Chen Jingyin was very young, her face was so fair that it was transparent, under the sunlight, Xia Xun could see the thin blue blood vessels under her skin.
Her cheeks were flushed, but her eyes were firm.
Xia Xun didn't have the heart to expose the truth.
He didn't tell Chen Jingyin that it was impossible for Qi Yan to guess the whole situation just by talking.
Even if he could think that Chen Jingyin was being framed, he still had no way of knowing the details. How could he know that Chen Jingyin's wooden box contained flower hairpins for his eldest sister
County Lord Chen is his political enemy, the person he wants to get rid of for the emperor. He may have planted an eyeliner in the Chen residence long ago, and he knows the current situation of the Chen family like the palm of his hand.
Even his appearance in front of Chen Jingyin may have been planned.
He approached Chen Jingyin to save her from fire and water, and he had an unexplainable purpose in the first place.
Just like... he was like Xia Xun back then.
He also saved Xia Xun.
Ever since the emperor appointed a deputy, Xia Hongxi's mood has become more and more impatient. He is always worried that the use of water transportation for profit will be discovered, and he is in constant anxiety.
Mrs. Xia was very worried when she saw her.
One day, she called Xia Xing and asked him if he would share his father's worries.
Xia Xing said:
"Of course! If His Majesty's doubts are not dispelled, how can our Xia family have a good life in the future?! I have nothing to do! Does mother have any advice?"
Mrs. Xia is calm and sophisticated:
"It's not difficult at all to dispel His Majesty's suspicions. As long as we make His Majesty's suspicions real, all our troubles will disappear!"
Xia Xing was shocked:
"Mother's words are amazing! Using an official ship for profit is a felony! Not only will my father lose his head, but our whole family will lose their lives! How could mother—"
Mrs. Xia glared at him and said:
"Do you think I'm stupid or crazy? Don't I know what you're talking about? I mean to tell the truth, but I didn't say I'm going to tell you the truth!"
Xia Xing thought for a while, and suddenly realized:
"Mother means... find a scapegoat?"
Mrs. Xia calmly said:
"That's right! Not only that, but this person has to be related to the Xia family, and your father has to find him out! The righteous killing of relatives makes him appear righteous! It's best, there can be a death without confrontation!"
Xia Xing was troubled again, his brows were furrowed:
"Where can I find such a person?!"
Mrs. Xia said darkly:
"Isn't there a ready-made one in our mansion?"
Xia Xing was surprised:
"You mean... Xia Xun?!"
Mrs. Xia's plan is very simple, find a way to kill Xia Xun, and then place all the charges on him, pretending that he used Xia Hongxi's identity as the son of Xia Hongxi to secretly collude with the officials of the Water Transport Department and commit a lot of crimes.
Sensing that His Majesty became suspicious, he began to investigate. He was ashamed of the crime he had committed, and committed suicide in fear of the crime.
In this way, sacrifice one of him and keep the entire Xia family.
Xia Xun is not favored and has no friends, no one will speak for him, and no one will really care about his life or death.
Xia Xing thought about it:
"This is indeed a good way, but... how easy is it to kill people? And do it without anyone noticing?"
Mrs. Xia was confident, she asked Xia Xing:
"A few days ago, did you go to his place to make a fuss? And you said you wanted to take his maid as a concubine? I heard that he firmly disagreed, fought with you, and burned his hand?"
Xia Xing smacked his lips, dissatisfied:
"Yes! I threw all his rotten wood into the brazier! Who knew he was a fool! He actually reached into the brazier to dig it out? Do you think he's out of his mind!"
Mrs. Xia said in a low voice:
"We can just take advantage of this and get rid of him quietly..."
That afternoon, Xia Xun was teaching Shaobo how to read.
Shaobo didn't know a single big character, and he was slow to learn. He spent many days teaching her, but she didn't even learn her own name.
Whenever Xia Xun wanted to criticize her, she showed a pitiful look, which made it difficult for him to speak.
