Full House Spring

Chapter 42 A desperate move

Xia Li quickly assessed the current situation. She was just a maidservant serving the old lady. Even if Lu Qinghe disliked her, he would never cause trouble in Beppu to harm her.

She looked at Lai Xi with captivating eyes and said in a cold voice, "You'd better not lie, otherwise I will never let you off easily."

Lai Xi was a timid person. She froze up under Xia Li's gaze. She said with trembling lips, "I dare not lie..."

Xia Li was afraid that something might really happen to the girl in the mansion, so he didn't even bother to say hello to his grandma and just pulled Lai Xi away.

She was not familiar with the Dongyang Marquis Mansion, so she followed Lai Xi's instructions, crossed the sparsely populated area, and found an inconspicuous courtyard.

The two of them paused for a moment, and Lai Xi panted and said, "Sister Xia Li, the second and eldest girls are locked up in the east wing in front. There are people guarding the door. We can only climb in through the window."

Xia Li asked cautiously, "Since you can climb through the window, why don't you girls come out by yourselves?"

Lai Xi said helplessly: "The eldest girl was knocked unconscious. She was lying on the couch unconscious. The two of us, master and servant, couldn't move her at all."

This explanation was a bit far-fetched, but not impossible. Since she was already here, Xia Li had to find out the truth. She followed Lai Xi through the withered bushes and finally reached behind the window frame.

Lai Xi first knocked on the windowsill very rhythmically, and soon the second girl poked her head out. She was very happy to see Xia Li, and said in a trembling voice: "Xia Li, you are finally here, come in and help me send my elder sister out..."

Xia Li climbed up to the windowsill without hesitation, and saw the girl lying inside. When she entered the room, he said seriously:

"What does the second girl want? If you just want to rescue the eldest girl, you don't have to come to me."

Lu Zhiyao lowered her eyes. She knew she couldn't hide it from Xia Li, so she said in a hoarse voice:
"Let's send the elder sister out first and let Lai Xi take her to the carriage. I will explain it to you later."

There are people guarding outside and someone may break in at any time, so we really can't waste time.

Without saying a word, Xia Li walked over and lifted Lu Qinghe up, and Lu Zhiyao quickly reached out to help.

Her small and frail body depended entirely on Xia Li's strength, while Lai Xi supported her outside. The three of them had limited strength and would bump into the girl from time to time, but she did not react at all, which showed that she had been drugged.

Xia Li was panting with exhaustion. He finally managed to move the people out. After watching Lai Xi carrying the eldest girl away, he asked bluntly, "Are you planning to go out, second girl?"

Lu Zhiyao's face was pale, and she said calmly:

"My elder sister was murdered by Princess Zhaohua because she had feelings for the Third Prince and was the niece of Consort Shu. She was a potential threat to Princess Zhaohua, so the princess wanted to take the initiative and ruin her reputation."

Xia Li's face was as gloomy as a dark cloud, and he said in a slightly cold voice: "Since you know Princess Zhaohua's purpose, why don't you leave?"

Lu Zhiyao was startled for a moment, then relieved. She raised a gentle smile and said frankly:
"Because this is my only chance to marry someone of high status. Princess Zhaohua wants to pair you up with Prince Hui. You may not like a gifted son like him, but I would love to have him."

Xia Li frowned and patiently advised: "Prince Hui was once the crown prince, and now he is even more of a thorn in the side of Emperor Yongping. Your future will be worrying if you stay with him."

A hint of determination flashed across Lu Zhiyao's eyes, and she said without hesitation:

"You don't understand. Prince Hui is not an ordinary person. Emperor Yongping can't do anything to him. My maternal grandfather was an aide to Prince Jing. I know a lot of old things."

After saying this, she became more calm and continued:
"You know what my situation is like in the mansion. My wife is quiet and doesn't cause trouble. She won't make plans for me. If I rely on my stepmother, she might as well marry someone randomly. It's better to give it a try."

Xia Li's expression became more and more solemn. She took a deep breath and said calmly:

"Since the Second Miss has made up her mind, and you know the consequences, I will not stop you. You kept me here, I think you have something to tell me, so you might as well tell me directly."

Lu Zhiyao said in a low voice: "Later I will pretend to be drugged and lie on the bed. No matter who comes, you will knock him out for me."

Xia Li was surprised, and Lu Zhiyao said tactfully:
"Although I want to give it a try, I don't intend to lose my chastity. King Hui and I cannot lose our dignity. It is enough to just pretend to do it for others to see."

Xia Li was indeed worried about leaving her here alone, so he did not refuse, but said coldly: "The maid will hide behind the door and use this inkstone to attack the person who comes later."

