Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 73 Confrontation

Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Confrontation

Fengyu’s smile competed with the blooming plum blossoms in the garden. "If I lose my innocence to the Third Prince, I will either be trapped in the deep palace or face death. Those are two outcomes you wouldn’t want to see. The Empress calculated that no one would know about this, and only by stripping away the Soul Suppressing Pearl could I gain a sliver of hope. I am powerless against the Third Prince, but you are not. Back at Furong Inn, for the sake of military provisions, you even performed sword dances for Prince Sangnan. And when you discovered I had stored grain, you treated me kindly, even though I offended you. For the sake of those provisions, you wouldn’t kill me. Isn’t it true that, in your mind, my life is more valuable than my death? A minor offense wouldn’t be worth taking seriously."

"And if you fail to rescue me, if I am violated by Yuwen Zhao and die as a result, you could still live under my identity. If I die, consider it my bad luck—isn’t that right?" Xie Xun asked with a faint, mocking smile. Anyone familiar with him would recognize this expression; it meant someone was bound to suffer.

"Young Marquis, you accuse me wrongly. Back in Yiling Village, when I was attacked and nearly assassinated, I never thought to drag you into it to meet your end. When danger struck in the deep palace, in that split-second moment, this path was the only one I could think of," Fengyu said earnestly. "I believe in your courage and strength; you will surely subdue the Third Prince."

"I thought you’d straightforwardly admit that self-interest drives everything," Xie Xun sneered. Truth be told, Fengyu was right—under those circumstances, this was indeed her only way out.

"Self-interest drives everything—that is human nature," Fengyu said with conviction. "Everyone is like this; why belabor the point?"

A cold wind blew past, scattering petals everywhere.

Fengyu deeply understood the principle of offering a sweet after giving a slap. "Young Marquis, if you’re truly upset, my granary still holds some stored provisions."

Xie Xun laughed. "Fengyu, you really have no shame."

Unperturbed, Fengyu smiled sweetly and acted coy. "Businesspeople must have thick skin. Otherwise, how could we shamelessly profit from others? Isn’t the Young Marquis just as brazen, extorting me without batting an eye? We’re evenly matched."

Xie Xun didn’t trouble himself with petty squabbles. At the palace banquet when Fengyu encountered danger, it was ultimately due to the involvement of Marquis Zhenbei Mansion. Cleaning up the mess was no trouble for him. His life was in Fengyu’s hands; whether he threatened or baited her, it didn’t matter—this woman’s will was unyielding. Faced with life-and-death scenarios, if Fengyu needed him as a shield, she would use him as a shield. If only one of them could survive, Fengyu would undoubtedly push him off the cliff without hesitation.

"I’m truly curious. Just how much grain does your granary hold?"

Fengyu softened her voice to ask, "Has the Young Marquis set his sights on scamming me?"

"That’s right."

Fengyu, "..."

Fengyu couldn’t shake the impression that her fortune was about to be emptied. Had she nurtured Xie Xun’s appetite so much that he had become increasingly difficult to satisfy, now even thinking of prying into her family’s wealth?

Now changing the subject, Xie Xun approached her to discuss serious matters. "After the palace banquet, Yuwen Zhao was punished and confined to the palace. When I struck him, he resisted—it didn’t seem like his mind was completely lost. To this day, the palace hasn’t summoned you for questioning. There are two possibilities: either Yuwen Zhao’s mind remains clouded, and he doesn’t remember what happened, or the Empress is preoccupied with the affairs of Duke Ning Mansion and unable to spare any attention. Once she resolves Duke Ning’s matters, she’ll have time to deal with you."

Fengyu’s expression turned grave. "When I entered, his mind was muddled, and he mistook me for his concubine. With no action from the palace all these days, I assumed he was still incoherent and couldn’t recall anything. Even if he remembers, I’ll deny it to the end. Plus, I have Lin Xiao to testify in my favor. Without solid evidence, he can’t prove anything."

