Chapter 45 And dogs, generally speaking, can't change their nature of eating shit. ...
The next day, when Zhao Xian woke up, Jiang Liangxu was nowhere to be seen; he always seemed to wake up earlier than her.
"The master is playing chess in the tea room."
Zhao Xian spat out her mouthwash and said indifferently, "Did I ask him?"
Peony boldly said, "But Madam's eyes are searching for Master."
Zhao Xian was a little confused. Was it really that obvious?
"Send a maid to invite Granny He over." Granny He was old, and she had returned home too late yesterday, so she hadn't thought of waking her up to ask about things in the mansion.
But no one was seen this morning, so Zhao Xian couldn't help but speak up.
Peony hurriedly said, "This morning I met Taohong, who serves Granny He. She said Granny He has taken leave to visit relatives and has not returned yet."
She also heard Tao Hong complain that the young lady had led people to search He Mama's room and was very resentful.
Jiang Liangxu had just pushed his wheelchair out when he heard this and said, "Granny He, you have no relatives, why are you visiting relatives?"
Zhao Xian was utterly shocked. "Doesn't she have any relatives?"
Seeing that she seemed completely unaware, Jiang Liangxu said, "She had a nephew who was murdered by villains many years ago."
Seeing her bewildered, Jiang Liangxu said, "Granny He left the palace when she was almost forty. By then, she was already past the age of marriage. She had a nephew in her hometown and originally wanted to return home to enjoy her old age with him."
Unexpectedly, her nephew met the wrong person and was framed by a villain, resulting in the death of his entire family. When Granny He returned, her whole family was dead, and everything had been burned to the ground.
Before she could even file a complaint, someone had already set their sights on her. By sheer luck, Granny He tumbled down a cliff and survived. At that time, I happened to be on my way to take up my post as magistrate in the neighboring county and ran into her.
After rescuing the person, I learned about this incident.
Granny He's nephew lives in Tongchang County, which is not within my jurisdiction.
That matter had far-reaching implications when investigated; I told you about it afterward.
As if listening to a story, Zhao Xian urged, "And then what happened? Tongchang County isn't under your jurisdiction, so you could investigate the case, right?"
Jiang Liangxu took out a pair of earrings from his makeup box and handed them to Zhao Xian, saying, "There's always a way."
At that time, he was just a minor county magistrate. His secret investigation revealed that the matter involved the prefect and other high-ranking officials, and even involved the mining industry.
The situation was extremely dangerous at the time, but fortunately, Granny He had connections in the palace, which helped him bypass the court officials and pass on the message to the emperor.
The process was somewhat dangerous, but fortunately, all those people were eventually eliminated.
As he spoke, Jiang Liangxu continued, "After the family of Aunt He found out the real culprit and avenged her, she stayed in Tongchang County saying she wanted to guard the old house. It was only later, when we returned to Jin'an, that we asked her to come and help us because of some inconveniences."
"Madam, you've forgotten all of this?"
Zhao Xian pursed her lips. "Now that you mention it, I do recall something."
However, it wasn't a deep understanding. It seems that when Granny He asked Jiang Liangxu to investigate the case, she didn't have much contact with the original owner of the body, so she didn't have many memories of that.
Jiang Liangxu looked at Zhao Xian wearing earrings and asked, "Shaoyao, how many days has it been since Granny He left the Jiang family?"
Peony said, "According to Peach Blossom, it seems to have been seven or eight days."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian's earring shifted, pricking her and causing her to cry out in pain, "Ouch!"
Jiang Liangxu reached out and took the earring from her hand. He checked her ears first, and only put it on for her after confirming that everything was alright.
Zhao Xian sensed something was amiss. "Lianniang has been slandered for six or seven days now. What a coincidence! Could someone have deliberately orchestrated this? What about Granny He...?"
"I'll send someone to investigate." Jiang Liangxu casually rubbed her earlobe.
Zhao Xian was filled with regret. She should have asked Granny He when she returned yesterday, so that she could have discovered it sooner.
Just as she finished tidying up, a servant came to report: "Madam, the eldest young mistress and young lady have arrived."
"It's so early, they probably haven't had breakfast yet. Peony, bring two more sets of bowls and chopsticks."
Cui Tingyue only learned early this morning that her adoptive parents had returned home last night. They were said to have returned very late, so it didn't disturb too many people.
Upon receiving the news, she rushed over early in the morning and met Li Lianniang at the door.
Cui Tingyue clearly sensed that Li Lianniang was different, so she stepped forward, took her hand, and asked, "Sister-in-law, have you already met your godmother?"
Seeing the other person nod, she breathed a sigh of relief.
On the day of the flower charity sale, she happened to be menstruating and couldn't go out, and then that kind of thing happened.
