“If Lin Yan’s reputation is ruined, he will no longer be able to serve as an official in the court. If I marry him, won’t I have to live the life of an ordinary person?” Zhuang Kexin was a pampered young lady who was used to enjoying life and did not want to live a life of poverty.
Zhuang Kexin relented, and Madam Zhuang beamed with joy, patting the back of her hand and saying, "Mother will give you half of the Prime Minister's mansion's property as your dowry. Even if Lin Yan doesn't become an official, it will ensure that you two will be well-off for the rest of your lives. Besides, your brother has been promoted to commander of the Imperial Guard. If Lin Yan gets bored at home, we can let him join the Imperial Guard!"
The Imperial Guards were specifically tasked with protecting the emperor and the palace. Their monthly salary was decent enough to support their wives and children.
"Hurry up and make a decision! Lin Yan's drug has a time limit!" Zhuang Weicheng looked at the sky outside and urged impatiently. He had said everything he needed to say and explained the reasons he needed to explain. If Zhuang Kexin still disagreed, he wouldn't mind finding a few more maids to create a false impression. Although it wouldn't be as shocking as raping the daughter of the Minister's family, it would be enough to ruin Lin Yan's reputation...
Fortunately, he listened to Grand Commandant Lei's advice and tested Lin Yan in advance. Otherwise, he would have undoubtedly lost the competition three days later, and the position of commander of the Imperial Guard would have been out of his reach!
Lin Yan lay quietly asleep on the bed, completely unaware of everything around him. His handsome face had perfect, gentle features, and his peaceful sleeping expression was captivating. Zhuang Kexin's heart pounded wildly. She gritted her teeth and hardened her heart: "I agree!"
"Excellent!" Zhuang Weicheng said calmly as he walked out of the room. Madam Zhuang patted Zhuang Kexin's shoulder, got up and left as well, quietly closing the door behind her. She breathed a long sigh of relief. The plan to kill two birds with one stone had finally been implemented. Soon, Weicheng would become the commander of the Imperial Guard, and Kexin would marry her ideal husband. The Minister's Mansion would be blessed with double happiness.
Zhuang Weicheng strode forward, about to leave the courtyard. Madam Zhuang looked around and quickly walked towards her guest room, intending to rest first and then bring people to watch the show later.
Shen Lixue quietly moved over from the window, watching Zhuang Weicheng and Madam Zhuang's rapidly receding figure. A sharp, cold glint flashed in her eyes. She had heard everything they said to Zhuang Kexin.
For their own benefit, they plotted and framed others, ruining their reputations and building their success and happiness on the suffering of others. They were utterly despicable and shameless. They dreamed of becoming commanders of the Imperial Guard and marrying their ideal husbands.
Zhuang Weicheng, with injuries to his shoulders and arms, walked slowly through the Grand Commandant's mansion in his armor, a sly smile playing on his lips. What did it matter if Lin Yan was highly skilled in martial arts? The position of commander of the Imperial Guard was not for him either!
Shen Lixue floated behind a large tree, holding a gleaming silver needle in her hand, and quietly observed Zhuang Weicheng, looking for a suitable opportunity to strike. Zhuang Weicheng was covered in armor, which could even block arrows, so he was not afraid of the silver needle.
Shen Lixue's martial arts skills were inferior to his, so she dared not make any rash moves. She looked up at the sky and saw that the sun had slanted a bit further. Something was about to happen to her cousin Yan, and she could not delay any longer.
With a flicker of her eyes, Shen Lixue took out a bead and flicked it at Zhuang Weicheng: "Clang!" The bead struck the armor, making a crisp sound.
"Who goes there?" Zhuang Weicheng paused, then shouted angrily, his whole body on guard, his sharp eyes warily scanning his surroundings. All he could see were flowers, trees, and houses, with the wind rustling through the leaves.
Was he just imagining things? Zhuang Weicheng looked at the beads at his feet. They were smooth and round, with full grains and excellent quality.
Zhuang Weicheng glanced around warily again, then bent down to pick up the beads as quickly as possible. In the instant he bent down, Shen Lixue, who was behind the tree, smiled coldly and shot a silver needle at Zhuang Weicheng.
The silver light pierced through the armor and into the skin. Zhuang Weicheng felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck, and his vision went black instantly.
Shen Lixue emerged from behind the big tree, looked at Zhuang Weicheng lying unconscious on the ground, kicked him a few times in anger, grabbed one of his legs, and dragged him quickly towards the guest room like a dead pig, leaving a long mark on the ground from the armor.
Dongfang Zhan, dressed in a blue brocade robe, stood by the window not far away, watching Shen Lixue being dragged along quickly. A faint smile appeared on his lips. He thought she needed help, so he specially sent someone to sneak in. He didn't expect that she would scheme against Zhuang Weicheng all by herself. She was smarter, more capable, and more independent than he had imagined. She was really an interesting woman. Dongfang Heng's fiancée!
In the guest room, Zhuang Kexin stripped down to only her white fur trousers and apricot-yellow bodice, revealing her exquisite figure. Her delicate white hands, as if caressing a priceless treasure, gently traced the beautiful lines of Lin Yan's face, her beautiful eyes filled with laughter.
This man was smarter, more capable, and more talented than her brother. She liked him, but unfortunately, he was Shen Lixue's cousin, which made her feel somewhat displeased and subconsciously didn't want to get close to him.
But her mother and brother were right. He was one of the few outstanding men in Qingyan. Among the young masters of prestigious families, she really couldn't find many as outstanding as him. Marrying him was not a loss for her. By binding herself to him in this way, she could make him feel more guilty towards her.
