nucmednet Chapter 516 Blood-Splattered Peach Blossom Fan
Chapter 516 Blood-Splattered Peach Blossom Fan
Li Xiangjun took a few steps back and said resolutely, "Father-in-law, it's not that I'm unwilling to enter the palace to serve the Emperor, but I'm already the young master Hou's woman. I believe you wouldn't want to send a woman with a damaged body into the palace, would you?"
Tian Hongyu had seen all sorts of powerful and influential people. He didn't even bother to lift his eyelids when he heard the name "Young Master Hou," and snorted, "Your patron's surname is Hou? Which one is it?"
Yang Longyou quickly pointed to Hou Fangyu and said, "Your Excellency, this is him. Young Master Hou's father was the former Minister of Revenue..."
Upon hearing this, Tian Hongyu finally lifted his eyelids and glanced sideways at Hou Fangyu.
"So he's Hou Xun's son. So what? Does the son of the former Minister of Revenue want to steal the Emperor's woman?"
Hou Fangyu was just mustering his courage to say a few words when he heard this, and his spirits immediately deflated. This was too much to bear; not only was he unworthy of it, but his father in prison was also unworthy of it.
Yang Longyou glanced at his friend's expression, shook his head, and sighed inwardly.
Liu Ye, watching from outside the window, nodded repeatedly: "Everything has its counter. This Hou Fangyu, relying on the support of the Fushe Society, flaunts his power in front of me and the Duke of Wei, but he is as silent as a cicada in front of the maternal relatives. It's really satisfying to see."
Li Xiangjun had been waiting for Hou Fangyu to argue with this suddenly appearing father-in-law of the emperor, but she never expected that he would decide her fate with just a few words, while Hou Fangyu didn't say a word. Her heart gradually grew cold.
Ruan Dacheng whispered a few words in Tian Hongyu's ear. Tian Hongyu nodded and said, "So you were trying to trick me. It's just a matter of combing hair. You gave me the money but didn't do the deed! This is easy to handle. Just return the money to him and pretend he was never here today."
Although Li Zhenli felt sorry for Li Xiangjun, she dared not offend the emperor's father-in-law. Left with no other choice, she took the five hundred taels of silver Hou Fangyu had given her and returned it in front of everyone. Hou Fangyu was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to accept it or not, and was filled with shame.
Ruan Dacheng walked over, snatched the silver and stuffed it into Hou Fangyu's arms, shouting, "As long as you leave obediently, I won't rush you to return the silver. Take it and spend it!"
Hou Fangyu still had a shred of shame, so he didn't reach out to take it. The gleaming silver ingots fell from the package and rolled all over the ground.
Li Xiangjun watched helplessly as the package fell to the ground, as if she saw her own heart shatter into pieces.
Seeing Hou Fangyu's demeanor, Tian Hong felt a surge of smugness. As a relative of the emperor's family, he feared nothing more than those within the system who "knew the rules and knew their place." The stronger their background, the less he cared. No matter how powerful their connections, could they be more powerful than the emperor? Any scholar with ambitions for officialdom, given countless opportunities to achieve success in the imperial examinations and rise through the ranks, would only choose compromise rather than offend the imperial concubine and her powerful relatives.
Hou Fangyu, the person directly involved, hesitated to speak. Li Zhenli couldn't help but plead for Li Xiangjun: "Your Excellency, Xiangjun has been with me since she was eight years old. We are like mother and daughter. If she were to marry someday, I would need to prepare a generous dowry. How could I bear to sell her? Xiangjun has a strong personality. Please ask Your Excellency if Xiangjun is willing to enter the palace. Otherwise, even if we bring her back to the capital, if she doesn't serve the Emperor well, no one can bear the responsibility..."
Tian Hongyu seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world: "You want to ask a girl if she wants to redeem herself? Are you kidding me? You woman, this kind of behavior is just to raise the price. I won't argue with you. Including the five hundred taels that were just returned, I'll give you a total of three thousand five hundred taels. I'll take her away right now!"
Li Xiangjun calmly said, "The Emperor wants to buy me. I am a weak woman and have no power to resist, but my life is my own. If the Emperor insists on forcing me, then take my body back to the capital."
Tian Hongyu said disdainfully, "Being able to enter the palace to serve the Emperor is a blessing you've accumulated over several lifetimes. What's the point of a prostitute trying to uphold her virtue? If you're truly so virtuous, then go ahead and die!"
Hou Fangyu knew her temperament and advised her anxiously, "Xiangjun, don't do anything foolish."
Li Xiangjun stared at him intently: "Chaozong, just say the word, and even if it means death, I will follow you."
Hou Fangyu was moved by her determination and wanted to say something, but when he turned to look at Tian Hongyu, he dared not speak.
Seeing his state, Li Xiangjun knew there was no hope for him. She sighed, "Although Xiangjun fell into prostitution due to her family's decline, she was fortunate to meet Mother, who took good care of her and kept her chastity for more than ten years. She originally wanted to entrust the rest of her life to you, but in the end, she still couldn't overcome power..."
She turned to Li Zhenli and said, "Thank you so much, Mother, for taking care of me all these years. I will repay you in my next life!"
Upon hearing this, Li Zhenli became extremely anxious: "Daughter, what are you doing?"
Upon hearing this from outside the window, Liu Ye immediately thought of Li Xiangjun's tragic end and quickly shoved Liang Xiaoming: "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go in to save her! If you go in in time, you'll be a hero saving a damsel in distress, and you might even change her impression of you; if you're any later, someone will die."
However, things happened so suddenly that before Liang Xiaoming could react, Li Xiangjun had already run outside in full view of everyone and crashed headfirst into the stone railing. Amidst the uproar, Li Xiangjun slowly fell to the ground, a fan falling from her body, splattered with bloodstains that resembled bright and vivid peach blossoms.
Heartbroken, Li Zhenli rushed over and embraced Li Xiangjun, crying out, "Daughter..."
Hou Fangyu was so shocked that he fell to the ground with a thud.
Tian Hongyu stood up abruptly. He never expected that a courtesan would be so fierce and seek death so easily.
Liang Xiaoming was stunned. He took two steps forward, but then hesitated and stopped, afraid that he would see that Li Xiangjun was really dead.
Liu Ye lightly kicked him in the butt, angrily saying, "A person is about to die, and you don't even have the courage to look at them. Are you even a man?"
Liang Xiaoming walked over tremblingly and gently squatted down. He looked at Li Xiangjun's once pretty face, now covered in blood, and the bloody wound on her forehead was shocking. Thinking of her resolute and fierce demeanor just now, he felt that this stubborn woman was very different from his first love. She was a woman who deserved to be cherished and loved, but unfortunately, she had met the wrong person.
The group followed and stared in surprise at Li Xiangjun on the ground, then at Liu Ye and the other two who had suddenly appeared.
Liu Ye slowly walked up to Tian Hongyu and said unhurriedly, "Father-in-law Tian, now that a murder has occurred, even if you are a member of the royal family, forcing someone to their death will probably cause you a lot of trouble, won't it?"
Tian Hongyu spat, "Damn it! This bitch really doesn't know what's good for her." Then he looked at Liu Ye and asked, "And who are you?"
"My surname is Liu, my given name is Ye, and I am the General Commander of Qionghai Town. I have been favored by the Emperor and granted the title of Earl of Pingnan."