Volume 1, Chapter 40: Are you playing me?

"What is the meaning of this? The Eldest Prince has always held General Zhenyuan in the highest regard; how could I have possibly offended him? Shu'er, could you have listened to some baseless rumors and misunderstood something?"

Hearing Xie Shu mention the Eldest Prince repeatedly, Ning Rongsheng felt a prickle of unease. Could she have truly discovered something? Xie Shu drew out the end of her sentence with a deep, lingering "Oh," and then fell silent.

Seeing this, Ning Rongsheng hurried to add, "As for the affairs of the General Zhenyuan Mansion, I am certain it is a deliberate frame-up. Rest assured, the Eldest Prince and I will surely investigate this thoroughly and restore the innocence of the General Zhenyuan Mansion!"

With a flick of her wrist, Xie Shu placed the cup of osmanthus wine back onto the table. Ning Rongsheng watched her movements, his eyes filled with disappointment.

Xie Shu took it all in. She curled her lips at Ning Rongsheng, a chill reaching her eyes, and raised an eyebrow, asking, "In that case, I wonder how you, Heir Ning, intend to protect the General Zhenyuan Mansion—and me?"

Since returning from the Imperial Academy, Ning Rongsheng had been mulling over Xie Shu's behavior these past few days. At first, he couldn't fathom why she was acting so erratically, but after a few hints from Eunuch Tao, he suddenly understood.

As the saying goes, "When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter." The Xie family now had no one to rely on. The military officials who were once close were now of little influence in the court, and the civil officials had long harbored grievances against the General Zhenyuan Mansion, so no one was willing to put in a good word for them.

His Marquis Cheng'en Mansion was the only one willing to help.

Xie Shu’s desperate desire to marry into his family was likely a scheme to use this only remaining opportunity to latch onto the Marquis Cheng'en Mansion. Ning Rongsheng had always been conceited, and the more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that he was right.

Especially hearing this question from Xie Shu, his heart soared with joy.

Women, after all, still had to rely on their husbands' families.

"Don't worry. I have already discussed this with the Eldest Prince today. His Majesty is quite wary of the General Zhenyuan Mansion, especially the elusive Red Mang Army of the Xie family. According to the Eldest Prince, it would be best if you were to hand over the Red Mang Command Token first. The Eldest Prince could then present it to His Majesty on your behalf to plead for the Xie family. That would certainly ensure the safety of the General Zhenyuan Mansion!"

Ning Rongsheng’s words sounded as if he were planning for the sake of the Xie family, but every syllable was dripping with calculation.

Xie Shu couldn't help but laugh out loud. They certainly had a clever scheme!

If she were truly going to hand over the Red Mang Command Token, couldn't she do it herself?

Why must she use the Eldest Prince’s hand to do it?

They really took her for a fool.

At this moment, Xie Shu felt incredibly fortunate that she had long since given the Red Mang Command Token to Wenying. If it had truly remained in her hands, she feared it would have been snatched away by these petty villains sooner or later.

"The Red Mang Command Token?" Xie Shu looked puzzled, frowned as if deep in thought, and then asked, "What Red Mang Command Token?"

"The token that can command the Red Mang Army—did the General not give it to you?" Seeing her look of confusion, as if she had never heard of it, Ning Rongsheng grew suspicious and pressed, "That’s impossible, isn't it? If the token isn't with you, who else could have it?"

As expected, everyone in the capital assumed this token was in her possession.

Only her father and eldest sister were foolish enough to think others couldn't guess!

Xie Shu spread her hands and shook her head. "I don't know. Before my father and eldest sister left, they gave me many things. Perhaps it is among them. Or perhaps, it is not."

Xie Shu kept her words vague. After all, she had always possessed many treasures and had never paid much attention to them.

In the storehouse of the General Zhenyuan Mansion, there were countless rare gold and silver jewels, antiques, and paintings. Occasionally, when she felt a sudden whim, she would take them out to look at them, only to lose track of where she had put them.

Ning Rongsheng often visited the General Zhenyuan Mansion, so he was naturally familiar with Xie Shu's temperament.

At this moment, he truly could not determine whether Xie Shu was speaking the truth or a lie.

"Why don't you go back to the General's Mansion and look for it?" Ning Rongsheng asked tentatively.

Xie Shu rolled her eyes, recalling something, and then gave a light "Ah," clapping her palms together as if she had just remembered something.

"Did you think of it?" Seeing this, Ning Rongsheng urged her impatiently.

