Was this considered adultery?

Chapter 65 Was this considered adultery?

Night was falling.

Inside the Prince Jing's mansion, the courtyard was quiet, with the lights of a small building not far away flickering.

The room was filled with a pleasant fragrance, like being bathed in a spring breeze.

Before the bronze dressing mirror sat a woman who had just emerged from her bath. Her beauty was breathtaking, with willow-leaf eyebrows and slightly pursed red lips. Her elegant and graceful figure was reflected in the bronze mirror.

At this moment, she was methodically and gently combing her hair, her movements elegant and graceful.

Until she put down the comb, got up and walked to the window, glanced at the night, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if she was worried about something.

After a long pause, she sighed softly and closed the window. Footsteps echoed from the hallway outside.

Immediately afterwards, the door was pushed open, and a woman in a soaking wet red dress walked in.

"you----"

A look of joy appeared on Song Zhiwei's face, and she was about to speak, but when she saw the disheveled appearance of the person who came in, her expression immediately changed: "What happened to you?!"

At this moment, the woman in the red dress in Song Zhiwei's sight was in a sorry state. Although her dress was not torn, she was soaked, pale, and had a weak breath. She was completely disheveled and looked like someone who had fled a disaster.

"Where did you go last night? What—what trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?"

"Bang!"

The door was closed.

Chu Wanqing, who had been holding her breath the whole time, finally let out a deep sigh of relief. The next second, she staggered and almost fell.

Help me up.

Song Zhiwei quickly stepped forward and, both surprised and worried, helped her to a chair to sit down.

"water!"

Chu Wanqing's voice was a little hoarse.

Song Zhiwei flipped the teacup on the table, poured a cup of tea, and brought it to Chu Wanqing's lips. Chu Wanqing drank it all in one gulp, but it still didn't quench her thirst. It wasn't until she had drunk almost half a pot of tea that she finally caught her breath.

"I almost died!"

Chu Wanqing said irritably.

"I can tell."

Song Zhiwei nodded.

Having known her for so long, this was the first time Song Zhiwei had ever seen her in such a disheveled state.

"What happened? What trouble have you gotten into this time? Or has your identity been exposed? Are you being hunted down by your enemies?"

"Neither."

Chu Wanqing's voice was somewhat annoyed: "I've been made a scapegoat!"

"Taking the blame?"

Song Zhiwei was taken aback, then even more astonished: "Who would make you, the holy maiden of the fox demon clan, take the blame?!"

Chu Wanqing said indignantly, "A lecherous scoundrel who's a complete liar and no good at all!"

"Um?"

lecher?

Song Zhiwei immediately became interested, her eyes brightening as she pressed on, "Where did this lecher come from? Is he good-looking? What did you do—"

"Tell me about it!"

Seeing the woman's excited expression as she ate the melon, Chu Wanqing's expression stiffened, and then she said irritably, "He's ugly, a very, very ugly monster—he almost killed me!"

"I'm so angry, let's not even talk about it!"

"oh."

Upon hearing that he was an ugly monster, Song Zhiwei immediately lost interest.

"So what exactly happened to you? Tell me in detail!"

Chu Wanqing took a breath and slowly recounted what had happened from last night to today.

However, she modified and deleted a large amount of paid content that was unsuitable for children, and almost completely removed the story that happened between her and a certain inappropriate guy.

Even so, Song Zhiwei listened with great interest, marveling, "—The underground palace beneath Prince Jing's mansion is so huge? And there are even people secretly refining pills inside?"

"Where did this person come from? An alchemist from the Dan Sect? Or a reclusive master hiding inside?"

"—However, you're really lucky to have survived this time, you've truly escaped with your life as a demon!"

Song Zhiwei couldn't help but sigh.

Chu Wanqing said irritably, "Stop talking nonsense. My death will do you no good at all."

"I'm just concerned about you, okay?"

Song Zhiwei propped her face up with her hand and said weakly, "You have no idea how hard and boring it is for me to be here all alone without you."

Chu Wanqing glanced at her: "You can go out for a stroll too."

"Then forget it."

Song Zhiwei shook her head: "I don't know anyone here, and the Jingwang Mansion is in such a mess right now, I don't want to show my face in public."

"You have no idea, that guy Genji was just unbelievable that day, he was staring at me like a persistent ghost—"

Song Zhiwei complained.

Chu Wanqing seemed to be reminded of something: "Hmm? Did the people from Tianxuan Division come looking for you again today?"

"yes!"

Chu Wanqing stared at her and pressed, "How many people came? What were their names? Where did you meet them?!"

"Two people came, I think one of them was named Xu Jinghong? I don't know the other one. I didn't show myself, afraid of giving myself away, so I sent them away in the front hall."

Upon hearing this, Chu Wanqing looked suspicious. Could it be that she was mistaken?

But then Chu Wanqing asked, "Besides Tianxuan Si, has anyone else come here in the past two days?!"

"Other people?"

Reminded by this, Song Zhiwei suddenly remembered the masked mysterious man from earlier that day, and her expression immediately changed.

