Chapter 207
Chapter 207
Xu Qianqian said.
“Green Robe, stop your slander.”
“Didn’t you buy this incense?”
“I did buy it. But someone switched it.”
“Do you have any proof that someone switched it?”
“Buying the incense was originally your duty. But a few days ago, you suddenly entrusted that task to me. Why? You’ve always tried to keep me down! Why would you suddenly do me a favor and give me that responsibility? Perhaps your real goal was to frame me for this from the start.”
Green Robe asked.
“Proof? Do you have any proof to back up your words? Xu Qianqian, you were once Prefect Zhang Chong’s daughter-in-law. Everyone outside thinks you’re dead, but you not only survived, you infiltrated Her Ladyship’s side. Not only that, you used poisoned incense and brought a man disguised as a woman to her. This alone reveals your sinister intentions! You deliberately used an aphrodisiac on Her Ladyship to have this man take her chastity. How vicious. And now, you’ve gotten your wish.
Her Ladyship is so noble! She’s like a goddess! Do you think a lowly man like this is worthy of even touching her? Now that her pure body has been defiled by him, Xu Qianqian, you are the cause of all this.”
Green Robe pointed at Shen Lang and Xu Qianqian and said.
“My Lady, not many people know about this yet. We can just kill them both and pretend nothing ever happened.”
Green Robe was so vicious that she wanted to have Shen Lang and Xu Qianqian killed on the spot. Qiu Yao'er remained seated in her chair, saying nothing. So, Green Robe spoke again.
“My Lady, please wait here. I will immediately call in the guards to torture this wretched pair. They will confess their entire sinister plot and who is behind their infiltration of your side.”
Just as Green Robe was about to leave, Shen Lang spoke calmly.
“Green Robe, you are the one who conspired with Qiu Xiao to harm Lady Qiu Yao'er.”
Green Robe said angrily.
“How dare a lowly creature like you spout such nonsense? Are you trying to make baseless claims now that death is at your door? Do you take our master for a fool? You say I conspired with Young Master Qiu Xiao, but where is your proof? Proof!”
Shen Lang, of course, had proof. Green Robe’s body was covered in marks left by Qiu Xiao. Shen Lang asked.
“Where did you get that mark on your neck?”
“Something bit me last night, and it was so itchy I scratched it with my fingernails. Is there a problem with that? Does that prove I conspired with Young Master Qiu Xiao? Hahaha, that’s so absurd it’s laughable.”
Then, Green Robe ground her teeth and said.
“Xu Qianqian, you bought the drugged incense, and you brought this man here. On top of that, this bastard dared to defile our master’s purity. It’s all clearly your conspiracy. And for you despicable curs to try and pin the blame on someone else is truly pathetic!”
Shen Lang said calmly.
“Then are the words on your buttocks also something you scratched with your own fingernails?”
Green Robe’s heart trembled with fear, but she said coldly.
“What words on my buttocks? What nonsense are you spouting! My Lady, I will go call for men to bind this wretched pair.”
And she tried to leave the room. It was then that Qiu Yao'er finally spoke.
“Stop!”
Green Robe flinched. Qiu Yao'er said to her.
“Take off your skirt.”
Green Robe’s entire body went rigid.
“Now!”
Green Robe trembled all over, unable to move.
“My Lady…”
“Is anyone there? Come and take this girl’s skirt off.”
A moment later, two of Qiu Yao'er's female warriors entered the room to remove Green Robe’s skirt. At this, Green Robe suddenly tried to bolt outside like a madwoman. She wanted to run to the Lord’s Manor and report everything to Lord Qiu Tianwei. She didn't know who this man was, but he was clearly not someone to be trifled with.
But her attempt was thwarted in less than a second, and without another word, her skirt was ripped off, revealing buttocks covered in marks. Palm prints were crisscrossed all over them, and several words were carved there.
“Qiu Xiao’s wench.”
It wasn’t a tattoo, but carved with fingernails. She must have bled quite a lot at the time; one could only imagine how much it had hurt. Moreover, the handwriting was very familiar—it was clearly Qiu Xiao’s.
Xu Qianqian said in a chilling voice.
“Wench, do you still have anything to say?”
Green Robe immediately dropped to her knees, desperately slamming her forehead against the floor.
“Master, Qiu Xiao forced me. It was all his doing. That beast took me by force while you were away, My Lady. He threatened to kill me. But I swear on my life, I never did anything to harm you.”
Qiu Yao'er still said nothing. Green Robe begged.
“Master, My Lady, I have served you for so long, I’ve always thought of you as my own sister. Even if I have no merits, think of the hardships we’ve shared. I was the first girl you ever saved.”
Qiu Yao'er remained unmoved, and a few of her trusted female warriors immediately moved to drag Green Robe away. Green Robe suddenly broke down, screaming hysterically.
“Qiu Yao'er, this is all your fault. All your fault! I desperately tried to win your favor because I wanted to be your sister. Was it so hard for you to acknowledge me as your sworn sister in front of everyone? Why must I be a servant, a slave, for my entire life? You are a cruel, heartless woman. Why did you save me back then? Why didn’t you just let me die! I just wanted to be one of the mistresses of this fortress. What’s wrong with that?
Yes, I was trampled and used by Qiu Xiao. But at least he promised me something. He promised to take me as his concubine. Then I would be at least half a mistress. I wouldn’t have to live like a lowly slave anymore!”
