Bian Ruohan chased after him and grabbed Lu Heng’s sleeve, insisting: “There must be some secret door in this mansion, or some kind of cellar. My people saw with their own eyes that she entered through this door—there absolutely cannot be any mistake! My lord, trust me and conduct a search, then you’ll know!”

Looking at Bian Ruohan’s wide, staring eyes, Lu Heng disgustedly brushed away the hand that was grabbing him.

“I’ve already trusted you once and entered a private residence without cause, which already broke proper protocol. If I were to trust your one-sided words again and turn a household of orphans and widows upside down, and if those women and children couldn’t bear the humiliation and hanged themselves, I would bear the blame! Stop making such a scene!”

“How would it come to hanging! Besides, they’re just common people, and you’re an official, the Loyal and Righteous Earl—why can’t you just…”

“Silence!” Lu Heng coldly rebuked. “If you say another word that damages my reputation, I’ll have you confined and never allow you to step outside your room again!”

Bian Ruohan clenched both fists, her shoulders shaking continuously as she trembled, blue veins bulging on her forehead, grinding her silver teeth until they made grinding sounds. Watching Lu Heng leisurely mount his carriage, she also strode after him, pushing Lu Wenru aside and climbing into the carriage herself, squeezing in to sit beside Lu Heng.

“If today you had come here to catch me in adultery, wouldn’t you have lifted up even the floorboards to look!”

Lu Heng leaned back, avoiding Bian Ruohan’s face as she leaned close. “What nonsense are you spouting!”

“Answer me! You’re just partial to her in every way. Even if she really did commit adultery, you don’t want to know the truth, do you! Surname Lu, I never thought you were this kind of coward!”

“Be quiet.”

“If you’re not a coward, why don’t you dare to search? You’re simply…”

Slap—

A crisp slapping sound emerged from the carriage, and everyone outside the carriage fell silent as cicadas.

Lu Heng had used all his strength in this slap. Bian Ruohan’s mouth split at the corner, half her head went numb, her ears buzzed, and golden stars danced before her eyes.

“I’m telling you.” Lu Heng grabbed Bian Ruohan by the collar and pulled her close, each word bitten out heavily: “Stop causing trouble. Today I believed your nonsense, which was already a mistake. Your one-sided words—I will never believe them again. You crude, ignorant, house-disrupting woman, I truly should divorce you!”

Bian Ruohan’s pupils constricted as she mumbled indistinctly: “You dare!”

“The way you behave has already violated the seven grounds for divorce! If I divorce you now, neither your natal family nor His Majesty would have anything to say. Tell me, what wouldn’t I dare?”

Bian Ruohan felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head—even her palms and soles went cold.

She just wanted more affection. She wanted Lu Heng to wholeheartedly love only her alone. Was that wrong?

She had clearly found where Qin Shi’s adulterer was hiding—why wouldn’t Lu Heng conduct a thorough search?

Or was it that there really was no one hidden here?

Lu Heng had brought so many subordinates; he probably wasn’t putting on an act to deceive her, right?

So had she received false information?

Had Bian Tong deceived her?

Bian Ruohan finally calmed down and began to suspect Bian Tong. Meanwhile, Bian Tong was already sweating profusely, desperately trying to hide among the crowd, afraid of attracting attention from the Earl and Bian Ruohan.

Bian Ruohan sat there dazed, finally quieting down.

Lu Heng sat up straight and said indifferently: “This matter ends here and now. If you bring it up again in the future, I’ll divorce you immediately. Before our marriage, I heard you were gentle and virtuous, most skilled at needlework. From now on, you should stay properly in the inner quarters and embroider. Don’t go out when there’s nothing important.”

Bian Ruohan pressed her lips together as tears streamed down, her heart repeatedly asking “why, why.” But she no longer dared to question him aloud.

She suddenly reflected that she had been too confident before. She shouldn’t have shown her true nature in front of Lu Heng, shouldn’t have treated her husband like her own parents, shouldn’t have been so straightforward in saying whatever came to mind.

She understood now that even with one’s own husband, feelings needed to be carefully cultivated, just like how she had to please the old ancestor in the mansion—she needed to show her best side to win favor.

So foolish! How could she have been so foolish!

Bian Ruohan grabbed her hair with both hands in regret. Now she regretted it, but it was too late! Lu Heng now spoke of divorce at the drop of a hat and would slap her without hesitation. After they consummated their marriage, she no longer had opportunities to get close to him…

She shouldn’t have been so foolish…

Bian Ruohan truly regretted her past actions. Combined with never having suffered such grievances since childhood, tears streamed down as she sobbed and choked, nearly fainting from crying.

Lu Heng closed his eyes to rest, pretending not to see or hear. He deeply regretted listening to Bian Ruohan’s one-sided words today.

Today’s grand display of bringing privately-kept martial artists and guards to unlawfully enter a private residence—if Pang Xiao seized upon this matter to attack him, he would probably need considerable effort to explain himself clearly.

Though it hadn’t happened yet, Lu Heng knew that Pang Xiao harbored resentment toward him and was always waiting for a chance to catch his mistakes. They were political enemies and also rivals in love. Since Pang Xiao knew he harbored feelings for Qin Yining, given his domineering and autocratic nature, how could he let this slide? Lu Heng was already racking his brains thinking of how to handle the aftermath.

Toward Bian Ruohan, Lu Heng’s disgust had reached its limit.

Lu Heng’s entourage gradually left the residence and soon disappeared into the curtain of rain.

