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Chapter 166
Zhang Qiming screamed pitifully, begging the stranger to take him back to the Zhang Family, promising a generous reward. The wandering swordsman delivered Zhang Qiming home and left with the silver of gratitude.
Upon receiving the news, Sun Yiliu hurriedly came down from the mountain. In her excessive worry for her husband, she tripped and fell, cutting her forehead. This aroused sympathy from the Zhang Family members. When Zhang Qiming was blaming Sun Yiliu, they even spoke up for her, making Zhang Qiming both angry and frustrated.
"This Sun Yiliu is really vicious," Li Xia remarked with a sigh.
"Miss, should we inform the Zhang Family about Sun Yiliu bribing the servants?" Qiu Ling, who had once been tricked by Sun Yiliu, was delighted to see her misfortune.
"Not yet," Li Xia replied. Dealing with everything at once wouldn't do justice to the tears Li Xin had shed before.
The rumors about Li Xin were quickly overshadowed by new gossip. This time, it was big news. Prince Yun was to marry, and his bride would be Ning Zhi from the Ning Family.
This news was both surprising and unsurprising. The scandalous behavior of the previous Princess Yun had embarrassed the prince, leaving him wary of supposedly virtuous women. The Ning Family, known for their old-fashioned education of young ladies, seemed a safe choice for Prince Yun. It was an overcorrection of sorts.
Zhou Heng's information network had expanded, and Li Xia learned more insider details. Prince Yun's marriage to Ning Zhi was the result of Cao Fugui's scheming.
No one had expected that Ning Zhi, who constantly quoted female virtue classics, would develop feelings for Cao Fugui. The Ning Family secretly supported the Second Prince, so they would never allow Ning Zhi to marry Cao Fugui.
Ning Zhi concealed her affection and secretly inquired about Cao Fugui's whereabouts, trying to catch a glimpse of him from afar. After seeing how well Cao Fugui treated Li Xin, she became jealous and spread ambiguous rumors from Sun Yiliu, intending to ruin Li Xin's reputation.
Ning Zhi's plan wasn't sophisticated, but it did manage to tarnish Li Xin's reputation to some extent.
After discovering Ning Zhi's behind-the-scenes actions, Cao Fugui, far from being chivalrous, especially learned of Ning Zhi's plan to stage an accident where she would fall into water for Cao Fugui to rescue her. Given the Ning Family's emphasis on reputation, they would surely force Cao Fugui to marry her. Ning Zhi's scheme was well-planned, but she didn't know that Cao Fugui had uncovered everything. Cao Fugui decided to turn the tables, arranging for a young rake to pass by. Unexpectedly, Prince Yun happened to pass by first and rescued the fallen Ning Zhi.
Having had physical contact with another man, Ning Zhi had to either marry Prince Yun or face death. She tearfully married the prince.
"I didn't expect Cao Fugui to be so cunning," Zhou Heng remarked after recounting the events.
"How could he be the commander of the imperial guards without some cunning?" Li Xia was fairly satisfied with Cao Fugui's performance.
"Tell me, why did you get involved in this matter?" Li Xia asked. Zhou Heng's thorough investigation seemed more than just for information gathering.
Zhou Heng smiled, "I knew I couldn't hide it from you. Remember when you asked me to investigate Song Rushan, the magistrate of Meng County?"
"Yes, you found out that Song Rushan was harboring Prince YongKang's concubine and offspring. But those people have already been executed." Li Xia wondered if there was more to the story.
Zhou Heng had also thought it was over, but when investigating Li Ming's impeachment, he saw the Ning Family's matriarch and noticed she bore a striking resemblance to Prince YongKang's concubine.
Further investigation revealed that the concubine was the Ning matriarch's half-sister. And this half-sister's cousin was the royal household manager who had brought ruin to Zhou Heng's family.
"You were involved in spreading the rumors too?" Li Xia's expression darkened.
"I'm sorry," Zhou Heng began to apologize, but Li Xia's fist flew at him. He didn't dodge and took the hit.
"Zhou Heng, you know my bottom line. My sister is my family," Li Xia said, rarely angered.
"I've lost my family. My parents and both my brothers, all dead because of Prince YongKang." The sorrow and anger in Zhou Heng's voice made Li Xia withdraw her hand. She stormed off, fearing that in her anger, she might kill Zhou Heng if she stayed. freёwebnovel.com
Luo Shan emerged from the shadows, offering a medicinal salve. "I warned you before, but you didn't listen. Did you think she was someone you could trifle with?"
Zhou Heng didn't take the salve. "If she really wanted to hurt me, she wouldn't have used her fist."
Late at night, Lu XuanNing sensed something and sat up, opening the window to find a dispirited Li Xia sitting on the windowsill.
Lu XuanNing reached out and pulled Li Xia into the room, poured her some hot water, and sat beside her, waiting for her to speak. After a while, Li Xia calmed down and recounted what had happened.
Li Xia was generally easygoing about things and people she didn't care about, which was why she had dismissed Li Shan's frequent outbursts. But Zhou Heng was Li Xia's closest friend outside of her family. His actions had deeply hurt her.
Lu XuanNing squeezed Li Xia's hand. "Zhou Heng was wrong in this matter." Regardless of the reason, ruining a young lady's reputation was unacceptable.
"I understand Zhou Heng's pain, but I can't accept him hurting my sister," Li Xia said, looking at the cup in her hand, her voice filled with deep conflict.
Talking with Lu XuanNing helped calm Li Xia's turbulent emotions.
Li Xia went to the Fuqing Courtyard and presented Li Xin with a box of jade carvings she had made herself. These were pieces Li Xia had painstakingly crafted for her collection, not for sale or gifting.
"Why are you giving me so many at once?" Li Xin loved these carvings, but Li Xia's gesture puzzled her.
"Do you like them?" Li Xia asked instead of answering.
"Of course I do," Li Xin's joy was evident.
"They're all for you," Li Xia's response deepened Li Xin's confusion.
"Xia, what's happened?" Li Xin held Li Xia's hand, determined not to let her leave without an explanation.
"I realized you'll be married by the New Year, and I'll miss you," Li Xia said, leaning on Li Xin's shoulder, giving a reason that wasn't really a reason.
"We'll both be in the capital. We can see each other anytime we want," Li Xin didn't quite believe Li Xia's answer. But Li Xia's expression was resolute, insisting this was the reason.
Unable to press further, Li Xin decided to ask Li Hui privately about what might have happened to Li Xia.
Back at the Orchid Courtyard, Qiu Ling was waiting at the door. She followed Li Xia into the room and presented a box that Zhou Heng had asked her to deliver.
Li Xia stared at the box on the table without speaking, then opened it. Inside was a medicine bottle and a note. The note explained that the pills in the bottle were for preventing miscarriage.
Xu Xinyue was pregnant, and Li Xia was worried. She had previously asked Zhou Heng to research pills to prevent miscarriage. Li Xia took the pills and called for Qiu Shui, instructing her to deliver them to the Wang Family and to check on Xu Xinyue's condition.
Qiu Shui took the medicine bottle and set off for the Wang Family residence.
At night, Li Xia came to Tian Yi Pavilion once again, where Zhou Heng was waiting for her arrival. Without exchanging words, they went to the training grounds. After Zhou Heng was thrown to the ground for the tenth time by Li Xia, he couldn't get up. Li Xia had been too rough.
Li Xia looked at Zhou Heng lying on the ground and said solemnly, "This is the only time."
"It won't happen again," Zhou Heng thought to himself, feeling regretful for hurting Li Xin.
"What do you plan to do next?" Li Xia sat down next to Zhou Heng, asking about his future plans.