Chapter 35 The Real and Fake Heiress (Part 1)
Could it be human trafficking?
The thought flashed through Shen Lingyue's and Yan Yi's minds at the same time.
Throughout history, some sins have never disappeared, lurking in the darkness and growing ever stronger.
"Princess."
Shen Lingyue hurriedly said, "Xiaocao is right. This silly sister-in-law can solve the problems in the ancient book even when she is half-mad. If she has the opportunity to be treated by a famous doctor and regain her mind, what a terrifying genius she will be!"
Yan Yi's face also showed a bit of urgency. She calmed herself down and analyzed, "Xiao Cao only received a few pointers from Sister-in-law Sha Yu when she was sober, and she was able to come out on top in the girls' school. You could say she is exceptionally talented. But this also shows that Sister-in-law Sha Yu's knowledge of mathematics did not come out of thin air. She must have received a good education in the past. Such a family would never abandon their daughter to fend for herself."
Guan Xiaocao nodded in agreement: "That's right. Although Wang Erlaizi kept saying that Silly Sister-in-law's family didn't want her anymore and that she almost starved to death outside, and that he only took her in out of kindness and gave her a bite to eat... many people in the village were whispering in private, wondering if he had done something bad outside, abducted a good girl, and used some method to drug her into being stupid."
Even though Sister-in-law Shayu was mentally challenged, she possessed a unique quality that set her apart from the rest of the village. Unlike the mad old man from the neighboring village that Guan Xiaocao had met, she never acted crazy or erratic in front of outsiders. She always stayed quietly by herself, never speaking, and would even give a friendly, gentle smile when she saw other girls in the village.
When Wang Erlaizi won money gambling and was in a good mood, he treated Shayu's wife quite well, even going to town to buy her two new outfits. When Shayu's wife put them on and combed her hair neatly, she looked just like... just like those young ladies from official families in the capital.
"Alright, alright, stop chattering. Do you think I'm some kind of villain who would stand by and watch someone die?"
Princess Tong'an gently raised her hand, and immediately three pairs of eyes turned to look at her, looking expectantly, like three baby sparrows chirping for food.
She chuckled at the image she had conjured up in her mind, cleared her throat, and said to Taoli, "Go and see if her sister-in-law has left yet. If she hasn't, wait a bit and have her lead the way."
The female official who came back from recruiting students in Guan Xiaocao's village last year was very aggrieved. She often complained to her, saying how remote and difficult the road was, how many mosquitoes were in the forest, and how they were all bitten and covered in rashes.
Princess Tong'an was so annoyed that she finally appeased them by giving each of them a piece of jewelry.
This time we're going to that village again, but not to recruit students; we're going to rescue people... or to put it bluntly, to arrest them.
Princess Tong'an stroked her chin, pondering who should lead the group.
“Princess, Princess.” Shen Lingyue eagerly raised her hand, “Let my Pei Huaizhou go! He’s tough and strong… no, young and vigorous, and he’s a son of a marquis, so his status is high enough. He has plenty of strength and methods!”
Letting your dog roam freely in a more distant place is a good way to expend its energy.
This way, he won't be idle at home all day, and he can go out and have some fun.
Shen Lingyue silently gave herself a thumbs up in her heart; she was so clever.
Princess Tong'an was quite interested in the suggestion, but did not agree immediately. She asked her, "This trip will take four or five days. You two are newlyweds, are you really willing to be separated from him?"
"Distance makes the heart grow fonder," Shen Lingyue said seriously. "Besides, this is to relieve the princess's burdens, and it's our duty as husband and wife to do so!"
"Then it's settled. We'll go back to the princess's residence to discuss it in detail later."
Princess Tong'an was about to lead the two away when she caught a glimpse of Guan Xiaocao, who was still uneasy after telling everyone everything, and beckoned her to come forward.
"Princess……"
Guan Xiaocao took a deep breath. Strangely enough, after revealing her deepest secret, she no longer felt as tormented as before.
To escape that mountain, she had done everything she could, even resorting to dishonest and immoral methods.
Now let fate decide.
