Chapter 25: Chapter 26: He smiled at her, bright as the moon.

“Accuse me?”

Qi Yue raised an eyebrow. What was there about her to accuse?

“Yes, I am accusing you of being a wandering ghost.”

Bai Jiahui shouted, turning towards Shen Yu.

“Madam Zhao, you are all mistaken. This woman is not Qi Yue. Qi Yue has long been dead. She is a ghost, a stray spirit!”

Shen Yu was timid and initially trembled upon hearing this, but she quickly regained her composure.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Qi Yue is my daughter-in-law. I won’t allow you to spout nonsense!”

“I’m not talking nonsense. I’m telling the truth. Qi Yue has been dead a long time. I had someone administer poison to her. It’s impossible for her to be alive!”

Apart from the Government Official, there were also members of the Zhao Family present at the inn.

Bai Jiahui’s rant alarmed both Zhao Yongzhe and Zhao Xiyan.

Seeing that everyone had gathered, Bai Jiahui grew even more triumphant.

She recounted how she had coerced Qi Yue into marrying Zhao Xiyan and how she had been administering poison to her over a long period. On the wedding day, another drug would be used to trigger the poison, sapping her strength and causing her death.

“I was wondering how she could still be alive. Now I know, she is not Qi Yue at all.”

“Qi Yue knew nothing about medicine, but she does.”

“Qi Yue was afraid of chickens and all small animals, but look at this woman, she casually catches chickens and pigs without showing any fear.”

“Also, Qi Yue loved to eat and was fond of being plump, but look at this woman now. She has been getting thinner all the way. Is this still the same Qi Yue?”

“A few days ago, when we passed through Xuanshui Town, I had someone calculate Qi Yue’s horoscope. The real Qi Yue is already dead. This one now is a wandering spirit, a demon!”

After Bai Jiahui’s furious tirade, the Government Officials present were stunned, and so were the Zhao family members.

In Beiyuan, ghost and monster stories were often circulated, and Bai Jiahui’s words were not new.

Though such stories were just legends and people usually listened for amusement.

However, now the situation was different, as someone they had been close to every day was being accused of being a stray ghost.

Just as everyone was dumbstruck, suddenly an unmatched voice rang out.

“She is Qi Yue, and I can testify to that.”

Zhao Xiyan slowly took off his mask, his deep gaze sweeping over everyone’s faces.

“Qi Yue is my wife. We have spent nearly all our time together. I understand her very well. She is the daughter of General Qi.”

“As for this lady making wild accusations, being a member of the second branch of the Qi Family, how could you possibly not know that there was an extraordinarily skilled nurse by the old lady of the Qi Family who taught Qi Yue her medical skills?”

“The poison you’re talking about is nothing to Qi Yue.”

“You say Qi Yue loves to eat and be plump, which is ridiculous. People’s habits and preferences change with their mood. One day they might like meat, the next day vegetables; it’s all natural.”

“Moreover, you clearly do not know that although General Qi is no longer here, he had made arrangements for Qi Yue long ago. The martial skills she possesses were taught to her in secret, you just weren’t aware of it!”

Bai Jiahui had not expected Zhao Xiyan to stand up for Qi Yue.

But she was determined to pursue her claims and would not easily give up!

She suddenly pulled out a divination lot from her sleeve and flaunted it before everyone.

“What about this, then? The words of the fortune teller cannot be wrong. A master would not deceive people!”

Zhao Xiyan scoffed.

“It’s nothing but tricks to deceive. Only a fool would believe it!”

Shen Yu also came back to her senses and stepped forward to embrace Qi Yue.

“Qi Yue is Qi Yue, my daughter-in-law. Nothing you say can change that!”

Zhao Shuangyue, Zhao Shuanghua, and two other girls also moved forward to protect Qi Yue.

“Qi Yue is our sister-in-law. We will not believe anything you say!”

