Chapter 188

Chapter 188: The Scapegoat With Song Shulan's consent, County Princess Rongjia excitedly sent Chen De's Wife back to the Rong Prince Mansion. "Tell Mother that we must find the most capable person. Don't make a fuss about this matter, or Old Madame and the Marquis will blame me again." County Princess Rongjia was being very cautious now. Chen De's Wife boarded the carriage and departed. The journey from Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion to Rong Prince Mansion, round trip, would take quite a few hours—best to return before nightfall. After Chen De's Wife left, Zhuqing began to panic. The garden had been cordoned off. Others didn't know what was going on, but Zhuqing did. She paced back and forth in her room. "Lixiang?" Zhuqing called out several times, but no one answered. Holding her belly, she walked to the doorway and bumped into a flustered Lixiang. She grabbed Lixiang and dragged her inside. "Where did you go? You wouldn't have gone to report me, would you?" Lixiang shook her head vigorously. "This servant is on the same boat as Concubine. How would this servant dare to report you?" "I was too hasty. I shouldn't have treated you that way." Zhuqing closed the door and took out all the private savings she had accumulated these past days. "Lixiang, will you help me or not?" Lixiang knew everything about her and Zheng Side. That day, Zheng Side had come asking her for money, but she truly didn't want to give him any more. Zheng Side was like a bottomless pit—besides taking advantage of her, he kept demanding money. Zhuqing had already told Zheng Side no, but he threatened her, saying that if she didn't give him money, he would hang her dudou on a tree and let everyone in the marquis mansion see what a shameless woman Zhuqing was. As the two argued, someone suddenly passed by nearby. Zhuqing nearly fell and was caught in Zheng Side's arms. The two froze for a moment, then Zheng Side leaned close to her ear. "Look at you, why are you being so coy with me? The child in your belly—it's mine, isn't it?" "What nonsense are you talking about?" Zhuqing panicked instantly. "See? I haven't said anything and you're already panicking. Could it really be my child?" Zheng Side had long suspected that, calculating the timing, the child in Zhuqing's belly was very likely his. "If it's my child, and it gets raised by the County Mistress, it might even inherit the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion. Zhuqing, what a scheme you've cooked up!" No one else knew of Zhuqing's intentions. She insisted firmly, "The child in my belly has nothing to do with you. Don't talk nonsense. Let me go now—I need to get back." "Get back? Back where?" Zheng Side grabbed Zhuqing's hand and made her touch him. "You little slut, it's been so long since I've had you. Don't you miss your man?" Zhuqing couldn't break free from Zheng Side, so she could only plead, "Brother Zheng, Brother Side, just let me go. My belly is this big—how can I do it with you here?" The rockery dug into her bones painfully. Zhuqing had never liked Zheng Side, and now that she had a proper status, she had long wanted to be rid of him. Thinking of what Zheng Side had just said, Zhuqing grew even more alarmed. In truth, she herself couldn't be certain whose child it was. Her time with the Marquis and with Zheng Side differed by less than half a month—it would depend on when the child was born. She naturally hoped the child was the Marquis's, but calculating the dates, it was more likely Zheng Side's. "Fine, we don't have to do it—just help your brother have some fun." Zheng Side's marriage prospects had been going poorly lately. He was no longer young and had children at home. The virgins willing to marry him were none as alluring and beautiful as Zhuqing. He'd looked around and found no one satisfactory. He'd slept with girls at the courtesan house several times, but it still wasn't as thrilling as being with Zhuqing at the rockery. Grabbing her hand, he tried to shove it down his pants. Zhuqing was utterly disgusted. With an "ah" of protest, she yanked her hand back forcefully. "I really can't. It's getting late—I need to go back." "What do you mean by that? No money to give, and you won't even do this little favor for me?" Zheng Side was displeased. "Tell me the truth—now that you've become the Marquis's concubine, are you looking down on me?" Zhuqing said no, but Zheng didn't believe her and insisted she help him with that thing. As the two shoved each other, Zheng Side slipped, and his head hit the edge of the well. He winced in pain and cursed, "Let me tell you—since you've slept with me that many times, you'll never shake me off in this lifetime. Whether it's you or the child in your belly, I'll haunt you both forever! If you want your child to have a good future, you'd better keep me happy. If I'm not happy, neither of you will have a good life. I mean every word!" Zhuqing had experienced Zheng Side's shamelessness deeply over these past few months. Thinking of her son inheriting the marquis mansion while still being tormented by Zheng Side, at that moment, murderous intent flared in Zhuqing's heart. She feigned closeness, moving toward Zheng Side and helping him up. "Look at what you're saying. I'm truly devoted to you—why are you getting angry?" Zhuqing softened her tone, and only then did Zheng Side cheer up. He wrapped his arms around her and covered her face with sloppy kisses. And in that very instant, Zhuqing suddenly pushed with all her might, shoving Zheng Side backward. Startled, Zheng Side grabbed at Zhuqing's clothes, but he had already fallen into the well. His two feet dangled over the opening as he said in disbelief, "You bitch—you actually tried to kill me!" Zheng Side's voice was not quiet. Zhuqing lured him over and viciously stabbed the hairpin into the back of Zheng Side's hand. With a "plop," Zheng Side fell into the well. Zhuqing's heart raced with nervousness. She gripped the edge of the well, gasping for air. Only when there was no more sound of water or Zheng Side from the well did Zhuqing gradually regain her senses—but it was too late. She had killed someone. And she had killed someone under these circumstances. Zhuqing realized that this incident was riddled with holes, but it was too late to fix anything. She rushed out in a panic, then hurried back to the well, carefully inspecting the area around it. When Lixiang came looking for her, she found Zhuqing sitting on the ground, unresponsive no matter how she called to her. Startled, Lixiang's legs went weak and she was about to call for a doctor, but Zhuqing stopped her. Even at this moment, Lixiang still didn't know exactly what had happened, but seeing her mistress's pale face, she could guess it was nothing good. "Does the concubine have something to say?" "Lixiang, I know you have a sickly father at home, and several younger siblings to support. Your mother has no choice but to take a lover to earn a bit more money. And your family plans to marry you off to a forty-year-old man for the bride price, to buy medicine for your father." Zhuqing knew all these things, which was why she had deliberately chosen Lixiang to serve at her side. Zhuqing relied on money to get Lixiang to do things for her and keep her secrets. When Lixiang heard the word "lover," she lowered her head, her ears red enough to drip blood. "You know that old man likes to beat his wife. Marrying him would be torture." Zhuqing grabbed Lixiang's hand. "Can you help me, please? As long as you help me, the silver on the table is all yours. You won't have to marry that old man, and your whole family's livelihood will be secured." Lixiang hesitated and asked, "What does the concubine want this servant to do?" "You... can you take responsibility for what happened to Zheng the steward?" Zhuqing knew that paper couldn't wrap fire—someone had to take the blame. "It's different for you. You were involved with him, so the master won't blame you. At worst, he'll send you back home. But for me, it's different. Do you understand?"