Chapter 35 The concubine has disappeared!
Beneath the light veil, a familiar face appeared in the old lady's eyes.
The old lady's pupils contracted slightly as she stared incredulously at the person before her.
Xue Lanyi was once the daughter-in-law recognized by the Duke's mansion, and the old lady treated her differently.
Because Xue Lanyi's mother died early and her father was busy with court affairs, many of the things that young ladies should do were taught by the old lady.
It can be said that the relationship between the old lady and her was that of a mother and daughter.
At this moment, seeing Princess Zhaoyang, who should have rotted in the ground long ago, standing safely in front of her, the old lady stood frozen in place for a long time, tears welling up in her already red eyes.
Xue Lanyi was also filled with mixed emotions. She knelt down beside the old lady's bed and kowtowed, saying, "Aunt, are you well?"
A moment later, the old lady's voice came from above, "Are you worthy to call me that?"
Xue Lanyi's heart skipped a beat, and then she heard her coldly say, "Do you even deserve to call him Ah Xuan?"
Xuan'er waited patiently for five years for the woman before him.
Because of her dying wish, she went to the border to support the late crown prince, and became a traitor whom everyone wanted to kill.
And what about this woman?
She was shameless in her second brother's arms, indulging in sensual pleasures.
Who has she been fair to?
The old lady's tender affection for her child was fleeting; her gaze quickly turned cold, filled only with resentment and anger towards Xue Lanyi.
Xue Lanyi's heart sank to the bottom of the sea.
At this moment, he realized that he was no longer someone who could be trusted by either side.
Wei Zhang resented and was angry with her, as did his former relatives and friends.
Having come to this point, how could she possibly expect any affection from her former mother-in-law?
That's enough.
In this world, only Wei Xuan would smile and say to her, "It's okay."
And her only connection was with Wei Xuan.
She couldn't change anyone else's mind, nor was she able to.
She accepted the deep bows and kowtows between mother and son, then stood up and said, "What the old lady thinks of me is not important. What's important right now is to rescue Ah... Wei Xuan. Please dismiss everyone else."
"A woman's body belongs to whomever she gives herself; who knows if you're playing some trick on the second son again?" The old lady's wary gaze caught sight of the ambiguous red swelling at the corner of Xue Lanyi's lips.
"I thought you were some kind of chaste and virtuous woman."
Back then, Wei Xuan repeatedly failed in his attempts to propose marriage to the Princess of the County, and he was subjected to countless taunts and ridicule.
Now that she's with the second son, she can do anything and doesn't shy away from anything anymore.
The old lady sneered disdainfully.
Xue Lanyi clenched her hand, hidden in her sleeve, into her palm. The stinging pain helped her regain her composure. "Does the old lady want to save her son, or does she want to have a heart-to-heart talk with me and discuss what kind of person I am?"
Her voice was forceful, and the old lady looked up to meet her determined eyes.
The old lady was naturally trying to save her son, which is why she raised her hand to wave the crowd away.
Xue Lanyi didn't have much time to repent, explain, or cry with her.
“Wei Xuan is locked up in the old house courtyard. The old lady can just go and investigate.” She said directly, “Wei Zhang is a deep thinker. If you want to rescue Wei Xuan, you need to make two moves. First, trap Wei Zhang so that he can’t take care of himself. Second, find a way to survive in the chaos and take Wei Xuan away from the capital.”
Xue Lanyi knew that even without using the power of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, the old lady, the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan, should be able to use her maternal family's influence to send Ah Xuan out of the city.
However, even if one manages to rescue someone from Wei Zhang and escape the city, no matter how discreetly it is done, someone as meticulous as Wei Zhang will most likely notice.
At that time, Wei Zhang, like a cicada stalking a bird, intercepted Ah Xuan halfway.
If Ah Xuan falls into enemy hands again, his situation will only get worse than it is now.
Moreover, Wei Zhang might be able to find out the whereabouts of the former crown prince by following the clues.
