"That man is so handsome..." Several daughters of officials huddled together, whispering among themselves, their eyes sparkling with affection.
Mu Zhengnan smiled slightly, his eyes fixed straight ahead, and walked directly to the Empress Dowager, presenting her with a scroll: "This humble subject, on behalf of the Governor, presents this painting of cranes to wish the Empress Dowager a long life! May the Empress Dowager live a thousand years!"
046 Punishing Mu the Scumbag
Mu Zhengnan spoke urgently, his eyes slightly moist, his words and actions revealing an indescribable excitement and intimacy, as if he had seen a lover he had been separated from for a long time.
The crowd was instantly in an uproar, exchanging bewildered glances. Wasn't Shen Lixue Prince An's fiancée? What was going on between her and this Mu Zhengnan?
Dongfang Heng stood tall and elegant, his gaze sweeping lightly over Mu Zhengnan. A sharp, cold glint flashed deep within his obsidian-like eyes, as if he could freeze a person instantly.
Looking at Shen Lixue again, she saw that she was also looking at Mu Zhengnan. The cold light in her eyes did not show guilt or apprehension, but rather a strong sense of mockery and disdain.
Dongfang Heng's sharp eyes narrowed slightly, the inner force he had gathered in his hands quickly dissipated, and he stood quietly, exuding an imposing presence.
"Young Master Mu knows Sister Lixue?" Shen Yingxue asked in surprise, but her beautiful eyes were full of schadenfreude.
"We are..." Mu Zhengnan looked at Shen Lixue, his tender gaze tinged with a hint of arrogance: "Our neighbors!"
"That means you live very close to each other and have a good relationship," Shen Yingxue said with a slight smile, guiding the conversation in the direction she hoped for.
"Whenever Li Xue encounters difficulties, she always asks me for help, and Aunt Qingzhu trusts me a lot!" Mu Zhengnan answered Shen Yingxue's question subtly, gazing at Shen Li Xue with deep affection, as if he were deeply in love. A simple sentence and a glance conveyed endless ambiguity.
The crowd's gazes instantly turned strange. Mu Zhengnan was handsome and dashing, and Shen Lixue was beautiful as a flower. The two lived next door and often saw each other, so it was inevitable that feelings would develop over time. Her asking him for help was probably just an excuse. She had feelings for him and her real purpose was to meet him under the pretense of having something to do. Later, when she learned that she had a fiancé of noble status, she couldn't wait to abandon her old lover and come to him for help. She was truly cold-hearted and shameless!
Shen Yingxue looked at Shen Lixue with smugness and provocation, secretly delighted. Shameless bitch, greedy and snobbish, with despicable character. The evidence is all there, let's see how she tries to deny it now.
Shen Lixue raised her eyebrows slightly, her dark eyes flashing coldly. Mu Zhengnan's visit this time was not to bring gifts, but to take the opportunity to damage her reputation.
“Young Master Mu’s kindness is truly beyond compare. I only asked you to help me bury my mother, but you are so enthusiastic about burying me too!” Shen Lixue pulled down her collar, revealing a faint brown mark on her fair neck.
The crowd erupted in uproar again. What was going on this time?
Dongfang Heng clenched his fist suddenly, a sharp, cold light flashing in his eyes. That scar was, after all, inflicted by him!
"Li Xue, what's going on?" Mu Zhengnan's pupils contracted sharply, then returned to normal in an instant. He thought to himself, back in Qingzhou, Shen Li Xue was always obedient to him. Even if he hurt her, she would hide the marks and not let anyone know. But now, she was actually showing those marks to everyone and accusing him. She looked no different from before, so why was her personality so different...?
"The marks you made with the white silk the night you buried your mother, what, don't you remember?" Shen Lixue's lips curled into a cold smile. He cruelly strangled Shen Lixue to death, and when he saw her, he not only showed no remorse, but also brazenly ruined her reputation. How could a person be so shameless?
"Young Master Mu, I must thank you for doing half the good deed. After strangling me, you simply abandoned my body in the wilderness instead of digging a pit to bury me. Otherwise, I would already be a pile of bones, and I wouldn't be standing here talking to you!"
"Li Xue, what are you saying? I don't understand." Mu Zhengnan frowned deeply. If his crimes were made public, all his efforts would be in vain. Was Shen Li Xue trying to scare him, or was she serious?
A questioning gaze fell upon Shen Lixue. She stood there quietly, her smile fresh and natural, but her eyes were incredibly deep, with a hint of demonic power. Her aura was so intimidating that it took one's breath away. Mu Zhengnan felt a sudden jolt, and his mind went completely blank.
Coming to his senses, Mu Zhengnan was shocked. Was she really Shen Lixue? How could she be so different from before...?
Shen Lixue sneered disdainfully. He was truly shameless to the extreme, stubborn to the point of no return, and unwilling to shed tears until he saw the coffin: "Mu Zhengnan, I was awakened by Prince Nangong. Let him tell you the truth. He is a complete stranger to you and would never wrong you!" Mu Zhengnan wanted to die, so she would make him die willingly.
