webnovelfull Chapter 421 Cai'er Executed with a Beating
Chapter 421 Cai'er Executed with a Beating
A moment of silence fell over the room.
Shen Fuhan, barely maintaining a sliver of clarity, was about to let someone in when his mouth was covered.
"My...husband, please, please don't shout," the woman in front of her said in a low voice, her voice filled with panic. "My clothes are disheveled right now. Do you want others to see me?"
Shen Fuhan frowned, increasingly sensing that something was amiss.
He tried hard to see her face clearly, but his vision had already become blurred.
Is it really A-Yue?
"Master Hou?"
The guard outside the door called out again in confusion, while glancing around.
It's strange, all the servants in the courtyard are dozing off.
A bad feeling crept into his heart, and Wu, the guard, dared not hesitate any longer, gritting his teeth as he pushed open the door.
A subtle fragrance wafted through the room.
Wu, the guard, heard a rustling sound coming from the inner room.
He gripped the sword at his waist and slowly walked inside.
Heavy bed curtains hung down, obscuring the bed and making it impossible to see what was inside.
But the tassel at the end was still dangling, clearly indicating that it had only been pulled up recently.
Guard Wu crept closer, paused outside the bed for a moment, and then suddenly pulled it open.
I was so shocked that I stood there frozen in place.
The Marquis was lying with a young lady?
The Marquis seemed to be asleep, his eyes closed, his face flushed, and his breathing somewhat rapid and heavy.
The girl's face was hidden by her hair, but her shoulders were bare. He immediately turned away, silently reciting the rule of not looking at what is improper.
He stammered, "Lord, since you are busy, I will not bother you any longer."
Guard Wu retreated outside the door, thought for a moment, and then walked towards the side room.
He knocked gently on the door, but to his surprise, the door opened directly, and there was complete silence inside.
Wu, the guard, was puzzled. Shouldn't the wet nurse and Cai'er be taking care of the young lady? Why was there no sound at all?
He went straight in, only to find two maids lying on the ground. Looking further inside, he saw the wet nurse also holding the young lady, fast asleep.
Wu, the guard, finally realized that something was amiss. Even if the young lady was asleep, someone had to stay awake and watch over her at all times. How could she be so derelict in her duty?
He strode forward and woke the wet nurse.
The wet nurse opened her eyes groggily and asked in bewilderment, "How did I fall asleep?"
She glanced at the sleeping young lady beside her and breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, nothing bad had happened.
"Wet nurses, why are you all asleep?" Guard Wu asked, frowning. "The servants outside are too."
He looked around: "Where is Cai'er?"
The wet nurse was taken aback: "They're all asleep? How is that possible?"
Wu, the guard, paused for a moment, then walked out of the door without a word and entered the bedroom.
Inside the room, the bed curtains were drawn back, and though the shadows were dim, one could see someone moving about.
As if they heard his footsteps, they stopped making any noise.
Guard Wu pulled back the bed curtains and met the gaze of the panicked Cai'er.
Cai'er, who was undressing Shen Fuhan, never expected him to return. She stared at him blankly for a long time before finally stammering out a sentence.
“Brother Wu, this is the Marquis’s order.”
Guard Wu looked at her with a heavy heart and said, word by word, "Whether it is or not, it's not up to you to decide. I can only find out after I ask the Marquis."
These past few days, he has come to report important matters to the Marquis every day, and he has personally witnessed just how weak the Marquis is.
If, even at a time like this, the Marquis still disregards his own health and favors his maidservant, he wouldn't have had only his wife by his side for so many years!
He stepped forward, and Cai'er cried out repeatedly, "No! Brother Wu, please..."
She cried with tears streaming down her face, and for a moment Wu felt a pang of pity, but he still shook off the hand that was trying to stop her.
He was first and foremost the Marquis's bodyguard, and only then did he fall for Cai'er's love, Wu Wei.
"My lord, my lord, wake up."
Shen Fuhan's consciousness was in a state of chaos until he heard persistent calls, at which point he suddenly opened his eyes.
Upon seeing Wu Wei's face, Shen Fuhan, still not fully awake, immediately asked, "Any news?"
Wu Wei nodded: "The man has been caught, and the other guards are interrogating him. I have something else to report."
An uncontrollable sob rang out.
Shen Fuhan turned his head and saw a woman kneeling on the ground with her head down.
He frowned. Why was this person wearing Ah Yue's clothes?
Wu Wei clasped his hands and said, "Reporting to the Marquis, when I came to report, you did not respond. I came in and saw that you were resting, so I did not dare to disturb you."
"Then I went to the side room to find Cai'er, but the wet nurse and the maid had both fainted on the ground. I realized something was wrong and quickly came in, only to find Cai'er sleeping in the same bed as you!"
Shen Fuhan glanced at Cai'er on the ground, but did not immediately deal with her. Instead, he asked, "Is Miss alright?"
Wu Wei was taken aback for a moment, then said, "The young lady hadn't woken up yet, so I didn't know."
"Have the wet nurse bring the young lady over here."
Wu Wei immediately went out the door, and soon returned with the wet nurse carrying the young lady.
The wet nurse knelt down and begged for forgiveness, saying, "This servant has failed in her duty. Please punish me, Your Highness."
Zhao Zhao had just woken up. She rubbed her eyes and suddenly noticed her mother's clothes. Her eyes lit up immediately.
"Mother!"
She rushed over, almost reaching her mother, but her father swept her up in his arms.
"Zhao Zhao, be good, this isn't your mother."
Shen Fuhan placed his hand on her pulse and found nothing seriously wrong, but just in case, he still instructed, "Take the young lady back and have Old Master Qian come to treat her."
Zhao Zhao cried out in confusion. When her wet nurse picked her up, she reached out her little hand and grabbed her mother's clothes.
"Mother..."
Seeing a glimmer of hope, Cai'er, who was trembling like a leaf, grasped the young lady's hand.
If a young lady were to plead for her, the Marquis might spare her life out of consideration for her.
Before she could speak, Shen Fuhan said first, "Take Miss back!"
His voice was cold and stern, and even though he was still ill, his authority remained undiminished.
The wet nurse quickly carried the young lady, who was already crying uncontrollably, away from this place of trouble.
After the door closed, Shen Fuhan asked, "What kind of drug did you put in?"
Cai'er protested, "This servant did not..."
She tried to stall for time, speaking slowly and deliberately.
"This servant only came to deliver some refreshments to the Marquis, and then the Marquis pulled me onto the bed. This servant is innocent!"
Shen Fuhan asked in a cold voice, "Could it be that I made you wear these clothes too?"
"……Yes."
Shen Fuhan calmly said, "Wu Wei, go search her house."
Wu responded sluggishly with a "yes," and slowly walked out of the bedroom like a wilted eggplant.
Cai'er breathed a sigh of relief. As long as no evidence was found, the Marquis would not convict her.
She glanced anxiously at the courtyard, and Shen Fuhan caught her gaze and frowned slightly.
The next moment, a servant announced, "My lord, the old lady has arrived!"
Shen Fuhan then realized what Cai'er was planning.
Did she think that with the old lady protecting her, she would be safe from all harm?
They'll only die faster.
Shen Fuhan called out, "Someone come here!"
Two guards entered before the old lady could.
"What are your orders, Lord Marquis?"
Shen Fuhan said directly, "Drag her away and beat her to death!"