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  Chapter 57 Fury (2)

  Liu Chengcai stared at Peony's mouth opening and closing, but didn't catch anything else, only grasping two key words: "Imperial Decree of Marriage, Divorce Letter." Although Princess Kang would intervene in this matter, it was within his expectations and calculations. However, he hadn't anticipated that the crucial link would be broken by his own family member; he had underestimated Liu Chengcai too much. This critical step went wrong, and the subsequent ones followed suit, catching him off guard. At this moment, he was pushed to the edge of a cliff, with no room for retreat.

  The matter of the Tsinghua County Master is feared to be quite serious. If others do not mind, it would be a romantic affair between two willing parties, but if they really take offense, it would be considered a slight against the imperial family, and the crime would not be small. It seems that tonight, preparations must be made in advance. Liu Chengcai thought of this and didn't bother to mind Peony's rudeness, his expression heavy as he said: "Follow me."

  Peony saw his solemn expression, worried in her heart, thinking that something that shouldn't have happened had already occurred. She turned around and took a glance at Jiang Changyang, bowing to him slightly, she had already memorized his residence, today wasn't the right opportunity, so it could only be another day when she would visit again to thank him. Unexpectedly, Jiang Changyang brought his few friends over, saying: "Madam He, your family members haven't arrived yet, now that it's late, you being alone isn't suitable, we'll wait for you outside. If there's anything you need, please just call out."

  There they were waiting outside, no matter how cunning or treacherous Liu Chengcai was, he couldn't play any tricks. Peony's heart was greatly settled and she felt extremely grateful. She silently bowed to the few people and followed Liu Chengcai into the flower shed.

  But now looking at the situation inside the shed, it is different from before. The curtains on all sides have been put down, covering everything tightly. The host family was forced to sit in a corner by Liu's family slaves, with the women looking embarrassed and Li Yi's friend looking fearful as he stole glances at Liu Chengcai.

  The peony disdainfully stared at the man with a fierce glare, and spat out a mouthful of saliva. This matter was likely also related to him, and she had always hated people who used despicable means to help villains bully others and frame friends.

  "Sister-in-law." Suddenly, someone called out softly, and Peony only then noticed that Qi Yuzhu was leaning against a maid, half-hidden behind the curtain, looking at her shyly. Qi Yuzhu had two double-strand gold hairpins with precious stones inserted in her hair, wearing a crimson eight-panel gauze skirt, with golden threads on the hem of the skirt shining brightly under the lamp light. A few high-quality pearls embroidered on the dark blue thin silk sash reflected a low-key luxurious glow, and the blue-green thin gauze cloak revealed a pale green blouse underneath, making her skin look like jade and her eyes like autumn water, still showing a hint of shyness.

  It seems to be carefully dressed up, Peony thinks of Liu Chuan's words about being close and intimate, and can't help but feel a wave of disgust. Qī Yùzhū is beautiful, but at this moment, she looks no better than that green fly to her eyes. She said lightly: "Qī èr niángzi don't call out randomly, I don't dare to presume."

  Qī Yùzhū heard this and felt wronged, but still relentlessly asked: "What is it called?"

  You've got the guts to do that kind of thing, yet you're still pretending to be a little white flower here. Peony is fed up with her and can't be bothered to pay attention to her. She directly asks Liu Chengcai: "Liu Shangshu, where's my brother?"

  Liu Chengcai's eyes darted back and forth between Peony and Qi Yuzhu, a sly smile spreading across his face. "Dan Niang, I'm not criticizing you, but your attitude is unacceptable. Even if we can't be one family anymore, do we have to be like sworn enemies? Although Zishu wronged you, haven't I always been lenient with you? Yuzhu is a good child too, and she'll be heartbroken if you treat her like this. Yuzhu, even if you don't call her sister-in-law, can't you at least call her sister?" Since things had already reached this point, he couldn't help but try to drag the Li family into it, and tie their relationship with the He family together.

  Qī Yùzhū understood Liu Chengcai's meaning and a hint of joy flashed across her face, she shouted "Sister..."

  "Peony didn't respond, and with a fierce glare, he shouted: 'Where did you die to, Luoshan?' As he spoke, he tore open the curtain and looked inside. He saw Li Yi lying neatly on the bed in the inner room, but she was motionless. Luoshan was kneeling at his feet, her eyes red like peaches from crying. Seeing Peony look in, she couldn't help but let out a loud wail: 'If the young master dies, I won't be able to live either!' Pointing angrily at Qi Yuzhu, she said: 'Liu Zixu stabbed the young master with a knife, and she hit him with a porcelain pillow, wanting his life.'"

  Peony originally saw Li Wei's neat dress and secretly let out a breath of relief. At this time, she heard Luoshan's scream and couldn't help but jump up, turning her head to stare coldly at Liu Chengcai and Qi Yuzhu. Qi Yuzhu quickly said: "Sister, don't misunderstand him, he's just drunk, nothing serious, at most he'll wake up tomorrow." She said, her face turned red again.

  "This doesn't seem right, what's going on? Peony furrowed her brow and scolded Luoshan: "You useless thing, your master is drunk and you don't even know to give him some tea soup to drink, all you know how to do is cry." Looking around, she saw the tea soup on the table and was about to pour it when Liu Chengcai walked over with a dark face and said: "Let Zhu Niang pour it."

  Qī Yùzhū heard this and quickly walked over with a red face to grab the teapot from Mǔdān's hand: "Sister-in-law, let me"

  Peony tightly grasped the teapot and stared steadily at Qi Yuzhu, saying: "I don't dare trouble you, Second Mistress Qi, please let go."

