Chapter 13: Framed

Chapter 13: The Setup

The teapot lay tilted on the ground, its contents spilled all over. A few green tea leaves added a splash of color against the winter backdrop.

"My apologies, young mistress! It's my fault, all due to my recklessness."

A young maid with twin buns in her hair knelt in fright, apologizing profusely while using a handkerchief to dab at the wet spots on Meng Qinruo's clothes.

Meng Qinruo looked down at her stained skirt and said softly, "It's alright. It was just an accident; it's not your fault."

The little maid's eyes welled up as she timidly suggested, "Young mistress, let me take you to change your clothes."

Wearing damp clothes in such cold weather was indeed uncomfortable, yet Meng Qinruo still hesitated.

Qiu Shuiyi said, "Sister Meng, you should go. I'll wait here."

The little maid quickly added, "There's a pavilion just beyond the bamboo grove ahead. The scenery is quite nice. Miss Qiu could go take a look."

"Alright."

Qiu Shuiyi said, "Sister Meng can meet me at the pavilion later."

Meng Qinruo nodded and hurriedly followed the little maid away.

The hand-warmer she held to her chest gave off a steady warmth.

Qiu Shuiyi strolled through the snow, admiring the surrounding scenery along the way, and found a certain charm in it.

A large patch of green suddenly came into view.

The pavilion mentioned by the little maid was just ahead.

Qiu Shuiyi took a step forward.

Her deerskin short boots lightly pressed into the ground, leaving a faint imprint, but the next step didn't follow for a long while.

A detail she'd overlooked suddenly clicked in her mind.

This was her first time at the An Yuan Marquis Estate. How did that little maid accurately know her surname?

Connecting this to Meng Qinruo being led away, it all seemed like a carefully orchestrated plot designed for her.

The An Yuan Marquis Estate...

Song'er...

Qiu Shuiyi lowered her gaze in contemplation.

After a moment, her brows relaxed, and she broke into a smile.

This person was rather inconspicuous in the original novel, causing her to forget his existence.

The young master of the An Yuan Marquis Estate.

Qiao Liansong.

Another admirer of Qiu Lianying. While Deng Shixuan had at least made an appearance, Qiao Liansong was merely a name.

A background character from start to finish.

She had wondered why Deng Shixuan had been lying low lately. So, this is where he was waiting.

Qiu Shuiyi's almond eyes turned, and the hexagonal pavilion came into view.

Behind the pavilion lay an emerald green bamboo grove, its branches weighed down by snow. From the front, it held a certain elegant charm.

Qiu Shuiyi lifted her skirt, avoiding the puddles on the ground, and entered the pavilion.

On the stone table inside stood a white porcelain Yuhuchun vase. Its neck was slender, its body full, its luster delicate, and its lines soft and graceful—clearly a piece of exceptional quality at first glance.

In front of the vase lay a note, in a flamboyant cursive hand that read—

"Under the vase is..."

Qiu Shuiyi thought to herself. What kind of juvenile trick was this?

That vase looked extremely valuable at a glance. It was either something the Marquis or Marchioness had specially sought out, or a gift from a noble patron.

She guessed there must be something placed on top of it. Once she picked it up, the vase would shatter. If witnessed by a maid or, worse, by the Marchioness herself, she'd have a hard time talking her way out of it.

After carefully examining the entire stone table, Qiu Shuiyi smiled.

She leisurely took a seat, turning her back to the bamboo grove.

Since a trap had been laid, wouldn't the one who set it want to witness it firsthand?

Qiao Liansong must be in the bamboo grove behind her right now.

Qiu Shuiyi rested her chin on one hand, while the other tapped the note lightly.

A glint of mischief flashed in her eyes. She withdrew her hand, crossed her arms on the table, and sat up perfectly straight.

...

Through the dense, crisscrossing bamboo leaves, the girl's back appeared slender yet upright, like a lotus rising unstained from summer mud.

A handsome youth in a dark cyan cloak embroidered with pine trees and cranes pinched a bamboo leaf between two fingers, feeling secretly anxious.

It had been long enough. Why was there still no movement?

He shifted his foot, causing a faint "crunch" sound.

The youth pursed his lips, forcing himself to stay still.

After another moment, seeing that people were about to arrive, Qiao Liansong could no longer hide his anxiety. He smacked the head of the servant beside him. "Look at the lousy idea you came up with. When it comes down to it, it's up to this young master."

He pinched a thin string between his fingertips and gave it a sharp tug.

It moved!

Qiao Liansong's eyes lit up.

Then, the thin string went limp and fell to the ground.

Qiao Liansong: "..."

The servant: "..."

Throwing the string aside, Qiao Liansong stomped on it a few times in frustration. "This young master will go see for himself what trick that woman is playing."

He strode over, reaching the pavilion in a few moments.

At the sight, he nearly exploded with rage.

