Chapter 164 Retaliation
Du Qingtang stepped on Guo Qian's hand and crushed it hard: "You bastard, do you want to die?"
Guo Qian cried out in pain and reached out to push, but Du Qingtang didn't move at all. The long boot pressed down on the back of his hand like a mountain, causing a burning pain.
A wave of fear swept over his body, causing Guo Qian's heart to beat faster, as if it was about to jump out of his chest.
He repeated his previous words in vain: "I am an official appointed by the court. You cannot kill me! If you dare to kill me, even if His Majesty protects you, it will be difficult to stop the people from speaking out!"
Du Qingtang seemed to have heard a ridiculous joke, and a sarcastic smile appeared on his lips. "Guo Qian, you disregarded human ethics and murdered your wife. I am simply giving him back his own way."
"If the world knew, they would only praise me for using a friend to seek revenge, showing my loyalty and righteousness. But you, Guo Qian, who murdered my wife and children, are so ungrateful and ungrateful that you are destined to be reviled by the people and tarnished forever."
Du Qingtang raised his hand and Du Yi presented the dagger.
The sharp blade flashed with a cold light, and could easily cut through the air.
Having also failed to escape, he was thrown into the main room by Du Er. Seeing this, Guo's father, Guo's mother and He Ruxuan, who were huddled together and shivering, trembled even more violently.
"Who let this crazy woman in here?"
"It must be that traitor Langhao!"
Old Man Guo looked towards the east, his gaze seeming to penetrate through layers of gray bricks and reach Du Qingmei's room in the east wing.
He prayed silently in his heart that Du Qingmei was still alive.
If Du Qingmei died, given Du Qingtang's madness, his entire family would be buried with her.
Old Man Guo doesn't want to die at all.
He hadn't enjoyed wealth and glory for a few days, and hadn't become the father of a high-ranking official in the court, but people were flattering him wherever he went!
Mrs. Guo regretted it deeply and was filled with annoyance.
He shouldn't have allowed Guo Qian to kick Du Qingmei and cause her to have a miscarriage, and he also didn't allow her to call a doctor.
After all, it is the Guo family's child, and it might be a boy when it is born.
If anything happens to Du Qingmei, Du Qingtang will report the matter to the government. Not to mention becoming an official, it will be a question whether he can keep his life.
Rather than fear, He Ruxuan felt more regret.
Du Qingtang knew what Guo Qian had done to Du Qingmei, and today was destined not to end well.
Whether Guo Qian died here or was handed over to the authorities, his official career would end here.
Even without Du Qingmei, she could not rely on Guo Qian to become a royal consort.
Fortunately, she did nothing today; it was all done by Guo Qian alone.
She could get away with it, leave Xiajing quietly, go to a place where no one knew her, and start over.
As for Guo Wangfei, he was just a tool for her to obtain the property of the third branch of the Guo family. Now that the Guo family was in trouble, let him fend for himself.
Anyway, there is no way she can go on the road with a burden.
Du Qingtang leaned back in his chair, pointing the dagger at Guo Qian's neck, as if thinking about where to strike.
Guo Qian swallowed nervously and kept comforting himself that Du Qingtang was just talking and didn't dare to do anything serious.
But another voice whispered in my ear: "How dare this crazy woman do this!"
Sure enough, the next moment, the blade touched the side of Guo Qian's neck, which made him shiver and feel a sharp pain.
Du Qingtang cut the flesh on the side of Guo Qian's neck as if carving a flower. Blood oozed out and formed bloody spots on the blade.
Guo Qian's whole body was stiff, and he dared not move, fearing that Du Qingtang would make a mistake and cut his head off.
"You've been pretending for so many years. You should have pretended for a little longer."
Du Qingtang rested her elbows on her legs and moved closer to Guo Qian, so close that she could feel her icy breath, like a snake spitting out its tongue, which was chilling.
"At least until I lose power, you can only be my fifth sister's dog, trying every way to make her happy and worship her like an ancestor."
"In the seventeenth year of Qingyuan, I gave you a chance."
"You swore to me that you would always be good to my fifth sister and that you would never have second thoughts."
"Guo Qian, you broke your promise."
Du Qingtang exerted force with his palm, cutting a gash on the side of Guo Qian's neck, and blood flowed down.
Guo Qian took a breath, cold sweat slid down his back, soaking his clothes, and beads of sweat the size of beans fell from his forehead into his eye sockets, causing a brief blur and stinging.
"You broke your promise first, and then you colluded with that bastard Cao Yuan to harm me." Du Qingtang straightened up, suddenly raised his leg, and kicked Guo Qian in the face. "Mr. Guo, you make me very unhappy."
Guo Qian flew backwards and stopped only after hitting the door threshold.
There was a crisp "crack" sound, and his left hand fell down limply like noodles.
Guo Qian screamed like a prawn that had been stimulated. He jumped up with his upper body, then bent his waist the next moment, holding his left hand and trembling uncontrollably.
Du Qingtang walked forward and stepped on Guo Qian's right cheek, distorting his entire face. His voice was cold, like an evil ghost demanding his life.
