Chapter 62: Assistance
"You!" Jiang Susu glared at her furiously, then suddenly changed tactics. Tilting her delicate face upward, she bit her lower lip and silently let tears stream down her cheeks. This pitiful display stirred sympathy among some aboard the Evergreen Pine Boat.
Yet the women on the Exquisite Boat had already begun whispering: "Who would have thought she was this kind of person?"
"She always seemed so ethereal, yet she'd stoop to such vile deeds."
"She's completely shamed Lord Jiang."
"With a token of love already in hand, how laughable that she still tries to deny it."
Under such pressure, Jiang Susu began to lose her composure.
On the Evergreen Pine Boat, the Fifth Prince frowned, his expression one of displeasure as he looked at Jiang Susu. "So young, yet already lacking self-respect—utterly disgraceful!"
Ye Li, however, remained silent, deep in thought. Mo Cong nudged Xiao Shao and sighed, shaking his head. "How could a beauty like her, as fair as an immortal, be so foolish as to fancy that brute? Truly baffling."
Xiao Shao did not respond, but in the shadows, Ye Feng sent him a covert message: "Master, the second daughter of the Jiang family is the one from Precious Light Temple six years ago."
Hearing this, Xiao Shao's expression darkened instantly, and he lifted his gaze to scrutinize Jiang Susu once more.
Meanwhile, the dark-skinned man insisted stubbornly, "No! You nobles look down on us common folk, but I, Zhou Da, won’t be brushed aside so easily. After this humiliation today, I demand justice!"
Butterfly and Dragonfly were frantic, and Jiang Susu herself felt despair creeping in. Just as all hope seemed lost, a cool, detached voice carried over from the Evergreen Pine Boat:
"The green jade beads were a gift from this prince to the Second Miss Jiang. What business do you have with them?"
Jiang Ruan froze. Standing with his hands clasped behind his back was a young man in dark robes and black boots, his demeanor icy. A single sweep of his frost-like gaze was enough to send shivers down one’s spine.
With that one offhand remark, Jinying Wang Xiao Shao effortlessly rescued Jiang Susu from her dire predicament.
Immediately, curious eyes darted between Xiao Shao and Jiang Susu. Everyone wondered—was there some connection between Jinying Wang and Jiang Susu? Otherwise, why would the notoriously aloof prince intervene on her behalf without reason?
Jiang Susu was momentarily stunned. Though she didn’t understand why Xiao Shao had helped her, when her eyes fell upon his striking features, a flicker of admiration flashed in her gaze. She dipped into a graceful curtsy. "Many thanks to Your Highness for speaking fairly. Without your aid today, Su Su would never have been able to clear her name, even if she leaped into the Yellow River."
Jiang Ruan stared blankly at Xiao Shao, her emotions in turmoil. In her past life, she had never heard of any relationship between Xiao Shao and Jiang Susu. Moreover, Xiao Shao was not the type to play the gallant hero for a damsel in distress. Why, then, had he stepped in so perfectly for Jiang Susu today?
Was Jiang Susu truly this fortunate across lifetimes? Even in the depths of adversity, someone always came to her aid. Was the heavens truly so unjust?
A piercingly cold gaze suddenly settled on him. Xiao Shao lifted his eyes and followed its source. His expression shifted slightly as he saw the red-clad girl on the opposite boat, glaring at him under the moonlight with venomous hatred in her eyes—like a vengeful spirit from hell.
Zhou Da, too, was caught off guard. He had never expected Jinying Wang to intervene. No matter what, offending a prince was beyond his means. Now, trapped between a rock and a hard place, he had no idea what to do next.As soon as Xiao Shao spoke, Jiang Susu's face lit up with joy, while Princess Rongya and Xu Ruoxi paled simultaneously, their expressions turning extremely unpleasant. Mo Cong looked at Xiao Shao in surprise, equally baffled by his intentions. The Fifth Prince narrowed his eyes: "How strange. Jinying Wang would actually take the initiative to help the Second Miss Jiang out of trouble."
