Chapter 93
Jiang Cairu first handed the invitation to the Queen today. The Queen was Lin Xiyue's aunt. When she heard that Jiang Cairu was beaten, she carried her into Kunning Palace without saying a word. When she saw that there was no lesions on her face, she became furious and took her to Fengtian Palace to file a complaint.
With the support of the queen, the emperor naturally had to be cautious.
However, he was just about to use Wang Shuhuai to lead the army in Western Chu, and at this critical juncture Jiang Cairu's identification of Xie Yunchu also gave the emperor a headache.
The wind blew outside the palace from time to time, blowing up Jiang Cairu's messy hair. Jiang Cheng hadn't taken a closer look when he entered the palace. Now he saw Jiang Cairu's face flicker and saw that the eye was red, blue and purple. His heart tightened in an instant, "What's going on?"
Jiang Cairu covered her face and dared not look at her father. She pointed in the direction of Xie Yunchu and sobbed,
"It was Xie Yunchu. She secretly sent someone to beat my daughter. Daddy, my daughter has grown up so big, when has anyone ever touched her even a finger..."
When Jiang Cheng heard her pointing out Xie Yunchu, his face changed. He glanced in the direction of Wang Shuhuai and his wife with suspicion.
The emperor smiled bitterly at this and ordered the eunuch to recount the whole story as Jiang Cairu had said. When Jiang Cheng heard that his daughter had taken the initiative to cause trouble at the academy, his heartache instantly turned into anger. He cursed,
"Mrs. Wang's plan to build an academy is a great act of enlightenment and wisdom, a good thing that will be passed down through the ages, but you are making trouble for no reason. You are simply doing something outrageous..."
Jiang Cairu argued, "Who knows what she is thinking? Building a school opposite the Imperial Examination Hall, with boys and girls together, what if something happens? Girls should stay at home and behave themselves. My daughter couldn't stand it, so she..."
The eldest princess interrupted her coldly, "Then are you going to behave yourself?"
Jiang Cairu suddenly shut up.
Jiang Cheng couldn't help but understand his daughter's temper. She was just jealous and trying to sow discord. He was so angry that his chest twitched and his eyes turned black. The head of the Imperial Household Department saw that his face was not right and hurried forward to help, "General Jiang, take care of yourself."
Jiang Cheng was angry at his daughter's stupidity and the disgrace she had suffered. At the same time, he regretted being too pampered with her, which led to her being lawless and offending people. His blood rushed back and he became speechless.
Although the Duke of Zhenguo blamed his daughter-in-law for being too frivolous, he saw that her eyes were not eyes and her nose was not nose. In front of her in-laws, he had to speak for his family anyway, so he bowed to the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, please find out the reason and set the record straight."
The Queen continued, "Your Majesty, this matter is very strange. Whoever it is, find out and give Cairu an explanation."
The emperor nodded, moved the paperweight on the imperial desk, and looked at Xie Yunchu.
"Xie, is it true that the Jiang family gathered a crowd to cause trouble in the academy today?"
Xie Yunchu came forward calmly, looking bewildered, "Your Majesty, there was indeed a disturbance in the academy today. As for who is the mastermind behind it, I don't know. Since it has been reported to the emperor and has alarmed His Majesty, I would like to ask Your Majesty to investigate this matter together."
After hearing what Xie Yunchu said, the emperor was silent.
Xie Yunchu said that he did not know who was behind the incident, which also meant that he did not admit Jiang Cairu's accusation.
The Duke was sitting nearby. Jin Wu pointed at Jiang Cairu and said to Xie Yunchu, "The Lin family's daughter-in-law has just admitted that she was the one who instigated the riot in the academy."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yunchu immediately bowed and said, "Today, that servant disguised herself as an official's wife and threw dirty water at the entrance of the academy. This behavior is not only immoral, but also disrespectful to Her Royal Highness the Princess. Please, Your Majesty and Your Royal Highness, help me."
Jiang Cairu turned her head and retorted, "Then you can hit people?"
Xie Yunchu was full of confusion. "Mrs. Lin, I'm confused by what you said. You were beaten up, so why are you blaming me for no reason?"
Jiang Cairu knelt before His Majesty and cried, "Your Majesty, I was beaten in the teahouse opposite the academy. Who else could it be but Xie Yunchu? How dare a woman of high rank beat up the daughter of an official? She relied on her husband's power and had no regard for the law."
