Chapter 253 Exposing
"Cousin, once Uncle's family returns to the manor, along with other relatives, you must seize the opportunity to make the Marquis guarantee your position as heir in front of so many people."
“You have made such a grand and solemn funeral. Everyone has seen your filial piety and will be moved by you. Aunt Zhao will not be able to shake your position.”
"As long as the Marquis makes an oath, once things have calmed down, we'll find a way to get him to submit another petition requesting the investiture..."
The voice lowered, and Qingling couldn't hear it clearly, so she craned her neck slightly.
Then Ma Peizhen's tearful voice rang out: "Cousin, before Aunt went to the estate, she repeatedly told me to make sure you secured your position as heir... There's not much Peizhen can do, this is the only way I can think of to help you..."
“Peizhen, Mother always says you are her wise strategist, how could I blame you? Blame it on me for not being strong enough to protect you, for making you suffer humiliation in front of the old lady. Don’t worry, once I have secured my position as heir apparent, I will definitely marry you and make you my second wife…”
Qingling listened for a while longer, but the rest was just men and women pouring out their hearts to each other, which she found uninteresting.
She followed their messy footprints and went back.
Ah, no wonder.
His third uncle held a position in Liaozhou, but his official rank was not high. The Marquis of Zhongyong was a snob who looked down on those in power and didn't care about his own younger brother at all. He was afraid that his third uncle would ask him to bring him back to the capital.
Lady Ma was not well-liked by Marquis Zhongyong even before her death, and her funeral was originally intended to be a hasty affair.
"...A major case is being investigated in the palace, and everyone is on edge; the weather is freezing, and the refugees are starting to cause trouble again, creating a climate of fear. The Marquis's family should keep the funeral simple and low-key to avoid attracting attention."
When the remains of Madam Ma and Yao Qingqi were returned to the Marquis's residence, Qingling heard the Marquis of Zhongyong say those words with her own ears.
But Yao Qingxu made a huge fuss, saying that Madam Ma and Yao Qingqi were wronged spirits who had suffered before their deaths and must have resentment towards the Marquis's mansion after their deaths.
Marquis Zhongyong felt guilty, fearing that Madam Ma's spirit might really come back to haunt him, so he changed his mind and agreed to hold a grand funeral to pray for their souls to be released from suffering.
But behind the scenes, it was actually Ma Peizhen who instigated it, and Yao Qingxu became Ma Peizhen's puppet.
She still wants to be a concubine?
Qingling sneered as she walked.
Ma died, Yao Qingqi died, but Ma Peizhen remained a menace.
Yao Qingling could not allow Ma Peizhen to grow stronger and hinder her plans.
Last time, when the Marquis of Zhongyong petitioned the Emperor for a title, Yao Qingling managed to suppress the matter with great difficulty. This time, she couldn't let Yao Qingxu have the opportunity to become the heir of the Marquis's mansion in everyone's eyes.
The opportunity was delivered to them by themselves...
Qing Ling curled her lips into a smile and quickened her pace.
Back at the mourning hall, most people couldn't stay up all night and had already gone back to their rooms to rest.
Only a few servants remained in the mourning hall, dozing off and constantly rubbing their eyelids.
Lou Yue and Xia Chan were also in the mourning hall. Lou Yue was fast asleep with her head tilted to the side, while Xia Chan yawned and asked, "Miss, where did you go?"
She had just dozed off by accident, and when she woke up she found that Yao Qingling was not in the mourning hall.
Qingling made a shushing gesture.
Her eyes darted around, and she glanced at the little maid who was adding oil to the lamp, then whispered a few words to Xia Chan.
Although Xia Chan was puzzled, she nodded and went to Mulan Courtyard as Qing Ling instructed, returning with a thick cloak.
Xia Chan touched her ears and suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Where did my earring go?"
She paced back and forth, carefully searching for her lost earring.
Xia Chan is the head steward of Hui Ba Fang, and Mu Lan Courtyard receives more monthly allowances than other courtyards, so her jewelry is very valuable.
Qingling, wearing a heavy cloak and holding a hand warmer, said, "Did you lose it on the way?"
