Hongxiu didn't answer, but just looked at her with a smile, her pearly white teeth gleaming. Then she raised her hand, took out a dagger from somewhere, and slashed it down on her arm.
In an instant, bright red blood gushed out, and Hongxiu cried out, "Don't kill me, Miss Meng, don't kill me! I told you, Brother Heng isn't your Prince Heng!"
Her voice was choked with sobs and had a slightly shrill quality.
Meng Wan instinctively took a step back. At this moment, she guessed that Hongxiu wanted to harm herself to make herself bear the blame. She subconsciously wanted to run away, but the door was firmly locked from the outside. She could only stand there and watch Hongxiu direct and act out the play, without even having a chance to stop her.
At this moment, the palace maids that Hongxiu had arranged beforehand heard Hongxiu's shouts and hurriedly knocked on the door, "Princess, Princess, what's wrong? What happened?"
Meng Wan was clearly terrified and remained frozen in place. Hong Xiu, clutching her arm and ignoring the pain, shouted outside, "Huang Die, help!"
No sooner had she finished speaking than the door was flung open, and Huang Die leaped inside.
Blood, all of it, stained Hongxiu's arms, looking quite horrifying. Although Huangdie had known that her princess would use this move, she never expected it to be so terrifying. She couldn't help but shout, "Someone! Someone! Quickly summon the imperial physician!"
A lot of blood had already been lost. Hongxiu had never suffered such an injury before. But when she thought that Meng Wan would be completely finished after this, she felt a wild joy in her heart. She gripped Huang Die's hand tightly and said with all her might, "It was her, it was Meng Wan who wanted to kill me. Arrest her!"
Huang Die nodded heavily, helped his princess up, looked at Meng Wan who was still standing there in a daze, and then raised his voice: "Guards! Someone is trying to assassinate the princess! Arrest him and put him in the Heavenly Prison!"
--
Meng Wan was arrested in a daze. She understood what was going on, but she was really shocked. She never expected that Hongxiu would be so despicable. Not only did she frame her, but she did it in such a way. It seems that her entanglement with Huangfu Mi has indeed made Hongxiu panic.
But... this is a real problem. He's imprisoned, and although he knows the King of Western Shu won't easily sentence him to death, he's genuinely worried that Hongxiu will interfere. What if she keeps him locked up and then takes the opportunity to marry Huangfu Mi? And what about Hua Jiuye? Hongxiu said he was subdued; could he be injured? Without him, who can help Huangfu Mi regain his memories?
Thinking this, she became increasingly panicked. She then thought that if Hua Jiuye was really captured, then Fifth Brother and the others would not know the situation on her side, and no one would be able to come to her rescue. What should she do?
--
At that time, the Prime Minister's residence.
When Chu Heng returned, he didn't see Meng Wan and Hua Jiuye clinging to him like glue as before. Confused, he inquired and found out what had happened. He hurriedly went to find Hongxiu.
Hongxiu was lying there when even the Emperor arrived. The faint smell of blood in the room made people gasp. Chu Heng paused, then quickly stepped forward: "Princess, how are you?"
Hongxiu had been talking to the King of Western Shu, but upon hearing Chu Heng's voice, she immediately turned her gaze towards him. Their eyes met, and tears streamed down her face: "Brother Heng, you're back! You're back! I was so afraid I'd never see you again—"
Her pitiful appearance was enough to break one's heart. Seeing this, Chu Heng quickly reached out and took her hand: "It's alright, it's all alright..."
His gentle tone filled Hongxiu with joy. She thought that as long as she could keep him by her side like this, she would be willing to endure even a more serious injury to her shoulder, let alone this minor injury.
The King of Western Shu, however, was furious.
Unaware that this was his daughter's scheme, he believed that Meng Wan had truly injured Hongxiu. At this moment, he wished he could tear her to pieces and devour her alive. Seeing Chu Heng return, he angrily said, "That damned Meng Wan is really going too far! How dare she hurt my precious daughter! I will definitely deal with her properly!"
