Taohua’s smile didn’t reach her eyes as she respectfully looked at him and said, “Although what you say goes, I don’t want to bear this false accusation. I rely entirely on you for my livelihood in this household. Why would I be foolish enough to oppose you by spreading information that only I knew? I don’t wish to die so soon.”
“That’s what I couldn’t figure out either, so I had people investigate. There’s still no news,” Shen Zaiye pursed his lips, leaning back in his chair as he looked at her. “I trusted you once, but that trust came at a considerable cost.”
“You jest, my lord,” Taohua narrowed her eyes. “We’re both wary of each other, knowing the other is cunning. Your so-called trust was merely your judgment, believing I had no reason to betray you. You didn’t truly trust me as a person. If you did, you wouldn’t have blamed me without question as soon as something went wrong.”
Shen Zaiye lowered his gaze, acknowledging the truth in her words.
Indeed, neither of them fully trusted the other. In his heart, he even considered her a formidable opponent. So when something happened, he naturally questioned her first. Sometimes he couldn’t see through her thoughts and schemes, deepening his suspicions.
But this time, had he wronged her?
“Whether you trust me or not, the punishment is done. You can be more cautious of me in the future,” Taohua said with a mocking smile, curtsying. “Life in Zhengchun Pavilion is better than in Jingyetang. Rather than constantly worrying about me harming you, why not just confine me there with food and clothing?”
“Jiang Taohua,” Shen Zaiye said displeased, “Why are you being so stubborn?”
“I’m not being stubborn,” Taohua replied innocently. “My life is in your hands. How dare I? I’m merely offering a suggestion. Whether you heed it or not, I’m sure you have your plans. I’ll take my leave now.”
Without looking at him, she turned and left.
Shen Zaiye’s face darkened. After brooding for a while, he looked at the empty room and asked Zhanlu, “Shouldn’t I be the angry one? Has she developed a temper from hunger? Didn’t she eat earlier?”
Zhanlu lowered his head and replied, “I heard she had two bowls of porridge and two dishes. She should be full.”
“Was there meat?”
“Yes, there was.”
She ate meat and still had such a temper? Shen Zaiye frowned, unable to understand.
“My lord,” someone came in to report, “Fuqu has been brought back.”
Shen Zaiye’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly rose and went to the front hall.
Fuqu had tried her best to escape. After sending a message to Yu Wang’s mansion that morning, she knew trouble was coming. So she packed her belongings and hid in the countryside, thinking that with her master’s protection and being so far away, she surely wouldn’t be found.
However, she underestimated the influence of the Prime Minister’s men. After hiding for several days, she was still caught and brought back to the Prime Minister’s mansion.
Kneeling in the front hall, Fuqu trembled all over. Seeing Shen Zaiye’s boots appear before her, she immediately prostrated herself on the ground. “Prime Minister, spare my life!”
His eyes flickered slightly as Shen Zaiye sat down to look at her, smiling as he asked, “What terrible deed have you done that you’re begging for your life right away?”
“This servant deserves death! This servant deserves death!” Fuqu repeatedly kowtowed, her voice trembling. “This servant had no choice. Please be merciful, Prime Minister.”
“Tell me,” Shen Zaiye said. “If this ‘no choice’ can convince me, then I won’t blame you.”
Really? Fuqu’s face lit up with joy. She quickly said, “This servant’s entire family is still in the Duan household. Once this servant knows certain things, I must tell the people of the Duan household. So… that night when I saw the lord leave the mansion, not knowing where you went, I just mentioned it to them.”
“Saw me?” His pupils constricted slightly as Shen Zaiye’s gaze suddenly turned sharp. “Where did you see me?”
“Just… at the entrance of Haitang Pavilion,” Fuqu lowered her head and said. “This servant was originally following my mistress’s orders to bring medicine to the lord, but the people at Haitang Pavilion wouldn’t let me in. So this servant hid in a corner. Unexpectedly…”
With an icy gaze, Shen Zaiye turned his head to look at Zhanlu. The latter immediately fell to his knees with a thud. “This slave deserves death!”
At that time, no one had thought there would be someone hiding in the corner so late at night. He hadn’t paid much attention either, which was indeed a dereliction of duty.
Shen Zaiye pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and glared at Fuqu. “If you just happened to see it, why did Madam Duan say someone told you?”
“It was this servant’s fault… This servant was afraid of getting into trouble, so I told my mistress it was someone else who said it. My mistress knew nothing and even told this servant to keep it a secret… but this servant truly had no choice.”
Zhanlu listened with his brow furrowing, unable to help but look up at his master.
It was over. They had truly wronged Lady Jiang.
Shen Zaiye’s expression remained composed, though his eyes were terrifying. He stared at Fuqu for a good while before saying to Zhanlu, “Take her away.”
“Yes,” Zhanlu responded, getting up to grab Fuqu.
Hearing only the words “take her away” without any other punishment, Fuqu’s heart leaped with wild joy, thinking the Prime Minister was going to let her off. As she was led away, she kept bowing her head in gratitude. “Thank you, Prime Minister!”
