CHAPTER 228: CHAPTER 225: WHOSE FAULT IS THIS? (SECOND UPDATE, SEEKING MONTHLY VOTES)

"How dare I?"

Lian Rong hurriedly put down what he was holding and quickly squatted down to gather the scattered scrolls.

"Don’t touch them!"

Yongping rushed over, pushing him to the ground, and gathered the paintings together, her bloodshot eyes staring fiercely: "When did they meet? If you don’t tell me, I’ll kill you!"

Lian Rong sat on the ground, stopping his hands and looking at her.

"There are thirteen scrolls in total, and five of them are of her! Why?!"

Yongping demanded angrily: "I’ve been married to him for five years, and before the marriage, he only painted one for me! When did he get involved with that harlot?!"

Lian Rong swallowed and said softly, "Commandery Princess, please calm down, this isn’t the lord’s fault..."

"Whose fault is it then?" Yongping shouted, "Is it my fault?! Haven’t I been good enough to him all these years? Have I not been a good enough wife? Why is he fooling around outside?"

There are really not many men as dazzling as Xu Yin in the entire court, and Yongping knew that for years women had been throwing themselves at him. She had tested Xu Yin many times secretly, but he was never moved!

But now he had painted portraits of Fu Zhen, and not just one but many!

If she hadn’t knocked over the bottle, she wouldn’t have even known!

The maids and old servants standing at the door all stepped back in panic.

Lian Rong pressed his lips together and said, "Of course, it isn’t the Commandery Princess’s fault... The Commandery Princess has always protected the lord and thought of him; how could this be your fault?"

"Then tell me, whose fault is it exactly!"

Lian Rong steadied his breath: "I am saying it’s Fu Zhen’s fault. Actually, actually she harbors covetous intentions towards the lord..."

"She covets the lord?"

"Exactly." Lian Rong nodded, "She is just a woman who sharpens her head to climb up. Otherwise, Commandery Princess, think about it: how would a merchant’s daughter like her even know General Pei? How could she suddenly transform and become General Pingxi’s wife?

"Doesn’t the Commandery Princess wonder how she managed to do it?"

Yongping gritted her teeth and glared at him: "You better make it clear to me!"

Lian Rong looked down: "The night at Baihe Temple when the Prince encountered the assassin, Fu Zhen took the opportunity to break into the lord’s room...

"Wasn’t it Zhang Shicheng drunk that night?!"

"It wasn’t him at all. It was originally Fu Zhen. When the Princely Heir’s wife brought people over, the lord was worried she might sow discord with you, so he hid Fu Zhen behind the curtain. Later she escaped, and somehow Zhang Shicheng barged in."

Suspicion flashed across Yongping’s face.

"What did she do to the lord?"

"There was no time to do anything. Before then, the lord did not know her at all. She admired the lord’s talent and status, desiring to become his without regard for her own identity. But the lord never gave her a chance."

The remaining anger on Yongping’s face turned into coldness, and she stood up from the ground: "Is what you’re saying true?"

"How dare I deceive the Commandery Princess?" Lian Rong also stood up, "The assassin appeared so suddenly that I even suspect it was her ploy to divert everyone’s attention under the guise of an assassin, intending to use her beauty to ensnare the lord afterward..."

Yongping looked at the paintings in her hands, her chest heaving: "Then why would he paint her?!"

"Commandery Princess," Lian Rong swallowed, "the lord is a normal man. Fu Zhen’s beauty is indeed outstanding, and she has no shortage of admirers.

"Look at how even someone as stalwart as General Pei was completely enraptured by her. This time both father and son acted against Prince Rong’s Mansion; think about it, have they ever been so domineering before?

"The lord merely painted a few portraits, a gentleman does not act from the heart. His appreciation of Fu Zhen’s beauty is only human. He is still devoted to the Commandery Princess, if he was truly bewitched, would Fu Zhen have to woo General Pei afterward?"

Yongping gritted her teeth, her gaze sharp as if to pierce holes in him.

"You better be telling the truth. Otherwise, I will personally break every bone in your body!"

Lian Rong bowed his head deeply: "Commandery Princess, perceptive and wise."

"Get out!"

Lian Rong, holding the crumpled paintings, backed out through the door.

Yongping cast a hateful gaze at the paintings in her hands.

"Why are there so many repulsive women in the world, and how did I end up encountering them all!"

Suddenly, she clenched her fingers, crumpling the painting into a ball, and then tore it apart, shredding it to pieces with force!

"A lowly merchant girl, daring to covet my man. I thought she had great skills? Turns out she only knows such despicable tricks!

"Someone come!"

Hearing the call, the maid who came in shivered under her icy gaze. "This servant is here!"

"Go find me some people!"

The extreme resentment made her completely unaware that Lian Rong had taken the crumpled paintings away as well.

...

Pei Zhan’s wedding leave was over, and he had officially returned to duty in recent days, so he wasn’t home during the day, but he had assigned experienced guards like Guo Song for Fu Zhen’s use.

This arrangement made Fu Zhen feel very supported; Pei Zhan and Liang Chen were not slackers, each had their own duties, and held significant positions in the court. It was unwise to devote all energy to this matter. The Liang Family and Pei Family had given Fu Zhen enough, so for now, she would handle it.

After continuously administering medicine to Zhe Yu for four days, although in the last two days Fu Zhen had Yang Tong and Zhang Cheng feed it to him, good news kept coming.

Chen Shun reported that Zhe Yu had woken up several times from day to night, each time for about a quarter of an hour, and the redness and swelling around his wound had reduced somewhat. Although it would certainly not heal immediately, Zhe Yu’s will to survive had brought him a turning point.

To Prince Rong’s Mansion, Zhe Yu occupied a subtle position, having silently followed behind Yongping for years, yet Yongping entirely disregarded his life or death... He was worth fighting for!

In the afternoon, the guard reported that Pei Zhan had been invited away by He Huan, so she still sent Ziyan to brew the medicine. After dinner, she, along with Guo Song and others, personally went to the Zhe family.

Upon entering Zhe Yu’s courtyard, they heard coughing sounds coming from inside the room.

Fu Zhen quickened her pace to the door, where Chen Shun met her: "He woke up this afternoon, stayed awake for almost two hours, then had some porridge and went back to sleep."

Fu Zhen spoke while entering the room, "How long has he been sleeping? What does the Imperial Physician say?"

"The Imperial Physician finds the sudden changes in his condition these few days very strange, but they’re still treating him. As long as the wound doesn’t worsen, his life is not in danger, and he could wield a spear again in the future."

They arrived at the sickbed as he spoke.

Chen Shun pulled back the curtain, bringing the lamp closer.

Fu Zhen carefully looked at Zhe Yu’s complexion, indeed seeing some improvement.

She called, "Zhe Yu? General Zhe?"

After calling two or three times, Zhe Yu’s brows twitched, and his eyelashes quivered, slowly opening his eyes a crack.

Fu Zhen was delighted: "Can you hear me?"

Zhe Yu’s pupils contracted, his throat moved: "Who, who are you?!"

Fu Zhen pulled down her face mask: "Do you still recognize me?"