Chapter 166 - 165: The Script (Jojo & He Shi Bi+)
Du Yunluo walked to the window, gently pushed it, revealing a narrow gap.
Although they did not go outside, they could see everything that was happening outside clearly.
Outside in the courtyard, quite a few people were gathered, holding lanterns and candle stands. Their faces looked stern, and it was unclear whether it was because something had happened or simply displeasure from being awoken in the middle of the night.
Du Yunluo spotted Suiyu in the crowd.
Suiyu had just gotten up, her long hair draped over her shoulders, wearing a cloak, she shouted sternly: "Making such a fuss in the middle of the night! The Princess was sleeping well, and you startled her awake, drenching her in sweat. You better explain yourself, or else!"
The palace maid’s body was trembling like a sieve, pointing towards Princess Nanyan’s room, she stammered: "I... I got up in the night, and saw the room door open. Just as I was wondering, a man came out of the Princess’s room, I was so scared I cried out, and then he ran away."
"What nonsense are you spouting!" Suiyu wished she could rush forward and slap the maid, "The County Princess’s reputation can’t withstand your reckless words!"
"I’m not speaking nonsense!" The maid raised her voice, "There really was a man, tall and unmistakably not a woman."
Suiyu’s face went pale under the lantern light.
Du Yunluo and Princess Nanyan exchanged a glance behind the window, each seeing the fear in the other’s eyes.
Once a rumor spreads, whether a man actually appeared doesn’t matter.
As long as Princess Nanyan is in her room, even if she adamantly insists no one entered, it would still give rise to suspicion among those prone to doubt.
Especially since calming incense was burning inside, even if the Princess and Ah Bi awoke, they would be unable to explain anything. Should they die proving their innocence?
The door to the neighboring room creaked open, Mu Lianhui walked out, tired, and scolded: "You must be dreaming."
The palace maid dropped to her knees: "The County Princess’s door is still open now, if no one entered or exited, then who opened the door?"
Mu Lianhui pressed her lips together, speaking to Suiyu: "I’ll go check on the County Princess first."
Suiyu nodded with gritted teeth.
Mu Lianhui had barely taken two steps when Ah Bi rushed out, throwing herself at the palace maid: "Lan Qiao! You damn wretch! How could you say this about the County Princess! It simply didn’t happen, absolutely didn’t happen!"
Lan Qiao was knocked over by Ah Bi, both rolling on the ground.
After a recent downpour, the ground was covered in puddles, and both fought fiercely, quickly becoming a disgrace, the splashing water forcing Suiyu and others to retreat repeatedly.
"Separate them, pull them apart!" Suiyu screamed.
The palace maids were flustered, disregarding decorum and elegance, they finally managed to separate Lan Qiao and Ah Bi.
Lan Qiao gasped, crying: "I know you’re protecting the County Princess, and you dare not let the Lady go in, but if something happened, it must be addressed, right? That’s what a servant ought to do!"
"No!" Ah Bi screamed. She tried to cover Lan Qiao’s mouth but was held back by two palace maids, unable to exert strength, "Don’t speak nonsense, it really didn’t happen, it didn’t, you know?"
"Whether it happened or not, let the Lady and Suiyu check and see." Lan Qiao said.
Du Yunluo reached this point, already understanding the situation.
Princess Nanyan smirked, when Du Yunluo turned towards her, she lowered her gaze and asked, "Do you think Ah Bi is just unable to speak, or does she have something she can’t express?"
Du Yunluo remained silent, since Princess Nanyan asked, it seemed she already had the answer in her heart.
The initial arrangement for this scene seemed to be Lan Qiao’s scream drawing everyone’s attention, while Ah Bi pretends to cover up, leading others to find Princess Nanyan disheveled.
Whether she was deep asleep or suddenly awakened, as long as she was there, she would suffer silent humiliation.
Even if her morals weren’t lacking, she’d still be considered unlucky for falling into a trap, ruining her reputation.
