Chapter 35: Punishment

Since the two were still two or three steps away from the lake, Wen Qi would not have fallen into the water for no reason unless someone had pushed her from behind. However, after Wen Qiao had been talking to him for so long just now, there was no sign of guilt in her demeanor at all; it was as if she had nothing to do with the incident.

But seeing Wen Qi’s pitiful appearance, he couldn't bring himself to say anything. After all, he did feel a twinge of sympathy.

Wen Qi had just fallen into the water, and with Wen Qiao still standing by, he could not make his concern too obvious, lest Wen Qiao develop any grievances against him. Thus, his words to Wen Qi were merely out of courtesy.

Ultimately, his primary goal was to win over Wen Qiao. Once she willingly handed over that pair of earrings, it would be much easier for him to proceed with his plans, and he would naturally no longer need to be so cautious around her.

Therefore, Xiao Minghe felt even more strongly that he should not speak. If he were to cause a misunderstanding with Wen Qiao, it would be counterproductive.

Yet, as Wen Qi continued to talk, it was clear she wanted him to uphold justice for her. Staying silent seemed inappropriate, leaving Xiao Minghe in a dilemma.

Just as he hesitated, unsure of what to say, he heard Wen Qiao speak in an even more delicate and fragile tone: "Seventh Sister, what foolish things are you saying? How could I possibly push you into the water? Although it is already summer, the water is still icy. If you fall in, you are bound to catch a cold. You are right; ever since I returned to the manor, you have always been respectful toward me, always thinking of giving me the best of everything. Since you have treated me so well, how could I be such a heartless person? I have long since been moved by your actions. Whenever I have something good, I only worry that I don’t have enough to share with you; when have I ever been stingy with those treasures? Why, even the treasures bestowed by our uncle, I had already transferred to Third Brother, asking him to deliver them to you. Hearing you say this now truly breaks my heart! I do not know how you fell into the water, but by saying this, you are clearly misunderstanding me. Furthermore, the Empress Dowager is in poor health and dislikes being disturbed; how could I force you to wander aimlessly around the Cining Palace? I know you are young and perhaps were instigated by someone with ill intentions. But the things you are saying now truly make me sad."

Wen Qiao was acting as well.

Since you enjoy performing, let us perform together and see who plays the part better.

Clearly, Wen Qi had not expected Wen Qiao to say such things. In her shock, she forgot to manage her expression, almost revealing her true feelings to Xiao Minghe.

Realizing something was wrong, Wen Qi hurriedly lowered her head, staring fixedly at the ground. Because her head was bowed, no one could see the resentment, shock, and disbelief written all over her face.

What was going on? How did Wen Qiao know her usual tactics so clearly? Now that Wen Qiao was mimicking her behavior perfectly, how was she supposed to continue the act?

Moreover, with the Crown Prince watching, could it be that Wen Qiao had sensed her feelings for him and was trying to sabotage her?

Wen Qi now viewed everyone as a potential rival. Even if Wen Qiao had no such intentions, she constantly felt that Wen Qiao was working against her, surely aiming for the position of Crown Princess.

With the Crown Prince protecting Wen Qiao, she felt her own efforts were lagging, though she never considered whether her own behavior had been flawed.

"In that case, it must be that I misunderstood you, Sixth Sister. Please do not take it to heart. It’s just that, a moment ago, I truly felt someone push me, which is why I fell. And since there was no one else around me but you, if it wasn't you, I simply cannot fathom who could have pushed me and disappeared so quickly. Perhaps I was mistaken. If you only meant to tap me, it is hard to say—perhaps you moved suddenly, I was startled, and that is why I fell."

Seeing the two sisters finally seem to have cleared up the matter, Xiao Minghe breathed a sigh of relief and intervened: "Yes, it must be a misunderstanding between sisters. You two have a good relationship; how could a sister harm the Seventh Miss? It must have been a mistake on the Seventh Miss’s part. Well, since you have both talked it out, there is nothing more to say. I am about to return to the Imperial Study to study. Xiao Xiazi, send someone to take care of the Seventh Miss; have her change into clean clothes and dry her hair before returning to the Marquis’s manor. It is getting late, and His Majesty will likely come to check on my studies soon. If the Sixth Miss is free, why not walk with me to see the scenery and accompany me to the Imperial Study? I imagine that since you have been staying at the Cining Palace these past few days, worrying over the Empress Dowager, you haven't had the chance to pay your respects to His Majesty, have you?"

Hearing the Crown Prince invite Wen Qiao, Wen Qi gritted her teeth in frustration, but she had no other choice. Xiao Xiazi, who was following Xiao Minghe, immediately acknowledged the order and called over the nearby palace maids, instructing them to take Wen Qi to the nearest place to change and freshen up. He also carefully ordered a few young eunuchs to take a carriage and escort Wen Qi back to the Yongning Marquis’s manor.

Since it was already late after classes and they had been delayed in the palace for so long, it was already dusk. Even with the good security in the capital, Wen Qi was a young girl, and it was natural for her to be afraid.

Seeing how thoughtfully Xiao Minghe had arranged everything, Wen Qi lowered her head, and a ripple of emotion stirred in her heart.

She thought that Wen Qiao must have used some trick to make the Crown Prince so amiable toward her. Yet, even with her there, the Prince had not forgotten to arrange for her care. It was clear that the Prince cared for her too, but found it difficult to express in front of Wen Qiao.

If Wen Qiao knew what Wen Qi was thinking, she would have laughed out loud.