Seated behind the stone table, the young lady sat upright, her expression serene, her eyes tightly closed.

This woman had actually fallen asleep sitting up!

Qiao Liansong strode forward, sneering down at Qiu Shuiyi.

Grasping her hand through her sleeve, he placed it on the vase.

Halfway through the action, the hand under his palm squirmed away like an eel.

At the same time, he felt a sharp prick on the back of his hand. The pain drew a cry from Qiao Liansong, and he instinctively flung his hand away.

*Crack!*

An extremely crisp sound, mingled with the young lady's pained cry and a furious shriek.

"Qiao Liansong! What are you doing?"

"Yi'er!" Madam Mei hurried up the pavilion steps and helped Qiu Shuiyi, who had fallen against the wooden railing, to her feet. "Are you hurt?"

Qiu Shuiyi shook her head miserably. "Mother, I'm fine."

As she held her daughter, Madam Mei's face darkened.

Over there, Qiao Liansong was stunned.

As his mother, the Lady of Anyuan Marquisate, and the noble ladies behind her came into view, he repeated, "Mother? Me? What am I doing?"

The Lady of Anyuan Marquisate let out an even sharper cry. "Qiao Liansong! You wretched creature! How dare you smash an imperial gift? Have you lost your mind?"

"Huh?"

Qiao Liansong stared blankly down at his palm, then shifted his gaze to the fragments on the ground. His heart clenched.

"Mother, it wasn't me, it really wasn't me."

He explained, flustered and panicked.

"I saw it with my own eyes. If it wasn't you, then who could it be?"

Seeing him try to weasel out of it, the Lady of Anyuan Marquisate felt her breath catch. "Could it have been the second young lady of the Qiu family?"

"Yes!" Qiao Liansong suddenly looked up, stating firmly, "It was her!"

The Lady of Anyuan Marquisate was so furious with this fool she was beside herself with rage.

If this had happened in private with no witnesses, pinning it on Qiu Shuiyi might have been possible. But in front of everyone, with her and the other ladies having seen it with their own eyes, how could he possibly shift the blame?!

If he had openly admitted it, he might have gained a reputation for daring to take responsibility.

Instead, he slandered her daughter right in front of Lady Yun'an. Wasn't this just asking for enmity?!

Sure enough, Madam Mei suddenly let out a scornful laugh. "Your son has truly broadened my horizons. A full-grown man, making a mistake and then blaming a weak young woman for it—is this the upbringing of the Anyuan Marquisate?"

The Lady of Anyuan Marquisate's face instantly darkened.

Qiu Shuiyi straightened up in Madam Mei's arms, her almond-shaped eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Her arched brows were furrowed, and the corners of her lips drooped in a pitiful curve, like a little white flower battered by wind and snow.

"Young master, we have never met. Why did you push me, and why do you slander me?"

Qiao Liansong stiffened his neck. "Slander you? It was you who smashed this vase!"

"You're lying." Tears threatening to fall, Qiu Shuiyi stared directly at Qiao Liansong. "I was just resting my eyes here. You smashed the vase for no reason and even caused me to fall. How could it possibly have been me?"

"Sharp-tongued." Qiao Liansong gritted his teeth, stubbornly refusing to admit it. "This vase was personally bestowed by His Majesty. I went to great lengths just to get a chance to admire it for two days. Why would I smash it? Clearly, it was you who accidentally knocked it over here, and fearing punishment, you pinned the blame on me."

Qiu Shuiyi closed her eyes, a string of tears sliding down her porcelain-white cheek.

She turned her head, her voice choked with tears. "If the young master says it was me, then it was me."

Qiao Liansong immediately looked triumphantly at the Lady of Anyuan Marquisate.

The young lady's brows were like distant mountains veiled in a light mist of sorrow. Her slender shoulders trembled slightly. She was clearly extremely wronged, yet she pretended to be strong and turned away, making one's heart ache for her.

In contrast, the young man beside her wore an expression of smug satisfaction, shirking responsibility, utterly shameless, and behaving like a petty villain.

The comparison between the two was stark.

"Truly, seeing is believing. They all said the young master of the Anyuan Marquisate was a fine young man. Seeing him today, tsk, one wonders how much effort the Lady of the Marquisate has expended to build her son's reputation."

"Isn't that so? My sister-in-law from my maiden family was even considering a marriage alliance with the Anyuan Marquisate. How could such an irresponsible person be worthy of my talented niece?"

"Ah, that young lady from the Qiu family looks so pitiful."

The Lady of Anyuan Marquisate was so angry she felt tightness in her chest and shortness of breath, veins bulging on her forehead.

Suppressing her rage, she roared, "Wretched creature! The facts are right before our eyes, yet you dare to distort the truth and wrong the young lady of the Qiu family. If I don't teach you a lesson today, how can I face the ancestors of the Qiao family?!"