Granny He went to visit relatives and never returned. When her sister-in-law's affair came to light, they were thrown into chaos and panicked. They were also harassed by the servants in the mansion, and everything was in complete disarray.
As soon as the two entered the room, Zhao Xian asked them about Granny He.
Li Lianniang and Cui Tingyue exchanged a glance, and the former said, "Granny He received a letter and took leave, saying that an older sister she hadn't seen for many years had invited her to catch up."
Cui Tingyue added, "The old lady said she would be back in a day or two at most, but we waited for three days and still didn't see her. The coachman who took the old lady back also didn't return. So I took it upon myself to go to the old lady's room to look for the letter. We did find the letter, but when we sent people to look for it, we couldn't find the address in the letter."
After that, things at home, coupled with the rumors outside, caused chaos for them, and the people they sent out to look for Granny He never found her.
Peony was secretly alarmed. Luckily, she wasn't the type to spread rumors, otherwise she might have misunderstood her mistress.
Jiang Liangxu said, "Bring me that letter so I can see it."
After receiving the letter, Zhao Xian peeked out slightly from Jiang Liangxu's hand.
He turned the letter around so she could see it more clearly.
Looking at the contents of the letter, Zhao Xian asked, "You said that Granny has no relatives, so who is this person who claims to be her sister?"
"It is highly likely that she was a palace maid who had worked with Granny He in the palace."
Zhao Xian agreed with Jiang Liangxu's speculation:
"The letter said her son would be taking the imperial examination next autumn, but it didn't specify his age. Is it easy to check? The only signature is 'Tongmei'."
The address is fake, but the name should be real. If it were fake, Granny He wouldn't have gone there.
Given Granny He's age, and the fact that the other party claims to be her elder sister, and considering that palace maids are released from the palace every year, it would be difficult to trace a palace maid who left the palace more than ten or twenty years ago.
Zhao Xian suddenly had a thought: "Could it be that Granny He has been kidnapped?"
But who is it? Is it just to slander the female protagonist of a tragic novel?
Was it scripted manipulation? Or was it deliberate?
Zhao Xian thought the former was unlikely, as the plot probably wasn't that intelligent.
Besides, Granny He isn't a very important character in the book, so there's no need for her to go through such a complicated process just to frame the female lead in this abusive novel.
That can only be caused by human intervention!
Jiang Liangxu couldn't say for sure, but comforted him, "Don't overthink it, leave this to me."
Because of this unexpected incident involving Granny He, the four of them ate a simple breakfast and had little appetite.
After Jiang Liangxu left.
Li Lianniang twisted her handkerchief and finally spoke: "Mother, your daughter-in-law is not managing the household well, so please take back your management authority."
Zhao Xian didn't respond to her question, but instead asked, "Who did the injury to Danruo's face?"
Li Lianniang subconsciously shook her head: "Ah, no..."
Cui Tingyue immediately chimed in, "It was Qian Niangzi who was in charge of purchasing. My sister-in-law found out that she had made some purchases wrong and questioned her, but she was defiant and talked back. She said some very unpleasant things. Danruo scolded her, and the two of them got into a fight."
Zhao Xian glanced at Li Lianniang, "Are you backing down because the servants don't respect you?"
Li Lianniang didn't dare to look at Zhao Xian. "My reputation is already ruined. It's understandable that they're not convinced by me."
Zhao Xian felt an itch to scratch her head, as the female protagonist in the book, besides being abused by the male protagonist, also suffered difficulties from her mother-in-law.
Because her mother-in-law disliked her and her husband didn't care about her, she didn't have a good life in the Jiang family. The servants treated her differently depending on who she was.
I thought her help would change things, but now it seems the female lead in the angst novel wasn't strong enough.
"Peony, summon all the stewards of the manor."
After instructing Shaoyao, Zhao Xian looked at Li Lianniang: "Lianniang, you are the eldest young mistress of the Jiang family. You can't be in charge of the family forever. If you always back down when something happens, the Jiang family will probably be ruined when it comes to you and Jiang Wei."
Zhao Xian's words were harsh, and Li Lianniang's struggle intensified, her face turning pale.
Zhao Xian continued, "Since you've just started managing the household, it's inevitable that you'll encounter some unruly servants. There are always some people who like to test your limits, and they take advantage of your youth. These aren't problems; you can deal with them as they arise."
After drinking half a cup of tea, Yingchun entered the room and reported, "Madam, everyone has arrived."
Stepping outside the house, the courtyard of Haitang Residence was filled with people, some of whom were kneeling.
It was Qian Niangzi, who was in charge of purchasing.