"You bastard, open your dog eyes and look at this. My fifth sister took care of the household chores for you, gave birth to your children, and even forgave you for your infidelity and tolerated your inability to control your lower body and commit adultery. Is this how you repay her?"
Guo Qian suddenly opened his eyes, glared at Du Qingtang, and said something incoherently.
Du Qingtang's eyes moved slightly and he moved his feet away.
Guo Qian moved his jaw, coughed twice, and said in a hoarse voice, "If you weren't unwilling to seek an official position for me, why would I bother to seek the skin of a tiger? In the final analysis, Du Qingmei's current fate is all thanks to you, Du Qingtang!"
With the sound of a sharp weapon entering the flesh, Du Qingtang thrust the dagger into Guo Qian's right shoulder.
"ah!"
Guo Qian screamed.
"Du Qingtang, stop it!"
Blood splattered everywhere, staining Guo Lao Niang's eyes red. She collapsed and screamed loudly.
"Is there still law? I'm going to report you to the authorities! I'm going to tell the Emperor all the evil things you've done, and see how you can still act so arrogantly!"
"Murder!"
"Someone's going to die!"
Du Qingtang tilted his head slightly, his expression contemptuous, his eyes sharp as a knife, making Guo Lao Niang silent: "A dog that is disobedient and does not keep its promises is not a good dog."
"In that case, why keep it?"
"Today I will do you a good deed and get rid of this vicious dog."
After saying that, he pulled out the dagger neatly and stabbed it again.
Guo Qian didn't expect that Du Qingtang stabbed him once and then a second time. Blood gushed out, staining his blue brocade robe red. He wailed in pain and struggled and rolled over.
The dagger slipped out of the body. Du Qingtang looked up and saw it. Du Yi immediately blocked Guo Qian's mouth with a rag, and Du Er tied his hands with a hemp rope.
Du Qingtang half-knelt down and repeated the thrusting and pulling-out movements.
This cycle repeated itself repeatedly, and in a short while, several bloody holes appeared on Guo Qian's body, and blood flowed like a river.
Mrs. Guo was so frightened by this scene that she became incontinent, a pool of liquid seeped out from under her body, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot.
Old Man Guo and He Ruxuan closed their eyes tightly, their legs were shaking, and their backs were pressed tightly against the wall, as if they wanted to embed themselves into the wall so that Du Qingtang could not find them and would not be able to avenge them for Du Qingmei.
Du Qingtang had wanted to stab Guo Qian long before his true identity was revealed, and today he finally got his way.
Du Qingtang's anger dissipated a little. He pinched the dagger with two fingers, and blood gathered at the tip of the knife, with a drop of blood about to fall.
"If you will be my Fifth Sister's dog, I will guarantee you a successful career and a safe and sound career for her sake."
Just like Du Qinglan's husband Gu Tai, Du Qingtang never expressed his intention to promote him, but the Dali Temple Minister took good care of Gu Tai.
If Guo Qian had not acted like a demon, he could have become an official in the court like Gu Tai, and thrived as the "brother-in-law of Marquis Wen'an."
"It's a pity that you didn't know how to appreciate your good fortune. You committed adultery with your good cousin and gave birth to a child born out of wedlock. You even teamed up with your parents to force my fifth sister to acknowledge that child as her legitimate eldest son."
"You know, I've always had a bad temper. If I get upset like this, I'll make people..." Du Qingtang curled his lips, his expression showing pleasure, "I'll cripple your hand."
Guo Qian was immersed in severe pain. His vision went black and his ears kept buzzing. He felt that he would not live long.
But he still heard these words very clearly.
Guo Qian was stunned for a moment, his eyes bloodshot.
It's you!
It’s you!
Du Qingtang flicked the blood off his fingertips and said slowly, "Since I've crippled your hand and ruined your career, how could I possibly run around for you and secure you an official position?"
"In fact, after you have had this child out of wedlock, if you behave yourself and don't cause any more trouble, for Fifth Sister's sake, perhaps I can guarantee you wealth and prosperity for the rest of your life."
"What a pity! You got on Cao Yuan's bandwagon and not only did you kick my fifth sister into miscarriage, but you also forbade the servants to call a doctor and watched her die."
"They say even a tiger won't eat its own cubs. You, Guo Qian, are worse than an animal."
Guo Qian couldn't hear anything at this time. He stared at Du Qingtang with anger, wishing he could eat her alive.
She ruined his career!
It was she who made him a cripple who was laughed at by everyone!
Guo Qian couldn't help but think divergently, does Du Qingmei know that Du Qingtang is the murderer who caused his right hand to be crippled?
He tried to find clues from the past, and was shocked to find that a long time ago, when his tendons had just been cut, pain and guilt often flashed across Du Qingmei's face.
At that time, he was immersed in the decadence of not being able to take the imperial examination, and he didn't notice it at all. He also believed Du Qingmei's one-sided words and dispelled his suspicion of Du Qingtang.
Guo Qian: “…”
Guo Qian's mind suddenly became clear, and he wished he could go back to the past and strangle Du Qingmei and his past self.
Bitch!
idiot!
Du Qingtang took out a handkerchief and slowly wiped the blood from between his fingers: "Let me guess, what benefit did Cao Yuan promise you?"
