Chapter 75: Jiang Xuening’s Trauma

The scene in the teahouse was extremely lively.

One person was chasing, and another was running.

The one chasing had cold anger hidden in their eyes, no longer looking weak and easy to bully; the one running was in a sorry state, even tripping over a table corner and falling to the ground.

The waiter in the teahouse struggled to snatch the bench away.

You Fangyin, without a handy weapon, was not willing to let it go and grabbed You Yue, who was right in front of her, starting to fight. She pulled You Yue’s delicate hairdo into a mess, ruined her charming makeup, and even the hairpins on her head fell off. She was crying and making a fuss, no longer showing any of the previous arrogance of a noble lady.

Tang’er and Lian’er were afraid something would go wrong.

As soon as Jiang Xuening spoke, the two of them ran up, one on the left and one on the right, using great effort to pull You Fangyin away, urgently persuading her, “Miss Fangyin, it’s not worth getting angry over this, don’t be impulsive!”

You Fangyin’s eyes were red, and even though she was being persuaded, her body was still trembling, as if she hadn’t heard Tang’er and Lian’er’s words at all, staring at You Yue who was sitting on the ground, “Try touching the second young lady again!”

You Yue was already scared out of her wits, still in shock.

Jiang Xuening watched this scene, the corners of her lips that had just curved up slowly lowered, feeling an indescribable sadness: this silly girl was willing to risk her life for her.

It was only then that the maid who had been serving You Yue reacted, hurriedly stepping forward to help her young lady up, crying, “Miss, are you alright?”

You Yue stood up, trembling.

But she was afraid that You Fangyin hadn’t finished her madness, so she didn’t dare to get close to her, retreating to a corner and tremblingly saying, “Rebellion, rebellion, I think you’ve forgotten your own name!”

This appearance was clearly tough on the outside but weak on the inside.

Jiang Xuening saw her pale face and trembling legs, knowing she was just a paper tiger, only putting on a tough act for her own face.

However, once she returned to the mansion…

You Yue was a person who bullied the weak and feared the strong. Although she was scared by You Fangyin now, once she returned to the mansion, where everyone listened to her, she would not easily let You Fangyin go once she regained her composure.

Therefore, You Fangyin could not go back.

Jiang Xuening’s mind raced, and a bold idea suddenly emerged and gradually took shape.

You Yue, staring at You Fangyin’s terrifying gaze, felt her heart tremble, afraid that saying more would provoke her further, quickly turned her anger towards Jiang Xuening, “Even after studying together in the palace for more than ten days, I didn’t realize you were such a despicable, shameless, disgusting person!”

Jiang Xuening still covered her chest, “How can you slander me like this…”

You Yue, seeing her pretentious look, felt a surge of anger, pointing at her nose and cursing, “You’re a thousand-year-old fox, why are you pretending in front of me? The same trick fooled me twice, without any change, aren’t you tired of it?”

Jiang Xuening looked at her, her gaze suddenly becoming strange.

Why did it sound like You Yue was suggesting she should change her tactics?

Well, that’s not impossible…

When You Yue first spoke, she didn’t feel anything unusual. She was just venting her anger at Jiang Xuening. But when she looked up and saw Jiang Xuening’s thoughtful gaze, she felt a chill run up from her feet.

Realizing what she had said, she almost wanted to slap herself!

How stupid could she be, telling her that! Was she asking her to come up with new tricks to fool her in the future?!

You Fangyin, seeing You Yue being so arrogant towards Jiang Xuening, felt the anger she had suppressed earlier rising again and moved to do something.

But unexpectedly, Jiang Xuening gently held her hand.

She was stunned and didn’t dare to move, afraid of accidentally hurting her in her rashness, and looked up at her in confusion.

Jiang Xuening didn’t look back, her eyes slightly lowered, her eyelashes trembling, and she sighed softly, looking timid and fearful, saying, “Please calm down, Second Miss You. I was just passing by this teahouse to rest my feet and didn’t expect to run into you. You misunderstood my intentions and attacked me, but I had no intention of fighting back. It’s all You Fangyin’s fault!”

She spoke softly at first, but her voice grew louder at the last sentence.

You Yue was stunned, not understanding, looking bewildered.

