“You…” Gu Huairou wanted to refute her. How long had Jiang Shi been in the household? Where did she get the confidence to draw such conclusions?
However, upon calming down and thinking carefully, she realized Jiang Shi’s words seemed correct. Since her father had publicly confronted the Prime Minister at court, he had rarely visited her quarters.
In this opulent rear courtyard of the Prime Minister’s mansion, competing for favor relied not only on one’s own merits but also on family background and status. Though the Prime Minister wasn’t someone who valued power excessively, he certainly wouldn’t appreciate anyone opposing him. Her father had offended him, so how could she expect the Prime Minister to still favor her?
Deflated, Gu Huairou returned to sit beside Taohua and said, “I understand now. The truth doesn’t matter anymore. What’s important is that the Master no longer wants to keep me here.”
“That’s right,” Taohua nodded, looking at her. “Do you want to stay here?”
“Of course I do.” Gu Huairou glanced at her, pursing her lips. “Once I truly leave the mansion, I won’t have a good fate.”
“Then I’ll give you a suggestion. Perhaps you and your Gu family still have a glimmer of hope.” Taohua smiled slightly, looking at her. “Are you willing to trust me this time?”
Gu Huairou looked at her puzzled, pressing her lips together. “It’s not that I’m unwilling to trust you, but what reason do you have to help me like this?”
“Madam Qin came to see me today,” Taohua said. “She suggested I should ally myself with the Madam to establish a foothold in this household.”
Furrowing her brow, Gu Huairou shook her head. “Her words can’t be trusted. I was deceived by her!”
“Oh?” Taohua asked, “How were you deceived?”
“She tricked me by saying Meng shi had committed suicide because of being divorced, and that I bore the responsibility for a life. She also somehow knew my pregnancy was fake and used it to blackmail me. She tricked me into luring you out of the mansion, claiming she didn’t want you to accompany the Master on the spring hunt. I… I did as she said, not knowing she wanted to kill you outright and then frame me for it.”
“That’s quite formidable,” Jiang Taohua was surprised. “She doesn’t seem that clever.”
“Appearances can be deceiving!” Gu Huairou looked at her earnestly. “Whatever you do, don’t trust her words. Who knows what kind of trap she’s set for you this time!”
“I know, that’s why I came over in the middle of the night, intending to lend you a hand,” Taohua smiled, her eyes crystal clear. “Being isolated isn’t a good thing. Now that Meng Shi can no longer return, if you leave the mansion too, Madam Qin will dominate here. In such circumstances, if I don’t submit to her and the Madam, my days will surely be troubled. But even if I do submit, they might not treat me well. That’s my reason for helping you.”
Gu Huairou was stunned, looking at her in surprise. “You’re very clever, Madam.”
She had been in the household for less than two months, yet she had seen through all these matters.
“I’m just good at staying alive,” Taohua looked at her. “Your staying here is beneficial to me and causes no harm. So, do you want to hear my plan?”
The room fell silent for a moment. Gu Huairou looked deeply at the woman before her. She had no trace of aggression, as gentle and soft as a rabbit. Yet her mind was clear and intelligent, quite reliable. No wonder the Master had taken a liking to her.
“Go ahead,” she said. “If it’s feasible, I’ll give it my all.”
Taohua let out a slight sigh of relief, beckoning her to come closer. She then whispered for quite a while.
Shen Zaiye was in the imperial study, quietly observing the argument between Prince Jing and the Emperor.
“Father Emperor, your previous public trial at the Beijing Yamen has already made the common people feel that you are impartial and truly a wise ruler. But now that Prince Yu has made a mistake, why do you still show favoritism?”
The Emperor’s face darkened. “We’ve punished him with three months of house arrest, equivalent to confinement. Is that still considered favoritism?”
“But… in the previous corruption case, you sentenced…”
“We sentenced the entire family to execution!” The Emperor slammed his hand on the table, standing up angrily and glaring at him. “What? Are you suggesting that if Wuhen commits a crime, We should also go to the execution ground?”
His heart skipped a beat, and Prince Jing quickly knelt, frowning. “That’s not what your son meant. But sentencing officials so heavily while Prince Yu still retains his life, living in luxury while confined to his residence, will surely dishearten the civil and military officials!”
The Emperor narrowed his eyes, his heart greatly shaken. “You’re not satisfied that your royal brother’s life is spared? Wuyin, when did your heart become so cruel? He is your brother!”
Prince Yu knelt silently, feeling that Mu Wuyin had been too hasty and unwise this time. Originally, Father Emperor was still angry about his mistake, but now it had completely turned into anger at Prince Jing for harming his flesh and blood.
Shen Zaiye, standing nearby, didn’t even try to intervene.
The roars in the imperial study continued unabated. After Shen Zaiye had his fill of watching the drama and stepped forward to mediate, Prince Yu’s punishment was settled — still three months of confinement in his residence.
Prince Jing was very dissatisfied but truly had no other option. He could only try his best to gradually dismantle his power in court within these three months.
Shen Zaiye leisurely got into his carriage, preparing to return to his mansion. However, someone blocked his way on the road.
“Prime Minister!” A servant-like person bowed beside the carriage, respectfully saying, “The Minister of Personnel is in the nearby teahouse and requests your presence.”