Xie Yunchu's face turned cold. To put it bluntly, Jiang Cairu relied on the emperor's suspicion of the Wang family. Who couldn't pretend to be innocent?
Xie Yunchu's eyes suddenly turned red. "Your Majesty... I have been wrongly accused for no reason. It was like a bolt from the blue. I am extremely worried. To be honest, I don't know why Miss Jiang has been looking for faults with me again and again. She caused trouble at my birthday party three years ago, and now she has falsely accused me of beating her..." Xie Yunchu choked up a few times and wiped away her tears.
"Never mind. The Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion is powerful, and the Governor-General's Mansion of Liangjiang is the most powerful. The two families, one in the south and one in the north, hold the land and water fortresses of our Great Jin. With such powerful support from her husband's family and her natal family, she dared to call a horse a zebra and black and white in front of His Majesty and the Princess..."
Xie Yunchu's rapid-fire speech stunned Jiang Cairu.
Jiang Cheng's forehead twitched again when he heard this, and he knelt down with a thud.
"Your Majesty, I failed to teach my daughter well. Please forgive me."
The princess casually fiddled with the red sandalwood handle in her hand and asked Jiang Cairu,
"I want to ask you, why did you stir up trouble in the Wang family three years ago?"
Jiang Cairu couldn't admit that she had coveted Wang Shuhuai, and her mouth suddenly became speechless.
At this time, Qiao Zhiyun, who had been watching for a long time, straightened her clothes and stepped forward, kneeling down to the emperor and said,
"Your Majesty, Queen, and Princess, this matter was all caused by me and has nothing to do with Yun Chu."
The emperor was slightly surprised, "What does Madam Jiang mean?"
Qiao Zhiyun stared blankly ahead, "In reply to your Majesty, I am Yunchu's biological mother. I divorced Xie Hui, the chief academic officer of the Imperial College, 20 years ago, and later remarried Jiang Cheng. Jiang Cairu has been raised by me since she was a child. A few years ago, I accompanied Jiang Cheng back to the capital to report on my work, and I ran into Yunchu and recognized her. Cairu could not accept the fact that I have a biological daughter, and she made things difficult for Yunchu in private. I could not bear it and slapped her in the face. Since then, Cairu has held a grudge against me, and she always blames Yunchu for any problems."
"Today, someone must have done something wrong and hurt her by mistake. She thought it was Yun Chu who did it, and rashly came to the palace to complain. Your Majesty, no matter what, it is my fault for not teaching my daughter well. I have caused you to worry about trivial matters between children in the middle of the night. I and my husband are ashamed of God's grace."
After saying this, Qiao Zhiyun bowed to the ground again.
"So that's what's going on..." The emperor was slightly shocked when he heard the reason for the first time. His original suspicion disappeared without a trace, and he even felt a little pity for Xie Yunchu.
Qiao Zhiyun looked back at Xie Yunchu with a complicated expression, choking up and saying, "It is Yunchu that I am sorry for not fulfilling my responsibilities as a mother, and causing her to be bullied in every way. Your Majesty, it was Cairu who was disrespectful today, and she was injured. Please be lenient with her."
Jiang Cairu's lips trembled when she heard this. Qiao Zhiyun was not pleading for her, but was clearly trying to exonerate Xie Yunchu.
"No, Your Majesty, it's not like that," she took a deep breath and said with tears in her eyes, "I admit that I am jealous of Xie Yunchu. Your Majesty has no say in how you punish me, but where did these injuries come from? Your Majesty, please make sure to get to the bottom of it."
Xie Yunchu sneered upon hearing this and immediately asked her, "May I ask, Madam Lin, what does that villain look like? Where did he hurt you?"
The emperor and others looked at Jiang Cairu.
Jiang Cairu tried to recall, "There were about two or three men in black, all very tall. They first covered our heads with sackcloth, then punched and kicked us on our faces and bodies..."
When Xie Yunchu heard this, his eyes shone and he smiled faintly, "Your Majesty, since Madam Lin has injuries on her face and body, I beg Your Majesty to ask someone to examine the injuries..."
Jiang Cairu's expression suddenly changed, and she said abruptly, "No..." Suddenly realizing that her behavior was too strange, Jiang Cairu huddled up and shook her head, muttering, "I can't examine the injuries. How can I, a girl,... No, it's too undignified..."
A dark light like a sharp blade flashed in Lin Xiyue's eyes.
