Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 341 Lying

Qin Jiu is a talented person, but a talented person cannot be used by me, nor can they be used by others. When Qin Jiu was imprisoned, Luo An did have some doubts about An Liangchen, but after Qin Jiu returned safely, Luo An was relieved, even though Qin Jiu's spirits were not very good.

Who knew that Liang Qingcheng was pregnant, the emperor interfered, and Su Hexiang held a grudge against Qin Jiu, so Qin Jiu lost his life.

Regardless, Nianyao had misunderstood An Liangchen. Luo An decided to explain the whole story to Nianyao.

Luo An walked around the screen and saw that the bed curtains were completely covering the bed. He hesitated slightly, but still slowly walked over, pulled a chair to the bedside, sat down, and began to recount the cause and effect of the matter.

Luo An sat sideways, looking at the wall, and began to recount the events leading up to and following, including the anomalies he discovered during the autopsy:

“An Liangchen cherishes talent after all. Qin Jiu is a member of the martial arts world, and because of the Jingzhao Manor incident, it’s impossible for him not to have any grudges against Nan Yue. He is also on good terms with Luo An. In any case, An Liangchen never thought of killing Qin Jiu.”

Qin Jiu had been taking a muscle-relaxing powder for a long time, and later aphrodisiacs, which first ruined his martial arts skills and then destroyed his vital energy, naturally leaving him in a very poor state. Just like what I saw that day.

Qin Jiu only lost her martial arts skills; her life was not in danger. Unexpectedly, Jing Ze came to the Duke's mansion under the pretext of looking for his brother, and somehow ended up getting involved with Liang Qingcheng and even becoming pregnant.

At this point, Qin Jiu's situation became extremely awkward. Liang Qingcheng was a smart woman; she left Bianjing to live a humble life, but now, right under the emperor's nose and by her parents' side, she naturally didn't take Qin Jiu, who was like a caged beast, seriously.

As Liang Qingcheng's belly grew larger and larger, Princess Minghui was the first to become restless. She bypassed An Liangchen and went directly to the Emperor.

Qin Jiu was unable to leave the Duke's mansion and was essentially under house arrest. Later, seeing that the situation was not good, he simply abandoned all pretense of staying inside the mansion, believing that the most dangerous place was the safest place.

It would be utterly unacceptable for Qin Jiu, a perfectly healthy person, to die in the Duke's mansion. And by sheer coincidence, Luo An invited Qin Jiu to play chess, which Qin Jiu couldn't refuse. Having lost all his martial arts skills, and facing both the Duke's mansion and the Emperor, the outcome was predictable.

Luo An paused for a moment, then decided to apologize: "I'm sorry, I..."

"I lied!" Before he could finish speaking, Luo An suddenly realized something was wrong. He reached out and pulled back the bed curtains, but there was no one on the bed.

Luo An lifted the covers, revealing a set of pale yellow winter clothes underneath. He was familiar with this color and this outfit; it was this very outfit that had amazed everyone, including him.

Suddenly, a strange emotion surged into his heart. What was it? Luo An gripped his clothes tighter and tighter, the feeling in his heart growing heavier and heavier, until he realized it was fear!

What's there to be afraid of? Nianyao is gone, that's not important. As long as he's in Bianjing, he can find her. But her leaving without saying goodbye means that Nianyao not only doesn't trust him, but also has no intention of relying on him.

Trust is like building a tall building; it takes countless hardships to build, but it can collapse in an instant, and it is almost impossible to restore it.

Luo An took a while to get up and walk to the back window, closing the slightly ajar window tightly. He turned around and leaned against the window, staring blankly at the bed.

Every question Nianyao raised was reasonable, and every prediction she made was correct.

Luo An noticed something was wrong with Qin Jiu when they were at the Duke's mansion, but An Liangchen and Nan Hua were both there, so he couldn't ask her for details. All he could think about was that Qin Jiu was alive.

Qin Jiu's suicide was staged, and Luo An insisted on telling Nian Yao that Qin Jiu had committed suicide. He truly betrayed Nian Yao's trust.

