Elder Du immediately summoned someone in, instructing them to go find Second Master and have Second Master go to Willow Leaf Alley to fetch First Master Du back. He then looked at First Madam Du and asked her: “How long have you known about this?”
In the past, this matter wouldn’t have been serious. Even if an imperial censor impeached him over it, he had plenty of methods to suppress the memorial and cover up the affair. But now, who didn’t know that Prince Gong had fallen from grace and lost favor? Who didn’t know that he, surnamed Du, was Prince Gong’s teacher? There were only five positions in the Grand Secretariat, and plenty of people envied him and waited to push him off his seat. If someone caught wind of this and stirred up trouble, it would be no laughing matter.
First Madam Du lowered her head, shedding tears, knowing to speak according to her daughter’s instructions: “I only learned of it recently. When the master came home, he told me he wanted to bring the outside woman in as an equal wife.”
Before she could finish speaking, Elder Du slammed the table hard: “Outrageous!”
Everyone in the room held their breath and knelt on the ground. Second Madam and Third Madam, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, didn’t dare to intervene either. They stood respectfully to the side, occasionally exchanging furtive glances, both somewhat astonished—this matter had actually been brewing for a while, and everyone tacitly understood it. Why didn’t it blow up earlier or later, but chose this moment to reach the in-laws?
Even Madam Du’s face darkened, completely different from her usual doting manner toward her eldest son. Her voice hoarse, she pointed at her second and third daughters-in-law: “You two, accompany your eldest sister-in-law to that residence and seize those people.”
Madam Du stopped mid-sentence, glanced at her eldest daughter-in-law, hesitated for a long while, and asked her: “What are your wishes in this matter?”
First Madam Du sobbed and wept, only crying: “How would this daughter-in-law dare have any wishes? The master said if I don’t comply and let him bring her in, he’ll divorce me.”
“Nonsense!” Madam Du snorted, frowning at Elder Du, then turned back to ask her: “You haven’t raised a son at your side either, no wonder he runs outside every day.” After saying this, she continued: “Since he now values that outside woman so much, let’s do this—that woman naturally shouldn’t think of entering our family’s door, but that child…”
Elder Du felt somewhat uneasy about this, but thinking of how the first branch only had that one little bean sprout who could die at any moment, and then thinking they could always send that woman far away later, he coughed once: “This uproar is truly unseemly. As for the eldest, I’ll go speak to him.”
Madam Du swept a glance at her two daughters-in-law. Second Madam and Third Madam spontaneously went to help First Madam Du up from the ground, persuading her to dry her tears, and ushered her into the inner room to redo her makeup and hair.
Outside, the steward matron reported through the curtain that Second Master had already gone to Willow Leaf Alley. Elder Du thought for a moment and had the steward matron assign two other household managers: “Have the second son lure the eldest back first. The moment the eldest leaves the door, quickly clean up matters there. Aside from bringing that child back, arrest everyone else, bind them together, and await disposition.”
Having given these instructions, he lifted his feet to go to his study—he still had a pile of matters waiting. Before he’d even left the courtyard, he heard Madam Du inside calling someone out to find him. He had no choice but to turn back and ask her: “What is it?”
Madam Du sighed: “With all our own family troubles, you’ve completely forgotten. Prince Gong is supposed to leave the city this evening before the gates close. Shouldn’t we see him off?”
If it were others not seeing him off, that would naturally be understandable—who would want connections with a prince detested by Emperor Jianzhang and branded with the infamy of disobedience and unfilial conduct? But Elder Du was different. After all, he was Prince Gong’s teacher. If he didn’t go see him off, he’d likely be called heartless and ungrateful. He lowered his head, pondering for a long while: “I’ll see him off!”
Madam Du also lowered her head, turning to instruct her second daughter-in-law who had just emerged to prepare a gift list and open the storeroom to select items to send: “Should I go there personally?”
Elder Du nodded: “Whatever you say, say it properly.”
Madam Du glanced at her husband, seeing him speak with such gravity. The two exchanged glances and couldn’t help but laugh—how could they possibly speak properly? Prince Gong and Princess Consort Gong probably wanted to devour them alive.
But this was exactly the posture they needed to adopt. Although publicly everyone couldn’t immediately separate them from Prince Gong for the time being, at least this provided grounds for drawing a clear boundary, didn’t it?
Who knew that although Madam Du had prepared herself to be humiliated at their door, Princess Consort Yang still accepted her calling card. She was immediately somewhat stunned in her sedan chair. Even someone as experienced as she couldn’t help widening her eyes and asking the nanny accompanying the sedan: “I heard correctly—they’re really letting me in?”
She hadn’t given advance notice, only sending her card upon arriving at the door—this violated major taboos. She had originally thought she wouldn’t even get through the door before being driven out. Then, when people spread the word, although Elder Du would lose some face, he would have made his stance clear to Emperor Jianzhang. It could be considered mending the fold after the sheep were lost, showing Emperor Jianzhang his attitude. Who knew Princess Consort Gong would be so good-natured?
Perhaps she wanted to settle accounts inside? Thinking this, after entering the rear courtyard of the prince’s mansion, Madam Du began contemplating how to respond.
Who knew that Princess Consort Yang, having experienced such a tremendous event, could still maintain her composure so well? This wasn’t an ordinary accusation. A prince crowned with such a reputation, already not favored by his own father—later, when the new emperor ascended the throne, life would only get worse. With matters deteriorating to this extent, Yang Shi still acted as if nothing had happened. Madam Du began to panic.
Yang Shi’s smile was gentle, her tone excellent: “Adding flowers to brocade is easy, sending charcoal in snow is difficult. Madam, you are a good person. Both the prince and I remember the kindness of you and Elder Du.”
This single sentence made Madam Du break out in cold sweat. She didn’t know if Princess Consort Gong was playing dumb or truly foolish. The bellyful of prepared speeches she’d readied—not a single word could emerge. She stammered a few responses and had nothing more to say.
Princess Consort Gong lowered her head to watch the tea leaves floating and sinking in her cup. After a long while, she laughed once: “This time’s matter, thanks greatly to Elder Du and Madam.”
Madam Du felt increasingly chilled to the bone. Looking at her spring-breeze-like smile, she felt uncomfortable all over. She forced herself to sit for a brief moment before rising to take her leave.
Princess Consort Gong didn’t detain her either. With a faint smile, she had someone see her out properly, then turned back to inventory the things to bring to Prince Gong.
This journey would last three months. After three months, he would go directly back to his fief, never again permitted to enter the capital. Prince Gong felt utterly apologetic toward his wife and children. Seeing her bustle about continuously, he opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a single word.
Outside stood the Grand Prince and the Imperial Guard on watch. Yet Yang Shi acted as if she knew nothing, still gently and softly helping Prince Gong change clothes and bandage the wound on his forehead, not saying or asking a single superfluous word.