Rumors and gossip (2)

Qiuju was both shocked and furious, her face turning deathly pale. She immediately rebuked the two whispering maids, her voice trembling slightly with anger: "Shut up! Where did you hear such nonsense! If you dare to spout any more rubbish, you'll be in for a beating! Now get to work!"

Qiuju immediately lost her temper, scolded the gossips, and quickly ran back to hug Chuntao and cry bitterly, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

Their unusual behavior did not escape Jiang Wanzhi's keen sense of gossip.

"What's wrong with you two today? Why are you acting so suspiciously?" Jiang Wanzhi put down the storybook in her hand and looked at the two restless people with a puzzled expression.

"No...nothing, Miss!" Chun Tao quickly waved her hand.

"It's just... the weather's a bit dry, and I'm feeling irritable," Qiuju quickly chimed in.

Jiang Wanzhi narrowed her eyes. Although she could be a bit oblivious at times, she wasn't stupid: "Something's definitely wrong! Is there some new rumor about me out there?"

She immediately realized that her recent inquiries about Su Yuyue had exposed her. Was she being retaliated against?

Under her repeated coercion and enticement, Chun Tao and Qiu Ju finally broke down in tears and blurted out the nasty rumors, threatening to deduct all their monthly pay if they didn't.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wanzhi's excitement and curiosity froze instantly, and she slowly collapsed.

She had imagined many ways she would be retaliated against, such as being poisoned. Recently, she has been making Chun Tao taste the poison before eating.

For example, she would hire thugs to beat her up, and she would practically wear a helmet whenever she went out.

She never expected that the other party would use such despicable, woman-targeting, and utterly low tactics to attack her!

A surge of immense grievance and anger welled up inside her, making her tremble and turn deathly pale. She felt like an innocent husky that had been splashed with dirty water.

"Who...who said that?! Which heartless bastard spread such a rumor?!" Her voice was choked with sobs, tears welling up in her eyes, and she was so angry that she almost did a backflip on the spot.

"I stay home all day, eating and sleeping. Me, having secret meetings with other men? Does that count as having secret meetings with male demons from novels?! Are these people just bored out of their minds?! Pah! They're bored out of their minds even if they don't have any!"

She wondered why she, a mere slacker trying to survive, had attracted such disgusting malice.

"Miss, don't be angry! Those are all lies! Nobody will believe them!" Chuntao and Qiuju quickly comforted her, afraid that she might get sick from anger.

Just then, a maidservant's timid voice came from outside the courtyard: "Miss, the Prince Heng's mansion has sent someone with a gift, saying it's from His Highness to you."

Jiang Wanzhi was stunned. Prince Heng? At this time? She quickly wiped away her tears and composed herself: "Quick...quickly let him in."

He wondered to himself: Could the big boss have sent someone to deliver hush money or a warning letter?

After all, her reputation is ruined now, won't it affect his reputation as well?

The woman who arrived was a maid from the Prince's mansion with a calm demeanor and graceful manners, carrying a brocade box that looked very high-end.

After bowing respectfully, the maid said, "Miss Jiang, His Highness has heard that there has been some noise in the city recently, which may disturb your peace. He specially ordered me to bring this item, saying that it might help you relieve your boredom."

Jiang Wanzhi opened the brocade box with a puzzled look. Inside were not gold or silver jewelry, but several brand-new storybooks that still smelled of ink, and a small box of imperial-made floral perfume that looked extremely expensive.

The covers of the storybooks varied in subject matter, but they all seemed to be tales of chivalrous adventures and chivalrous women seeking revenge. Besides these, there was nothing else—no letters, no messages.

Jiang Wanzhi looked at these things, initially bewildered, but then gradually came to understand.

He knows! He definitely knows everything!

He didn't say anything to comfort her, nor did he directly stand up for her. Instead, he told her in this unique way: I know you've been wronged. Don't pay attention to the noise. Read some interesting stories and relax.

This silent yet overwhelming support was like a warm wool blanket, instantly soothing her heart, which had grown cold with anger.

Tears welled up uncontrollably, but this time it wasn't out of anger or fear. Rather, it was because Zongzheng Hengyu's way of comforting her was so unique that it instantly broke her down, and complex emotions began to swirl around her.

This ruthless villain actually comforted someone in this way...? The contrast is so adorable!

“Thank you for making this trip, Miss,” Jiang Wanzhi said, her voice slightly hoarse, with a barely perceptible sob in it. “Please… please thank Your Highness on my behalf.”

The maid's lips curled slightly, revealing a faint yet knowing smile, and she bowed respectfully again: "This servant will certainly deliver it. Take care, Miss. This servant will take her leave."

Holding the bizarre storybook and the high-end perfume, Jiang Wanzhi suddenly felt a surge of anger welling up inside her, and it all leaked out with a soft "poof."

Yeah, what's the point of getting angry at those keyboard warriors who live in the gutter?

Those who believe in her will naturally believe in her! Moreover, even the icy bigwig has spoken up and sent gifts, which is equivalent to implicitly supporting her!

Rounding it off, she's practically a lazy bum with powerful backers!

…………

Meanwhile, inside the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, chaos reigned. The atmosphere in the main hall was as oppressive as an impending storm.

Duke Su Qing's face turned ashen, veins bulging on his forehead. He slammed the teacup in his hand to the ground, shattering the fine official kiln porcelain into pieces, shards and tea splashing all over the floor!