How could he lie? How could he apologize? How could he be like this? How did he become like this?

Since Nianyao didn't expose his lie, how could she accept his apology? Besides, what's the use of an apology?

Nianyao went to the palace to find Suhexiang, but she didn't take the proper route, since jumping out of windows, scaling walls, and climbing rooftops were her forte. Nianyao sat on the rooftop, watching Suhexiang in the courtyard wielding a soft whip and lashing out at the palace maids.

The palace maid knelt on the ground, trembling, kowtowing repeatedly, begging for mercy as she was being tortured: "Please, Your Excellency, spare my life! Please, Your Excellency, spare my life! Please, Your Excellency, spare my life..."

Suhexiang kicked the palace maid to the ground: "You dare to seduce a man right under my nose? You must have a death wish. Since you're so desperate for men, I'll grant your wish and send her to the military kiln."

After the guards dragged the palace maid away, Su Hexiang subtly moved her hand, and the soft whip, which had injured her muscles but not bones, transformed back into a beautiful belt. Su Hexiang dusted off her sleeves, tilted her head slightly, and looked at Nianyao sitting on the roof: "Madam Luo, have you seen enough?"

Nianyao leaped down, not bothering to waste words with Su Hexiang: "You killed Ninth Brother!"

Su Hexiang was slightly taken aback, then sneered: "Madam Luo, are you hard of hearing or have a bad memory? I said not long ago that I was punished by being banned from leaving the palace for six months. Besides, I know my own limitations. I can punish a palace maid without any problem, but I wouldn't go so far as to provoke Qin Jiu."

Those who understand the times are wise. Su Hexiang couldn't beat Qin Jiu, so naturally she wouldn't challenge him to a fight.

Su Hexiang came to her senses and laughed: "Liang Qingcheng? She's really ruthless! She drugged Qin Jiu first, then took his life. Truly, the most poisonous heart is that of a woman."

Nianyao stared at her and said calmly, "I went to find Jingze before I came to find you."

Suhexiang wasn't surprised: "Oh?"

Nianyao said, "Can you tell me everything you know now?"

Su Hexiang, of course, wouldn't cooperate like that: "Madam Luo, things are different now. Give me a reason?"

Nianyao took out a red silk ribbon: "If I give this ribbon to the Crown Princess, what do you think she will do?"

Su Hexiang, a seasoned veteran of the martial world, showed no fear: "I guess she'll make me a concubine. But I don't want to. A concubine is still a mistress, and I won't be one."

Wanting to be a wife, not a concubine? The Crown Prince's principal wife?

Nianyao said, "Jingze said that you brought him to Bianjing, instructed him to seduce his sister-in-law Liang Qingcheng, and instructed him to go to the Duke's mansion to recognize his brother and take the opportunity to live there legitimately. What was your purpose?"

Su Hexiang frowned: "He told you all this?"

Nianyao brandished the sword in her hand: "When a person is about to die, their words are good."

Su Hexiang's pupils widened slightly, and she subconsciously wanted to step back, but then she stood still and said frankly, "One must bring gifts when surrendering."

Nianyao instantly understood: "Although it was General Yan who recommended you, you still felt it wasn't sincere enough. Ninth Brother is your grand gift to Prince An."

Su Hexiang invited Qin Jiu to Wenxianglou for drinks, intending to cause trouble, and then instructed Jing Ze to seduce Liang Qingcheng and get her pregnant. Ultimately, this destroyed Qin Jiu's last chance of survival.

Now that things have come to this, Su Hexiang made no attempt to hide anything: "Crown Prince An doesn't want to give people something to talk about, but things still have to be done by someone. Let Liang Qingcheng and me be the bad guys. Besides, on Chongming Island, Ninth Brother always sided with you, and I wasn't happy about that. If it weren't for Ninth Brother, I might be Madam Luo now."

Nianyao frowned slightly: "Didn't you want to be the Crown Princess?"

Su Hexiang said, "The status of the Lady of the Imperial Physician's Manor is no less than that of the Crown Princess; either one is fine."

What a bold idea!