Qi Xutao was momentarily stunned before using her spear to push Xue Wuyou away.
"Don't get in my way!"
The servants quickly rushed to help Xue Wuyou, their faces filled with worry. However, they saw a smile on Xue Wuyou's face.
Watching Qi Xutao's hasty retreating back, Xue Wuyou knew that she had taken his offer of cooperation to heart.
---
The prison.
The jailer raised a basin of cold water for the third time, about to pour it over Cui Jintang. Just as he was about to do so, he met Cui Jintang's gaze and stopped halfway.
On normal days, he had received many favors from Miss Cui. It was truly difficult for him to do this.
The jailer suggested, "How about Miss Cui just dip a handkerchief in the water and we'll just go through the motions?"
Cui Jintang replied, "...Alright."
Hearing this, the jailer who had been waiting anxiously to write the confession immediately let out a sigh of relief. He crumpled up the paper in his hand and threw it away.
In his mind, he had already thought about how to report to his superior later - under severe punishment, Miss Cui still stubbornly refused to admit guilt.
The jailer who had made the suggestion immediately stepped forward to unlock the shackles on Cui Jintang's wrists.
Halfway through, the prison door suddenly opened.
The prison warden opened the cell door for the red - dressed woman beside him and said, "County Princess, this is where Cui Jintang is."
Luo Xiang.
Like a persistent ghost.
Cui Jintang cursed under her breath.
"Miss Cui, I've come to see you."
Her voice was as soft as spring water, but there was a hint of smugness in it.
Luo Xiang waved her hand, and the jailers immediately retreated sensibly.
She first looked around the cell.
Disgust filled her eyes, but she covered her lips and let out a soft laugh. Her outstretched fingertips were painted with bright red nail polish. "Why isn't Miss Cui saying anything?"
As she spoke, Luo Xiang haughtily raised her chin and looked down at Cui Jintang with disdain.
Looking at the other woman's pale but still beautiful face, her smile suddenly turned cold. "It's really rare to see Miss Cui in such a down - and - out state!"
"Look at this face—"
Luo Xiang suddenly reached out and firmly grabbed Cui Jintang's chin.
"What a beautiful face. But now it's completely bloodless. If I were to make a cut with a knife..."
The look in Luo Xiang's eyes was full of venom.
Cui Jintang looked at her coldly, as if she were looking at a clown.
Secretly, she was trying to pick the lock on the shackles.
Luo Xiang hated her calm demeanor the most. She almost lost her composure.
The sweeter the smile on her lips, the more venomous her words. "Miss Cui, do you know where Zhaolin spent last night?"
She leaned over and whispered in Cui Jintang's ear, "In my bed. He held me in his arms and called me 'Xiang'er' again and again, saying that he was lucky to have seen your true colors in time."
Cui Jintang's eyelashes trembled ever so slightly.
Luo Xiang caught this and burst into laughter, as if she had completely won.
But the next second, her shrill laughter stopped abruptly.
She felt something cold against her neck.
The look in Cui Jintang's eyes was as if she were looking at a dead person.
Luo Xiang's face changed slightly.
—When did she break free from the shackles?!
"If you dare to hurt me, Zhaolin will never let you go when he finds out!"
Cui Jintang took another step closer. Blood dripped down the blade, but she let out a laugh.
The laugh was low and short, sending shivers down Luo Xiang's spine.
The cell was dim, and Cui Jintang's voice was as soft as a ghost's. "Luo Xiang, how did you manage to be chosen as a pawn by Qi Xuan when you're so stupid?"
Luo Xiang's pupils dilated sharply.
Qi Xuan was the name of the current emperor!
Luo Xiang's heart was pounding like a drum. She avoided Cui Jintang's gaze and stubbornly said, "I don't know what you're talking about!"
Cui Jintang rolled her eyes and reached out to press Luo Xiang's head down.
"What are you doing! I'm a county princess personally enfeoffed by the emperor. I have the county princess token. What you're doing is—"
Before she could finish her threatening words, Luo Xiang saw the appearance of the dagger on her neck.
Luo Xiang was stunned, and all the fear froze on her face.
Her face instantly turned deathly pale, and she shook her head desperately. "No, it's impossible! This thing can't be real!"
Luo Xiang seemed to be in a nightmare. She shook her head frantically, not even caring that her skin was cut by the blade.
"Impossible, impossible, impossible!"
She somehow found a great deal of strength and was very difficult to hold down.
"Annoying."
Cui Jintang held the dagger and made a slash across Luo Xiang's face—
"Ahhhhh!!"
Luo Xiang trembled all over. She wanted to touch her face with both hands but didn't dare.
She looked at Cui Jintang with hatred in her eyes. "Cui Jintang, you dare to ruin my face. I will never let you go!"
But Cui Jintang didn't bother to waste any more words on her. She quickly locked the shackles on Luo Xiang's hands.
"Blame yourself for being stupid enough to come and see me alone."
Cui Jintang's tone was calm. The blade touched the other half of Luo Xiang's face. "Tell me, where has Qi Xuan hidden the Dongman people?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
Cui Jintang turned around, bent down to pick up the basin of water that the jailer had prepared earlier, and splashed it hard on Luo Xiang's face.
A shrill scream immediately echoed throughout the prison.
Such a commotion was sure to attract attention.
Cui Jintang stood there and waited for a while, but no jailer came running in to stop them.
She had a rough idea in her mind.
She pointed the dagger at Luo Xiang's wrist.
She said slowly, "I'll ask you one more time. Where have the Dongman people been hidden?"
Luo Xiang gritted her teeth and said word by word, "Cui Jintang, I want you dead!"
Not long after, another heart - rending scream came from the prison.
This scared the jailer who had been eavesdropping in the dark. He anxiously asked, "But she's the county princess! Fu Li, shouldn't we go in?"
Fu Li was very calm. "The young master has given instructions. We just need to make sure the county princess stays alive. After Miss Cui has vented enough of her anger, you guys go in and rescue the county princess."
How daring of this county princess to slander their young master.
But Miss Cui was really ruthless!
Fu Li stuffed a ball of cotton into his ear and continued to wait.
---
The Fengyi Palace.
"Why should I believe what you say?"
Xie Rou handed the baby in her arms to the wet - nurse. Only then did she have time to look at Pei Zhaolin standing below.
Pei Zhaolin slowly straightened up and said, "Because both I and the empress don't want the noble families to be implicated. We don't want Cui Jintang to become an excuse for the emperor to start a war against the noble families."
After a moment of thought, Xie Rou understood everything.
She narrowed her eyes. "So, all of Lord Pei's actions recently were to force Tangtang away?"
"Yes."
Xie Rou let out a cold laugh.
She stood up, frowned, and looked down at him. "Tangtang is not a delicate woman who needs to be protected. Doing this will only make you drift further and further apart from her."
"No, it won't."
Pei Zhaolin answered urgently and firmly.
He slowly raised his head. His eyes were sharp, but there was a hidden edge in them. "What I'm doing is only for her own good."
Xie Rou frowned. She didn't miss the fleeting paranoia in Pei Zhaolin's eyes. "The emperor has harbored grudges against the noble families for a long time. What do you plan to do, Lord Pei?"
There was madness in Pei Zhaolin's eyes. "There's no gain without pain. This matter can only be resolved by risking everything."
"Are you going to incite the noble families to rebel?!"
Hearing this, Pei Zhaolin smiled slightly. "It's me. I'm going to rebel."