Xiao Minghe had always been this way; he treated anyone or anything he deemed useful with courtesy. Even for someone like Wen Qi, who appeared to have no value, he likely felt she could be used to manipulate Wen Qiao in the future, which was why he showed such concern.

What Xiao Minghe did not know was that her relationship with Wen Qi was not as harmonious as it appeared, and she, Wen Qiao, would have no entanglements with him.

However, playing along with his ruse, Wen Qiao could not appear too fake; she still needed to stabilize her image with Xiao Minghe.

"Since Cousin has invited me, I will respectfully accept. Indeed, I have not paid my respects to my uncle in the past two days; it is truly a lapse in my manners. In that case, please ensure the Seventh Sister is escorted safely back to the manor. She is timid and afraid of being out alone. Please tell the eunuchs to ensure she reaches the manor safely, so she does not get frightened on the way. If Father were to blame me, I truly wouldn't know how to explain it to him."

As she spoke, Wen Qiao’s voice took on a sobbing tone. With a flick of her wrist, she pulled out a handkerchief and pressed it delicately to the corners of her eyes.

The Crown Prince, having no other thoughts but to soothe the beauty, promised repeatedly: "Yes, yes, do not cry, cousin. I will give the orders right away to ensure the Seventh Miss returns to the manor unharmed. I will send someone to the Cining Palace to inform you later. Rest assured, I will handle this to your satisfaction; I would never let you worry."

The two walked away together. It was only when their figures faded into the distance that Wen Qi finally climbed off the ground, her eyes filled with unconcealable jealousy and hatred.

Xiao Xiazi pretended not to notice. Upholding the Prince’s wishes, he arranged a carriage to take Wen Qi back.

However, Wen Qi had arrived in Wen Zehan’s carriage, so she did not take the one prepared by the palace. Even though that carriage might have given her more face at the manor, if she returned in it tonight, whether she could make it to the study hall on time tomorrow was a question, not to mention having to face Li Yanlan’s cold glares—that would be an agony she couldn't voice.

Fortunately, the palace staff were following the Prince’s orders, and since the Prince mistakenly thought she and Wen Qiao had a good relationship, they were all respectful. As long as her requests weren't excessive, the eunuchs wouldn't object.

Wen Qi rode the carriage all the way back to the Marquis’s manor.

Meanwhile, the people sent by Nanny Song to look for Wen Qiao had all returned to the Cining Palace.

"Oh, Empress Dowager, I heard that the Seventh Miss of the Yongning Marquis’s manor fell into the water just now. The Crown Prince happened to be nearby, and the Sixth Miss was anxious and drenched in sweat. Fortunately, the Crown Prince was there. Now, not only have they sent the Seventh Miss out of the palace, but they are also walking together toward the Imperial Study to pay their respects to His Majesty! This old servant thinks that perhaps something might truly come of those two!"

Because of what Nanny Song had said that afternoon, the Empress Dowager had been sighing for a long time, fearing that Wen Qiao would truly refuse to marry the Crown Prince. Hearing this, she was delighted.

"Is that so? That is good, that is good. I really thought that girl was hopelessly stubborn. Now that she can have contact with the Crown Prince, if she discovers his good qualities, that would be for the best. If it truly cannot be, then there is no need to force her."

The Empress Dowager was in a good mood and did not ask Nanny Song to send anyone to call Wen Qiao back. She trusted the Crown Prince’s discretion, and since they were in the palace, he wouldn't do anything improper. Naturally, she didn't need to worry about Wen Qiao's safety; after all, what danger could there be in the palace? It was impossible for anyone to want to harm her.

Wen Qiao was not a princess, nor did she hold any real power in civil or military affairs, so there was no reason for the concubines in the harem to target her.

There was one thing Wen Qiao had mentioned that Wen Qi hadn't asked about at the time, but as she sat in the carriage, the more she thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed.

Wen Qiao had said that the treasures bestowed by the Emperor had been given to Wen Zehan to pass on to her, but she had never received anything of the sort from him. Could Wen Qiao have been lying to her? But given Wen Qiao’s character, she shouldn't be one to lie without reason. Why would she say that?

No, she would have to ask Wen Zehan when she returned. If Wen Qiao had really given her some treasures and she hadn't received them, wouldn't that be a loss?

But was it even permissible to pass on imperial gifts in such a way? If the Emperor were to find out and charge them with contempt for the throne, what would happen?

Wen Qi frowned in the carriage, contemplating this. In the end, her greed overcame her fear. Forget it, she would ask Wen Zehan about it. If it was truly given to her by Wen Qiao, she wouldn't feel guilty accepting it; after all, Wen Qiao had offered it, so the blame wouldn't fall on her.

Wen Qi did not know that Wen Qiao had said those words on purpose, intending for her to demand the treasures from Wen Zehan upon her return. If the items were not in Wen Qi’s hands, it would make it much easier for Wen Qiao to disparage her later.

Because of the long distance, it was already pitch black by the time she arrived at the Marquis’s manor. Normally, Wen Congqing would have sent someone to look for her, but the manor was silent. It seemed as if no one had reacted to her absence.

Could it be that because Wen Qiao had returned, Wen Congqing no longer cared about her safety? If it were any other time, he would have definitely sent someone, but with everything quiet, she was furious.

Yet, there was nothing she could say. She had to swallow her pride and enter the manor. To her surprise, as soon as she thanked the eunuchs and walked in, she saw Wen Zehan kneeling in the courtyard, with Li Yanlan beside him, wiping away tears. Wen Congqing stood above them, looking furious and utterly disappointed, as if he were at his wit's end. She had no idea what was going on.