Xia Chan said, "I don't know, maybe. It's dark and cold outside. When I passed by the rockery, I saw a few lanterns that had gone out, and a branch caught my hair. I was so scared that I didn't have time to run away. Anyway, there aren't many people around at night. I'll look for it again when it's light tomorrow."
Xia Chan sat down, warmed her hands by the stove, and decided not to go out.
After a while, she snuggled up to Qingling and fell asleep.
Then a figure quickly left the mourning hall.
Qingling and Xiachan simultaneously lifted their right eyelids, clearly watching the little maid's figure disappear.
Qingling pressed down on Xia Chan's hand, her expression somewhat excited: "The show is about to begin."
She silently counted to three in her mind.
Suddenly, a scream rang out: "Where's Bang'er? Where's my Bang'er?!"
Madam Lu looked flustered and turned pale with fright.
To show his filial piety, Yao Qingxu asked Lu and his son to keep vigil for Madam Ma. So even though the mother and son were cold and tired, they could only keep vigil in the mourning hall all night.
After a busy day, Ms. Lu was exhausted and fell asleep without realizing it.
Everyone was awakened.
Yao Qingling pretended to have just woken up and rubbed her eyes: "Is Bang'er missing?"
Mrs. Lu frantically searched everywhere in the mourning hall.
Bang'er is five years old. Children of this age are the most mischievous, and she usually doesn't let her out of her sight.
Xia Chan said, "Could he have gone outside to play?"
She turned to look out the window; snowflakes were falling softly against the black sky.
"Children love to play in the snow, maybe they'll just play in the yard. I'm afraid they'll go to the pond..." Xia Chan murmured, then quickly covered her lips.
Madam Lu glanced at her, her stunned expression revealing extreme fear. She screamed shrilly, "Go out and look for them quickly!"
The servants who were searching the mourning hall quickly ran out.
Those who were keeping vigil in the mourning hall all went out to look for the children.
For a moment, the firelight flickered everywhere in the dark courtyard, like will-o'-the-wisps.
Qingling and Xiachan pretended to help find the child.
"Help!" A scream pierced the night sky.
Everyone was startled and quickly ran towards the artificial hill.
A little maid was seen running, slipping and sliding, desperately trying to escape.
Upon seeing the people, she quickly hid behind them, looking at the two who were chasing her in panic.
Those two were none other than Yao Qingxu and Ma Peizhen.
"You found the child?" Qingling stepped forward from behind the crowd, and upon seeing the disheveled Yao Qingxu and Ma Peizhen, she paused, "You..."
She turned to the side.
The two of them were clearly caught red-handed by the maid while they were doing *that*.
If someone catches you in an affair, of course you should silence them.
But they failed to kill the maid, and she escaped.
The two men didn't even bother to tidy their clothes; they were only focused on grabbing people.
And that's how this scene came to pass.
Upon learning that his grandson had suddenly disappeared, the Marquis of Zhongyong was hurriedly awakened and followed the lights to the artificial hill. As soon as he arrived, he saw his son's foolish appearance and was so angry that he almost couldn't breathe.
"You, you..." He glared fiercely at Yao Qingxu, "Is this your filial piety?"
Several elderly members of the clan who stayed at the mansion to oversee the funeral arrangements also shook their heads speechlessly.
a shame.
Despite the immense grief of losing his mother and younger sister, he still managed to hide behind the artificial hill and do *that*.
Fortunately, it was at night and the guests were not present. If it had been seen during the day, the entire Marquis's mansion would have been disgraced and would have been unable to hold its head high.
This will be the laughing stock of Shengjing City for a whole year, no, for ten or twenty years. Whenever someone holds a funeral, it will be brought up and gossiped about repeatedly!
Yao Qingxu was escorted by the guards to the flower hall, where the Marquis of Zhongyong personally whipped him.
The whole house was filled with howling and wailing.
But no one pleaded for him.
Filial piety?
He brought it on himself.
Ma Peizhen was locked in the woodshed and would not be released until Ma's body was buried.
Yao Qingling specially arranged for several guards to watch over the woodshed, both in front and behind, and even by the windows, to ensure she wouldn't escape.
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