Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Waning Interest

Liang Wan curtsied. "Yes, I will follow your orders. Thank you for your trouble, sir."

The Central Guard nodded and strode away.

Liang Wan then sent Qiuxi and Feng Ting back first before walking toward Chancellor Cao and the others.

Zhou Yun had already finished explaining the whole affair to Chancellor Cao. The rumors had been spreading like wildfire, even affecting the war on the front lines, so they had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure: using the opportunity to eliminate the scandalmongers and prevent future trouble.

Liang Wan curtsied to Chancellor Cao in apology. She had not informed him of the plan to arrest the troublemakers.

She had invited Chancellor Cao here today under the pretext of persuading everyone to make donations.

Chancellor Cao looked at her, shaking his head with a smile. "So this is the ’method of cleansing’ you spoke of the other day?"

Thinking of the divination, his smile vanished. He asked bluntly, "Why would the Duke entrust such an important matter to you?"

A thought flickered through Liang Wan’s mind, and she smiled nonchalantly. "Perhaps because he had a past connection with my Awen. Besides, I wasn’t the only one there that day. The Grand Commandant was present as well."

Chancellor Cao pondered. ’If it involves the Lu Family, then it makes sense.’

Chancellor Cao felt a sense of relief, but then asked worriedly, "Does His Majesty know?"

Zhou Yun nodded. "I learned of this poem from His Majesty himself."

Chancellor Cao couldn’t help but wonder, ’Why is His Majesty relying on Zhou Yun again?’

Liang Wan endured the pain and smiled at Zhou Yun. "The Grand Commandant must have reported what he heard at the Duke Mansion that day along with his military update to His Majesty."

Chancellor Cao nodded slightly, no longer as disheartened as before. ’Perhaps Daqi truly can be brought back from the brink...’

Zhou Yun vaguely felt that something was amiss. "Then His Majesty ordering me to cooperate with you, was that also Lu Xiu’s sugges—"

"Hsss—" Before Zhou Yun could finish, Liang Wan sucked in a sharp breath, her brows and eyes scrunching together in unbearable pain.

Seeing Liang Wan’s wretched state, Chancellor Cao was suddenly reminded of the first time he met her. She had been just as reckless that night, with a fierce, self-destructive streak!

"Hurry back and get some rest!"

Liang Wan smiled and nodded.

Zhou Yun said, "I’ll take you back."

Liang Wan glanced at Cao Danqing, then quickly waved her hand at Zhou Yun, giving him a meaningful look.

Cao Danqing had been silent ever since Zhou Yun arrived.

Liang Wan said to Cao Danqing, "Thank you for stepping forward to protect me today. If not for you, I’m afraid I would have breathed my last!"

She hadn’t expected that the person who had been so hostile and aggressive toward her before would extend a helping hand in a moment of crisis.

Cao Danqing looked a little embarrassed, the corners of his lips curving up. "If I had known you were deliberately waiting here to spring a trap, I wouldn’t have bothered!"

After bowing in thanks once more, Liang Wan took her leave of them. She never once glanced at Cao Luyun, which puzzled Chancellor Cao and the others, but they didn’t ask.

Liang Wan held Gu Yu’s hand and started back, paying no mind to whether Cao Luyun stayed or left.

’If I weren’t holding back for certain reasons, would I have really let her off?’

’But I can’t let her use this against me forever...’

Of the crowd that had gathered, those who needed to be arrested were taken away, leaving only a few innocent stragglers. ’Mother and Sister must have been arrested too.’

’Don’t blame me for being ruthless.’

Just as she reached the carriage, someone hurried after her from behind.

"My lady, my lady, please wait!"

Liang Wan stopped and looked over. It was the official from the fundraising office. His chubby, round face was flushed, and he rubbed his hands together awkwardly with an obsequious smile.

Gu Yu glared at him with her wide eyes. "What, you recognize us now?"

"Of course not, it’s just that just now, this humble official—" The chubby official grinned, scratching the back of his head with an awkward laugh.

"Just now, the official was afraid of harming the innocent, not refusing to help someone in peril," Liang Wan said, in no mood to waste words with him. "We will have to trouble you with the fundraising matters from now on. When the Grand Commandant returns, he will surely remember your kindness."

The chubby official was both flattered and suspicious, his mouth twisting into an uncertain smile.

