Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 1095 - 1092_1

Chapter 1095: 1092_1

Shangguan Xuanyi boiled with rage at these words!

"Who is spouting such nonsense?" Shangguan Xuanyi’s voice was icy cold as he turned towards Yang Liu.

Yang Liu laid out everything that Zhao Yong had investigated.

Xiao’er was also taken aback by this: "When did I ever give him a handkerchief? This is sheer nonsense!"

Having said this, Xiao’er remembered once when Zhao Youwei had shielded her from a splash of dumpling soup. She had given him a handkerchief to wipe his face and the soup off his body. Her face changed color when she realized he might still have that handkerchief, leading to Fu Ranhui’s misunderstanding.

So, that’s why Fu Ranhui had been treating her coldly lately!

Seeing Xiao’er’s expression, Shangguan Xuanyi’s heart skipped a beat: "Did you really give him a handkerchief?"

Xiao’er nodded awkwardly, then explained: "Once, when I was having a meal with Princess Ranhui and others..."

Xiao’er quickly clarified the situation.

Shangguan Xuanyi’s face turned totally dark. Annoyed, he glared at Xiao’er. What was she doing stepping in when another man got splashed with dumpling soup!

No matter the circumstances, given who Xiao’er was, and who he was, wasn’t it his duty to shield Xiao’er from a splash of dumpling soup?

Forget about just blocking soup, even if it had been boiling oil, he would have done the same!

Xiao’er, sensing Shangguan Xuanyi’s glare, looked down shamefully.

"You shouldn’t have given him your handkerchief! It’s just inviting trouble for no reason!" Mrs. Liu said, disappointed.

"The handkerchief was unused and had no specific pattern on it." The handkerchief came from her space dimension, where she had plenty of extras! Typically, she carried the ones that had an "X" embroidered on them, reflecting her name, Xiao, in addition to other different patterns.

Nobody would have thought that handkerchief was hers if Fu Ranhui hadn’t been present!

"So what do we do now? We can’t let people slander you. What if it reaches the Empress and the Empress Dowager? What if they misunderstand you?"

"Don’t worry, mother. This matter will be cleared up on its own. The truth will inevitably come out. It’s not Xiao’er’s doing and I shall handle it. I won’t let her be wronged." After hearing the words, Shangguan Xuanyi reassured.

Mrs. Liu nodded reassuredly. Her biggest worry was that Shangguan Xuanyi could be in doubt about Xiao’er’s truthfulness. After all, the underlying implication of those rumors was that Xiao’er was playing him for a fool.

This was a matter of a man’s pride and dignity. Anyone would be furious about that. Mrs. Liu feared this could put a strain on Shangguan Xuanyi and Xiao’er’s relationship.

Knowing that Shangguan Xuanyi trusted Xiao’er, Mrs. Liu felt relieved.

"I should go back to the mansion now."

"Mother, didn’t you say you were going to wait for dinner before leaving?" asked Xiao’er.

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Xuanyi said: "Mother, please wait, I will make dinner right away."

Shangguan Xuanyi said this and walked towards the kitchen.

Mrs. Liu: "..."

Why did that sound so odd?

It took Mrs. Liu a while to realize that it was something women usually said.

She quickly said, "I don’t need dinner, I need to rush back to the mansion, or they will worry if I’m out for half the day."

"Why not send a message home to father?" Xiao’er pulled Mrs. Liu, insisting she stay for dinner.

Finally, Mrs. Liu couldn’t hold out any longer against Xiao’er and stayed for dinner before leaving Prince Rui’s Mansion.

After dinner, when it was dark and quiet, Shangguan Xuanyi didn’t bring up the matter. Xiao’er was expecting an earful from him. But to her surprise, he was silent, just playing the guqin as always, reciting the Four Books and Five Classics to their unborn child.

Xiao’er finally couldn’t hold back and asked, "Brother Shangguan, aren’t you mad?"

"Of course!"

"Aren’t you going to scold me?"

"Do I scold you often?"

"No!" Xiao’er really wanted to retort, "Are you sure?" But she didn’t dare!

She was scolded every time she made a mistake and was so restricted, always asking what she was not allowed to do. Fortunately, Xiao’er thought to herself, she had developed an immunity to it!

"This isn’t your fault." Shangguan Xuanyi knew about the blank handkerchiefs in Xiao’er’s space dimension. Giving one of them, which she hadn’t used, to someone who had saved her, wasn’t really a big deal but an openhearted act, especially as it was done openly with other people present.

Even though he knew there was no wrong, his heart still ached a bit. The lass was now pregnant and he could not upset her. So if someone was to be blamed, it would be the person who couldn’t bear to throw away that handkerchief.

Someone was coveting his girl, and Shangguan Xuanyi was enormously unhappy! But then, he was a man who distinguished clearly between public and private matters. Moreover, Zhao Youwei was genuinely talented. Given a little more time, he could be a pillar of Minze Country.

Shangguan Xuanyi had thought that Zhao Youwei would conceal his feelings very well. After all, for so many years, nobody found out.

Moreover, ever since his marriage to Fu Ranhui, he felt that Zhao Youwei had changed. He hadn’t sneaked glances at Xiao’er any more.

He perceived that a man who recognizes his family responsibilities, upholds his responsibilities as a husband, would also feel a sense of responsibility towards the country. Hence, he recommended Zhao Youwei as the leading general to launch the first attack on Nangong Country, to give him an opportunity to further his career.

The fact that Zhao Youwei still succumbed to a mishap like this surprised him. They needed to find a new general!

"Thanks, Brother Shangguan for believing in me." Xiao’er, after hearing this, decided to give Shangguan Xuanyi a hug, but her bulging belly created a physical gap between them.

This led both of them to burst into laughter.

...

The next day, Zhao Youwei came to apologize early in the morning. Having heard about the rumours, and realizing it was getting out of hand, he expressed his anger in the mansion, and the next day he came begging for forgiveness. The anxious Mrs. Zhao and Fu Ranhui were right behind him.

Looking at Mrs. Zhao, Shangguan Xuanyi said impassively: "Now that you admit your mistake, you deserve a slap!"

On hearing this, Mrs. Zhao looked at Shangguan Xuanyi, taken aback. A slap?

She was a lady of consequence, not a maid!

"No? So you’d prefer someone else to do it?"

"No, no! Spare me, Prince Rui! I will be careful henceforth!" Terrified, Mrs. Zhao quickly knelt and apologized, begging for mercy.

"Prince Rui, I am willing to take the punishment on behalf of my mother." Zhao Youwei was angered too. He was furious at Fu Ranhui for escalating things and more so at his mother for letting it become public knowledge. He was even more angry at himself for a moment’s negligence that had hurt others and himself.

"Rest assured, no one can escape this punishment. As for Mrs. Zhao, no one can intercede on her behalf. She will accept a lesson today. Even the nobles are not exempt from the law, and the Princess must also face punishment until she learns caution in her speech!"

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