Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 196 Acting (Extra)

Chapter 196: Chapter 196 Acting (Extra)

Marquis Zhenbei smiled without speaking, his hand clenched into a fist, veins bulging, unsure whether he was suppressing rage or enduring pain. After the sword wound was bandaged, Xie Zhang, Xie Jue, and Xie Xun entered in turn, and Judge Zhang departed. Outside the tent stood trusted guards of Marquis Zhenbei, ensuring no one else could approach.

"Father, how is your injury?" Xie Zhang sat by the bedside, worried about the Marquis’s wound. Though his father was a renowned figure of great prestige, he was no longer in his prime, and injuries to muscles and bones were unsettling.

"Go ask your good brothers!" Marquis Zhenbei’s face darkened, his fury barely restrained. If not for the fear that walls might have ears, he would have roared, "Such filial sons indeed, one ordering cold arrows, the other planning patricide—what nerve!"

Xie Xun, knowing he was at fault, hung his head in a gesture of contrition, glancing sideways at his Second Brother. Xie Jue met the Marquis’s furious gaze with an expressionless face, earning Xie Xun’s silent applause.

Second Brother had committed such an unfilial and treasonous act, yet remained unflappable. Alas, Xie Xun thought, his own face was still too tender compared to Second Brother’s.

Those cold arrows bore markings; the moment Xie Xun split the first arrow, he recognized it had been fired by Xie Jue’s men.

"I only wanted to force the Emperor to return to camp," Xie Jue said. "Blame lies with an instigator—go settle accounts with Zhixu."

"Second Brother, you’re so ruthless!" Xie Xun exclaimed indignantly. "What other options did I have besides injuring Father? Besides, Father picked the arrow himself!"

A mere cold arrow—how could the mighty Marquis Zhenbei possibly be struck by it? He had clearly chosen to intercept the arrow with his own body, a performance so masterful that even Xie Xun felt his own skills were inferior.

"It’s my fault for giving birth to you two—couldn’t I have done something more useful!" The Marquis’s anger lashed out indiscriminately. "If you don’t clear this up right now, all of you, get out!"

Once Marquis Zhenbei finished venting his fury, Xie Jue calmly explained, "Miss Fengyu informed me after regaining consciousness that she and Fang Lingjun saw Chen Mo setting up poison arrow traps in the forest. I dispatched Shadow Guards into the mountain to dismantle the devices. They found you both near the traps and had no choice but to fire cold arrows as a warning. Fortunately, Father and Zhixu coordinated well to dodge the danger."

Marquis Zhenbei, already suspecting the peril, asked gravely, "Did Chen Mo act under orders—was he targeting me?"

"Father, that poison arrow trap was prepared by the Emperor for himself," Xie Jue dropped the shocking revelation. An eerie silence fell over the tent; no one spoke again.

Xie Xun suppressed the violence in his heart, saying, "Elder Brother personally led the Iron Cavalry to fortify the perimeter of the forest. If the Emperor were injured by poison arrows during the hunt, Elder Brother would undoubtedly face censure. Father had proactively requested the Iron Cavalry’s deployment, entrusting safety matters to Elder Brother. Should the Emperor meet any misfortune, everyone would assume we had orchestrated it. Elder Brother would struggle to prove his innocence and would inevitably be held accountable."

Xie Jue added, "During Elder Brother’s inspections of the southern hunting grounds, no traps were discovered. However, the poison arrows had been set up a month prior, likely secured to trees long beforehand and only activated the day before the hunt. Should anyone perish in the hunting grounds, Elder Brother would inevitably be blamed."

Xie Xun poured a cup of hot water for the shocked Marquis Zhenbei, obediently handing it to him. The Marquis frowned at his unruly son, "It’s too hot."

"Don’t be so finicky, Father," Xie Xun fanned the flames. "Here I am diligently serving you tea—so filial."

"This is sheer folly!" Marquis Zhenbei’s face was ashen as he drank the tea. "Setting traps in the hunting ground to indiscriminately kill, stirring chaos during peace talks—what agenda do they have?"