Lu Zhiyao frowned slightly and reminded in a low voice: "Don't use too much force, it will be difficult to deal with if the injury is too serious."

Xia Li sneered and said, "I know my limits. You should worry about our situation. If the people coming are prepared, I'm afraid it will backfire."

Lu Zhiyao apologized, "I'm sorry, I have no choice but to let you go on this adventure with me."

Xia Li didn't buy it. It was not that Lai Xi couldn't do it, but people were close to the old lady in different ways. She was the old lady's person, so it would be easier to explain it to her afterwards.

Xia Li looked calm. She raised her chin and said calmly, "Second Miss, you don't have to explain to me. You can explain it to the old lady afterwards."

After saying that, she picked up the inkstone and hid behind the door. Lu Zhiyao had a complicated expression and didn't know what to say. She walked to the bed and lay down. The room fell silent.

After half a quarter of an hour, heavy footsteps were heard, and the servant guarding the door seemed to have disappeared. After a while, the door was pushed open with a creak, and a man in a black wide-sleeved python robe stepped over the threshold with unsteady steps.

Xia Li held her breath and raised the inkstone. When the man staggered to close the door, she smashed it down as soon as he turned his head. Prince Hui felt his vision blurry and then he fainted. Xia Li lowered her voice and said, "Second Miss, do you know His Highness Prince Hui? Please come and identify him first."

After Lu Zhiyao approached and saw his angular face clearly, he breathed a sigh of relief, "This is His Royal Highness Prince Hui. Let's move him to the couch first."

This is an adult male, and he weighs much more than Lu Qinghe. Xia Li wailed inwardly. If she had known that there would be so much physical work to do today, she should have eaten more at breakfast. The two of them took great pains to move the man onto the bed.

Lu Zhiyao said with gratitude: "Miss Xia Li, if I have the chance in the future, I will definitely repay your kindness today."

Xia Li wiped the sweat from his forehead and said nonchalantly:
"I am only trying my best. Just don't regret your decision today. When I leave later, I will tell the old lady the truth. I don't know how she will act."

Lu Zhiyao didn't seem to be worried about the old lady's punishment. She nodded slightly and said, "Grandma will definitely understand my situation. Please leave quickly. I will take care of what happens next."

Xia Li climbed up the window frame again, but before jumping down, he warned: "Second Miss, you have to act decent and don't reveal any flaws."

Lu Zhiyao smiled brightly, and she pointed to the teacup on the table, "That's the tea that my sister drank earlier. I'll finish the rest. Don't worry, nothing will go wrong." If you're acting, you have to do it in full. King Hui is not someone who can be fooled easily, and Princess Zhaohua and the others are not easy to deal with either...

Xia Li said no more. She secretly sighed that the second girl, who seemed to be unknown, actually had such means. She must never underestimate anyone in the future.

Coming out of the room, Xia Li quickly ran to the old lady. She didn't know how the eldest girl was doing at the moment, and she couldn't care less. She had to let the old lady take the initiative before the matter broke out.

At this time, the Plum Garden was bustling with activity. The Marquis's Mansion had arranged a troupe to perform an opera, and the old lady was watching intently. When Aunt Xie saw Xia Li coming over, she reprimanded him in a low voice:

"Where have you been running off to again? How can you be so tactless?"

Xia Li bowed and begged for mercy: "Don't blame me, grandma, something really happened. I have to report it to the old lady."

Nanny Xie was sensible and knew that Xia Li was a steady person who would never talk nonsense, so she quickly motioned for her to go over and talk.

Xia Li walked up to the old lady and whispered in her ear what had just happened.

The old lady's expression was slightly restrained, with a cold light flashing in her eyes, and she said in a calm voice:
"Good girl, you did a good job. Go and guard the carriage first, and don't let outsiders disturb the young lady's rest. I will take care of the rest."

Xia Li bowed and agreed, and the old lady said to Shi Mi, "Tell the two ladies to take good care of the girls and bring them all to me."

Shi Mi obeyed the order and left with Xia Li. Aunt Xie said sternly, "Master, can you send someone to call the Duke?"

The old lady shook her head slightly, and the corners of her mouth slightly raised as she said:

"He is not needed for this matter. The second girl is just choosing a husband for herself. She has good taste. Yes... her grandfather was an aide to Crown Prince Jing... I actually forgot about this."

The more Nanny Xie listened, the more confused she became. Now was not the time to pry into the matter. There would definitely be a tough battle to fight next. She had to support the old lady and not let her momentum weaken.

When Xia Li returned to the carriage, Lai Xi was gone, and Lu Qinghe's personal maid was taking care of her.

