Shen Zaiye didn’t look at her face, so he naturally missed Jiang Taohua’s suddenly dimmed eyes. He had finally waited for her body to recover so they could properly be intimate.
He wasn’t a lustful man, but for some reason, he always felt an unusually strong possessiveness towards Jiang. Amid their passion, he couldn’t help but ask, “What’s the highest level of your Zhao country’s charm techniques?”
Taohua paused, then smiled sweetly. “Charm techniques can only control someone temporarily. Master said the highest level is to control someone for a lifetime, making a man obedient forever.”
Startled, Shen Zaiye narrowed his eyes at her. “Did you use it on me?”
“How could I?” Taohua breathed softly, biting his lip with her small, white teeth. With a coquettish air, she said, “Didn’t this concubine promise never to use those techniques on you again? Besides, my skills aren’t advanced enough for that level.”
Controlling someone for a lifetime was no easy feat. Even her master, Qian Baimei, probably couldn’t achieve it.
Slightly relieved, Shen Zaiye parted her teeth with his tongue and kissed her deeply, making her moan and struggle breathlessly. “I… I can’t breathe!”
Chuckling softly, Shen Zaiye lifted his head, releasing her, and gently kissed her forehead.
Taohua froze, then felt something cool against her chest.
Looking down, she saw that Shen Zaiye had placed the jade pendant, strung on a red cord, back around her neck. The pendant had been broken, but somehow he had made it whole again. Looking closely, one could still see faint cracks in the jade.
“It’s just a jade pendant,” the man above her said, his eyes shining strangely as he gazed at her. “Why do you wear it around your neck?”
“…”
Taohua tried to shrink away, but he held her waist firmly. She could only look up at him pitifully. “This concubine is just afraid of losing it. It’s safest around my neck.”
“Didn’t you say then that you wanted to sever all ties with me?” Shen Zaiye raised an eyebrow, leaning closer until their noses touched. He asked softly, “If you’ve cut ties, why keep this?”
“It’s… valuable,” Taohua swallowed, her eyes darting around nervously. “It would be a waste to throw it away. If I ever run out of money, I could exchange it for silver!”
Laughing softly, Shen Zaiye pressed against her mercilessly, gritting his teeth. “With that stubborn mouth of yours, how dare you tease me?”
“Ah, help!” Taohua cried out, momentarily forgetting that Shen Zaiye had come in secret. Qingtai, hearing the commotion outside, rushed in, only to see something she shouldn’t have.
Qingtai: “…”
Shen Zaiye coldly glanced at her, asking coolly, “Enjoying the view?”
Quickly covering her eyes, Qingtai turned and fled, slamming the door shut behind her.
Both angry and amused, Shen Zaiye looked at the person beneath him, gritting his teeth. “You won’t be getting any sleep tonight!”
She was innocent! Taohua wailed, but her voice was muffled as he silenced her with his lips.
The moon hid behind clouds, but the stars were especially numerous that night, twinkling as they listened to the sounds of passion from somewhere on Earth.
The next day, Shen Zaiye left for court in high spirits, while Taohua trembled as she dressed, lying on the soft couch and drinking red date and white fungus soup with a pained expression.
“Mistress, are you alright?” Qingtai asked worriedly, looking at the marks visible on her neck. “Did Ye handle you so roughly?”
“What?” Taohua was startled. Following Qingtai’s gaze, she quickly covered herself. “You unmarried girls don’t understand these things. He didn’t hit me.”
How could there be so many bruises if he didn’t hit her? Qingtai shook her head, feeling that her mistress was hiding her suffering, and her heart grew even more sorrowful.
With her mistress in such a state, how could she betray her? She decided to ignore the orders from Zhao country as if she had never received them.
“Niangniang!” Just as Taohua finished her last sip, Huadeng rushed in excitedly. “Something’s happened! There’s a commotion to watch! People are kneeling at the mansion gate, drawing quite a crowd!”
So soon? Taohua quickly got up, rubbing her waist as she hurried out with her attendants.
Many in the Xiang mansion had received the news but didn’t think it was a big deal, so they only sent maids to check the situation. When Taohua arrived, Feng Ping from Linghan Court was standing at the door, questioning the kneeling people:
“What are you doing? What does this have to do with our Furen?”
An old man and a young man knelt at the main gate of the Xiang mansion, with a stretcher beside them holding a paralyzed peasant woman. The two kept kowtowing, saying, “Our Lianyi died unjustly! Didn’t Furen say she would give us silver? We’ve waited so long, Lianyi is already buried, but we haven’t seen a trace of the silver!”