You Fangyin was also extremely surprised, not understanding why Jiang Xuening said that, but the next moment she felt Jiang Xuening’s hand slightly tighten, as if hinting at something.

Then the hand was withdrawn.

Jiang Xuening, as if she had done nothing, righteously scolded, “Although I saved her life, I have no connection with her. She misunderstood our relationship and without a word picked up a bench to hit people! In broad daylight, under the emperor’s feet, this is simply lawless, is there no justice left?!”

You Yue felt her brain was not working.

Jiang Xuening, however, looked at her firmly and said, “Second Miss You, you have suffered such a great grievance, almost losing your life, how can you let it go? Let’s report to the authorities!”

You Yue was dumbfounded, “Huh?”

Jiang Xuening, looking as if she wanted to distance herself from You Fangyin, said, “Report to the authorities, have her arrested! Such an ungrateful, disrespectful person should be locked up for a few months to teach her a lesson!”

Report to the authorities, have You Fangyin arrested?

Would Jiang Xuening be so kind?!

Even if the sun rose from the west, You Yue wouldn’t believe it!

She had suffered so many losses under Jiang Xuening’s hand that she couldn’t even count them on her fingers! At this moment, she felt her mind was in chaos, instinctively sensing something was wrong. Even though she was in a teahouse, she felt that every table around her was a trap, surrounding her completely, just waiting for her to step into it carelessly!

No, she must not report to the authorities!

Even if she didn’t know what Jiang Xuening was planning, opposing her was definitely the right move!

So, the waiter who had just put the bench back and a few tea guests saw a strange and confusing scene—

You Yue screamed warily, “No, don’t report to the authorities, this is just a small matter!”

Jiang Xuening was extremely enthusiastic, “How can you say it’s a small matter? She picked up a bench to hit you, that’s practically attempted murder, at the very least it’s causing trouble and disturbing the peace of the capital! This area is now under the jurisdiction of the Jinyiwei, who doesn’t know how formidable they are? If we report to the authorities and have her arrested, she won’t have a good time! Besides, if you don’t report it, the teahouse has suffered damage and needs an explanation, right?”

The teahouse waiter: “…”

Actually, it’s not worth much.

But I dare not say that.

You Yue, already on the verge of collapse, held her head, “No reporting to the authorities—”

Jiang Xuening ignored her.

She turned directly to Tang’er and said, “Go report to the authorities, ask the Jinyiwei officers to come and see, today we must seek justice for Second Miss You!”

Tang’er, who had witnessed Jiang Xuening’s actions and understood her underlying meaning, felt cold sweat on her forehead. However, looking up at her own lady, she saw that she was calm and composed, acting without a hint of guilt, as if it were real!

She responded and left the teahouse.

Naturally, she went to report to the authorities as instructed by her lady.

Seeing this, You Yue realized something was wrong and tried to leave. But Jiang Xuening quickly grabbed her, looking puzzled, “We’ve already reported to the authorities, Second Miss You, you’re the victim, don’t leave!”

You Yue’s eyelid twitched, “You reported it, not me, let go!”

Jiang Xuening refused to let go, smiling kindly, “I’m just worried you’ll get angry.”

You Yue was furious, feeling an increasing sense of foreboding, wanting to shake off Jiang Xuening’s hand regardless of anything. But as soon as she raised her hand, she met Jiang Xuening’s mocking gaze.

It was as if she was saying: Try touching me!

The scene of Jiang Xuening falling to the ground pretending to be injured was still fresh in her mind. She almost immediately dared not do anything, fearing that if she made a move, Jiang Xuening would fall and accuse her again, and then someone like Shen Zhiyi or Yan Lin would appear, and she wouldn’t be able to handle it!

One was determined to stop her, acting recklessly; the other had no courage to escape, fearing the consequences.

The situation came to a standstill.

Jiang Xuening was at ease, but You Yue was anxious.

Fortunately, the Jinyiwei office was not too far away, and the people involved and the onlookers didn’t have to wait long before they arrived.

The Jinyiwei was established twenty years ago, after the rebellion of Prince Pingnan was quelled. The former emperor created the Jinyiwei to maintain order in the capital, working alongside the Shuntian Prefecture and the Nine Gates Infantry Commander.

Over time, the Jinyiwei expanded, and its commanders, who were close to the emperor, extended their influence.

