Chapter 228 Performing a Play

It was early morning market day, and the streets were bustling with people.

The piercing screams of the women and children were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly drawing everyone's attention!

Countless curious and inquisitive gazes were cast toward the tightly closed vermilion door.

"Open the door! Let us in!"

The men shouted again, "This is the old Marquis's own flesh and blood! Open the door and let us in!"

The gate of the Yongning Marquis's residence finally creaked open a crack.

A gatekeeper poked his head out from inside, about to reprimand them, but the moment he saw the women and children outside the gate, an undisguised look of horror flashed in his eyes!

Without a second thought, he slammed the door shut again and scrambled to the door to deliver the message!

Before long, Madam Huo, supported by Granny Wang, hurried out!

She looked at the women and children kneeling on the ground outside the door, crying and sobbing, her face full of rage and disgust!

"What are you trying to do?!" she demanded sharply.

The woman at the head slowly raised her head. On her elegant face, there was no fear, but rather a touch of just the right amount of pity and composure.

“Madam,” she looked at Old Madam Huo, her eyes calm, “Do you… still recognize me?”

It was...it was her former personal maid, Jinxiu!

"We've all heard about the Huo family's situation," Jinxiu began slowly, her voice soft but clear.

“Back then, when the old Marquis had his accident, there were two young masters, Yun Ting and Yun Zhan. Young Master Yun Ting inherited the Marquis title. Knowing the situation, I took the child and quietly left.”

"But now..." Her voice carried a perfectly timed hint of sorrow, "The Yongning Marquis's mansion has become like this. Its population has dwindled, Young Master Yunting was killed by Young Master Yunzhan, and Young Master Yunzhan has been imprisoned."

"Of course we can't just stand by and watch the Yongning Marquis's mansion be completely destroyed like this!"

“So,” her voice rose abruptly, filled with an undeniable firmness, “we’ve come back with the children!”

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Huo was so angry that she trembled all over!

She pointed at Jinxiu's nose and angrily rebuked her, "Stop pretending!"

"You're all after the title of Marquis of Yongning!"

"You're all just here to laugh at me!"

"Get out! All of you, get out!"

Upon hearing this, Jinxiu smiled.

“Madam,” she looked at her with an expression as if she were looking at a clown, “it is probably not up to you now.”

"Do you want to become the eternal sinner of the Huo family?"

“Our children, no matter what, are descendants of the Huo family! We have the right to come back!”

Madam Huo was so angry by her words that her vision blurred!

She slammed her cane down and shouted, "Men! Throw these wretches out!"

"Close the door! Close the door right now!"

Back in the courtyard, Madam Huo could no longer contain herself and slammed the white jade Guanyin statue on the table onto the ground!

“Bitches! Those bitches!” she screamed furiously. “They did it on purpose! They deliberately came at this time!”

"I wish I could kill them!"

"Yun Zhan... Yun Zhan will be alright!"

"How could my Huo family be destroyed by my own hands!"

But she couldn't help but think of the questioning from the ghost of "Huo Yunting" last night!

She felt a chill run down her spine and, disregarding everything else, turned around abruptly and strode quickly toward the ancestral hall!

With trembling hands, Madam Huo lit an incense stick before the memorial tablet of Marquis Huo.

She watched the wisps of smoke rising and murmured to herself, "My lord... the Huo family... the Huo family's current predicament is... it's not my fault. You... you won't blame me, will you?"

As soon as she finished speaking, a cold gust of wind suddenly rushed in through the cracks in the window frame!

The incense stick that had just been lit went out in an instant!

Old Madam Huo's eyes widened, and she lit the incense again, refusing to believe it!

Can……

The incense went out once again!

"You...you just can't bear to part with those two bitches and those few bastards, can you?" she roared angrily, no longer caring about manners or propriety, and turned around abruptly to leave!

But as soon as she reached the door, she saw Granny Wang leading someone in a hurry as she walked in.

“Madam,” Wang Mama lowered her voice, a hint of barely perceptible excitement in her expression, “this is…someone from the palace. He is Eunuch Zhu, His Majesty’s most favored eunuch.”

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Huo was taken aback, but immediately suppressed her anger and forced a smile at Eunuch Zhu: "Greetings, Eunuch. You've come here to..."

Eunuch Zhu quickly explained his purpose: "His Majesty sent me to tell the old lady that this time, locking up Huo Yunzhan was Chu Jichen's idea. He used the promise of 'no longer acting as regent' as bait to get His Majesty to thoroughly investigate the Shen family."

"The Huo family's affairs back then were related to both Liu Wenyuan and Huo Yunzhan."

“But,” he lowered his voice even further, “Shen Qingci and Chu Jichen both believed that Liu Wenyuan was the mastermind. What they didn’t know was… that the real mastermind was His Majesty.”

"Your Majesty desires the Shen family's private army to intimidate Chu Jichen and truly assume personal rule."

"It was His Majesty who instructed Huo Yunzhan to steal letters from the Shen family, then forge letters to frame the Shen family."

Old Madam Huo stared wide-eyed in astonishment, her voice filled with disbelief: "What...what does it mean that Eunuch Zhu told me all this?"

“Chu Jichen remains His Majesty’s greatest concern,” Eunuch Zhu said slowly. “Now that he is investigating the Shen family, if Huo Yunzhan confesses to His Majesty, Chu Jichen will certainly not let it go.”

“Therefore,” a glint of light flashed in his eyes, “His Majesty will find a way to rescue Huo Yunzhan.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Huo's face instantly lit up with ecstatic joy!

“However,” Eunuch Zhu changed the subject, “after rescuing him, it is absolutely impossible, at least in the short term, for Huo Yunzhan to remain in the capital. His Majesty will arrange for someone to send him away.”

"However, before we send him away, we can allow you, Madam, to see him once."

“But,” his voice was full of unquestionable meaning, “in order to prevent Chu Jichen and Shen Qingci from having any doubts, His Majesty hopes that… Madam Huo, you can join us in putting on a show.”

Old Madam Huo quickly asked, "What play?"

"We have no choice but to sever all ties with Huo Yunzhan," Eunuch Zhu said slowly. "Furthermore, we will support the other children, abandon the mother and keep the children, and stage a charade to revive the Huo family."