Chapter 102 Revenge "Why not ask your uncle for help?"
After resting at home for a few days, Meng Lingyao couldn't stay idle and ordered a carriage to be prepared for her trip to Juxianglou.
The capital was her base, and with the Pei family's secret support, and the fact that she had specifically chosen reliable people to stay before leaving the capital, her business in the capital remained well-organized even months after she and Manager Qian left.
He handed over the fresh recipes he brought back from Nanjing to several skilled master craftsmen in the shop, and personally tasted several newly made rouge and face powders, offering some suggestions.
Then, she went up to the private room on the second floor and looked through the account books accumulated over the past few months. The profits were quite considerable. Just as she was looking at them intently, there was a soft knock on the door.
“Miss,” the waiter’s voice was hesitant, “Miss Zhao from the Marquis of Wuxing’s residence is outside requesting an audience.”
Zhao Ruxuan?
Meng Lingyao paused slightly in her writing.
To her utter surprise, the first person to come looking for her after returning to Beijing was her.
"Please let her in."
A short while later, the door was pushed open from the outside, and Zhao Ruxuan walked in.
A hint of surprise flashed across Meng Lingyao's eyes. In her memory, Zhao Ruxuan had always been as flamboyant as a ball of flame, burning recklessly everywhere. Now, however, this flame had been doused by some kind of water, leaving only a flickering ember, and the radiant spirit in her eyes had almost completely vanished.
"Meng Lingyao, you're finally back." Her voice was low, carrying a hint of bewilderment.
Meng Lingyao quickly calculated in her mind that, if she remembered correctly, Zhao Ruxuan's wedding to the Third Prince should be very soon. She clearly loved the Third Prince very much, so why did she look so haggard now?
Meng Lingyao put down her pen and spoke bluntly, "Isn't Miss Zhao about to get married? Why is she described like this?"
Zhao Ruxuan looked up at her listlessly, "Given the current situation, do you think... the Third Prince would still be willing to marry me?"
Meng Lingyao bluntly stated, "What he's most anxious about right now is how to distance himself from you."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Ruxuan nearly burst into tears of anger. Her eyes instantly reddened, and she bit her lip tightly to keep the tears from falling. She gritted her teeth and said, "You are the best at manipulating people's hearts... Is there... is there no way to make me... still marry him?"
Meng Lingyao could not hide her surprise.
"Even in this state," she raised an eyebrow slightly, "you still want to marry him?"
"Why not marry him?" Zhao Ruxuan retorted, her voice rising suddenly before quickly falling back down. "He wants to get rid of me, but I won't let him have his way! He won't let me have my way, so I... I won't let him have his way either!"
Meng Lingyao had initially thought that she was being foolish because of her obsession with love, but after hearing what she said, she looked at her with new respect.
After a moment's thought, she said, "The Third Prince values his reputation above all else, especially his reputation for being 'gentle, kind, and loyal.' If you can use this to your advantage, there might still be room for maneuver."
Zhao Ruxuan stared at her blankly, her eyes filled with clear confusion.
Meng Lingyao rubbed her forehead. Looking at her like this, she knew that although she had the will, she might not be able to accomplish it.
She thought for a moment, then patiently guided him, "If you don't want to break off the engagement, there's another person who certainly doesn't want to see this happen either."
"who?"
"Second Prince."
Zhao Ruxuan frowned. "Him? He can barely take care of himself, and I have never had any dealings with him before. Why would he be willing to lend a helping hand?"
What she didn't say was that she used to stand on the same side as the Third Prince and often made fun of the Second Prince.
"..."
Meng Lingyao was silent for a moment, then a sudden idea flashed in her mind, and she said, "Why don't we ask your uncle for help?"
"My uncle..."
Zhao Ruxuan muttered to herself, no longer refuting Meng Lingyao, her eyes flashing thoughtfully.
After she left, Songlan poured half a cup of hot tea for her mistress and asked, puzzled, "Miss, Miss Zhao has caused you a lot of trouble in the past, why do you still want to offer her advice?"
“I’m not helping her,” Meng Lingyao said slowly as she drank her tea. “Go and fetch Cang Dian. I have something to tell him.”
In the backyard of the Cui family, Zhao Ruxuan hesitated for a long time before finally stepping into the courtyard filled with the fragrance of medicine.
She collapsed at her uncle's bedside, releasing all the pent-up fear, grievances, and resentment. She spoke incoherently, pouring out the cold scheming she had overheard, the Third Prince's hypocritical tenderness, and Meng Lingyao's words—"Why don't you go find your uncle?"
Cui Ting listened quietly.
He leaned against the couch, his body ravaged by years of illness. His face was deathly pale, as if he hadn't seen the sun in a long time, and he was so thin that he was just skin and bones wrapped in a large brocade robe. Only his eyes remained deep and sharp, as if they could see right through people's hearts.
