Qingtai nodded and said softly, “This servant also feels that Madam Duan is strange and unsettling. It’s best not to believe her words.”
“Of course, I won’t believe her,” Taohua pouted. “Regarding matters concerning Imperial Consort Lan, there’s only one person to trust.”
“Who?”
“Shen Zaiye.”
Qingtai was taken aback, looking at her in surprise. “You plan to ask the Prime Minister?”
“I’m not crazy enough to deliberately upset that viper just to satisfy my curiosity,” Taohua rolled her eyes, pinching a tea bag. “Just prepare as usual when we go back.”
She wasn’t very skilled at making tea, but she had learned enough to manage.
As she was thinking, there was some commotion on the small path ahead.
Zhanlu was leading some men, escorting a servant who looked like a gatekeeper towards Lingwu Courtyard. Taohua was startled and turned to avoid them, but she wasn’t quick enough. Zhanlu’s voice rang out from a distance:
“Lady Jiang, the lord requests your presence as well.”
Her mouth twitched slightly. Instinct told her that going there might not lead to anything good. The person being escorted was most likely related to the earlier concealment of information. However, she had no excuse to hide.
Turning back, Taohua smiled and walked towards them with Qingtai, saying gently, “I was just thinking of paying my respects to the lord.”
Zhanlu nodded, thinking to himself that she looked like she wanted to run. Her ability to lie so blatantly was as impressive as the Prime Minister’s.
Shen Zaiye was sitting in the main room waiting. Seeing a familiar figure in the distance outside the door, he raised an eyebrow and couldn’t help but curl his lips in a meaningful smile.
“Taohua, come here.”
Smiling on the surface, Jiang Taohua stood outside the threshold, secretly clutching the doorframe. “Can this concubine not come in?”
Shen Zaiye’s smile today was particularly eerie, even more chilling than Duan Yunxin’s!
Shen Zaiye didn’t speak, just staring at her with his eyes. They conveyed: If you don’t come, you’ll face the consequences.
Was she the kind of person who feared death? Of course not!
Taohua raised her chin defiantly, then quickly ran to Shen Zaiye, sitting in his lap with a fawning smile. “What instructions does my lord have?”
“Come see, it was this person who caused me to wrongly accuse you,” Shen Zaiye embraced her, resting his chin on top of her head, asking gently, “How do you want to deal with him?”
Zhanlu kicked the gatekeeper to the ground. Startled, the gatekeeper quickly knelt up, kowtowing while saying, “This small one has been wronged!”
Taohua turned back to look at Shen Zaiye with a dark face, her almond eyes wide: Didn’t you say you’d leave it to Zhanlu to handle? Why are you dragging me into this?
Shen Zaiye smiled: He judged that it would be best to let you decide the punishment, as you’re the victim.
I refuse! You haven’t given me a raise, why should I do extra work?
Haven’t I given you enough compensation these past few days?
That was consolation! Don’t treat me like a fool, they can’t be equated!
The two exchanged meaningful glances. To outsiders, it looked like an intimate moment, but only they knew how many daggers were hidden beneath.
Jiang Taohua was very angry, gritting her teeth and glaring: I’m not so easily fooled. You should at least give me another treasure, something small and exquisite, not like that red coral!
Shen Zaiye looked at her disdainfully. This ignorant girl, that red coral tree was worth more than all her other possessions combined, yet she scorned it!
But for the sake of getting things done, Shen Zaiye nodded: Deal.
Taohua smiled sweetly, wrapping her arms around his neck. She coyly stared at the person kneeling in the hall, saying in a coquettish voice, “This person concealed information from you, my lord, and instead reported it to others, causing this concubine to suffer greatly. If he’s allowed to keep his life, this concubine won’t stand for it~”
Even though he was mentally prepared, Shen Zaiye still shuddered at her tone, unable to hide the disgust in his eyes.
Can’t you act more convincingly? Taohua secretly pinched him.
Clearing his throat, Shen Zaiye composed his expression and looked at the gatekeeper.
Terrified by Taohua’s words, the gatekeeper trembled, his face full of fear: “Prime Minister, please hear this slave out. That day when the Prince of Nan sent someone with a message, you were busy with official business in the study. This slave thought it wasn’t a major matter, so I passed it on to the Madam to decide! This is reasonable, how can it warrant taking this slave’s life!”
“What an odd thing to say,” Taohua blinked, nestling in Shen Zaiye’s arms like a boneless creature, appearing utterly spoiled. “Understandably, you didn’t report when the lord was busy, but shouldn’t you have informed him afterward? After all, the master of this household is our lord, not the Madam.”
The gatekeeper was stunned, inwardly displeased. He lowered his head and gritted out, “There were many matters later. This slave thought the Madam had told the Prime Minister, so I didn’t report it.”
“So you’re saying it’s the Madam’s fault?” Shen Zaiye frowned.
The gatekeeper dared not say yes, but it indeed was. He could only keep his head down in silence. As the situation became tense, a servant from outside came to announce: “The Madam has arrived.”
Hearing this, Taohua immediately tried to jump out of Shen Zaiye’s arms. But this lord, perhaps having grown comfortable holding her, had no intention of letting go. He held her like a cat, even stroking her back.