Guo Qian's eyes rolled, filled with anger and unwillingness.
"Did I promise you that I would transfer you from the Ministry of Civil Affairs to the Ministry of Works after the success of this matter?"
Guo Qian's eyes flickered.
Du Qingtang noticed his reaction and smiled slowly: "You are indeed a good dog. Cao Yuan just threw you a rotten bone, and you just bit it wherever you pointed."
"Do you really think that Your Majesty and I are fools, allowing Cao Yuan to scheme against us?"
"When the truth is revealed, do you believe Cao Yuan will be the first to push you out as the scapegoat?"
"Don't tell me you can betray Cao Yuan. There's no evidence. Who can prove that he ordered you to do that?"
"Let's take a step back and say that even if Cao Yuan really succeeds and I end up in jail, can you, as the son-in-law of the Du family, escape?"
"Don't forget, under Daxia law, treason is punishable by the entire clan."
"Even if you, Guo Qian, are not among the nine clans, would His Majesty allow the relatives of a traitor to continue serving in the court?"
"With your Majesty's swift and powerful power, I believe we will soon be reunited in the underworld."
Du Qingtang slapped Guo Qian's face with the blade of his knife, leaving a bloody mark. He said with contempt, "You are nothing more than a pawn pushed forward by Cao Yuan. Whether you succeed or fail, you will not have a good ending."
"What about the fifth-rank official and the transfer to the Ministry of Works? They're all just lies to fool you, a fool."
"A mule runs harder with a carrot hanging from its end, doesn't it?"
Guo Qian was stunned, and after a while he showed an expression that seemed to be both crying and laughing.
So when Cao Yuan appointed him as the Right Counselor of the Ministry of Public Administration, he had already decided to sacrifice him?
Fortunately, he was still complacent, thinking that Cao Yuan appreciated his talent and promoted him from a juren to a fifth-rank official in the capital.
I see!
I see!
Guo Qian made a "ho ho" sound in his throat and laughed to himself.
Du Qingtang stood up slowly, looking down at him condescendingly, as if sighing, "After much thought, I think the problem lies with your two ounces of flesh."
"If you had controlled your lower body and not committed adultery with He Ruxuan, you would have passed the imperial examination and become an official in the court."
"My fifth sister will not ask me for an official position for you, which will end up in a sisterhood breakup."
"You certainly wouldn't join Cao Yuan's school just to become an official, collude with him, and frame me for treason."
Du Qingtang handed over the dagger, and Du Yi took it with both hands: "Today I will get rid of this evil for you. From now on, you must turn over a new leaf and behave like a good dog."
Guo Qian heard the deep meaning behind these words, his pupils dilated, his eyes filled with fear. Regardless of being seriously injured, he twisted his body desperately, trying to protect the vulnerable parts of his body.
Unfortunately, no matter how he resisted, it was all in vain.
Du Er turned Guo Qian over and fixed his legs firmly to the ground, preventing him from moving at all.
Du Yize pulled off Guo Qian's pants, raised his knife, and castrated him without any anesthesia.
Severe pain came over him like thousands of steel needles piercing into the wound and stirring it up at the same time. The blood drained from Guo Qian's face. He raised his head suddenly, and the veins on his neck bulged like a dragon, and a painful roar came out of his throat.
"Third brother!"
Guo Qian only heard a vague and shrill scream, and his back fell heavily to the ground, and he lost consciousness with a "bang".
Du Qingtang stood with his hands behind his back in front of the painting of the Four Gentlemen, admiring the poems on the scroll.
The painting style is soft and the handwriting is elegant and graceful, obviously the work of Du Qingmei.
In fact, among the twin sisters Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan, Du Qingmei is more talented. She learns things faster than Du Qinglan, understands things quickly, and can apply what she has learned to other situations.
Du Qingtang once thought that Du Qingmei's achievements in this life must be higher than Du Qinglan's.
Unfortunately, things don’t always go as we wish, and things often go against our will.
Du Qinglan first taught in Baoding Prefecture, and continued teaching after moving to Beijing. Now she has become well-known in Xiajing, and everyone calls her Mr. Du.
Look at Du Qingmei again...
Du Qingtang's eyes flashed with Du Qingmei's pale and frail sleeping face, but it was better not to mention it.
In short, one wrong step leads to all wrong steps.
He wanted to stop himself, but it was too late, and he paid the price of half his life.
——The unborn child has a life, and you have lost half your life.
"I was wrong! I was wrong! Lord Du, please spare my life!"
Du Qingtang turned his head when he heard the voice, and He Ruxuan banged his head on the ground, crying and begging for mercy.
"It's all Guo Qian's fault. He forced me to do it!"
"How can I, a weak widow, be his opponent?"
"I didn't want to be infamous, so I had no choice but to submit to him, be molested by him, and be forced by him to give birth to a son."
"Master Du, you and I are both women, you must understand my difficulties, right?"
Du Qingtang: "No."
He Ruxuan's crying stopped.
Du Qingtang walked forward, lifted He Ruxuan's chin with her toes, and looked at her charming face: "She is a beauty, but unfortunately her heart is not right."
