You expect me to serve your mistress? The mistress is driving this scumbag and his entire family cra

Chapter 200 What exactly is your connection with Consort Xin?

The horse galloped swiftly, the road twisted and turned, and a cool, damp breeze rushed towards them, making Liang Jiang's eyes light up.

Before them lay a lotus pond.

It is the peak season for lotus flowers. On the green waves, lotus leaves are crowded together, lotus shadows sway, and a gentle breeze carries their fragrance.

In the center of the lake, there is a floating bridge that winds its way to a vermilion pavilion with a stone table and benches inside.

Koi carp frolic beneath lotus leaves, willows sway gently on the bank, and cicadas chirp – what a tranquil place, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world.

Not far from the lotus pond, there are a few scattered thatched cottages. Under the eaves, a few red lanterns are hung, and smoke curls from the chimneys. The aroma of fresh food overpowers the dampness of the lotus pond.

Gu Xizhi dismounted and reached out her hand to Liang Jiang.

Liang Jiang looked at him warily: "What are you doing here?"

Gu Xizhi didn't answer. Seeing that she was sitting motionless on the horse, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Shall I carry you down?"

Liang Jiang knew he meant what he said, so she hurriedly dismounted, but in her panic, she missed a step in the stirrup.

Gu Xizhi immediately grabbed her slender waist with his large hand, lifted her up, and slammed her into the ground like planting a tree.

Liang Jiang's face flushed again.

Why is Gu Xizhi teasing me like this today? It's like she's taken the wrong medicine.

Upon seeing the guest arrive, the cottage owner immediately came forward. He seemed to recognize Gu Xizhi and greeted him warmly: "Greetings, young master. This must be your esteemed lady, right?"

Gu Xizhi surprisingly nodded: "That's right, I brought my wife to try the boss's cooking. According to the old custom, the freshly caught fat fish is served half spicy and half stewed with tofu."

Also, my wife likes sweets, so I'd like some osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice lotus root, a plate of lotus flower cake, and a few lotus pods as snacks.

The owner readily agreed, pointing to the pavilion: "Please have a seat, the plum wine and buckwheat tea will be served shortly."

Gu Xizhi nodded, and Liang Jiang secretly pinched his waist from behind: "Nonsense, who is your wife?"

Gu Xizhi winced in pain and gasped, "If I don't call you 'wife,' people might misunderstand that I'm here for an affair."

"Pah! You brought me here just to invite me to dinner?"

"Otherwise what? What else do you think I can do?"

Liang Jiang spat, "Then why can't you just say it directly? Why do you have to, why do you have to..."

I was at a loss for words and didn't know how to describe it.

Gu Xizhi mischievously retorted, "Is it about forcibly abducting women?"

"that is!"

Gu Xizhi chuckled: "Not a bad idea, snatch her and make her your bandit queen."

He was actually flirting with me!

Liang Jiang said irritably, "Did you eat something wrong today? I haven't slept all night and I'm exhausted, and you're still making fun of me."

Gu Xizhi was in a good mood today. Her usual coldness had disappeared, and her eyes and brows were very lively and vivid.

He even grinned, revealing a row of neat teeth, and was the first to step onto the pontoon bridge.

"I have some things I can't wait to tell you today. After you finish your meal, I will immediately send you back to the Duke's mansion to rest."

It must be said that this pavilion, with no one around, is truly a good place to talk.

Liang Jiang followed them into the pavilion. The owner served all the wine and dishes and then withdrew.

Gu Xizhi picked up the wine pot and poured wine, filling the two cups in front of him.

Liang Jiang asked in surprise, "Don't you not drink alcohol?"

Gu Xizhi corrected her earnestly: "It's not that I can't drink it, it's that I don't want to. This plum wine is very good."

Liang Jiang took a sip from the cup; the alcohol was quite potent.

The fish served here is delicious, spicy and numbing, making my lips tingle. I couldn't help but drink a couple more glasses of wine, and all my fatigue vanished.

Only then did he speak, asking, "You brought me here today because you have something to say to me, right?"

Gu Xizhi picked up a sticky rice lotus root for her: "I've been holding it in for days, I'm really angry. I want to know, why haven't you been talking to me these past few days?" "Nothing," Liang Jiang covered up, "You're a high and mighty prince, how could I dare to be disrespectful?"

Gu Xizhi only lifted her eyelids to glance at her; her lower back was still sore from being pinched.

Liang Jiang then chuckled and changed her tune: "You and Miss Jian are about to get married, so I should maintain some boundaries with the Prince."

Gu Xizhi raised an eyebrow: "That's all?"

Liang Jiang hesitated for a moment: "On the day Tong Shouliang committed suicide, I was summoned to the palace by the Emperor."

"I know, my royal brother also rewarded you with some pastries from the imperial kitchen."

He's well-informed and knows everything.

"After I left the Emperor's residence, I saved a person."

"Who?"

"She said she used to be in the Emperor's palace, and her title was Consort Xin."

Then, secretly raising her face, Gu Xizhi's expression instantly became very subtle.

"She made a mistake and was stripped of her title by my imperial brother. Now she's just a palace maid who sweeps the floor."

So he knew about it.

Liang Jiang then probed, "She looks very pitiful; I wonder what wrong she has done."

"You don't know?" Gu Xizhi's voice rose at the end, carrying a hint of inquiry.

Liang Jiang replied dryly, "I don't know her, how would I know?"

“An assassin broke into her bedchamber. She was disheveled at the time, so there were some rumors. My brother, the emperor, naturally had to consider the face of the royal family.”

It was indeed because of what happened that night.

Feeling guilty, Liang Jiang hesitated whether she should continue asking and remained silent for a moment.

Gu Xizhi raised an eyebrow and asked, "You seem very interested in her affairs."

"Really?" Liang Jiang raised her face: "I'm just feeling indignant on her behalf."

Gu Xizhi's expression was indifferent: "There is always a reason why someone is pitiful. She is just reaping what she sowed."

Liang Jiang looked at him calmly and said, "She said she was confused for a moment and made a big mistake. I'm also very curious, what exactly is the entanglement between her and you, Your Highness?"

Gu Xizhi's face was cold as she slowly uttered, "That day, she screamed that there was an assassin, which alerted the people in the palace. Then, she told my royal brother that the man who broke into her room that night and tried to take advantage of her was me."

Liang Jiang's hand trembled, and the wine cup beside her tipped over, spilling plum wine everywhere.

She hurriedly picked up the wine glass, wiped the wine with a handkerchief, but her mind was full of doubts.

That night, the man who broke into Consort Xin's room was indeed Gu Xizhi.

Why would Consort Xin expose him? It wouldn't do her any good.

There seems to be some kind of conspiracy at play here.

Liang Jiang pressed further, "And then what happened?"

"She spoke with conviction, accusing me of being drunk and disorderly and of plotting against her. Fortunately, the palace servants heard her cries for help and rushed over, which allowed me to flee in panic and fail to succeed."

I did leave the banquet because I was drunk, so there's no one to vouch for me.

"Where were you then?" Liang Jiang blurted out, her tone tentative.

Gu Xizhi stared intently into her eyes and said, word by word, "At that time, I was indeed in her bedchamber."

"That you……"

Before he could finish speaking, Gu Xizhi lightly tapped his forehead with her finger.

"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking."

Liang Jiang hesitated for a moment: "Then tell me, what am I thinking?"

(End of this chapter)