"Servants!" the Lady of Anyuan Marquisate bellowed. "Take him away and beat him!"

"Mother?" Qiao Liansong stood frozen in place.

Servants from the Anyuan Marquisate immediately dragged him away.

"Mother! Mother! It wasn't me! Don't beat me, Mother!"

"Mother...!"

Qiao Liansong's voice gradually faded into the distance. Qiu Shuiyi thought to herself, could the reason he became a mere background character be because he was foolish?

Lost in thought, Madam Mei took her and walked straight out. Passing the Lady of Anyuan Marquisate, she didn't even glance at her, saying coldly, "Yi'er, let's go."

"Avoided the young master of Anyuan Marquisate's scheme. Gained eight months of lifespan."

The corners of Qiu Shuiyi's lips quirked up slightly.

The Lady of Anyuan Marquisate...

Her expression grim, she pressed her fingers to her temple.

Now, they had truly formed a grudge with the Yun'an Marquisate.

...

In the Minghe Hall.

As the final piece landed on the board with a soft *click*, Emperor Tianhong saw the situation was beyond recovery and grumbled, "No more, no more. I lose every time. Don't you know how to go easy on me?"

His fingers leaving the smooth, warm chess piece, Shen Yuchao withdrew his hand and reminded with a faint smile, "Your Majesty, I have already let you have a three-stone handicap."

Emperor Tianhong choked, feigning ignorance, "Is that so? I wasn't aware."

Shen Yuchao shook his head helplessly, returning the pieces on the board one by one to the Go bowl.

Emperor Tianhong picked up his teacup to mask his embarrassment. After a sip of hot tea, he cleared his throat. "This time..."

"Your Majesty."

Eunuch Hu lifted the curtain and entered, bowing respectfully. "The Marquis of Anyuan requests an audience."

Emperor Tianhong raised an eyebrow in surprise. "What does he want?"

Eunuch Hu replied, "The Marquis has brought his young son to apologize for an offense."

"Oh? What offense?"

Eunuch Hu explained, "The young master broke the white porcelain *yuhuchun* vase (a type of vase) Your Majesty bestowed. Upon learning of this, the Marquis had him beaten thirty strokes and is now bringing him to beg Your Majesty's pardon."

Hearing that an imperial gift had been broken, Emperor Tianhong's expression remained unchanged.

It was just a vase, after all. Broken was broken.

"Since he has already been punished, I shall not pursue the matter. Let them return," Emperor Tianhong waved his hand.

Eunuch Hu assented and withdrew with a bow.

Upon reaching the outer chamber, a young eunuch hurried in and whispered a few words in his ear.

Eunuch Hu's expression changed slightly. He dismissed the young eunuch and returned.

Emperor Tianhong was speaking with Shen Yuchao. Catching sight of him from the corner of his eye, he irritably replaced the lid on his teacup and set it on the table.

"What now?"

Eunuch Hu gave an awkward chuckle. "It's the Marquis of Yun'an. He accuses the young master of the House of Anyuan of breaking the imperial gift, refusing to admit guilt, and slandering the Second Young Lady of the Anyuan Marquisate."

"The Second Young Lady of the Marquis's household? The one who was recently reunited with the family?" Emperor Tianhong's interest was piqued.

"Indeed," Eunuch Hu confirmed. "It is said the Marquis and his wife, having regained what was lost, treasure the Second Young Lady more than their own eyes."

"What parent does not cherish their child?" A shadow passed through Emperor Tianhong's eyes.

Eunuch Hu knew His Majesty was thinking of the late Third Prince and kept his head bowed, not daring to speak.

Fortunately, Emperor Tianhong emerged from his reverie after a few moments and asked curiously, "So who actually broke the vase?"

Eunuch Hu hastened to answer, "The Lady of Anyuan, the wife of the Minister of Justice, the Princess Consort of Huai, and several other ladies witnessed it with their own eyes. It was indeed the young master of the Marquis of Anyuan."

Emperor Tianhong snorted. "In that case, order the Marquis of Anyuan to take his son back and discipline him properly."

Eunuch Hu assented.

After a moment's thought, Emperor Tianhong added, "Have the Empress send the Qiu girl some trinkets that young girls like."

Eunuch Hu concealed his surprise. "I shall go at once."

After he left, Emperor Tianhong said to Shen Yuchao, "You are not getting any younger. You should pick a good day and marry that Qiu girl."

A gentle smile played on Shen Yuchao's lips. "The eldest Miss Qiu has returned to her maternal grandparents' home for a family visit. I'm afraid she won't be back for some time."

Emperor Tianhong expressed regret. "Then we shall discuss it after she returns."

Shen Yuchao smiled slightly. Using the teacup lid to skim the froth in his cup, he lowered his gaze, concealing the deep thought in his eyes.