He Ruxuan's face flushed instantly.
"You relied on your good looks, and my fifth sister hasn't been happy for many years, so you came up with the idea of seducing Guo Qian."
"As long as you keep the identity of Guo Wangfei's biological father a secret, everything in the Guo family's third branch, including my fifth sister's private property, will be yours."
"You have great ambitions, but unfortunately you are not capable enough to control them."
Du Qingtang retracted his foot, and He Ruxuan was caught off guard. His chin hit the ground hard, breaking his tongue, and the smell of blood spread instantly.
"I've always been more tolerant towards women. I won't treat you like I treated that bastard Guo Qian."
He Ruxuan gasped in pain, and was delighted when he heard the words.
Just as she was about to kowtow and express her gratitude, Du Qingtang changed the subject: "You will live well and atone for the sins you committed against my fifth sister. Death is better than life."
Du Qingtang knew very well that in a marriage, the third party was certainly wrong, but the cheating party was the most hateful.
Because they failed to resist the temptation, the third party had the opportunity to take advantage of them.
Guo Qian is the main culprit, and the others are at most accomplices.
Both the principal offender and the accomplice must pay the price, but in different ways.
He Ruxuan's face turned pale instantly, his lips trembled, and his eyes were filled with unspeakable fear: "What do you want to do?"
"And you." Du Qingtang ignored him and turned to look at Guo Lao and Guo Lao Niang who had slowly woken up. "You will atone for your sins together with He Ruxuan."
Old Lady Guo pointed at Du Qingtang and trembled. She couldn't catch her breath and fainted again.
Old Man Guo originally wanted to excuse himself, but he swallowed the words back when they came to his lips.
He knew that Du Qingtang would never believe it.
Du Qingtang picked up the envelope on the ground and took out the divorce documents he had prepared in advance. Du Er took out the ink pad, and Du Yi grabbed Guo Qian's hand, pressed the ink pad first and then stamped it.
In this way, as long as Du Qingmei puts her stamp on it, this ten-year marriage will come to an end.
Du Qingtang put away the divorce letter and turned to walk out: "Lock him up first, and I'll talk to you when I come back."
Du Yi and Du Er responded respectfully and closed the door of the main room.
Old Man Guo watched the door slowly close. For some reason, his nose felt sore and tears streamed down his face.
He regretted it.
I really regret it!
If I had known this would happen, I should not have allowed the old woman to send her cousin daughter to the third brother's bed, under the pretext of continuing the family line.
From that day on, the seeds of disaster were sown.
They were completely unaware of this and were instead complacent, feeling that the third son had a successor and that his wife and her family were completely unaware of it.
Are they really clueless?
It was only because of the third brother's wife that they didn't fall out.
Now that the third son has caused his wife to have a miscarriage, the ninth son of the Du family will naturally not continue to tolerate it.
Old Man Guo thought of the eunuch Guo Qian and his grandson who was studying in Baoding Prefecture and was interested in taking the imperial examination to become an official. Despair flashed in his eyes.
It’s over!
It's all over!
Not only is the third brother finished, but the Guo family is also finished!
With the ninth son of the Du family still around, can the descendants of the Guo family still have a chance to make a name for themselves?
-
Du Qingtang asked Du Er to guard Guo's house, and asked Du Yi to send Guo Wangfei out of Xiajing City.
The existence of a child born out of wedlock is a mistake in itself, especially since Guo Wangfei once held the title of the eldest son of the third branch of the Guo family and enjoyed countless benefits.
Rather than killing him with my own hands, it would be better to throw him away and let him fend for himself.
Du Qingtang left Guo's house and headed straight to the east of the city.
However, she did not return to the Wen'an Marquis's Mansion, but went to the Cheng'en Duke's Mansion.
The one who teases first is the cheapest. If that bastard Cao Yuan had not sent people to investigate her first and then sent hundreds of people to assassinate her, Du Qingtang would not have cut off one of Cao Yuan's major wings - Liang Wangjin - after returning to Beijing.
In the first month of the year, Wang Zhongliang died by hitting his head against a pillar. It was clearly his own fault, but Cao Yuan put the blame on Du Qingtang, treating her as a soft persimmon that could be squeezed at will.
......
It is now past the hour of You, and all officials have left their posts.
Du Qingtang dismounted at the gate of Duke Cheng'en's mansion. The gatekeeper, noticing she was a woman wearing a purple official robe, immediately recognized her identity and spoke warmly, not without compliments: "So you are Earl Wen An. Please come in."
As the Empress's mother's family, the Cheng'en Mansion has a pavilion every three steps and a tower every five steps. It is decorated with carved beams and painted buildings, showing its noble style.
Du Qingtang just glanced at it briefly and then looked away without interest.
In terms of grandeur, the Wen'an Marquis's Mansion is not much worse than the Cheng'en Marquis's Mansion, it is just two levels lower in regulations.
The steward led Du Qingtang into the flower hall and ordered the maid to serve tea and water. After carefully waiting on him, he trotted off to the main courtyard and said, "Master T, Earl Wen An is here to visit."