"Your most important task right now is to study hard. Leave the adult matters to the adults and don't think about those other things all day long."
Princess Tong'an lightly flicked her forehead, feigning authority, "Don't let my investment go to waste. I'm still waiting for you to repay me double in the future."
A glimmer of hope appeared in Guan Xiaocao's eyes.
The princess isn't going to pursue the matter of her cheating to get into school? And she's even willing to let her continue studying at the girls' school?
Unable to express her feelings at that moment, she could only kneel down and kowtow to her several more times, her forehead turning red from hitting the floor tiles.
"Thank you, Your Highness! You are truly the best, the very best princess! I, Xiaocao, will certainly not let you down!"
Waaah, Her Highness must be a fairy goddess reincarnated from heaven to be willing to spend so much money so that a girl like her, who is not valued by her family, can also study and write...
Princess Tong'an gestured for her maid to help her up. Meeting Guan Xiaocao's still bright eyes after being washed by tears, she suddenly said, "The character 'Cao' (草) is not good. Your parents were too casual in choosing your name. Why don't I change it for you?"
"I do, Your Highness, please bestow a name upon me!"
Princess Tong'an smiled and said, "From now on, you will be called Guan Pu."
...
Tao Li found Hu Minniang, who hadn't left yet. She lingered while packing her luggage, wanting to find an opportunity to give Guan Xiaocao a few more words of advice.
The silver notes and ingots in his arms felt heavy, yet also empty.
For some reason, she felt as if she had lost Guan Xiaocao forever, even though she still had other members of the Guan family.
Before she could grieve for long, Tao Li coldly called her out and shoved her into a carriage.
"Your Highness is merciful and will not pursue your charlatanry at the girls' school. Now you are even given a chance to redeem yourself. Are you willing?"
On the other side, Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi boarded Princess Tong'an's carriage and enjoyed royal treatment as an exception.
Shen Lingyue leaned against the soft floral cushion and said sincerely, "Your Highness, you are so good to Guan Xiaocao... no, no, she should be called Guan Pu now."
No longer an inconspicuous blade of grass, but a beautiful, unpolished gem.
What does it mean to die for one's confidant? If she had met such a beautiful, kind-hearted, and wealthy woman back then, who would have fully supported her and cleared away her worries... Shen Lingyue vowed that she would definitely study hard and master her studies!
Waaaaah, math is just so hard! I just can't do it...
She gave Yan Yi a resentful look, thinking, "I'm just as jealous of every one of you science geniuses, humph."
Sensing her resentment, Yan Yi suppressed a laugh and secretly squeezed her hand, whispering, "It's okay, being clumsy is also cute."
Shen Lingyue: Instantly fully recovered! ^_^
Princess Tong'an took in the two's little actions and found them increasingly amusing, a smile unconsciously appearing on her lips.
The Emperor's beloved, foolish Consort Gao, does nothing of importance all day long but holds onto that fortune-telling book she somehow acquired, randomly matchmaking people up.
Princess Tong'an couldn't understand why a favored concubine like you, instead of figuring out how to consolidate palace power, cultivate connections, and have a son for yourself, would always be so eager to play matchmaker at such a young age.
But the Emperor was completely swayed by her superstitions, allowing her to indulge in them in the palace. This included things like what color purse the Emperor should wear to court each day to ensure good fortune and auspiciousness, and what extra dishes the imperial kitchen should add to the menu to guarantee favorable weather and abundant harvests in all regions…
She wasn't so foolish as to interfere in the affairs of the previous dynasty, so her father let her do whatever she wanted with these trivial matters.
Is this what they mean by "a woman who knows how to be charming has the best life"?
However, this was the first time Princess Tong'an felt that Consort Gao's matchmaking was good. Who would have thought that the two mortal enemies who were at odds before their marriage would become so harmonious and complementary after getting married?
The carriage traveled smoothly, and Princess Tong'an idly pondered for a while before suddenly noticing that Shen Lingyue was looking at her, with a hint of something hesitant to say.
"You don't need to be reserved in front of me, just say whatever you want."
