If you were cold and aloof in your past life, why are you crying in this one?

Looking at her haggard reflection in the mirror, Xi Lingxian turned her head away from him. "What are you doing here?"

Wang Jue whispered, "I'm coming to catch you."

Xi Lingxian's brow twitched.

"Your second uncle is probably not clean either; Xi Gui is very likely acting under his orders."

"Are you saying my second uncle deliberately framed me?"

Don't believe me?

"What reason would he have to harm me?"

"Your second uncle has been working to promote the marriage between the Xi and Wang families, but you and your father refused to cooperate. Your uncle has given his half-brother a lot of hard time because of you."

"That's all?"

"I've discovered that your second uncle is also a regular at Yongxing Gambling House. No gambler is immune to debt. How much of the Xi family's wealth could he possibly have gotten?"

Xi Lingxian frowned: "The Xi family's present is all thanks to my father and eldest brother's life-or-death struggles. It originally belonged exclusively to the eldest branch of the family. My father is kind-hearted and would help the other branches during festivals, so they lived a good life. But if they wanted to compare with the eldest branch, it was naturally impossible."

"Even your Langya Wang clan can't all wear gold and jade, can they?"

That's true.

Wang Jue seemed to be thinking, "Your second uncle is only so-so. He alone would never dare to frame the eldest daughter of the main branch."

Xi Lingxian was also aware of this.

"He bribed his second uncle, sowed discord among the Xi family, and slandered the Wang family, all under the guise of assassinating the heir of the Prince of Huainan, a member of the royal family..."

No matter how powerful a noble family may be, the emperor is still the legitimate symbol of the regime. If any family is accused of assassinating a member of the royal family, it is no different from treason.

In any dynasty, officials who were accused of this crime would face the extermination of their entire family.

Not to mention that the Wang family once faced a rebellion led by Wang Zhang, which threatened the family's survival.

Xi Lingxian pondered for a moment, following the clues, "Is she a member of the royal family?"

Wang Jue remained noncommittal. "You can be bolder and guess more specifically?"

There are only so many people in the royal family, and the emperor's health is failing; he doesn't seem to have the energy to deal with these things.

Those are several members of the imperial family.

The King of Huainan would never use his only son as a raft; the King of Donghai is a playboy who only knows how to eat, drink, and be merry...

"That's unlikely."

She murmured.

"What's impossible? Who do you think I'm talking about?"

Xi Lingxian's gaze froze, and she pursed her lips.

It was as if she hadn't heard him.

Wang Jue glanced at her disdainfully, then suddenly raised his hand and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up.

Who are you thinking of?

His eyes were deep and unfathomable, and one could even glimpse a hint of murderous intent.

She struggled to break free from his grasp. "What's wrong with you?"

Wang Jue was restrained, and the force of his restraints even increased invisibly.

"Tell me, who did you guess?"

Xi Lingxian's cheeks were both itchy and sore from his pinching. "You, you let go first?"

Wang Jue ignored him.

Xi Lingxian reached into her sleeve and drew her short knife in a flash.

Wang Jue reacted even faster, grabbing her wrist without a word. His handsome face darkened with a menacing glint in his eyes. "You want to draw your knife with me? You want to kill me?"

Xi Lingxian covered the spot where he had pinched her, and said with no irritation, "You were rude first, I was just defending myself."

Her skin was as white and smooth as jade, and after he pinched her for a few breaths, noticeable red marks had appeared.

Xi Lingxian touched her cheek in front of the mirror, furious.

This person is the most despicable. In front of others, he pretends to be dignified, calm, and composed, but in private, he actually lay a hand on her.

"You guessed it was the Prince of Chenliu, didn't you?"

"You already know, why are you asking?"

"Then what is impossible for you? What is impossible about him? Do you think he's some kind of virtuous gentleman?"

He spoke each word with a sinister tone.

Xi Lingxian felt that his temper was becoming increasingly unpredictable, and she also lost her temper, saying things that were completely contrary to what she was thinking.

"Of course, he saved my life twice. How could I repay kindness with enmity and doubt my benefactor?"

"Moreover, everyone knows the character of the Prince of Chenliu. Everyone praises him for being gentle and kind. How could he be the kind of person who would do such a despicable thing?"

Wang Jue took a long breath, leaned down and whispered in her ear, "You're so stupid."

"..."

ill!

Xi Lingxian got up and moved to the side of the screen, keeping a distance from him, afraid that he would have another outburst. "You haven't even solved the case yet, and you're already going crazy here. What do you want?"

Wang Jue's expression grew colder and colder. "The evidence is now irrefutable. It was you, Miss Xi, who framed my Wang family. What else is there to investigate?"

Xi Lingxian turned around in astonishment, "You knew perfectly well that it was a frame-up!"

"evidence?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, squinting.

"I have no relation to Miss Xi, and you have repeatedly refused my marriage proposal; since that is the case, why should I go out of my way to seek justice for your Xi family?"

Xi Lingxian was stunned and speechless, staring blankly at the person in front of her.

Wang Jue suddenly leaned forward, "Xi Lingxian."

His voice suddenly took on a strange, almost gentle patience.

"You were the one who wanted to cut ties completely; now why are you turning on me like this?"

"Tell me, what right do I have to help you?"

Xi Lingxian's breath hitched, and her jaw clenched.

Did he threaten her?

Did she repeatedly refuse an arranged marriage, causing him to lose face?

She suppressed her shame and anger, took a deep breath, and said, "I'm sorry, I overstepped my bounds."

"We have no relationship now, so I have no right to ask you to do anything for my family."

"In that case, it seems inappropriate for Young Master Wang to remain here any longer. Guards, see him out!"

As Xi Lingxian's confidante, Taozhi had long since developed the ability to discern her mistress's mood from her tone of voice.

The girl's voice just now was filled with indignation.

"Young Master Wang, please!"

When master and servant are of one mind, if the master dislikes someone, the servant will not be able to show them any kindness.

Wang Jue almost couldn't get up there in one breath.

The legitimate son of the prestigious Langya Wang clan was asked to leave for the first time, with the implication of "expelling guests."

……

Xi Mansion Study

Xi Jian sat behind his desk, a yellowed dossier spread out in front of him.

Staff member: "Master, I have carefully checked the accounts between Second Master and Xi Gui. Three months ago, Xi Gui withdrew a sum of money from Second Master, amounting to more than two hundred taels."

"What is the name of the allowance?"

"Regarding the purchase of medicinal herbs, I have checked and found that the second branch of the family did not purchase that many medicinal herbs during that period."

"Where did the money go?"

"Yongxing Casino".

Xi Jian's eyes narrowed. "I've heard quite a few people mention this gambling den."

"The apparent owner of Yongning Casino is a wealthy merchant from Yixing, but everyone knows that he has a powerful patron backing him up."

Xi Jian pondered for a moment.

Xi Lang and Xi Gui both owe gambling debts, so they will inevitably be hampered by others;

If someone tries to blackmail you...

He provided the murder weapon, dragged the Xi family into the mess, framed the Wang family, and even managed to sow discord between the two families.

Xi Jian sneered: "The person behind the scenes has really played a brilliant move, killing three birds with one stone."

Staff Officer: "What are the patriarch's plans?"

"We cannot place all our hopes on the Wang family."

"Go and fetch Xi Lang here. This ungrateful wretch, if I don't get the truth out of him today, I'll kill him myself!"