Feng Ping was startled and said sternly, “Nonsense! What does Lianyi’s death have to do with Furen? Why would Furen give you silver? Someone, quickly arrest them and send them to the magistrate’s office!”
“Yes!” The nearby servants responded and were about to act.
“Wait!” Taohua stepped forward, looking at Feng Ping. “How can you send them to the magistrate without clarifying the matter? If these people are intentionally framing Furen, sending them away like this would only make Furen seem guilty of a crime.”
Seeing Jiang arrive, Feng Ping became flustered. “Why has Niangniang come out? This small matter can be handled by us servants.”
“Gu shi and I are close, and Xiang ye has been asking me to investigate Lianyi’s matter,” Taohua smiled. “Since these people have something to say, they should naturally be handed over to me. Qingtai, take them away.”
“Yes.” Qingtai complied, pushing aside the servants blocking the way and lifting the people on the ground to bring them into the mansion. Huadeng quickly ordered people to carry the stretcher in as well, all sent to Zhengchun Pavilion.
Feng Ping was dumbfounded. After watching for a moment, she hurriedly lifted her skirts and ran towards Linghan Court.
“Mistress!”
Mei Zhaoxue was doing her makeup and glanced at Feng Ping in the mirror. “What’s the matter?”
“Lianyi’s family has come, saying you owe them silver. Now Jiang shi has taken them away.”
What? Mei Zhaoxue was stunned and turned to look at her. “How did such a mistake happen?”
“This servant doesn’t understand either,” Feng Ping frowned. “I handed the silver to the runner. Either that person embezzled it, or this family is trying to extort money.”
“Impossible,” Mei Zhaoxue frowned. “Didn’t you send someone to check earlier? They were tight-lipped, clearly having received the silver. Not a word was said. How could they suddenly change their tune?”
Feng Ping shook her head. She didn’t know either. Today, this family’s attitude was indeed strange. If this continues, they might say something reckless in Zhengchun Pavilion.
Mei Zhaoxue thought of this too. She pursed her lips and calmly said, “First, send someone to Zhengchun Pavilion to gather information. If anything seems amiss, make sure they are silenced permanently.”
“Yes.” Feng Ping responded and hurried out again.
Zhengchun Pavilion was quiet. Except for Qingtai, all the maids were locked outside, unable to enter. A young maid pulled Huadeng aside and blinked, asking, “Sister, what’s happening inside?”
Huadeng shook her head. “I don’t know either. There’s no sound. I suppose they’re being interrogated in the room.”
The young maid was stunned, nodded, and quietly slipped away while Huadeng was looking towards the courtyard.
Upon receiving the news, Gu Huairou finally stepped out of Wenqing Pavilion and hurried to Zhengchun Pavilion.
“What’s going on? Someone said Furen was behind the plot against me?”
Taohua took her hand, led her to sit down, and casually handed her a box of pearl powder. “Don’t worry, I’m fishing.”
Fishing? Gu Huairou was puzzled and looked at the three people sitting nearby. “Are these Lianyi’s family members?”
“Do you think they are?” Taohua smiled.
Lianyi’s mother was bedridden and paralyzed, but the peasant woman before them sat properly in a chair and even bowed to her. “Greetings, Gu Niangniang.”
What’s going on? Gu Huairou couldn’t understand. She rubbed her head and frowned at Taohua. “What are you doing?”
“These people were borrowed from someone else,” Taohua said. “Lianyi’s family is very tight-lipped and won’t say anything. I had no choice but to have them temporarily detained and then invited these three heroes to pretend and scare those with guilty consciences.”
Gu Huairou suddenly understood. She looked at the three people, then at Jiang Taohua. “I didn’t expect Niangniang to know people from the jianghu.”
Taohua laughed dryly. Of course, she didn’t know them, but someone else did. That person also wanted to avenge Gu Shi and readily lent the people.
Now everything was ready; it was just a matter of whether the fish would take the bait.
Gu Huairou sighed. “You’ve gone to such lengths for me. I don’t know how to repay you.”
“Don’t worry,” Taohua said. “There will be times when I need your help. For now, let’s wait. Do you feel up to visiting Linghan Court?”
“Linghan Court?” Gu Huairou was stunned. “What for?”
“Aren’t there rumors that Furen wanted to harm you?” Taohua smiled. “Why don’t you go ask Furen about it?”
Is Jiang Shi suspecting Furen? Gu Huairou thought for a moment, touched her face, and nodded.