This was what Xie Yunchu was waiting for. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Lin Xiyue behaved strangely, and Jiang Cairu was afraid of him like a tiger. Considering the unclear death of Wang Shuya in her previous life, it was not difficult to guess that there was something fishy going on between the couple. So she took a gamble, betting that Lin Xiyue would come forward to clean up the mess.
Lin Xiyue bowed to the emperor with a frost on her face.
"Your Majesty, Queen, on the night that I married Cairu, His Royal Highness Prince Gan was assassinated, His Royal Highness Prince Han died, and the Queen had an accident in the Lin Mansion. Cairu was greatly shocked and always felt that the marriage was unlucky. She became sick with worry and became a little mentally disturbed. From time to time, she wanted to divorce me and even showed signs of self-harm..."
The emperor and others were shocked when they heard this.
Jiang Cheng looked at his little daughter in disbelief, with deep pity in his eyes.
"No, no..." Jiang Cairu looked at Lin Xiyue with hatred and fear, and her body kept shrinking under the imperial desk, "It's not like that..."
Seeing that she was obviously panicked, which was very different from her previous arrogant and flamboyant appearance, everyone believed what Lin Xiyue said.
Jiang Cheng looked at his daughter with heartache, "Ruru, come here, come to daddy, don't be afraid..."
Jiang Cairu looked at her father, then at Lin Xiyue behind him. That handsome face, like a demon, was staring at her sinisterly. Jiang Cairu shook her head in fear, and finally buried her face in her palms in pain, "It's not like that..."
The queen was saddened when she heard this. "If that's true, then she is also a pitiful person... But she has all these injuries, so there should be an explanation..."
The princess then asked the eunuch in charge of the imperial seal,
"Master Liu, didn't you just send the East Factory to investigate? Is there any result?"
Liu Zhangyin smiled and replied, "I will go and ask right away..."
He placed the dustpan on his elbow and quickly walked out of the imperial study.
During this gap, Wang Shuhuai personally helped Xie Yunchu up and pulled her aside.
Xie Yunchu looked at her husband, Wang Shuhuai, whose features were handsome and pleasant. He gently pressed her palm, signaling her not to worry.
After a while, Liu Zhangyin led the East Factory guards into the palace. The guards reported,
"Your Majesty, I led people to search the area around the Imperial Examination Hall and the Women's Academy, and also went to Jingzhao Yin to interrogate the old women who were causing trouble. We found out that Miss Jiang paid a large sum of money to a brothel owner named Li Mei Niang in Shuishang City on the outskirts of the city, and hired five or six old women from her to pretend to be wives of officials to cause trouble in the academy. Miss Jiang initially promised a thousand taels of silver, but later she thought it was not a big enough show, so she only gave five hundred taels, which made the old brothel owner hate her. The old brothel owner was afraid of her noble status and dared not offend her, so she sent people to beat her up in private to vent her anger."
Jiang Cairu: “…”
She looked at Xie Yunchu and Wang Shuhuai in shock, "No..."
Before she could finish her words, Lin Xiyue suddenly came over and covered her mouth. His handsome face turned pale.
"Have you had enough of making trouble? If you have anything to say, come to me. Stop making trouble..."
Jiang Cairu met Lin Xiyue's warning eyes, and thinking of his tricks to play pranks on people, the light in her eyes suddenly dimmed.
When the princess heard about the water city, she frowned and asked, "What water city?"
The East Factory man said, "Water City is a dock made up of thirteen pleasure boats. It is called a brothel, but in reality it is an underground black market in the capital, doing some shady things in secret. When I investigated, I also found someone reselling crossbows."
The emperor and the princess looked at each other when they heard this. They remembered that the case of the King of Gan being killed by refugees had not yet been resolved, and their minds were immediately drawn to it. "Investigate, find out for me who is reselling the crossbows."
The eldest princess glanced deeply at Wang Shuhuai at this time.
Wang Shuhuai looked at his nose with his eyes and his heart with his nose, he just lowered his eyes and held Xie Yunchu without moving.
In the end, it was discovered that it was a farce, and the emperor looked extremely unhappy.
The Queen naturally pleaded for Jiang Cairu.
"Your Majesty, this child is in a trance. I'm afraid she doesn't even know that she has done something wrong. Please forgive her for the sake of the Duke of Zhenguo and me..."
