Chapter 103

Chapter 103: Why Didn’t You Know?

Qi Shu Xian received Da Li Court’s message and rushed out with Meng Yang, whose face was pale with fear. At the gate, they ran into Sheng Zhi Wan as she stepped onto a footstool to board her carriage.

“Sheng Zhi Wan, did you find the one who filed the complaint?” Qi Shu Xian asked in a low voice, biting out each word. Da Li Court’s people had not explained why, and he did not want outsiders to hear.

“What is the Heir Apparent talking about? I don’t understand.” Sheng Zhi Wan glanced at him coldly and turned into the carriage.

“Heir Apparent…” Meng Yang’s heart pounded.

Zhang Da Hu had never sent any news. He was like a blade hanging over her heart, ready to fall at any time. Now Da Li Court wanted her there too. Had he been caught?

“Don’t be afraid. I won’t let anyone harm you,” Qi Shu Xian said softly, trying to soothe her.

Two carriages from the Duke’s estate arrived at Da Li Court one after the other. Outside the court, a huge crowd had already gathered.

Sheng Zhi Wan stepped down first. Her dazzling beauty and noble bearing made the onlookers fall silent for a few breaths.

“So that’s Princess Qing Ning?!”

“I never thought a princess could be so beautiful. Qi Shu Xian is truly blessed.”

Many men could not help feeling jealous. But someone else objected, “Yet the Heir Apparent took Lady Meng as a concubine. That means Lady Meng is not inferior to Princess Qing Ning at all.”

“That’s right. To marry a wife is to marry virtue. Lady Meng is kind and skilled. Princess may be stunning, but Lady Meng surely won’t be worse than her.”

Under the crowd’s eager gaze, Meng Yang stepped down as well, holding Qi Shu Xian’s arm.

After Sheng Zhi Wan’s breathtaking appearance, Meng Yang, who was only fairly pretty, was instantly pushed into the dust. Forget Sheng Zhi Wan. In capital city, where beauties were everywhere, Meng Yang’s looks did not stand out at all.

“This…” a scholar murmured, voicing what many thought. “Lady Meng looks rather ordinary.”

“Shallow!” Su Qi Nian snapped.

Though his leg was injured, he had followed along through the pain. Like Meng Yang, he came from a farming family, and he admired her deeply. Hearing someone belittle her, he immediately spoke for her.

“Since ancient times, beauties have brought calamity. How can an ordinary woman who only serves her husband with her looks in the inner courtyard compare to Lady Meng?”

“She can serve her husband at home, honor the elders, save lives outside, and even created Jiao Niang Wine, a rare and fine brew. A woman like Lady Meng is truly a remarkable woman of capital city!”

His voice rang out. The scholar who had spoken lowered his head at once, ashamed.

Meng Yang heard Su Qi Nian’s words and gave him a grateful smile.

Su Qi Nian’s heart surged even more.

Sheng Zhi Wan did not care about the talk behind her. She had already entered Da Li Court. Qi Shu Xian led Meng Yang inside as well.

The moment they entered the hall, they noticed someone lying on the floor.

His hair was a mess, his clothes were torn, and he looked terrifying. Only one arm remained of his limbs. He barely looked human.

Meng Yang covered her mouth and cried out, stepping back on instinct.

At the sound of her voice, the figure that looked like a dead dog jerked his head up. He crawled toward her without caring about anything else. “Meng Yang! Vile woman! Give me your life!”

Meng Yang’s face went bloodless. Qi Shu Xian quickly moved in front of her.

The constables reacted and rushed forward.

The Court Minister looked at the chaos and shouted, “Silence!”

The gavel slammed. The man still struggled, but he finally stopped shrieking. Only his eyes remained, filled with hatred, locked on Meng Yang.

Behind Qi Shu Xian, Meng Yang nearly fainted.

Zhang Da Hu. It really was Zhang Da Hu.

Not only was he alive, he had become this ghostly thing.

