengying snared her husband too well, Lu Guanyun would never be qualified to compete with Lu Guanlun!

“However, although Lu Guanlun is a benign and openhearted man who is not hard to be inflicted, the Dowager Consort is such a shrewd woman. How can she not protect him well?” Wei Chan smiled bitterly, “Auntie wants to do something but she just can't find an opportunity. Afterwards, she decided to conduct a plot at the Dowager Consort's birthday feast!”

On the Dowager Consort's birthday, a lot of guests arrived.

The Dowager Consort was occupied from morning to night on that day.

Thus, as long as she could avoid the intelligencer, it was enough to beat Lu Guanlun into the abyss before the Dowager Consort realized it!

“It is an extremely evil doing that a stepmother sets against her stepson. Madam Liu, the former stepmother of Yixiao, is a ready-made example!” Of course Wei Mengying must learn the lesson, “Auntie didn't dare to let her maid do it, so she thought of me.”

Nevertheless, unexpectedly, Wei Chan not only failed her mission but also was raped under the arrangement of the Dowager Consort. Worse still, the Dowager Consort even had the goods on her and forced her to hurt Lu Guanyun!

“Auntie always pays much attention to Guanyun, so the people of the Dowager Consort can never go near him. However, she didn't guard against me anyway, so I covered up my sufferings and returned to the feast. Then I pretended to pour the soup on Guanyun accidentally and successfully brought him back to his room to get changed.”

Lu Guanyun was only four years old. What could he know? After Wei Chan helped him get changed, she sent him away with an excuse and then put the incense given by the Dowager Consort's men into his incense burner.

“Pitifully, the people a.s.signed by Auntie to serve Guanyun are really shrewd. They realized that something was wrong with the incense short after it was burned. Then they immediately reported it to Auntie and as a result, Auntie sent Guanyun to Hanxia Villa at once and initiated thorough investigation!”

Wei Chan was forced to do it so she was so frightened after learning about that. Hence, she returned home hastily with an excuse!

“After I went back home, I told my grandmother and mother about what happened. They showed sympathy for me but they were more afraid to p.i.s.s off Auntie. Hence, we decided to conceal the whole thing. Afterwards, when I heard that Guanyun was fine and that the Dowager Consort stopped threatening me, I thought it must be over!” She started to shed tears, “However, two days ago, Auntie sent Ms. Bo to the Wei Family to deliver a message. According to her, Her Majesty Empress Dowager says that Lu Guanlun is very likely to be the heir of Prince of Hengshan. However, Auntie was unhappy with the result, so she forced the Dowager Consort to agree to let the daughter of the Wei Family marry Lu Guanlun. Since I am the only one unmarried girl of the Wei Family, of course I would be the one to marry Lu Guanlun!”

It was not that she never doubted that the sudden marriage arrangement was actually a trap.

However, faced with temptation, people always wanted to try their luck. Particularly, the Wei Family, including her father, didn't know about her sufferings but Elder Lady Cao and Madam Mu.

After learning about the news, all the people within the family were bursting with happiness. Even the other four branches of the family all expressed their congratulations for the first branch. The fifth branch especially regretted that their daughter, who was only two years older than Wei Chan, married too early. Otherwise, the first branch might not be so lucky to get the pie!

Under this circ.u.mstance, how could Wei Chan say no?

“Now that Lu Guanlun wants to break off the engagement, I can't hide my sufferings on the Dowager Consort's birthday feast or the matter that I hurt Guanyun. The seniors are afraid that only the annul engagement for marriage is not enough to let Auntie vent her anger. Even if she doesn't continue setting against the Wei Family, she will never help with the Wei Family's descendants' prospect!” Wei Chan wiped off her tears and said in a low voice, “Moreover, I am not a virgin anymore. Hence, they decided to let me die of a critical illness, which not only broke off the marital engagement as per Lu Guanlun's intention but also let Auntie feel avenged. In this way, my family will not be implicated!”

“My mother quietly released me out of love and wanted me to go to my uncle in Fengzhou for a shelter… However, in my view, even if I can arrive in Fengzhou safe and sound, will my uncle take me in? After all, even the Wei Family doesn't want me.”

“Thus, I may as well take a chance and turn to Yixiao!”

“After all, Yixiao is birth daughter of Auntie. Maybe she can successfully help plead for me?”

She looked up at Jian Xubai, “You wanted to know what I told Yixiao? To be honest, all I said was merely truth! After all, her pity for me is my last life-saving straw. Since she wants to know about the truth, how dare I lie to her?”

Speaking of this, she asked in a low voice, “Now that you have learned the ins and outs of the matter, I wonder how you will deal with me.”

“You mean, on the Dowager Consort's birthday feast, my mother-in-law asked you to deliberately offended Zifu when Lu Guanlun walked past?” Jian Xubai narrowed his eyes, “However, after you offended Zifu, instead of creating difficulties for you as your Auntie wished, he only belittled your appearance and left. Hence, he didn't come into a conflict with Lu Guanlun afterwards?”

Wei Chan didn't expect that he should ask such a question after hearing her out, so she was dazed for a while before she replied, “Yes.”

“Send her back to Jiangxing Villa.” Jian Xubai contemplated for a while and then raised his head, saying, “Besides, a.s.sign two servants for her and don't let her make Yixiao sad again. Understood?”

Ji Su bended down and took the order.

Wei Chan failed to understand his thought and wanted to ask for more details. Nevertheless, Nudged by Ji Su, she was suggested to leave. Then he warned her in a low voice, “Leave! His Highness is not pleased tonight. Don't ever do stupid things!”

After Wei Chan was conducted away, Ji Su turned around and went back only to see Jian Xubai still sitting on the seat of honor. He couldn't help persuading, “Your Highness, it is very late now and you have to go to court tomorrow morning. After the court meeting, you have to be on duty at the Ministry of War. If you still don't go to sleep, how can you get through a whole day tomorrow?”

He was afraid that Jian Xubai might dislike his mother-in-law and even Song Yixiao due to Wei Chan's words, so he struggled and then said, “What Miss Wei said is only her side of the story. Maybe her words are not all true. Moreover, even if the Princess Consort did something wrong, since Madam cries for Miss Wei, Madam must be a very kind woman. The saying that like mother, like daughter is only a folk gossip, which cannot be regarded seriously!”

“Of course not all her words are true.” Jian Xubai heard him and yet waved his hand, saying with a casual air, “But maybe it is not that she lied to me but that she is not aware of being framed!”

Seeing the surprised look of Ji Su, rather than explain to him, Jian Xubai only stood up and said, “I was pondering over some loopholes in her words and now I have thought through. Let's go. By the way, remember to have a familiar doctor come here tomorrow in case that the information can't match when you tell Grandmother!”