Cao Yuan had just returned home from the cabinet and was now dozing off on a recliner. Beautiful maids were kneeling on both sides, gently massaging his legs.
After hearing what the steward said, Cao Yuan opened his eyes, sat up straight, and frowned, "Who did you say is here?"
The steward didn't miss the cold look in Cao Yuan's eyes. His heart trembled, realizing that his master probably had a bad relationship with Wen Anbo. He cursed the doorman for being so blind as to let Wen Anbo in. He said cautiously, "To answer the master, it was Wen Anbo."
Cao Yuan twirled his beard, feeling that Du Qingtang had come with ill intentions.
Could it be that Guo Qian was exposed?
Thinking of Guo Qian's arrogance, stupidity and arrogance, Cao Yuan pinched his eyebrows and secretly cursed him as a waste.
In fact, Cao Yuan had no intention of really killing Du Qingtang.
In several confrontations with Du Qingtang, Cao Yuan was well aware of Du Qingtang's cunning and caution, and also knew how difficult it was to kill her, so he had already prepared for the failure of his plan.
He firmly believed that even if letters of treason were found in the Wen'an Marquis's mansion, Du Qingtang would most likely be able to escape danger safely.
Cao Yuan simply wanted to find something for Du Qingtang to do and warn her at the same time.
It was because in the first month of the year, if Du Qingtang and Xia Danrong had not caused trouble in the Grand Princess's Mansion, how could Wang Zhongliang have been killed by crashing into the Panlong Pillar.
Wang Zhongliang was the second-in-command of the Censorate and one of the few high-ranking members of Cao's party. Yet he died so hastily, and his entire family was exiled three thousand miles away. Cao Yuan was furious, how could he swallow this?
However, Xia Danrong was protected by Xia Ming, and Princess Zhaoyang's mansion was like an iron barrel under the management of Nanny Fang and Aunt Yuanshuang, so his people had no way to start.
It happened that Guo Qian came to him on his own initiative, so Cao Yuan took advantage of the situation and offered him a small reward to get Guo Qian to work for him.
He had to make Du Qingtang understand the distinction between superiors and inferiors, the order of seniority, and that if he could incite Guo Qian to rebel today, he could also incite other people around her to rebel tomorrow.
But no one expected that Guo Qian would be so useless. The show ended before it even began.
Not only that, that crazy woman Du Qingtang even came to the door.
"Master, Wen Anbo is inside."
When Cao Yuan came back to his senses, he found himself at the entrance of the flower hall.
A thousand thoughts flashed through his mind. He took a deep breath, put on the airs of the prime minister of the dynasty, and walked into the flower hall.
This is the Cheng'en Mansion, his territory. Can Du Qingtang really do anything wrong?
"I didn't know Lord Du was coming to visit, so I couldn't come to greet him. I hope Lord Du will forgive me."
Du Qingtang put down his teacup and stood up. He bowed slowly and said calmly, "Your Excellency is too kind. I hope you will not be offended by my rash visit."
Cao Yuan narrowed his eyes imperceptibly and sat down at the main seat. "I wonder what brings you here, Lord Du?"
Du Qingtang sat at the head of the table on the left, his fingers intertwined, and he said calmly, "Your Excellency, I don't know that yesterday, my steward Meng discovered that a servant had been bribed. He tortured him overnight and found that it was my fifth brother-in-law who did it."
Cao Yuan raised his eyebrows, seeming quite surprised. "Since he is Lord Du's fifth brother-in-law, this should be a family matter. Why did Lord Du come to my house?"
Du Qingtang's eyes fell on the vase on the antique shelf. If he was not mistaken, it had a history of at least two or three hundred years and was priceless.
Du Qingtang secretly criticized the corrupt official, but he didn't show it on his face. He took out the envelope from the hidden pocket of his wide sleeve and said, "I originally thought it was a family matter. I asked my fifth brother-in-law to ask him, but I was told that he followed your instructions and put this letter in my house, intending to frame me for treason."
Cao Yuan didn't miss the fresh blood on the envelope. His eyelids twitched, and he held out his hand as if nothing had happened. "I'm not aware of this. I wonder if Lord Du could lend it to me..."
Before he could finish his words, Du Qingtang withdrew his hand.
The envelope brushed against his fingertips as it returned to Du Qingtang's sleeve. Cao Yuan looked down and saw that his fingertips had been cut by the sharp edge, and blood was seeping out. "What is Lord Du doing?"
Du Qingtang said seriously, "This is evidence that I have gone through so much trouble to find. I must be on guard against others. What if you want to take advantage of this opportunity to destroy the evidence?"
Cao Yuan: "...Master Du actually believed that man's one-sided statement and thought I was the one who ordered him to frame you?"
"Of course..." Cao Yuan's smile faded, but he heard Du Qingtang change the subject, "Not anymore."
"Your Excellency has always been upright in your actions. I believe this is definitely not your doing."
"However, the Cheng'en Mansion has many staff members, and the people you are friendly with are countless. No one can guarantee that there are not people who are using your name to deceive others and maliciously destroy your good reputation."
"If you destroy the evidence I've worked so hard to find for your own people, I won't even have a place to cry."