"It seems my father did give me something and told me to keep it safe." Xie Shu bit her lower lip, answering with a troubled expression, "But what it is, or where I put it, I've forgotten."

"Then, shall I go with you to look for it?" Ning Rongsheng's spirits lifted immediately; perhaps the Red Mang Command Token was hidden right there in the General Zhenyuan Mansion!

"No need, I can go look for it myself." Xie Shu refused point-blank. She smiled, "If His Majesty truly wants this Red Mang Command Token, once I find it, I will give it directly to His Majesty. Why trouble the Eldest Prince?"

Ning Rongsheng opened his mouth, suddenly at a loss for words.

"Ning Rongsheng, do you really think I'm a fool?" Xie Shu, having played the part for so long, couldn't help but laugh out loud. She lifted her hand and poured the cup of osmanthus wine onto the floor.

The sound of the liquid splashing onto the stone tiles sounded grating to Ning Rongsheng’s ears. He realized in shock, "Xie Shu, you played me!"

"How can you say I played you?" Xie Shu set the empty wine cup back down and replied with a composed demeanor, "I just wanted to see how truly stupid you are."

Ning Rongsheng’s expression tightened.

"You don't still think that I have nowhere else to go and that's why I'm desperate to marry you, do you?" Xie Shu sat quietly to the side, savoring the way the hypocritical smile on Ning Rongsheng’s face slowly crumbled.

"Then why are you so insistent on marrying me?" Ning Rongsheng looked at the woman before him, calm as still water. An inexplicable fear rose within him. As he gazed into her dark eyes, the deep blackness felt like an abyss, drawing him in.

Xie Shu raised her eyebrows slightly, a faint, elusive smile appearing on her face. She parted her lips and spoke in a low, ghostly tone: "I already told you, because I intend to drag you all down into hell with me."

At that moment, Ning Rongsheng’s palms turned cold. He suddenly realized that Xie Shu truly hated him.

And she truly intended to drag both him and the Marquis Cheng'en Mansion into hell.

The things she had said were not on a whim.

Nor was she treating the Marquis Cheng'en Mansion as her last straw.

"Why do you hate me so much?" After a pause, Ning Rongsheng looked confused. He said, unwilling to accept it, "I have always treated you well."

Treated her well?

In her past life, Ning Rongsheng had also "treated her well," but those so-called kindnesses were only to extract returns from her.

Everything he did was a calculation.

"Ning Rongsheng, my eldest sister treated you well, too!" Xie Shu mocked him. "Your father, the Marquis of Cheng'en, was utterly disgraceful. You were looked down upon in the capital since you were a child. It was my eldest sister who saw your plight and helped you, treating you like a brother."

"And you? Is this how you repay her?" Xie Shu was filled with bitter hatred. Her sister’s sincere heart had been fed to a dog! She had helped such an ingrate! Back then, she really should have let those noble youths beat Ning Rongsheng into a pulp!

At the mention of Xie Ying, a flicker of panic flashed across Ning Rongsheng’s face. "What did I do? I didn't do anything."

"If you don't want people to know, don't do it." Xie Shu had no proof at the moment; otherwise, she would have long ago burned the Marquis Cheng'en Mansion to the ground. Why would she need to go through all this trouble?

"When my eldest sister returns to the capital, I will certainly expose your true colors to her! You despicable, shameless villain!" Xie Shu cursed at Ning Rongsheng viciously.

At the mention of Xie Ying, Ning Rongsheng lost his composure. Xie Ying doted on Xie Shu above all else, and she believed everything Xie Shu said without question.

No! He absolutely could not let Xie Shu talk nonsense!

Ning Rongsheng’s eyes darkened. He picked up the bowl of soup from the table and pushed it toward Xie Shu. "Aren't you here to eat? Come, come, drink some soup. It’s your favorite tofu and fish ball soup."

"The soup is poisoned. I won't drink it." Xie Shu pushed the bowl away directly.

"The soup is not poisoned," Ning Rongsheng argued.

"Then you drink it." Xie Shu pushed the bowl back toward Ning Rongsheng. "If it's not poisoned, you drink it."

Looking at Xie Shu, who refused to be swayed, Ning Rongsheng finally resigned himself. He said, "Xie Shu, do you think I'm ridiculous?"

"Yes, not only ridiculous, but pathetic and hateful!" Xie Shu nodded without hesitation. "The pathetic must have their hateful aspects"—she hadn't believed this saying before, but she believed it now.

"Someone! Help! Catch the thief!"

Suddenly, a loud commotion and shouting erupted from outside the door!