He scratched his hair and sighed:
"Oh... forget it! Let's learn it tomorrow!"
Shao Bo threw away his pen as if he was about to receive an amnesty:
"My hands are sore from writing!"
It was at this time that Xia Xing broke in with a group of servants.
As soon as he came in, without saying a word, he told his subordinates to smash everything they saw.
There were no precious objects in Xia Xun's room, so they came straight to snatch the inkstone on the table.
Xia Xun picked up Yuzhu, pulled Shaobo, stepped back, and stood under the tree.
Shao Bo wanted to stop them, but Xia Xun told her not to move:
"Let them smash it, let's watch the fun! I don't believe it, Xia Xing, that good-for-nothing, what else would he do besides smashing my things?!"
Normally, if Xia Xing heard Xia Xun mocking him, he would have been furious.
He was very different today. Hearing Xia Xun's words, instead of being angry, he even smiled at him.
"You're right! I'm worthless! But besides smashing things, I can really do other things!"
He wobbled up to me and said angrily:
"I still like taking concubines! Today, I must take Shaobo away!"
He made a sudden move, grabbed Shao Bo, and dragged Xia Xun out from behind like a chicken.
Xia Xun relentlessly punched him in the face:
"Is it over?! If you want to fight, I will accompany you!"
As soon as Xia Xing let go, Shao Bo immediately fled behind Xia Xun.
Xia Xing wiped away the nosebleed from the beating, but he didn't fight back.
He said coldly:
"Xia Xun, my father has already promised me. From today on, Shaobo is mine. If you hit me, I don't care about you. Do you still want to disobey my father's order?"
Xia Xun scolded:
"Fart! I don't believe it! Unless Dad tells me himself!"
In fact, he already believed half of it in his heart.
Xia Hongxi dotes on Xia Xing and responds to his requests, as long as Xia Xing asks, he cannot refuse to agree.
Shao Bo is the most inconspicuous maid in the mansion, Xia Hongxi may not even know who she is, let alone be Xia Xing's concubine, even if she dies, he will not care.
Everything in the room was smashed, and the servants came out in a single file, standing behind Xia Xing.
Xia Xun protects Shao Bo, but he doesn't know how long he can protect him.
Xia Xing looked at his hands and said casually:
"Actually, I don't have to ask for Shaobo, as long as you do one thing for me, I can consider letting her go."
Xia Xun glared at him viciously:
"You would be so kind? I don't believe it!"
Xia Xing smiled sinisterly:
"Don't worry, I haven't said what I want you to do! If you listen to it, you won't say I'm kind."
He raised his chin, and several of his men returned to the room, carried out the brazier and placed it in the courtyard.
Xia Xing casually took off the jade pendant around his waist, and said to Xia Xun:
"My jade pendant is covered with gold. It was knocked by me a few days ago, and a corner was missing. I was thinking of taking it to someone to repair it. Since you are here, please do me a favor and mend it for me." it is good."
Xia Xun looked at him warily:
"It's that simple?"
Xia Xin shook his head and said maliciously:
"Of course not! Although I haven't done cheap handicrafts, I also know that in order to make gold, you need to melt the gold with charcoal fire before you can shape it."
As soon as he raised his hand, he threw the jade pendant into the brazier, and the flames immediately engulfed it.
Xia Xing said again:
"How can this heat melt gold? Come on!"
He hooked his fingers, brought several baskets of charcoal under his hands, and poured them all into the brazier.
The fire burned extremely hot immediately, and the flames rose several feet high. Standing so far away, Xia Xun could feel the heat wave blowing towards his face.
These charcoals weighed ten catties, and were burnt red by the fire. The Xia-shaped jade pendant was buried deep under the charcoal and could not be seen for a long time.
Xia Xing sneered and said:
"I don't need you to fix it for me, as long as you can pick up my jade pendant from the fire, I promise I will never touch your Shaobo again! It's with your own hands, you can't use tools!"
Shaobo collapsed on the ground.