They gathered intelligence, intervened in the imperial prison, investigated cases, and arrested people…

In almost every matter of the court, the Jinyiwei’s involvement could be seen.

This made the civil and military officials dislike them.

Although the capital had become relatively peaceful, the rules set by the former emperor twenty years ago still stood, and any incident in the capital was still handled by the Jinyiwei.

However, for a minor scuffle like this, the Shuntian Prefecture could handle it. Why did these people report it to the Jinyiwei?

And even the Qianhu (a high-ranking officer) came…

The Jinyiwei officer who came to handle the case had a stern face. As he stepped into the teahouse, he couldn’t help but glance to his side: the newly promoted Jinyiwei Qianhu, Zhou Yinzhi, was walking beside him.

Zhou Yinzhi wore a dark black flying fish robe embroidered with intricate patterns in silver thread, with a Xiu Chun knife at his waist. His hand lightly rested on the silver-colored hilt.

He was tall and imposing as he entered.

His eagle-like eyes scanned the room and saw Jiang Xuening sitting calmly in the teahouse, drinking tea. Opposite her sat a noble lady with a pale face, and beside her stood a girl with her head bowed, looking somewhat silent.

He didn’t recognize the latter two.

The Jinyiwei officer handling the case was his subordinate.

Such minor matters in the capital usually didn’t require the presence of a Qianhu, but Tang’er had come to the office, specifically asking to report the case to him. Zhou Yinzhi knew it was Jiang Xuening’s doing.

So, he brought a few subordinates along.

The leading subordinate, named Feng Cheng, was burly with large, intimidating eyes. He looked at Zhou Yinzhi with some hesitation.

Zhou Yinzhi nodded slightly.

Feng Cheng understood, stood up straight, and walked forward, shouting, “Who reported the case?”

Jiang Xuening glanced at Zhou Yinzhi before turning to Feng Cheng, standing up and calmly saying, “I reported the case.”

You Yue also stood up, wishing she could disappear.

Feng Cheng looked around, seeing no dead bodies and seemingly no one injured, and asked in confusion, “Are you the victim? Why did you report the case? Didn’t you say someone was causing trouble? Where are they?”

Jiang Xuening pointed, “They’re all here.”

She first pointed at You Yue, then at You Fangyin.

You Yue glared angrily.

You Fangyin blinked, honestly not knowing what Jiang Xuening was up to, but the warm and firm grip earlier made her believe that the Second Miss would not harm her, so she remained silent, just watching.

Jiang Xuening explained the situation: “Sir, think about it, under the emperor’s rule, she even picked up a bench. If we hadn’t stopped her in time, there might have been a fatality! This is the Second Miss of the Qingyuan Marquis’ household, she is the victim. If you don’t believe me, you can ask her.”

Feng Cheng, hearing it was the Marquis’ household, paid more attention.

He turned to You Yue, “Is what she said true?”

You Yue, having had half a cup of tea while confronting Jiang Xuening, thought carefully. Although the Jinyiwei were responsible for maintaining order in the capital, this matter was too trivial to bother them. Even if they came, they probably wouldn’t want to deal with it.

No matter what, she was the victim.

If the victim didn’t pursue it, Jiang Xuening couldn’t stir up trouble to scheme against her.

So, You Yue denied it without hesitation, “No such thing!”

Jiang Xuening added, “But everyone just saw it.”

You Yue’s face turned ugly, suppressing the urge to grind her teeth, and said slowly, “Please investigate, sir. The one who acted was a concubine-born daughter of my household, and she didn’t actually hit anyone. If there’s an issue, my father will punish her at home, no need to pursue it.”

Feng Cheng found it baffling, “You don’t want to pursue it?”

You Yue firmly said, “Yes.”

Jiang Xuening, having calculated everything in her mind, felt there was no better plan than this double-edged strategy. Seeing You Yue fall into the trap, she wouldn’t let the cooked duck fly away.

She didn’t care what You Yue thought.

She coolly said, “There are national laws and family rules. If You Fangyin committed a crime at home, it’s fine for the Marquis’ household to handle it. But if she committed a crime outside, it should be handled by national laws. At the least, it’s a fight; at the worst, it’s attempted murder! Isn’t that serious?”

“What’s wrong with you, girl?”