Shen Lingyue blinked. Was she being that obvious?
"Alright... Actually, I wanted to ask the princess why she gave the Guan family so much silver."
Shen Lingyue was a little indignant. "The Guan family raised Guan Pu to the age of thirteen. How many copper coins could that cost? They even wanted to sell her for a dowry... Why should they get off easy?"
Perhaps due to her own experiences, Shen Lingyue was extremely disgusted by this kind of blatant scheming among relatives.
It's fortunate that she transmigrated here; otherwise, once she graduated from university and found a job, Shen Lingyue vowed to take revenge and never let her uncle and aunt have an easy time.
Princess Tong'an was even more indignant than Guan Pu, the person involved, when she saw her puffed-up face.
She didn't answer immediately, but looked at Yan Yi beside her, "Tell me, why am I willing to give this money to the Guan family?"
Yan Yi lowered her eyes and pondered for a while, then bowed to Princess Tong'an. "Your Highness is of royal lineage, and I dare not presume to guess your thoughts. However, I have a few immature ideas."
"Firstly, His Highness does not want to make a big fuss about the ghost story at the girls' school, which would attract outside attention and allow some people with ulterior motives to make a big fuss about it."
"Secondly, Guan Pu is exceptionally talented. Your Highness only needs to spend a little money to make her grateful and also to let other girls from humble backgrounds in the girls' school feel Your Highness's kindness and study even harder from then on."
"Thirdly, the Guan family became wealthy and received rewards because they raised a good daughter who was good at studying. If this becomes known, will more families start to pay attention to the education of their daughters/sisters? Perhaps one of them will become the next Guan Pu?"
Both are ways to earn money for the family, and going out to study is much better than getting married and exchanging dowry.
Princess Tong'an's eyes revealed undisguised admiration.
With a wife like that, Yunzhao is truly blessed.
She rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the bustling crowd outside the car window. "The love between Emperor Tang and Consort Yang was so moving that Bai Juyi wrote, 'It made all the parents in the world wish for daughters, not sons.' But I'm just wondering, is it easier to read and write, or to be a favored concubine?"
Shen Lingyue chuckled, her eyes gleaming mischievously. "There's a top scholar every three years, and I've heard they're everywhere in the Hanlin Academy. You could throw a brick at one and he'd be either the top scholar or the third-ranked scholar. But as for favored concubines... I've only ever heard of Consort Gao."
The three women in the carriage laughed in unison.
Upon arriving at the Princess's residence, Shen Lingyue was immediately embraced by Pei Jinghuai, who was waiting at the gate.
"You didn't come to pick me up yesterday," the big dog protested its irresponsible owner, "...and you didn't come home either!"
Shen Lingyue was held captive by him and couldn't move. When she looked up and met Princess Tong'an's teasing gaze, her face burned even hotter. She pushed him away twice and said, "I'm going to take care of important business, very important business!"
Pei Jinghuai remained unmoved, grumbling and venting his dissatisfaction.
Yan Yi walked towards Pei Jingyi, who was standing not far away, in surprise: "...Why did you come too, husband? Aren't you on duty today?"
Pei Jingyi coughed lightly, reminding him, "I'm off today."
Who knew that when he got home last night, he was told that the two young mistresses had left early in the morning and had not returned yet.
As darkness approached, just as he was about to head out to look for someone, Pei Jinghuai returned looking dejected.
"No need to look anymore, the two of them went to Yunshao Girls' School and won't be back tonight."
So that night, the two brothers experienced the long-lost feeling of sleeplessness again.
This morning, when someone from the Princess's residence came to invite Pei Jinghuai, Pei Jingyi, for the first time ever, also went along.
They even gave themselves a plausible reason.
"It's been a long time since I visited Brother-in-law Wei. I wonder how his health is recovering."
The next second, Pei Jinghuai ruthlessly exposed him: "If you want to see your sister-in-law as soon as possible, just say so. Stop with all this nonsense, it's hypocritical!"
The lady-in-waiting from the princess's residence who had come to invite them could barely contain her laughter. She coughed a few times and said, "Please, gentlemen Pei. His Highness and his two young mistresses are already on their way back."
