Chapter 73 Tempt Fate and You’ll Fall

Chapter 73: He Who Won't Heed Warning Ends Up Flat on His Face

Han Xiang and Han Mei helped Xi Qianyue to the side, while Qing Bi, Ye Ling, and Ye Xi showed no mercy, striking any maid or serving woman they could grab.

Qing Bi moved fast, flinging ink all over Yang Xingxian's face. He let out a bizarre shriek, his face now a mess of black with only his two eyes visible—a hilarious sight.

Achang, left with no choice, stepped forward to take on Qing Bi, but he was no match for her. In just a few moves, Qing Bi slapped him silly until he was completely disoriented.

The maids and serving women were even less capable in a fight. Ye Ling and Ye Xi alone knocked four or five of them to the ground.

"You vicious woman! Not only do you seduce your cousin, but you dare to strike people! I hereby divorce you today!"

Yang Xingxian shouted loudly, determined to nail this shameful label on her so she wouldn't later demand her dowry back or expose his family's secret about their ancestor's "meritorious service to the founding emperor."

His face was covered in ink, making him look absolutely hilarious.

His shouting made Xi Qianyue want to kick him into next week.

"You piece of trash, get over here."

She pointed at him. She felt the restless urge fading—though she'd stabbed her arm with the hairpin, at least it did the trick.

The maids could fight, but they didn't dare lay a hand on their masters. So Yang Xingxian and Lady Wu had yet to take a beating.

Yang Xingxian knew how fierce she was and didn't dare go near her.

Bi Wendong, however, found this curious. He was the one who'd gotten that drug. He was a born wastrel, and this time his maternal aunt had promised him a hundred taels of silver if he helped her resolve this matter.

With such a sweet deal, of course he jumped at it.

All he had to do was grab her a bit and smear his sister-in-law's reputation—easy as pie!

He knew how potent the drug was. Once it kicked in, even the most chaste woman would lose all composure.

Yet here was Xi Qianyue, apparently unaffected?

He wanted to go over and see if she was just faking it.

But as he got within a few steps of her, before he could get a clear look, Xi Qianyue leapt into the air, spinning mid-flight.

Then, a searing pain shot through his neck, and he slammed to the ground with a thud.

After hitting the ground, his vision went black, but he didn't pass out.

He could feel the pain clearly, but he couldn't move a muscle.

Lady Wu was scared stiff. What had she just seen?

Xi Qianyue was even tougher than these maids?

For a moment, she just pointed at Xi Qianyue, speechless.

Yang Xingxian was also shocked, but at the same time a bit relieved—he'd been kicked before too, and had hit the ground just the same.

But his cousin looked far worse off than he had been!

"You... you're killing him... I'll report you to the authorities!"

Lady Wu pointed at Xi Qianyue, her words coming out all broken.

"Qing Bi, keep that cup of tea safe. We're going to the authorities. The Marquis of Changping's household has no shame whatsoever. Have that tea tested, and it'll all come to light."

Xi Qianyue stepped on Bi Wendong's fingers and ground them hard under her heel, making him scream in pain.

"The drug in this tea—whose is it, where did it come from? I'm sure it can all be investigated. This cup, this tea—it was served in my dear mother-in-law's own courtyard. And this man surnamed Bi—put him to the torture, and I bet we'll get plenty out of him."

Bi Wendong, scared out of his wits, blurted out desperately: "Aunt, cousin! Didn't you tell me to do this? Grab her a bit, smear her reputation, and you could divorce her? It was all your doing!"

Lady Wu and Yang Xingxian wished they could cover his mouth, but with Xi Qianyue looking like a vengeful demon, they didn't dare move.

"Tie him up and give him a sound thrashing."

Xi Qianyue sneered at Yang Xingxian: "I intend to divorce you—by legal decree. But as for the dowry silver, you still owe me six thousand taels. Also, I gave you five thousand taels to redeem this house, plus the betrothal gifts—that's eleven thousand taels total. Return it all. Otherwise, your dear cousin will rot in prison, and your dear mother will have to hear what the whole world is saying about her."

Lady Wu panicked and quickly forced a smile: "Qianyue, dear, we're all family, why get so worked up! We were just joking, just a joke..."

Yang Xingxian looked at Xi Qianyue's face and, knowing her a little, realized she was genuinely enraged.

Xi Qianyue sneered: "Whether it was a joke or not, you can explain that to the Prefect of the Capital yourself. Yang Xingxian, you pathetic dog of a man, you still want to sit for the imperial exams? Ha."

Yang Xingxian was in a total panic and quickly begged for mercy: "Qianyue, every mistake is mine. Please forgive me just this once... I'll never dare again. From now on, you can do as you please. We'll keep our distance and not spoil our relations. If I pass the imperial exams, wouldn't that reflect well on you too?"

"Give me ten thousand taels, and we're square."

Xi Qianyue said no more. She had the maid take the teacup, then had Bi Wendong bound and hauled away.

Lady Wu desperately wanted to stop them, but there was no stopping them.

When Xi Qianyue returned to her courtyard, Qing Rong saw the blood on her sleeve and the deep wound, and tears sprang to her eyes.

"I'll bathe first. Fetch some cold water."

Xi Qianyue gritted her teeth and sank into the cold water, only then feeling the restless urge fully suppressed.

Despite the maids' worry, half an hour later, Xi Qianyue came out in fresh clothes.

Bi Wendong was forced to kneel in the courtyard, gagged, letting out terrified muffled whimpers.

He had no idea what Xi Qianyue planned to do to him—beat him again?

Xi Qianyue indeed had the maids take wooden staffs and give him twenty strokes, until his skin split and his flesh was torn, the pain unbearable.

"Write down all your crimes, sign it, and press your thumbprint. If you don't write, don't even think about going home." Xi Qianyue looked down at him imperiously. "Didn't you want to seduce me? This way, you get to stay in my courtyard—aren't you just thrilled?"

Bi Wendong's face was red and swollen, his whole body aching. But none of that matched the terror in his heart.

Xi Qianyue is a real lunatic!

If he'd known she was this crazy, he wouldn't have come for two hundred taels—hell, not even a thousand.

He remembered his sister warning him not to provoke Xi Qianyue, saying that under her pressure, she and Yang Luo had been forced to kneel and apologize, even slapping each other's faces.

He hadn't believed it. And sure enough, he'd taken a fall too.

After saying her piece, Xi Qianyue sauntered into the inner chamber.

Bi Wendong was left in the courtyard, with strapping maids watching him. They didn't rush him—they had plenty of patience, after all.

He was in pain, thirsty, and his head was spinning. Left with no choice, he begged for mercy: "I'll write, I'll write it all down clearly."

After Xi Qianyue had rested up, Bi Wendong's written confession of his crimes was presented to her.

She inspected it and found it clearly written, signed, and fingerprinted.

"Please don't hand this list of offenses to the magistrate. I've confessed everything."

Bi Wendong wore a pitiful expression, just wanting to hurry home, have a physician ease his pain, and sleep soundly, writing it all off as a bad dream.

"I'll keep this document safe. This matter may be handled privately or through official channels, depending on what Yang Xingxian does. Go tell him that if he wants a private settlement, he must repay my silver, and then I'll formally dissolve our marriage."

Bi Wendong understood Xi Qianyue's implication and hurried out.