All eyes instantly turned to Nangong Xiao. Nangong Xiao's eyes lit up. He had wanted to help when Mu Zhengnan approached Shen Lixue, but Shen Lixue had stopped him. Now that it was his turn, he naturally wanted to perform well. He cleared his throat and said loudly:
“What Shen Lixue said is true. When I found her, she was covered in wounds and on the verge of death. The ligature mark on her neck was particularly shocking. The doctor said that if she had been found even a little later, she wouldn’t have survived…”
"Li Xue, I really didn't hurt you. Are you sure you're not mistaken?" Mu Zhengnan's eyes were filled with deep heartache and sorrow, but his mind was racing. Shen Li Xue suddenly seemed like a different person, pressing him relentlessly. His original preparations were useless, and he was about to be driven to a dead end...
"Could Young Master Mu be mistaken about the real culprit who killed me?" Shen Lixue looked at Mu Zhengnan with a half-smile. This kind of shameless villain should not be let off easily. "After I regained consciousness and returned to Qingzhou, you had already disappeared without a trace. Did you flee to escape punishment?"
"I didn't flee to escape punishment!" Mu Zhengnan lowered his eyelids and said in a deep voice, "After you disappeared, I was almost driven mad by the search for you. I left Qingzhou to find you..."
Shen Lixue smiled slightly, a warm smile that was tinged with a chilling coldness: "I am just outside Qingzhou City, only a hundred meters away from my address. Instead of looking for me nearby, you actually went to the faraway Jiangzhou to look for someone. Your thinking is truly... unique!"
Everyone immediately became suspicious of Mu Zhengnan. When a relative goes missing, most people would choose to search nearby, and only if they can't find the person nearby would they search further afield. His actions were the exact opposite of others, which was very abnormal...
"Guards, take Mu Zhengnan away!" Crown Prince Dongfang Hong gave the order in a cold voice, his gaze stern.
Mu Zhengnan was startled and hurriedly protested, "Your Highness, I am innocent!"
Dongfang Hong stood tall and elegant, his tone slightly cold: "Whether you are innocent or not is another matter. Today is the Empress Dowager's birthday. How can your mistake ruin the birthday banquet?"
“But…” Mu Zhengnan hesitated, glancing furtively at Shen Lixue. He wasn’t the only one who had disrupted the birthday banquet.
"Miss Shen is the victim, and you are the murderer!" Dongfang Hong explained calmly. Looking at the whole world, there is no reason to arrest the victim!
Mu Zhengnan wanted to say something more, but Dongfang Hong waved his hand to stop him: "No need to say more. You're just being locked up temporarily. You'll be convicted and taken away after the joint trial by the three courts!"
047 The Scumbag Woman's Trick
In the banquet hall, male and female guests sat on either side, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts. Mu Zhengnan's affairs did not dampen people's enthusiasm for celebrating the Empress Dowager's birthday in the slightest.
The Empress Dowager was getting on in years and had recently suffered a relapse of her old ailment, leaving her weak. After having a simple meal, she returned to the palace.
The birthday celebrant's departure indicated that the banquet could end at any time. The banquet hall was a bit noisy, and Shen Lixue didn't know many people. Just as she was about to leave quietly, she saw Su Yuting walking out hurriedly. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. Where was she going?
"It is said that childhood sweethearts are a match made in heaven, with a deep bond. It is extremely hard for the man to help and take care of the delicate woman, and it is understandable that he might make a mistake occasionally. There is no need to be petty and hold a grudge..."
Shen Yingxue's sarcastic, veiled voice rang out from the side, successfully drawing everyone's attention. Mu Zhengnan had plotted to harm Shen Lixue, and Shen Lixue had given up on him. It was not wrong for her to fall in love with Prince An, but she was already engaged to Prince An and should never have developed feelings for Mu Zhengnan. Her misfortune was her own doing, and no one sympathized with her plight. Shen Yingxue mocked her, but none of the noble ladies and young women in the vicinity spoke up for her.
Shen Lixue stared coldly at Shen Yingxue: "Back in Qingzhou, Mu Zhengnan and I only knew each other for a month. He helped me twice. Once he moved a potted plant from the doorway into the house, and the other time he helped me choose a coffin to bury my mother. I paid for it. Do you think these two favors are worth my life?" Trying to take this opportunity to hurt her? Dream on.
"Miss Shen and Mu Zhengnan are merely acquaintances, with no other relationship. It's foolish to make such a fuss without knowing the truth..."
"Helping outsiders attack their own sister, that's despicable..."
Everyone was taken aback at first, then they mocked Shen Yingxue with disdain, completely forgetting that they had the same thoughts as Shen Yingxue just now.
A palace maid approached and curtsied to Shen Lixue: "Miss Shen, the Empress Dowager summons you to Yongning Palace!"
Shen Lixue smiled slightly: "Please lead the way, sister!" She didn't want to stay in the smoky banquet hall for another second. This palace maid's arrival was just in time!