Chapter 327: Chapter 232:
Lu Ziyuan is coming?
Xie Wanqing’s first reaction was anxiety, but she quickly relaxed.
He is going to Xiangzhou to quell a rebellion, and Xiangzhou is more than 200 miles away from Bianzhou, really far.
If nothing major happens, it’s impossible for the Crown Prince to personally come.
Thinking of this, Xie Wanqing smiled while comforting Chen Xixi, "Why panic? Even if he’s going to Xiangzhou, and even if he comes to Bianzhou, I rarely even go out now. How could he catch me?"
Everyone thinks the eldest daughter of the Marquis Xuanping Mansion already died at Dayang Lake, and Lu Ziyuan’s people would only fish for her body there, not search the world for her.
She’s very safe.
Though she’s at ease, Chen Xixi beside her is utterly terrified of Lu Ziyuan.
Back in Qingzhou, she had heard of his great reputation from her father, and later witnessed it firsthand. Even the Chen Family was wiped out by this God of Killing.
Whenever she thinks of Lu Ziyuan, her heart pounds with fear.
But she knows her cousin is right, if nothing major happens, Lu Ziyuan won’t come to Bianzhou, they’re safe.
Every day, Chen Xixi worries if the distant Lu Ziyuan would one day come to capture her cousin, but she didn’t expect the trouble would start with her own family first.
This year coincides with the provincial exam, Li Wenhao has diligently studied for three years and is determined to have a try.
As the autumn exam approaches, the town is filled with scholars from various counties coming for the exam. He no longer buries himself in books but often accepts invitations from fellow students to attend gatherings, thinking of boosting his reputation, making quite some friends in the process.
Among friends, there’s always some exchange of favors. The Li Family isn’t very wealthy, but they run a pastry store that’s quite reputable in Bianzhou City. Naturally, when gathering with friends, Li Wenhao likes to bring some pastries from home.
The incident happened over these pastries.
Several scholars ate the pastries he brought, and upon returning home, they suffered severe food poisoning. Forget concentrating on studies for the autumn exam, at this rate, they seem ready to meet their end.
Their families filed a lawsuit.
With the autumn exam approaching, implicating several scholars, the authorities certainly wouldn’t dare to neglect it.
When Chen Xixi frantically came, Li Wenhao had already been taken by the authorities, and the Li Family’s pastry store was sealed off. Even the Li Family’s Mother-in-law, who made the pastries, was taken for questioning.
If it weren’t for her pregnancy and her recent absence from the pastry store, she might have been taken too.
Xie Wanqing watched as the panicked Chen Xixi, speaking incoherently, quickly helped her into the house. Once she understood the situation, her brows furrowed tightly.
"The pastries are absolutely fine. My mother-in-law always brings back unsold pastries after closing the shop. Even while pregnant, I’ve eaten them without issue. Why did they harm only them?" Chen Xixi said, "They must be trying to frame my husband."
Xie Wanqing agreed the pastries were fine, as her appetite had returned somewhat recently, and she ate quite a lot of Li Family’s pastries.
But to say several scholars conspired to harm the Li Family, that doesn’t make sense either.
From what she knows, Li Wenhao became a scholar at a young age, quite talented among common folks, but compared to many students, he’s not particularly outstanding.
He’s neither the hot favorite to win this year’s exam nor does he have any notable background.
This is the autumn exam held once every three years; how many such opportunities do exist in a lifetime? The young scholars don’t strive to succeed but conspire to harm such an unknown character.
What’s the motive?