...
Finally seeing Yan Yi, Pei Jingyi's heart, which had been hanging in suspense all night, finally settled down.
He glanced at Pei Jinghuai, who was being affectionate in public, with disdain in his eyes, then turned to Yan Yi and asked with concern, "Is everything done? Judging from your face, you didn't get much rest again last night?"
After only one night apart, when Yan Yi saw Pei Jingyi again, she inexplicably felt a longing for him, and before she even realized it, a smile had already crept onto her lips.
She smiled and shook her head at him, "I'm fine, I'll just go home and catch up on some sleep later."
Pei Jingyi also smiled slightly, "Yes, let's go home."
"Cough cough cough."
Princess Tong'an, having watched the commotion to her heart's content, put her arm around Wei Shao's and said with a smile, "That's enough, isn't it? I'm not kidnapping your little wives to sell, so why are you so nervous?"
After saying that, the smile on her face vanished.
Leaving aside these two, there is currently another innocent woman who was actually trafficked.
"Your Highness?" Wei Shao noticed her change in mood and called out softly.
Princess Tong'an shook her head, grasped Wei Shao's hand in return, and said to the two couples, "Don't rush home yet, come in and talk."
...
"Who? Me?"
Pei Jinghuai pointed at himself in disbelief, "You want me to go and rescue that silly Yu-sao?"
Princess Tong'an nodded, "Huaizhou, you are skilled and your status is authoritative. Just take the princess's guards with you on this trip. Don't waste any more words with them. Bring back Sha Yu Sao and that Wang Er Laizi together."
Pei Jinghuai hesitated, then asked uncertainly, "Can I do it?"
The most outrageous thing he ever did was sneak into the backyard of the Duke of Ling's mansion to steal a letter on the day of Gu Yuan's wedding, and he was almost caught by the guards in the garden.
Now, if he were asked to lead a group of people to rescue someone in a remote mountain valley dozens of miles away, he feared he would mess it up.
"You can do it, of course you can!"
Shen Lingyue held his hand and encouraged him, "Husband, this is a great thing to save people from suffering. Just think how pitiful Sister-in-law Silly Yu is, and how hateful that Wang Erlaizi is..."
As she spoke, her eyes reddened, and she squeezed out two tears.
Pei Jinghuai couldn't stand this, and hurriedly agreed, "Okay, okay, I'll go and bring her back right away! Princess, brother-in-law, don't worry."
Wei Shao smiled gently, "We trust Huai Zhou's abilities more than anything, and you should trust yourself too. It's very easy."
Without delay, Princess Tong'an quickly arranged a group of people and handed them over to Pei Jinghuai for command, ready to depart.
Pei Jinghuai mounted his horse and bowed to Shen Lingyue, instructing her, "I'll be back in four or five days at most. Stay home alone and don't wander off. If anything happens, go to your mother. Make sure the doors and windows are locked at night..."
"Mmm!"
Shen Lingyue was very cooperative, doing whatever she was told. It was her husband's first business trip, and she wanted him to come back with a full load of good things!
She took Yan Yi's arm and waved to him with a smile: "While you're away for a few days, your sister-in-law will come and stay with me, so don't worry!"
Pei Jingyi, standing to the side: ...?
*
"Brother, would you mind lending me your sister-in-law for a few days?"
When they reached the fork in the road between Danyue Pavilion and Jiusi Academy, Shen Lingyue held onto Yan Yi's hand tightly and deliberately asked Pei Jingyi a question.
Pei Jingyi: ...Would it have made any difference if I said I minded?
He coughed lightly and earnestly instructed her, "Your sister-in-law didn't sleep well last night. Let her catch up on some sleep later, but not too long, so she won't be sleepy later. Also, she's a light sleeper, so be quiet when you turn over so as not to disturb her..."
Shen Lingyue held back for a long time before she managed to avoid giving him a big eye roll in public.
LOL, you've only slept with Yan Yan for a few nights, while we've been sleeping together for years!
