Chapter 65 Chapter 65 "Please, Duke, let my aunt go!"...
Jasmine subconsciously felt that her grandfather was lying. He had been with Xu Qiuhuai for several nights. How could he hold back?
Then, she knew immediately that the Duke couldn't be lying. If he said he didn't touch her, then he definitely didn't touch her.
But why?
The old lady couldn't bring herself to ask why, so she just looked at the second son in front of her strangely. Now that things had come to this, the old lady couldn't say anything more and nodded, "Alright, you decide."
Seeing that the old lady didn't want to keep her, Xu Qiuhuai ran straight to the Duke, knelt down and kowtowed: "Please, Duke, please keep Qiuhuai!"
"You are a spy. I am showing leniency by sparing your life. Take you away."
Jasmine couldn't stop shaking again.
He seems tolerant, but in fact he has a heart of stone.
She should have known this all along. He was the Duke, a general guarding the borders. He was only lenient with those who respected him. But if someone committed a crime, they were his enemy.
Even if she is his woman, he will not be spared.
Seeing the two guards coming forward, Xu Qiuhuai looked around, fixed her eyes on the carved door, and flew out.
There was a loud bang, and Xu Qiuhuai fell to the ground with blood all over his head.
Everyone present was shocked.
Jasmine trembled even more violently. She couldn't even move a single step.
In the end, Shancha helped him back home. Xu Qiuhuai was seriously injured, and the court doctor examined him and said he was out of danger, but the bumpy road ahead might not guarantee his future.
The Duke had no choice but to keep her for the time being.
Jasmine felt that this man would have to stay with the Duke for the rest of his life. After all, she could bump into him again, twice, three times, countless times.
Jasmine even admired Xu Qiuhuai's courage, as she was not very brave.
But if the truth comes out, she will be sent to jail, exiled, or beheaded. I don't know if this trick will work.
Just thinking about it, Jasmine held her head and started to feel a headache.
When the Duke returned, the concubine was holding her head in a daze. The Duke approached and asked, "What happened to Jian'er?"
"Headache."
No matter how careless the Duke was, he knew the concubine's character after being with her for so long. He tried to appease her helplessly: "Are you scared again?"
Knowing she wasn't easily frightened, she still insisted on joining in the fun. The Duke wanted to scold her, but seeing that his concubine seemed to have a genuine headache, he couldn't bear it.
"I'll ask the court doctor to come and see you."
Jasmine knew she was worried. She really didn't want to take bitter medicine that made her nauseous, and she didn't want to be pricked with needles.
Jasmine put down her hand and said hurriedly, "I am much better now. Master, there is no need to trouble you."
Fearing that her master would insist on inviting her, Jasmine changed the subject: "By the way, why did Master tell the old lady that he didn't consummate his marriage with Concubine Qiu Huai?"
The Duke was a little embarrassed to speak, but still said, "How can I refuse Jian'er's kindness?"
It was all for her. Jasmine felt complicated.
This was the question Jasmine really wanted to ask. Hearing her grandfather say this, Jasmine became even more curious: "But Master has been asking Qiu Huai to sleep with him for several days. Can Master resist?"
The Duke's face was very uneasy. He said frankly, "She's not as proactive as Jian'er. When I tell her to sleep on the footstool, she does. When I tell her to turn her face away, she does."
Jasmine understood what the master meant. Xu Qiuhuai wasn't proactive enough, didn't actively seduce, and of course the Duke wouldn't feel anything when facing a puppet.
"Master, do you think Concubine Qiu Huai is not proactive enough? What if Concubine Qiu Huai is proactive?" Jasmine found that her words sounded a bit sour.
Fortunately, her grandfather didn't find out.
The Duke said seriously, "It's been several months since I've gotten along with Qiang'er, but how can I get along with the others after only a few days?"
Jasmine discovered that beneath her grandfather's pretended calmness, there was actually a hint of panic.
I'm afraid that he has been under the control of the old Duke since he was a child and has never had contact with maids. Then he served in the army for more than ten years. Not to mention doing anything with girls, he even stutters when talking.
Therefore, this man never takes the initiative to talk to girls. It's not that he is annoyed, but he doesn't know how to do it and is afraid.
He's actually afraid of women?!
Jasmine couldn't believe it. She looked at her master with a complicated expression. Then, she apologized, "I overstepped my bounds."
