Chapter 691: Victory and Defeat II (1/2)
Chapter 691: Victory and Defeat (II)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt.
The woman's eyes widened as she shouted, ”What's going on? Why have we stopped moving?”
”Milady, someone is barring the path,” the driver outside said.
”Who is it? Don't they know that it's forbidden to stop carriages here?”
As her eyes widened and she voiced her anger, she hear a familiar voice at her ear.
”Since you want to leave, why don't you come down and say goodbye?”
The woman's body began to tremble, and she seemed to have been struck by a lightning bolt.
It was quiet outside the carriage. The woman said nothing, and the person outside silently awaited her answer. With no one saying anything, all that was left was deathly stillness.
The complexion of the woman's face constantly shifted, as did the expression in her eyes. After some time, perhaps finally understanding that she could not escape, she gave a soft sigh and regained her composure.
Creeak!
The door to the carriage opened and the woman walked out with a composed expression. A golden carriage was parked in front, sumptuous and ornate, blocking the avenue. The dragons decorating the carriage were proof enough of the carriage owner's esteemed status.
A row of people stood in front of the carriage, and in the very center of them stood a young and handsome prince, Fifth Prince Li Heng.
”Your Highness!”
Du Zhiqi gave a slight bow to Li Heng, her attitude natural and unpanicked. It was like all this was a mere happenstance.
”You shameless woman! At this stage, you still want to pretend? Our Highness always treated you sincerely, but you wanted to harm him! Truly no better than a beast!”
Before Li Heng could speak, Li Jingzhong rushed forward in rage and rebuke.
If looks could kill, Du Zhiqi would have died countless times already.
”Uncle Jing!” Li Heng suddenly shouted, but his gaze had never once left Du Zhiqi.
Li Jingzhong's body shook. He immediately knew that he had lost control of himself and fell quiet.
No matter what sort of person Du Zhiqi was or what she had done, she was still the Fifth Prince's woman. Moreover, the Fifth Prince had treated her with deep affection, and since the Fifth Prince was here, it was not Li Jingzhong's turn to speak.
”Why?”
Li Heng looked at her.
”Your Highness, what has happened? Why are you here?” Du Zhiqi asked in surprise.
”Why?” Li Heng once more asked, no change in his voice or expression.
”Your Highness, has Zhiqi done something wrong? Your Highness, don't be angry. Tell me and I'll definitely correct it!” Du Zhiqi fearfully replied.
”Even at a time like this, you still want to deceive me?”
Li Heng looked forward and then closed his eyes, his body trembling in pain.
The person he had trusted the most, the one who slept at his side every night, someone he would even be willing to take out his heart and offer it to, had actually been a spy sent by someone else.
Her mouth had been full of words of love and affection, yet at every moment, she wanted nothing more than to push him into a dead end. And even at this stage, she was still trying to deceive him.
”Your Highness, are you blaming Zhiqi for leaving without saying farewell? I know that I'm wrong, but Zhiqi received a letter from my sister. Mother has come down with a serious illness and I must return as quickly as possible,” Du Zhiqi said, lowering her head as her face became stricken with grief.
”I have three thousand books in my study, and on that day in my study, only you saw that I had placed that list beneath that board in the corner.
”When Imperial Father sent people to retrieve the list, they did not touch one of the three thousand books, only took the list under the board, not even breaking the board. Someone unfamiliar with the room would never be capable of this feat. Tell me, besides you, who else could do it? Who else would know where that list was?” Li Heng said with closed eyes.
Du Zhiqi's body shuddered, and for a moment, she had nothing to say. She had never imagined that the people sent by the Sage Emperor would be so stupid that they wouldn't even flip through the books, instead immediately taking the list.
”Your Highness, I know nothing. Someone must be framing me!” Du Zhiqi said in anguish as she kneeled to the ground.
”This woman, she's still so tight-lipped, even now!”
Li Jingzhong clenched his fists, his heart brimming with rage.
”Even if you don't confess, there's no problem. Tell me, where is the letter your sister wrote you? Since so little time has passed, it should still be on you!”
Li Heng's voice ringing in her ear, Du Zhiqi trembled, her beautiful face turning ghastly pale and devoid of blood.
Her sister sending a letter about her mother taking ill was just an excuse she had thought up on the spot, and there was no letter to speak of. Even if she had wanted to write one, there had been no time.
”Hmph, you're too clever for your own good. Do you still have anything you want to say!”
Li Jingzhong reacted with a sneer.
The Fifth Prince had been the more quick-witted one, immediately grasping the flaw in her lies.
”It was the Third Prince who sent you, right?” Li Heng asked.
”Since Your Highness is already sure that it was Zhiqi, Zhiqi has nothing to say. Your Highness can do whatever you wish, whether it is killing me or cutting my flesh!”
Du Zhiqi clenched her teeth and dropped her hands, waiting to be arrested.
”Rise! Don't kneel in front of me!”
Li Heng closed his eyes once more in disappointment.
”Our love ends here. From this moment, I do not know you, and you do not know me. Everything will have just been a dream. I can only treat this as my making the wrong judgment of a person. Leave!”