Duan Yunxin glanced at her and said with a light smile, “Very well. Lady, you stay here. Lady Jiang and I will go.”
Jiang Taohua agreed, giving Duan a few instructions before following the Taoist priest out.
Duan Yunxin appeared very composed, not even bothering to tidy up the room. She had people bring over an incense table and invited the priest to look around. Taohua watched from the side, wondering if she had misjudged Duan.
“What incense is Lady Duan burning in this room?” Qingtai asked softly from behind. “It smells wonderful.”
“This is a special ‘Seven Clarity Powder’ I sought out,” Duan Yunxin smiled. “As the weather warms up, it’s easy to feel drowsy. The warm incense provided by the household always makes me sleepy, so I had some sent from my maiden family.”
Taohua nodded. “The scent is unique.”
“If you like it, I can have He’er send some to Zhengchun Pavilion,” Duan Yunxin offered. “I sent some to Linghan Court earlier, and I heard the Madam quite enjoys it.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Taohua smiled. “I’m not in the habit of burning incense in my room. Thank you for your kindness, Lady Duan.”
As they spoke, the Taoist priest had already circled the main room and the backyard, muttering incantations and scattering rice and incense ash everywhere.
“For some reason, there’s quite a bit of negative energy here,” the priest said seriously as he returned to the front. “The lady should recite more Buddhist scriptures. Perhaps that will dispel the negative energy.”
Duan Yunxin’s face stiffened slightly as she frowned. “I’ve always recited scriptures and have been praying at Jingye Hall. How could there be such heavy negative energy?”
“Negative energy stems from the heart,” the priest made a gesture. “If one’s inner demons aren’t exorcised, negative energy will naturally accumulate.”
“Nonsense!” Duan Yunxin pursed her lips, looking the priest up and down before turning to Taohua. “I wonder where you found this priest, Lady Jiang. He seems more like a fraud.”
The priest, slightly annoyed, waved his whisk and said, “This poor Taoist never deceives. If the lady doesn’t believe me, I won’t dispel the negative energy in this courtyard. If something is attracted here, don’t blame me!”
“You…” Duan Yunxin looked about to lose her temper but quickly suppressed it. She turned to Jiang Taohua and said, “Lady, please take him away. I’ve done nothing to trouble my conscience in this courtyard. I truly don’t fear ghosts knocking at my door!”
“Well,” Taohua hesitated slightly. “The priest’s words may not be without reason. Why insist on this, Lady?”
“I’m not being stubborn. I just want to prove that no one in my Shouyun Pavilion has a guilty conscience,” Duan Yunxin said. “Liu’s death has nothing to do with me. Whoever is afraid, that’s who the priest should be scaring. Intimidating me is useless.”
The priest snorted coldly, gathered his things, and left with his young attendant. Taohua pursed her lips, thinking that Duan Yunxin seemed quite confident, so there probably wasn’t any issue.
In the evening, news came from Beijing Yamen that Liu Shiyi’s death was a homicide. Judging from the marks on her neck, she had been hanged from a beam, not a suicide.
Upon hearing this news, Taohua wanted to dig a hole and bury herself. However, the inevitable still came—the Liu family, along with their servants, knelt at the gate of the Prime Minister’s mansion, hanging white banners and wailing loudly. Anyone unaware might have thought Shen Zaiye had died.
Shen Zaiye hadn’t returned from the palace yet, and Mei Zhaoxue was still ill. No matter how much Taohua wanted to hide, she had no choice but to face the situation.
“My daughter was sent to the Prime Minister’s mansion in good health. We didn’t ask for great wealth or status, just a peaceful life! How could she be killed after such a short time?” Madam Liu knelt outside, crying and shouting. “Esteemed Prime Minister, you owe us an explanation!”
Taohua quickly ordered people to bring her inside, but as she was the wife of a high-ranking official, the servants didn’t dare forcibly move her if she refused to stand. Gu Huairou, seeing this, had to personally drag her into the mansion.
“Let’s discuss this calmly,” Jiang Taohua looked at her and said. “The Prime Minister isn’t in the mansion. I’m temporarily in charge of the rear court affairs. Liu’s death was sudden, and the Beijing Yamen is already investigating. There’s no use in crying here, Madam. It’s better to arrange for Liu’s funeral.”
How could the grief-stricken Madam Liu listen to such words? She grabbed Taohua’s sleeve and shouted, “If my daughter were placed elsewhere, she could have been a sought-after principal wife. She married into the Prime Minister’s household only because of Xiangjun’s fondness for the Prime Minister. How could it end like this?”
“Please calm down,” Gu Huairou pursed her lips. “This isn’t Lady Jiang’s fault.”
“Xiangjun left a suicide note!” Madam Liu gritted her teeth. “She said she was bullied. Where is that person?”
Taohua sighed. “Lady Qin was frightened ill and is recuperating in her courtyard.”
“I want to find her!” Madam Liu stood up and said. “I’ll get a clear explanation from her!”
Was this going to turn into a fight? Taohua’s face darkened. She could no longer speak politely and said in a stern voice, “Even if Lady Qin punished Liu Shiyi, it was according to the rules. If Liu hadn’t provoked her, Qin wouldn’t have targeted her without reason. The punishment was just too severe. Both were at fault. You have no grounds to seek retribution from our household’s lady.”
