Utterly Foolish

The gardens around the main courtyard's principal residence were even more refined and secluded, with waterside pavilions and winding corridors. At a glance, it was clearly the master's courtyard.

The mustached man immediately grew wary. "First, tell me exactly what kind of goods you've got today."

Nanny Liu rolled her eyes at him and said impatiently, "All right, all right."

She leaned close to his ear and said perfunctorily, "She's a maid who serves at the princess consort's side."

"The mistress isn't in the residence right now. I've already gotten her maid onto the bed, and her body is absolutely untouched. Are you satisfied now?"

Even the personal maids of great and noble households had to meet certain standards of appearance.

If nothing else, they had to be healthy, with regular features and delicate looks.

The man before her was a street crook who operated in the pleasure quarters.

The Great Jin dynasty permitted the existence of human brokers. They were registered with the prefectural authorities and belonged to a regulated and supervised trade.

Most importantly, both parties in transactions conducted through brokers acted of their own free will.

But street crooks like this man committed the evil of snatching and trafficking respectable women to brothels and pleasure houses against their will.

It was forbidden by Great Jin law, but the trafficked women were usually subjected to such torment that threats and intimidation forced them to admit they had gone willingly. As a result, street crooks in the pleasure quarters appeared one after another without end.

Nanny Liu was blackhearted herself. She cared nothing for whether the man lived or died, so long as her plan succeeded.

At this hour, Su Luoqian was usually taking her afternoon rest. Zelan was away, and Yinzhu had sent the others elsewhere, so Nanny Liu could bring an unrelated man in as though the place were deserted.

Once the mustached man entered the master bedroom and was alone in the room with Su Luoqian, and Nanny Liu just happened to discover them, Su Luoqian wouldn't be able to explain herself even if she had ten mouths.

If something really did happen, so much the better. Once the raw rice had been cooked, the prince would be able to see her fickle, promiscuous true colors even more clearly.

At the thought of her own seamless scheme, Nanny Liu couldn't keep the corners of her mouth from stretching into a grin.

Beside her, the mustached man heard that she was a maid and, sure enough, relaxed. He rubbed his face, the gleam in his eyes growing sharper. "Then let's get over there quickly, so I can inspect the goods."

Street crooks committed filthy, wicked deeds, and the women they had defiled were beyond counting. At the thought of the pleasure awaiting him, the mustached man's smile grew even more lecherous and crude.

Nanny Liu led him through the corridors and straight to the door of the principal residence.

The weather had grown increasingly oppressive since noon, and dark clouds filled the sky, as though a storm were brewing.

All the servants in the courtyard had been sent away, and the surroundings were utterly quiet.

Nanny Liu composed herself and raised a hand to push open the door.

The room was just as quiet. They crossed the outer chamber and went around a screen, arriving at the master bedroom.

Curtains hung around the small-leaf red sandalwood canopy bed, completely concealing the bed from view.

On the footstool beneath the bed sat a pair of finely made, two-toned embroidered hibiscus shoes.

Nanny Liu understood. Having confirmed that Su Luoqian was in the bed, she relaxed.

She turned to the mustached man, who was looking around behind her, and said, "I've sent the people outside away. There's plenty of time, so inspect her body however you like, but afterward..."

She left the sentence unfinished. But according to the false agreement she had made with the mustached man earlier, he was supposed to pay her a certain sum once the deed was done.

The mustached man stared at the curtains with gleaming eyes, as though he could see through them to the little beauty on the bed.

He waved an impatient hand. "I know, I know. You'll get your share."

Seeing how impatient he was, Nanny Liu sneered silently. "Good, as long as you remember."

The gleam in the mustached man's eyes grew ever more lewd and filthy. He rubbed his hands and approached the canopy bed step by step. "Heh, heh, heh."

"Today I'll see for myself whether she's still a virgin."

With that, he yanked the curtains open.

"Ah—"

But the next second, the mustached man took a vicious kick to the chest. He was sent flying and landed on the floor, spitting blood.

Waiting for him on the bed was no little beauty, but Prince! Cheng! An!

At the same time, the principal residence's front door slammed shut with a bang.

Fulin and Yinzhu came to the screen and stood guard, one on either side.

Zelan, who was supposed to have left the residence, was also standing nearby.

"Y-Your Highness..."

Nanny Liu's legs went weak, and she fell to her knees. Staring at Prince Cheng'an in utter terror, she murmured in disbelief, "How could you be here...?"

The man sitting on the edge of the bed had an icy gaze, and the aura around him was frightening and dangerous.

His sinister, venomous gaze seemed to turn into sharp swords, piercing bloody holes clean through the two people on the floor.

Just then, Su Luoqian emerged from behind the canopy bed, dressed in a magnificent gown.

She moved with light, graceful steps, her face exquisite and alluring.

Her voice was soft and gentle, yet it was like the harshest interrogation.

"Nanny Liu, why don't you first explain what you're doing here?"

"And what is the meaning of bringing an unrelated man into the residence, and into your mistress's bedroom in the principal residence?"

"Hmm?"

As she spoke, she curved her lips in a faint smile and sat down beside Lu Jingsi on the edge of the bed.

"Your Highness... Your Highness..."

Nanny Liu shuffled forward several steps on her knees, still hoping to crawl to Lu Jingsi's feet, but one cold, severe look from him frightened her into stopping at once.

"Your Highness... the truth isn't what you've seen..."

Nanny Liu pointed furiously at Su Luoqian. "Su Luoqian is fickle and promiscuous, changing her mind from morning to night. She married you, yet she still pines for her older cousin..."

"Besides... besides, she's merely a merchant's daughter. How could she possibly be worthy of you?"

"This old servant only did this so that you could see her true colors..."

"Your Highness, you must believe this old servant."

At the end, Nanny Liu knocked her head hard against the floor several times. The skin on her forehead broke, and a trace of blood appeared, giving her a somewhat sincere and heartfelt air.

But it did nothing to move Su Luoqian or Lu Jingsi.

Hearing her words, Lu Jingsi's aura grew even colder.

His fierce gaze shot toward her. "Is that your reason for conspiring with an unrelated man to frame the princess consort?"

"Utterly foolish!"

Whether or not Su Luoqian had romantic feelings for him, she would never be foolish enough to remain entangled with another man after marriage.

She was clever and knew what she had to do to protect the Su Family.

That was also why Lu Jingsi felt at ease entrusting the management of the prince's residence to her.

Now that the two were husband and wife, their honor and disgrace were bound together.

If Nanny Liu's scheme had succeeded today, Su Luoqian would not have been the only victim. The vast Prince Cheng'an's Residence would have suffered as well.

"What kind of person the princess consort is is not for a servant like you to comment on."

"You defied your superiors and committed an outrageous offense. Even if I had you beaten to death today, it would be a light punishment."

"Your Highness..."

Hearing that, Nanny Liu was finally afraid. Her body, prostrate on the floor, shook uncontrollably like a fallen leaf in autumn.

Su Luoqian lowered her eyes and, seeing her like that, gave a cold, alluring laugh.

"Tsk. If you're going to beat her, do it in another courtyard. Don't dirty the main courtyard."

She didn't want someone to have died in her courtyard. How inauspicious that would be.