Becoming the Villain's Discarded Wife
Chapter 415: The Covenant

Chapter 415: Chapter 415: The Covenant

Nanzhi did not care about what others said, she just stared at Hen Xiang who was kneeling before her, speaking in an icy tone.

"Do you really want to go with Qian Er?"

Looking up at her, Hen Xiang moistened her lips and knocked her head heavily on the ground. "I... I want to, please help me fulfill my wish, Lady of the City!"

The girl was no more than fifteen, in the prime of her youth. As she knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face, she looked so pitiful and pleading that many people sighed in sympathy.

"Alright, since you are willing to go with him, I will release your servitude contract. As you have served me faithfully, I will give you one piece of advice.

One can know a person’s face, but not their heart."

Nanzhi slightly tilted her head, and Ling Long quickly went to the backyard, bowing as she left.

She had brought the servitude contracts of several girls to the restaurant as soon as the issue between Hen Xiang and Qian Er arose a few days ago.

She intended to give this maid a hand, but only if the latter was willing to accept her help. Otherwise, why should she play the villain to break up a pair of lovers?

Hen Xiang looked slightly stunned, her face showing a trace of confusion.

The sisters had been advising her these days.

But she always believed that Qian Er treated her well.

Even though he had done things wrong in the past, he had changed himself for her sake.

She believed that she could make Qian Er a better person, and that leaving servitude behind, no matter what happened afterward, could not be worse than her present situation of being treated as inferior to others.

"Sister Hen!"

Ling Long had brought the box containing the servitude contract and now stood properly by Nanzhi’s side.

Seeing the contract in Nanzhi’s hand, Qian Er’s eyes were shining. Becoming impatient when Hen Xiang did not get up right away, he nudged her slightly with his toe.

Upon this, Hen Xiang seemed to come back to her senses, stumbling as she got up from the ground.

"I will remember Lady of the City’s kindness all my life."

At this moment, Hen Xiang’s forehead was marked with a red bruise, her face pale, and she looked very weak.

"Liao Da, take the silver. Since this is Qian Er’s sincere offer, we should give him some face."

"Alright." Liao Da nodded, accepting the silver from Qian Er’s hand.

Qian Er felt a pang of heartache when the silver was taken away.

That was a tael of silver!

But he was told that he could still get another tael as a reward if he could bring Hen Xiang back.

With this in mind, Qian Er felt less reluctant and just wanted to quickly get the servitude contract in order to take Hen Xiang home.

"Hen Xiang, you can go now."

Nanzhi passed the contract over.

The flimsy piece of paper made Hen Xiang burst into tears once again.

Before she could even reach out for it, Qian Er just grabbed the servitude contract.

At his action, Hen Xiang seemed taken aback, then looked a little bewildered as she glanced at Nanzhi.

"Everybody, be my witnesses here. I have accepted Qian Er’s tael of silver, and he has taken the servitude contract of Hen Xiang. Whatever happens to Hen Xiang in the future has nothing to do with me anymore, Lin Nanzhi."

"Fine."

"Fine!"

The onlookers nodded in response.

The woman who had spoken up for Qian Er earlier was all smiles, believing that she had done a great deed today.

"Hen Xiang, let’s go."

Having received the servitude contract, Qian Er was in a hurry to leave with Hen Xiang, and the crowd quickly parted to let them pass.

However, before they could leave, they were intercepted by Liu Jie and his team of functionaries.

"Are you Qian Er?"

Liu Jie looked at the man before him and frowned slightly.

"Yes, yes." Upon seeing the officials approaching, Qian Er’s smile instantly froze on his face, and he could only muster a half-hearted response.

"I didn’t know you were busy. I’ll get going; I’ll get going now..."

As Qian Er spoke, he had already begun sidestepping away.

The onlookers, who had been enjoying the spectacle, also backed off, consciously leaving a circle open for the officials. The others continued to peek into the circle to keep up with the drama.

Seeing him trying to escape, Liu Jie commanded his men to seize him.

"Wh-What are you doing?"

Qian Er’s voice wavered, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

He was never one with a lot of guts. He was used to petty thefts, but official appearances made him feel like a mouse in front of a cat.

He was scared.

"What are you doing?" Seeing Qian Er being seized by the officials, Hen Xiang, despite her irritation at him for letting go of her hand earlier, just wanted to help him.

"Girl, what are you doing!" The woman, who had been speaking on their behalf, saw her stepping forward and hurriedly held her back.

These were officials! Crossing them could mean corporal punishment!

"Madam, I, I..." Hen Xiang was stunned; she had never been in such turmoil.

Just as things seemed to get out of hand, Hen Xiang felt a pinch on her arm. She turned her head and saw an older lady giving her a pointed look in Lin Nanzhi’s direction, who was coldly observing everything in the courtyard.

"Master’s wife, I beg you to spare Brother Qian Er! I am willing to serve you as a servant for the rest of my life!"

Hearing her plea, which was laden with desolation, Ling Long and the other girls almost turned green with indignation.

Hen Xiang was such a fool!

"Hen Xiang! You should speak conscientiously! We all know how the master treats us! You should not tarnish the master’s reputation like this!"

Ling Long’s face turned red with anger.

They knew exactly how kind their master was to them, but what about Hen Xiang?

Tarnishing the master’s reputation in front of so many people because of some unruly man!

Nanzhi did not get angry. She had noted that as soon as Liu Jie arrived, Qian Er had tried to run away, even letting go of Hen Xiang’s hand abruptly.

If Hen Xiang wanted to get herself involved with such a man, why should Nanzhi stop her.

"Qian Er, since you have splashed blood in our direction, you should bear the consequences."

Nanzhi had noticed when Qian Er arrived that there was some blood on his elbow, but he probably hadn’t seen it because it was in an off position. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have paraded it openly.

"Y-You must have evidence before making such accusations."

Qian Er turned pale, his legs were giving out.

"Exactly, you can’t just arrest someone for no reason."

"Yes, yes."

Someone among the crowd started to echo, but Liu Jie just gave a signal, and two officials went in to arrest them.

After the two troublemakers were arrested, Qian Er recognized them, deflated, and gave up resistance, letting the officials guide him to the county yamen.

When they saw the people who joined in the discussion were taken away, others also shut their mouths, afraid of being taken in as well.

With Qian Er led away, Hen Xiang could only whimper and wipe her tears as she followed him.

Her contract releasing her from servitude was still in Qian Er’s possession. Unless she went to the county yamen and removed her registration, she would still be considered a low-ranking slave.

Seeing her leaving, Nanzhi reminded her again indifferently.

"Hen Xiang, remember the contract we signed."

Hearing her words, Hen Xiang shivered, twisted her head for a last look at them, gritted her teeth, and followed after Qian Er.

Without the spectacle to watch, the crowd gradually dispersed, leaving Liao Da to look at Nanzhi with a troubled expression.

"Master..."

"Clean the courtyard. Take these taels of silver to Uncle Ping and let him distribute them as bonuses."