"have!"

"This afternoon, an assassin broke into my room—"

Chu Wanqing's gaze sharpened: "An assassin? What does he look like?!"

"He was wearing a mask, so you couldn't see his face clearly—but his eyes were quite beautiful."

Recalling what happened that afternoon, Song Zhiwei was still shaken and recounted everything in detail.

After Chu Wanqing finished listening, she immediately concluded that the masked man was definitely Li Chuqiu!

—It's him without a doubt!

That guy already broke in once before to peep at her while she was taking a shower!

Chu Wanqing was indignant—no wonder her undergarment was on him; it turned out he had broken into her room and stolen it this afternoon!

Thinking of this, Chu Wanqing felt both ashamed and angry.

He went into her room and stole her undergarment?

What a complete lecher, a pervert!

But soon, Chu Wanqing's expression froze, and she suddenly realized something—no, that scoundrel had no idea that she had impersonated the Crown Princess of Prince Jing!

Therefore, he naturally didn't know that the undergarment belonged to her—

So, what he actually wanted to steal was—the Crown Prince's wife's undergarment?!

Song Zhiwei was still thinking about the masked man from that afternoon, worried that their secret identities would be exposed, when she suddenly sensed that something was off.

She looked up and saw Chu Wanqing staring at her coldly, with a scrutinizing look in his eyes.

"What are you doing—why are you looking at me like that?" Song Zhiwei was baffled.

Chu Wanqing stared at her: "What else did that masked man do to you?!"

What did you do?

Song Zhiwei was taken aback, then thought for a moment: "He kidnapped and threatened me—I had no choice but to lie and say that I was coerced by you, pretending that I was innocent—but in the end, he probably saw through it!"

"How did he kidnap and threaten you?"

"he----"

As if remembering something, a blush suddenly appeared on Song Zhiwei's fair face: "He suddenly appeared, and before I could react, he covered my mouth—and then pinned me against the wall—"

"Snap!"

A crack appeared on the teacup that Chu Wanqing was holding.

Song Zhiwei was startled: "What's wrong? Why do you look so pale?!"

"I'm fine."

Chu Wanqing put down her teacup, looking at her with a forced smile: "He pinned you against the wall, and then what did he do to you?"

"No, that's all—"

Song Zhiwei sensed something was off about this enchantress; it seemed like there was something hidden in her words.

She narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly: "Do you know that masked man? Wait—"

Song Zhiwei quickly remembered: "Right, he asked me how I didn't recognize him when he said he saw me a few days ago!"

"So, you're the one who's seen him, right?"

"You recognize him, don't you?!"

Song Zhiwei seemed to have discovered some great secret, staring intently at Chu Wanqing.

"I don't recognize him."

Chu Wanqing remained expressionless.

"real?"

Song Zhiwei clearly didn't believe her: "Then what happened to you just now? And why would he say he knew you?"

Chu Wanqing remained expressionless: "I've met countless people while impersonating you, who would know who he is?"

Maybe he's seen me before, but I don't remember him.

That seems possible?

Song Zhiwei seemed to be deep in thought.

But why does it still feel like something's off?

"So, he already knows about my existence and that I'm impersonating you?" Chu Wanqing asked again.

Song Zhiwei nodded: "So, in the end, I wanted to catch him off guard and have the maid arrest him—but I didn't expect him to escape!"

At this point, Song Zhiwei said with some annoyance, "He definitely won't let this go now—oh right, it seems he escaped into the secret underground palace."

Song Zhiwei immediately remembered something: "Weren't you in the underground palace today? Didn't you run into him?!"

"no."

"That's it!"

Song Zhiwei panicked immediately: "His intentions are not simple, and he has seen through our identities. It will definitely be exposed—then we'll be in big trouble!"

Chu Wanqing remained calm: "You are the true Crown Princess, so what if he knows? He can't threaten you."

"

"And what about you? What will you do?"

Song Zhiwei was naturally not worried about her own situation, but what about her good friend in front of her?

Chu Wanqing's lips curled into a cold smile: "Of course I'm not afraid!"

"How can you not be afraid? You're a demon—"

Just as Song Zhiwei was about to speak, she seemed to suddenly realize something: "Are you... leaving?!"

Chu Wanqing spoke up: "I came here with you this time because of that Prince Jing's heir. Now that he's been killed by someone, it's like we've inadvertently helped each other."

"My mission is complete, it's time for me to go!"

"No!"

Upon hearing Chu Wanqing say she was leaving, Song Zhiwei immediately looked weak and pitiful, saying, "If you leave, it will be terrible for me to be left here alone. I'm scared—"

Seeing her trying to play the victim again, Chu Wanqing said irritably, "Then who told you to marry into this family?"

Do you think I wanted this?

Song Zhiwei bit her lower lip, feeling wronged and angry: "It was a family-arranged marriage, a marriage they had already decided long ago. Did I have a choice?"

"You can resist."

"I'm not you. How can I, a weak woman, resist?"

