Chapter 404 So Trickling It Catches You Off Guard
Jiang Yu boarded the sedan chair and was escorted back to his residence by guards from the Duke of Chu's mansion and the Marquis of Anyuan's mansion. As soon as he arrived at the gate, he saw Lu Yifang and her husband Jiang Jiamu waiting for him with worried and anxious expressions.
Seeing the injury on Jiang Yu's forehead, Lu Yifang forced back her tears. Jiang Yu smiled and said, "I'm fine, you don't need to worry."
Lu Yifang nodded, "The doctor is waiting in the study, let the doctor take a look quickly."
She knew that Jiang Yu would definitely want to discuss matters after returning, so she asked the doctor to wait in the study. When the group arrived at the study, the doctor immediately went over to examine her and said, "The Duke of Chu's forehead injury is only superficial and has not damaged the internal organs, so it is not a serious matter."
While applying the ointment, the doctor said, "I'll apply some hemostatic and anti-inflammatory ointment first. Change the dressing once a day, and it should scab over in three to five days."
He paused, then took out a small porcelain bottle from the medicine box. "Here's a bottle of scar removal cream. Apply it twice a day after the scab falls off, and take good care of it. It definitely won't leave a scar."
Hearing that there would be no scars, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Although Jiang Yu didn't value her appearance as much as other women did now, what woman wouldn't care about her appearance? It's always better to leave no trace.
After bandaging Jiang Yu's wound, the doctor left some scar-reducing ointment and departed. Knowing that Jiang Yu and the others needed to discuss something, Lu Yifang instructed someone to bring some food and then left as well.
Since they were all on the same side, Jiang Yu didn't stand on ceremony. While eating, he recounted the assassination attempt. Marquis Anyuan and Duke Wei were both filled with lingering fear after hearing it. If Jiang Yu hadn't had a slingshot, they would likely have been in grave danger.
"How do you know it was Ma Mingqian who did it?" Marquis Anyuan asked.
Jiang Yu put down her chopsticks, took another sip of tea, and said, "The assassins were death squad members; there wasn't a single mark on their bodies. I don't know who did it."
These words left Marquis Anyuan and Duke Wei looking puzzled. Jiang Yu put down his cup and said, "But this matter is definitely related to the Prime Minister. And Ma Mingqian is the Prime Minister's son."
These words shocked Marquis Anyuan and Duke Wei. Just as they were about to ask her how she knew, the steward's voice came from outside. Jiang Yu let him in, and Steward Li entered and handed Jiang Yu a letter, whispering, "It was sent by Prince Rui's personal attendant."
Jiang Yu took the letter, opened it, and read it quickly. Then, looking at Marquis Anyuan and Duke Wei, he said, "When Prince Rui accompanied the Empress Dowager to Jing'an Temple to offer incense many years ago, he happened to see the Prime Minister with Ma Mingqian and a woman. At the time, he didn't pay much attention to it, but after learning about the Prime Minister's relationship with the Prince of Lingnan, he remembered this incident and ordered someone to investigate Ma Mingqian."
"The investigation revealed that when the Prime Minister was still unknown, he was engaged to a woman in his hometown. Later, after he passed the imperial examination, the eldest daughter of the Xie family took a liking to him, so he made the difficult decision to break off the engagement with the woman from his hometown."
Jiang Yu's fingertips paused on the letter, her tone calm yet tinged with coldness, "But that woman was stubborn and never married after the engagement was broken off. Later, when the Prime Minister returned to his hometown to pay respects to his ancestors, he learned of this and, whether out of old affection or for other reasons, secretly brought her to the capital and settled her in a house outside the city. And that woman was Ma Mingqian's birth mother."
"Does the Xie family know about this?" Duke Wei asked after a moment's thought.
"He probably doesn't know; Xie Ning'an has never mentioned it." Jiang Yu believed that Xie Ning'an hated the Prime Minister, otherwise he would never have thought of going to the Prime Minister when the Xie family was in trouble.
"So, you're saying Ma Mingqian did it, hoping the Prime Minister will admit it himself?" Marquis Anyuan asked.
Jiang Yu shook her head, "I just can't swallow this anger. Even without Ma Mingqian, I would have thought of other ways to fight back."
These words startled both Marquis Anyuan and Duke of Wei, then they couldn't help but laugh. Yes, she was exactly the kind of person who would immediately seek revenge.
"Moreover, Pei Chengkun has always prioritized interests, and personal feelings are as insignificant as a feather in his eyes." Jiang Yu tapped the table lightly with her fingertips, and continued, "Even if Ma Mingqian is caught red-handed, he may not acknowledge this son in order to protect his power and distance himself from the situation."
They might even go along with it, pinning all the blame on Ma Mingqian, just to protect themselves. Pei Chengkun is the kind of person who would never risk his own future for anyone. I brought Ma Mingqian into this mess only to let the Prime Minister know that I'm not someone to be trifled with.”
Marquis Anyuan and Duke Wei exchanged a glance upon hearing this. The current Jiang Yu was meticulous and shrewd, possessing both the ruthlessness to seek revenge and the ability to accurately see through people's schemes. She even thoroughly understood the nature of that old fox, Pei Chengkun, and her actions were always methodical and organized. She no longer needed their guidance.
However, the two still analyzed the current situation and gave some instructions before leaving. Before leaving, Marquis Anyuan wanted to ask Jiang Yu about her relationship with Prince Rui, but after thinking about it, he ultimately didn't ask.
...........
Prime Minister's Residence
After meeting with Pu Tonghe today, the Prime Minister has been staying in his study, awaiting the outcome of the assassination attempt. Although he doesn't have high hopes for the assassination, he genuinely hopes that Jiang Yu can be eliminated this time. Without Jiang Yu in the court, their grand plan will proceed much more smoothly.
He waited from noon until dusk, and just when he thought something might have happened to Pu Tonghe, a loud noise made him jump up. He ordered people to check what had happened and waited anxiously in his room.
A little over two quarters of an hour later, the butler came running over, "Master, something has happened!"
The steward, panting and pale, reported, "The streets are littered with the corpses of men in black, blood is everywhere, and there's a faint smell of gunpowder in the air... But... But the Duke of Chu is alright! I heard he only suffered a minor injury to his forehead and has already returned home!"
The prime minister gripped the teacup on the table tightly, his knuckles turning white.
Then the steward said urgently, "The scene was chaotic. Prince Rui and Prince An were both there, and the Imperial Guards and the Prefect of the Capital also rushed there with their men. The Duke of Chu said on the spot... that the assassination attempt was orchestrated by Lord Ma Mingqian of the Court of Judicial Review! Now the Imperial Guards are on their way to Lord Ma's residence, saying they want to arrest him immediately!"
With a clang, the Prime Minister abruptly stood up, his sleeve flipping over a teacup, spilling tea onto the documents. His face instantly turned ashen, his eyes filled with shock and anger. He was shocked that Jiang Yu had used firearms to escape, furious that his plan had been exposed, and even more afraid that the name "Ma Mingqian" would strike at his weak spot.
"Useless trash!" he growled, his fingers gripping the edge of the table. He paced back and forth, his voice trembling. "Jiang Yu dares to bite Mingqian! She's coming for me!"
The steward stood to one side, his body tense, not daring to speak. He knew Ma Mingqian's identity. It must be said that the Duke of Chu's move was unexpected and cunning, catching everyone off guard.
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