Zhao Xian glanced at Li Lianniang, "Look, she knows she's wrong, but she's taking advantage of your youth. What are you going to do about it?"
Li Lianniang glanced at Zhao Xian and then at the kneeling Qian Niangzi, her lips parted but no sound came out.
The confidence and composure they had cultivated in the past were shaken by this incident, leaving them hesitant and timid once again.
Zhao Xian didn't force her to answer. Li Lianniang had to stand up for herself. Her agreement with Jiang Liangxu was only for three years. This incident was a hurdle, but it was good that she encountered it, so she could learn to deal with it early.
I went down the steps and into the courtyard.
All the managers greeted him in unison.
A maid brought over a rosewood chair, and Zhao Xian straightened her skirt and sat down: "Why is Madam Qian kneeling?"
Despite saying this, he did not tell anyone to get up.
Madam Qian slowly raised her head, her face also bearing injuries, more severe than Dan Ruo's, with some blood vessels still bright red. Her eyes were filled with extreme grievance as she said:
“I have been following the rules all these years without making a mistake. The young mistress is in charge for the first time and doesn’t know the details outside. She insists that I did something wrong. I’m a straightforward person and can’t keep things to myself. In a moment of anger, I blurted out a few words and argued with the young mistress’s maid, which angered her. I’ve thought about it and realized that it’s all my fault for having such a big mouth. I’ve come here to apologize to the young mistress.”
After listening to the other party's reasonable and well-founded explanation.
Zhao Xian turned to look at Li Lianniang: "Did you hear that? She's trying to sow discord between you. First, she says she's capable, implying you're incompetent. Second, she downplays the seriousness of her actions by saying she's outspoken, while revealing a more serious injury to gain sympathy. I bet she scratched it on the way here. Do you know what the third one is?"
Li Lianniang and Cui Tingyue stood on either side of her. She looked at her mother-in-law and blinked. Was this something that could be said directly?
She pursed her lips. "She didn't come to apologize sincerely. She's still making excuses. She only dares not disrespect you because you're back, Mother."
Zhao Xian nodded, still clear-headed: "How should such a disrespectful servant be dealt with?"
Madam Qian was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized that something was wrong. The eldest young mistress's reputation was ruined, but the madam was protecting her. "Madam, please forgive me. I was just being outspoken and did not mean to offend the eldest young mistress."
Zhao Xian ignored Qian Niangzi's wailing and waved her hand. Shaoyao immediately ordered the old woman to gag her.
Madam Qian struggled incessantly, but couldn't break free from the old woman's grasp: "Mmm..."
Li Lianniang had seen Zhou Shi punish servants before. She glanced at Qian Niangzi, whose mouth was covered, and said, "Give her twenty lashes as a warning to others."
Before everyone could breathe a sigh of relief...
Zhao Xian casually tossed out a sentence, "Twenty strokes of the cane, then sell them off."
The standing managers were all shocked, seemingly not expecting such a severe punishment.
Just then, someone was about to plead for leniency.
Zhao Xian said in a calm tone, "Eating the Jiang family's food while ruining the master's reputation, the Jiang family can't afford to support such a wicked servant."
“Lianniang is the eldest daughter-in-law of the Jiang family, whom we married through proper channels. Outsiders are ruining her reputation. What you should do is scold or beat those gossipers, not listen to their words and mock your master. You’re really something.”
Having both worked as laborers, Zhao Xian herself is a person who values professional ethics.
All the stewards knelt down, saying, "We dare not."
Lady Qian was executed, and everyone watched, but no one dared to plead for her.
That day, Madam Qian mocked the eldest young mistress for embracing and hugging another man, saying it would ruin the Jiang family's reputation. She even laughed at her, saying she would definitely be divorced. Instead of trying to save herself, she came to find fault with her, which almost made the eldest young mistress faint from anger.
Although they didn't say anything at the time, they all thought the same thing, believing that the eldest young mistress was definitely going to be divorced, since no aristocratic family doesn't care about their reputation.
Unexpectedly, things did not go as they had imagined.
They didn't dare plead for them, and were even glad they hadn't spoken up for them that day.
The sound of the cane being struck echoed loudly in the courtyard, but no one dared to speak; they just watched.
Zhao Xian had already led the two into the house, but she was actually having an internal struggle.
On one hand, modern thinking finds it cruel, but on the other hand, the original owner's emotions are perfectly reasonable.
If such a person is tolerated, the servants will lose control, and the Jiang family will descend into chaos.
Zhao Xian took a sip of tea, looked at the two who dared not sit down, and said:
"There's more than one servant like this; it's just that the others are more tolerant and better at pretending (who hasn't cursed their boss before?). Lianniang, you clearly hold the power of managing the household, so why does she dare to disrespect you? I can handle this for you this time, but if I leave again and someone else disobeys you, what will you do?"