Minister of Personnel? Gu Shi’an? Shen Zaiye sneered, “I’m in a hurry to return home and have no desire for tea.”
“Sir!” The servant quickly grabbed the horse’s reins and reached into the carriage with a letter. “Minister Gu sincerely invites you. Please take a careful look!”
Glancing at the item, Shen Zaiye paused slightly, then reached out to take it and examined it carefully.
There were only three words on the envelope — “Letter of Apology.”
What was this about? Shen Zaiye frowned, lifted the curtain, and got out of the carriage, walking towards the nearby teahouse.
“Prime Minister Shen!” Gu Shi’an, departing from his usual arrogance, immediately bowed deeply to him, his expression full of remorse. “This official has committed a fault and comes to beg forgiveness from the Prime Minister. I am willing to step down from the position of Minister of Personnel and take a minor post in the internal affairs!”
Turning his head to look at the sun outside, Shen Zaiye smiled. “What has come over you today, Minister?”
There was no one else in the teahouse. Gu Shi’an, casting aside all pretense of dignity, knelt and said, “This official was previously ignorant. Now that great calamity is upon me, I realize that the Prime Minister is truly a loyal minister wholeheartedly devoted to the country. I do not ask to keep my official position, but only beg the Prime Minister to save my life!”
Looking down at him, Shen Zaiye momentarily suspected that this person had suffered some kind of shock. How could the previous Gu Shi’an humble himself like this to him? The matter of forged banknotes hadn’t even been traced back to him yet, so why was he in such a panic?
However, his proposal was quite good — giving up the position of Minister of Personnel and willingly taking a minor post. That also meant he was willing to hand over all his connections to the person who would soon take office.
This deal wasn’t a loss and would save him a lot of trouble.
“Minister, please sit down and speak,” Shen Zaiye softened his expression and helped him to a nearby chair. “I regretted that we couldn’t confide in each other before. Now that you have come to this realization, I am naturally willing to help.”
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Gu Shi’an nodded, thinking that Huairou hadn’t lied to him after all — this approach worked!
Normally, he wouldn’t have listened to Huairou’s words, but recently many things had gone wrong, and the Emperor had just determined Meng Taifu’s guilt of corruption. If the fire were to spread to him, it would mean disaster for his entire family. Coincidentally, Huairou had been sent back at this time, and even if he was dense, he knew that Prime Minister Shen was cutting ties, leaving him to fend for himself.
At a time like this, he couldn’t care about face anymore; any method had to be tried. According to the news, the Prime Minister already had evidence of his forgery of banknotes and corruption. That being the case, submitting to Shen Zaiye was the only way to save his life!
For the first time, he felt that a married-off daughter could be very useful!
The two conversed in the teahouse for a long time. The smile in Shen Zaiye’s eyes grew increasingly pronounced. Finally, he stood up and said, “Then I thank the Minister.”
“It is my honor to serve the Prime Minister. How dare I accept your thanks?” Gu Shi’an bowed respectfully, escorting Shen Zaiye downstairs with great deference.
Back in his carriage, Shen Zaiye’s smile faded, his gaze becoming deep as he stared at a certain spot, eyes slightly narrowed.
If Gu Shi’an hadn’t come to submit today, in at most half a month, he would have been implicated in a new major corruption case. But this man, as if guided by someone, had come to him so obediently. Moreover, the conditions he offered all aligned with his wishes. He had originally planned to place his person in the vacant position of Minister of Personnel, and connections were naturally very important. Gu Shi’an’s willingness to help in exchange for his trust was beneficial to him without any drawbacks.
Who could understand him so well?
As he got off the carriage and entered the mansion, he had barely taken two steps when Yue Tao from Wenqing Pavilion came over and knelt before him, saying, “Prime Minister! My mistress is truly wronged. We’ve found evidence!”
Shen Zaiye’s eyebrow twitched as he looked down at her. “What evidence?”
“The mansion’s entry and exit records can prove that my mistress had no opportunity to hire assassins. We’ve also found the doctor who originally said my mistress was pregnant. He has confessed to receiving silver to deliberately deceive my mistress. Please, Prime Minister, come to Wenqing Pavilion and see for yourself!”
In less than two days, Gu Huairou had found a way out. Shen Zaiye narrowed his eyes, thought for a moment, and decided to go and see.
Mei Zhaoxue and Qin Jieyu were already at Wenqing Pavilion early in the morning. Seeing him enter, Qin Jieyu stepped forward and said, “Master! Didn’t you say you wouldn’t see Lady Gu again?”
“We’ve shared a bed after all,” Shen Zaiye said with a stern face. “I hear there’s evidence that can prove her innocence, so naturally I must come and see.”
“What evidence could there be? It’s all her fabrication!” Qin Jieyu angrily pointed at a doctor standing in the room. “This isn’t even the doctor who originally diagnosed her. Lady Gu just randomly bribed someone to come and try to deceive you!”
Glancing at the doctor, Shen Zaiye asked curiously, “How do you know this isn’t the doctor who originally diagnosed Lady Gu? I heard that initially, only Lady Gu met that doctor, who left without even receiving payment. How do you recognize him?”
Qin Jieyu froze, quickly lowering her head and saying, “I just feel he doesn’t look like…”
(End of Chapter)