"Jian'er, you don't have anyone to support you. You're afraid and worried, and it's understandable that you want to please them. I don't blame you." The Duke looked at his concubine tenderly and said, "But Jian'er, you don't have to be like this in the future. I will protect you."
Jasmine nodded. She really wanted to ask him, if he knew she was a murderer, would he still be able to protect her?
Jasmine thought of something more important, and her eyes fixed on her grandfather. "Grandpa, why did you send the three concubines back to Xuzhou? What happened in Xuzhou?"
The Duke's face grew serious, this time radiating a stern and solemn expression from within. "Not only did the Xu family's eldest son commit murder and rob, he also set fire to the body to destroy the evidence. The local magistrate even tried to cover up the crime. If I hadn't sent someone to Xuzhou with gifts and discovered this incident and reported it, the Xu family would have likely kept it a secret."
The Duke's face darkened even further. "The reason Xu sent me a concubine was to exploit me. They were waiting for me to send a gift back so the county magistrate would see the close ties between the Xu family and the Duke's Mansion and turn a blind eye to the case."
Jasmine hurriedly apologized, "It's all because of me. If I hadn't urged you, you wouldn't have sent a return gift."
"It has nothing to do with you. Even if the Duke's Mansion doesn't send a return gift, they will find another way. But it's impossible for me to discover the clues so quickly. Therefore, Qiang'er, don't worry too much about this matter."
Jasmine nodded and asked, "I wonder what crime the Xu family's eldest son will be sentenced to?"
"capital offense."
Jasmine's heart sank.
Then she heard her grandfather continue, "Not only the eldest son of the Xu family, but also the Xu family's attempt to protect and bribe the county magistrate is also a serious crime."
Jasmine's heart sank.
She just hoped that Xu had suffered a great disaster this time and would no longer think of her as her concubine.
On the second day, Zuo Hechun came to pick up the Duke to go to court.
Zuo He asked, "Did the general punish my aunt?"
Chunli sighed in frustration. Why wouldn't this person listen? What good would it do the general to punish his concubine?
The aunt Zuo He was referring to was of course Aunt Jasmine.
The Duke glanced at him and said casually, "No."
Zuo He frowned, "General, why? Auntie corresponded with Madam Xu and asked you to send a return gift to Xuzhou. This was all done by Auntie. You can spare her life, but such a scheming and vicious woman should not be kept by your side any longer."
The Duke urged his horse to a gallop, with Zuo He following closely beside him. The Duke looked ahead and said, "My aunt is only trying to please Madam Xu. There's nothing wrong with that."
The Duke paused, and before Zuo He could speak, he added, "It's you, on the other hand. Because of your family's misfortune, you make arbitrary assumptions about others. If my concubine were really driven away by my master, she, a helpless and weak woman, would have no choice but to die. So, is it my concubine who is vicious, or are you?"
"I am not..."
"Don't let me hear you say a word about Auntie again. You don't have to follow me these days, and you don't have to go to the garrison camp. Reflect on your actions at home."
"My subordinates should not be at home!"
"Twenty military sticks! Execute immediately!"
Zuo He was stopped by four guards and could only stare unwillingly at the back of the Duke as he rode away on his horse.
Chunli glanced at him sympathetically, shook his head, and went after the general.
Zuo He hated being in that smoky and chaotic home the most. So after returning to Kyoto, he would rather stay in the garrison camp and guard the general than go back.
He wasn't married yet, so suggesting a division of the family was treasonous. Now the general wanted him to reflect on his actions behind closed doors. This was like asking for his life!
But he couldn't help it!
Zuo He was escorted back home by four guards. Two guards carried a bench, one took out a stick as thick as his arm, and the other kindly handed Deputy General Zuo a handkerchief.
"Deputy General Zuo, I'm sorry."
In the front yard of Zuo Mansion, the eaves of the corridors on all sides were filled with spectators.
...
After two days of fear, on the third day, Jasmine suddenly learned something.
Xu wrote to the old lady begging for help, but the old lady politely refused. The letter also stated that the Duke had known that this was a plot by the Xu family, and that his favoring of Xu Qiuhuai was a trick to make them relax their vigilance. In fact, the Duke had not touched her at all.