Therefore, it is necessary to cut off Wei Zhang's resources at the root, making him deeply mired in a quagmire and unable to attend to other matters.
"The evidence of Wei Zhang's murder of Prince Qi is in Qutan Temple. If we can present the evidence to the Emperor, and rescue Wei Xuan when Wei Zhang is trapped in the court and the Duke's mansion is in chaos, we might be able to escape. However..."
Xue Lanyi looked at the old lady with worry, "There is no turning back for the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion from now on."
The old lady calmed down after hearing that she had come prepared and spoke eloquently.
He paused for a moment, then said with a sigh, "The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was long ago driven to its doom by that rebellious son Wei Zhang..."
She knew that discord between the brothers would inevitably lead to trouble.
His two brothers, one was the mastermind behind the massacre of the prince's family, and the other colluded with the former crown prince. The downfall of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was inevitable.
If we can save Wei Xuan's life now, it will be thanks to the protection of our ancestors.
The old lady rubbed her aching temples. "I can retrieve the evidence of the second son's crimes from Qutan Temple, and I can also arrange the escort for Xuan'er. You don't need to worry about the second move. However... the key to this game lies in the first move."
They trapped Wei Zhang in the imperial court.
The old lady raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over Xue Lanyi with interest. "How can the decisive move in this game of chess be handed over to someone else so easily? If that person presents the evidence to the Emperor, and the Second Prince manages to exonerate himself with clever words, what will you do?"
The situation the old lady described is not impossible.
"What does the old lady intend to do?"
"In my opinion, this crucial move must be both offensive and defensive, and only through flexibility and adaptability can a checkmate be achieved. Who do you think is the right person to make the move?"
In a flash, Xue Lanyi understood what the old lady meant.
The old matriarch wanted Xue Lanyi to be a pawn in this game, to personally go before the emperor and denounce Wei Zhang.
With her maneuvering against Wei Zhang in the court and holding him back, the chances of victory are much greater.
However, if she were to make this move, she would inevitably be exposed to the Emperor and his ministers. Regardless of whether she could bring down Wei Zhang, she would have no way out.
Xue Lanyi's face stiffened, and she took half a step back.
The old lady's gaze never left her. "Are you afraid? When my son stormed the army camp alone and brought back a corpse, he didn't flinch for a second. How will you repay what you owe my son?"
Undeniably, Xue Lanyi was somewhat afraid of death at this moment.
After so many years of missed opportunities with Wei Xuan, they finally meet again.
She always fantasized that after rescuing him from the capital, they would go to the western border and start over, never to be separated again in this life.
She hasn't yet told him in person that she's willing to marry him.
She also firmly believed that they had a future.
If she were to drag Wei Zhang down with her, then she and Ah Xuan would truly be separated by death.
But if she doesn't go, who in the entire Dayong Dynasty would dare to confront Wei Zhang, who holds immense power, for the sake of Ah Xuan?
Who would be willing to fly like a moth to a flame, disregarding everything just to keep Ah Xuan alive?
Xue Lanyi closed her eyes slightly and took a deep breath. "If Kongming lanterns are raised in the night sky tomorrow, it means I am willing to follow the old lady's opinion."
"I hope you can sincerely repent and make amends for your mistakes," the old lady said from behind Xue Lanyi.
Xue Lanyi vaguely felt that this sentence was familiar.
Last night, Wei Zhang also told her to repent.
How many people does she have to repent to?
Xue Lanyi was overwhelmed with mixed feelings and did not want to say more. She simply knelt down and said, "I ask that you punish me according to the family rules for taking advantage of the Blood Spirit Mushroom today."
She was invited to the old lady's residence today because she disrespected her elders and misappropriated the Blood Spirit Mushroom.
If she were to return unscathed, without kneeling or punishment, Wei Zhang would certainly become suspicious.
It's best to punish them as they should be.
"You're quite sensible." The old lady understood what she meant and raised her voice: "Liu'er, Aunt Xue has no respect for elders. Take her to kneel in the courtyard for half an hour to settle the matter."