Du Qingtang said, cupping his hands. "This is a matter of treason. Please understand my difficulties. If I hadn't realized it, I would have been thrown into prison in a few days, and my entire clan would have been exterminated."
Cao Yuan: “…”
What a silver tongue you have! You speak better than you sing!
"So Lord Du came here to..."
Du Qingtang smiled faintly: "I came to visit you rashly because I want you to conduct a thorough investigation and find out who framed me."
Cao Yuan naturally didn't want to oblige her, so he evaded her by saying, "I have important matters to attend to, and I'm too busy today to attend. I'm afraid I'll have to wait until tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."
"That's fine. How can I trouble you to personally investigate such a trivial matter? Simply send someone else." Du Qingtang remained calm. "If you can't give me an explanation today, I'm afraid I'll have a restless night."
"You know, I'm a reckless person by nature, and I can't control my words. If I let something slip at tomorrow's grand court meeting, and accidentally let everyone in the court know about it, or even the whole city, then I'm afraid it will implicate you, Your Excellency, and the Cheng'en Mansion, and even..."
Cao Yuan was struck in the face by the blatant threat. He laughed in anger, squeezing out each word from between his teeth: "Master Du, as the saying goes, people make mistakes and horses stumble. Always leave a way out. Don't be too extreme. At least leave yourself a way out."
Du Qingtang said calmly, "Don't worry, sir. They say that evil can last a thousand years. I will surely live to be a hundred years old. Maybe in eighty or ninety years, I'll still be able to visit your grave with a cane and burn a stick of incense."
When Cao Yuan heard this, he was so angry that he almost felt like a Buddha was born and two Buddhas ascended to heaven.
Is she cursing him?
That’s right, I’m cursing him!
Cao Yuan could no longer tolerate this and slammed the table in anger, shaking his teacup three times and splashing tea everywhere: "How dare you!"
"Du Qingtang, who gave you the courage to disrespect me?"
"Have you forgotten where you are now? I can definitely let you stay in this Cheng'en Mansion!"
Du Qingtang's face still showed no trace of panic, and even the curve of his lips did not change at all: "Of course I know that this is the Cheng'en Mansion, your territory."
Then he changed the subject: "But Your Excellency doesn't know that I am not here alone. I have guards waiting outside the Cheng'en Mansion."
"If I don't show up after an hour, they'll probably think I've met with misfortune. They'll start a commotion at the door, or even report it to the police out of desperation. That's beyond my control."
For every word Cao Yuan said, Du Qingtang could retort ten times, which made his blood boil, his chest heaving violently, and his eyes dizzy.
Du Qingtang was still fanning the flames at this moment: "Sir, you don't look too well. Are you exhausted from the paperwork these past few days?"
"How about I ask His Majesty tomorrow to let you rest at home for a few days and recuperate before returning?"
Du Qingtang said this and sighed: "Sir, I'm not saying anything bad about you, but you have to accept your age."
"I'm only twenty-four, but I already feel my health isn't as good as it was when I was seventeen or eighteen. You're so old, yet you're so fiery-tempered, easily angered. It reminds me of a grandfather back home who tragically died of a stroke from anger..."
Du Qingtang kept chattering away, making Cao Yuan's head buzz so loudly that he didn't even have the energy to stop.
Cao Yuan admitted that as he grew older and lost power, he was no longer as cautious and prudent as before and became increasingly impatient.
Four years ago, he would not have lost his temper over an offense from a junior, let alone personally teach her a lesson.
But Cao Yuan didn't want to be like the fish on the chopping board, to be slaughtered by others.
Everyone talks about how glorious and powerful the Cao family was, but few people know that the power he holds is shrinking day by day, and the government affairs he can touch are much less than before.
If he was overly cautious and timid, Xia Ming would only suppress him more severely, plunder his power, and even... deprive him of his position as the prime minister of the cabinet, order him to retire and return home to enjoy his old age.
Cao Yuan knew why Xia Ming did this.
Xia Ming wanted to force him into a desperate situation, force him to kill the king or rebel, make him infamous for eternity, and leave himself innocent.
But there is no such good thing in the world.
Cao Yuan was not as satisfied as Xia Ming wanted.
As long as he stays in the court, the ambitions hidden in his heart for many years may one day be realized.
If he leaves the court, he will really have nothing.
As the most active of Xia Ming's confidants, Du Qingtang is the best choice to make an example of him.
But now it seems that it is not possible.
If she didn't give Du Qingtang an explanation today, she was afraid that she would cause chaos in the entire Cheng'en Mansion and make everyone there restless.
This not only made the Cheng'en Mansion a laughing stock for the people of Xiajing, but also gave Xia Ming the opportunity to attack him.
......
Cao Yuan closed his eyes, feeling extremely tired. He slammed the table and shouted, "Enough!"
Du Qingtang fell silent instantly, with a perfectly placed smile on his face: "Sir?"
Cao Yuan took a deep breath and said, "After listening to what Lord Du said just now, I have a rough idea of who I suspect."
Du Qingtang seemed overjoyed: "Are you serious, sir?"
Cao Yuan didn't want to pay attention to her, so he called the housekeeper and whispered some instructions to her.