After speaking, Liang Wan turned and boarded the carriage.

She was utterly exhausted, both in body and mind, and had only managed to hold on until now by gritting her teeth.

「In the South Garden Residence」

Steam filled the air.

Liang Wan leaned over the edge of the bathtub, hissing in pain.

The slightest movement sent pain shooting through her body. Her arms and legs were covered in purple and blue bruises.

She had always been this way; if she wasn’t careful, even bumping into the corner of a table would leave a bruise, let alone being beaten and kicked today.

Bai Lu came in with clean clothes and was startled by the unexpected sight of mottled bruises on Liang Wan’s fair, smooth skin. "What kind of deep-seated hatred is this?!"

Gu Yu, carefully dabbing her with a cloth, said with puffed cheeks, "You should have seen them! Supposedly high-born noble ladies? They were a pack of shrews!"

Liang Wan was in so much pain she almost wanted to laugh.

Gu Yu glanced at her. "You can still laugh?"

Liang Wan lowered her eyes. ’I’m merely injured, but they are being tortured. Why shouldn’t I be able to laugh?’

’Of course, that’s not the most important thing.’

Bai Lu sighed, her brows furrowed, and turned to go get some ointment.

Gu Yu lamented, "To go so crazy over a few baseless words!"

Liang Wan closed her eyes, her lashes trembling slightly.

That day, the Duke had indeed only told her the first half of the prophecy. It was only when Lu Xiu brought up the matter of her fate that night that she learned the Duke had concealed the second half.

This was a matter that couldn’t be hidden forever. Rather than let Gao Qian hear it from someone else, it was better to tell him herself and use it as leverage for entering the palace in the future.

The night was long.

「Inside Taiji Palace」

As always, the palace was brightly lit, filled with the sounds of string and wind instruments, soft singing, and graceful dancing.

Gao Qian was half-drunk and half-awake, lounging with a soft, fragrant beauty in his arms and the sound of sweet, bird-like voices in his ear.

He propped up his head and watched the beauties dancing gracefully in the hall, feeling a little bored.

"Your Majesty—"

With a delicate cry, a nightlight cup was brought to his lips.

Such a trite gesture. It really failed to stir any excitement in him.

Gao Qian didn’t even bother to lift his eyelids. He habitually opened his mouth and swallowed the wine, which he was growing sick of.

"Your Majesty has such a high tolerance for alcohol!" The beauty feigned shyness, covering her red lips and batting her watery, affectionate eyes.

She was the Jingxun he had just granted the title to yesterday.

For no reason at all, a wave of nausea rose in his stomach, as if what he had just swallowed wasn’t wine, but stinking water from a gutter.

The more he thought about it, the more nauseous he became, and he couldn’t stop himself from retching.

Li Jingxun was so frightened her face turned pale. She quickly dropped the cup in her hand and began to pat his back, her touch as gentle as water.

A sudden surge of disgust rose in his heart. He sat up and shoved her away.

Unsurprisingly, Li Jingxun fell backward onto the floor, weeping pitifully while begging for mercy.

’So noisy!’

But her crying actually settled his nausea. Now he just found her annoying.

Gao Qian looked up at her, a little curious. "What are you?"

The tearful girl paused, her large, wet eyes wide with confusion. "I... I am Li Jingxun."

Sigh.

Gao Qian closed his eyes and shook his head gently. "We will give you one more chance."

Tears streamed down Li Jingxun’s face as her lips trembled. "I am Li Huanhuan, the Jingxun newly granted a title by Your Majesty—"

Gao Qian opened his eyes and sighed heavily. "We remember you play the flute quite well. In that case, become a flute!"

With that, he closed his eyes, lay back down, and simply waved his hand.

Someone came forward and forcibly dragged the struggling woman away.

"Your Majesty, spare me! I beg Your Majesty to spare me—"

Her heart-wrenching cries were giving him a headache.

"Why are you all standing around like idiots? Keep playing, keep dancing!"

He frowned at them, not understanding how these people could be so stupid.

The deathly silent hall was once again filled with decadent music.

He closed his eyes in satisfaction. ’This is much more familiar!’

For some reason, when he opened his eyes again, everything here had become a little different.

He touched the back of his neck. After killing so many people, he finally got a taste of what it felt like to have his own head chopped off...

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