There was nothing Princess Nanyan could do but endure.
This was exactly what Princess An Ran had said, the more one struggles, the more disgraceful it becomes.
Now, Lan Qiao was causing a fuss according to script, while Ah Bi discovered Princess Nanyan wasn’t in the room, trying to stop Lan Qiao to prevent the whole setup being unveiled, yet Lan Qiao misunderstood, thinking Ah Bi’s actions were mere pretenses.
If Ah Bi were truly devoted to protecting Princess Nanyan, her reaction wouldn’t have been like this.
"Let’s go out." Princess Nanyan exhaled slowly.
Du Yunluo nodded.
The door opened, Princess Nanyan raised her voice: "What happened to me?"
Upon hearing Princess Nanyan’s voice from the south, everyone was shocked.
Lan Qiao widened her eyes, filled with disbelief.
Ah Bi lowered her head, then quickly raised it again, crying: "County Princess, where did you go? When I woke up, I couldn’t find you, and this damn witch was spouting nonsense, County Princess!"
Princess Nanyan raised the candle stand, walking a few steps forward: "I was in Miss Du’s room."
Mu Lianhui hurried over, concerned: "What happened? Are you alright?"
Princess Nanyan laughed: "What harm could I suffer? I spent the night playing chess with Miss Du, if it weren’t for Lan Qiao’s scream, we’d still be competing. Lan Qiao, you claimed a man came out of my room?"
Lan Qiao mustered her courage, saying: "Yes, I saw. It’s fortunate the County Princess wasn’t inside."
"Ah Bi, did you see anyone?" Princess Nanyan asked again.
Ah Bi shook her head vehemently: "No, County Princess, there wasn’t anyone. I was inside sleeping, no one came in or out."
Princess Nanyan lifted her gaze, looking at Suiyu and said: "I wasn’t in the room, I don’t know the specifics, Suiyu, perhaps we should investigate, see if Lan Qiao made a mistake or someone attempted something sinister. Fortunately, I napped after arriving at Guoning Temple, so I wasn’t tired at night and went to play chess with Miss Du; otherwise, with such an occurrence, how would I explain?"
Suiyu naturally comforted her, just about to send someone to inquire when Princess Yunhua’s window suddenly flew open, something heavy smashing onto the veranda with a loud crash, breaking completely.
Princess Yunhua’s voice followed: "In the dead of night, are you looking for ghosts?"
Suiyu was too startled to speak.
Princess Nanyan would not return to her own room, and went instead to Du Yunluo’s, Suiyu escorted her inside, immediately noticing the chessboard on the table, with pieces clearly placed.
Suiyu glanced at the palace maid serving Du Yunluo, who nodded: "The County Princess arrived during the rainstorm and has been playing chess with Miss Du ever since. The cloak she wore got wet, I hung it to dry, but it’s not dry yet."
"I understand, I’ll inform the Princess." Suiyu said.
When Suiyu returned to the Princess, the Princess was sitting cross-legged on bed, her bedding and pillow tossed on the floor. Without a word, Suiyu bent down to pick them up.
"Nanyan was lucky indeed." Princess Yunhua said coldly.
Suiyu lowered her head, daring not to speak.
Princess Yunhua did not need her response, getting up barefoot, when she walked past the table, she swept the porcelain bottle onto the ground: "Ah Bi dared say no one entered or exited? If she wasn’t sleeping dead, how could she not know Nanyan went out? Suiyu, tell me, who did it?"
Suiyu broke out in a cold sweat, as if the cold wind from the courtyard had all rushed into her body.
The Princess clearly knew the answer, yet insisted Suiyu say it.
Suiyu lowered her head, speaking with difficulty: "Not the Princess, not the County Princess, not Miss Du, only..."
Princess Yunhua waved her hand, knocking over the chair, the loud noise drowning out Suiyu’s voice.