"Here you are, Auntie!"
Hearing that the old lady's tone was lenient and that she didn't intend to punish her severely, Liu'er led Xue Lanyi around the corridor to the backyard.
Xue Lanyi followed her absentmindedly, and the two stopped under a century-old soapberry tree.
“It looks like it’s going to rain, so please kneel here so you don’t get wet.” Liu’er said kindly, bending down and gesturing for you to come. “Don’t worry, Auntie, you don’t need to kneel for a full half hour. I’ll go to the garden later and keep an eye on things from a distance. If the young master returns to the manor, I will come and inform you. You can go back and report that you’ve knelt down.”
"Miss Liu is so kind." Xue Lanyi touched her sleeve pocket. She didn't have any valuables, so she gave Liu a piece of her own treasured brocade handkerchief.
"You're too kind, Auntie," Liu'er said, curtsying in thanks.
As he walked around the corridor, his face immediately darkened, and he threw the handkerchief on the ground. "You're supposed to be half a master by the young master's side, yet you're so shabby!"
Who among those who serve the old lady closely hasn't seen Yun Jin?
"Even a little bit of air leaked from the young master's hands would be enough to make her rich. She must have a lot of good things hidden away, she just doesn't want to give them to you!" Xiao Mei swayed over, picked up the handkerchief and sniffed it, it had a seductive fragrance on it.
Clearly, this Aunt Xue used this method to keep the young master from marrying or taking concubines for five years.
A flash of sourness crossed Xiaomei's eyes as she handed the handkerchief back to Liu'er. "Sell this handkerchief to those men in the stable. They love this slutty smell. You might be able to get a small piece of silver for it."
"You've reminded me!"
Those grooms love to collect women's personal items; wouldn't they be completely captivated by this thing?
Liu'er's eyes gleamed with golden light. She was about to leave when she turned back to look at Xue Lanyi kneeling under the tree.
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on things for you." Xiaomei patted Liu'er's shoulder, a smile playing on her lips.
A clap of thunder sounded from the horizon, and blue-white lightning flashed across Xiaomei's face...
At Chong'an Hall, Qingyang was just stepping out with an umbrella when he saw Wei Zhang returning late at night.
At this moment, a light drizzle began to fall. Wei Zhang did not hold an umbrella, and his black cloak was covered with water droplets.
Qingyang strode forward and held an umbrella over Wei Zhang.
"The old lady is back?" Wei Zhang asked as he walked, tucking in his slightly damp sleeves.
Qingyang was originally heading to Shuying Hall. "It is said that yesterday, the concubine took the only blood spirit mushroom in the storeroom to regulate her body, which caused the old lady to lack a medicinal ingredient. The old lady was furious and asked the concubine to question her. The questioning lasted for three hours."
Qingyang presented the brocade box in his arms to Wei Zhang, saying, "I was thinking that there was a Snow Lingzhi in the young master's private treasury, so I took the liberty of sending it to Shuying Hall to appease the old lady's anger and at least bring my aunt back."
At that moment, thunder rumbled again in the sky.
Wei Zhang stood in front of the hanging flower gate, gazing at the dark green mountains in the distance. The undulating mountain ridges gradually met the low-pressure clouds, blocking the moonlight and skylight.
A storm is brewing.
Wei Zhang pondered for a moment, then said, "There's no need to go and pick it up."
"this……"
The old lady has a temper that's not to be trifled with.
Qingyang was somewhat worried.
Wei Zhang shook his head and went into the house with his hands behind his back.
Xue Lanyi is not a person who knows what's important, so why would she take advantage of the Blood Spirit Mushroom?
I'm afraid that seizing the medicine was just a pretense, and that the real intention was to use the opportunity to discuss rescuing Wei Xuan with the old lady.
The play is about to reach its climax, but if we bring her back now, the play will be interrupted.