Shen Zaiye gave a cold laugh, watching her disappear through the doorway. Soon after, Zhanlu returned, lowering his head to say, “It’s been taken care of.”
“Mm.” Shen Zaiye sat without moving, fingering the jade pendant at his waist, as if deep in thought.
After glancing at him a couple of times, Zhanlu carefully spoke up, “My lord, since we’ve wronged Lady Jiang, shouldn’t you go see her?”
“I didn’t wrong her,” Shen Zaiye said in a muffled voice. “She indeed made quite a few mistakes. Isn’t meeting the Prince of Nan in the garden a mistake? Isn’t returning so late a mistake? In other households, this would warrant drowning in a pig cage. I’ve already been very merciful, haven’t I?”
Looking at him for a moment, Zhanlu said softly, “This slave has already inquired. There was indeed a maid who went to Zhengchun Pavilion to deliver a message earlier, which is why Lady Jiang went to the garden. As for returning late… my lord, don’t you want to ask about the reason?”
His face darkening on one side, Shen Zaiye looked up at him. “Why are you meddling in so many affairs?”
“This slave deserves death.” Zhanlu cowered, sensing his master’s unusual aura, and quickly shut his mouth, standing silently to the side.
The front hall fell quiet. Shen Zaiye lowered his eyes, lost in thought for a long time, then reached up to touch his forehead.
A moment later, at Zhengchun Pavilion.
“What? He’s ill?” Taohua raised an eyebrow, looking at Zhanlu who had come to deliver the message. “Is it serious?”
Zhanlu’s face was full of anxiety as he said, “Very serious. The Lord has been unwell since the day before yesterday, but he didn’t let the doctor examine him properly. Now he’s developed a high fever.”
“That’s wonderful!” Taohua clapped her hands excitedly.
What goes around comes around! Her curse had worked after all. He deserves to die of illness!
Everyone in the room looked at her in shock, their faces full of disbelief. Beside her, Gu Huairou tugged at Taohua’s sleeve, smiling at Zhanlu as she said, “Lady Jiang is just happy to have the opportunity to care for the lord. Look, she’s so excited she forgot to worry about the lord being ill.”
Zhanlu gave a dry laugh, thinking to himself that he wasn’t blind. Lady Jiang’s joy was clearly from the bottom of her heart; her eyes were even sparkling!
Clearing her throat, Taohua composed herself and smiled at him, saying, “With the lord so seriously ill, seeing me would only make him worse. For the sake of the lord’s life, please ask Lady Gu to go instead.”
Gu Huairou was startled. She pulled Taohua back two steps and glared at her. “Are you stupid? Everyone in the courtyard is laughing at you after the lord punished you. This is a perfect opportunity to redeem yourself. Why aren’t you seizing it?”
Blinking innocently, Taohua said, “I’m afraid I won’t be able to control my expression. I’m too happy; the lord will be angry. If I get punished again, it won’t be worth it!”
Gu Huairou was both angry and amused. “The lord has wronged you, but you can’t be like this. After all, we have to live in the inner courtyard.”
That was true, but she was just so angry. She was too furious to want to see him at the moment. Even dogs that wag their tails when they see their masters are considered smart dogs, but if they wag their tails all the time without expressing any emotions, that’s quite a tiring way to live. Moreover, she was human.
“Lady Jiang, please go quickly,” Zhanlu said helplessly. “The Lord said he wants you to attend to him. Others can’t replace you.”
Pouting, Taohua asked, “What are the consequences if I don’t go?”
“There are consequences,” Zhanlu lowered his head and said. “The lord said if you don’t go, you’ll have to taste the medicine first. All bitter medicines, two portions each. You’ll drink them here in this courtyard first, and after confirming there’s no problem, then the lord will drink. Also, whatever the lord eats, you’ll eat the same.”
… He was ruthless! Sick people could only eat bland porridge and small dishes. She finally had meat to eat, why should she suffer with him?
Narrowing her eyes, Taohua smiled sweetly and said, “Alright, let’s go attend to the lord. We can’t let him become critically ill, or this whole courtyard of people will have to become widows.”
Was this a concern or a curse? Zhanlu listened with his scalp tingling, not daring to make a sound. He quickly led this mistress back to Lingwu Courtyard.
Shen Zaiye was lying in bed, his complexion not looking good. When Taohua entered, her mood was still a bit off, but seeing his dry, cracked lips, she immediately felt a sense of balance.
“My lord~” She called out softly, sitting by the bed with a grin that nearly reached her ears. “Are you alright?”
Glancing at her sideways, Shen Zaiye said weakly, “Do I look alright to you?”
“Then I’m relieved!”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing, I meant that this concubine will certainly take good care of you now.” With a slight smile, Taohua reached out to tuck in his blanket, glancing at the bowl that had just been brought up. “Shall I feed you the medicine first?”
Struggling to sit up against the headboard, Shen Zaiye glanced at her a couple of times. “At least try to control your expression a little. Show even a hint of concern, don’t smile so exaggeratedly.”
“This concubine has always been very concerned about you, my lord.” Taohua pouted, pointing to her watery eyes. “Look, I’m about to cry from worry.”
Those are tears from laughing, aren’t they?
(End of Chapter)