Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 146 Pearl

Qin Jiu, huddled in the corner, was about to look up when he heard the noise. Duke Liang rushed up and kicked him three times, but Qin Jiu didn't even utter a sound.

Duke Liang grabbed Qin Jiu and pinned him against the wall. He stared at Qin Jiu's face for a moment, then cursed, "You bastard, born of a mother but uneducated, you have the audacity to harm my daughter..."

Qin Jiu chuckled, her tone mocking: "Even a noble princess, born and raised by a mother, lies beneath that bastard, pleasing him and giving birth to a little bastard..."

"Ninth Brother!" Nianyao interrupted Qin Jiu urgently.

With a resounding slap, Duke Liang delivered a solid blow to his face. Qin Jiu staggered back, losing his balance, and Duke Liang kicked him.

Qin Jiu collapsed to the ground, swallowing a mouthful of something metallic and sweet.

Nianyao rushed in and helped Qin Jiu up: "Brother Jiu, are you alright? Let's go."

Duke Liang blocked their way: "Want to leave? What do you think this place is? You think you can come and go as you please?"

Qin Jiu wiped away the blood that had spilled from the corner of his mouth, only to feel a sharp pain in his back.

Nianyao said arrogantly, "The Great River Gang is not bound by the laws of the four kingdoms, and their crimes are handled by the Discipline Hall. Even if a Dongyang person commits a crime, it should be handed over to the Dali Temple for trial. According to Dongyang law, what crime should the Duke be charged with using private torture?"

Duke Liang pointed at Qin Jiu: "A man as heinous as him deserves to be killed by everyone. Why would he need a trial?"

Nianyao said to An Liangchen, "Your Highness, I heard that Princess Qingcheng once drugged Luo An, intending to force him into a relationship and drive him away from Heaven and Earth. This shows that Princess Qingcheng is not a person who follows the rules and knows etiquette."

No one witnessed what happened back then, and without a trial, how can it be determined that Ninth Brother forced and harmed him, or that Princess Qingcheng took advantage of Ninth Brother's heroic and chivalrous nature, seduced him, and then abandoned him...?

Princess Minghui stood outside the prison cell and angrily said, "Nonsense! How can the phrase 'starting a relationship and then abandoning it' be used to describe a woman?"

Qin Jiu turned around upon hearing the sound and immediately saw a bright and beautiful woman with a head full of pearl hairpins standing to the left of Princess Minghui. It was Liang Qingcheng.

Princess Minghui looked resentful. Liang Qingcheng's expression was complicated, and she lowered her head slightly when she met his gaze.

Luo An stood next to Liang Qingcheng, his hands behind his back, his expression unchanged.

Qin Jiu sighed inwardly and lowered her eyes.

Nianyao said coldly, "It would be unsuitable for other women, but it's quite suitable for a princess who intends to drug and rape men."

Duke Liang and Princess Minghui were trembling with anger, while Liang Qingcheng's face flushed red and then turned pale. The whole family was speechless.

Seeing that the time was right, An Liangchen was about to smooth things over: "Aunt, Uncle..."

Qin Jiu gently pushed Nian Yao away, his tone mild: "It was indeed I who forced myself on the princess, and I am willing to accept the punishment."

An Liangchen didn't know whether to praise Qin Jiu for his sense of responsibility or scold him for being out of touch with reality.

Nianyao was very straightforward: "Ninth Brother? You don't need to speak up for people like them."

Qin Jiu shook his head: "Back then, when I took my aunt to Heaven and Earth for medical treatment, I was immediately attracted to the princess. After burying my aunt, I knocked out the guard under the pretense of visiting the princess, forced her, and escaped from the back mountain."

Nianyao said, "Then why..."

Qin Jiu interrupted her: "The guards from back then can testify to this, so the gang leader doesn't need to make excuses for me anymore."

Nianyao glanced at the group, her gaze settling on Liang Qingcheng: "Why aren't you saying anything? Are you deaf or mute?"

Liang Qingcheng bit her lip and remained silent. Princess Minghui, both angry and anxious, slapped her.

Liang Qingcheng covered her face and ran away. Nianyao watched her run away, sneered, and was about to say that the princess was guilty.

