Madam Du suddenly looked up, staring directly at Mudan.
Did she truly not know even a hint of what had happened? Was she unaware that it was because of that disgraceful incident later that things had escalated to this point? Or was she pretending not to know to save face for Madam Du? Or perhaps she was overacting to dispel any suspicion of a special relationship with Jiang Changyang?
As Madam Du gazed at Mudan in silence, a flicker of fear gradually appeared in Mudan’s clear, phoenix-like eyes. Her face paled slightly, and she looked at Madam Du timidly, saying in a soft voice, “Madam, I truly never blamed the Second Young Master. If my earlier suggestion wasn’t appropriate, please tell me what I can do. I’ll follow your instructions…”
Madam Du smiled gently, her expression warm as spring. “Sweet child, look how frightened you are. The Duke left several days ago; we can’t catch up to him now. This matter is somewhat related to him letting Chasing Wind frighten you…” She deliberately paused, noticing Mudan’s eyes blink rapidly and her lips quiver slightly as if she had something urgent to say. Madam Du quickly changed the subject, “But… it’s not your fault. It’s not just because of that incident. You were there at the time, and such an embarrassing affair couldn’t be hidden. What truly broke the Duke’s heart was the incident of him faking the deer hunt! You know about that, don’t you?”
Mudan’s face visibly relaxed, but she quickly composed herself and politely said, “At the time, I only heard the commotion. I didn’t know many people there and didn’t dare to cause trouble, so I didn’t ask much. I’m not clear on the truth of the matter, but I believe there must have been a misunderstanding.”
She couldn’t guess Madam Du’s intentions, but she knew that regardless of Madam Du’s plans, it was best for her to stay as uninvolved as possible. She shouldn’t let herself be used as a pawn, shouldn’t take the lead, and shouldn’t implicate anyone else—at least not through her own words. Showing weakness, deflecting, and following Madam Du’s lead was the best she could do at the moment.
Madam Du observed Mudan’s expressions and sighed, half-genuinely and half-feigning, “As a woman who wasn’t present at the time, I can’t understand all the intricacies of the situation. But my love for my son is real, and I don’t want him to bear such a bad reputation at such a young age. I came here today, firstly to apologize to you, and secondly, hoping that you could tell me everything you know, considering that his brother once saved your life. If there’s even a sliver of hope to clear his name, I must try.”
Madam Cen coughed lightly and said authoritatively, “Dan’er, your father and I have always taught you to be grateful and understand righteousness. Tell Madam Du everything you know, and don’t hide anything!”
After a moment of hesitation, Mudan carefully chose her words: “I always keep Jiang Gong’s life-saving grace in my heart and never forget it. I only regret not having the opportunity to repay him. How could I not be willing to tell Madam what I know? However, as Madam knows, those who attended that day were all important people. I was there with my aunt, and the only people I was close to were her and Miss Xue from General Huang’s family. I wasn’t familiar with others and didn’t dare to approach them. After being frightened by Chasing Wind, I was even more afraid to wander around. I didn’t know how to hunt, so during the hunt, I stayed close to my aunt. When we returned to the camp, I hid in the felt tent except during meals.”
She smiled bitterly, “To be honest, the hunt was a difficult task for me, but I couldn’t refuse my aunt’s kind invitation. I’ve been delicate since childhood due to poor health, and staying in the wilderness was very uncomfortable. I couldn’t wait to return home. After riding a horse all day, my whole body ached as if falling apart. I didn’t want to get up once I lay down, but there were mosquitoes, the wind howled strangely at night, the bed was hard, and I had to share a room with others…”
Madam Du had no interest in hearing Mudan’s complaints. Seeing her ramble on, she frowned and interrupted, “It’s said that my Zhong’er was framed, and it must have been someone close to him. He’s too naive to say anything, but bystanders often see more clearly. When you saw my Zhong’er, who did you notice him being closest to? Who did he like talking to? Who did he talk to the most?” She glanced at Mudan with a half-smile, “I heard he came to apologize to you afterward?”
What Madam Du most wanted to hear was Mudan saying that Jiang Changzhong liked to be around Xiao Xuexi.
Mudan lowered her eyes and pressed her lips tightly, remaining silent. She inwardly cursed Madam Du for being so cunning, setting a trap with her very first question. If she didn’t want to implicate Xiao Xuexi, naming anyone else as being close to Jiang Changzhong would, in this context, suggest that the person had framed him. In the future, Madam Du could easily tell others, “That’s what He Mudan told me,” which would only cause more trouble.
If she refused to answer the first question, she would have to address the second one about Jiang Changzhong mentioning Xiao Xuexi to her, which would still involve Xiao Xuexi. Fortunately, she hadn’t let Jiang Changzhong finish speaking at the time, so she could deflect in another direction.
