Chapter 176 - 176:176. The Cost of Lying
Translator: 549690339
“Have you seen Xiao Mulian before? Do you know what she looks like?” Su Liang asked Ning Jing.
Ning Jing nodded, “I met her once.”
“Alright,” Su Liang pondered, “I have a plan, let me know if it’s feasible.”
Residence of the Second Prince.
Early in the morning, Duanmu Ao threw a tantrum, smashing two precious porcelain vases. The servants were frightened into silence.
The women in the backyard hadn’t slept together with Duanmu Ao for more than a month because he was still recovering from his injury. The Imperial Physician advised that he should abstain from sex for now.
The Second Prince’s wife, Lady Mei of the Mei Family, came over and asked if Duanmu Ao had a nightmare.
Upon hearing this, Duanmu Ao’s anger intensified, “Get out! All of you, leave!”
After Lady Mei and the servants left, Duanmu Ao sat there with a dark expression, clenching his fists, his veins bulging.
Last night, he saw the already deceased Xiao Mulian standing by the bedside. At that moment, he was scared out of his wits, but when he blinked, she was gone. It wasn’t just a nightmare, it seemed like Xiao Mulian’s ghost really came to find him…
By the time Lady Mei returned, Duanmu Ao had calmed down a bit. She mentioned that Changchun Garden was hosting a new play, and asked if he wanted to go watch it together.
Duanmu Ao did not like watching plays, but he enjoyed the flexible female performers.
In the backyard of the Second Prince’s residence, there was a maid who used to play a young female lead in the Changchun Garden.
But when he heard about Changchun Garden, Duanmu Ao’s face darkened, “I won’t go!”
Lady Mei went with some other servants.
But not long after, a maid brought tea and mentioned that Lady Mei had returned from Changchun Garden.
“They said all the trees in Changchun Garden mysteriously fell down last night. It’s so strange that some people think it’s haunted, and the garden is now closed.” The maid said.
Duanmu Ao’s face stiffened, “How can there be ghosts during the day?” The maid shrank her neck and said, “This servant deserves death.”
But soon after, Duanmu Ao sent his aide to Changchun Garden to investigate.
The aide returned and reported, “There are no signs of anyone trespassing. We didn’t even find any footprints. Those trees didn’t show any evidence of being cut down either. Dozens of trees, all fell in a single night, and all of them fell in the same direction. It’s really bizarre.”
The owner of Changchun Garden wanted to keep this incident a secret, but it was impossible to cover it up.
Duanmu Ao’s face grew increasingly ugly, “Which direction did the trees fall toward?”
The aide respectfully replied, “This subordinate went in and saw that all the trees were pointing in the southwest direction.”
Duanmu Ao’s eyes narrowed. The Crown Prince’s mansion and the Second Prince’s mansion were adjacent, just southwest of Changchun Garden…
“Someone must be playing tricks!” Duanmu Ao snorted coldly. But his clenched fists never loosened, indicating that he was not at all calm.
In the afternoon, Crown Prince Duanmu Cheng came to the Second Prince’s residence.
When the two brothers met, they both had bruises under their eyes.
After dismissing the servants, they sat facing each other, their expressions somber.
“What does the Crown Prince want from me?” Duanmu Ao asked.
Duanmu Cheng sighed deeply, “How’s your health?”
Duanmu Ao was immediately annoyed, “There’s no need for you to worry! I’m in great health!”
Duanmu Cheng gave a bitter smile, “Are you still blaming me?”
Duanmu Ao snorted, “What do I have to blame you for?”
Duanmu Cheng shook his head, wanting to say something but hesitating. In the end, he never brought up that unspeakable incident again.
The two eventually parted ways unhappily, as if they hadn’t said much of anything.
Su Mansion.
Nian Jincheng, facing a mirror, disguised himself and then turned to ask Yang
Yu, “Do I look like him?”
Yang Yu was confused, “Like who?”
“The Second Prince.” Nian Jincheng looked back at the mirror, “I forgot you haven’t seen him.”
