The Countess of Pingning blushed furiously, her hand shrinking back, but she still said anxiously, "Fu'er, I'm telling the truth. You must leave quickly. Mother won't harm you."
"Are you saying someone was bribed to frame my reputation? Don't worry, I've already exposed that liar on the spot and sent her to the authorities."
"It's not that. The scheme set by the person behind this won't be that simple."
Lu Nianfu's eyes burned, "What do you know?"
A flash of fear crossed the Countess of Pingning's face, "Just trust me, that's all."
Saying that, she tried to pull Lu Nianfu away again.
But Lu Nianfu said, "Since I know someone wants to harm me, then we should just take precautions. Yu Bai, go back and gather more men. We'll wait and catch them."
The Countess of Pingning was startled, "You intend to confront them head-on?"
"Is that not allowed?" She was no longer the helpless merchant's daughter she used to be. She was the dignified Princess Rui, and there was no need for her to live a life of hiding.
She wanted to see who it was that wanted to harm her.
The Countess of Pingning paced the room anxiously for two circles, "No, you can't win against him."
"Who is he?"
"He is..."
The Countess of Pingning stopped short, unable to finish her sentence.
Yan Qing had told her more than once that the Pingning Earl's mansion was in decline, while the Prince Rui was like the rising sun. They were on completely different levels. They shouldn't be afraid at all, but how could years of ingrained timidity be changed so easily?
Her lips moved several times, but in the end, she could not speak the truth.
Lu Nianfu was somewhat disappointed, "If Madam has nothing else, please return. It would be bad if you were implicated later."
"Fu'er..."
"Madam, please go back."
Her attitude was too firm, and the Countess of Pingning was seen out, looking back three times.
The master and servants looked at each other, but preparations were quickly made. Unfortunately, nothing happened until Situ Yan came to accompany her for her vegetarian meal.
On the carriage ride back, Qing Ya rested her chin on her hand and pondered for a long time.
"Miss, do you think it's because His Highness is here that the person behind this dared not make a move?" They had prepared the trap, but the person they intended to lure had not appeared.
Alas, she was starting to suspect that the Countess of Pingning was just playing a prank on her.
Lu Nianfu, however, thought a bit more, "The Countess of Pingning seems very afraid of the person behind this."
"If she wasn't afraid, she wouldn't have gone to such lengths to send you to Master to be raised back then."
"This matter is not yet confirmed."
"In my opinion, it's eight or nine times out of ten. We should go and test Uncle Yan's stance soon." Qing Ya was very eager, "Why don't we go now?"
Lu Nianfu laughed, "You just want to see Shou Cheng, don't you? If you want to see him, just go. Why use me as an excuse?"
"Heaven knows." Qing Ya raised four fingers, "I dare to swear to heaven that I'm only thinking of you, Miss."
"Alright, alright, it was just a joke. Why so serious? However, this matter should indeed be put on the agenda. I need to go back and think about it carefully."
Situ Yan glanced at her, "What's there to think about? Have you forgotten what your husband does?"
"You're busy enough as it is. How can I bother you with such trivial matters?"
"One case is an investigation, and several cases are also an investigation. Those brats have been too idle lately. It's good to let them stretch their legs. " Situ Yan grabbed her hand, "Fu'er, husband and wife are one. If you continue to be so distant, I will have to punish you."
"How will you punish me?"
Situ Yan winked at her charmingly, "What do you think?"
Qing Ya covered her face and silently moved out of the carriage. She shouldn't have taken the carriage to save trouble. She was so full of this public display of affection that she wouldn't need to eat tomorrow.
Pingning Earl's Mansion
In a room filled with the smell of medicine, the Earl of Pingning smashed a pile of broken porcelain, "Failed? My plan was so meticulous, and you tell me this?"
Su Xin knelt on the ground, "My Lord, please calm your anger. It's just that the eldest miss is much smarter than we imagined. Moreover, at lunchtime, the Prince Rui also went to Ruyi Nunnery. With him there, how could Abbess Jing'an dare to make a move?"
Their original plan was to drug Lu Nianfu and then find a man to confirm her affair with an outsider.
In this day and age, let alone a prince, even a common peddler would not tolerate being cuckolded. At that time, Lu Nianfu's divorce would be a foregone conclusion.
Unfortunately, man proposes, but heaven disposes. The ever-busy Prince Rui actually took the time to have a vegetarian meal with Lu Nianfu.
The plan naturally had to be aborted. Let alone whether it would succeed, even if she were caught in bed, no one would believe it. One would have to be so brainless as to have an illicit rendezvous with another man in front of her own husband.
Wasn't that like a birthday star hanging himself, finding his life too long?