The others never expected that Mo Shaoyu would shift the blame onto others. They all knelt on the ground, cursing Mo Shaoyu in their hearts countless times. Although they were following the orders of the Crown Princess, they hadn't even had a chance to speak! That damned Mo Shaoyu!
However, Song Qingyu secretly applauded Mo Shaoyu's move in her heart. In this way, those court officials who were in the Crown Princess Song Yanran's camp would surely become estranged from her.
"Your Highness, it has nothing to do with us. It was all the Crown Princess who sent us here!"
"Yes, the Crown Princess said that since you've been away from the capital recently, even if we made things difficult for Miss Song the Second, you wouldn't know."
"The Crown Princess also said that Miss Song the Second didn't deserve to choose a good husband."
...
Everyone scrambled to plead their cases to Xiao Wang, afraid of speaking a step slower than others. Some even fabricated lies randomly in order to clear themselves of any suspicion. For a moment, the hall was in a complete uproar.
Hearing the accusations against herself, Song Yanran roared, "Lies! You're all lying! I never said such things!"
Seeing the chaos, Song Qingyu naturally wasn't willing to be left out. She decided to add fuel to the fire and make Xiao Wang even angrier. So, Song Qingyu suddenly knelt on the ground, sobbing, "Ayu doesn't know where she offended elder sister, but elder sister has gone to such great lengths to humiliate me."
After hearing this, Xiao Wang's cold and sinister eyes were filled with chill. The veins on his forehead bulged, and he roared at Song Yanran, "Song Yanran, how dare you!"
"Your Highness, don't blame elder sister. It's all Ayu's fault for making elder sister angry." As Song Qingyu spoke, big tears rolled down her cheeks.
Seeing Song Qingyu's red - rimmed eyes, Xiao Wang felt as if a piece of his heart had been gouged out. Since childhood, he couldn't bear to see Song Qingyu cry. Immediately, he slammed his palm heavily on the table, breathing heavily.
"Song Yanran, get back to the Eastern Palace and be confined."
Hearing this, Song Yanran instantly lost all her strength and slumped to the ground. She watched helplessly as Xiao Wang carefully helped Song Qingyu up and gently put his arm around her shoulder. The two of them, like a perfect match, walked out side by side.
This scene stabbed Song Yanran's eyes sharply and tore her heart into pieces. Her eyes turned scarlet, and her gaze was full of hatred. She clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug deeply into her flesh. She didn't even feel the pain when it seemed as if a piece of meat had been gouged out. The fresh blood stained her palm, looking extremely terrifying.
Song Qingyu, I'll never rest until one of us is dead in this lifetime!
-
In Xiao Wang's study, Xiao Wang and Song Qingyu stood facing each other. The closed door added an even tenser atmosphere. At this moment, the affection that Xiao Wang had shown in front of everyone just now was nowhere to be seen on his face.
"Have you forgotten what I said?"
"Haven't I always done as you said?"
"When did I ever allow you to choose a husband?" Xiao Wang roared. Although this husband - choosing banquet was arranged by Prince Song and Song Yanran, without Song Qingyu's approval, how could such a banquet be held? She was really so bold!
Song Qingyu said, "With what happened today, not only will Song Yanran and the court officials behind her become estranged, but it will also stimulate her to take action against me soon. What else are you dissatisfied with?"
"What if I hadn't rushed back today?"
"I'd just choose someone at random then."
"You!"
Xiao Wang suddenly raised his arm, his eyes turning scarlet. The anger in his eyes had reached its peak. But the last bit of rationality made his palm hover in the air without falling.
Song Qingyu wasn't afraid either. She stared into Xiao Wang's fierce eyes.
"Hit me. Hit this face that you love the most!"
Xiao Wang looked at Song Qingyu's challenging eyes, but in the end, he couldn't bear to do it. His Adam's apple rolled as he tried his best to suppress his anger.
"Song Qingyu, are you really that impatient?" Xiao Wang frowned tightly, his eyes full of helplessness. "Do you have to provoke Song Yanran again and again?"
"Yes, I am impatient! I just want to provoke her and make her take action against me. Then you'll get what you want, won't you?"
After hearing this, Xiao Wang pursed his lips. "But what you're doing is too risky."
One wrong step and everything would be lost.
"Risky?" Song Qingyu suddenly sneered a few times. "Xiao Wang, I'm going crazy! I'm going crazy!"
The tightly - strung heartstrings seemed to snap at this moment.
"Every day, I have to wear this face and play a person I don't even know. My loved ones and my lover think I'm dead and are suffering the heart - wrenching pain! Xiao Wang, you're so cruel!"
Yes, the Song Qingyu standing in front of Xiao Wang wasn't the real Song Qingyu. She was Ruan Jiu.
Half a year ago, after she fell off a cliff and woke up, she saw that it was Xiao Wang who had saved her. But Xiao Wang didn't let her go. Instead, he made a deal with her. Or rather, Xiao Wang threatened her with Xie Jingchu's true identity and their actions against Gu Kexing. That night in the Shuozhou dungeon, all their conversations with Murong Cheng had been heard by Xiao Wang. This had become Xiao Wang's bargaining chip to threaten her.
As for why Xiao Wang threatened her, it had to do with Song Qingyu. Back then, Song Qingyu suddenly contracted a serious illness and was sent to a manor to recuperate. Unexpectedly, on the way, she was insulted by a group of bandits. By the time Xiao Wang rushed there, Song Qingyu had already committed suicide. In order to protect Song Qingyu's reputation, Xiao Wang kept this matter a secret, making everyone think that Song Qingyu had been recuperating in the manor all these years. After several investigations, Xiao Wang found out that both Song Qingyu's illness and humiliation were related to Song Yanran. But there was a mysterious force behind Song Yanran, which made it impossible for Xiao Wang to take action against her.
Until Xiao Wang saw Ruan Jiu. More precisely, he saw Ruan Jiu's eyes, which were exactly the same as Song Qingyu's. Xiao Wang threatened her to disguise herself as Song Qingyu, use Song Qingyu's identity, find out the person behind Song Yanran, and avenge Song Qingyu. Helplessly, she had to agree. As Xiao Wang said, she had no choice. Xie Jingchu had finally reached this stage, and she mustn't let Xie Jingchu be exposed in front of Gu Kexing. She also couldn't bear to watch the Shen family fall into eternal damnation because of her.
In the past half - year, she had been imitating Song Qingyu's every move every day and carefully planning everything. But when she saw Xie Jingchu, she felt so miserable that she could hardly breathe. Her lover and relatives were in great pain because of her "death", but she couldn't tell them that she was still alive. Even having a few more words with them was a luxury. Now she just wanted to finish what Xiao Wang had ordered as soon as possible and return to the people she loved!
Ruan Jiu's tears poured out like a broken string of beads. She squatted on the ground, hugging herself tightly. The collapse in her heart came like a tsunami, devouring all her strength and rationality.
It was the first time Xiao Wang had seen her cry. His palm tightened and then loosened, and then tightened again. After a long time, he coldly threw out a sentence.
"After this is all over, I'll let you go."