Chapter 731: Chapter 731

He Jinxia’s voice grew increasingly cold and detached, sending shivers down one’s spine with her calm tone.

"That fire came so swiftly that just after I had finished a dance, the canopy above caught fire. When I saw the blaze, the first thing I noticed was you all, the fastest to escape.

I too wanted to escape, but chaos had erupted everywhere, and everyone was frantically running. Being on stage, I was the farthest from the exit.

In the frantic rush, someone grabbed my hair and pushed me hard from behind. I staggered and almost sprained my ankle, but I kept my balance and ran outside.

Then someone else kicked me hard in the shins; the force was so great that I couldn’t stand up for a while.

The fire was growing fiercer, and I felt my dance costume about to catch fire. How desperately I wanted to escape, I struggled for my life. I didn’t want to die...

When I finally managed to crawl to the door, guess who was there to greet me?

Heh, it was the foster sister I had protected since childhood and raised with my own hands."

He Jinxia looked mockingly at He Yaqin, who was kneeling on the ground with her face turned deathly pale.

It’s strange how bold people are when doing wrong, but after the deed is done, they’re terrified that their actions will be exposed, always careful and paranoid.

"She really was something, blocking me as I tried to exit, pushing me back, and locking the door. Through the door, I could hear her voice. What was it she said? Oh—she said she would take good care of my ’brother-in-law.’

"Thinking over it, I wonder who this ’brother-in-law’ she mentioned could be, as I have no memory of him."

"Thinking it over, only the nanny and I conspired to spread rumors that I had a very good relationship with Young Master Lan, that we were old acquaintances. This bit of news not only raised my value but also increased the renown of Red Building."

"Oh, my poor foster sister. I offhandedly mentioned a letter with Young Master Lan’s handwritten promise to her, and she believed it was real. She devised the entire fire in hopes of taking my place."

He Yaqin’s face was as white as a sheet, her body trembling uncontrollably. "Conspired... Could all this be fabricated, with no such letter actually existing?!"

"Impossible, this can’t be true; I definitely saw it... I definitely saw it..." He Yaqin shook her head, continuing to mutter.

He Jinxia must be lying to her, absolutely!

He Jinxia smiled faintly, her eyes conveying a cold aloofness: "I still remember seeing the nanny through the crack of the door. She saw everything you did, saw you pushing me in and locking the door!"

"Any debt I owed to you was paid back at that moment. Now, I owe nothing to Red Building anymore!"

He Yaqin’s eyes widened as she looked at the nanny, pleading for an answer: "Nanny, He Jinxia isn’t telling the truth, is she? She isn’t, right?"

The nanny’s face turned ominously dark, and she did not reply.

How important is it whether it’s true or false?

If it was false, she did everything over a non-existent letter; could discovering the letter’s falsehood undo her past actions?

Not to mention, He Yaqin had already gained enough from it, having become the new oiran and the fresh face of Red Building!

It’s true, that would be even better, the Red Building would gain huge benefits from this, and she also hoped it was true!

He Jinxia suddenly said softly, "It is true."

He Yaqin was stunned for a moment, then abruptly turned her head to look at He Jinxia, meeting her seemingly smiling eyes, which sent a chill down her spine.

The nanny furrowed her brows, looking at He Jinxia inquisitively, not understanding what she was trying to do.

He Jinxia stood up, took out a letter from her bosom, and looked at the nanny, "I indeed have a letter from Young Master Lan to me. When I originally decided to conspire with you, it was because I really had such a letter, and I wasn’t afraid of being exposed."

The nanny was stunned, hardly believing it, and involuntarily clenched her handkerchief tightly, "Do you really have it?"

He Jinxia nodded, "Yes, it is written by Young Master Lan himself. However, the letter does not promise to marry me as his wife, but only says that he admires my talents and hopes that I can wait for him."

The letter was real, received by her five years ago in ancient times. At the end of the letter, there was Young Master Lan’s name and seal; it was undoubtedly his letter.

Back then, she was very young and thought Young Master Lan intended to marry her. Now looking back, she realized how despicable the person who wrote the letter was, as Young Master Lan did not explicitly say whether he wanted to marry her or elevate her as a concubine.

Thinking back, it was clear that Young Master Lan intended to take her as a concubine. It was hateful that her younger self was too young to tell anyone about the letter, letting her girlish imaginations run wild, thinking she could marry him as his wife!

However, it was also good that she did not speak of it then, or else the letter would not have remained until now.

One year later, Young Master Lan left the Capital amid a storm of controversy. At that time, the nanny came to her door to conspire with her, hoping to increase her fame and that of the Red Building by exploiting Young Master Lan’s reputation.

The nanny used the method of spreading rumors, and when small talk was passed around enough and widely, even lies became truths.

On the other hand, the Red Building’s behind-the-scenes master knew Young Master Lan, so when the nanny made this suggestion, it was also nodded through by the master behind the scenes.

The nanny stared at the letter in He Jinxia’s hand and demanded sharply, "Hand it over for me to see!"

He Jinxia smiled lightly, unhurriedly saying, "Nanny, there’s a proper order for everything. I’m willing to show you, but others might not agree."

She added meaningfully, "You know, although Young Master Lan hasn’t appeared in the Capital for several years, there are still many noble ladies in the Capital who cannot forget him."

The nanny spoke harshly, "You are not married to the Sheng Family yet. You are still a person of the Red Building!"

He Jinxia amiably replied, "That’s why I am being upfront with you now, out of this bit of affection. I am to marry to the border in seven days.

This morning, the boss already returned my indenture contract, and I have signed a match with the Sheng Family. I am now the wife of the Eldest Son of the Sheng Family, and the Red Building cannot stop me."

When the nanny heard the word "boss," her expression changed slightly, then she scoffed coldly,

"Don’t think I don’t know that the boss would return your indenture contract because you told her you wanted to join a Daoist Temple to become a female Taoist priest. Yet midway, you ran off to the Sheng Family to become their daughter-in-law!

Is this not humiliating? They might still present a dowry, but what about your bridal trousseau? You have nothing, and even if you marry there, you are bound to be looked down upon!"

He Jinxia said smilingly, "Jinxia has her own plans in her heart, so there’s no need for you, nanny, to worry. I only ask you this, does the Red Building want this letter from Young Master Lan?"