Seeing Mudan lower her eyes and remain silent, Madam Du raised her delicate eyebrows and set down her teacup with a deliberate clink. The cup was made of fine Yuezhou porcelain, and its collision with the silver tea tray produced a clear, melodious sound. If this were in the Zhu Duke’s mansion, people would know that this gesture meant she was displeased and about to assert her authority. Anyone sensible would quickly confess to avoid angering the virtuous and gentle Madam.
But this wasn’t Zhu Duke’s mansion, and Madam Cen and her daughter weren’t under her jurisdiction, so they naturally ignored it. Madam Cen made no effort to hide her displeasure, maintaining a stony expression without speaking. Mudan also kept her eyes lowered and her lips pressed together in silence.
Madam Du impatiently glanced at Bai Xiang. Bai Xiang was about to step forward to play her usual role of scolding and coaxing people on behalf of Madam Du, but as she took a step, Madam Du suddenly remembered that she was a guest here, that she had come to apologize and rebuild Jiang Changzhong’s image. She couldn’t bully people or tarnish her image as a gentle and virtuous noblewoman. So she signaled Bai Xiang to step back.
She smiled gently again and said in a soft voice, “Good child, don’t worry. I won’t repeat a single word of what you say today to anyone. Moreover, if you help us, I won’t forget your kindness. In the future, if you need anything, I’ll naturally support you. Just tell me what you know, and even if you make a mistake, I won’t blame you.”
This time, Mudan’s face reddened. She fidgeted, avoiding eye contact and twisting her skirt sash as she said softly, “I don’t know anything.”
Madam Du’s face darkened slightly as she turned to Madam Cen and said calmly, “It seems this child hasn’t calmed down yet. When I return, I’ll have that leopard skinned and sent to her as a rug. When she’s calmed down and remembers something she wants to tell me, she can let me know. What do you think?”
Mudan hurriedly said, “Please don’t be angry, Madam. How could I be so petty? I’ve already said I don’t blame the Second Young Master for that incident, so how could I want the leopard’s life? I’m not such a petty and vicious person. The Second Young Master is very kind. That day, when he apologized to Miss Xue and me in public, everyone praised him for being humble and polite. They all said he was good and liked him very much.”
Madam Du refused to let her off the hook: “I heard from the servants that he sought you out privately afterward to apologize and spoke with you for quite a while. What did you talk about?”
Mudan looked at Shu’er and said calmly, “Madam, at that time, the Young Master was accompanied by that guard with the missing ear, and I had this maid with me. They both know what we said.”
Before Madam Du could speak, Shu’er immediately stepped forward, curtsied, and said in a clear voice, “If Madam allows, this servant was there that day. It was getting late, and we were heading to the felt tent to rest when we met the Young Master and that guard brother on the way. The Young Master first apologized, then said, ‘Miss He, this isn’t the place to talk. Let’s go over there.'” She imitated Jiang Changzhong’s tone so perfectly that it was as if he were standing there himself.
Madam Du’s expression changed immediately. Seeing that Shu’er was about to continue, she quickly stopped her and said with a forced laugh, “My Zhong’er is just such an innocent and sincere person. His father and I have raised him strictly, so he’s a bit naive about the ways of the world.”
“Our Young Miss…” Shu’er was about to speak again, but Mudan stopped her and said seriously, “Indeed, Madam is right. That’s why when the Second Young Master heard the guard’s advice, he immediately bid me farewell. After that, I never spoke to him alone again, not even a single word. As I said before, Jiang Da Gong is my life-saving benefactor, and you are his family. I will do whatever I can to help. But in this matter, I truly am powerless. Please forgive me, Madam!” Mudan finished with a deep curtsy.
Her response was watertight. Madam Du pressed her lips together and looked at Mudan intently for a moment before smiling slightly. There was still time; no need to rush. Wealth, honor, youth, handsomeness, capability, and a bright future—such a man would be the ideal partner for any woman, especially someone like He Mudan who had been through so much. How could she be so simple as to let such an opportunity slip by?
No rush, no rush. Take it slow. As long as the bait is plentiful and well-placed, the fish will eventually bite the hook. It’s better if this person is clever; otherwise, she wouldn’t be suitable to lure Jiang Changyang. Consider this: even if Jiang Changyang liked her, for the sake of his position, he would at most offer her the status of a concubine, but that wouldn’t be enough… So this weapon must be sharp and invincible. As long as Mudan’s heart was moved and she was willing to be used, Madam Du didn’t care about the outcome. She only cared about winning.
Madam Du smiled slightly and said, “I thought you might know a little something, but it seems you don’t know. I apologize for my earlier rudeness. Please forgive me, considering I’m just a mother worried about her son.”
For a first-rank noblewoman to humble herself like this and show such a kind attitude towards a 17 or 18-year-old commoner girl was truly rare, a testament to her exceptional upbringing and character. Naturally, Mudan wouldn’t hold it against her. If she did, it would be seen as failing to appreciate the kindness shown to her.