Luo An spoke up to stop them: "This matter concerns the reputation of the Princess's residence. Let the Duke and the Elder Lord decide how to deal with Qin Jiu. Nianyao, come out here."

Although Nianyao was unwilling, she obeyed and left the cell when Luo An beckoned to her. Luo An pulled her out of the prison.

Nianyao asked, puzzled, "Why are you stopping me? If Ninth Brother really forced himself on her, would he really leave her a scroll as leverage? The First Princess is clearly suspicious..."

Luo An quickly said, "The Duke is just putting on an act; he won't do anything to him. If you keep stirring things up, they'll lose face, and things will be even harder to handle. The Crown Prince is very busy lately, and the Crown Princess is pregnant again. He also has to worry about these trivial matters. I feel exhausted just watching him."

Nianyao said, "But Ninth Brother..."

Luo An said, "At most, you'll break two ribs; you won't die."

Nianyao thought for a moment: "You mean... I was wrong... meddling unnecessarily... and making things worse?"

Luo An said, "...How could the madam be wrong? The princess is spoiled and does indeed deserve to be taught a lesson."

Nianyao said, "She still has designs on you; you can't let her off easily."

Luo An echoed firmly, "Yes!"

Nianyao was slightly satisfied: "Do you think the eldest princess is a bit off? She took the scroll to Jingzhao Manor to find Ninth Brother when she was pregnant, but she had to wait until now."

Luo An flattered, "Not everyone is as clever as you, Madam."

Nianyao suddenly sighed, "Ninth Brother has kept it well hidden; he hasn't uttered a single word in all these years. What do you think the Duke and the Eldest Princess will do to him?"

Luo An said, "Of course it's about finding a son-in-law, what else?"

Nianyao said, "I think the eldest princess is quite concerned about her reputation, so she might let the eldest princess go with Ninth Brother."

Luo An thought for a moment and said, "If the Crown Prince takes a liking to Qin Jiu, he might want to keep him in Dongyang."

Nianyao suddenly asked, "Why do you call them Crown Prince, Duke, and Princess? And why does the Crown Prince call them Aunt and Uncle..."

Luo An said, "My surname is Luo, not An."

"They really managed to distance themselves so cleanly," Nianyao thought to herself. The two chatted and walked for a while before arriving at the Prince's residence.

Xue Yunting stood by the flower bed in front of the Prince's mansion with a delicate-looking woman, as if he had been waiting for them on purpose: "Sister, brother-in-law."

The woman beside Xue Quting bowed, her voice soft and slow, like a clear stream washing over the heart: "Sister, brother-in-law."

Luo An said, "Miss Duan, you're too kind."

The woman's body moved, but her swaying ornaments barely touched the ground; she exuded the air of a refined young lady. Nianyao asked Luo An in a low voice, "Do you know her?"

Luo An said, "The young general said he wanted to marry the daughter of Duan Yi from Kunzhou."

Xue Yunting said, "Brother-in-law is wise. Sister, this is Duan Mingzhu. I'll trouble you to take good care of my sister-in-law in the future."

Sister-in-law? Nianyao asked incredulously, "You...you...you're married?"

Duan Mingzhu said, "Sister, we didn't expect it to be so soon. But Yunting said that if he can't get married before Grandma passes away, Grandma will die with regrets."

Nianyao didn't have much affection for Consort Ning; her return was merely out of social obligation. Xue Yunting should have done the same.

Luo An looked at Duan Mingzhu, then suddenly reached out and placed his hand on her wrist. He didn't release her for a while before saying, "The young general is indeed... remarkable..."

Nianyao noticed something was off about Luo An's tone; his voice was somewhat harsh. She blurted out, "What's wrong with her?"

Xue Yunting said, "Sister, she is pregnant."

Duan Mingzhu said shyly, "Yunting said that my sister is pregnant with twins, so it would be good for us to be together and look after each other."

Luo An sensed something was amiss: "Is the young mistress coming with us?"

Duan Mingzhu said, "Brother-in-law, you can just call me Mingzhu. Yunting is working in Father's army and it's inconvenient for him to take me with him, so he asked me to stay with my sister for the time being."