Chapter 17: Wrongfully Accused

The servant Zhang Fu had no idea what had just occurred. Still muddled and confused, he found himself kicked to the floor by Xia Chan before he could make any sense of the situation. His bare body was marked with traces of passion, clearly the result of recent exertion.

With Xia Chan’s kick, Zhang Fu was left completely exposed before everyone in the Guest Hall. At the sight before them, all present understood at once: the Xia family’s third young lady was without shame, engaging in such filthy acts with a servant during a birthday banquet.

Zhang Fu’s face turned deathly pale. He had been beaten unconscious by Xia Jiujiang, and knew nothing of what had happened afterwards. How had he ended up with the third young lady? It was over—he was doomed. What was he to do now?

Xia Wentao took the opportunity to lash out at Xia Chan: “Xia Chan, how could you do such a thing? On your grandmother’s birthday, you dare to sneak a servant into a room in the Guest Hall? Have you no respect for the Xia family, for the prince and princess?”

Xia Chan was momentarily stunned. The Guest Hall—she had come here for the prince. How could she have ended up here with Zhang Fu?

But Xia Wentao’s words quickly sobered her, and she turned her gaze to Xia Jiujiang. It was Xia Jiujiang—of course it was her. She didn’t want Xia Chan to be with the prince, so she had turned Xia Chan’s own plot against her!

Xia Jiujiang glanced at Xia Wentao. As expected of the Prime Minister, he had chosen the perfect moment to remind everyone that this was the Guest Hall—the prince’s and Xia Jiujiang’s own quarters. Why, then, was Xia Chan here?

Kneeling on the floor, Xia Chan cried out, “No, it’s not like that! It was Xia Jiujiang! Xia Jiujiang set me up. How could I possibly have an affair with Zhang Fu? Please, Your Highness, grant me justice!”

The prince, his gaze steely, said, “The Xia family never ceases to amaze me—one accuses me of defiling their third daughter, another demands I marry her, and now yet another claims my princess had her purity stolen. Has the Xia family forgotten what befalls those who slander a princess?”

Xia Jiujiang spoke to him, “Let Chan’er speak, Your Highness. Since she’s already sown doubt in the minds of every guest in the Guest Hall, the matter must be explained clearly—or else it will seem as if I truly bear her ill will.”

Xia Chan glared fiercely at Zhang Fu. “Speak! Was it the princess who set us up? Was it she who sent you to the Guest Hall? Speak!”

Suddenly put on the spot, Zhang Fu stammered, “I…I…” but could not form a coherent sentence.

Xia Chan’s glare grew more intense. “Do you still wish to serve the Xia family? Don’t forget you have an eighty-year-old mother to care for!”

Xia Jiujiang interrupted, “Chan’er, your words sound rather like a threat.”

Zhang Fu looked at Xia Chan, swallowing hard. Though Xia Jiujiang was the princess, distant water could not quench present thirst. As a servant, his indenture was in the Xia family’s hands; now, having slept with Xia Chan, he was surely doomed. But if he helped her slander Xia Jiujiang, perhaps she would spare him.

Trembling, Zhang Fu said loudly, “Princess, there’s no need to warn me about ‘threats.’ The third young lady is only desperate for her innocence to be restored. I know you are the princess, but I cannot let her endure unjust accusations any longer.”

His words made Xia Jiujiang’s gaze turn icy. So he had quickly assessed the situation and chosen to aid Xia Chan against her. Very well—if that was his choice, she would show no mercy.

Zhang Fu continued, raising his voice, “It was the princess who set up myself and the third young lady. She told me to come to the Guest Hall, saying the third young lady had fainted and needed my help. But after I entered, I don’t know what happened—I lost consciousness, and when I woke, things were as you see. I have wronged the third young lady, misled by the princess’s words.”

Madam Wei, ever theatrical, immediately wailed, “So it was the princess who plotted against you! My poor Chan’er—she has always been so well-behaved in the Xia family. I said she could never commit such an indiscretion, and now it’s clear she was framed by the princess.”

Xia Wentao stared at Xia Jiujiang in shock, “So you are the one who harmed Chan’er? Jiujiang, what are you doing? Today is your grandmother’s birthday—so many guests are present—how could you commit such a heartless act, ruining a young woman’s reputation? Do you understand how grave this is?”

Lin Baixue added, her tone pained, “Jiujiang, how could you do this? Chan’er is your own sister. You destroyed her innocence and ruined the Old Madam’s birthday. What sort of heart do you have?”

Xia Wentao groaned in anguish, “Is it because you were neglected in the Xia family that you must seek revenge on your sisters in this way?”

Xia Jiujiang rolled her eyes inwardly. Where did Xia Wentao get such confidence, believing she would harm Xia Chan out of revenge? If she wished to deal with him, she would do so directly—there was no need for such roundabout schemes.

She looked at Xia Wentao and said, “If Madam Wei believes Chan’er, I cannot blame her—after all, Chan’er is her own daughter. But if you and Madam Lin wish to condemn me, should I not be allowed to speak? Is it truly the case that, in your eyes, whatever the third young lady and a household servant claim is truth, and I am not even permitted a word in my own defense?”

Xia Wentao put on a look of anguish. “It’s not that I simply believe them—I am guided by the facts. Chan’er always stays in the Qinlin Courtyard, and Zhang Fu works in the servants’ quarters. They barely know each other, let alone have an affair. Why would Chan’er risk her reputation to frame you?”

Xia Jiujiang replied, “If you are so certain I am behind this, a few words from me will change nothing. Why, then, are you so eager to cut off my speech and rush to accuse me?”

Xia Wentao had thought that, faced with such a barrage from the Xia family, Xia Jiujiang would be flustered and overwhelmed. He had not anticipated her cool composure, her measured rebuttals, nor her eloquence. When had she grown so strong and self-assured? Had she always been pretending in the Xia household?

Xia Chan sneered, “You claim you have something to say? Go ahead. I refuse to believe you can explain away your scheme in a few words.”

Xia Jiujiang glanced at Xia Chan and Zhang Fu with disdain. “If I truly wished to ruin your reputation, why would I have you caught in the Guest Hall? Would it not have made more sense to arrange it in your own courtyard? I am to stay in the Xia family for several more days after returning home—do you really think I would sully myself with such filth?”

Xia Chan trembled. Xia Jiujiang had actually called her filth!