  Qī Yùzhū felt the hostility from Peony, and she was a bit embarrassed. She withdrew her hand and stole a glance at Liú Chéngcǎi. Liú Chéngcǎi's face became even more gloomy: "Peony, you've arrived just in time. Today, this matter requires your testimony."

  "Peony suddenly heard something unpleasant and loudly said: "What witness? You've been chopping and hacking, leaving my brother half dead and unconscious. Do you still need a witness? No need for witnesses, just report it to the Jingzhao government and let them judge..."

  Before she had finished speaking, Jiang Changyang's voice came from outside: "Madam He, is there anything wrong? Do you need my help?"

  Liu Chengcai's face sank, and he sneered in a low voice: "Dan Niang, if you're smart, listen to my advice. It's better for you not to let outsiders get involved in this matter. What's the point of bringing them in? It's just adding a bunch of onlookers. As long as I want, there are plenty of living witnesses." He glanced at the men and women hiding in the corner and hummed coldly.

  Peony cast her eyes on Qi Yuzhu and said seriously, "Qi Yuzhu, this is a lifelong matter, it can't be forced, you wouldn't want to end up like me, would you?" At this time, she had already confirmed that Li Wei hadn't done anything to Qi Yuzhu.

  Qī Yùzhū's face turned pale, and her shy expression was gone. She clenched her handkerchief tightly and looked at Peony in a panic, then glanced at Li Yin who had fainted. Peony continued to press on: "Do you know what will happen if you can't get the respect of your husband, if he looks down on you? Is it really worth living like this?"

  Liu Chengcai saw that Qi Yuzhu seemed to have been moved by Peony's words, and scolded her fiercely: "Foolish things have come to this, do you still have any way out? When you followed that rascal here, why didn't you think of these things?" This clearly meant that whether she was willing or not, she had to be willing.

  Qī Yùzhū looked at Liú Chéngcǎi with fear again, her eyes reddened, and she completely lost her composure.

  Liu Chengcai saw that she was afraid, so he coaxed her in a soft voice: "Good child, don't be afraid. Everything will be taken care of by your uncle. You just wait quietly and don't do anything. I'll have someone go call your aunt and parents right away."

  Qī Yùzhū's eyes welled up with tears, and she said in a low voice: "He told me to knock him out, he must not want me to be like this either. He will look down on me. Uncle, I didn't do anything, neither did he."

  Peony glanced at Qi Yuzhu with a hint of approval and coaxed, "Are you daring enough to repeat this to those few friends outside? Ask them to bear witness for me? My cousin will be grateful to you for the rest of his life."

  Qī Yùzhū hesitated again, just now she was in a hurry, how could she open her mouth to talk about such things with strangers? Liú Chéngcǎi didn't care about her at all, and directly ordered someone: "Hurry up and invite the madam and uncle and aunt over."

  "Peony Road: 'Qi Yuzhu, you should think thrice before acting. My brother hates and despises those who plot against him the most.'"

  Qī Yùzhū was flustered and at a loss for what to do.

  Suddenly, a commotion was heard from outside, and then the curtains around the shed were cut to shreds by someone with a knife. Seven or eight men, wearing brocade jackets with team flowers, red headbands, and whiskers, ranging in age from over thirty to over ten years old, stood around, staring coldly at Liu Chengcai, their knives reflecting the light of the surrounding lamps, giving off a chilling aura.

  Liu Chengcai took one look and saw that the people he had brought with him were all beaten up, while Jiang Changyang's group was standing aside watching the commotion with their arms crossed. He became furious and shouted: "What kind of people are you? Do you want to commit murder in broad daylight? I am a third-rank official of the imperial court!"

  "What a fake three-product official!" The oldest one among them, with an air of disdain, glanced at Liu Chengcai and cut off the root of the wooden pillar with one knife: "You, this bear-like person, dare to pretend to be a three-product official under the emperor's feet? Do you think our brothers who just came from the border don't know? Just look at your clothes, they don't even look like ours. Let's take down this old thief who dares to impersonate an imperial officer for the sake of our brothers in the capital!"

  Those few people shouted "good" and rushed up, one of them pressed down Liu Chengcai, the rest lifted Li Wei, dealing with Liu's family slaves in a busy but orderly manner, fierce but not cruel. Peony watched with wide eyes, who were these people? Suddenly, she heard someone shouting from the crowd: "Dan Niang come over quickly." It was He Er Lang and He Da Lang waving at her in the crowd.

  Peony saw that Luoshan was still there in a daze, and hastily reached out to pull him down the mountain. Just as they had reunited with Dalang and Erlang, those people had already ended the fight in a whirlwind-like manner, throwing Li Wei onto the horse's back, and in the blink of an eye, they had run off without a trace. In the empty and desolate watchtower, Liu Chengcai was stroking his goat beard, supported by Qi Yuzhu, with a pale face, almost fainting from excessive shock and extreme anger.

  "Are you okay?" After Dalang confirmed that Mudan was fine, Erlang explained to Mudan in a low voice: "They are the cousins of Li Yuxiao's family, who have just returned from Youzhou not long ago. We thought about it and decided that the best way is to rescue the person first."

  Peony let out a breath of relief, looked at Jiang Changyang, and was about to lead Dalang and Erlang over to thank him when Jiang Changyang had already nodded at her and led his friends away on horseback.

  "Shall we go home too? Father and the others are probably worried sick." Peony glanced at Qi Yuzhu who was on the verge of tears and Liu Chengcai who was trembling with anger, took hold of Dalang's and Erlang's hands, called out to Suoshan who was still in a daze, and quickly left.

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