Chapter 023
Chapter 23: Helping Out
“Big miss, Jian Ping from Heir Apparent Duan’s side is here,” the steward hurried in to report.
Seeing the steward’s odd face, Xia Meng Yan asked: “What is it?”
The steward replied: “Jian Ping brought a man. He says this is the one who attacked Master after morning court.”
Xia Meng Yan was stunned. Duan Yi Chen had been with her since morning, and she had only just learned about her father’s attack. Yet he had already caught someone.
“I want to see which brat it is,” Xia Ping Yuan thundered and strode out.
Xia Meng Yan came back to herself and called out to stop him: “Father, didn’t we agree I would handle it?”
Xia Ping Yuan turned back. His eyes fell on his daughter’s belly. He was about to refuse when he heard her say: “It’s just questioning. If you’re worried, you can watch from behind.”
Madam Lin liked this plan. She pointed to a nearby courtyard and said to Xia Ping Yuan: “Let Yan’er question him here. We’ll sit inside the room.”
“Alright,” he agreed.
Moments later, Jian Ping hauled in a man and kicked his knee so he dropped to the ground.
“Big miss,” he said, “this is Wang Five. He’s the one who attacked Lord Xia. The heir apparent told this servant to tell you not to worry. He will back you on everything.”
Xia Meng Yan kept a calm face, but her heart felt warm. She looked at Chun Yue, who understood and handed a banknote to Jian Ping.
Jian Ping was about to refuse when Xia Meng Yan said: “There’s a new pastry shop on Main Street. Their plum blossom pastry is good. Your heir apparent loves it.”
Jian Ping instantly understood. Miss Xia was finding a way to give the heir apparent some silver. One thousand taels for plum blossom pastry—Miss Xia was generous. He bowed and said: “Big miss, don’t worry. This servant will take care of it,” and left.
Hearing the footsteps fade, Wang Five lifted his head with disdain. He saw a cool, sharp-looking young woman seated in a round armchair. Their eyes met. The corner of her mouth hooked up in a way that looked wicked and dangerous.
So this was the Xia Family’s legitimate eldest daughter, Xia Meng Yan, who divorced while pregnant.
A flicker of surprise crossed Wang Five’s eyes.
Xia Meng Yan looked him over and said: “You’re Wang Five. Let me guess: were you sent by Ping An Marquis Manor or by the Huo Family?”
Wang Five’s hands were tied, his hair was messy, and footprints marked his clothes. He said: “Who sent me doesn’t matter. Xia Ping Yuan disrupts the court and slanders loyal people. Everyone should want him dead.”
Xia Meng Yan laughed, not angry at all. She liked this type who kept talking about righteousness. She said: “Hit him.”
At her word, Guard Song’s palm snapped across Wang Five’s face. Blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.
Xia Meng Yan didn’t speak. After a short while, she heard Wang Five start to beg for mercy. She lifted her hand and Guard Song stepped back.
“It’s true,” Wang Five said at once, now meek, “someone gave me silver. But I don’t know who.”
Xia Meng Yan nodded, satisfied, and said: “Makes sense.” Then she added calmly: “Come. Break his leg.”
Wang Five panicked and pleaded, all the pride from before gone: “Big miss Xia, spare me. I won’t dare again. Please let me go this time.”
She said: “You took money to do a job. Getting your leg broken after being caught is normal. Didn’t you ever think about that?”
“Ah…”
Guard Song stepped forward and stomped down on Wang Five’s leg. With a crack, the bone snapped.
“Big miss Xia, have mercy,” Wang Five screamed again and again.
Xia Meng Yan stood up slowly. Cold light touched her eyes and brows as she said: “Wang Five, don’t blame the Xia Family for being cruel. Blame the person who paid you. That person clearly knows how the Xia Family handles things, yet still sent you. That means they never planned to let you walk away alive. Breaking one of your legs is already mercy.”
Wang Five said nothing.
She added: “Go back and tell the others. If you keep making trouble for the Xia Family, next time it won’t be just one leg.”
Wang Five wasn’t stupid. He knew she was trying to sow discord, but he still thought her words made sense.
“Let him go,” Xia Meng Yan said with a wave.
Guard Song grabbed Wang Five and dragged him out.
Xia Meng Yan glanced up toward the eaves. The Shadow Guard received the signal and disappeared.
Xia Ping Yuan walked out of the room and asked: “Yan’er, who do you think it was?”
Lately, the only ones the Xia Family had offended were Ping An Marquis Manor and the Huo Family, though it was possible someone else wanted to muddy the waters.