Xie Xun took the cup, placing it aside. "If not for Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin leading Fengyu and Fang Lingjun into the mountains and exposing the scheme, today the hunting grounds would definitely have turned into a bloodbath. The Marquis Mansion would face annihilation, and if the Emperor were harmed, the noble factions would never let us off. They’re eager to see the imperial family and us clash violently. After peace talks, the borders will be stable, and the noble factions intend to consolidate military power."

Xie Zhang sighed, "Before the hunt, our focus was entirely on Dugu Jing and Ting Feng, ensuring he wouldn’t harm Ting Feng. Who could have foreseen trouble erupting here? The Emperor and Crown Prince actually plotted my death—it’s ludicrous! What am I worth for them to go to such lengths? Though the traps were dismantled, the imperial family’s murderous intent is now glaringly evident. Father, what should we do?"

Marquis Zhenbei pondered. The pain in his injured arm throbbed faintly as he reflected on Dugu Jing’s duel with Xie Zhang, Dugu Jing’s arrogance during peace talks, and the incessant threats lurking in the hunting grounds. Every clue pointed to the Marquis Mansion’s precarious situation.

The Crown Prince, acting faster than Xie Xun and Fang Chuning, dismantled the traps in the southern hunting grounds silently, leaving no evidence. The poisoned arrows laid by Chen Mo were also disassembled by Xie Jue’s Shadow Guards. Marquis Zhenbei couldn’t confront the Emperor directly with poison arrows; proving Chen Mo’s involvement required testimony from Fang Lingjun and Fengyu.

Fang Lingjun’s noble status would deter Emperor Jianming from acting rashly against her.

But what about Fengyu? What will become of the Feng Family?

With only a little over a month remaining before Xie Zhang and Feng Shu’s wedding, any disturbances could jeopardize the Feng Family. They lacked direct evidence, and with so many people in the hunting grounds, anyone could have orchestrated the trap. Emperor Jianming could even shift blame onto the Beiman.

"How dare he!" Marquis Zhenbei was as disappointed as he was furious. To exploit and then discard a loyal subject—especially during peace talks?! He had already negotiated with Emperor Jianming to relinquish military authority after implementing new governance. Henceforth, Xie Zhang would guard the borders, while he himself would retire to pastoral life. Furthermore, Ningzhou’s forces would be reduced.

Why still set traps for assassination and deception?

What exactly was Emperor Jianming aiming to achieve?

Marquis Zhenbei was still fuming when a soldier reported, "Marquis, the Emperor has arrived."

Emperor Jianming entered the tent, his expression laden with worry. After Xie Zhang, Xie Jue, and Xie Xun saluted and exited the tent, Chen Mo stood guard outside, bowing to greet Xie Zhang and Xie Jue.

Xie Zhang, his face grim, led his brothers back to their tent.

Emperor Jianming spoke candidly to the Marquis about the poison arrow scheme, catching Marquis Zhenbei off guard, who blurted out, "Why would His Majesty do such a thing?"

"Xie Jue’s firm stance in pressing the new policies through the Cabinet has alarmed the noble families. They know that the implementation of these reforms will weaken their power, forcing me to make a decision," Emperor Jianming said, his voice choked with emotion. "Days ago, Grandmaster Zhang, Elder Cai, and Minister Fang came to urge me to abolish the new policies and invoked the late Emperor’s name. I have been plagued by nightmares, seeing the late Emperor being burned alive in the palace. These factions want me to set a trap to kill you. I don’t wish to become a tyrant who murders loyal subjects, so I had no choice but to use myself as bait to deceive them. The relationship between the imperial family and the Marquis Mansion is precarious. Only by doing this can I avoid dying in the same way as the late Emperor—burned alive in the deep palace."

Marquis Zhenbei watched as the Emperor, the sovereign ruler, sobbed bitterly before him, sensing his fear and pressure. Rising, the Marquis knelt and said, "It was my haste in pushing forward the new policies that caused Your Majesty distress. Forgive me for my lack of foresight."

To have an Emperor use his own health and safety as bait to seek peace—one could only wonder whose tragedy that truly was. Marquis Zhenbei’s fury surged anew; the noble families had grown increasingly audacious, now driving the monarch to harm himself.