Du Qingtang held the teacup, completely unconcerned about what the master and servant said.
Not long after, the butler responded and left.
Cao Yuan coughed lightly and looked at Du Qingtang: "I have sent people to investigate this matter. I believe I will be able to give Master Du an explanation soon."
Du Qingtang put down his teacup and praised sincerely, "Thank you, sir. You are such a good person."
Cao Yuan: “…”
After that, there was silence in the hall for about an incense stick of time.
Du Qingtang and Cao Yuan didn't say anything, just sat there without looking at each other.
Du Qingtang didn't feel embarrassed and drank tea and ate cakes as usual.
Just as the second plate of pastries was about to run out, the butler walked in, escorting a middle-aged man with a mustache.
"Master, it was this man who, under your name, secured a fifth-rank position for Wen Anbo's brother-in-law in the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and then had him frame Wen Anbo for treason."
Du Qingtang frowned and stared at the man with the mustache: "Tell me, why did you do this?"
Zhang Muliu knelt in the center of the hall, his head lowered so his expression was unclear. He spoke in a hoarse voice, "I and Lord Wang were close friends. If you hadn't broken Master Wang's leg, Lord Wang wouldn't have impeached you at the Grand Court, leading to your death by hitting your head against a pillar and your entire family being exiled."
"Zhang wanted to avenge Brother Wang, but his influence was insignificant. He could only use the name of the Cheng'en Mansion to lure Guo Qian into the situation..."
Butler Cao said that as long as he took responsibility for all the charges, Cao would arrange a lucrative and leisurely job for his only son and a good marriage for his concubine's daughter.
That... is enough.
After Zhang Muliu finished explaining how he framed Du Qingtang, he threw his head to the ground and said, "This is all Zhang's fault. I am willing to let Wen Anbo deal with it."
Cao Yuan closed his eyes and asked, "Master Du, how do you plan to deal with this person?"
It's worth it to save a life in exchange for Du Qingtang shutting up.
Du Qingtang propped up his chin, pretending to be in deep thought. After a while, he said briskly, "Then just beat him to death with sticks."
Cao Yuan's forehead veins throbbed violently, and he heard Du Qingtang's tone of seeking credit: "This way, we can make an example of one and warn the rest. No one will dare to use your name to deceive and harm innocent people."
"In this case, sir, you owe me a favor."
Cao Yuan: “…”
He had never seen such a shameless person!
When it comes to shamelessness, no one in the court can compare to her, Du Qingtang!
Cao Yuan pressed the throbbing veins on his forehead: "Then pull it down..."
Before he could finish his words, Du Qingtang interrupted him, "Why drag him away? This man nearly killed me. Naturally, he must be executed here to relieve my hatred."
The housekeeper looked up, Cao Yuan closed his eyes and gritted his teeth secretly: "Do as she says."
The butler responded and pulled Zhang Muzuo out.
Outside the flower hall, the sound of crackling boards was soon heard, and the muffled sound of torn flesh was mixed with Zhang's staff's cries of pain.
The evening breeze blew through the hall, carrying the smell of blood, and rushed into the nostrils of the two people in the flower hall, rich and pungent.
After an unknown amount of time, the cries of pain gradually subsided until they disappeared completely.
The housekeeper came in and said, "Sir, Zhang Tao has been beaten to death with clubs."
Cao Yuan suppressed the churning in his stomach and looked at Du Qingtang expressionlessly, "Are you satisfied, Master Du?"
Du Qingtang stood up gracefully and stretched comfortably: "Thank you for your cooperation, sir. It's getting late, so I'll take my leave now."
After saying this, he bowed and left.
Under the rosy glow of the sky, the thin figure walked farther and farther away until it disappeared.
Cao Yuan's long-suppressed anger erupted like a volcano.
"Bang!"
Cao Yuan dropped his teacup and sneered, "It's like a tiger in trouble being bullied by a dog. How dare a mere dog bark in front of me!"
Little did they know that a real tiger would never be bullied by a dog.
The reason why Cao Yuan was in power for decades was simply because he took advantage of the fact that Cao Yuan was an unpopular prince with no foundation before Emperor Qingyuan ascended the throne, and he seized all the power in his hands before the prince grew up.
Today, Emperor Qingyuan knows many future events through Qi Heming, such as the Prince of Jin forcing the emperor to abdicate and the charges against Cao's party. He is no longer a weak emperor who can be easily controlled by Cao Yuan.
The hidden dangers buried many years ago have finally come to fruition.
Cao Yuan stood up with the help of the handrail and wanted to return to the main courtyard, but he felt a surge of blood and energy, and his body fell straight back.
"master!"
"Call the court doctor! Call the court doctor quickly!"
-
Du Qingtang left the Cheng'en Mansion in a swagger and rode to the palace.
After entering the palace, he went straight to the imperial study.
Emperor Qingyuan was attending to government affairs when he learned that Du Qingtang wanted to see him. He looked up from his memorials and asked, "Lord Du? It's already this late, why is she still in the palace?"
But no matter what, Lord Du's request for a meeting must be for important matters to discuss.
"Send her in quickly."