At this moment, Wang Shuhuai suddenly let go of Xie Yunchu's hand, stepped out, bowed to the emperor again, and said,
"Your Majesty, my wife is gentle and soft-hearted. Normally, she wouldn't even step on an ant, let alone hit someone. Today, Jiang has framed her for no reason and caused trouble. If you let her go, I will not accept it. I ask Your Majesty to handle this impartially."
The Queen choked.
Jiang Cheng was in a dilemma, and Qiao Zhiyun's expression was cold, obviously supporting Wang Shuhuai's proposal.
The Duke of Zhenguo wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced at Lin Xiyue.
Lin Xiyue twisted Jiang Cairu's arm and didn't plead for mercy at all.
On one side is the Governor-General's Office of Liangjiang and the Duke of Zhenguo's Office, and on the other side is the Duke of Wangguo's Office. Neither side can be neglected. The emperor looked at the eldest princess.
"How do you think this matter should be handled, sister?"
The princess was disgusted with Jiang Cairu's behavior, but seeing how pitiful she looked and her father's high position, the princess hesitated for the first time.
"She is not allowed to enter the palace from now on. After she recovers from her injuries, she will go to the academy in person to apologize. The Jiang family will also give an explanation to the Wang family."
Jiang Cheng naturally agreed, "I will send someone to present a generous gift to Madam Wang to apologize."
Wang Shuhuai was about to say something, but Xie Yunchu winked at him. Jiang Cairu's behavior today had already crossed Lin Xiyue's bottom line, so it was better to leave the matter of dealing with Jiang Cairu to Lin Xiyue. While Wang Shuhuai was pondering, Lin Xiyue spoke coldly.
"Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, Your Highness, Lord Wang, the blame for what happened today lies with me. I will take the person back and discipline him."
The emperor was worried that Wang Shuhuai would not give up, so he pointed at Jiang Cheng and yelled,
"Lord Jiang, if it weren't for you and the Duke of Zhenguo, I would never let this matter go. If it happens again, I will make you pay."
Jiang Cheng and others quickly knelt down to express their gratitude.
The emperor comforted Xie Yunchu again, and only left the Duke, waving his hand for everyone to leave.
The night wind was blowing and the sky was as dark as ink.
After going down the steps of Fengtian Hall and arriving at the vast Danxiang Temple, Qiao Zhiyun approached Jiang Cairu. Jiang Cairu was supported by Lin Xiyue. She looked dazed and her eyes were as empty as a puppet.
Qiao Zhiyun looked at her coldly and warned her, "If you cause trouble for Yunchu again, you will never be able to return home as long as I am in the Jiang family."
Jiang Cairu looked listless, her eyes rolled around blankly, and she said nothing.
Jiang Cheng came down with the Duke of Zhenguo. When he saw Qiao Zhiyun walking towards Xie Yunchu, Jiang Cheng came over to his daughter and scolded her again. Jiang Cairu leaned in Lin Xiyue's arms and didn't hear a word she said.
Lin Xiyue smiled very lightly at her father-in-law.
"Don't worry, father-in-law. I will take good care of Cairu."
Jiang Cairu saw the sinisterness in his smile, and a feeling of near-death despair surged in her heart. She suddenly grabbed Jiang Cheng and said, "Daddy, please take me back."
Lin Xiyue's eyes flashed, and she immediately showed a gentle look, pulling her arm back, "Silly girl, you are already my Lin family's wife, how can you go back to the mansion with your father?"
Lin Xiyue pressed her fingers deep into her waist, and Jiang Cairu was speechless.
A daughter who is married off is like water spilled. Jiang Cheng sighed and could do nothing about it. He just asked Lin Xiyue to ask a doctor to check on Jiang Cairu. Lin Xiyue said okay in a gentle voice.
On Xie Yunchu's side, mother and daughter stood in the night wind, looking at each other in silence. Qiao Zhiyun hadn't seen Xie Yunchu for a long time. Looking at the face that looked like her own, tears welled up in her eyes. She was filled with worry and guilt, but couldn't get the words out. "Chu'er..."
Xie Yunchu lowered his eyes, his gaze fell on the knot on her chest, and thanked her softly, "Thank you for your help today."
She originally planned to tell the emperor all about her relationship with Qiao Zhiyun, and then use Lin Xiyue to clear herself of suspicion. Unexpectedly, Qiao Zhiyun took the initiative to explain everything and stood on her side.
Qiao Zhiyun had a myriad of emotions running through her mind, and she was also worried that she would overstep her bounds and cause Xie Yunchu to dislike her, so she said nothing in the end. She finally held back her tears and said, "You must take good care of yourself and don't get tired."