“Does the Second Prince really look like this? It’s so ugly.” Yang Yu snorted lightly. She didn’t know Duanmu Ao, but she knew that Su Liang’s family tragedy was related to the Second Prince. After Su Liang came to the capital, Duanmu Ao had caused her trouble several times, even sending an assassin to kill her, but had failed.
Nian Jincheng nodded, “Indeed, very ugly.”
“Are you done?” Su Liang entered and sized up Nian Jincheng’s face. She thought the disguise was still lacking and asked him to make some adjustments.
Seeing Su Liang so serious, Yang Yu realized that Nian Jincheng wasn’t just practicing disguise using any random person’s face. So she asked, “Are you planning to have him pose as the Second Prince?”
“Yang Xiaoyu, you’re really smart.” Su Liang confirmed Yang Yu’s guess. Yang Yu frowned, “This…isn’t it very dangerous?”
Nian Jincheng hesitated for a moment, looked at Yang Yu, and saw genuine concern in her eyes. He felt warmth in his heart and explained, “It’s alright. I will be careful.”
“You need to be careful, and you need to learn the Second Prince’s mannerisms well. Don’t mess up Su Liang’s plans.” Yang Yu said seriously, even though she wasn’t aware of the plan.
Nian Jincheng: … Although it made sense, he thought Yang Yu was just worried about his safety…
Su Liang revealed a meaningful smile, “Don’t be nervous, just relax.”
That night, Duanmu Ao drank strong tea and lay awake. He arranged for a martial arts master to protect him in stealth.
He stayed awake until dawn without seeing Xiao Mulian again.
With bloodshot eyes, he breathed a sigh of relief, dismissed everyone, and immediately fell asleep.
When Duanmu Ao woke up, he was met with a blood-red scene. He was so scared that he rolled out of his bed!
His bed canopy and sheets were all covered in blood, sending shivers down his spine!
The servants rushed in and were also frightened half to death.
After verifying that Duanmu Ao was unharmed, they discovered that no one had entered the room.
It was like seeing a ghost in broad daylight!
In the afternoon, the Crown Prince came again.
“I suspect someone is playing tricks,” said Duanmu Cheng with red eyes. “Last night, someone broke into my room and spilled a lot of blood on my bed.”
Duanmu Ao frowned, “The same happened to me!”
Duanmu Cheng’s expression was shocked , “I saw Xiao Mulian standing by the bed the night before! She disappeared in the blink of an eye!” Duanmu Ao’s face went pale, his voice low, “I saw her too.”
“And the trees in Changchun Garden…” Duanmu Cheng couldn’t finish his sentence, as they both already understood each other’s thoughts.
“There’s no such thing as a ghost. If there really was one, why would it appear now instead of earlier?” Duanmu Ao said sternly.
Duanmu Cheng sighed deeply, “That’s what I thought too. I’m always suspicious that someone is scheming in secret, but there’s no evidence.”
Duanmu Ao’s eyes narrowed, “It’s Su Liang! It has to be her! I said a long time ago that she should be killed as soon as possible, but you insisted that I act cautiously! She’s now the Martial Arts Champion, favored by our father. Taking action against her won’t be easy!”
Duanmu Cheng’s face darkened, “I spent a lot of money hiring an assassin from Yanyun Building to kill Su Liang. But for some reason, there’s been no news. Maybe her strength is even greater than what we’ve seen. Or maybe there’s a master protecting her, someone even Yanyun Building can’t harm.”
“Damn it!” Duanmu Ao smashed his fist on the table, “She’s back for revenge!
The strange things that happened these past two days must be her doing!”
“But as long as we can’t catch her, there’s nothing we can do.” Duanmu Cheng said grimly, “The incident with Xiao Mulian must not be revealed.”
Duanmu Ao sneered, “I said it long ago, her amnesia is fake. She knows everything. If she were to spread that incident…”
Duanmu Cheng’s face stiffened, “It’s impossible! Xiao Mulian is dead. Without any evidence, no one will believe her! If she dares to spread rumours, she can just wait for her execution! Father would never tolerate such slander against the Royal Family!”