The eunuch went out to pass the message, and Du Qingtang walked into the imperial study and bowed to greet the emperor.
"Your humble servant pays respect to Your Majesty."
Emperor Qingyuan held the red brush in his hand and asked without looking up, "Why did Lord Du seek to see me?"
Du Qingtang lowered his brows and eyes. "This afternoon, I dealt with a fifth-rank official who was trying to frame me. Then I went to Duke Cheng'en's mansion to seek an explanation. Now that the dust has settled, I've come to apologize to you."
Emperor Qingyuan: “???”
Fury: “…”
The master and servant both twitched their lips and were speechless.
Emperor Qingyuan finally raised his head and looked at Lord Du who was standing respectfully below him.
I haven't paid attention to her for a few days, why is she making a fuss again?
Emperor Qingyuan pinched his brows with a headache and sighed: "Tell me, what is going on?"
Du Qingtang told the truth, elaborating on the entire incident in detail: "...When I left, I vaguely heard someone calling for the palace physician. It is likely that the Prime Minister is old and cannot stand the sight of blood or the stimulation, so he unfortunately fainted."
Emperor Qingyuan: “…”
Fury: “…”
Emperor Qingyuan was speechless, and it took him a long while to find his voice: "How is your sister now?"
Du Qingtang shook his head. "After sending my sister back to the Wen'an Marquis's residence, I went directly to the Guo family, and then went straight to the Cheng'en Duke's residence. I don't know the current situation."
"Miscarriage is the most harmful to the body. Let Lan Shizhong..." Emperor Qingyuan said here and suddenly stopped, "Look at my memory. You have a ready-made doctor in your family."
Du Qingtang replied with a "yes" and bowed, "Your Majesty, I would like to ask for a favor from you."
Emperor Qingyuan put the approved memorial aside and asked, "When did Lord Du become so distant with me?"
Du Qingtang: "...I wonder if the Palace Supervisor and the quarry are still short of people?"
Emperor Qingyuan: “???”
......
That night, an elderly couple and a charming young woman were sent to the royal quarry on the outskirts of the city.
Before I could even catch my breath, my clothes were stripped off and I was changed into a uniform brown coarse cloth short shirt.
The tall, strong supervisor with a face full of flesh cracked his whip and said, "Don't dawdle, get to work!"
The three were pushed hard by the supervisor and fell into the dark mine.
"I don't want to be here, I want to go back!"
"Ah! Rat!"
The supervisor whipped He Ruxuan, and he immediately became obedient and started working crying.
Old Man Guo and Old Woman Guo didn't dare to say a word and just worked hard, fearing that they would be whipped.
Working in a quarry is very hard. You have to get up before dawn every day, and there are endless stones to carry and endless chores to do.
If the supervisor found you slacking off, you would not only be whipped but also not allowed to eat.
He worked on an empty stomach until late at night and then lay down on the kang, all dirty.
Surrounded by workers who were smelling foul and snoring loudly, I finally fell asleep, but woke up to the sound of gongs and started a new busy day.
In just three or five days, the three of them lost a lot of weight and became half-human, half-ghost, and the light in their eyes disappeared.
"Wuwuwu... I was wrong, let me out..."
“Bang!”
The supervisor whipped He Ruxuan, and she fell to the ground. The stone she was carrying hit her body, and she screamed in pain.
Old Man Guo and Old Woman Guo walked by with hunched backs, carrying hundreds of pounds of stones on their backs, their faces full of numbness and despair.
They are alive, but their life is worse than death.
......
At the same time, a man covered in bruises was sent to the Zhidianjian and became a eunuch in the imperial palace. He was called Xiao Guozi.
The Zhidianjian was responsible for daily cleaning work in the imperial palace, including emptying and cleaning toilets.
The holes on his body and the wounds on his lower body had not yet healed when little Guozi was lifted up from the kang by the manager.
"Go clean the toilet! You won't be allowed to eat until you finish!"
Little Guozi had always been used to a life of luxury and had never done such rough work.
In addition, his injuries had not yet healed and his steps were unsteady. Before he even started to flush the toilet, he accidentally knocked over the pile of toilets on the cart.
The dirt in the toilet had not been emptied yet, and it splashed all over Xiao Guozi's head and body.
Little Guozi stood next to the cart, completely dumbfounded.
Upon seeing this, the eunuchs in the Palace Guards covered their mouths and noses in disgust, laughing heartily.
“It stinks!”
"You idiot, you can't even do such a small thing!"
Under the contemptuous and mocking gazes of the crowd, Xiao Guozi exuded an indescribable smell and was extremely devastated.
"Don't laugh!"
"I am an official appointed by the imperial court. Be careful! I will give the order and have your heads chopped off!"
Little Guozi screamed hysterically, and the eunuchs laughed even louder.
"You are an official appointed by the court, and I am the Prime Minister!"
"You can't even think before you brag, you're just a eunuch!"
The manager came over after hearing the noise and saw the mess at the scene. He was so angry that he picked up a stick and beat Xiao Guozi severely.
"You're more of a hindrance than a help. As a punishment, you won't be allowed to eat for two days!"
Little Guozi's wound split open and he lay in the dirty water, crying loudly.
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