Wei Zhang pondered silently for a moment, then walked outside the study and gestured to Qingyang with a raised finger, "Go to the Shen residence and invite Lord Shen over for a chat."
"Lord Shen has gone out of the city to investigate the murderer of Prince Qi. He went overnight."
Qingyang had just left the manor on business when he encountered Shen Jinglan, who was riding quickly out of the city.
Qingyang looked at Wei Zhang with concern: "It is said that His Majesty attaches great importance to this matter and has given Lord Shen an oral decree: ordering the Three Departments and Six Ministries to fully cooperate with Lord Shen in the investigation, and not to obstruct Lord Shen from using any documents or officials, and to ensure that the murderer is brought to justice."
"His Majesty truly has a deep affection for this uncle," Wei Zhang remarked casually before heading to his study to attend to official business.
At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), a strong wind arose and a torrential downpour began.
Wei Zhangcai came out of the study and pushed open the door to his bedroom.
The room was empty; no incense was burned, and no food was served.
Wei Zhang stood in the cold outer room for a long time, his mind blank, not knowing what to do.
After a while, he instructed Yingqi, "Prepare the meal."
Dinner was prepared by Xue Lanyi in the morning, and she instructed the kitchen to cook it. There was also a basket of rabbit buns that she had made herself yesterday.
Wei Zhang sat alone at the round table made of nanmu wood, tucked his sleeves in, and took out a steamed bun.
The chubby white rabbit bared its teeth and glared angrily in his palm.
Suddenly, the image of the girl who had knelt on him last night and her smiling face so close to his eyes flashed into Wei Zhang's mind.
"Hasn't Auntie come back yet?" Her mouth moved faster than her brain.
Yingqi hummed in agreement. "They're still in the eldest young master's room."
They were so happy they forgot all about home.
Wei Zhang tossed the steamed buns back into the steamer. "Take the food away and reheat it."
“It was…it was already hot.” Yingqi pointed to the still-steaming chicken soup and the steamer basket. “The cook just made it.”
Wei Zhang glanced at him.
Ying Qi choked, lowered her head, removed the food, and put it back on the steamer.
Wei Zhang went outside and took a breath of fresh air under the eaves.
It was already past midnight, and the government office had been locked, leaving everything pitch black as far as the eye could see.
Even birds and beasts know to return to their nests.
Wei Zhang's hands, which were behind his back, were slightly clenched.
"Your Highness, your concubine has disappeared!"
At this moment, Qingyang ran into the yard, panting in the rain.
Although the prince said there was no need to rush to bring his concubine, there was thunder and lightning at the moment, and if anything happened to her, the people below would not be able to bear the responsibility.
Qingyang then secretly sent someone to Shuying Hall to inquire, only to find out that the concubine had already been released.
But Qingyang searched all the way from Shuying Hall back to Chong'an Hall without finding anyone.
Qingyang wiped the rain from his forehead: "I have questioned everyone in the courtyard, and no one has seen the concubine!"
Wei Zhang frowned slightly. "The old lady herself said she released the concubine?"
"this……"
Even if Qingyang, a mere servant, wanted to ask the old lady in person, how could she possibly see him?
He could only ask the gatekeeper for a few questions.
Wei Zhang didn't know why he had blurted out such an illogical question. He shook his head, put his hands behind his back, and walked into the rain.
Qingyang followed closely behind, holding an umbrella.
When we arrived at Shuying Hall, the courtyard was already pitch black.
The rain was fine and dense, and there was no one around.
Only the gatekeeper, with his hands in his sleeves, huddled under the eaves to avoid the rain.
A dark mass of figures swept past, like a dark cloud overhead.
The gatekeeper was startled awake, only to see the young prince stride into the inner courtyard like the wind.
By now, the rain had reached above the soles of his shoes, creating ripples with every step. Large patches of his dark coat were also soaked, making him feel even colder than usual.
The gatekeeper felt a chill run down his spine and followed, crouching low: "Young Master, the Old Madam has already retired for the night. Please wait in the living room while I report to her."