Duanmu Ao glared at Duanmu Cheng coldly, “Slander? If you hadn’t cuckolded me, how could this happen? If it weren’t for our brotherly ties, I would not have tolerated this!”
Duanmu Cheng had long expected that dredging up the past would provoke Duanmu Ao. He was prepared for this but still looked embarrassed, “I’ve said it many times, it was Xiao Mulian who seduced me. I’m a normal man who couldn’t resist. I’m sorry.”
“Forget it, it’s just a lowly woman.” Duanmu Ao snorted, “At this point, we need to figure out how to deal with Su Liang. The longer this drags on, the more uncertain things will become. Who knows what she’ll do!”
Duanmu Cheng’s eyes were deep, “I have a plan. Why not use our fifth brother?
He’s gone mad for Su Liang and would do anything for her.”
Su Liang arranged freshly baked cookies on a plate and saw Ning Jing enter.
“How is it?” Su Liang asked.
Ning Jing washed her hands, picked up a warm cookie, tasted it, and nodded,
“Delicious.”
Su Liang tapped her forehead, “I was asking about your surveillance of Duanmu
Ao. Did you gain any information?”
Ning Jing finished the cookie and told Su Liang about Duanmu Cheng and Duanmu Ao’s plan to use Duanmu Che to kill her.
“They guessed that I was the one pulling the strings? Not surprising.” Su Liang sneered, “Duanmu Cheng does have some brains. His plan is not bad, and it’s exactly what I want. It also gives your brothers a chance to unleash their true selves.”
At the quietest time of the night, Nian Jincheng pulled at his clothes and whispered to Ning Jing, “Are you sure you want to do this? I’m not worried about getting into trouble myself, but I’m afraid it will ruin the plan.”
Ning Jing’s expression was indifferent, “If you can’t even handle this, what use are you?”
Nian Jincheng took a deep breath. He really wasn’t good at this kind of scheming, but he had no choice but to go along with it.
Two people sneaked into the second prince’s mansion. Half an hour later, Ning Jing left carrying a sack.
The guard who finally drove away the powerful assassin realized that he might have fallen for a decoy strategy. He asked around outside the door and heard “Duanmu Ao’s” voice, confirming that he was fine and relaxed.
Nian Jincheng, disguised as Duanmu Ao, sat at the bedside, took a long breath, and mentally practiced Duanmu Ao’s usual expressions and mannerisms.
Su Mansion.
A lamp was lit in an empty courtyard that was usually vacant.
Duanmu Ao woke up from a stupor, feeling a severe pain in the back of his neck; his last memory was of a black shadow flashing by, and then he fell into unconsciousness without seeing anything clearly.
As Duanmu Ao propped himself up with both hands and slowly raised his head, he saw a familiar face and cried out in horror, “You… You have no fear of death! Don’t you know this could kill you?”
Su Liang held a long whip, sitting on a chair with a half-smile, gazing at Duanmu Ao. “You and your brother have been working hard to kill me, but you’ve both failed. Can you guess why I’ve brought you here? There’s a reward if you get it right.”
Duanmu Ao’s face darkened considerably, “Su Liang, if you don’t want to die, let me go now! Everyone in the capital knows that there is enmity between us, and even my father is aware of it! If I go missing, you’ll be the first one to be suspected!”
Su Liang nodded, “Indeed. That’s why I didn’t dare to act rashly. It wasn’t easy for me to become the Martial Arts Champion, and I don’t want to cause trouble for my friends because of my own actions.”
“Then you dare to touch me? You must have a death wish!” Duanmu Ao snapped.
Su Liang smiled, “Your disappearance would indeed be very troublesome, but who would know about it?”
Duanmu Ao widened his eyes, “What…what do you mean?”
“Without you, Qian Country still has a second prince.” Su Liang sneered, “No one even knows you’re missing, so how could I be suspected?”
“You…you found someone to replace me?! ” Duanmu Ao turned pale.
“Hehe, your hidden ailment hasn’t healed yet, has it? How many days have you been unable to let any woman near you? This works out perfectly for me, so I don’t have to worry about my brother who’s replacing you being tainted by your woman.” Su Liang chuckled, “At that time, I hadn’t thought that far ahead, it’s just a coincidence. Quite clever, don’t you think?”