The room fell into a deathly silence, broken only by Zhao Ruxuan's suppressed sobs and the occasional crackling of the charcoal brazier.
“Foolish child…” his voice was hoarse, “even now, you still think about marrying him?”
Zhao Ruxuan burst into tears, "Uncle, I'm not reconciled! I can't let him just... just get rid of me so easily! He can forget about it!"
“I’m not reconciled…” Cui Ting repeated these three words in a low voice, a faint smile appearing on his pale lips. “Fine… I’m not reconciled… so be it.”
He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, they were filled with a resolute, cold light. What he was seeing was far more profound than the marriage of a niece.
The Cui family, once a great tree, is now teetering on the brink of collapse, its very roots nearly severed. The emperor is furious, and a purge is imminent. Knowing his days are numbered, he must, in these final moments, preserve a glimmer of hope for his family.
And this glimmer of hope lies in this marriage that is about to fall apart!
The emperor could severely punish the Cui clan and weaken their power, but he would never allow his own son's in-laws to fall completely. As long as the marriage agreement remained in effect and Zhao Ruxuan was still the Third Prince's consort, the Cui family would still have a chance to recover and a slim possibility of making a comeback in the future.
"Change your clothes," he ordered. "Prepare the carriage, hand over the token... I want to go to the palace to meet the Emperor."
The servant moved his lips, glanced at the master's expression, but said nothing, and bowed his head to reply, "Yes."
The charcoal fire in the hall was warm as spring. The emperor looked at Cui Ting, who was being helped in by a eunuch. He could barely stand, his brows were slightly furrowed, and a complex and unreadable emotion flashed in his eyes.
This was once his most trusted study companion and most admired capable minister, but now he is emaciated and ravaged by illness. Fate is fickle, even emperors sigh with sorrow.
"Your subject... Cui Ting pays his respects to Your Majesty." Cui Ting bowed, about to perform a grand salute.
"No need for formalities." The emperor raised his hand, his tone softening. "You are still recovering from your illness, there's no need for such formalities. Please take a seat. What brings you to the palace in such a hurry?"
Cui Ting thanked the emperor and sat down with difficulty on the embroidered stool. After catching his breath for a moment, he slowly spoke, "Your Majesty, I am ashamed. My clan has produced such an unworthy son who is corrupt and lawless, and has disgraced the family. I have failed in my duty to educate him and have failed the emperor's grace. I deserve to die a thousand deaths."
The emperor listened quietly, offering no comment.
He was heartbroken and said, “Whatever punishment Your Majesty has imposed on them is what they deserve, and I have no complaints whatsoever. The entire Cui family…is deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s benevolence in restoring them to peace.”
The emperor said calmly, "I know that you have been suffering from illness and have been out of touch with worldly affairs for a long time. All of this is none of your business, so there is no need for you to blame yourself."
Cui Ting's face showed even deeper sorrow. "I am grateful for Your Majesty's kindness, but my sins are grave... and not only that..."
His voice trembled, almost choking with emotion, "My younger sister, from childhood... upheld the virtues of a lady, and after marrying into the Marquis of Wuxing's household, she dared not slacken, devoted herself to her husband and children, and never concerned herself with outside affairs. My niece, Ruxuan, was raised in seclusion since infancy, innocent and carefree, completely ignorant of clan affairs, and utterly estranged from those criminals..."
“But now, because of the criminals, some people in the neighborhood…” He took a breath, his expression one of humiliation, “some people are even slandering my sister’s character, saying she’s two-faced, and what’s more… they’ve even implicated Ruxuan…”
"Ruxuan's marriage to the Third Prince was bestowed by His Majesty's golden words, a blessing upon the Marquis's mansion and a glory to the Cui family. If it is broken because of the sins of our clan... how will she face herself in the future? I am nearing my end, and I humbly beg Your Majesty to consider that Ruxuan is still young and innocent... to consider that she has no connection with the sins of the Cui family... to consider... the grace bestowed by Your Majesty, and to show her mercy..."
The candlelight flickered in the hall, and the silence was profound, with only his painful breathing clearly audible.
The emperor's fingers tapped silently on the armrest. His majestic gaze fell heavily, scrutinizing his former officials while also weighing the unseen chess game at play.
Severe punishment of the Cui family is inevitable, but completely destroying this once top-tier aristocratic family, along with severing the arranged marriage, will indeed leave behind a hidden danger of ruthlessness and ingratitude. Cui Ting's proactive severing of ties with his family's sinners, his humble stance, and his pleading with an innocent and vulnerable woman...
After a long silence, the emperor slowly spoke, "I know what Minister Cui is thinking. The Zhao woman is innocent, and I have my own plans. You... go back and rest well."
In the dim ashes in Cui Ting's eyes, a faint spark suddenly burst forth, so bright that even the emperor turned his gaze slightly away. He struggled to kowtow and express his gratitude for the emperor's grace, each movement aggravating his chronic illness and exhausting his strength. Finally, he was helped out of the majestic palace like a withered leaf.