In prominent families, rules are the most important. How could a son trespass into his mother's bedroom?
The gatekeeper, unable to bear the blame for his dereliction of duty, kept wiping his forehead, unsure whether it was cold sweat or rain.
Wei Zhang ignored her and went straight to the outside of the old lady's bedroom. He then clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Mother, I cannot do without Aunt Xue serving me. If you have finished asking your questions, please return her to me."
There was no response from inside the house.
The old lady was taking a nap on the couch when she saw a handsome figure bowing respectfully outside the lattice door. A hint of anger appeared on her face, so she simply turned to face the wall and closed her eyes.
Li Zhaoyang is a shameless woman.
Wei Zhang was also trampling the face of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion underfoot.
Back then, because Xuan'er was so devoted to Princess Zhaoyang, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion treated her like a Buddha.
Despite three matchmakers and six betrothal gifts, and three visits to her humble abode, they still couldn't persuade her to marry into their family.
Unexpectedly, the second son easily succeeded, making Zhaoyang his mistress and allowing him to defile her at will for three whole years.
So what does the Duke of Zhenguo's years of courteousness amount to?
They've almost completely ruined the Duke's mansion's reputation.
One was unaware of chastity, the other deceived everyone; they were truly a perfect match, born to collude.
The old lady naturally did not want to see this rebellious son, and gave a wink to the night watchwoman beside her.
The old nanny understood and respectfully opened the door, bowing low. "Young Master, the Old Madam's stroke hasn't fully healed yet, and she's already gone to bed. As for Concubine Xue, she left two hours ago."
"How long?" Qingyang asked.
"Two hours."
No sooner had the old woman finished speaking than a deafening roar echoed across the sky.
It wasn't thunder, it was a landslide on Nanshan Mountain.
The early summer rainstorm grew increasingly intense without warning.
An hour earlier, the rainwater in the koi pond of the Duke's mansion had already overflowed.
Surrounded by mountains, with rolling mudslides.
It was truly dangerous to stay outside for an hour or two in this weather. Qingyang knew something was wrong, so she quickly asked the old woman, "Who escorted the concubine away? Did anyone see the concubine enter Chong'an Hall?"
"This, this..."
The night watchwoman and the gatekeeper exchanged a glance, both looking bewildered.
Even the gatekeeper had never seen Xue Lanyi, so how dare he say she had left?
Wei Zhang's eyes turned icy. "Please, Mother, return the person!"
"Your concubine is incredibly lucky; how could she possibly run away from the Duke's mansion?" The old lady, still lying with her back to Wei Zhang, said leisurely, "Wang Ma, close the door."
"Here you go!"
The door was slightly ajar.
Suddenly, a flash of silver light appeared.
The latch was broken, and the sharp edge was so fierce that it sliced off half of Wang Mama's face.
"Ah!" A heart-wrenching cry of pain.
The old woman immediately collapsed into a pool of blood, the blood splattering all over the screen separating the inner room.
The courtyard was filled with screams and chaos.
The old lady turned her head and, through the hazy screen, saw Wei Zhang standing in front of the door in black robes, holding a silver sword, with drops of blood dripping from the blade.
The blue and white light flickered on his deeply contoured face, but his voice was ordinary: "Is Mother's illness any better?"
"You, you!"
The old lady jumped up in fright, "You are utterly lawless! How dare you kill innocent people like this! You, you..."
“Mother refuses to see her son, which has harmed others. How can you blame your son?” Wei Zhang handed the sword to Qingyang and stepped across the threshold, stepping over a pool of blood.
A series of steady, blood-red footprints were left on the bluestone ground.
Wei Zhang lifted his robe and sat on the main seat in the outer room, his calm eyes glancing at the screen to his right.
Inside the room, the old lady was also staring at the blood-red plum blossoms on the white gauze screen and at Wang Mama, who was convulsing and struggling at the door.
The blood was still flowing, meandering into the inner room through the cracks in the bluestone slabs, like a cold snake slithering toward the bed.