Soon after, Linghan Court became lively. Gu Huairou, appearing deranged, shouted towards the main house: “Mei Zhaoxue! If you dared to do it, why don’t you dare admit it? My whole life is ruined by your hands, ruined! Can you sleep at night?”
Mei Shi sat inside the room, her brows furrowed. Feng Ping beside her said, “It seems those people did talk. Mistress, what should we do now? Once Ye returns…”
“Hasn’t Ye returned yet?” Mei Zhaoxue smiled. “Go to Zhengchun Pavilion, bring Jiang Shi here, and then silence those people.”
Truly worthy of being the steady Furen, still so calm now. Feng Ping nodded admiringly and immediately went to carry out the orders.
Gu Huairou cried incessantly, drawing curious onlookers from the back courtyard. Taohua arrived leisurely with Qingtai, her eyes full of meaning as she bowed to Mei Zhaoxue. “Greetings to Furen.”
“No need for formalities,” Mei Zhaoxue frowned, looking at Gu Huairou in the courtyard. “I rarely go out these days. How come someone is suddenly crying and accusing me of harming her? Jiang Niangniang, do you know the reason?”
Taohua smiled, her face showing an expression of understanding as she looked at her. “This concubine naturally knows. Doesn’t Furen know?”
Her hand tightened on her handkerchief, and Mei Zhaoxue laughed lightly. “Of course, I don’t know. If there’s anything to say, let’s speak openly to avoid people gossiping behind my back.”
“When Ye returns, this matter can naturally be clarified,” Taohua said. “Why is Furen in such a hurry?”
“I’m not in a hurry.” Sitting down calmly, Mei Zhaoxue said gently, “Gu shi, stop crying. Come in and sit down, everyone. The truth will come out eventually.”
Gu Huairou pursed her lips, wiped her tears, and entered the main room. The other concubines and attendants watching outside also came in and found seats.
“Does Jiang Niangniang know that the crime of insubordination in this household is very serious?” Mei Zhaoxue asked softly.
Taohua nodded, smiling at her. “This concubine knows. Does Furen know that the crime of murder is also not light?”
Slightly startled, Mei Zhaoxue narrowed her eyes. “There has been a murder in the household, and indeed the crime is not light. But it also requires solid evidence to convict. Without evidence, making baseless accusations is not good either.”
“Furen, don’t worry,” Taohua nodded. “This concubine has already obtained the evidence.”
“I’m very at ease,” Mei Zhaoxue turned to look at the door. “I didn’t harm Qin Shi. No matter what you say, the crime can’t be pinned on me.”
Though both women spoke gently, for some reason, those present felt a chill run through their bodies.
Was the most favored Jiang Niangniang finally going to confront the primary wife?
Perhaps because there was a good show to watch, Shen Zaiye returned unusually early today. Led by a maid into Linghan Court, he was somewhat surprised. “Your morning meeting hasn’t dispersed yet?”
“Ye is joking,” Mei Zhaoxue said. “At this hour, if it were a morning meeting, it would have long been over. This is a slander meeting, and it can’t end without your presence.”
Taohua also smiled sweetly. “Everyone is waiting for Ye to uphold justice. Please, Ye, have a seat.”
Shen Zaiye raised an eyebrow and sat in the main seat. Then he saw Taohua stand up and say, “Today, someone was kneeling at the mansion gate crying injustice. This concubine brought them in for questioning and learned that they were Lianyi’s family. They say Lianyi died unjustly, and Furen promised them silver but didn’t deliver.”
“Silver?” Shen Zaiye looked at Mei Zhaoxue, puzzled. “Why would Furen give silver to Lianyi’s family? If there’s to be compensation, it should be Huairou’s decision. Moreover, she died for her crimes, so there shouldn’t be any compensation.”
Mei Zhaoxue lowered her eyes. “Doesn’t Ye understand? Jiang Niangniang means that I bribed Lianyi to harm Gu shi, but after Lianyi died, I didn’t give her family the promised silver, so they came to make trouble.”
“Is there such a thing?” Shen Zaiye’s face darkened. “Where are the people? Bring them up.”
“Yes,” Taohua responded, turning to tell Qingtai to bring the people.
Mei Zhaoxue waited patiently, but after so long, the people she sent hadn’t returned with any news.
Feeling uneasy, Mei Shi turned to look at Feng Ping. Feng Ping understood and lowered her head, about to slip out.
“Where are you going?” Taohua suddenly spoke, looking at Feng Ping. “At this moment, whoever moves is suspicious. For Furen’s sake, you’d better stay where you are.”
(End of Chapter)