In an inconspicuous small alley in a corner, Qin Yining slowly closed the carriage window and patted her chest with a long sigh of relief.

Shi Fang lowered his voice as if afraid someone might overhear: “Hall Master, has the Loyal and Righteous Earl left?”

Qin Yining nodded with lingering fear: “He’s gone. Fortunately we came out in time, otherwise the consequences would have been unthinkable.”

“Indeed. Thanks to Hall Master Qiu’s timely warning, otherwise my life would have been forfeit!”

Shi Fang knelt down and kowtowed three times to Qin Yining with loud thuds.

Qin Yining quickly helped him up: “Don’t be so formal—we’re all brothers here.”

Shi Fang sat up straight and cursed through gritted teeth: “That bastard Lu Xiong! Who would have thought he was that kind of person—abandoning his brothers for wealth and glory, nearly getting me killed! If I don’t take revenge, I won’t be able to rest easy for the rest of my life!”

Qin Yining shook her head with a sigh: “Falling to such a miserable state is truly pitiful, but revenge won’t be easy. Lu Xiong knows the treasure’s location and has become a favored person beside the Loyal and Righteous Earl. We must be careful in our actions. The Loyal and Righteous Earl will surely guard Lu Xiong closely, fearing he might leak secrets. Even if we want revenge, we can’t get close to him!”

Shi Fang gritted his teeth: “That’s exactly the problem. When it comes down to it, I’ve fallen to this state because of that surname Pang! If he hadn’t meddled, how would we brothers have been reduced to just Lu Xiong and myself! Tell me, isn’t that surname Pang just looking for trouble! He has high office and generous salary, enjoying himself—why must he refuse to let us go!

“And that woman surnamed Qin isn’t any good either! If she hadn’t betrayed the Azure Sky Alliance and wholeheartedly sided with the court, why would we have stolen the treasure? If there hadn’t been the treasure incident, that woman wouldn’t hate us to the bone, and wouldn’t have had her man come seek revenge for her!

“In the end, that pair of adulterous dogs colluded together! They’re both the court’s lackeys! If I spare them, I’ll never have peace in this lifetime!”

Shi Fang spoke through gritted teeth to this point, then looked at Qin Yining pleadingly: “Hall Master Qiu, please think of a way—could you arrange for me to get into the Prince’s mansion?”

Qin Yining narrowed her eyes slightly, concealing the cold light within: “Enter the Prince’s mansion? That’s not impossible. The Prince’s mansion must have purchasing and such affairs, right? What are you planning to do?”

Hearing there was a way to enter the Prince’s mansion, Shi Fang’s eyes lit up brilliantly, revealing a fierce gleam as he clenched his fists tightly: “I want to sneak in and kill that pair of adulterous dogs! After killing them, I’ll flee far away. I imagine that with both of them dead in the Prince’s mansion, without a leader, no one would immediately come after me, giving me the perfect chance to escape far away!

“Hall Master Qiu, please help me! We who mix in the martial world must fight for our dignity! Back then, we brothers were chased everywhere by them, and how many brothers died miserably? How many brothers died with eyes wide open? Even I had to hide in a cellar like a rat for so long. I truly cannot swallow this grievance!”

Qin Yining slightly pursed her lips, then smiled sweetly and nodded: “That makes sense. If I were you, I couldn’t swallow this grievance either.”

“Exactly, exactly!” Seeing that Qin Yining was moved, Shi Fang quickly pressed his advantage: “The Prince’s mansion probably has quite a few rare treasures too. I could bring out one or two while I’m at it, and we could share them! Thanks to Hall Master Qiu’s care all this time, I want to repay you somewhat.”

“Brother Shi is truly a man of loyalty and righteousness!”

“Not at all, not at all.”

“Good. Since Brother Shi plans to take this risk, I’ll fulfill your wishes.”

Qin Yining spoke with double meaning, smiling as she said: “Let’s go find temporary lodging first. Once I’ve made arrangements, I’ll come get you.”

“Thank you, Hall Master Qiu.” Shi Fang cupped his hands in thanks.

Qin Yining then instructed the carriage to head directly to the city outskirts, smiling as she said: “I have a residence in the outskirts with all the necessary servants and maids. You can move in directly, and it’s secluded—no one will discover you there.”

“Yes, the Hall Master thinks of everything.” Shi Fang nodded with a smile.

The carriage rushed through the rain toward the outskirts, traveling to increasingly deserted areas. In the distance, a village could be vaguely seen behind a patch of forest.

Qin Yining pointed to the village and smiled: “That’s the place.”

Shi Fang nodded, his eyes full of anticipation.

Qin Yining opened the window and instructed Jingzhe to head to the estate ahead.

Jingzhe had already heard the conversation in the carriage clearly and was guessing at Qin Yining’s intentions. Seeing her instruction, he immediately acknowledged cautiously and looked up at Qin Yining inquiringly.

Qin Yining curved her lips in a cold smile, the murderous intent in her eyes completely unconcealed.

Jingzhe’s heart jumped as he vaguely understood Qin Yining’s thinking.

The carriage had now passed through the forest and turned from the main road onto a small path.

Days of rain had made the ground very muddy, and the wheels immediately sank into the mud and water.

Both Qin Yining and Shi Fang swayed in the carriage.

Xiao Xue and Dahan, sitting by the carriage door, opened it to ask what was happening outside.

Jingzhe said: “The wheels are stuck! The master might need to get out of the carriage.”