"Poisonous woman! Fool!" He pointed at Lady Liu, the Duchess, who was kneeling on the ground trembling, his voice hoarse with rage.

"Look at what you've done! Embezzlement! Embezzlement! You even stole Wan Niang's dowry! Those were the last things Bo Yuan's mother left behind! You... how dare you do this?! Do you think I'm dead?!"

(Note: Wan Niang refers to the first wife. Su Boyuan was the eldest son of the Duke of Zhenguo, and his birth mother was his first wife, Wan Niang.)

Liu Shi wept bitterly, her hair disheveled, her usual elegance completely gone. She clung to Su Qing's leg, pleading, "Your Excellency, please calm down! Please calm down! I... I was just confused for a moment. The household expenses are huge, and I only wanted to contribute some money. I didn't embezzle it all... Please, Your Excellency, for the sake of Yu Yue and the children, forgive me this time!"

"Subsidize? I think it's subsidizing your good-for-nothing brothers!" Su Qing kicked her away, trembling with anger.

"Now look what's happened! The Censorate's impeachment memorial has even reached the Emperor! You've completely disgraced me! The entire court is now laughing at our Duke's mansion!"

Just then, Su Yuyue, who had rushed back after receiving the news, burst into the main hall. Seeing her mother's disheveled appearance, she immediately rushed over to protect her.

Looking up at her father with teary eyes, she said, "Father! How could you treat Mother like this! Mother has worked hard for this family for so many years. Even if she hasn't done anything great, she has certainly put in a lot of effort! It's just that there are some discrepancies in the accounts. It must be the work of the people below who are not doing their jobs properly. How can you blame it all on Mother? Someone must be deliberately framing her!"

"Framed?" Su Qing sneered, his gaze sharpening as he looked at his beloved daughter. "Then tell me, why do Censor Li and Censor Wang know so much? Even bringing up an old grudge from five years ago?! Su Yuyue! What trouble have you gotten yourself into lately?! Is it because you've caused trouble for your mother?!"

Su Yuyue felt a chill run down her spine under her father's unprecedentedly stern gaze, but she still tried to defend herself: "I didn't! I've always upheld the proper conduct of a young lady, how could I have caused trouble? It must be... it must be someone who can't stand to see our Duke's mansion doing well! Someone who can't stand to see me..."

She wanted to say, "I can't bear to see my daughter befriending His Highness Prince Ming," but she swallowed the words back.

"No?" Su Qing slammed his hand on the table. "Then why are there rumors circulating that this matter is related to your inappropriate words and actions outside?! From today onwards, your mother is confined to the ancestral hall to repent! No one is allowed to visit her without my order! The household affairs will be temporarily managed by Bo Yuan's wife! As for you..."

He looked coldly at Su Yuyue, "Go back to your own courtyard and reflect on your actions! You are not allowed to leave the manor without my permission!"

Su Yuyue was struck dumb, her face turning deathly pale.

To strip the mother of her power to manage the household and hand it over to the wife of that sickly man's first wife's son?

This is tantamount to shattering years of hard work by the mother and daughter in an instant! And now they're even confining her to her home?!

"Father! You can't..."

"Get out!" Su Qing was furious and didn't allow her to explain herself.

Su Yuyue was half-invited and half-dragged out of the main hall by the servants and returned to her gorgeous but suddenly cold boudoir. She finally couldn't hold on any longer, collapsed to the ground, covered her face and cried bitterly.

Fear, anger, and resentment gnawed at her heart like venomous snakes.

She immediately understood—this was definitely Prince Heng's revenge! Just because she spread rumors about Jiang Wanzhi?!

Prince Heng is so ruthless! So merciless! He directly undermined their support, destroying their greatest asset in the manor!

She could almost picture the way the servants in the mansion were looking at her and her daughter—a look filled with pity, mockery, and schadenfreude!

Heng Wang's counterattack struck directly at her and her mother's most fatal weakness!

This not only caused her mother to lose power, but also caused her status in the household to plummet!

…………

The Prince Ming's residence also received the news quickly.

"Useless! Fool!" Zongzheng Mingchen's face was so gloomy it could drip water. He suddenly swept an inkstone off the desk, spilling ink and staining the expensive carpet.

"Who gave her the audacity to provoke Jiang Wanzhi with such underhanded tactics?! She's alerting her! She's risking everything for a small gain! Utterly foolish!"

His original plan was to lure Jiang Wanzhi out of the city, create danger, and see if she would seek help from Prince Heng, thereby controlling Prince Heng and finding something of value to use from her.

Now look what's happened! This stupid woman, Su Yuyue, has not only exposed herself because of a moment of anger, attracting Heng Wang's fierce retaliation, but she may also cause Heng Wang to focus more attention on Jiang Wanzhi and strengthen her protection, making it even more difficult for him to make a move against her in the future!

"Your Highness, what about Miss Su now..." Deputy Pavilion Master Ying Sha asked cautiously.

"Ignore her! She's a woman who's good for nothing and good for making things worse! Let her clean up her own mess!"

The King was furious. "Our focus must be on rebuilding our power! Tell everyone that without my order, no one is allowed to cause any further trouble! In particular, no one is allowed to touch Jiang Wanzhi again!"

After this incident, he temporarily abandoned the idea of ​​immediately taking action against Jiang Wanzhi.

It wasn't because he was soft-hearted, but because he was wary—wary of Heng Wang's protective attitude towards Jiang Wanzhi, which was clearly beyond his expectations.