"...Then why bother explaining it in so much detail? I think the old lady clearly did it on purpose."
Jasmine was so frightened that she fell down into the flowers.
The eldest young lady's wife looked back and saw the flower bud that was crushed by her, feeling very distressed.
Shancha went to help her aunt up, but she failed and fell down herself.
Not surprisingly, several more flowers were crushed.
The eldest young lady was so angry that she almost jumped up and down. Although these flowers didn't grow in the main courtyard, she had watched them grow there all day long.
The eldest young lady's wife was heartbroken. She turned around and glared at her two maids: "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and help the concubine up!"
...
The door of the side courtyard dormitory was closed.
The master and servant leaned against each other and shed tears silently for a long time. Shancha did not dare to disturb her aunt, because she knew that if she had a solution, she would definitely tell her.
But for a long time, the aunt didn't say a word, and only tears fell down in strings.
Shancha was so anxious that she couldn't help but ask in a hoarse voice, "Auntie, are we doomed?"
They used Xu Qiuhuai to write a letter to the Xu family to make a deal, but the Xu family discovered that she was lying.
Xu might blame all the blame for this exposure on her.
Xu's affair has been exposed, so why would he care about her?
Perhaps Xu would even try to exchange the secret of "I have a concubine" with the Duke. The Duke would definitely say "I don't need to know", but even so, Xu would definitely tell him.
No matter how she thought about it, Xu would eventually reveal her affairs.
When Shancha thought she would not get any answer from her aunt, her aunt suddenly grabbed her wrist.
"You must find a way to find He Congde. Tell him that I can no longer stay in the Duke's Mansion and beg him for help."
Shancha was stunned for a moment before nodding repeatedly: "I'll go now!"
Auntie didn't let go, and Shancha looked back at her.
Jasmine urged again, "Have him do it as soon as possible. Ideally, within a day or two."
...
"Will you come back, Qiang'er?"
Upon learning that Xu Qiuhuai had not consummated his marriage with the Duke, Jasmine planned to move back to the main courtyard.
But that night, Jasmine had a lot of things on her mind. Two days later, she heard that the old lady had written a letter to Xu.
Her life was in danger now, so she had no time to think about anything else.
Until today when the Duke asked her.
The concubine always took the initiative, and the Duke thought she would come back on her own. But after waiting for several days, she didn't show up.
Not only did the concubine not return to the main courtyard to sleep, she didn't even come for meals.
The Duke couldn't help but ask her.
Jasmine and Shancha were having dinner in the side courtyard. When she saw the Duke, Shancha took her bowl and moved away.
The Duke walked forward with a gentle expression and asked questions.
How could she go back at this time?
She can't go back.
"My servant has a stomachache."
Whose concubine has her period three times a month?
Jasmine knew the Duke didn't believe it, and she didn't expect him to. As long as he knew she was unwilling, that was enough.
Jasmine thought he was sensible and would leave. But who knew——
"Why did you lie to me?"
Jasmine was a little overwhelmed. "I didn't lie."
Throwing down these words, Jasmine walked into the house.
The Duke stood in the yard, silently staring at her door.
Jasmine's heart ached more and more. She covered her chest and opened the door.
Seeing the door open, the Duke's eyes lit up for a moment. Seeing his concubine squatting on the ground leaning against the door, he immediately stepped forward.
"Stubborn!"
Just as the Duke was about to ask her what was wrong, his aunt had already hugged her neck tightly.
"Master, you just want me to sleep with you. As a servant, I dare not disobey you."
The concubine's words were very unpleasant. The Duke wanted to pull her arms away, but the concubine clung to him as if she had a dozen cat claws.
"Let me go."
Even if he really wanted to, it was definitely not just a thought. What did she think of him?
Jasmine didn't let go, didn't say anything, and just bit him with her mouth.
Not only did she bite the Duke's face until his saliva was all over his face, but she also had so much strength that she pushed him directly behind the door, and then she was impatient to take off his clothes.
The Duke used a little force to push her away.
Before he could finish his words, his aunt stretched out her hands and tried to grab him frantically.
The nails scraped across the Duke's neck and chest. It didn't hurt, but it was unbearable.
"If you don't want to, then why?"
The Duke asked in a low, painful voice.
Jasmine looked into his red eyes. The sharp words on her lips were hard to say.
"No."
