Chapter 205: Miss Fang Hangs Herself
The evening sunset streamed into the flower hall.
Orange light fell upon Chu Yi's face, making the man's features appear even softer.
Yun Chu hadn't expected herself to ask that question so directly.
She thought she should clarify things face to face.
Some matters might be better discussed openly.
She no longer needed to scheme about how to bring the children back to her side.
As long as she could reach some agreement with him, they could still be reunited as mother and children, couldn't they?
To her surprise, Chu Yi revealed a bitter smile: "If I said I've never met the children's mother, would you believe me?"
This was the matter that troubled him most in his life.
Unable to let go.
Unable to reconcile with himself.
Facing Yun Chu, he felt ashamed of himself.
Five years ago, he had ruined a woman's entire life.
Did someone like him deserve Yun Chu?
"You... you've never met the children's mother?" Yun Chu was astonished. Could it be true, as her sister-in-law had said, that Prince Pingxi knew nothing about it?
She swallowed a mouthful of cool air brought by the autumn wind. "Then why did you tell the two children that their mother was dead?"
Chu Yi knew he had to confront that part of his past.
He spoke with difficulty: "On your wedding day, I went to the Yun residence to attend your celebration banquet. I was careless and fell into a trap—someone drugged me with unclean medicine. I collapsed at the entrance of Marquis Xuanwu's residence. Cheng Xu, following the principle of proximity, used a maid from Marquis Xuanwu's residence to... relieve the effects of the drug..."
Speaking these words made it even harder for him to face the woman before him.
He was nothing but a despicable and shameless person, awaiting judgment.
Yun Chu's heart trembled.
So that was how it happened.
The truth from five years ago was actually like this.
She had been schemed against.
He had been schemed against too.
The turbid air in Yun Chu's chest slowly dissipated.
She asked: "Who schemed against you back then?"
A flash of murderous intent appeared in Chu Yi's eyes: "The Bai family."
Yun Chu knew of the Bai family in the capital.
The day after she married into the Xie family five years ago, she heard that the Bai family's eldest daughter had inexplicably fallen ill. Soon after, Lady Bai also fell ill, followed by Lord Bai becoming bedridden.
Later, she heard that Miss Bai was married off to a remote southern region, Lady Bai cried herself to death from illness, and Lord Bai made frequent mistakes in his duties and was dismissed from his position...
The Bai family, a second-rank official residence, just disappeared from the capital.
Just like her—after destroying Marquis Xuanwu's residence that had schemed against her, the entire Xie family also fell into decline.
"Does Your Highness know why I interrogated Marquis Xuanwu?" Yun Chu asked slowly.
Chu Yi had some vague idea.
Marquis Xuanwu had kept two mistresses outside. One of them was called Chu Niang, who looked almost identical to Yun Chu.
Anyone who had seen that mistress could guess something about Qin Mingheng's feelings toward Yun Chu.
After escaping back to the capital during his exile, the first thing he did was sneak into the Xie residence to see Yun Chu.
This showed the depth of his obsession.
He must have done some other disgusting things in secret, which was why Yun Chu went to interrogate him.
Those matters concerned a woman's chastity.
Therefore, he hadn't specifically ordered anyone to investigate.
He hadn't expected Yun Chu to bring this up herself.
"Your Highness might as well interrogate Marquis Xuanwu too." Yun Chu's lips carried a mocking smile. "He lies without hesitation. Please examine his words carefully, Your Highness."
While Chu Yi went to conduct the interrogation, she needed to think carefully about how to reach a mutual agreement with him regarding the two children.
A furrow formed between Chu Yi's brows.Could it be...
He had suspected it before.
But he thought it was too absurd and didn't dwell on it.
Now, looking back, anything seemed possible.
A surge of wild joy welled up in his heart.
"Your Highness, something terrible has happened!" Cheng Xu rushed in suddenly. "The fourth daughter of the Fang family has hanged herself! The entire palace is in an uproar. Your Highness must go see immediately!"
Chu Yi found it hard to believe.
She hanged herself because he defied the imperial decree?
Only four or five people knew about his refusal to marry her against the imperial decree. It hadn't ruined Miss Fang's reputation, so why would she hang herself?
Moreover, he had compensated the Fang family both openly and discreetly, believing he had done everything possible.
Her sudden suicide attempt, making it known to everyone, wasn't a genuine desire to die but merely a ploy to force him to accept the decree.
"Your Highness should go take a look," Yun Chu stood up. "I'll have someone carefully escort Yu Ge'er and Changsheng back to the residence. There's no need to worry."
Chu Yi nodded. "Thank you, Miss Yun."
By then, it was already dark. The streets were lit with lanterns, and the capital's night market was bustling with people coming and going.
Chu Yi soon arrived at the entrance of the Fang residence.
Inside the gate stood eunuchs and matrons from the palace, sent by the Empress and Yin Pin to offer comfort.
"Your Highness has come at the right time. Please go in and see the fourth Miss Fang," the matron from Yin Pin's side said anxiously. "She was saved after hanging herself earlier. The imperial physician said she's fine, but as soon as she woke up, she tried to kill herself again, insisting on dashing her head against the wall. If she really dies, Your Highness will be implicated..."
Chu Yi walked to the rear courtyard. Before even stepping into the yard, he could hear the commotion.
"Mother, don't stop me. Let me die..." Fang Xinyan sobbed hysterically. "I'm an innocent woman who's been rejected in marriage. How can I have the face to live in this world? Let me dash my head and die—death will cleanse everything!"
Madam Fang held her daughter by the waist. "Xin'er, what foolish talk is this? This isn't your fault. Why must you torment yourself like this?"
Lord Fang was so angry he was practically fuming. "She's been spoiled rotten! Thinking she can get what she wants by making a scene—crying, making trouble, and threatening suicide. How naive! Almost no one knew she was rejected in marriage, but now, after all this fuss, everyone knows Prince Pingxi would rather be punished than marry her. She's ruined her own reputation—she's brought this upon herself!"
What kind of man was Prince Pingxi? He had fought on the western frontier, beheading enemy generals amidst thousands of soldiers.
He had slain millions of bandits, wiping out all the bandits in the Great Jin.
Would such a man yield to a woman's suicide threats?
Absolutely not!
Originally, Prince Pingxi owed their Fang family a favor.
But now...
If he didn't hold a grudge, it would only be because Prince Pingxi was magnanimous.
Lord Fang was nearly driven mad by his daughter.
He was even angrier that his wife had indulged their daughter and let the matter escalate to the palace.
Just as he was about to continue scolding,
He heard servants outside the room greeting, "Your Highness, Prince Pingxi!"
Fang Xinyan, who had been trying to kill herself, immediately brightened. Since she was separated by a screen, she could only cry out loudly, "I love Prince Pingxi! I love him! In this lifetime, I'll marry no one but him. If he refuses to marry me, what meaning is there in living..."
With such a heartfelt confession, she refused to believe Prince Pingxi wouldn't be moved.
Chu Yi's eyes darkened.
So, it turned out he had attracted this troublesome admirer himself.
He leisurely took a seat in a chair and said, "So the fourth Miss Fang truly insists on marrying no one but this prince?"When Fang Xinyan heard him call her "Fourth Miss Fang," her entire body trembled uncontrollably.
She had long admired him, yet due to various rules separating men and women, the two had never exchanged a single word.
Hearing "Fourth Miss Fang" spoken from his lips stirred her emotions even more deeply.
Unable to restrain herself any longer, she stepped directly around the screen and walked up to Chu Yi.
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