Proud Feather

Chapter 57 Relatives
"It seems you know a lot." Chu Ling stared at him. "Tell me, who are you? Where are you from? Who are your ancestors? Tell me the truth!"

Wei Qi's first thought was, "This is it! My aunt will be furious if she finds out." His second thought was, "His face hurts so much. Can't he let Xiao Lianxiang apply the medicine first?"
Of course, he couldn't say these words out loud, so he could only cry out for justice.

"It's unfair! I don't know what the princess is talking about! I'm just a student from out of town!"

Chu Ling was too lazy to ask him in person about the situation, so she just glanced at Jiang Shijun.

Jiang Shijun understood and stepped forward and said, "Master Wei Qi, do you know what your situation is?"

Wei Qi hesitated, his eyes flickering. He was afraid, yet also cunning. What had happened to the princess? Daxiang was a law-abiding country, and he had done nothing wrong. Could he be forced to confess if he didn't tell? He was no commoner, a student after all!
Jiang Shijun had been in the lower classes for many years, and he knew what Wei Qi was thinking just by looking at his expression. He said, "It seems you don't know. Let me tell you, you haven't offended someone, but you've been involved in a serious case at the imperial court. Don't think you can get away with it by not telling anyone. Whether it's the Dali Temple, the Jinwu Guards, or the Imperial City Bureau, they all have plenty of ways to interrogate you. Do you want to try?"

Wei Qi blurted out: "What pretext are you interrogating me on? I'm a good citizen and have committed no crime. This is lynching!"

Jiang Shijun's face was filled with surprise. "How can this be called a lynching? Master Wei Qi, didn't you hear what I said just now? This is a serious case for the imperial court. What's the big deal about a few deaths? Throughout the dynasties, bloodbaths were commonplace when it came to the death of a crown prince. Guess how many people have been tortured since this incident began? When the case is finally closed, how many high-ranking officials will be implicated?"

Wei Qi was stunned for a moment: "What do you mean by the death of the crown prince? What are you talking about? What does this have to do with me?"

Jiang Shijun narrowed his eyes: "You don't know? Then why did you escape?"

Wei Qi said, "Didn't they say Wenxianju got into trouble? It seems the shopkeeper is colluding with Dahuai Temple and deceiving the princess or something! This is really none of our business. It's all the shopkeeper's fault for being greedy!"

Jiang Shijun laughed in silence and looked at Chu Ling.

Is this Wei Qi really clueless, or is he just pretending to be dumb? That's not possible, is it?
Chu Ling took over his words: "That's right! It was the shopkeeper who colluded with the Dahuai Temple and offended this princess! I am a royal family, how can you common people plot against me? The shopkeeper has escaped, so let the boss behind him come out and take the blame! In short, if you offend this princess, don't even think about having a good life!"

Facing her domineering look, Wei Qi was stunned for a moment: "Why, why are you involving innocent people!"

"This princess is going to implicate you. What do you think?" Chu Ling glanced up and down, sneering, "A mere student dares to argue in front of this princess. Fine, if I can't find the shopkeeper, then I'll use you, the boss, to take the blame. I'll vent my anger first and then we'll talk about it!"

She glanced at him and shouted in a savage tone, "What are you waiting for? Fight for me!"

"Yes." Without saying a word, the guard pushed Wei Qi down, took off his pants and started beating him with a stick.

"Hey! What are you doing? Stop it!" Wei Qi struggled hard, but his two fists were no match for four hands. He was forcibly pinned down and beaten with a stick.

This was a real beating! The first blow made him scream in pain like a pig being slaughtered. The guard didn't hold back at all, and hit him hard on the buttocks with the second blow, the third blow...

The screams reached outside the pleasure boat, and the unaware people on the shore were still discussing: "Listen, this young man is seriously injured. He's crying like this even after applying medicine!"

Others were dismissive: "I think it was done on purpose, just to make Xiao Lianxiang care about her a little. How cunning."

"That's true. Even though I got beaten up pretty badly just now, it was worth it with Xiao Lianxiang applying the medicine!"

"Let's go, it's boring! Let's go watch next door!"

……

Seeing no one intervene despite his cries, Wei Qi felt a bit timid. He had been a playboy since childhood, relying on his family's influence to bully others in his hometown. He had become more restrained in the capital, but he was still rich, so he was treated like a big shot wherever he went. In front of the princess, he didn't feel too much like he was in a lower position.

Until this moment, Wei Qi realized that there was someone superior to him and that in the princess's eyes, he was no different from the servants he usually bullied.

Chu Ling continued, "Why are you yelling? Do you think anyone will come to save you? Even if I beat you to death right here and there, what can I do? I'm just a commoner, without even any achievements, and you're not worthy enough to speak to the princess?"

Wei Qi burst into tears, his face twisted in pain, and cried, "I am not a commoner, I have a reputation, I am a student..."

Chu Ling scoffed: "Is being a Tongsheng considered an honor? At least there's a Xiucai, right?"

Wei Qi burst into tears and said, "There are many scholars in my family, including Juren and Jinshi! My uncle is a Jinshi! We are a prominent family. If the princess wants to kill me, my family will definitely file a complaint!"

"Who would believe you!" Chu Ling disagreed, "Keep fighting! Kill them and throw them into a mass grave!"

Beat him to death… Wei Qi was so frightened that his soul was about to fly out of his body. He had no feeling in his lower body, and he felt like he was torn in two. His buttocks felt like a piece of rotten flesh, and the pain was piercing his heart.

"No, no, no, you can't do this!" He begged, "Princess, I was blind to recognize Mount Tai. Please forgive me, forgive me... I really am from a noble family, and we are related! The Yingyang Wei family, have you heard of the Yingyang Wei family? It's our family!"

Yingyang Wei Clan! Chu Ling's expression slowly relaxed: "Really? Are you kidding me?"

"No nonsense, it's true! I'm the seventh child in my family. My great uncle is Wei Yuanzhi, and I also have an aunt who married into the Marquis of Jingping's mansion..."

The Marquis of Jingping's Mansion! The Pang Clan! Princess Xin's family!

Chu Ling breathed a sigh of relief, the doubts in his heart were finally confirmed.

Sure enough, there was no escaping them.

"Princess? Princess?" Wei Qi was still wailing, "I was really wrong, please forgive me! I'm dying, my waist, my waist... Help!"

Chu Ling gave a wink and the guard stopped beating.

Wei Qi howled for a long time before slowly stopping.

He asked expectantly, "Princess, do you believe me?"

Chu Ling smiled slightly and said, "So your family is related to the Marquis of Jingping's mansion. Why didn't you tell me earlier? My second sister-in-law is the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Jingping's mansion. So, we are also relatives in a roundabout way!"

Wei Qi was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly: "Princess, you are right. We are relatives. My aunt is the aunt of Princess Xin. Then the princess is... my cousin?"

"Nonsense!" Qingcha, who was standing beside him, scolded, "Who are you to dare to marry the princess?"

"Yes, yes!" Wei Qi didn't dare to say anymore, "I was wrong."

"Qingcha." Chu Ling was very kind. "My cousin is my cousin, and what she said is the truth. Since I accidentally hurt my cousin, I have no choice but to let him stay and recuperate. Otherwise, if the elders find out, I'm afraid they will blame me."