Upon hearing Meng Wan's name, Chu Heng was taken aback, then frowned almost imperceptibly: "Princess, is it really her who hurt you? But Meng Wan doesn't seem like that kind of person. Could there be some misunderstanding?"
"Misunderstanding?" Hongxiu raised an eyebrow, looking at Chu Heng's suspicious expression. He clearly didn't believe Meng Wan would do such a thing, and her heart sank even further.
Fortunately, he acted quickly. Otherwise, if they had been allowed to get along like that, even if he didn't regain his memories, his past feelings might have rekindled.
So he clenched his fist and said, "Yes, she insisted that you were her husband. I was unhappy and went to argue with her. I don't know why, but in a fit of anger, she took a dagger and stabbed me. Luckily, Huang Die rushed in from outside, otherwise I'm afraid I would have lost my life."
"What about Hana Kuya? Where is he? Did he help too?"
Hongxiu was taken aback again, then nodded: "The two of them, master and servant, were of one mind, so naturally they helped."
"But Hua Jiuye is highly skilled in martial arts. If he were to help, how could he have only injured you so lightly?"
Upon hearing this, Hongxiu froze, realizing she hadn't managed to cover up her mistake. For a moment, she didn't know how to respond. Just then, the King of Western Shu spoke up.
"Heng'er, you're wrong. Do you really want Xiu'er to be even more seriously injured? The fact that she wasn't killed by them this time can only be attributed to Xiu'er's good fortune and the protection of her ancestors. Therefore, I have already detained the two of them separately and they must not be let off lightly."
Chu Heng paused, wanting to say something, but then felt that the King of Western Shu made sense. Fortunately, the princess was alright now, so he didn't need to press the matter any further.
But even as he thought this, he felt something else entirely, as if something was lingering within him, making him very uncomfortable.
He patted his chest.
Hongxiu had been observing his expression throughout. Seeing that he seemed a little strange, she felt uneasy and quickly gave the King of Western Shu a wink. The King of Western Shu understood and said, "Xiu'er was injured because she had to stay here with you. However, the guards at the Prime Minister's residence are not that strict. Therefore, I have decided to let you get married as soon as possible. This way, you can enter the palace legitimately, and Xiu'er will no longer have to stay outside and make me worry."
Chu Heng was still feeling uneasy, and upon hearing this, he became even more astonished. He looked up at the King of Western Shu and was taken aback, expressing his objection to the marriage for the first time.
Could it be that he really intends to marry Hongxiu? But his memories haven't returned yet, and what about Meng Wan? Wasn't he supposed to be from Lanling? Then...
One question after another loomed over him, and he remained silent for a long time.
Seeing this, Hongxiu became even more flustered. She grabbed his wrist and said, "Brother Heng, why aren't you saying anything? Don't you want to get married?"
Chu Heng then snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head, "No, you can decide everything."
--
After the King of Western Shu returned to the palace, Chu Heng did not go straight back to his residence, but instead went to the inn where Huangfu Yu and the others were staying.
Hua Jiuye was indeed not there, and they were obviously unaware of what had happened at the Prime Minister's residence until Chu Heng recounted the whole story, at which point they realized what had happened.
How could such a thing happen in just one day?
"Where are they? Where are they being held?"
Chu Heng frowned almost imperceptibly: "It is said that he was imprisoned in the palace's imperial prison."
"What?" Another exclamation rang out, and Xiao Yun'er jumped in front of Chu Heng: "How could my sister hurt someone and lock her up in the dungeon? And you, brother-in-law, aren't you going to do anything to save her? Aren't you all confused?"
Chu Heng frowned even more deeply, but said nothing. He simply looked down at Xiao Yun'er, whose face bore a resemblance to Meng Wan's, and was slightly taken aback.
At this moment, Huangfu Yu stepped forward.