Feng Cheng, not knowing Jiang Xuening’s identity, assumed Zhou Yinzhi was here for You Yue after learning she was the legitimate Second Miss of the Marquis’ household. The Jinyiwei didn’t want to deal with trivial matters, preferring fewer tasks.

So he looked at Jiang Xuening with displeasure.

He frowned and raised his voice, “The victim said she doesn’t want to pursue it, why are you making a fuss?”

You Yue was immediately pleased.

Jiang Xuening glanced at Feng Cheng.

Feng Cheng still thought this girl was making a fuss over nothing. Used to throwing his weight around in the Jinyiwei, he was about to continue scolding her when a calm and cold voice suddenly came from behind him: “What are you shouting about?”

Feng Cheng felt a chill down his neck.

He recognized Zhou Yinzhi’s voice and turned stiffly to see Zhou Yinzhi frowning at him, his dark eyes cold and merciless, making him feel like he had fallen into an ice cave!

What was going on?

He had just scolded that clueless girl, so why was the Qianhu reacting this way?

The Jinyiwei was a place full of intrigue and backstabbing. Feng Cheng had managed to get in with some cleverness and quickly realized he must have scolded the wrong person!

You Yue’s smile froze.

Jiang Xuening’s lips curled into a mocking smile.

The teahouse fell silent, the waiter trembling as he looked at the Jinyiwei officers, wondering how things had escalated to this.

Zhou Yinzhi stepped forward and surprisingly bowed to Jiang Xuening: “My subordinates were unaware of their manners and offended Second Miss. I hope Second Miss will not take offense.”

Both Jiang Xuening and You Yue were second in their families.

But now, no one would mistake Zhou Yinzhi’s “Second Miss” for You Yue.

Feng Cheng, who had scolded Jiang Xuening earlier, was now sweating in fear.

You Yue’s face turned pale!

She finally understood Jiang Xuening’s plan!

Looking at the tall man in the Jinyiwei uniform, she trembled like a leaf, unable to speak coherently: “You, you all…”

Zhou Yinzhi didn’t smile or care about You Yue’s reaction, saying, “Recently, rebels have been rampant in the capital, and there have been orders not to cause trouble. You knowingly violated this, and we can’t determine if it was an attempted murder. Men, arrest these two suspects and take them back to the office for questioning.”

Several Jinyiwei officers immediately responded, “Yes!”

They had arrested many nobles before and were not gentle with women. Ignoring any struggles, they quickly apprehended them.

You Fangyin didn’t resist, behaving obediently.

You Yue struggled desperately.

Their Marquis’ household had connections with the Jinyiwei before, so she knew what methods they used for interrogation. She had heard that officials who fell into the hands of the Jinyiwei lived a fate worse than death. How could she dare to go with them?

She cried out, “Jiang Xuening, you are so vicious, colluding with these people to harm me! You—”

Jiang Xuening frowned. The kind facade she had maintained earlier vanished, and she looked at You Yue with cold eyes, her voice flat, “What are you shouting about?”

She stood in the hall, as cold as ice.

Her indifference was almost cruel, making anyone who looked at her feel a chill in their heart.

Although she spoke to You Yue, Feng Cheng, who had scolded her earlier, didn’t dare to lift his head, regretting his actions deeply.

You Yue immediately fell silent.

She looked around, seeing that the onlookers had dispersed. The Jinyiwei, led by Zhou Yinzhi, stood in a dark, imposing group. Her heart sank into despair, and she dared not say another word.

Who knew what these people would do to her!

You Yue, looking dazed and soulless, was taken away by the Jinyiwei.

As You Fangyin was being taken away, Jiang Xuening gave her a faint smile.

You Fangyin smiled back.

Zhou Yinzhi, seeing the people being taken away, turned to Jiang Xuening and said, “I heard that there is a ten-day rest period in the palace. I wanted to find a time to personally thank you, but I didn’t expect to meet you today and be able to help. How would you like to handle this matter?”

Jiang Xuening returned to the table and sat down.

She picked up the tea she hadn’t finished earlier and smiled faintly, “You Fangyin is my person, handle her as you see fit. As for the Qingyuan Marquis’ household, I’ve been tight on funds lately. Even a broken ship has some nails left; give them a little knock.”