Duanmu Ao panicked completely, “The people who serve me, and my father and mother will definitely recognize it!”
“Are you so confident?” Su Liang scoffed, “But that’s not important now, and it’s not what vou should be worried about. Tell me, how did Xiao Mulian die?
Who killed the members of my family?”
Duanmu Ao’s face turned from green to white, “Xiao Mulian was killed by your grandfather! Your entire family committed suicide out of guilt!”
Su Liang gently shook his head, stood up, and wrapped the whip around Duanmu Ao’s neck, tightening it with each coil. As Duanmu Ao’s expression became one of terror and he struggled to breathe, Su Liang looked calm, “Do you remember how many people in my family were hanged? How does this feeling feel? I have plenty of time to play this game with you, letting you fully experience what my family members felt just before they died. Not one can be missed. ”
Just as Duanmu Ao was about to be strangled to death, Su Liang suddenly loosened his grip.
He collapsed on the ground, clutching his throat and coughing incessantly.
Su Liang stood not far away, watching him coldly, “When you and Duanmu Cheng were discussing things in the middle of the night with Xiao Mulian, I was the one disguised as her. I also splashed blood on your bed. I heard everything you and your brother discussed today.”
Looking at Su Liang’s eyes, Duanmu Ao felt as if he had seen a ghost,
“How…how high is your martial arts?!”
There were masters protecting both him and Duanmu Cheng, but they could do nothing to stop Su Liang!
Su Liang sneered, “Why don’t you guess?”
In fact, it was not her but Ning Jing who was responsible. However, Duanmu Ao didn’t need to know that.
“You heard everything…” Duanmu Ao’s face turned extremely ugly.
“I brought you here because I wanted to hear something you haven’t told me yet.” Su Liang picked up the whip and sat back down, “How did you find out about Xiao Mulian’s affair with Duanmu Cheng in Changchun Garden, and that she was pregnant with his child?”
Duanmu Ao remained silent.
Su Liang picked up the whip and stood up, “Then let’s go again.”
Duanmu Ao shuddered, “The nanny in the mansion noticed that Xiao Mulian’s monthly period was delayed, and she informed me that I might become a father. But I hadn’t touched her during that time! She kept making excuses that she was uncomfortable and told me to go find other women!”
Su Liang’s expression was emotionless, “Go on.”
“I brought Xiao Mulian back, and at first, she denied it. Later, she admitted that the child in her womb belonged to Duanmu Cheng!” Duanmu Ao gritted his teeth, “I confronted Duanmu Cheng, and he had no choice but to admit it. He said that Xiao Mulian seduced him! That vile woman did such a thing, so she didn’t deserve to live! It was Duanmu Cheng who suggested getting rid of her and pretending nothing happened! It was also his idea to ask your grandfather to come and treat Xiao Mulian, saying that she had met with him in Changchun Garden the day before and told him about the child. I killed Xiao Mulian with my own hands. But everything else was Duanmu Cheng’s doing! He shamelessly covered up his wrongdoings! If you want revenge, you should find him! Why are you after me?”
“From what I hear, you sound quite innocent.” Su Liang said coldly, “But if I remember correctly, during your private conversation with Duanmu Cheng earlier today, he did mention that it was your negligence that caused you to fail in killing me. It appears that the death of my family members was your doing.”
Duanmu Ao’s face froze, “It wasn’t me who did it! I was aware of it, but I didn’t stop it. Even if I had tried to stop it, it would have been useless! You misunderstood; it was Duanmu Cheng’s negligence, not mine!”
“My hearing is fine.” Su Liang said, as the whip flew up and wrapped around Duanmu Ao’s neck again, tightening fiercely, with icy eyes, “Don’t think you can clear yourself by shoving everything on Duanmu Cheng. When I captured you, I never intended to let you leave alive. If you have the guts, you can bite your tongue and kill yourself. If you want to live a moment longer, just confess honestly.. If you lie, the price you’ll pay is that you’ll be worse than dead!”
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