A waft of tea aroma filled the air, and Shen Lingyue felt a sense of crisis. She tightened her grip on Yan Yi's arm, smiling brightly as if asserting her ownership: "Don't worry, big brother, I can take better care of her than you can."
After saying that, he snorted, grabbed Yan Yi, and turned to leave.
Before Yan Yi could say goodbye to Pei Jingyi, she only glanced back at him and waved for him to return to Jiusi Academy.
Pei Jingyi stood still, watching the two figures turn and disappear through the alley.
Even though it was already summer, he inexplicably felt a chilly desolation.
He turned and left silently.
...
"Hmph, you little green tea, trying to compete with me for my affections?"
Shen Lingyue pounced on Yan Yi on the bed, pretending to tickle her, "Tell me quickly, have you been bewitched by that green tea b*tch and don't love me anymore?"
Yan Yi dodged awkwardly, tears welling in her eyes, and gasped for breath, "No, stop it, how can he compare to you..."
Having received a satisfactory answer, Shen Lingyue stopped, rolled over to lie down next to Yan Yi, and said confidently, "In my heart, Pei Jinghuai can't compare to you. We will always be the best in the world!"
"Okay, let's pinky swear."
With their little fingers hooked together, Shen Lingyue hugged Yan Yi and took a big breath.
Sweet and soft baby Yan Yan belongs to her tonight, hehehe!
*
Three days later, Pei Jinghuai hurried back to the capital.
He had been traveling day and night, and was covered in dust and grime. He had developed dark circles under his eyes, hadn't had time to shave the stubble on his chin, and had a few blades of grass stuck to his messy hair. The first thing he did upon entering the princess's residence was to grab the teapot and chug down his tea.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi arrived immediately upon receiving the news.
I was almost startled when I walked in. Where did this savage come from?
When she saw Pei Jinghuai's disheveled and haggard appearance, she felt both proud and heartbroken. She stretched out her arms and rushed over, "Brother Xiaozhou, you've worked hard—oh?"
Pei Jinghuai was still carrying a teapot when he dodged her hug and said seriously, "I haven't showered for days, I'm dirty."
Shen Lingyue blinked and said against her will, "I... I don't mind you."
When someone returns from their first business trip, they should be treated with some special consideration.
Just bear with it, it will pass quickly!
"No, I despise myself."
Pei Jinghuai wouldn't let her "get away with it"—what if they argued later and she brought up his stench? Then he'd never be able to clear his name for the rest of his life.
We must nip all dangers in the bud!
Pei Jinghuai rushed into the bathroom as fast as he could and shouted through the screen, "...The people have been brought back. You can go see the princess now!"
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi quickly went to the back.
Princess Tong'an stood at the door, looking at the young woman lying on the bed, and asked the captain of the guards who had accompanied Pei Jinghuai, "Was the journey smooth? Why hasn't she woken up yet?"
"It went smoothly. With Hu Minniang leading the way, we found the village without much effort. It was already dark when we arrived. Young Master Pei suggested that we wait until the middle of the night, climb over the wall into Wang Erlaizi's house, tie him up, and leave."
Princess Tong'an's lips twitched. Is this why Pei Jinghuai returned so quickly?
You're so tactless, you just robbed me outright!
The captain of the guard noticed that Princess Tong'an's expression was off and quickly explained for Pei Jinghuai: "When we sneaked into Wang Erlaizi's house, he was drunk and fast asleep on the kang (a heated brick bed), while that silly Yu Sao was tied to the ground with a rope and only had a tattered straw mat on her bed..."
Recalling what she saw, she clenched her fists angrily, "Who would treat their wife like that? That's a piece of scum, no doubt about it."
Moreover, along the way into the village, Hu Minniang provided them with more information about Wang Erlaizi's family.
She was older than Guan Pu and knew more about the inside story.
"...Young Master Pei was afraid that Sister-in-law Yu would struggle and make a fuss on the way, so he gave her some calming powder. When they passed through the town, he also found a midwife who knew a little about medicine to examine her."