"Are you lying to me with this statement as well?"
The Duke was a little confused about her.
"There is no such statement."
The Duke was stunned and was entangled by his concubine again.
The Duke was eager to make a move, but he remembered what his aunt had just said. If he made a move at this moment, wouldn't it be just as his aunt said?
That’s why the Duke did not move!
It’s up to you, auntie.
He just followed his aunt to the bed, cooperated with his aunt to take off his clothes, and let his aunt do whatever she wanted.
It turned out that her aunt was lying to her. She didn't have a stomachache at all.
The Duke really wanted to be the one being held hostage by his concubine, but when his feelings reached a deep level, how could he bear it?
Passive turns active in an instant.
In the middle of the night, the Duke was lying on a small bed in the side yard. He turned his head and looked at his concubine, who was leaning against the inner bed with her back to him, thinking.
Auntie, why is this happening?
She had been used to sleeping close to him since the first day she slept on the same bed with him. He had pushed her away many times that day, but she always managed to come close again.
Later he got used to it and just let her do it.
But why today?
The Duke couldn't understand it, and the concubine seemed unwilling to talk to him more.
The Duke thought that he would buy some cosmetics and clothes for his concubine tomorrow to please her.
On the second day, the Duke specially asked for a morning leave. After coming down from the court, he rode his horse to Concubine Liang's clothing shop.
I have bought things for my aunt several times, and now I have some experience. I know what style and color of clothes my aunt likes best, and what kind of cosmetics she likes the most.
He picked out the items his aunt liked, but of course he wasn't sure, and he also asked her to pack up the new styles that came out of the store.
Carrying a pile of boxes, the Duke rode back on horseback.
"Duke Yan."
Just as he arrived at the gate of the mansion and handed the reins to the doorman, someone suddenly called him from behind.
The Duke turned around and saw He Chenshi, dressed in a crimson official robe.
"Master He is looking for me?"
"yes."
"Why don't you go into the mansion and talk slowly."
He Congde actually refused.
"No need to trouble you. I just want to ask the Duke for permission to do something."
The Duke couldn't figure out what he wanted from him. However, the character of this new assistant was trustworthy.
The Duke nodded and said, "Tell me now."
If it is something that benefits the people, the Duke believes he will agree to it.
He Congde said, "I would like to ask the Duke for someone. I hope the Duke will agree to this."
The street in front of the Duke's Mansion was bustling with people, and many people stopped to watch.
He wasn't asking for official business. "Is the person you're asking for money from someone in the Duke's Mansion?"
"Yes." Before the Duke could ask further, He Congde spoke up. "She and I were childhood sweethearts. She was my dream girl, but unfortunately, I lost her. I only found her a month ago. So, I want to make up for all the years I missed."
"Did Lord He reject the marriage proposals from several lords for this girl?"
He Congde was handsome, had a good character, and was the runner-up in the imperial examination. There were several senior officials in the court who wanted to recruit him as their son-in-law.
But the inexperienced Lord He refused them all. While the Duke admired him, he also felt that he was too reckless.
It's not a good thing to offend people.
I only found out today that Lord He actually has someone in his heart.
Coincidentally, the person he was looking for was a maid in the Duke's Mansion.
Yes, the Duke felt that it must be a maid. After all, if it wasn't a maid, then it couldn't be one of the young ladies.
Hearing Lord He's reply, "That's right," the Duke smiled warmly and said, "This is a trivial matter. Lord He, please tell me who it is, and I will return her indenture and let her go with you."
When the people heard this, they were all deeply moved.
"The Duke is so kind and generous, and treats people with such sincerity. I can't even begin to compare to him!"
"We admire the Duke!"
The Duke was used to hearing the people praising him. He nodded to everyone around him, then looked at He Congde, waiting for him to speak.
"I would like to thank the Duke in advance." He Congde said, took two steps back and bowed deeply to the Duke.
The Duke raised his hand to indicate that this was not necessary.
He Congde: "The person I want is none other than Jasmine, the concubine of the Duke."
...
For a moment, the whole street was silent.
The Duke's smile had faded, and he looked at He Congde expressionlessly: "Sir He, are you joking?"
He Congde's voice was resolute and serious. "This humble servant is not joking. The Duke's concubine, Jasmine, is the person I met in childhood and have always thought about. When I left that place, I secretly vowed that after I graduated, I would return to take her in as my wife. I hope that my Lord Duke will grant my wish."