“Don’t be afraid, you’re in the right.”
Even if she was in the right, how could she sit in his lap in front of the Madam? What would people think? Taohua glared at him, but he calmly stared ahead, completely ignoring her.
Mei Zhaoxue was startled as she stepped into the room, staring blankly at the two who seemed glued together on the seat, her face darkening.
Taohua struggled desperately, straightening her clothes to curtsy: “Greetings, Madam.”
Nodding slightly, Mei Zhaoxue said nothing, first respectfully greeting Shen Zaiye, then glancing at the kneeling gatekeeper: “What has happened now?”
“Madam, save me!” The gatekeeper, as if seeing a savior, quickly kowtowed to Mei Zhaoxue. “This slave’s crime doesn’t warrant death! Please spare me!”
Slightly startled, Mei Zhaoxue quickly understood the situation. She smiled at Shen Zaiye: “My lord, what has upset you so? I believe this gatekeeper did nothing wrong in sending guards to rescue the Prince of Nan.”
“Nothing wrong?” Shen Zaiye frowned. “He concealed information, causing me to misunderstand and severely punish Lady Jiang. If he did nothing wrong, are you saying I’m the one at fault?”
Mei Zhaoxue pursed her lips, saying softly, “Given the circumstances at the time, you were busy, my lord. As the mistress of this household, I naturally can make some decisions on your behalf, which is why he came to Linghan Courtyard to relay the message. I didn’t think it was a major issue, so after the Prince of Nan was safe, I didn’t specifically report it to you to seek credit.”
Look how beautifully she phrased it, instantly turning concealment into modesty and not seeking credit. Madam Mei was truly formidable!
Shen Zaiye turned to look at Taohua. She quickly snapped out of her spectator mindset and said pitifully, “The Madam’s words about not seeking credit led to my lord misunderstanding me as improper, causing me to starve for two whole days! If you’re not at fault, and this gatekeeper isn’t at fault, and my lord certainly isn’t at fault, then am I the one at fault? Do I deserve to be wrongly accused?”
Mei Zhaoxue looked up, smiling gently, “You’ve suffered injustice, but the lord has comforted and compensated you. Why must you keep hounding this loyal servant?”
“Loyalty depends on who one is loyal to,” Taohua pouted, muttering softly. “Taking wages from the lord but being loyal to others is truly frightening.”
“Taohua!” Shen Zaiye pretended to reprimand her lightly. “Aren’t your words blaming the Madam?”
“This concubine has been wronged! This concubine is innocent!” With watery eyes, Taohua tugged at Shen Zaiye’s sleeve, shaking it gently. “You said you wouldn’t let those who harmed me off easily. Now the person is right here, and ultimately he’s the one who harmed me. Tell me, doesn’t he deserve to die?”
Shen Zaiye frowned, looking at Mei Zhaoxue as if troubled.
Madam Mei’s face darkened as she frowned at Jiang Taohua: “You’ve been favored recently, and you’re quite different from before.”
She used to know her place and follow the rules. How has she become so unreasonable today?
As if Taohua enjoyed this! She pouted, saying pitifully, “If I were the same as before, I’d have to swallow all these unjust accusations. I’d rather change a bit if it means seeking justice from you, my lord.”
“My lord~” Turning to Shen Zaiye, Taohua said piteous
ly, “You once told me you’d protect me well for life. For every inch others harm me, you’d return afoot. If you go back on your word, may heaven strike you down! That’s what you said.”
When did he ever say that? Shen Zaiye narrowed his eyes at her. This reckless girl, did she think he couldn’t tell she was cursing him in a roundabout way?
But he’d settle accounts with her after this matter was over. Suppressing his anger, he nodded, “I’ll do as I say.”
“My lord!” Mei Zhaoxue frowned. “No matter how wrong the gatekeeper was, his crime doesn’t warrant death. If you’re truly this cruel for Lady Jiang’s sake, I’m afraid it won’t reflect well on your reputation.”
“When has my reputation ever been good?” Shen Zaiye laughed. “You know better than anyone. People outside call me a treacherous minister, not a good person. Since I’m not a good person, what’s wrong with doing some bad things?”
A chill ran down her spine as Mei Zhaoxue’s face froze. She never imagined Lady Jiang would hold such an important place in the lord’s heart, that he would completely lose his usual rationality for her sake.
She had considered the consequences of this matter early on, thinking they wouldn’t be too severe. That’s why she allowed Madam Qin to instruct the gatekeeper not to report to Lingwu Courtyard. How could it turn out like this…
“Prime Minister, this slave was only following orders!” Seeing the Madam couldn’t protect him, the gatekeeper quickly knelt forward two steps, saying desperately, “This slave originally intended to report to Lingwu Courtyard, but…”
Unable to finish his words, he glanced at Mei Zhaoxue.
Mei Zhaoxue lowered her gaze, her hand clenched tightly in her sleeve. She thought to herself that people truly couldn’t be relied upon. When faced with mortal danger, where was loyalty in their hearts? She’d be better off raising a dog!
“This wife apologizes to you on Madam Qin’s behalf,” Mei Zhaoxue bowed her head, saying softly. “Madam Qin has been willful for some time now. When she suddenly had this idea, I didn’t have time to stop her.”
(End of Chapter)