Xie Yunchu laughed. She had been preparing for the start of school these days and was exhausted. "Don't worry, I understand."
Qiao Zhiyun said no more. She turned around and saw that the people from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion had gone far away. Only Jiang Cheng was waiting for her, so she walked towards him.
Xie Yunchu didn't raise his eyes to look at her back until she left, and the smile on his lips slowly faded.
Seeing that she was concentrating and silent, Wang Shuhuai stepped forward, held her cold hand, and said gently, "Let's go back."
Xie Yunchu followed him with a lonely look.
After exiting the east corner gate of Fengtian Hall, there is a white jade bridge. Go east past Wenyuan Pavilion and through a garden to reach Donghua Gate.
The journey was still long, and Xie Yunchu was exhausted after a busy day. He let Wang Shuhuai lead the way, but his steps seemed to be filled with lead and he could hardly move.
Qiao Zhiyun's face appeared in my mind from time to time, and I couldn't describe the feeling in my heart.
Wang Shuhuai looked back and saw that her face was full of fatigue and she looked lonely and he didn't know what she was thinking. Suddenly he let go of her hand and squatted down in front of her.
"Come on up, I'll carry you."
Xie Yunchu's expression froze, and he stared at him blankly. His slender back, with a touch of cold moonlight, spread broadly before his eyes.
She looked around, a little embarrassed, "This is the imperial palace, it's not very good..."
Wang Shuhuai said gently, "You can't walk anymore. I'll carry you out. It's okay."
Xie Yunchu's throat felt sticky and she didn't know what she was hesitating about.
Wang Shuhuai raised his hands and hugged her calves from behind, hooked her forward, and then caught her body at the right time. He carried her on his back and walked slowly forward.
Xie Yunchu was still in a daze as he lay on his back. The man's handsome face was close at hand, with clear contours and a bright and clear face. The moon in the sky and the lights swaying in the water were not as bright as the light flowing in his cold eyes.
Wang Shuhuai noticed that she was not sticking too close to him, so he moved up a bit, and both of them found a more comfortable position. Xie Yunchu put her arms around his neck and leaned lightly against his back.
The breath splashed softly on his neck, like a light feather falling on the skin, causing a slight itch.
It was difficult for Wang Shuhuai to describe this feeling. The idea of carrying her on his back came to his mind on a whim. When he came to his senses, he doubted whether it was too frivolous. Until he felt something soft covering his back, that softness instantly reached his hard heart. He felt as if the person he was carrying was not a person, but a place where the days were peaceful and quiet.
"Is this the first time you hit someone today?"
Xie Yunchu's sly smile came from behind, "This is beyond your expectation, right?"
Wang Shuhuai nodded and asked, "Are you happy?"
Xie Yunchu has always behaved prudently. This is the first time she has acted out of line. She smiled and said,
"It's quite refreshing. Seeing her with a bruised face and nose, no matter how she talks, I feel relieved. You see, His Majesty and the Princess are afraid that Jiang Cheng won't do anything to her, and the Empress is protective of her. If I don't beat her, I won't be able to vent my anger. I'll beat her first and talk about it later."
There is a bit of childish innocence.
Wang Shuhuai suddenly saw another side of her, a very vivid side.
"Yun Chu, this is good. You used to be too rule-abiding. You were too considerate of others and put yourself at risk."
"I, Wang Shuhuai's wife, cannot be bullied outside."
"Don't be afraid. If you meet someone who makes you unhappy in the future, just keep beating him. After that, I will clean up the mess for you."
Xie Yunchu stared at his cheek, speechless.
Xie Hui has always been very strict with her and would not allow her to make any wrong steps. Without her biological mother to protect her, Xie Yunchu has never been used to complaining to others. She has younger brothers and sisters, so she has to set an example. After getting married, it is impossible for her to act recklessly.
But... who doesn't desire to have a unique favor?
A sour feeling suddenly welled up in her eyes, and a dense trembling flowed to the tip of her heart. She looked at the deep sky with red eyes, swallowed her tears, and finally covered her mouth with his shoulder and uttered slowly, "Okay".
She never thought that one day, Wang Shuhuai would carry her on his back, walking in this quiet palace road, in the dark night of early autumn...
There was a moment when I thought, let this be my life. The hurdle in my past life may never be overcome in my heart, but so what? I will just live the rest of my life well.
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