Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Yuan Heng looked sideways at Cheng Wei, saying nothing.

Cheng Wei’s brow furrowed instantly, his hand tightening around the hilt of his blade.

“Second Brother, give me an explanation,” Yuan Heng said coldly.

Suddenly, a faint sound came from behind the screen.

Yuan Heng swept the teacup beside him directly onto the floor, erupting in fury. “What is this, Cheng Er Gou? You’ve only been an official for a few days and already you’re daring to kick at the nest? If I could help you become a fourth-rank Zhenfu Envoy today, I have the power to make you beg for food at the city walls tomorrow!”

Cheng Wei stood up immediately, his voice urgent. “I swear, I have never spoken a single word to Ye Qingqiu.”

Yuan Heng tilted his head slightly. “Why are you standing so tall? You’re blocking This Marquis’s light.”

Stunned, Cheng Wei quickly dropped to his knees.

I couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

Ah, Cheng Wei. No wonder you were able to climb so high, so fast.

This dog-like display of servility-kneeling at the drop of a hat-was something others truly couldn’t bring themselves to do.

Cheng Wei looked up at Yuan Heng. “Marquis, you must believe me.”

Yuan Heng clearly didn’t. “Prove it.”

Cheng Wei turned his head to look at me, his gaze icy.

I felt a surge of dread.

In the next moment, I saw Cheng Wei suddenly draw his blade and hurl it with a flick of his wrist.

The hilt struck my lower abdomen with unerring precision. The force was so great that my stomach caved inward.

With a heavy thud, the long blade fell to the floor.

Excruciating pain instantly swept through my entire body. I wanted to clutch my stomach, but my hands wouldn’t move.

Cuinong let out a sharp cry, her legs giving way as she collapsed onto the floor. She covered her mouth in terror, weeping uncontrollably.

Only then did Yuan Heng’s expression brighten. He leaned down with a smile to help Cheng Wei up, as if nothing had happened.

“Second Brother, I was just joking. You are the person I trust most in this world. Look at you-you have no sense of how to treat a lady.”

With that, Yuan Heng turned to look at Hongyu and asked, “Since it wasn’t Second Brother who leaked the secret, then it must have been you?”

Hongyu’s body shook violently with fear. She waved her hands frantically. “No, no, no! This servant would never dare! It must be him, it’s Meng-”

Yuan Heng narrowed his eyes dangerously. “Hmm?”

Hongyu slapped herself across the face.

She was so panicked that her face was devoid of color. Her eyes darted around frantically until they landed on Cuinong, who was pinned to the floor. She pointed a finger at her. “It’s her!”

“When she was in the palace, she loved spying on her masters! She must have overheard the Marquis speaking with this servant! Yes, that’s it!”

Cuinong never expected her good friend to slander her. She stared at Hongyu in a daze. “What are you saying?”

Hongyu ignored Cuinong entirely, swearing an oath to Yuan Heng. “When this wench was serving the Madam before, the Madam was bleeding, but she kept it a secret. What right does she have to be shielded by the Madam like that? She must have become the Madam’s lapdog and told her this great secret!”

“That’s it, that’s it!”

Hongyu seemed to remember something. “That day we went to Ci’en Temple, the Madam found an excuse to send Cuinong away but only took me. She must have wanted to keep this wench out of trouble!”

“Marquis, just now the Madam was even speaking up for this wench. Everyone heard it! I beg you to see the truth!”

Cuinong was filled with shock and hatred. She clearly didn’t know the full story, but she sensed the danger. She rushed forward to cover Hongyu’s mouth. “Stop talking! I don’t know anything, and I never told the Madam a thing!”

Hongyu struggled to get away, cursing incessantly.

The two girls suddenly began to brawl.

And Yuan Heng, the culprit who had incited all this evil, laughed so hard that tears came to his eyes.

He wiped the corner of his eye with his pinky and turned to look at me. “Qing Qiu, was it this girl who told you?”

My vision swam with black spots from the pain.

He wasn’t asking at all. He was watching a play; he was enjoying himself.

If I weren’t restrained right now, I would definitely rush over and kill him!

“Yuan Heng, if you’re a man, don’t bully young girls!”

Yuan Heng wagged a finger and spoke to Hongyu in a coaxing tone. “Good child, tell me-how should someone who betrays me be punished?”

Hongyu shook her head blankly.

Yuan Heng chuckled. “Second Brother, what do you say?”

Cheng Wei said coldly, “They should be killed.”

Hongyu was so terrified that she slid off her chair, her head drenched in cold sweat.

Yuan Heng said disdainfully, “With courage like yours, you still want to manage the inner household for This Marquis in the future?”

Hongyu bit her lower lip hard and looked at the long blade nearby.

Cuinong sensed the danger and instinctively tried to flee.

Unexpectedly, Cheng Wei stepped on her back, pinning her firmly to the ground.

Hongyu scrambled over on all fours, picked up the long blade with both hands, and stood up shakily.

Tears fell from her eyes one by one. She muttered something under her breath, looking like she was possessed, as she raised the blade and hacked at Cuinong’s neck… until her strength failed and she collapsed on the floor.

As for Cuinong, she was covered in blood from head to toe, her fate unknown.

I closed my eyes, momentarily unsure which of us, Cuinong or I, was more wretched.

At that moment, Yuan Heng walked over slowly and stood before me, letting out a sigh. “Qing Qiu, even like this, you still refuse to say his name? Do you know? Meng Huaiqing, that coward, abandoned you and ran away.”

I smiled bitterly.

If Brother Meng had escaped, that would be for the best. I was the one who dragged him into this; I wouldn’t blame him.

I sucked in a breath of cold air. No! That’s not right!

Just now, Hongyu was about to say Meng Huaiqing’s name, but she forced herself to stop and framed Cuinong instead.

This meant Hongyu knew that Yuan Heng would never kill Meng Huaiqing!

I looked toward the wooden screen not far away. In the gap at the very bottom, there was the tip of a man’s shoe.

Yuan Heng let out a chuckle. “You fool, you only just realized? Let me tell you, Cheng Wei actually found you both a long time ago.”