Madam Liu’s eyes widened, tears flowing. “My daughter is dead! Murdered! And you speak to me like this?”
It wasn’t as if she had killed Liu. Why couldn’t she even speak now? Taking a deep breath, Taohua tried to remain calm. “I understand your grief, Madam, but the Prime Minister’s household has its own rules. This isn’t a place where you can act recklessly.”
“I don’t care!” Madam Liu sat on the ground, wiping her tears. “If you don’t give me an explanation today, I’ll have people wail around the mansion, or I’ll file an imperial complaint and let the Emperor deal with this!”
“Go ahead and file a complaint,” Gu Huairou couldn’t bear to listen anymore. Seeing Madam Liu’s shrewish behavior, she frowned and said, “Would the Emperor bother with such a small matter?”
Madam Liu was stunned but became even more stubborn. “Indeed, my husband is just a minor official in the inner court, with no voice before the Emperor. But I insist on filing this imperial complaint! Given how you bully people with your power, without the Emperor’s judgment, there will be no justice for my daughter!”
Taohua listened quietly, thinking she was just joking. After all, filing an imperial complaint wasn’t easy, and given Liu Xiangjun’s background, she couldn’t outmaneuver Shen Zaiye.
However, this time, she had miscalculated.
When Shen Zaiye returned in the evening, he immediately went to Zhengchun Pavilion, his face grim. “How did it escalate to this point? The Liu family filed an imperial complaint.”
“They did?” Taohua was surprised. “How is that possible?”
“The Liu family’s eldest daughter has recently gained favor in the palace,” Shen Zaiye rubbed his brow. “The Emperor has already ordered the Beijing Yamen to thoroughly investigate. This has truly blown up now.”
For a case the Emperor personally ordered to be investigated, the culprit wouldn’t have an easy time. Once found, it would certainly be a dead end.
“Does My Lord have any leads?” Taohua took out the items Xu Yangui had given her and placed them on the table, frowning. “I’ve observed for an entire day, and no one in the household seems like the culprit.”
“Would the culprit wear their thoughts on their face?” Shen Zaiye rolled his eyes, then pulled her into an embrace, speaking softly. “It’s the dogs that don’t bark that are more likely to bite.”
Taohua was stunned for a moment, frowning as Duan Yunxin’s face inexplicably appeared in her mind.
“How are My Lord’s affairs progressing?” Taohua lowered her gaze, leaning against his chest as she asked quietly.
“Fairly smoothly,” Shen Zaiye pursed his lips. “The Emperor will soon establish a Crown Prince.”
“Crown Prince…” Taohua raised an eyebrow. “Prince Jing?”
Shen Zaiye nodded silently.
In the current situation, Prince Yu still harbored ambitions, but Prince Jing had an absolute advantage. Once he ascended, it would be the moment Prince Yu was thoroughly crushed. But this blow would also inevitably weaken Prince Jing, and at such a time, Shen Zaiye’s help would be needed.
“My Lord is truly impressive,” Taohua smiled, flattering him. “Completely manipulating the court situation. When things succeed, if My Lord is in a good mood, will you reward me as well?”
“You’ll be rewarded according to your merits,” Shen Zaiye said calmly, extending his hand and counting on his fingers. “But we must deduct for each time you’ve offended me. Balancing merits and faults…”
“My Lord!” Quickly embracing his neck, Taohua giggled. “Don’t be like that. A man should be magnanimous! Isn’t a prime minister’s belly said to be big enough to sail a boat in?”
Chuckling softly, Shen Zaiye picked her up. “It’s getting late. Let’s rest.”
“Where else is My Lord going?” Seeing him about to leave after placing her on the bed, Taohua asked curiously.
“I’m going to check on Linlang Pavilion,” he replied.
Qin Huaiyu had been quite frightened. He hoped she wasn’t truly scared out of her wits.
Taohua pursed her lips, watching him leave while resting her chin on her hand. She then stared blankly as Qingfeng prepared her bed and helped her retire.
“What’s wrong, Mistress?” Qingfeng glanced at her and couldn’t help asking. “Are you unhappy?”
“It’s nothing to be unhappy about,” Taohua shrugged, lying down. “Just a common occurrence.”
Though she said this, her expression told a different story. Xu Yangui, perched on the ceiling beam, couldn’t help but remark, “Are all women so contradictory between their words and hearts?”
Startled, Qingfeng and Taohua looked up to see Xu Yangui crouching on the beam, his black clothes blending with it. If one wasn’t paying attention, he was truly invisible.
Qingfeng’s face darkened, about to confront him, when she heard her mistress say resignedly, “We should be used to him by now. He won’t cause trouble. You can go out first.”
“…Yes.”
As the door closed, Xu Yangui landed lightly on the ground, looking at Jiang Taohua with a tsk. “Don’t tell me you hoped Shen Zaiye would favor only you?”
“I never thought that,” Taohua blew out the nearby candle and nestled into her blankets, closing her eyes. “If there’s nothing important, sir, you should rest early too.”
“So cold,” Xu Yangui pouted, about to say something with a smile when his ear suddenly twitched. Without a word, he yanked Jiang Taohua out of her blankets, covered her mouth, and carried her back up to the ceiling beam.
Taohua was so frightened her legs went weak. By the time she realized what was happening, she was already tightly embraced in his arms.
(End of Chapter)