Jiang Changyang cut a piece of roasted lamb leg, slicing it carefully as he shook his head slightly. “Is that what she told you? A seal and a servant?”
Noticing his odd expression, the Princess of Ning quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Was she deceiving me after all?”
The Ning Wang Fu was growing anxious. Jiang Changyang placed the sliced lamb on the plate in front of her and said in a low voice, “It’s not exactly deception. It’s more of a test. How should I put this? They now have crucial evidence in someone else’s hands, but they’re unsure whether it’s with me or someone else. Regardless, they hope to gain some support through their connection with you.”
He explained to Mudan that by asking for help in finding something, they hoped that if he had it, he would be lenient. If he didn’t have it, they wanted him to provide definitive information. Better yet, they hoped he would side with them and act on their behalf.
Mudan sighed, “I suspected it wouldn’t be so simple. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have spoken to me and then gone to my mother.”
Of course, the matter wasn’t simple. Wu Yugui’s identity was now unclear, and the facade he wore was related to the person from Tanhua Lou. The Empress had been the mastermind behind that incident initially, and now the Prince of Ning and the Empress were working together to eliminate potential threats—a perfectly reasonable explanation. Even without the seal and servant, that person had already formed preconceptions. With this physical and testimonial evidence, it would be almost conclusive.
Jiang Changyang raised an eyebrow. “What did your mother-in-law say?”
Mudan smiled bitterly, “She doesn’t know the details. She just said we should help if we can. She didn’t specify to what extent, only that we shouldn’t appear ungrateful. After all, according to Wu Shijiu Niang, they’re just asking you to keep an ear out for information. If we show no response at all, it would seem we’re being too cold.”
Repaying favors was the most difficult thing in this world. Even she couldn’t gauge how much help Jiang Changyang could provide, so she didn’t dare make any demands. She simply conveyed the message, trusting that if he could help, he would.
Madam Cen’s reminder was spot on. Her thinking represented the majority’s view. If Li were to suffer misfortune because of this, Mudan would gain a reputation for standing idly by, especially considering how much Li Xing had offended others and exerted himself for her sake—something everyone had witnessed.
Jiang Changyang furrowed his brow, thinking for a moment before saying, “Tell her that I’ve heard about this matter but haven’t seen anything firsthand. However, let them know not to worry. It’s just a seal and a servant. If their conscience is clear, it won’t amount to much.” Although they now served different masters, offering a small hint was acceptable.
Mudan let out a soft sigh of relief. “I’ll find an appropriate opportunity to tell her.”
Jiang Changyang embraced her and said softly, “In the future, you may encounter more situations and people like this. Let me explain this matter to you so you can be prepared.”
He then began to recount a story from years past. Before the Emperor ascended to the throne, he had a beloved woman who, for various reasons, always lived outside the palace. Initially, she hadn’t conceived, and although she was greatly favored, the Empress saw it as merely a man’s natural inclination for romance—a trifling matter. As long as she bore no heir and couldn’t be officially recognized, she would never see the light of day. With time, her beauty would fade, and someone else would take her place. So no one paid much attention to her.
However, after several years, the Emperor’s affection for the woman remained unchanged. As his status and power grew, and the situation became increasingly favorable for him, the woman suddenly became pregnant. This alarmed many people, who feared she might bear a son. After all, the Emperor was currently constrained by his status and circumstances, relying heavily on the Wang family behind the Empress. But no one could predict what might happen if he were to ascend to the throne in the future. It was easy to imagine the fate of those who threatened the interests of many but could not protect themselves. It seemed that death was the only outcome besides disappearance.
Jiang Changyang paused here, then continued in a low voice, “In this matter, the Duke did something dishonorable. He accepted favors from others but didn’t fulfill his obligations. Or rather, he wasn’t intentional about it. After being deceived and manipulated, he saw through the ruse but deliberately pretended not to understand out of fear of losing his life if he became too deeply involved. He delayed for some time, avoided a certain person, and indirectly became an accomplice to some extent.”
He snorted coldly, “That’s not all. His most foolish act was believing that others would think his willful ignorance was genuine deception and that they would sympathize with him. Even if he had been present, the woman might still have died in the end, but in the Emperor’s eyes, if he had truly made an effort, it would have been a different matter entirely. It’s laughable that he remains unaware of this, still dreaming of being reinstated.”
He recalled how Eunuch Shao had once casually hinted to him that the Emperor was a wise ruler. The reason Jiang Zhong could become the Duke of Zhu and still enjoy a comfortable life was because the Emperor appreciated his years of valiant fighting, low-key behavior, and avoidance of political entanglements. He had been loyal to the Emperor and had achieved many merits. This implied that while the Emperor rewarded merit, he also punished wrongdoing. Jiang Zhong had now reached his limit; being able to retire peacefully was already fortunate. He shouldn’t harbor unrealistic hopes or try to meddle further, as that would be challenging the Emperor’s patience.