"Here lies the second issue: you and I both know Lin Xiao gave false testimony. If he retracts his statement and Yuwen Zhao recalls everything, what will you do?" Xie Xun watched her intently, his gaze cold and penetrating.

Fengyu thought of Lin Xiao’s resolute demeanor. "Lin Xiao has already testified before the Emperor. If he takes back his testimony, it would be an act of deceiving the sovereign. Wouldn’t that implicate his family as well?"

"If he retracts his statement and simply claims you manipulated him, at worst he’d face confinement as punishment. Lin Cheng’s family is married to Princess Huaying—ultimately, they’re allies and wouldn’t face severe penalties," Xie Xun explained. "Following the palace banquet, Lin Xiao suffered a brutal beating from Minister Lin, resulting in severe injuries that kept him bedridden for days and nearly cost him his life. Whether he will betray you is something neither of us can predict. All you can do is hope Yuwen Zhao remembers nothing. For now, as he remains confined, only the Emperor and Empress can see him. No one knows the truth."

Upon hearing about Lin Xiao’s near-fatal injuries, Fengyu was stunned, overwhelmed with a mix of emotions. Why had Lin Xiao risked providing false testimony to help her?

To aid her, he had single-handedly defied his entire family. Was it worth it?

During the palace banquet, the cooperation between Consort Xie and Fengyu, along with Lin Xiao’s testimony, had been seamless. The only loose thread was Yuwen Zhao. If he remembered everything, would he let this go?

Sexually assaulting a palace maid to the point of death was a grave crime. Though he was punished, could he harbor resentment and seek vengeance against her in the future? Honestly, during the banquet, the ideal outcome would have been for Yuwen Zhao and the maid to perish together in bed. Such a disgraceful death would have been reported as an unexpected illness, sparing the palace from scandal. As long as he lived, there would always be a risk.

"Deal with soldiers that come; block water that floods—there’s no other option at this point," Fengyu recalled that moment and still felt nauseated and terrified. Killing the Imperial Uncle Lv brought her no real gain, but she hardly suffered any loss. Fengyu sweetly smiled. "If he truly tries to make trouble for me, once outside the palace, who lives and who dies won’t be set in stone."

Using the gentlest tone, she uttered the most audacious words.

Xie Xun gazed at her amidst the fragrant plum blossoms in the garden. "Listen to what you’re saying."

"Young Marquis, do you think me overreaching or defiant of law and order? Oh, I forgot—didn’t you once say the ruler has their way and the subjects have theirs? You must think I’m rebellious," Fengyu said bluntly. Xie Xun had witnessed her darkest side, so she had no qualms about speaking openly. "The Empress seeks to humiliate and kill me, and I cannot resist because she is the mother of the empire. If Yuwen Zhao wants to kill me, I can only await my fate because he bears the surname Yuwen; killing him would be treason. Their lives are lives, and so is mine. Surely, I cannot allow them to murder and disgrace me while expecting me to swallow it whole and forgive them?"

Xie Xun watched her flower-like smile, his lips curling. His eyes bore an unreadable expression, seemingly tranquil yet hiding the turbulence of a whirlpool capable of overturning the heavens.

For the first time, he appeared to truly see Fengyu clearly. "Fengyu, if you refuse to forgive, why did you enter the Ministry of Justice after the palace banquet? Why not reveal the truth before the court? Some traditions are ingrained and unavoidable. You must understand: the Empress can crush you like an ant—it’s a mere utterance for her. Those with the surname Yuwen are inherently more noble than those with the surname Feng, and certainly more so than those of us named Xie."

"A person has only one life, and to me, my life is more precious than any other’s. Yes, I can die—but I won’t let her have peace either." Fengyu tilted her head, her smile warm yet mad, and even mischievously winked at Xie Xun. "In death, someone will accompany me to the grave."

Xie Xun faintly smirked. "So, it was you who killed the Imperial Uncle Lv, and you who shattered Duke Ning’s leg."

"Show me the evidence. Catch a thief with stolen goods; convict a murderer with visible wounds. Don’t pin baseless accusations on me, Young Marquis."