Zhao Yongzhe also spoke authoritatively, fitting of a Duke, his presence was undeniable!

“Qi Yue is a member of our Zhao Family. We will not allow you to slander her here!”

“Although the Zhao Family may be in decline, I will not tolerate villains acting outrageously. Dare to talk nonsense again, and I, Zhao Yongzhe, will certainly not spare you!”

This scolding indeed frightened Bai Jiahui, but with a hardened heart, she raised her hand and pointed at Qi Yue, shouting.

“I heard what you said to Guan Yidao, I heard!”

“Zhao, do you think this woman truly cares for you? Do you think she likes you? She did that because…”

“Pfft…”

A sharp dagger flew through the air and directly pierced through Bai Jiahui from behind.

This poor woman didn’t even have time to look back to see who had killed her before she died from loss of breath.

Qi Tianfeng rushed over, his face filled with urgency.

“My niece, your uncle arrived too late. I didn’t expect this woman to dare to talk nonsense here, slandering your good reputation.”

As he spoke, he viciously kicked the dead Bai Jiahui, furiously saying, “I should have killed her that day.”

“Rest assured, if anyone dares to talk nonsense again, saying you are not Qi Yue, I will slaughter him. I am your real uncle, how could I not know whether you are Qi Yue?”

Watching Qi Fengzhang’s poor acting, a chill surged in Qi Yue’s heart.

This man was more cruel, venomous, and scheming than she had thought, not at all as benevolent as he appeared on the surface.

First, he had instigated Bai Jiahui to expose her in front of the Zhao family, then he decisively killed her when she was about to reveal what she thought was a secret.

He thought that by doing this, he could control her!

It was a smart calculation, but he had underestimated her way too much.

Even if Bai Jiahui had heard her conversation with Guan Yidao, so what?

It was just matter of needing a divorce paper at the place of exile, what could the Zhao family do if they knew?

What if they knew she was forced into marriage?

After all, such a day would have come eventually.

Yet, for some reason, she felt a bit uneasy.

She hoped that the Zhao family had not stood up just now to protect her nor believed she was Qi Yue.

That way she could have just walked away.

What of being branded with a crime or being a slave; she could just go to another country and live under a false name!

But whenever she thought this, Zhao Xiyan’s image always appeared in her mind.

He spoke to her in his pleasant voice, like crushed flowers on jade.

His smile at her was bright as the moon.

She even felt that perhaps from the beginning, she had just given herself an excuse to accompany him on this journey.

Suddenly, Zhao Xiyan’s gaze shot toward her, his deep eyes seeming to have flames, ready to incinerate her.

She instinctively avoided that burning gaze, running out of the inn’s main entrance in a panic.

In that moment, her soul seemed to scatter, leaving only her body continuing to walk upright.

Thus ended a farce, but it stirred up no small tumult in everyone’s hearts.

Qi Fengzhang thought he had gained leverage over Qi Yue by sending the Letter of Allegiance, feeling proud in his heart.

Meanwhile, the Zhao family members pondered the unfinished statement of Bai Jiahui.

Actually, they didn’t care whether Qi Yue was the original Qi Yue or not, they only knew that Qi Yue had protected them along the way.

They had survived because of her! Lived with dignity!

Until now, they had always believed that Qi Yue did all this because she was infatuated with Zhao Xiyan.

Now, suddenly realizing it was not for this reason, they started to worry whether Qi Yue would leave.

As for Zhao Xiyan, he had known all along that Qi Yue was not the original Qi Yue.

At this moment, he was thinking about something else—she did not like him!

Once she was out of Zhao Xiyan’s visual range, Qi Yue instantly felt herself returning to normal.

Damn demon, unbearable!

Speaking of which, that damnable man spoke just to speak; why did he have to take off his mask?

Who can endure such a double assault on the senses?!

Qi Yue was cursing under her breath when she saw the pregnant woman named Cong Zhonglan, staggering towards her with a huge belly.