Mudan frowned, “Was that person the Empress?”
Jiang Changyang shook his head, “The one who directly took action wasn’t the Empress, but the Consort. However, the Empress must have played a significant role in this matter. After all, the death of that woman and her child benefited her the most. What she didn’t anticipate was that man’s plans often fall short of heaven’s will, and she would pass away at a young age.” He changed the subject, “These are all old cases. The Emperor and the Empress have their accounts to settle, which is beyond our control. What the Emperor wants now is to find out if there’s anything from that time he doesn’t know about, and he doesn’t want anyone using this incident to disrupt the court. For instance, what’s the story behind this suddenly appearing jade pendant and the unexpected emergence of Wu Yugui?”
Mudan asked in a low voice, “Is Wu Yugui’s death related to the Prince of Ning’s missing servant and that seal?”
Jiang Changyang replied softly, “There’s no smoke without fire. The Prince of Ning did indeed have a hand in this. When that woman died, her unborn child vanished. Although it was said to have been stillborn and buried behind Tanhua Lou, where something was indeed dug up, no one witnessed it firsthand. So many people believe Wu Yugui to be that woman’s child.” Among these many people, the Empress was naturally included. However, he knew that Wu Yugui was just a pawn thrown out by the Prince of Min. Only Jin Buyan—he still wasn’t sure who Jin Buyan was, and the people sent to Hangzhou hadn’t returned yet.
Mudan listened with a pounding heart. Many words rushed to her lips, but she could only manage, “Be careful.”
Jiang Changyang smiled slightly, “Don’t worry about me. I didn’t have to tell you all this, but I did because I was afraid you’d overthink things. If this makes you more worried, it would defeat my purpose.”
Mudan sighed softly and filled his wine cup with warm wine. “Eat and rest early.”
The night passed without incident. The next morning, after seeing Jiang Changyang off, Mudan was preparing to go out when Lin Mama said, “The young mistress of the Li family sent four pots of chrysanthemums. They’re all desk chrysanthemums, beautifully grown, each flower as big as a fist.” Then, several servants carried in four flower pots: two in blue porcelain with golden lion heads, and two in white porcelain with red tiger balls. They were indeed beautiful. It was clear that Wu Shijiu Niang had put a lot of thought into this.
Sending chrysanthemums was just a pretext; inquiring about the news and urging her was the real purpose. Mudan immediately had the pair with red tiger balls sent to Yuan Shijiu and placed the ones with golden lion heads on the desk in Jiang Changyang’s study.
The one who came was Wu Shijiu Niang’s wet nurse, Li Mama. As soon as she saw Mudan, Li Mama quickly stood up to bow and greet her, her smile and movements showing great respect without any servility. Though clearly in a hurry, she appeared relaxed, as if she had truly come just to deliver flowers, maintaining the demeanor befitting a noble family.
Mudan nodded inwardly in approval and smiled, asking about Wu Shijiu Niang’s well-being. “Is my sister-in-law feeling any better? Yesterday, I had the kitchen prepare some special food for her, but when it was sent to the back, we learned she had already left. My second brother and sister-in-law both said they felt ashamed for not being better hosts.”
Hearing Mudan mention this, Li Mama immediately felt guilty, thinking Mudan was hinting at how Wu Shijiu Niang had used her morning sickness as an excuse to secretly seek out Madam Cen, which was improper. She became a bit uncomfortable and laughed dryly, “Our young mistress has caused you trouble and failed in etiquette. She had intended to bid you farewell personally, but Madam Li said that since we’re all family, you would surely understand her…”
She didn’t try to excuse the behavior, but directly apologized and sought forgiveness, which was commendable. Mudan smiled slightly, “I’ve never been one to stand on ceremony. I only worry that I might have been careless and done something improper, which might make our relatives laugh at us.”
Hearing this, Li Mama realized the conversation was getting to the point. She quickly stood up and sincerely said, “How could that be? The He family has always been known for its integrity and etiquette, no less than any other noble family. Our young mistress and master often praise you. You’re being too modest, madam.”
Mudan didn’t care whether her words were genuine or just flattery. She simply smiled and said, “Hearing Mama say this puts my mind at ease. The four pots of flowers sent today are truly elegant and beautiful. I’m very grateful to my sister-in-law. I don’t have anything special here, but I do have some walnuts brought from the Anxi Protectorate. I’ve heard from the elders that they’re beneficial for pregnant women and their babies. I’ll send some back for my sister-in-law to try.”
Li Mama curtseyed in thanks and stood waiting for Mudan’s response.