Another deep bow.
After a moment, the Duke spoke again coldly: "You have overstepped the bounds."
Without even looking up, He Congde clasped his fists and said to the Duke, "To you, she's just a dispensable concubine. You'll have countless concubines in the future, but to me, she's the only one. I beg your grace to grant me this."
The Duke stepped forward and looked down at him: "How do you know?"
He Congde looked up in surprise, then lowered his head again and said, "This humble official and he have a common interest in each other, and we are in love. This humble official begs the Duke to grant his blessing."
This time, He Congde knelt down directly on the ground.
"Master He might be suffering from hysteria. It's better to go back and see a doctor as soon as possible."
The Duke was too lazy to bother with him anymore and just turned and left.
He Congde stood up swiftly and chased forward, but was stopped by Chunli and his men.
He Congde shouted, "If Duke Yan doesn't believe me, you can ask my aunt if I'm right. If I'm telling a lie, I'll let you deal with me. But if I'm not, please let my aunt go! My aunt and I will be so grateful!"
The Duke disappeared into the mansion gate without looking back.
Seeing He Congde retreat, Chunli thought he was going to leave on his own, but he didn't expect that this man just knelt down at the bottom of the stairs and didn't move.
Chun Li stepped forward with a stern face: "Master He, what are you doing? My concubine is already our general's concubine, how can I give her to you? Even if Master He kneels and dies here, it will be useless."
He Congde pretended not to hear anything. He just straightened his chest and looked at the door of the Duke's Mansion.
Seeing that he couldn't scare him away, Chunli had no choice but to turn around and run towards the door.
Within half an hour, the entire imperial city knew that Lord He was kneeling in front of the Duke's Mansion.
If this were an ordinary citizen, the old lady would have taken the initiative to drive him away. However, He Congde was a new noble in the court, and this time when the East City Charity Granary was established, Lord He worked day and night to distribute grain personally to appease the people, which had won him a lot of people's support.
This person kneeling in front of the Duke's Mansion was clearly a threat. If the Duke's Mansion really ignored him and let him kneel until he died, then even if they were right, they would be wrong.
People would also say that the Duke's Mansion was bullying others by taking advantage of its power.
What could the old lady do? She could only take the eldest and fourth young ladies to the Duke to seek help.
I thought the Duke would be in the main courtyard, but he turned out to be sitting alone in the living room in the backyard.
The old lady searched around before finding the person and quickly stepped forward: "Erlang, we can't delay any longer. We need to make a decision as soon as possible."
The Duke's expression was dazed. After hearing what the old lady said, he finally responded after a while: "I'll have Chunli tie him up and send him back."
"No, absolutely not!" The old lady stamped her feet anxiously. "He Congde is an official appointed by His Majesty. He obeys His Majesty's orders. No matter how powerful the Duke's Mansion is, how can they kidnap an official appointed by the court!"
The old lady softened her tone and said earnestly, "Has Erlang asked Auntie?"
The Duke's expression became more moved: "That's not necessary."
The eldest young lady's wife looked like she was enjoying the show, and she stuck her head out to speak: "How can it be unnecessary? Lord, think about it, didn't He Congde say that he and my concubine were childhood sweethearts and they were in love with each other? If my concubine stood up and slapped him in the face, then this matter would be that Lord He was unreasonable!"
Before the Duke could speak, the Fourth Young Master's wife asked again in doubt, "What if the concubine really is..."
The fourth young master's wife suddenly stopped talking.
The eldest young lady's wife spoke faster than she could think. "You do have a point. Lord He said he wanted to marry a concubine. After all, it's better than being a concubine in the Duke's mansion."
The old lady turned around with a ferocious face and pinched her: "Shut up!"
The eldest young lady then quickly covered her mouth with her hand.
The old lady looked at the Duke and said, "What happened today is simply unheard of. A concubine dared to hook up with a man outside."
Seeing the Duke raise his eyes, the old lady continued, "You should know that I am telling the truth. If it weren't for the fact that the concubine had been in contact with that man for a long time and had coaxed him into a circle, how could He Congde dare to knock at the door of the Duke's Mansion? What's the point of Erlang keeping such a fickle woman?"
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