“It must be Ping An Marquis Manor,” Xia Meng Yan said. “Grand Madam Lin is clever and fake. Mother disliked her at first sight. This matter looks like people are defending the Huo Family, but it’s also someone using the Huo Family’s name to get revenge.”
“Whether it’s Ping An Marquis Manor or not, we’ll know soon,” Xia Meng Yan added as she took Madam Lin’s arm. “Mother, leave this kind of thing to me. You and Father should rest at home.”
No matter who it was, since someone dared to use such disgusting tricks on her father, she had to make them pay.
At dinner, the Shadow Guard came to report: “Big miss, Wang Five went to a small courtyard in the Western Quarter. The people who attacked Master after court were all there. After lunch, one of them slipped out and shared a table at a wonton stall. The person he shared with was the nanny who serves Grand Madam Lin.”
Xia Meng Yan had already guessed it. The Huo Family wasn’t that foolish. The people of Ping An Marquis Manor, on the other hand, were shallow.
Since they had confirmed the target, it was time to give them a lesson.
She crooked her finger. The Shadow Guard stepped forward. After hearing the big miss’s orders, the Shadow Guard’s mouth twitched, but he still nodded and accepted.
Nanny Song looked at Chun Yue and saw her frowning with worry too. She sighed in her heart. Master and madam were too relaxed. The big miss was pregnant, yet they still let her do as she liked. Since Master and madam didn’t stop her, their advice would be useless.
The next day, the rumors outside were half and half. Some said that half the court was Xia Ping Yuan’s political enemies, so it was no surprise he was attacked. Others said that good people face more hardship, that the Ping An Marquis and the Huo Family had secretly worked together to cheat the Xia Family out of silver, and now the two great houses had joined hands while the Xia Family got spat on. Heaven was unfair.
In short, the capital could not stop talking about the Xia Family and Ping An Marquis Manor.
This short chapter is not finished yet. Please click the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Xia Meng Yan didn’t care, but Grand Madam Lin was so angry at the gossip that she lost her appetite.
“Those wagging tongues,” she snapped, “they can’t stand to see the Marquis Manor doing well.”
Lin Ye Lan would be back in the capital soon. These rumors had to be suppressed. Otherwise, even with merit, he might displease the emperor.
“Mother,” Lin Hong said with a frown, “those people outside have been handled. I just didn’t expect that instead of caring about Xia Ping Yuan’s character, they dragged the Marquis Manor in and brought up old scandals again.”
Xia Ping Yuan had plenty of enemies. There were many who wanted him humiliated. Lin Hong had hoped to use this incident to crush the Marquis Manor’s scandal. Instead, the Marquis Manor got dragged down again.
Grand Madam Lin slammed the table. The jade bracelet on her wrist rang with a crisp sound as she said: “Think of something fast. Otherwise Ye Lan’s injury will have been for nothing.”
No matter what the Huo Family did, Lin Ye Lan had been wounded while suppressing bandits. The court should reward him in every way.
But if public rumors stayed ugly, His Majesty would have no reason to reward him.
Lin Hong tested the waters and asked: “What if we spread a scandal about Heir Apparent Duan and Xia Meng Yan?”
Hidden in the dark, Xia Meng Yan shot a playful look at the man beside her, as if to say: They’re about to dig a pit for you.
When they returned home that day, Marquis Xuan Ping had heard from the servants about the two of them shopping and immediately locked Duan Yi Chen up.
Duan Yi Chen didn’t care. Being grounded since childhood was like eating meals. He was used to it.
That night, he heard a tap on the window. Seeing Guard Song, his eyes lit up and he slipped out to follow.
He thought they were going to Xia Manor. Instead, they arrived at Ping An Marquis Manor and heard people planning to set him up.
“Dare to scheme against me?” Duan Yi Chen muttered, “Looking for death.”
He pinched the soft flesh at Xia Meng Yan’s waist and asked: “You brought me here just to hear this?”
Xia Meng Yan’s eyes curved like a little fox hiding treasure as she said: “Put this on.”
He took the thing in her hand—something like a veil, only thicker—and asked: “What for?”
“You’ll know soon,” Xia Meng Yan said. She shot a look at Guard Song. He understood at once. With a few quick boosts, he and the others tossed the prepared items into different spots around Ping An Marquis Manor.
Duan Yi Chen still didn’t understand. Then, not far away, firelight bloomed. Just as he was about to speak, there was a loud bang.