Before the snowstorm had subsided, Cui Ting saw a magnificent palace sedan chair parked outside the palace. A palace maid held up an umbrella and helped a person out of the sedan chair. It was the birth mother of the Second Prince, Consort De.
He smirked and looked away.
The snow in the capital was falling harder and harder, and the gossip in the streets and alleys was also rising up, just like the momentum of the falling snow, which was fine at first and gradually became a sweeping wave.
"The Third Prince is so gentle and refined, it's truly pitiful that he had to marry such a wife..."
"The Cui family is rotten to the core. How good can Miss Zhao be, given her close ties with her maternal grandparents' family since childhood? Can she really become the Third Prince's consort?"
"Exactly! They should have broken off the engagement long ago! Does a daughter from such a family even deserve it?"
Such discussions were rampant, swirling in the air above teahouses and taverns.
On this day, the snow had stopped slightly, and the sky was overcast. A rather inconspicuous noodle shop in the west of the city was packed with customers seeking warmth from the cold. The shop was small, with simple tables and chairs, and a cacophony of voices. A few simple screens created secluded, elegant seating areas. Behind a faded bamboo screen at the far end, Meng Lingyao sat upright, with Pei Xu opposite her.
Two bowls of steaming noodle soup sat on the table, garnished with green and white scallions. Pei Xu took a clean handkerchief, lowered his gaze, and carefully wiped a pair of bamboo chopsticks before handing them to the person opposite him. He noticed her staring at the crack in the screen, her gaze fixed on the commotion outside.
A few burly men at the next table, after a few cups of strong liquor, raised their voices even higher—
"...In my opinion, the Third Prince should harden his heart and immediately annul the engagement! What good can come from getting involved with a quagmire like the Cui family?"
"Yes! Break off the engagement! What good can a girl raised in that kind of family do? I heard that Madam Cui..."
Pei Xu saw Meng Lingyao clear her throat and raise her voice, "What you all are saying makes no sense."
The noise in the hall subsided slightly, and everyone's gaze involuntarily turned to the screen from which the sound was coming from.
"The Cui family has produced an unworthy descendant, that's the Cui family's business. Miss Zhao comes from the Marquis of Wuxing's mansion and has been raised in seclusion since childhood, following the rules and regulations, and has never participated in outside affairs. What crime has she committed?"
"Furthermore, everyone, to be fair, His Highness the Third Prince has always been kind and trustworthy. At this critical juncture, if he were to abandon this imperial marriage agreement based on a few unfounded rumors, it would break the heart of an innocent woman..."
She drew out her voice slightly, and said regretfully, "Wouldn't this just confirm the speculations of those petty villains, saying that Your Highness... is greedy for profit and avoids harm, and is heartless and ungrateful? Once this stain is placed on Your Highness, how will you face yourself in the future? Wouldn't it damage Your Highness's reputation?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the diners who had been sitting scattered around outside all stood up, as if they had rehearsed it beforehand!
A middle-aged man dressed as a wealthy businessman suddenly stood up and rebuked the jeering men, saying, "Exactly! What has Miss Zhao done wrong? What are your intentions in speaking ill of the Crown Prince's Consort? His Highness the Third Prince is a virtuous and upright man; how could he do something so self-destructive and tarnish the word 'benevolence'!"
The young students nearby chimed in indignation, “Absolutely right! How dare you slander a marriage bestowed by His Majesty? To break off a marriage because of rumors—where does that leave the royal family? Where does that leave His Highness’s reputation?”
Others looked around and spoke passionately, "Everyone, be the judge! If we break off the engagement now, what will outsiders think? They'll surely say that His Highness is a hypocrite who seeks personal gain and avoids harm! Wouldn't that bring shame upon His Highness? This engagement must not be broken off!"
In an instant, shouts of "The engagement cannot be called off!" and "Miss Zhao is innocent!" echoed throughout the small noodle shop, their momentum overwhelming. The men who had been leading the charge turned red in the face, and under the angry glares and accusations of the crowd, they reluctantly shut their mouths, shoveled down a few mouthfuls of noodles, and fled as if their lives depended on it.
Peace returned behind the screen.
Meng Lingyao withdrew her gaze with satisfaction, looked at Pei Xu across the steaming heat, tilted her head as if receiving a reward, and took the pair of bamboo chopsticks.
“Pei Shaoqing,” she picked up a few noodles and said slowly, “I am a woman who knows no martial arts and is truly a ‘weak woman.’ I cannot personally take revenge on those scoundrels who dare to stop you on the road. Fortunately, these rumors in the streets, if honed properly, can also be a deadly weapon.”
She paused slightly, a cold glint in her eyes, but a gentle smile played on her lips, and her voice was so soft that only the two people at the table could hear it.
"I will use this clumsy little skill to repay the humiliation I suffered on my way home for you, Shaoqing."
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