A profound glint flashed in Ye Li's eyes: "Perhaps it truly is Jinying Wang's green jade beads."
Jiang Ruan withdrew her gaze and suddenly addressed the panicked Zhou Da: "So it turns out you were lying all along. Those green jade beads clearly belong to Jinying Wang. Then where did Miss Jiang's handkerchief come from?"
Hearing Jiang Ruan's words, Zhou Da had a sudden flash of inspiration. It was true the green jade beads belonged to Jinying Wang, but the handkerchief on him was genuine. Admitting the truth now would only land him in deeper trouble. If he stubbornly stuck to his story, there might still be a sliver of hope. Zhou Da, being a habitual scoundrel, was particularly skilled at playing the rogue. He sneered and declared loudly: "Every word I've said is true! Even nobles can't bully others with their power! That handkerchief was given to me by Ruan'er herself—a token of her affection!"
His words sent a shock through the entire gathering.
Jiang Ruan stared at him: "Who exactly is this 'Ruan'er' you speak of?"
"Who else could it be? The eldest daughter of the Jiang family, the current Lord Jiang's household!" Zhou Da declared with full confidence.
"Pfft—" Jiang Ruan burst into laughter as if she had heard the most ridiculous joke, her eyes and brows brimming with amusement: "You keep insisting that Miss Jiang is betrothed to you and even risked your life to save her just now. But do you even know who she really is?"
"What do you mean?" Zhou Da felt a sudden unease, sensing that something was amiss. Then came Jiang Ruan's icy voice: "Your story is indeed moving, but I am the eldest daughter of the Jiang family. The 'Jiang Ruan' you speak of is actually the second daughter of the Jiang family—Jiang Susu."
Under the moonlight, her stunning beauty carried a trace of resolute coldness: "Young Master Zhou, could it be that your memory is so poor you can't even distinguish who it was you shared those moonlit moments with?"
By now, some in the crowd had begun to grasp the tangled web of deceit. Those present were all from noble households and well-versed in such schemes. It was clear that Zhou Da was spouting nonsense, likely having been instructed beforehand to tarnish the eldest Miss Jiang's reputation. Yet, by some twist of fate, the second Miss Jiang had ended up implicated instead.
Lianqiao and Zisu inwardly sighed in relief. Jiang Ruan's expression remained calm. From the very beginning, she had deliberately referred to Jiang Susu as "Miss Jiang" to mislead Zhou Da. Now that Zhou Da had spoken, the astute among the guests could easily piece together the truth.
Jiang Susu's expression was inscrutable. Though Zhou Da's words had proven her innocence, people would inevitably speculate about who had intended to harm Jiang Ruan. Both she and Xia Yan would become subjects of gossip.
Jiang Ruan gazed at Zhou Da, her voice gentle: "This matter seems so convoluted it's given me quite the headache. But since it concerns my reputation, we cannot let it slide. Young Master Zhou, perhaps you should explain yourself to the constables."
Seeing the situation turn against him, Zhou Da immediately tried to flee by jumping into the river, but several guards swiftly appeared and pinned him to the ground. Unexpectedly, Ye Li stepped forward, his smile refined and courteous: "Take him to the magistrate's office."Jiang Ruan quickly glanced at Ye Li. He had arrived at such a convenient moment—was he hoping she would feel grateful to him?
Hearing this, Jiang Susu panicked inwardly. She naturally understood what Zhou Da's situation was. If he fell into the hands of the authorities and revealed all the masterminds behind this, what would she and Xia Yan do?
As these thoughts crossed her mind, Jiang Ruan had already walked up to Zhou Da, who was pinned to the ground. She bent slightly, meeting his gaze at eye level, and said softly, "Young Master Zhou, I've heard the yamen's prison has a thousand methods of interrogation, each more unbearable than the last. This matter is quite complicated—you should think carefully before speaking, lest you say something you'll regret." With that, she gave Zhou Da a radiant smile, brighter than the Festive Lanterns floating on the river.
(End of Chapter)
OpenNovel