Even if he is disgraced and can no longer serve as an official, it doesn't matter. She has a dowry and will support him. In this way, everything about him will be in her hands. If she tells him to go east, he cannot go west; if she tells him to go west, he cannot go east.
As for Shen Lixue, once she has Lin Yan under her control and makes him obedient to her, she will have plenty of ways to teach her a lesson.
Zhuang Kexin's slender fingers moved gently down Lin Yan's smooth chin to his shirt buttons, and just as she was about to unbutton them, a small, fair hand reached out from nowhere and opened her palm:
"Miss Zhuang, as a daughter of a prestigious family, has no restraint whatsoever. She so blatantly and shamelessly forces herself on a man. Tsk tsk!" She is utterly shameless.
"Shen Lixue!" Seeing that bright face, Zhuang Kexin was startled. She was here; if she wanted to successfully carry out her plan, she would have to…
Zhuang Kexin's gaze sharpened, and she called out towards the door, "Come..."
A flash of silver light, and Zhuang Kexin's high-pitched cry for help came to an abrupt halt. Her acupoints were also sealed, rendering her completely immobile. Zhuang Kexin was terrified, a flicker of fear crossing her darting eyes. Shen Lixue actually knew acupuncture needles for acupuncture... Oh no...
"Slap! Slap! Slap!" Shen Lixue slapped Zhuang Kexin's face more than ten times with both hands, her fair face instantly turning red and swollen: "This is the interest for teaching you a lesson for falsely accusing my cousin!"
Zhuang Kexin was unable to speak or move, and could only glare hatefully at Shen Lixue, her beautiful eyes blazing with anger.
Shen Lixue ignored him, grabbed Lin Yan's arm and helped him off the bed, settling him on a chair nearby. Her slender figure darted out the window, and under Zhuang Kexin's puzzled gaze, she dragged Zhuang Weicheng, who was dressed in armor and looked like a corpse, back inside.
In order to execute his plan to kill two birds with one stone, Commander Lei dismissed the maids and servants in the vicinity, which made it easier for Shen Lixue to plot against Zhuang Weicheng.
Zhuang Kexin's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that Shen Lixue wanted to... How despicable and shameless!
Shen Lixue didn't see the fear and anger in Zhuang Kexin's eyes. She threw Zhuang Weicheng, who was like a dead pig, to the ground, kicked him a few times, and reached out to undo his armor. The armor was very complicated to wear, and she spent a long time trying to untie it, but she couldn't untie many knots. She was sweating profusely, and as time passed by, a few anxious thoughts flashed in her eyes.
Zhuang Kexin's worries gradually disappeared, and her beautiful eyes flashed with strong mockery and disdain. She couldn't even remove her armor. How foolish! Her mother would be here with her people soon. She needed to think of a plan. Not only did she want to marry Lin Yan, but she also wanted to scheme to kill Shen Lixue.
"Cousin Yan, Cousin Yan!" Lin Yan was a general, skilled in warfare, and knew how to put on and take off armor. Shen Lixue gently shook him and called out to him, hoping to wake him up to help her.
Lin Yan was fast asleep and did not react at all no matter how Shen Lixue shook him.
Zhuang Kexin sneered, "Haha, Lin Yan has been drugged and can't be woken up. Shen Lixue is such an idiot!"
Under Zhuang Kexin's gloating gaze, Shen Lixue's eyes narrowed. She took out several silver needles and inserted them into several acupoints on Lin Yan's body. Then, she grabbed a cup of cold tea and splashed it on his face...
Lin Yan's body jolted, and he shook his head, opening his eyes. A trace of weariness flashed in his eyes. When he saw Shen Lixue, he was suddenly stunned: "Lixue, what happened to you..."
Shen Lixue gestured for him to be quiet, handed him a silk handkerchief, and said in a low voice, "They're trying to scheme against you. Quickly wipe your face and help me take off my armor!"
Lin Yan was startled. Recalling what had happened before he lost consciousness, and looking at the situation inside the room, he instantly understood what had happened. His gaze turned icy cold, and a sharp pain shot through his chest. Lin Yan couldn't help but cough a few times, quickly stepped forward, and pulled Shen Lixue up: "Leave this to me!"
Looking at the unharmed Lin Yan and Shen Lixue, then at Zhuang Weicheng lying unconscious on the ground, and herself who was unable to speak, Zhuang Kexin was extremely anxious. Shen Lixue was going to turn the tables on her. What should she do? What should she do?
"Kexin, are you awake? It's getting late, we should head back to the manor..." Madam Zhuang's deliberately raised voice rang out from outside, and hurried footsteps approached. Zhuang Kexin's eyes flashed with wild joy. Mother is here! That's wonderful! Lin Yan, Shen Lixue, neither of them will escape...
Lin Yan smiled coldly, grabbed the armor and pressed it down hard, the armor instantly shattered on the ground. He then slapped Zhuang Weicheng onto the bed and pulled Shen Lixue quickly towards the window.
Shen Lixue stopped at the window, meeting Zhuang Kexin's vicious, almost murderous gaze. Her bright face was more dazzling than the sun in the sky. With a slight smile, she waved to Zhuang Kexin triumphantly and quickly floated out of the window.
The moment the window closed, the tightly shut door opened, and Madam Zhuang entered with several noblewomen, several young ladies, and a dozen maids, asking with concern, "Kexin, are you awake yet..."
Inside the room, men's and women's clothes were scattered all over the floor, creating an extremely extravagant scene. Several pieces of silver armor were messily laid on the ground, contrasting with the colorful clothes, creating an indescribable ambiguity.