Gu Shaoyu looked at Xie Zhaozhao, who smiled gently and said, "Your Excellency may leave now; I can handle things."
"Don't hold back!" Gu Shaoyu swept his gaze over everyone in the Marquis's mansion with an air of authority, and said to Xie Zhaozhao, "I will return to the mansion at 1:00 PM. You wait for me in Qingpu Courtyard."
"Okay." Xie Zhaozhao saw him to the door, smiled as she watched him get into the carriage, and waved goodbye.
She turned and went back to the garden, her steps were calm, yet they seemed to move to a rhythm that would shake the whole world. Her aura changed from gentle to fierce.
He said to Madam Xie, "Second Aunt, you should go back to the Xie residence first. I can handle the matters in the Marquis's residence."
Madam Xie shook her head: "No, Second Aunt wants to go to the Marquis's residence with you. I haven't seen the Old Madam for a long time, and I want to pay her a visit."
Xie Zhaozhao nodded slightly.
Looking at the people from the Marquis's residence, he said, "You all, leave Moon Lake Garden immediately!"
Her expression remained unreadable, but the entire Marquis's mansion felt as if a biting north wind had swept through the Moon Lake Garden in the dead of winter.
"Guan Yan, close the door!"
"Moyan, drive the carriage!"
"Listen up, Yunlei and the other three! Anyone who dares to block the carriage of a first-rank imperial consort will be executed!"
Yuan Yuan helped her into the carriage. Four guards drew their ceremonial swords, and the entire Hou family immediately separated and stood on both sides of the passageway, with no one daring to stop them.
Tu and Xie Xiangxiang were intimidated by the oppressive aura, and cold sweat seeped from their backs.
Xie Zhaozhao's carriage returned gracefully to the mansion.
Madam Xie and Xie Jue followed closely behind.
Xie Jue suppressed his anger. Madam Xie Er didn't tell him to speak because he was the younger brother, and it wasn't appropriate for him to hit his elder sister. So he kept quiet.
"Mother, I want to be a great general. Anyone who insults my elder sister will be torn to pieces." He said angrily after getting into the carriage.
Madam Xie patted his hand and said, "No rush, leave everything to Mother."
Madam Tu had already given up and ordered a few servants who hadn't been beaten to take everyone back to the mansion.
Xie Xiangxiang's mind was in complete turmoil. How could this have happened?
Xia Hua is doing just fine, isn't she?
"Xia Hua, what's your opinion? How could those two scoundrels have given my second brother a job?"
Xia Hua was so frightened that she didn't know what to do.
"This servant, this servant saw it clearly..."
Indeed, Xie Zhaozhao went in, Yin Er went in, and Li Er went in. But when did Madam Xie Er and Xie Jue go in?
"Is there another gate to the garden?" she asked anxiously. "Did you sneak in?"
Xie Xiangxiang could answer this question: "No, we've walked through that garden eight hundred times. There are no other gates, only one gate."
When everyone returned to the Marquis's residence, Xie Zhaozhao invited Madam Xie the Second to Qingpu Courtyard. Madam Xie the Second patted the back of her hand, her eyes slightly red.
"Miss, your second aunt won't be visiting your courtyard today. We can't let them think I'm in cahoots with you. I'm going directly to your mother-in-law."
She added in a low voice, "I don't believe your mother-in-law doesn't know about this!"
Xie Zhaozhao nodded slightly. After all, her second aunt was the legitimate daughter of a high-ranking official, and she handled these matters of the inner workings of the household better than Xu Shi.
With the help of her maid Siqin, Madam Xie went directly to Ci'en Courtyard.
They took large strides and had a strong presence.
When she entered, her eldest aunt, second aunt, third aunt, and several cousins were all there.
Madam Xie first greeted all the relatives politely, making it seem to anyone who didn't know better that she had come to visit the old lady.
It's just that I wasn't carrying a gift!
The aunts of the Zhi family were quite surprised to hear that it was the second wife of the Xie family who had come to visit.
However, Madam Xie's reason was quite good: "My sister-in-law is ill, and my mother-in-law is old. I'm here to visit the old lady on her behalf."
The old lady's heart pounded. She smiled and greeted the old lady, and the second lady Xie answered perfectly.
When the matriarch of the Zhi family heard that the in-laws had something to discuss, she tactfully withdrew.
Madam Xie then began to question him politely and clearly.
"Madam, I originally came to your residence with gifts to express my gratitude. The Grand Secretary introduced the Second Master of the Yin family and the Second Master of the Li family, helping my son enter the Palace Guard. This is an immense favor."
"Who knew that the Marquis's wife would bring a large group of people and arrest me, insisting that we were having a secret rendezvous. This... I am truly ashamed, Madam, you must give me an explanation."
She distanced herself from Xie Zhaozhao, and also because Xie Xiangxiang was, after all, a girl from the Xie family, she didn't mention her, only saying that Tu Shi had slandered her.
The old lady felt bitter inside. Luckily, she hadn't gone along, otherwise, she would have been slapped in the face today.
She smiled apologetically and said, "Auntie, this must be a misunderstanding. Let me call the Marquis's wife over and ask her about it."
Madam Xie naturally agreed.
Before long, Madam Tu ordered people to carry Zhang Qing over; Zhang Qing was already unconscious.
The old lady secretly clenched her fingers. This third wife is really ruthless. Look at the blood all over Zhang Qing's body. She must have been whipped with an iron whip.
"Madam Tu, what exactly happened? How did you offend your in-laws?" the old lady scolded.
Madam Tu had already planned ahead, so she said decisively, "It was the Heir Apparent's wife who came to inform me that someone from the manor was having an affair with a man in Moon Lake Garden. I thought it was just a maid from some courtyard, so I went there. Who knew she had arrested the Third Madam and even implicated our in-laws? I apologize on behalf of the Heir Apparent's wife."
She shifted the blame onto the Xie family's daughter.
It was Xie Xiangxiang who caught them in adultery. Xie Xiangxiang and Xie Zhaozhao are not on good terms. Second Madam Xie should take a good look at the girls in your household!
Madam Xie remained calm and glanced at the old lady, who knew that this was to save face for the Marquis's mansion.
"Go and summon the Third Madam and the Heir Apparent's wife." Whether she faced the danger or not, the old lady had nowhere to hide.
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