Chapter 57 Framed

Chapter 57: Set Up

Chang Ying wanted to die, but not really.

She had simply seen such scenes often in operas—a good woman defiled by a scoundrel chooses death to prove her innocence—and she wanted to put on a similar show.

But the moment she rushed out, she regretted it. She didn't actually want to die that much.

Smashing into the pillar would hurt terribly, and with blood all over her face, she'd be a total mess.

Yet, it was too late to stop now.

She had charged out with all her might; even if she tried to lessen the impact now, she'd still get a face full of bruises.

With a dull *thud*, Chang Ying, shedding her usual arrogance and restraint, slammed right into the pillar.

Instantly, a large bump swelled on her forehead, and her cheekbone was red and puffy.

Chang Wenji had wanted to stop her, but his age slowed him down. He could only watch helplessly as his daughter made such a pitiful spectacle of herself.

He'd already blown off all his steam; now, only heartache remained.

He helped his weeping daughter to her feet and comforted her, "Don't worry, Ying'er. Father will definitely clean this up for you and restore your reputation."

"Yes, Father," Chang Ying cried. "I know you're the best."

She knew her father doted on her the most. As long as she played the victim, she could get anything she wanted. Though he had been angry and hit her, he would ultimately help her.

The next morning, going stir-crazy in her tent, Chang Ying went to the woods for some fresh air.

The trees had already sprouted tender buds, dotted with scattered blossoms. The sound of the rushing stream drifted from behind the bushes.

Though there were no rare or precious flowers or trees, the vibrant scene soothed Chang Ying's troubled mood considerably.

For the past two days, she had hidden in her room, too scared to show her face for fear of running into others.

Moreover, she hadn't seen her father during this time. She had sent people to look for him but couldn't find him, unsure how he was handling the matter.

But bottled up with frustration, she could only seek solace in this secluded part of the woods.

Spotting a small pavilion not far away, Chang Ying thought of going to sit there, but unfortunately, someone else had beaten her to it.

That person, along with several companions, had reached the pavilion from another direction. As soon as they sat down, they began chattering away.

The leader was Zheng Qingzi, the daughter of the Minister of Personnel. She had always disliked Chang Ying, unable to stand her stuck-up attitude.

When this incident happened to Chang Ying, Zheng Qingzi was among the first to hear about it. She had even braved the night breeze to catch a glimpse that evening.

"Did you know? Someone was caught near His Majesty's tent that night. Guess who it was?"

"Who?"

Her friends chimed in eagerly.

"It was Chang Ying! Many people saw her that night, in complete disarray!"

"Ah? It was actually her?"

"Yes! It was so noisy that night. How could you not have heard?"

"I did hear something, but I never imagined it was her!"

"But I've long heard she had such intentions toward the Emperor. Now it seems it's true!"

"What good is her pretty face? The Emperor never gave her the time of day. Now that she's done something so disgraceful, she's utterly humiliated. The Emperor will look down on her even more."

Hiding behind a tree, listening to them gossip about her behind her back, Chang Ying felt both ashamed and furious. Her fists were clenched tightly, her face flushed with rage.

Though she knew she would become a topic of gossip, having it laid bare before her like this was still hard to accept.

Chang Ying's bratty, can't-take-an-insult temper flared up. With a 'what have I got to lose?' attitude, she wanted to step forward and confront Zheng Qingzi.

Even if what she did wasn't great, was gossiping behind someone's back any better? Besides, Zheng Qingzi wasn't someone she couldn't cross. What could the Minister of Personnel do to her anyway?

Just as she was about to step out, she heard Zheng Qingzi's mocking laugh.

"Pretty? That's an insult to the word 'pretty.' If you ask me, the most beautiful in our Great Jing Dynasty is Jiang Wang."

Zheng Qingzi added, "Look at Jiang Wang. His skin is fair and delicate, his eyes big and bright. I was stunned the first time I saw him. He truly deserves the title."

"Right, I almost forgot if Qingzi hadn't mentioned it. Jiang Wang is genuinely beautiful, with an androgynous allure. No wonder he's called the 'Imperial Favorite.' I bet even the Emperor is captivated by him."

"Exactly. Although the Emperor has a roving eye, he's never added anyone to the harem. Could it be..."

Zheng Qingzi drew out her tone, exchanging meaningful glances and mysterious smiles with her friends.

Only the youngest among them didn't understand why the others were laughing so happily.

"Really? Is he truly as beautiful as you say? I've never seen him before."

"Of course, little sister. Would I lie to you? Jiang Wang came with the Emperor to Zhaoshan for the spring outing. How about I take you to see him?"

"Is it for me, or for yourself? I know exactly what you're thinking!"

After sitting and chatting for a while, the group left, giggling. It was unclear whether they went to continue enjoying the scenery or to actually see what Jiang Wang looked like.

Meanwhile, Chang Ying, who had been hiding behind the tree, too ashamed to show herself, had turned from red to livid.

The handkerchief in her hand was already torn to shreds. Her maid, Xiao Tao, standing beside her, held her tongue.

Chang Ying threw the ruined handkerchief away and gazed from the woods toward the camp.

Why did everyone think Jiang Wang was beautiful, even more so than her?

Jiang Wang, huh? Beautiful, huh? "Imperial Favorite," huh?

