Chapter 31: Unhappy, Very Unhappy

Proofreader: Prof. Zhu Yuan

“My lord, it was Ruan Qingqing that sent Ruan Jiujiu to the Yun Palace,” Ning Chao continued, “Princess Changle was also involved in this plot against Ruan Jiujiu.”

Princess Changle’s deep fondness for Beiming Xuan had become the talk of the town. Although there were no ties of blood between them, they were uncle and niece in name. Ning Chao was disgusted with Princess Changle. He would not care that Princess Changle had no sense of shame. What she did, however, had tarnished the lord’s reputation, which Ning Chao thought unbearable.

Beiming Xuan snorted coldly, “Making use of me? How dare she!”

Ning Chao nodded and said: “And it was under the conspiracy of Ruan Qingqing and Princess Changle that Ruan Jiujiu was trussed up and placed in your carriage. I have learned that Ruan Jiujiu fought back unexpectedly against Ruan Qingqing in the street yesterday, completely different from her former submissiveness. Besides, she had demonstrated remarkable medical skills, widely acclaimed by people across the town.”

Beiming Xuan raised his eyebrows and asked: “Fought back unexpectedly?”

“Yes, it was truly unexpected. I have learned that Ruan Jiujiu had always remained neglected under her cousin’s suppression. People had always thought of her as submissive.”

It seemed that Ruan Jiujiu was by no means submissive. She could always make her presence felt. Could it be possible that she remained neglected in the past?

The little girl must be an expert in losing no ground and stirring things up.

“Besides, she brought Beiming Ting to the imperial palace, claiming that she would let the empress judge who was right and who was wrong. Due to limited time, I did not find out what exactly she did in the imperial palace. I only know that she went into the Phoenix Palace and left unscathed. She returned to Ruan Mansion after she left the imperial palace, followed by Princess Changle. Afterwards she was sent to the Yun Palace.” Ning Chao gave an undistorted account.

Beiming Xuan tapped his fingers on the table. His unfathomable-looking, dark eyes showed that he was pondering over the current situation.

Princess Changle and Ruan Qingqing must have known that he would go to the Yun Palace before they decided to send Ruan Jiujiu there. Obviously, they intended to murder Ruan Jiujiu with a borrowed knife – killing her by his hands. It was known to all that Beiming Xuan was well disciplined in matters over sexual life. He could not possibly put up with a woman’s presence in the Yun Palace, and especially a “desperate-for-love” one.

Princess Changle and Ruan Qingqing were indeed courting their own doom. What they did, however, was an eloquent testimony to Ruan Jiujiu’s innocence.

She had traceable origins: a descendant of a general. And she had no complicated social ties; otherwise she would not lose her fiancée and title. So it was safe to say that she got entangled in what had happened today without knowing why.

She had nothing to do with that assassin.

However, she had seen many things here which she was not allowed to see. It was not his style to handle today’s matters by letting her free.

With such a distinguished position, he had to be confronted with myriads of complicated matters every day. Better to kill someone unjustly than release a single wrongdoer. He had to stick to that principle.

But for Ruan Jiujiu’s unusual detoxifying measures, he might have died in the Yun Palace. However, he was about to return to the capital, with daunting challenges laid before him and innumerable conspiracies against him to be foiled. He had to be extremely careful. It would be unwise to release Ruan Jiujiu whose unexpected visit had caused some trouble.

However…Beiming Xuan looked out of the window in deep contemplation. Ruan Jiujiu had pocketed her pride for more than ten years before she could amaze the world with a single brilliant feat. It would be extraordinary for a man to possess such remarkable endurance, let alone a little girl. And it was so talented of her to master such unusual medical skills. It would be a great pity if she was killed.

“My lord!”

An unexpected call aroused Beiming Xuan’s attention. Zou Meng strode in, cupped one hand in the other before his chest and said: “My lord, Miss Ruan…”

“What’s happening?” With a frown on his face, Beiming Xuan believed that Ruan Jiujiu was taking the road to ruin.

Not knowing how to give a less irritating answer, he glanced at Ning Chao and decided to tell the truth: “Nothing happened. She just had some food and went to sleep.”

“Went to sleep?” How could she be so relaxed! Beiming Xuan squinted his eyes.

Did she have no fear of death? Or did she never take his words seriously?

Each of the two cases made him unhappy, very unhappy!

“Did she think that she could rest contented with everything?” Beiming Xuan asked coldly. Zou Meng and Ning Chao felt as if they were locked into an icebox.

They knew that someone was bound to fall on evil days when their lord spoke in that tone.

With another glance at Ning Chao, Zou Meng hesitated for a moment and said: “My lord, Miss Ruan and Murong said that the poisoned ones were now out of danger.”

Ning Chao also looked at Beiming Xuan while he was listening. Ruan Jiujiu had saved their comrades-in- arms’ life. Knowing that Beiming Xuan had the intention of killing Ruan Jiujiu, they couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her.

Having seen through what was on his subordinates’ mind, Beiming Xuan snorted coldly: “They are out of danger, while I am not. Don’t forget that I was also poisoned!”

What?

What did their lord mean? They looked at Beiming Xuan in confusion.

With quicker wit, Ning Chao asked: “You have not eliminated the toxin?”

Impossible! With remarkable internal energy, their lord was supposed to recover more quickly than others. And he would not even get hurt at all if the drug carried relatively lower toxicity. He must be the first one to be out of danger, even if he was the last one to be detoxified.

“Zou Meng, ask Ruan Jiujiu to get herself cleaned up and come to wait on me!” Beiming Xuan was enraged by the way they gazed at him. Their mind would go to dark places if he let them keep gazing at him.

He couldn’t bear to see Ruan Jiujiu staying relaxed.

He was a lord, and he meant what he said. Nobody could doubt him!

Moreover, it was due to Ruan Jiujiu that he had lost face for several times. She even did some things he was very much embarrassed to tell. He could not possibly allow her to stay so relaxed.

This time, he would claim back both principal and interest!

“Your lord is insane! Why do I have to wait on him?” She was not Beiming Xuan’s maidservant! It was unfair to deprive her of sound sleep and ask her to wait on Beiming Xuan.

If someone else dared to say that Beiming Xuan was insane, Zou Meng would have a fight with him. However, this time his sympathy went out to Ruan Jiujiu, who had just been deprived of her sleep and deep in anger and frustration. He froze up for a second and started to explain: “The lord seems unhappy. It is likely that the toxin has not been completely eliminated. You’d better go to see him.”

Deep in anger and frustration, Ruan Jiujiu scratched her head.

That was unfair! She was utterly exhausted. That damn lord, however, kept torturing her, completely devoid of humanity.

“Damn, I will go!” She ground her teeth, jumped down from the bed and rushed out.

Completely stunned, Zou Meng chased her and shouted: “Miss Ruan, you have not washed your face! The lord is fastidious about hygiene!”

Zou Meng could not catch up with her. Ruan Jiujiu had kicked the door open and rushed into the study before he arrived. Then he heard some heavy thuds as the table and the chairs fell down.

Zou Meng paled visibly with fear.

What is Miss Ruan doing? Is she having a fight with the lord? Is she going nuts?