Chapter 77

Mu Nan Zhao lifted his head, his perpetually aloof eyes flickered when they saw Gu Qingye's face, gradually as if shrouded in a layer of water mist.

Gu Qingye saw he did not resist, and boldly moved closer.

"Chen Elder Brother, am I pretty?"

Mu Nan Zhao said nothing, just stared fixedly at Gu Qingye, the mist in his eyes growing denser.

Gu Qingye recalled Zhou Gua Fu's words, reached out and wrapped her arms around Mu Nan Zhao's arm, "Chen Elder Brother, you must be tired from reading, let me help you rest."

Mu Nan Zhao was like a puppet on strings, letting Gu Qingye help him sit at the bedside, then help him lie down.

Gu Qingye admiringly gazed at that face that haunted her dreams.

Her hands trembled slightly from excitement.

She untied the first strap of Mu Nan Zhao's clothing, about to pull open the collar, when her wrist suddenly shot with sharp pain.

Gu Qingye horrified met a pair of icy, clear eyes, "Chen, Chen Elder Brother, you, you aren't asleep..."

Mu Nan Zhao clenched his hand hard, and with a anguished cry, Gu Qingye was flung away and fell to the ground.

At that moment, several people filed in from outside the door.

At the front wasn't Gu Xixi, who else could it be?

Gu Xixi glanced at the ground, "Oh dear, you've only undone one strap, can't you bear it a little longer?"

Mu Nan Zhao sat up, straightened his clothes, face like cold frost, "I've gone along with your act this long, it's already the limit of my patience, Gu Xixi, don't get ahead of yourself."

Gu Xixi resigned, "Fine, fine, that works too."

Zhang Shen and Qin Dasao, who had gone out with Gu Xixi, now stood behind as well.

Both women had stern faces, glaring at Gu Qingye.

If it weren't for Xixi's prior warning, they would have already cursed this little hussy into having nowhere to hide.

Gu Qingye had just fallen hard, and only after a moment did she catch her breath.

She struggled to her feet, terrified, looking at the several people, "Gu Xixi, you did this on purpose, you never intended to go out today,"

Gu Xixi smiled and nodded, "Not bad, your reaction isn't too slow."

Gu Qingye shifted her gaze, then suddenly darted around Zhang Shen and ran toward the door.

Gu Xixi seemed to have anticipated Gu Qingye's move, "Sister-in-law, grab her."

Qin Dasao's strength from daily farm work, house chores, and beating children made her a match Gu Qingye could not oppose.

Qin Dasao also found the medicine packet Gu Qingye had hidden in her sleeve, not yet used up.

Gu Qingye was restrained and couldn't run, she could only crane her neck and shout, "Someone help!"

"Chen Fang insulted me! Someone help!"

Gu Xixi pressed her lips speechlessly, then suddenly bellowed, "Shut up!!!"

Gu Qingye was startled, reflexively falling silent for a moment.

Gu Xixi said, "If you don't want me to stuff your mouth with a rag from the chamber pot, then don't shout."

Gu Qingye glanced at Qin Dasao holding her, then at Zhang Shen blocking the doorway.

Left with no choice, she dared not shout again.

Yet her mouth refused to yield, "Sister Xixi, since you've seen it all, I have nothing left to defend."

"Anyway, I'm already this close with Chen Elder Brother, you won't let me leave now because you're afraid I'll spread this and ruin your reputation, right?"

"My reputation?" Gu Xixi sounded as if she'd heard the biggest joke.

"The person who summoned you, didn't they teach you that it's best if something happens between you and Chen Fang, even if nothing happened it doesn't matter, you just need to take off his clothes, run out disheveled, and claim he forcibly defiled you."

"Best if the whole village hears you shout, then it's practically a done deal."

"By then I'll have no choice but to give him to you."

"And Chen Fang, not wanting to bear the charge of rape, would have no choice but to marry you."

"Is that how it is?"

With each sentence Gu Xixi spoke, Gu Qingye's eyes filled with more shock and suspicion.

In the end, she still forced herself to stay calm, "You... how do you know!"

Facing such a fool, Gu Xixi couldn't even be bothered to roll her eyes.

"My paternal cousin is in my home, being violated by my fiancé."

"Indeed, I lose face over this."

"But have you considered that in broad daylight I'm not home, you sneak alone into a man's room, you think spreading these rumors VC-style could clear your name?"

"By then it won't just be me; your parents and even all the Gus of Flower Pool Ford will be laughed at."

Gu Qingye's face turned pale, still insisting, "Actually, compared to your reputation, I just want..."

"You want him?" Gu Xixi interrupted with a stern face, "You want the villagers to see you and address you as mistress of the master?"

"Gu Qingye, you're dreaming!" Gu Xixi shouted sharply.

"The sole schoolmaster of Flower Pool Ford doing this would be despised, could never continue as a teacher, and you still want to be his mistress?"

"Besides, Chen Fang is a marriage assigned by the Government Office, his criminal record not yet expunged; if at this point his rape charge is confirmed,"

Gu Xixi grabbed Gu Qingye's chin in one hand, forcing her to lift her head and meet her gaze.

"Gu Qingye, you want him dead!"

Gu Qingye trembled all over, unsure whether she was frightened by Gu Xixi herself or by the consequences Gu Xixi had described.

"I haven't, I don't know, I really don't know."

Gu Xixi raised her hand high, pa— a resounding slap.

She watched Gu Qingye, fallen to the ground in utter terror.

"Do you know now?"

Qin Dasao, Zhang Shen, and Mu Nan Zhao were all a little dumbstruck.

Gu Xixi is always gentle with people; this was the first time they saw her fly into such a rage.

In that instant, the room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Zhang Shen heard movement outside, turned to look, and, as if granted a pardon, said, "Xixi, Lao Qian has come."

Lao Qian strode in, and taking in the scene, he immediately understood.

He asked Gu Xixi, "My dear niece, have you taken care of the family business?"

Gu Xixi collected her anger, then bowed with a smile to Lao Qian, saying, "Gu Qingye poisoned and plotted to harm my family; this is the evidence. Please, Uncle Qian, send her to the County Office on these grounds."

Any other pretext wouldn't hold up as a crime; it's only because Gu Qingye herself brought the poison.

Under current law, even if it isn't a deadly poison, the offense of administering poison alone merits at least twenty strokes and three months in jail.

Besides, Zhou Gua Fu, who lurked behind Gu Qingye to stir up trouble, won't get away once questioned.

Lao Qian nodded. "All right, it'll be easier if the village takes the lead."

When Gu Qingye heard she was to be sent to the County Office, she instantly struggled, crying, "I won't go!"

"'Once a woman is thrown into the government jail, her life is over—I won't go! I'd rather die!'"

"'It was Zhou Gua Fu; the poison came from a Zhou, all her doing! Don't seize me, Sister Xixi—I know I was wrong...'"

But no one in the room was paying attention to her any longer.

Lao Qian asked Qin Dasao and Zhang Shen to help escort Gu Qingye away.

Only Gu Xixi and Mu Nan Zhao were left.

Gu Xixi, face cold, was about to go when Mu Nan Zhao said, "You knew what she would do and had laid the groundwork beforehand."

"'She was in the palm of your hand, under your control—why would the ordinary you be so furious?'"

His eyes darkened as he watched her retreating figure, and he asked, "What reason am I unaware of?"