Then she would make sure Jiang Wang's face was ruined. Let's see if people still found him beautiful then, or if he could still bear the title of "Imperial Favorite."

*

Inside the tent, Jiang Wang was sitting at a table, arranging the wildflowers he had just picked.

He found a vase, placed the flowers inside, sprinkled some water on them, and put it in the most prominent spot in the room.

Then he glanced out the window. Xiao Yan had said he had something to discuss today but had left the tent early in the morning.

The sun was about to set, and there was still no sign of him. Jiang Wang wondered what he was up to.

He decided to give Xiao Yan one more hour. If he still didn't come, he wouldn't wait any longer.

Finally, after the tea had been boiled and cooled several times, a maid appeared in the tent.

She had arrived in a hurry, her shoes and the hem of her skirt stained with mud, a fine sheen of sweat on her forehead. Now she was gasping for breath, unable to get a full sentence out.

"Lord Jiang, His Majesty is looking—looking for you. It's urgent. Please come with me quickly."

What's going on? What happened?

Why is this maid in such a mess?

Was Xiao Yan in danger?

For this spring inspection outing, they hadn't sealed off the entire mountain—only some of the main roads were blocked. There were still many small paths leading up, and villagers living in the hills.

If some extremist who didn't know Xiao Yan was a good man wanted to assassinate him, they would surely seize this opportunity to strike!

Xiao Yan might already be in danger, his life hanging by a thread.

Jiang Wang's heart leaped into his throat. He sprang to his feet, accidentally knocking over the tea. The scalding liquid splashed onto his hand, turning it red. A burning pain shot through his palm.

But he paid no attention, his face a mask of worry and anxiety for Xiao Yan.

"Please lead the way, miss!"

The maid set off at a brisk pace, occasionally glancing back to see if Jiang Wang was keeping up. The two moved swiftly and soon left the camp's perimeter, entering the woods.

The night grew darker. Jiang Wang had rushed out in such a hurry that he hadn't brought an oil lamp or torch. Fortunately, the young maid seemed familiar with the path, telling him as they walked to watch out for loose stones and branches underfoot.

At first, Jiang Wang was grateful for the maid's kindness. But later, he began to sense something amiss.

Why were they heading into more and more remote areas, deeper into the woods?

Even if Xiao Yan were in the forest, he wouldn't venture this deep.

There was something wrong with this maid.

Jiang Wang stopped to catch his breath, pretending to rest, and casually tried to fish for information.

"Let's take a break. I really can't go on. Miss, who is your mistress? Is she the daughter of the Vice Minister of War? You're in such good shape."

The maid froze for a moment, then stammered in agreement.

"Ah, yes. My mistress trains with her father every day, so I can't afford to slack off either."

At that, Jiang Wang took a step back, quickly snatched up a sharp branch and pressed it against the maid's neck.

"I'm afraid you've remembered wrong, miss. The Vice Minister of War's family only has two sons, no daughter."

Jiang Wang applied slight pressure, the branch digging into the skin of the maid's neck, drawing a bead of blood.

He demanded, his voice low, "Who are you really?"

Seeing that her cover was blown, the fake maid quickly retreated along the force of Jiang Wang's push, putting a safe distance between her neck and the branch. Then, using the momentum, she bent down, grabbed a handful of dirt, and flung it toward Jiang Wang's eyes.

The move wasn't sophisticated, but it was clean and efficient.

It would have been child's play to a real master, but against Jiang Wang, who knew no martial arts, it was more than enough.

Jiang Wang was caught completely off guard and had no time to react. His eyes, nose, and mouth were hit full-on with a mouthful of dirt.

A damp, nauseatingly earthy taste spread through his mouth. Even though he closed his eyes in time, gritty particles still got in, stinging so badly he couldn't open them.

By the time Jiang Wang finally cleared the dirt from his face and could open his eyes to look around, the fake maid had long since vanished without a trace.

So, he had been set up?

Using Xiao Yan's supposed danger to lure him into the mountains.

Jiang Wang looked around. The trees were thicker and denser here, which meant he was already deep within Zhaoshan.

He was a stranger here, surrounded by pitch darkness with no way to find his way out. He would have to spend the night in the mountains.

If he was lucky, he might barely make it through the night, holding on until someone found him. If he was unlucky, he might end up eaten by wild beasts.

But surely there wouldn't be tigers in these mountains, right?

No sooner had this thought crossed Jiang Wang's mind than faint, distant howls of wolves echoed from afar.

Great. No tigers, but there were wolves.

Jiang Wang instantly felt incredibly foolish.

Why had he been so impatient and followed her without verifying anything?

Who was Xiao Yan? The current emperor.

Never mind whether he himself knew martial arts—just the imperial guards and hidden protectors around him were enough to ensure his safety.

Even if he were in danger or met with misfortune, those around him would all be men. Why would they send a woman to deliver a message?

And why would they come straight to him, someone with neither high combat prowess nor significant authority, instead of informing the ministers or high-ranking officials?

A cold breeze blew, and Jiang Wang sneezed, beginning to worry deeply about whether he would survive the night in these vast mountains.

Meanwhile, down at the foot of the mountain in the camp, Xiao Yan stood anxiously before his tent. All the imperial guards were lined up in formation, holding torches that lit up half the sky.

Author's Note:

Jiang Wang, my dear, think carefully about why you were in such a hurry.