Xia Li got on the carriage silently. The maid saw that she didn't dare to say anything. She had made a big mistake by not serving her master well, and she would be punished when she returned home.

Time passed quickly, and there seemed to be a commotion in the garden. Two groups of people came and wanted to search their carriage, but they were all sent away by Xia Li. If she hadn't been there, Lu Qinghe would have been in trouble.

Finally, Lu Qinghe, who had been lying there for a long time, reacted. She opened her eyes in confusion and saw that she was not very responsive in the carriage. After a while, her mind became clear again and she said in surprise, "Am I not at the plum blossom viewing banquet? What the hell...did Yao Dizhu give me something to drink?"

Her fingers were trembling, her eyes were full of panic, and tears were welling up in her eyes. She obviously knew the seriousness of the matter.

Xia Li said calmly, "Don't worry, Miss. Nothing happened. Miss No. 2 has replaced you."

Upon hearing this, Lu Qinghe's eyes were about to burst, and he said angrily:
"Replace? Yao Dizhu came here to destroy my reputation, and you watched her get hurt. No, I have to save her!"

Xia Li was in a bad mood and had no mood to play around with her. She said angrily, "Young lady, you knew that they had bad intentions, so why did you let them in? Besides, I am just a humble maid. How can I influence the master's decision? Young lady, you should wait patiently. They should be back soon."

Lu Qinghe heard the voice-over and said in disbelief: "You mean the second sister took the initiative to stay? What does she want to do?"

Xia Li looked out the window in silence, and no matter what Lu Qinghe said, she no longer responded. Fortunately, the effect of the medicine in her body had not yet worn off, so her speech was weak, but not particularly noisy.

After about a cup of tea, the old lady came out in a rage. Xia Li immediately lifted the curtain and got off the carriage. The second girl was wrapped tightly and carried by the maid, and she was not yet conscious.

Mrs. Dongyang was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot. She said sincerely, "Please forgive me, old lady. It's all because of our poor hospitality. We will definitely give you a satisfactory answer to this matter."

The old lady's eyes were deep and she looked majestic without being angry. She said in a cold tone:

"The whole cause and effect of the incident has been investigated. My granddaughter suffered this disaster innocently. Even if the incident is reported to His Majesty, I will not be afraid."

The Marquis' wife apologized in a very humble manner. She felt extremely remorseful. The three parties involved in the incident were not people who could be easily offended. If the matter was not handled properly, the Marquis of Dongyang's Mansion would be held responsible.

The first wife's face turned pale, and she couldn't help feeling scared when she thought that it was Qing He who was originally involved. The second wife had already been scolded by the old lady. She, as the legitimate mother, was too careless about her concubine's daughter, and now that things have turned out like this, she also had a great responsibility.

Xia Li walked up to the old lady and supported her wrist. The master and servant looked at each other, and Xia Li blinked imperceptibly, indicating that the young lady was safe and sound. Only then did the old lady feel relieved.

She ignored the marquis's wife and stepped into the carriage. After the curtain was lowered to block the view of outsiders, the old lady's expression softened and she gently patted Xia Li's hand to show her approval.

It was not until the carriage left the Dongyang Marquis's Mansion that Madam Xie said in a low voice:

"King Hui was furious just now, he must be mad at the second girl, can this marriage still be successful?"

The old lady looked calm and composed. She said in a gentle tone:
"He knows he's been plotted against, so it's normal for him to be angry. Whether to marry Zhiyao is not up to him. It depends on whether His Majesty is willing to go along with it."

Aunt Xie frowned slightly and said worriedly, "The second young lady is a concubine of the second house after all. The position of princess is a little uncertain. She can probably get the position of concubine."

The old lady smiled but said nothing. She turned to look at Xia Li and asked softly, "What do you think about this?"

Xia Li was slightly stunned, and said after careful consideration:

"If we register the second young lady under the name of the first or second wife, wouldn't she become a legitimate daughter? Everyone knows that we are close to Concubine Shu. The Duke is more optimistic about the third prince, so he will not help Prince Hui. The emperor probably doesn't want to see Prince Hui marry a princess who can help him..."

After Xia Li finished speaking, a strange light flashed in the old lady's eyes. She encouraged him, "You said it very well, keep going."

When the old lady spoke, Xia Li did not hesitate any longer and continued:

"The second young lady is the daughter of the Duke's mansion. If the news of her becoming a princess is spread out, it won't be an insult to Prince Hui. As for whether she is promoted from concubine to legitimate, or whether she is favored in her family, outsiders don't care. At least the emperor is happy to see it happen."

The old lady raised a satisfied smile and said to Aunt Xie jokingly, "You are really getting old and confused. You are not as clear-sighted as your girl..."

(End of this chapter)