The stench of blood was too strong for the old lady to bear. She leaned on her dragon-headed cane, walked around the screen, and appeared in the outer room.
"You, you... what a traitorous Grand Scholar Wei!"
"I have to attend the morning court tomorrow, so I won't have time to receive your instruction, Mother. Please forgive me." Wei Zhang gestured for the old lady to sit down on the left side of the main seat.
In their childhood, Wei Zhang and Wei Xuan, brothers, lived together in Shuying Hall.
At that time, I often received the teachings and punishments of the old lady in this place.
It was already past midnight, and Wei Zhang didn't have time to beat around the bush. "Where is Aunt Xue?"
"How could I possibly know..."
A sudden clap of thunder cut off the old lady's words.
The lightning struck Granny Wang, whose right cheek had been slashed.
Too ferocious.
The old lady was getting on in years, and it was understandable that she was terrified to witness a living person disappear before her very eyes.
Only then, supporting himself on the octagonal table, did he stumble and sit down, calling out in a hoarse voice, "Liu'er!"
Liu'er, who had been watching from the sidelines, was terrified. She knelt down with a thud and kowtowed repeatedly. "This servant... This servant led Aunt Xue to kneel under the soapberry tree in the backyard at noon, and then... then went out for a stroll in the garden. When I came back, Aunt Xue was no longer under the soapberry tree."
That's strange.
The gatekeeper didn't see anyone leave, and there was no one under the soapberry tree either. Had they vanished into thin air?
Marquis Qingyang stood behind Wei Zhang, looking at the heir apparent with a puzzled expression.
Wei Zhang rested his fingers on the armrest, fiddling with the black jade thumb ring.
"Soapberry tree?" The three words were extremely heavy.
"Yes! This servant was afraid that Auntie would get wet in the rain, so..."
Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly felt a cold glint in his eye, and his neck felt as if it had been severed by a sharp sword.
Liu'er paused, her tongue lolling out, "It was Xiao Mei! Miss Mei ordered me to lead Aunt Xue to kneel under that soapberry tree!"
Outside, a bolt of lightning ripped through the sky.
In an instant, a thunderous roar gathered atop the century-old tree, transforming it into a dazzling display of light and color.
The century-old tree shook violently, and countless branches fell to the ground.
Clearly, that soapberry tree is prone to attracting lightning.
This Miss Mei is clearly leading Aunt Xue down a path to her death.
The people in Shuying Hall looked at each other in surprise. Even the old lady hadn't expected this girl to be so bold.
She was counting on Xue Lanyi to save Wei Xuan, how could such a big mistake happen?
"You lowly servant, how dare you! Tell me! Where did you take Aunt Xue?" The old lady pounded her dragon-headed cane.
Xiao Mei's knees slammed stiffly to the ground, and she shook her head blankly.
She only wanted to scare the vixen and tell her not to seduce the prince; how could she possibly take her life?
Logically speaking, an ordinary person would have fled in terror upon seeing that tree attracting lightning.
Surely Aunt Xue isn't stupid, just standing there blankly under the tree?
"She must have run away, she must have run away, she can't just wait to be struck by lightning..."
"My aunt suffers from fright syndrome," Qingyang whispered a reminder from the side.
The eldest son once said that Aunt Xue would be afraid of thunder and lightning.
Moreover, if lightning is brought right before her eyes, I'm afraid Aunt Xue might be so stunned that she wouldn't know how to dodge. What if she really faints from fright, or gets struck by lightning...?
Even if someone is injured by lightning, they should at least be seen alive, or at least have a body if they are dead.
Qingyang grew increasingly frightened. "Was Auntie struck by lightning and then kidnapped by some villain? Did Auntie offend someone?"
For three years, Xue Lanyi never even stepped out of the courtyard gate. Who could she have offended?
Those who notice her probably have ulterior motives.
Wei Zhang's expression suddenly tightened.
The atmosphere inside the room froze, becoming so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
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