"When did the county princess return?" Mrs. Tan asked with a smile. "Last time I heard that you were conferred the title of county princess by the Emperor, I even went to Jiangyuan County to congratulate you. I didn't expect your old lady to say that your return date has not yet been set."
"I just arrived a couple of days ago, and I'm here today because there's something I want to tell you."
Shu Yu sat down with the others in the main room. After the servants served tea, Master Tan asked, "Princess, please tell me what you need."
Shu Yu shook her head. "It's not really an explanation. I just have some news to tell you. It wouldn't normally be a big deal, but I was thinking that since this news is related to you, letting you know will put your minds at ease."
The Tan family members exchanged glances. Tan Cheng waved for the servants in the main room to leave before speaking cautiously, "Please speak, Your Highness."
"It's about Jiang Kuanyu."
The Tan family members' expressions turned sour at the mere mention of this person.
Thinking of how Tan Cheng was poisoned by him and bedridden for two years, and how they tried everything to help him but to no avail, and how he almost lost his life, Mrs. Tan still felt a deep resentment towards Jiang Kuanyu.
only……
"Didn't they say he fell off a cliff and died?"
Shu Yu shook her head. "The falling off the cliff was fake. He had already arranged for someone to catch him at the bottom of the cliff."
"What?!" The Tan family members exclaimed in astonishment.
Master Tan frowned. "Someone caught him at the bottom of the cliff? What does that mean? So he deliberately made people think he was dead?"
Shu Yu hummed in agreement. “Yes, he faked his death. I happened to see him when I went to Chenggu County this time. I suppose you have all heard about the rebellion of the two princes some time ago. Chenggu County was the first place to suffer. Jiang Kuanyu was one of the second prince’s men. He colluded with the rebels and created chaos in Chenggu County, but he has now been executed.”
"Hiss..." The three members of the Tan family gasped sharply.
What did they hear? Jiang Kuanyu actually colluded with... with rebels?!
They did suspect that Jiang Kuanyu was doing something shady in secret; otherwise, they wouldn't have given Tan Cheng a slow-acting poison based on mere suspicion. But they never imagined that Jiang Kuanyu had become so audacious as to collude with rebels.
Mrs. Tan felt a wave of fear. "I'm so glad he cut ties with our family. We're his victims now. Otherwise, if he were still in Dong'an Prefecture and interacting with us normally, we would probably all be implicated."
Although neither Master Tan nor Tan Cheng spoke, they were equally conflicted.
Shu Yu said, "I came here to tell you that Jiang Kuanyu is dead. I know you still have doubts about him falling off the cliff, but now you don't need to worry anymore."
Master Tan stood up, cupped his hands in thanks to Shu Yu, and said, "Thank you, County Princess."
He did have suspicions. Even though he hadn't told anyone, Master Tan was still very wary, fearing that Jiang Kuanyu would launch a surprise attack right after Tan Cheng was cured of the poison.
Shu Yu waved her hand, she had to hurry back, so she didn't linger and got up to say goodbye to the others.
The Tan family saw her off at the door, and only after she got into the carriage did Ying Xi whisper, "I didn't expect that Young Master Tan would have recovered so well after half a year. Miss, I just heard the steward say outside the door that Young Master Tan is now planning to resume his studies and continue to participate in the imperial examinations. The Tan family is also looking for a marriage for him."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