But if he was alive, shouldn’t he have tried every way to help her kill Sheng Zhi Wan? Why was he looking at her with such mad hatred? She had saved his life. She had even had people carry out his brother’s body so it could be buried.

The Court Minister bowed to Qi Shu Xian and Sheng Zhi Wan, then began the questioning. “Who is below the hall?”

The Cuju Man finally tore his gaze away. “Former Tiger Guard Centurion, Zhang Da Hu!”

Zhang Da Hu?!

Qi Shu Xian was stunned by the name. Not long ago, he had even met Zhang Da Hu when he invited comrades for wine. Meng Yang had treated him. At the time, Zhang Da Hu had told him he must protect Meng Yang well.

So why did he hate her like this now?

Even Qi Shu Xian felt chilled by the venom in Zhang Da Hu’s eyes.

Meng Yang bit her lip hard, thoughts racing.

“And who do you accuse?” the Court Minister asked.

“Meng Yang!” Zhang Da Hu shouted, each word like bleeding. “I accuse Meng Yang, that vile woman!”

“She deceived us, saying Qian Ji Powder had no cure, causing hundreds of soldiers poisoned by Qian Ji Powder to seek a quick death in despair and agony!”

“Not only that, she stepped on our corpses to build her good name, leaving hundreds of soldiers unable to rest in peace!”

At the name Qian Ji Powder, Qi Shu Xian’s eyes narrowed.

He knew about Meng Yang treating wounded soldiers back then. He had been busy moving troops and only heard a few hurried details, but he did remember her saying those soldiers suffered from an incurable poison.

But… Qian Ji Powder?

How could it be Qian Ji Powder?

“Impossible!” Meng Yang relaxed slightly at those words. Her face looked wronged as she said, “Lord, Qian Ji Powder is an incurable poison. If I hadn’t cut off the poisoned parts in time and stitched the wounds to stop the bleeding, they would have been tortured by the pain until they wished for death.”

As she spoke, she suddenly looked toward Sheng Zhi Wan. “Princess, I know you resent me, but I never thought you would send someone to frame me.”

Yes. It had to be Sheng Zhi Wan’s torture. That must be why Zhang Da Hu was forced to accuse her and hate her.

With that thought, Meng Yang felt she had found the point. She turned back with teary eyes to look at the man beside her.

Sheng Zhi Wan did not argue. She only smiled with open scorn and looked at Qi Shu Xian. “Qian Ji Powder has no cure? Then perhaps the Heir Apparent should tell his beloved concubine himself.”

Meng Yang froze.

Qi Shu Xian’s throat felt dry.

It was too late. Only now did he learn that the soldiers’ poison had been Qian Ji Powder.

If he had known on the battlefield, he could have stopped Meng Yang. If he had known even a little earlier, he could have used other methods to silence those who knew.

But this had come out in Da Li Court, in front of so many commoner.

Qi Shu Xian looked at Sheng Zhi Wan again.

This absolutely had something to do with her. Otherwise, why would she be here?

He knew Sheng Zhi Wan disliked Meng Yang, but he had never thought she would choose to expose it in full public view. Meng Yang had meant well by saving people, but Sheng Zhi Wan was trying to drive her to death and drag him into disgrace as well.

Meng Yang sensed the shift in the crowd’s eyes. Panic rose. She looked at Qi Shu Xian, trembling.

Qi Shu Xian drew a deep breath. “Qian Ji Powder was once incurable, but more than twenty years ago, the late Senior Imperial Physician Song developed an antidote. The late Crown Prince ordered it spread widely. Therefore, any healer in Sheng Kingdom knows the formula for Qian Ji Powder’s cure.”

Qi Shu Xian’s words slammed into Meng Yang’s chest.

How… how could this be?

Sheng Zhi Wan stepped forward. “This may not be known by everyone in Sheng Kingdom, but among healers, no one should be unaware.”

Her eyes were cold. “So I wonder, Concubine Meng, who claimed in the army to be kind and highly skilled- why didn’t you know?”

“Or could it be that you are a spy sent by another country?”