Xia Xun didn't think too much, he asked seriously:
"You mean what you say?"
Shao Bo hugged his leg:
"No! You can't, young master! Your hands will burn out! You still have a lot of things to do! You promised to give Mr. Qi—"
Xia Xun patted her hand to let her stop talking.
Xia Xing patted his chest and assured him:
"Of course! As long as you can pick it out, I will never have Shaobo's idea again in this life! I will not even set foot on your courtyard gate!"
Xia Xun pulled Shao Bo's arm away and walked slowly to the brazier.
Shao Bo fell limply to the ground, unable to make any sound.
Xia Xun rolled up her sleeves, took a deep breath, and inserted her left hand into the hot coals.
Facing the scalding hot wind coming from his pocket, he removed piles of charcoal with his bare hands, looking for traces of the jade pendant.
The air instantly filled with an unpleasant smell of barbecue, and Xia Xun's fingers gradually became thinner. The skin and muscles were burned by the fire, and slowly shrank, sticking to the finger bones.
Xia Xun's forehead was covered with sweat, and her body was shaking from the severe pain.
But his movements didn't stop, the scorching heat wave hit his head and face, he didn't flinch, and stared at the brazier without blinking, until the corner of the jade pendant appeared in front of his eyes.
He grabbed it and slammed it on the ground:
"Is this okay?!"
He panted heavily up and down, glaring at Xia Xing like a torch.
Xia Xing clapped his hands and laughed three times:
"Okay! Have backbone! Let's go!"
He didn't even look at the jade pendant that Xia Xun had picked up with all his might, and turned to leave.
Xia Xing not only took away his attendants, but even Xia Xun's servants followed him without looking back.
The courtyard door slammed shut behind them, and Xia Xun fell to the ground holding his shapeless left hand.
Shao Bo let out a heart-piercing scream, staggered to his feet, stumbled to the door, and wanted to find a doctor.
Unexpectedly, the courtyard door was locked from the outside, and it couldn't be opened no matter what.
Shaobo repeatedly slapped the courtyard gate:
"Open the door! Open the door! My young master is dying! I'm going to the doctor!!"
No matter how hoarsely she begged or cursed, the gatekeeper did not move.
Her palms were bleeding, but the door didn't even open at all.
Shaobo wept so loudly that he almost fainted.
No one comforted her, even Xia Xun stopped opening her eyes.
After an unknown amount of time, Shao Bo was tired from crying, sobbing, he stood up, staggered to Xia Xun's side, and carried him on his back.
Xia Xun was taller than her, Shao Bo was carrying him on his back, and his legs dragged on the ground.
Xia Xun's weight was on her body, and every time she took a step, her knees creaked unbearably.
Gritting her teeth, she carried Xia Xun into the room and put her on the bed.
Now, only she and Yuzhu were left in the courtyard who could stand and breathe.
She wiped away her tears, rushed out of the room, and ran around the courtyard wall.
Of the four high walls in the south, east, north, and west, she couldn't break through any of them.
She came to the back door again, which was also locked, and there were servants guarding the door.
Shao Bo took off all the jewelry and handed them out through the crack of the door, hoping that the gatekeeper would let her go to the doctor.
The doorman took her things but did not open the door for her.
Shao Bo was so angry that he yelled at him, but the human being pretended not to hear him, and stood outside the door humming a ditty.
Tired of cursing, Shao Bo returned to the room with a disheveled face.
Xia Xun's injury was too scary, and the room still had a strange smell of burnt meat, so she didn't dare to look at his left hand carefully.
Yuzhu stood by the bed without wagging her tail.
Shaobo stood panting for a while, then suddenly thought of something
She knelt down, holding the dog's face, and asked:
"Yuzhu, do you still remember the way to Mr. Qi's house?"
Yuzhu seemed to understand, and yelled at her.
Shaobo showed a reassuring smile:
"Good boy, the young master's life depends on you."
The author has something to say:
Xia Xun: My hands are burned like this, can I have a few small starfish (〒︿〒)