Chapter 497 The two's hard times are yet to come.
Young Master Tang quickly said, "I came to Cheng'an County three years ago and saw the mother and her two children in a small village. They were just poor peasants at the time, and they looked familiar to me."
"A few months ago, I accidentally obtained portraits of the Empress and the Crown Prince. I felt that they looked somewhat similar to the peasants I had seen, so I sent people to search for them. However, I did not find them, but only Magistrate Zhou, who looked somewhat similar to them."
"Later, I found a pen in the prince's hand in the portrait, so I specially sent someone to the Zhou family to check, and they actually found the pen."
"I suspect that Magistrate Zhou is His Highness the Crown Prince, but he has disguised himself."
"A pen?!" Consort Li was surprised, wondering if her silly younger brother was just lucky to have found it.
She quickly looked around, then turned to him sternly and asked, "Who else knows about this?"
Young Master Tang shook his head. "Only I know, no one else does."
Consort Li's eyes darkened, and she said coldly, "Do you still want to live?"
Young Master Tang nodded repeatedly, "Yes, of course I want to."
Consort Li steeled her resolve and said, "I can save you, but you must keep this secret to yourself, or you will surely die."
Young Master Tang looked terrified and begged her again, "Sister, please save me! I'll do anything you ask!"
Consort Li took out a bottle of medicine and handed it to him, saying, "Drink this first."
Young Master Tang took it, hesitated for a moment, then frowned and drank it down in one gulp.
Consort Li said slowly, "Don't worry, this medicine is not poison, but you must take the antidote three years later, otherwise you will die from a ruptured intestine. If you can keep your promise and not reveal the Empress's secret, I will give you the antidote before you suffer the consequences."
"Sister, you?!" Young Master Tang exclaimed in shock, clutching his throat.
Consort Li stood up and said, "You are my brother, how could I possibly harm you? I only ask that you not reveal the secrets of the Empress and the Crown Prince, which is not difficult."
Young Master Tang's face turned pale; he wanted to rage, but could only hold back.
Consort Li then took out a stack of silver notes and said, "The silver here is enough for you and your cousin to return to the capital. The Fang family will let you go tomorrow, but you have to sign a divorce agreement before you leave. As for Yue'er's dowry, your father and mother will send it over after the divorce agreement is signed."
The only one who could save Young Master Tang from the wrath of the Fang family was Consort Li.
Although Young Master Tang was displeased with Consort Li's poisoning, he had no choice but to comply, otherwise he would have truly died in Cheng'an County.
After the siblings finished talking, Consort Li went to apologize to Master Fang and Madam Fang, bringing several boxes of tonics and promising that if Fang Xiaoyue's child wanted to return to the Tang family in the future, she would be the eldest daughter of the Tang family.
No one can bully her.
Seeing that Consort Li was so sincere, Mr. and Mrs. Fang breathed a sigh of relief.
They knew that even if they didn't give up, Consort Li had the right to take his brother away directly.
The following day, the eldest son of the Tang family and his cousin were sent back to the capital by a carriage arranged by Consort Li.
The two of them seemed to have escaped a calamity, but their suffering was still ahead.
Mr. Tang was deeply disappointed in his eldest son. He gave him a small house and a small plot of land to divide the family property. In name, it was a division of the family property, but in reality, it was a way of kicking him out of the house.
As for that young lady, she did not choose to marry Young Master Tang. Her reputation was ruined, so she had to return to the old house with her mother. It was unknown whether she would be able to get married in the future, but she would never marry Young Master Tang again.
After seeing off Young Master Tang, Consort Li did not rush back to the capital. She changed into simple clothes and went alone to the entrance of Zhou's Incense Shop.
A faint fruity fragrance wafted from the incense shop.
The scent was familiar; Consort Li recognized it immediately. She stood at a distance from the incense shop, hesitant to enter.
Du Wanchun happened to be at the incense shop today. She stopped at the door and immediately saw Consort Li.
After being discovered, Consort Li turned to leave.
Du Wanchun called out to her, "Madam."
Consort Li paused, clutching her handkerchief tightly in both hands, hesitating whether to turn around.
At this moment, Aunt Zhou, who had come out with Du Wanchun to deliver incense, called out to Du Wanchun with a smile, "Wanchun, what's wrong?"
Upon hearing Aunt Zhou's voice, Consort Li's eyes widened slightly, and tears welled up in her reddened eyes.
Du Wanchun turned around and replied, "Mother, a lady came here just now, and it looks like she wanted to buy incense."
Aunt Zhou walked slowly over, looked up at the door, but didn't see anyone. "Where is everyone?"
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