Chapter 38: Murder?

"What is happening here?"

Xie Tingyao emerged from the crowd, accompanied by Li Xueying and several noblewomen whom Tang Chaochao did not recognize. Seeing this, the surrounding young ladies and gentlemen craned their necks, eager to witness the drama. Everyone knew that upon first arriving in the capital, Tang Chaochao had already offended the daughter of Chancellor Xie, the leader of these noblewomen.

Liu Rulan, naturally aware of the grudge between Xie Tingyao and Tang Chaochao, sobbed pitifully. "It is nothing, Sister Xie. Perhaps I offended the Second Miss Tang in some way, which is why she treats me like this."

Xie Tingyao looked at Tang Chaochao and sneered. "Indeed. By now, who in the capital does not know of the General's second daughter? Relying on the excuse of investigating cases for her sister, there is nothing she won't do. Pushing you down is merely a light punishment."

Hearing this, Liu Rulan appeared even more aggrieved. Supported by her maid, she slowly rose to her feet, her tears flowing incessantly. "Sister Xie is right. It is all my fault for bumping into the Second Miss Tang."

Watching the two of them sing in harmony, Tang Chaochao raised her eyebrows in amusement, though whispers reached her ears.

"Isn't this Second Miss Tang being a bit too overbearing?"
"If you ask me, she’s just a wild girl from the countryside who doesn't understand the rules. Why didn't the General hire a governess to teach her properly before letting her out in public?"
"She is truly bringing shame upon the General's manor!"

Others were even more vicious. "Look at that Taoist robe she’s wearing. Even if she is the legitimate daughter of the General, so what? Once a mountain girl, always a mountain girl; she is nothing but an unpresentable creature."

Tang Chaochao heard these slanders, yet her expression remained unchanged. She walked toward Xie Tingyao, her voice eerily calm. "Miss Xie, it seems you have healed your wounds and forgotten the pain. Your face has recovered quite quickly, though."

Tang Chaochao glanced at Li Xueying. "Don't you agree, Miss Li?"

Had the Chancellor not suppressed the news, the fact that the two of them had been beaten until their faces resembled pig heads in the middle of the street would have spread throughout the entire capital. Li Xueying instinctively touched her face, the hatred in her eyes intensifying.

Xie Tingyao bit her lip and glared at Tang Chaochao. "Tang Chaochao, what kind of place do you think this is? This is not your desolate mountain. This snow-viewing banquet is hosted by my aunt. I advise you not to be too arrogant!"

Tang Chaochao raised an eyebrow at Liu Rulan. "What? Do you think that by gathering a bunch of rotten fish and shrimp, you can do something to me?"

Liu Rulan immediately began wiping her tears again. "Second Miss Tang, how can you speak like that? All the elders present are court officials. Isn't this going too far?"

Tang Chaochao did not miss the calculation in her eyes. Without warning, she lifted her leg and kicked Liu Rulan directly in the back of the knee. Liu Rulan let out a shrill scream and, in front of everyone, collapsed to her knees before Tang Chaochao.

Xie Tingyao was about to scold her, but Tang Chaochao looked around and declared, "At the very least, I hold the title of County Princess. It is one thing for you not to bow when you see me, but to gather here and slander me is another." She turned her gaze back to Liu Rulan. "And you, daring to frame a County Princess—are you dissatisfied with the title the Emperor bestowed upon me?"

The crowd suddenly remembered. That was right! Tang Chaochao was the Zhao'an County Princess, personally enfeoffed by the Emperor. Even if it were just a title, her status was indeed a head higher than everyone present. In these official families, status and rank were held in high regard. They had been slandering a County Princess; even if this reached the Emperor, they would be the ones in the wrong.

Realizing this, the whispers died out instantly. Everyone looked at each other, none daring to speak further. Xie Tingyao was so angry her eyes seemed to spit fire. "Even if you are a County Princess, you cannot bully the daughter of an official like this!"

Tang Chaochao gave her a mocking look, then backhanded Liu Rulan across the face. Tang Chaochao’s strikes were always sudden and impossible to guard against. Liu Rulan was knocked to the ground, the hatred in her eyes nearly overflowing, but upon hearing Tang Chaochao's next words, she was so furious she nearly coughed up blood.

"She showed disrespect to this Princess; why shouldn't this Princess teach her a lesson?"

Seeing Liu Rulan’s rapidly swelling face, the onlookers shrank back, none daring to speak up for her. Liu Rulan covered her swollen face, her tears falling even harder. "I did not disrespect the County Princess. If the Princess is unhappy..."

Before she could finish, she was slapped on the other cheek. Who else could it be but Tang Chaochao? Tang Chaochao didn't even look at her, instead addressing the entire room. "You tried to push me when you entered, and when you failed, you were thrown out. You refused to repent and instead continued to spew malice. Now you dare to babble nonsense—I think you’re just asking for a beating!"

Liu Rulan wanted to explain, but Tang Chaochao gave her no chance. She pointed at a eunuch by the door. "You, come here!"

The eunuch did not want to go, but he dared not refuse. He walked over, trembling, and knelt before Tang Chaochao. "What are your orders, County Princess?"

Tang Chaochao looked at the eunuch with a smile that was not a smile. "You were waiting at the door; you must have seen exactly what happened. Why don't you tell us what occurred?"

The eunuch instinctively replied, "I saw nothing, Your Highness."

Tang Chaochao’s lips curled into a sinister smile. She kicked the eunuch, sending him flying three meters away. He spat blood and fainted, eyes rolling back in his head. Everyone gasped at the sight.

Xie Tingyao pointed at Tang Chaochao and scolded, "Tang Chaochao, you are audacious! You dare to kill someone in public!"

Tang Chaochao ignored her and pointed to another eunuch. "You, tell us."

The eunuch, pale with terror, knelt immediately and said in a trembling voice, "It was Miss Liu who tried to push the Zhao'an County Princess, and was blocked and thrown out by the Princess instead."

As soon as these words left his mouth, Liu Rulan’s expression soured. Tang Chaochao raised her eyebrows and pointed to the other eunuchs and maids at the door. "And you?"

In an instant, the entire doorway was filled with kneeling servants. They scrambled to recount what had happened, terrified that if they spoke too late, they would be the next to die.

Tang Chaochao was satisfied and looked at Xie Tingyao. "Does Miss Xie still have anything to say?"

Xie Tingyao was furious. She glanced at the eunuch who was still unconscious and sneered, "Tang Chaochao, you dare to kill in public. I will certainly report this to my aunt. Miss Liu may have been wrong, but that is no reason for you to commit murder!"

Tang Chaochao looked surprised. "Miss Xie, have you misunderstood something? When did I kill anyone?"

Just as Xie Tingyao pointed at the fallen eunuch, the man suddenly coughed twice and slowly regained consciousness. Once he realized what was happening, he kowtowed repeatedly to Tang Chaochao. "Your Highness, spare my life! I was babbling nonsense before. I saw it—it was Miss Liu who attacked first."

Xie Tingyao’s face turned even darker. Tang Chaochao, however, grinned. She leaned down toward Liu Rulan. "Miss Liu, is it? Do you still wish to argue?"

Liu Rulan’s face was already swollen from the two slaps, and now she had no face left to show anyone. She kept her head bowed low, hiding the hatred for Tang Chaochao in her eyes while putting on a pitiful, coerced act.