Qiu Yao'er stood up and walked toward Green Robe. Seeing a glimmer of hope, Green Robe started begging again.
“Master, if you accept me as your sworn sister, I will serve you with all my heart. I will go to the Lord and expose all of Young Master Qiu Xiao’s plans so he can be severely punished. Master, if you just accept me as your sworn sister… no, if you let me become half-mistress of this fortress, I will be your most loyal follower for the rest of my life.”
Qiu Yao'er said nothing, simply reaching out and gently stroking Green Robe’s eyelids, closing her eyes.
“Master, are you agreeing?”
Green Robe asked, trembling. As if exerting no force at all, Qiu Yao'er gently tapped her face with her palm. In that instant, without leaving a single mark on her body, Green Robe's brain turned to mush. There was no gruesome scream, no pain. Everyone failed to understand what Qiu Yao'er had done, thinking she hadn’t killed the woman.
She had indeed saved many women, building a fortress for them as a sanctuary. But that didn't mean Qiu Yao'er felt any particular emotion for any specific woman. If someone by her side betrayed her, they had to die. She was insignificant anyway, not someone who would leave a mark on her heart. Qiu Yao'er gestured, and two female warriors dragged Green Robe away. Only Shen Lang and Xu Qianqian remained in the room.
***
The scene that followed was extremely awkward. The fact that Shen Lang had dressed as a woman and that Xu Qianqian had brought him here was an undeniable truth. Thus, Xu Qianqian could not escape suspicion for her part in it. Qiu Yao'er waved her hand dismissively.
“There’s no need for excuses. I don’t want to hear anything. I have no interest in who you are or what purpose brought you to my side.”
Then, Qiu Yao'er looked at Shen Lang and asked.
“Did you write *Journey to the West*?”
Shen Lang nodded.
“It’s very well written. It’s as if you have another world inside your head. Remarkable.”
Then, she stood up, went into her room, and brought out a box, placing it in front of Shen Lang. When she opened it, it was full of gold coins.
“Take these gold coins and leave!”
An absurd question escaped Shen Lang’s lips.
“Is this, by any chance… payment for my services?”
“Last night was certainly enjoyable. I was completely captivated. So, I suppose you wouldn’t be wrong to call it that.”
‘Damn it!’
Next, Qiu Yao'er looked at Xu Qianqian and said.
“Since you two are on the same side, you should go back as well.”
Xu Qianqian’s face paled, and her beautiful body trembled.
“Whatever your purpose or conspiracy may be, you will not succeed. Leave my side. I don’t want to see either of you again.”
That couldn't happen. Qiu Yao'er was the most crucial key to taking Raging Tide City. Shen Lang could leave, but Xu Qianqian absolutely had to stay. Qiu Yao'er was an indispensable piece in the strategy for Raging Tide City. Things had progressed too far to stop now. On Marooned Love Isle, an inescapable net was being laid. If the Raging Tide City strategy failed, the Count of Xuanwu's Estate could face annihilation. Xu Qianqian had to stay.
Shen Lang’s mind raced, trying to solve the predicament before him. Just then, Xu Qianqian dropped to her knees and began to sob.
“Master, please don’t send me away. Please let me stay here. I have to avenge my father and my family. My fiancé, Zhang Jin, killed my entire family. The man before you is Shen Lang, and he’s a scumbag, a villain. I only allied with him because he said he would help me get my revenge. But Shen Lang is also my sworn enemy. Because of him, I lost my home, my family, and my family’s business that has been passed down for generations.
He is a master of sinister plots and told me to infiltrate your side. He said you liked women and told me to seduce you. But I failed to seduce you and was instead captivated by you. You are my idol, my goddess. For you, I would give up everything, sacrifice anything.
Please don’t chase me away. Shen Lang is a viper! Are you really going to send me back to a viper’s side? I’ll die without a proper burial. Master, if you chase me away and force me to return to Shen Lang, I will kill myself right now. Only by your side can I be reborn! If you tell me to return to those dark days of the past, I would rather die!”
Then, with an expression of utmost resolve, she threw herself toward the corner of the desk, attempting to commit suicide.
Of course, Xu Qianqian failed in her suicide attempt. Last time, when the maid had tried to kill herself by smashing her head against the table, she had blocked it with her hand. This time, Qiu Yao'er didn’t even reach out; she just waved her hand lightly in the air. In an instant, Xu Qianqian collided with a wall of air and was sent flying back.
“General, this Shen Lang here is my ex-husband, and Zhang Jin is my fiancé. But those two men caused me to lose my family and clan. The Xu Clan’s silk business, passed down for three generations, was completely destroyed. As they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, so I joined hands with Shen Lang to get revenge on Zhang Jin. But after Zhang Jin, Shen Lang is the one I hate the most! When Zhang Chunhua came to see you before, it must have been under Zhang Chong's orders.”
Qiu Yao'er still said nothing. Xu Qianqian knelt.
“Now that Shen Lang is right in front of me, and it seems he can no longer help me with my revenge, I might as well… kill him right here.”
“Guards!”
At Qiu Yao'er’s word, several female warriors entered.
“Dress this man up. Since he seems to enjoy dressing as a woman, do it for him one more time. Then, throw him out of Raging Tide City and off Thundergale Island. From now on, he is forbidden from ever setting foot on Thundergale Island again.”
“Yes, Ma’am!”