She shook off Lin's Mother's hand holding her, rushed to Gong Xiaohua, raised her arm and was about to slap the other party when she was grabbed by the wrist by Qin Chuyuan standing nearby and flung heavily to the side.
Lin Yueru was blinded by Qin Chuyuan's protection of Gong Xiaohua. At this moment, she only had one thought - if she couldn't have him, she wouldn't let Qin Chuyuan have Gong Xiaohua either. Even if she had to go to hell, she would take Gong Xiaohua down with her.
So she hysterically questioned Qin Chuyuan: "Why? She is just a commoner, what makes her worthy of you?"
Then she turned to Gong Xiaohua behind her and cursed loudly: "Vile woman! It's all because of you, everything is because of you. Why, why did you have to appear in this world and take what should have belonged to me? Why don't you just die?"
As soon as she said this, the hall erupted in astonishment. Everyone was stunned by Lin Yueru's venomous words.
They had not expected the usually dignified and elegant Miss Lin to speak so maliciously.
What surprised them even more was that Qin Chuyuan, known as the number one gentleman in the capital, actually liked a common woman.
The disciples of aristocratic families who were present were shocked by such explosive news.
In their eyes, one should marry someone of equal status so that the prosperity of the family could last.
Gong Xiaohua was also stunned by the other party's words.
So the last competition, her whole family was arrested because Lin Yueru thought Qin Chuyuan liked her and wanted to take revenge?
How ridiculous. From beginning to end, she had only interacted with Qin Chuyuan a handful of times. How could he possibly like her?
So she said to Lin Yueru: "Miss Lin, I think you have misunderstood. Master Qin and I have only met a few times by chance. How could Master Qin possibly like me? Isn't that right, Master Qin?" Gong Xiaohua turned to Qin Chuyuan.
Qin Chuyuan's deep black eyes looked into hers as he slowly said, "Miss Gong and I have only met a few times."
Lin Yueru looked at the two people in front of her. The gentleman is in love, while the lady is indifferent.
How laughable. The one she longed for but could not obtain actually humbly liked a woman far inferior to her in looks and status.
"Ha, what a 'chance meeting'. I'll see if the Qin family can accept her then."
"Insolence. This is the royal palace. Such nonsense will not be tolerated. Right and wrong, We will get to the bottom of this."
"I must have been framed by the Qin family and this vile woman. I implore Your Majesty to do me justice."
Seeing her pitiful state, the King could not bear to be harsh.
He put away his usual sternness. After all was said and done, the benefits outweighed the harm.
So he put away his sharp rebuke and said, "Alright, stand up first. I will get to the bottom of right and wrong and give you an explanation."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Someone come, summon the Imperial Physician."
"Yes."
Soon, an old man with white hair arrived. He was none other than Zhao Yuanshi, the chief imperial physician.
"Your humble servant pays respect to Your Majesty."
"Rise. Check the Sixth Prince and Miss Lin to see if they have been drugged."
"Yes."
Zhao Yuanshi examined the Sixth Prince and Lin Yueru. Other than some physical weakness, he found no abnormalities.
He went to check the room again. After a quarter hour:
"Reporting to Your Majesty, there are no signs of poisoning for the Sixth Prince or Miss Lin."
"Nonsense. I was clearly drugged. Sixth Prince, explain to them. We must have been framed, right?"
He had been trying to win over the Lin family's military power all this time. Now was his chance. He would have to be a fool to push this opportunity away. No matter what, he must gain control over the Lin family today.
"Miss Lin has been professing her admiration and love for me for a long time, saying she only wished to marry me. And I have long harbored feelings for Miss Lin as well. I shouldn't have given in, but how could Miss Lin go back on her word now?"
After speaking, he looked at Lin Yueru deeply, as if she had betrayed him after leading him on, which delivered a huge blow.
This reversal exceeded everyone's imagination as well. They had thought Miss Lin was gentle and delicate, but she turned out to be so bold in private.
Everyone now looked at Lin Yueru differently. Meanwhile, she was struck speechless and furious. Her eyes rolled back and she fainted.
Lady Lin quickly supported Lin Yueru. "Ruru, Ruru!"
As her mother, she knew very well how much her daughter liked Qin Chuyuan.
Whether it was the Sixth Prince or Qin Chuyuan behind this scheme, the fact that her daughter was now tied to the Sixth Prince could not be changed.
It was no longer possible for her daughter to marry into the Qin family's Chuyuan. She could only beg the King to let her daughter marry the Sixth Prince to salvage her reputation and the Lin family's.
As for that Gong girl her daughter mentioned, no matter whether she was innocent or not, she would not let her off.
"Your Majesty, my daughter already belongs to the Sixth Prince. I implore You to consent to their marriage."
"Lady Lin, let's make this clear. My Qin family had nothing to do with what happened today with your daughter. Don't go making false accusations." the matriarch of the Qin family said.
"You--" Lady Lin pointed at her, too angry to get the words out.
"That's right, we can vouch for the Qin family," some people who enjoyed the drama chimed in.
The Sixth Prince added: "I implore Father to consent to my marriage with Ruru."
"This is..."
"Since this is the case, We decree that Lin Yueru, eldest daughter of the Lin family, be given in marriage to the Sixth Prince."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Thank you, Father."
"Alright, you may all rise. Escort Miss Lin to the side hall to rest, Zhao Yuanshi will attend to her there."
"Yes."
The King looked at Qin Chuyuan. He highly suspected that this whole farce had been orchestrated by Qin Chuyuan from beginning to end, but what was his aim? Could it be true what Lin Yueru said, that it was all for that Gong girl?
But that seemed unlikely. He knew how arrogant the princes and sons of powerful families were. How could Qin Chuyuan demean himself by marrying someone so far beneath his status?
But whatever his motives, the intended engagement between the Qin and Lin families had already struck his nerve. Even if Qin Chuyuan had not schemed this, he would not have allowed the marriage alliance.
As for the Gong girl, while he admired her martial prowess and talent, she was still just a woman whose eventual destiny was to marry and become one of her husband's concubines.
Qin Chuyuan was the most promising scion of the Qin family. Whether he held any feelings for the Gong girl or not, why not take this chance to marry her into the Qin family and cripple them?
