The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

Chapter 381: Completely Unaware

"Stop trying to trap me!" Yu Shikui wasn’t afraid to make a scene, and he stiffened his neck to retort: "There is no such thing. As a Prefectural Governor, how could I do such a sordid thing? Lord Kong and I merely lost our composure due to drunkenness, not what you all have seen. Now you have fabricated the scene and smeared my innocence, ruining my reputation. I am not accepting this, and I intend to appeal to the Emperor directly!"

"Go ahead and appeal, I’m afraid you won’t!" Huangfu Jinxuan was not bothered at all and smiled towards the crowd, saying, "Doctor Xia, would you like to come up and say a few words?"

Yu Shikui was startled but then regained his composure. Although Huangfu Jinxuan called someone up, how could a young girl dare to stand before the entire town? Wouldn’t that suggest to others that her virtue was compromised?

The pungent smell of rotten eggs on his body made him nauseated, but what made him feel even more sick was being together with Kong Tixin...

Yesterday, before Huangfu Jinxuan knocked him out, he was already clearly aware of what had happened, but now was not the time to dwell on that, he had to first solve the immediate predicament.

His eyes darted around, looking for Xia Wenjin.

From the back of the crowd, someone walked over lightly.

Yu Shikui couldn’t help but widen his eyes.

She really showed up?

What was she doing here? Was she abandoning her own virtue?

Seeing Xia Wenjin appear safely and sound before everyone, the villagers breathed a sigh of relief, with many greeting her: "Doctor Xia!"

"Miss Xia, are you alright?"

"Miss Xia, it’s so good to see you safe!"

"Miss Xia, if that wretch dares to harm you, it’s courting death!"

...

Voices were chaotic, but all conveyed concern.

Xia Wenjin smiled and acknowledged everyone one by one, then went on stage, bowed to Huangfu Jinxuan, and said, "Lord Imperial Envoy, what the tavern owner said about them drugging the wine is completely true. The Mandarin Duck Pot, one side was drugged and the other was not. That’s how they tried to deal with me yesterday. However, I’ve studied medicine since childhood and am particularly sensitive to the taste of drugs, so I noticed something was wrong and didn’t drink it. It was then that I realized their malicious intent. I found an opportunity to escape early and wasn’t harmed, so I won’t pursue this matter further!"

She actually planned to leave earlier, but Huangfu Jinxuan mentioned that if she didn’t show herself, the villagers of Wangshan Town would surely be worried she had fallen victim to foul play.

Given her current standing in the hearts of the villagers of Wangshan Town, if they believed she had been harmed, they could very well tear Yu Shikui and Kong Tixin apart. Moreover, it was to prevent Kong Tixin and the others from resorting to extreme measures that could damage her reputation.

Though people in Jianghu are not overly concerned with propriety, once a reputation is truly ruined, it always brings more trouble!

Xia Wenjin thus delayed her departure.

Huangfu Jinxuan looked over at Yu Shikui: "Now that the witness is here, what is there left for you to argue?"

"Audacious scoundrels, slandering a court official, do you not know this is a serious crime?" Yu Shikui, prepared to deny everything, certainly wouldn’t admit to it just because Xia Wenjin came. He shouted sharply: "You are remembering the grudge of the fire, trying to drag me down! The fire incident was my duty, only poorly handled, and it wasn’t even successful. How can you be so vicious?"

He glared at Huangfu Jinxuan: "Second Young Master, even if we have much discord and disagreement, you cannot use your power for personal gain and public revenge. You have tied me up with such a ridiculous scheme, making people misunderstand and mock me. Is this how an imperial envoy should behave? Please release me, I will defend myself!"

Huangfu Jinxuan raised an eyebrow and said: "Oh, so you claim to be innocent? Then what about the banquet last night, were you there? If your intentions weren’t vile, why would you, who originally stayed at an inn, go to Kong Tixin’s estate?"

Yu Shikui said: "Kong Tixin heard that Miss Xia was about to leave Wangshan Town, so he wanted to reconcile, asking me to mediate. Out of a helpful heart, I went to the banquet. Later, I got drunk, and Kong Tixin sent someone to pick me up, even mentioning sending Miss Xia back to the inn. I heard it all while inside the sedan!"

"And about the Mandarin Duck Wine Pot, dare you say you knew nothing?" Huangfu Jinxuan had previously asked the tavern owner and confirmed this detail, thinking that Kong Tixin’s intentions were quite obvious, as they believed Xia Wenjin was already drunk and were trying to deceive her.

Yu Shikui secretly cursed Kong Tixin for not covering his tracks. He could absolutely not admit to this, but with the substantial evidence and testimony brought by Huangfu Jinxuan, denying everything outright seemed impossible, so he decided to put everything on Kong Tixin.

Better let a fellow suffer than himself!

Besides, it was partly due to Kong Tixin’s incompetence that led to his current plight.

He said: "This Prefectural Governor knows nothing about it! From start to finish, I never touched the wine pot; Kong Tixin was always the one pouring the wine!"

Huangfu Jinxuan slowly remarked: "So the farewell banquet had nothing to do with you, and it was Kong Tixin who, eager to please you, took the liberty to commit these sordid acts?"

Yu Shikui felt a sense of relief hearing this implication, and quickly added: "I, in my official capacity, have always conducted myself with propriety. Though I’ve heard of people going to great lengths to please their superiors, I never imagined Kong Tixin would do such a thing! After getting drunk, I’m unaware of all that happened afterward!"

This was a clean push of responsibility, and Kong Tixin dared not refute a single word.

Huangfu Jinxuan thought of the scene he saw last night and hearing his now slightly hoarse voice, he chuckled inwardly. His face remained serious, and he earnestly said: "Since Miss Xia has stated she escaped early and won’t press charges, this matter will not be further investigated by this imperial envoy. This imperial envoy, acting under the Emperor’s orders, must diligently oversee all matters here. The two of you, being a Prefectural Governor and a County Magistrate, did not focus on fulfilling the responsibilities expected of local parents during the epidemic but instead used your positions to acquire lands unjustly and oppress the people while indulging in wine and tarnishing decency. Such behavior cannot be ignored by this imperial envoy!"

Yu Shikui felt a slight release of tension internally. Regardless, so long as the matter of coveting Xia Wenjin was not exposed, the other issues were far less severe.

After all, Xia Wenjin is regarded as a Bodhisattva by the people of Wangshan Town. If he had succeeded last night and kept her hidden from public view, the villagers would simply assume Xia Wenjin had left.

But if exposed, they would be torn to shreds by the enraged villagers.

Huangfu Jinxuan’s expression turned somber, and he sternly asked: "Do you realize your crimes?"

Yu Shikui lowered his eyelids to conceal his emotions, saying: "Regarding acquiring lands wrongfully under the guise of authority, I am unaware. As for last night’s incident, I was drunk and it was not my true intention! It was Kong Tixin’s sordid insolence that dishonored me!"