The captain of the guard shook his head and sighed, "The midwife said her body is severely weakened, there's not a single healthy spot on her body, and she even has damp sores on her legs from years of exposure to cold. What's even more troublesome is..."
She pursed her lips and said with difficulty, "It seems that Sister-in-law Silly Yu has had several miscarriages and hasn't recovered well, which has damaged her health. I'm afraid she won't be able to have children again."
Princess Tong'an coldly asked, "Where is that beast?"
"Lock him in the woodshed to the north," the captain of the guard said. "I'll go interrogate him myself in a moment, so as not to offend His Highness's eyes."
As they were talking, Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi rushed over, "Your Highness, has the person been rescued?"
Princess Tong'an pointed into the room, "She hasn't woken up even after we used the calming powder. If you want to see her, go in and take a look."
The two entered the room quietly and stood by the bed, watching silently.
Yan Yi reached out and gently brushed aside the tangled, straw-like hair on Silly Sister-in-law's forehead, revealing a pair of peaceful and delicate eyebrows and eyes.
Although she was emaciated, with a haggard face and gray hair like an old woman, it was still easy to see the scholarly air that had left a deep mark on her.
"She must be a girl from a good family, but she suffered a great injustice."
Yan Yi spoke very softly, afraid of disturbing her.
—What is her name? Where does she live? Who else lives in her family?
The two left the room and were about to ask Princess Tong'an what to do next when someone came to report.
"Dr. Chu has arrived and says he has important business to discuss with the princess."
Princess Tong'an frowned. "Is it about girls' schools?"
"It shouldn't be, but Dr. Chu didn't say anything specific."
Princess Tong'an then walked forward, explaining to the two who followed her, "Dr. Chu is Guan Pu's current mathematics teacher. She and her husband were also famous mathematics masters when they were young. After her husband passed away, I hired him to teach at the girls' school."
As the group approached, they saw a middle-aged woman in her early forties, tall and slender, pacing anxiously back and forth in the main room.
Upon seeing Princess Tong'an, she hurried forward and asked anxiously, "Your Highness, I heard Guan Pu talk about Sister-in-law Shayu... Have you brought her back?"
Princess Tong'an was somewhat puzzled, but nodded, "You've come at just the right time. The people I sent just returned today."
Dr. Chu's eyes lit up, and he said, "Could you take me to see her? I suspect she's someone I knew!"
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi exchanged a glance.
It can't be such a coincidence, can it? They were just struggling with how to find relatives for Silly Sister-in-law.
Princess Tong'an hadn't expected this turn of events, and quickly led Dr. Chu back to the backyard.
Dr. Chu walked to the bedside of Silly Sister Yu, and when his eyes met her haggard face, he took a few steps back in disbelief, tears instantly welling up in his eyes.
"Jade Sand, it really is Jade Sand..."
She covered her mouth tightly to keep herself from making a sound, and only after leaving the room did she excitedly say to Princess Tong'an, "Your Highness, it's her, it's her! She's the adopted daughter of Lord Yao, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, the Yao Yusha who suddenly disappeared five years ago!"
Upon hearing Dr. Chu's words, Princess Tong'an frowned and searched her memory, eventually recalling it as well.
"Is it the story of the Yao family and a farming family who switched daughters at birth, raised them for twenty years, and then their biological daughter suddenly showed up at their door?"
Dr. Chu nodded repeatedly, "At that time, Yu Sha's true identity was suddenly revealed, but Lord Yao and his wife couldn't bear to part with their twenty-year relationship and wanted to keep her in their home as well. However, one morning, Yu Sha left a note and ran away, saying she wanted to go back to find her biological parents..."
She covered her face, unable to hold back her tears any longer. "Yusha was once my student. I thought she had really gone home to take care of her parents and fulfill her filial duties. I never imagined that she would be abducted and trafficked, and even turned into a mentally challenged person..."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Pei Da: I briefly had a wife.
Pei Er: Briefly lost his wife
//[doge][doge] You didn't expect this, did you? This still isn't Lan Ya'er... Oh no, I feel like everyone will have to guess every time a new female character comes out from now on, hahaha
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