Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Then the eunuch pinning her down screamed. The cry had barely escaped his throat before it abruptly died.
Xing Shuwei scrambled to her feet and wrapped both arms tightly around herself.
“It is… you?” Still badly shaken, she saw who had come and did not know whether to feel relieved or afraid.
Zhang Mingan held the eunuch by the neck and smiled at her.
Crack. The eunuch’s head lolled to one side.
The one who had been kicked away opened his mouth but could not make a sound. He scrambled desperately toward the direction Princess Jin’an had gone.
Zhang Mingan planted a foot on his back. “You filthy thing. You dare entertain designs on a woman I have chosen?
“Since you are so eager to die, I will oblige you.”
Xing Shuwei said in terror, “If he dies, I… I will have no way to explain.”
Zhang Mingan turned toward her, his wicked smile deepening. “But one is already dead.”
Then he crouched, gripped the eunuch’s chin, and twisted hard.
Xing Shuwei was speechless.
How could he dare act so boldly?
“Why are you still standing there?” Zhang Mingan asked when he saw her frozen in place.
As he rose, he gripped the corpse by the shoulder and lifted the entire body from the ground.
“Do you want me to do what they failed to finish?”
Xing Shuwei flushed with shame and anger. Her gaze held disgust, but her words held concern. “What will happen to you?”
“If the Princess sentences me to death, you can remain my widow for the rest of your life.
“If I happen to survive, how about marrying me?” Zhang Mingan smiled as though nothing had happened.
Xing Shuwei stared blankly, truly at a loss for words.
“Enough. I will stop teasing you. Go quickly.” With that, he extended a hand in an inviting gesture.
Xing Shuwei pulled her robe tighter around herself. “Thank you.”
“Be careful.”
Biting her lip, she offered the warning, hardened her heart, and ran toward Qianchen Pavilion.
Zhang Mingan had caused trouble at the Shen residence’s banquet as well, and that had involved his own full brother, yet the matter had ultimately come to nothing.
The eunuchs might belong to Princess Jin’an, but their status was still far below that of a son of the Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate. Moreover, Noble Consort Zhang stood behind Zhang Mingan.
Xing Shuwei hurried back to Qianchen Pavilion. After changing clothes, she did not dare leave again.
The place she had arranged for Pei Guofei was close to Qiansheng Pavilion, and Princess Jin’an was nearby. If the Princess encountered her and saw she was unharmed, Xing Shuwei feared another attack would await her.
She sat quietly in the chair before the window, gazing through the half-open pane at the flourishing bamboo grove.
How was Zhang Mingan faring now?
The wastrel despised by every noble in the capital had saved her at the moment of greatest danger…
What did he truly intend?
…
Princess Jin’an had certainly chosen her resting place well. Without straying an inch, she arrived at the very place where Pei Guofei and Zheng Yan had arranged to meet.
Hearing people approach, the two were so frightened that they hid beneath the bed and did not dare breathe.
Princess Jin’an sat in a chair, burning with rage as she watched Zhang Mingan throw the two eunuchs’ corpses before her.
With theatrical animation, Zhang Mingan told her, “Your Highness, what blind, accursed bastard arranged for such filthy creatures to serve you?
“In broad daylight, at Eldest Young Master Pei’s promotion banquet no less, those wretched things actually tried to strip off my clothes.”
Zhang Mingan shifted his gaze from Princess Jin’an to the senior maids at either side of her. “Who has been indulging these rootless, filthy things and allowing them to run wild?
“You wretched maids have spoiled them beyond all measure.
“I ought to teach all of you a proper lesson on the Princess’s behalf.”
He did not spare Princess Jin’an’s ugly expression so much as a glance.
The moment he finished speaking, he strode forward.
Smack, smack. His hand rose and the blows fell.
The closed ivory folding fan struck the two maids across their faces, instantly leaving bloody red marks.
One of them even lost her footing and fell. She spat out a mouthful of blood.
The maid looked up at Princess Jin’an, her eyes pleading for justice.
“Zhang Mingan, you are insolent!” Princess Jin’an could endure no more and shouted sharply.
Even the lowliest servant was protected by the rank of their master.
He did not respect her as a princess in the slightest!
Unexpectedly, Zhang Mingan sat down on the ground and grinned shamelessly.
Princess Jin’an was utterly confused and could not understand what he intended.
The next instant, he tugged his robe toward his thigh and shouted, “Someone come! Someone come!”
“This noble heir…”
Princess Jin’an shot to her feet, her head buzzing. “Gag him and throw him out at once!”
What did this damned wastrel intend to do?
If he caused a scene in the Pei family and drew people over, they might mistakenly think she and Zhang Mingan had done something shameful…
Not only would that disgrace the imperial family, but the Marquis of Qingyuan might again go weep before her father and have her married down to Zhang Mingan.
How could she, Jin’an, marry a creature like him?
With that thought, she hurried away.
Only after leaving the courtyard and reaching the bamboo path did she remember the eunuchs’ corpses. “Menglian, go find Shen Yanqi.
“Is he not a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard? The Guard exists to handle the imperial family’s dirty work.
“Have him secretly dispose of the two bodies. This cannot reach the Pei family.
“Nor can Zhang Mingan be allowed to make a great issue of it and threaten me into marrying him.”
“Yes.” Menglian covered her swollen face, answered, and hurried away to find him.
She had barely passed through two archways when she saw Qiutong leading Shen Yanqi toward her.
“Deputy Commissioner Shen,” Menglian called, covering her face.
Shen Yanqi strode toward her, while Qiutong stopped walking.
“What happened?” Seeing Menglian so badly injured, Shen Yanqi knew the matter was serious.
“Please come with this servant. It is the Princess’s command.” Menglian led him toward the courtyard. On the way, she briefly explained what had happened, then added, “I have long heard that you are close to Lord Zhang.
“But this concerns the Princess’s reputation, so you must handle it with the utmost care.
“That wastrel should still be in the courtyard. I must trouble you to deal with the aftermath.”
Menglian pointed toward the distant courtyard gate, curtsied, and turned away.
Shen Yanqi did not dare hesitate. The imperial family’s dignity was at stake, and as a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he truly had to put the imperial family first.
Half an hour later, Menglian returned to Princess Jin’an.
“Your Highness.” She leaned close and whispered, “This servant saw Xing Shuwei’s maid behaving familiarly with Deputy Commissioner Shen.
“Could that wretch be dreaming of marrying Deputy Commissioner Shen as his concubine?”
Princess Jin’an had not recovered from the fright, and her face was pale. “Does wanting it mean she can have it? If that is what she wants, all the better. What I fear is…”
Xing Shuwei’s face was like peach blossoms, with a small cherry mouth and smiling crescent eyes.
Princess Jin’an had seen countless consorts in her father’s harem, yet none could compare to Xing Shuwei.
As she pondered, she suddenly looked up and saw Pei Xianjing.
Although she was dissatisfied with him, her wish to marry him was sincere.
All the young men in the capital combined could not equal one ten-thousandth of him.
She walked slowly toward Pei Xianjing. Menglian tactfully pulled out a handkerchief and tied it over her face as a veil.
“Eldest Young Master.” Before Princess Jin’an reached him, she called softly.
“This subject greets Your Highness.” Pei Xianjing cupped his hands in salute, his voice distant.
Princess Jin’an reached out to support his wrist. “Please rise, Eldest Young Master.”
Pei Xianjing avoided her hand without a trace.
Her hand hung in the air. After an awkward moment, her expression turned cold.