Punishing her with a board alone was not enough to make the servants respect Li Lianniang; on the contrary, they thought she was soft-hearted and easy to talk to.
If they disrespect her again, the servants will not be afraid, and will even know that she will not punish them too severely.
“Lianniang, I won’t always stand behind you and protect you. As the future mistress of the Jiang family, you must stand on your own two feet.”
People can only save themselves.
Especially the female protagonist in a tragic novel. She is kind and soft-hearted, which are good qualities, but you can't rely solely on kindness to influence people.
Humans are the most prone to taking advantage of others.
Zhao Xian is getting anxious. She only has three years left, while Li Lianniang in the book was abused for many years.
Time flies by in the book. If she leaves before she has recovered and is forced back to her original form, her fate will likely be even worse than in the original story.
Zhao Xian had no choice but to take drastic measures: "You need to do two things now. She's not the only one who's been disrespectful. We've already made an example of her, so now go and deal with those other monkeys. Also, send someone to find out what's going on about you outside. Listen to the rumors and then come back to me."
Her artists have a lot of haters. At first, she was saddened and cried when she saw those comments. Later, she was asked to read the words that haters said to her. At first, she felt uncomfortable when she saw them, but later she listened to them as a joke.
"Tingyue, go and learn too."
The two looked at each other, one deep in thought, the other itching to act.
Before she could catch her breath, Peony reported again:
"Madam, Steward Jiang's son has returned."
Zhao Xian recalled that she had sent people to investigate the villainous father and son because she suspected that King Yu had been following her for ulterior motives.
Because she had previously arranged for guards to go to Changzhou, she did not call for guards when she went out later, but instead hired a security escort agency.
With no guards available, she sent Uncle Jiang's son instead.
The person Zhao Xian met in the side hall.
"This humble servant, Jiang Yuanwu, greets Madam."
"Get up and tell me what you found out."
Jiang Yuanwu is Uncle Jiang's youngest son. He is in his early twenties and has a dark complexion, much darker than when he sent people out before.
Jiang Yuanwu stood up and said respectfully, "Madam, King Yu in Chu Huai City is known for his beautiful waist. He especially loves girls with slender waists who can dance on a palm."
Zhao Xian frowned slightly. Yes, it's confirmed. The villain's father is also a pervert.
"This has led to a phenomenon in Chu Huai City where, regardless of whether a family is rich or poor, they deliberately starve their daughters."
"The courtesans over there also teach dancing. Some families are so poor they can't even afford to eat, yet they still spend money to teach their daughters to dance, all in the hopes of getting them into the royal palace in exchange for favors."
This was the first time Zhao Xian had ever heard of such a distorted industrial chain.
It even spread to a town.
"And what about Yu the Great's heir?"
Jiang Yuanwu shook his head: "I haven't found much information about the Crown Prince of Yu. The Crown Prince of Yu and his father are like two extremes. One's inner quarters are clean and tidy, while the other is said to be so full of concubines and maids that they can hardly live there anymore."
Zhao Xian: "..."
Is Yu the Prince's son clean? Zhao Xian didn't believe that nonsense.
If it's just a description in the book that he likes other men's wives, then Jiang Liangxu's words are corroborating evidence.
At the time, she also questioned Jiang Liangxu, saying that the Crown Prince of Yu had caused a death, yet no one cared about him.
Based on Jiang Liangxu's words, King Yu suppressed the matter, and not many people knew about it, so it's no wonder that Jiang Yuanwu didn't find out.
Jiang Yuanwu hesitated for a moment, but still told him what he had heard: "However, I happened to hear from a crazy, one-legged beggar that the Prince of Yu had taken his wife and forced her to her death."
"That beggar was insane and couldn't answer any questions. I inquired for several days and found out that the beggar's wife had jumped into the river and died. The neighbors said that he couldn't bear the shock and went insane. He tried to frame the crown prince of Yu the Great, which is why his leg was broken."
He didn't know if it would be of any use, but since it was related to the heir of King Yu, he spoke up.
Zhao Xian regretted that there were no telephones in this era, otherwise she would have had Jiang Yuanwu bring the person back.
At Huguo Temple, Li Lianniang was absolutely certain that the Crown Prince of Yu was behind it, causing her knees to go numb and her to lose her balance, resulting in her spilling the holy water. She held a grudge about it ever since.
Looking back now, the Crown Prince of Yu performed those movements very skillfully.
Dogs, on the other hand, generally can't change their habit of eating feces.
"Go take care of one more thing..."
"Yes, sir."
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Author's note: This is just a setup. I'll clean up the mess tomorrow and update it later.
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