Thinking of something, a hint of self-mockery flashed in Song Zhiwei's eyes: "Besides, they have already decided my fate. If I dare to resist, it will inevitably implicate everyone around me—they will all die because of me."

"I can't resist."

Chu Wanqing fell silent, unsure of what to say for a moment.

"The outside world certainly praises me highly, calling me a talented woman, the eldest daughter of the Song family, the apple of their eye, and even praising me as a gentle and virtuous wife and mother—but frankly, isn't that just inflating my value?"

Song Zhiwei gave a self-deprecating sneer: "They're trying every means to raise my value so they can gain more benefits from this marriage—tell me, what's the difference between me, this so-called eldest daughter of the Song family, and those brothel girls waiting to be redeemed and bought?"

Chu Wanqing remained silent.

That may sound a bit crude, but it's not without reason.

After all, the Miss Song she knew was not entirely the gentle, intellectual, and elegant woman described by the outside world. This pampered Miss Song, who had been raised in luxury since childhood, seemed glamorous, but as the eldest daughter of a noble family, she had no talent for cultivation and was destined to only have an arranged marriage.

Song Zhiwei remained calm.

She had long been aware of the arranged marriage and wasn't particularly resistant to it. After all, it was the price she had to pay as the eldest daughter of the Song family, and she had no reason to complain.

"However, I think they really misjudged this time!"

Song Zhiwei said softly, "Everyone says that this Prince Jing is a man of great talent and ambition, with the intention of rebelling and seizing the throne. But now it is rumored that the current emperor is seriously ill and will not live much longer. The princes in the capital are fighting fiercely, but this prince remains unmoved."

"Tell me, how can they be so sure that Prince Jing can win that position?"

"Do you think this Prince Jing seems to have any ambitions to rebel?"

Chu Wanqing thought for a moment and shook her head: "It doesn't seem like it."

At first, she did suspect that Prince Jing was hiding his true intentions, but as she spent the days at Prince Jing's residence, she discovered that the entire residence had already been infiltrated by various forces.

From officials in the imperial court to powerful families, and even demons—the entire Prince Jing's mansion was teeming with spies, leaving virtually no secrets.

If this Prince Jing had even the slightest intention to rebel, it would probably have been clearly seen through long ago.

If that Prince Jing were truly a great and ambitious ruler, how could he have fallen so low as to not even care about the safety of his own family?

How could she have failed to protect her only son, who was assassinated and killed, and yet the murderer has still not been found?

"So you can't leave me here alone."

Song Zhiwei looked at Chu Wanqing with pleading eyes: "This Prince Jing's mansion is full of dangers. Who will protect me if you're not here? If you leave, you must take me with you!"

Chu Wanqing rolled her eyes: "You are now the Crown Princess of Jing Prince, you've married into the Jing Prince's mansion, you're a member of the Jing Prince's family!"

"Who said I'm married?"

Song Zhiwei pouted, "I haven't even seen what that Prince Jing's heir looks like, and I've become a widow without even knowing it—my life is so miserable!"

"Then you're now a member of Prince Jing's household; you can't escape!"

Chu Wanqing glanced at her: "But if you feel miserable and lonely, why don't you just steal a man and find a lover to solve your problems?"

"Pah! You're shameless to say such vulgar things!"

Song Zhiwei's face immediately flushed red, and she said irritably.

"I'm a shameless vixen, is this the first time you've met me?"

"I'm not like you!"

Song Zhiwei blushed and spat, "I'm not the kind of shameless, despicable woman who would cheat on her husband and steal a man!"

"Is that so? Didn't you get pinned against the wall by that assassin this afternoon? Didn't you say you were chaste? Your innocence is long gone!" Chu Wanqing sneered.

Song Zhiwei's expression froze, somewhat panicked, and she protested, "He... he didn't do anything to me?!"

"Did his hand touch your mouth? Did he touch your waist? Did you have any physical contact, any intimate touch?"

Chu Wanqing sneered repeatedly, her voice suddenly carrying a hint of coldness: "You, the dignified Princess Consort of Prince Jing, your husband's body is barely cold, yet you shamelessly consort with another man in your room—if word gets out, do you think anyone will still believe you are chaste?"

"Won't others think you're an unfaithful slut?"

Song Zhiwei stood there stunned, the color draining from her face, her expression completely frozen.

Seeing how frightened she was, Chu Wanqing felt much better.

Cool!

"That----"

After a long moment of stunned silence, Song Zhiwei finally reacted, her voice tense and uneasy: "You mean, my innocence has been taken by that assassin—I've actually committed adultery?"

"That's right!" Chu Wanqing said decisively.

"Then, what should we do?"

She doesn't want to be a wicked woman who commits adultery!

But she, she was already married, yet she had been touched and hugged by another man—albeit by the assassin who forced her.

But, we still hugged!

Her innocence is truly gone!

Song Zhiwei was in a panic for a long time, her cool and elegant face constantly changing.

After a long silence, as if she had thought of something, she suddenly spoke softly, "Then, tell me, if I were to remarry that assassin—would that not count as adultery?"

Chu Wanqing: "?"

'