"My two uncles haven't come to the Marquis' Mansion for a long time. Why don't you spend more time chatting with grandma to relieve her boredom? There are official business every day, so why rush at this moment? Besides, my uncle is not in the Marquis' Mansion right now. Even if my two uncles go to Qingsong Courtyard, it will be a wasted trip!" Yun Qianmeng said with a faint smile, blocking the way of Qu Yan and Qu Fu, causing the two to look at each other and frown quickly!
"How is that possible? The butler just said that the Marquis is in the mansion!" Seeing that Yun Qianmeng was deliberately making things difficult, Tan was afraid that her husband would miss this great opportunity, so she anxiously refuted!
Little did she know, her words caused everyone to look at her. The expressions in the beauties' eyes were different, and the anger in Qu Yan's deep eyes was the heaviest. Tan then realized that she had said something wrong and had fallen into Yun Qianmeng's trap. She was embarrassed for a moment, and in the interweaving of red and white, she was really afraid of Qu Yan's gaze. She immediately lowered her head and sat down honestly in her seat without saying a word!
"I didn't know that the steward of the Marquis' Mansion would also be in charge of his own master's whereabouts! It seems that Steward Zhang is getting more and more confused as he gets older!" The old lady instantly understood Yun Qianmeng's meaning, sneered, and spoke lightly!
However, the old lady was always dignified in front of these illegitimate sons. Even a simple question from her made Tan and Bai tremble with fear!
Especially Bai, who was sitting below Tan, lowered her head and glared at Tan fiercely, blaming her for talking too much. She saw that her husband and uncle were about to achieve their wish, but it was ruined because of Tan's mouth!
However, Qu Yan did not bother to blame Tan at this time. When he heard the old lady say this to Yun Qianmeng, his eyes full of ambition immediately swept towards Yun Qianmeng. He re-examined Yun Qianmeng in his heart and took the man's words to heart even more!
"It's just that when my son and others entered the mansion, we casually asked the housekeeper a few questions, but we didn't expect that the Marquis is not in the mansion at this moment! In this case, my son and others will stay in Ruilin Courtyard to chat with mother and relieve her boredom, and also wait for the Marquis to return home!" Qu Yan's mind turned, and he immediately put on a gentle smile, and then sat down with Qu Fu, looking calm and composed!
Ji Shuyu and others saw it and were worried!
This could temporarily fool Qu Yan and the others, but if they insisted on not leaving after dark, there would be no other excuse!
Thinking of this, Ji Shuyu and Qu Feiqing looked at Old Madam Gu at the same time, only to see her taking the teacup handed over by the maid, taking a sip slowly, and then sitting on the first seat with a calm expression, without any sign of nervousness or anxiety!
Seeing the old lady like this, the two of them immediately suppressed some of their anxiety and sat down in their corresponding seats. The inner room was silent with only the sound of tea cups touching the table. The atmosphere was so depressing that it was a bit suffocating!
"I heard that Prince Chen went into the Prime Minister's residence last night and searched Meng'er's courtyard and boudoir. I wonder if Meng'er was scared? Mother and sister-in-law, what a shame this Prince Chen is. Although Meng'er is his broken-off fiancée, she is still an unmarried young lady. How could he let a man enter and leave her boudoir at will? The same goes for Meng'er. What are the maids and servants around you doing? They didn't stop us at all. Once this happens, how can you survive in Kyoto?" Seeing that no one spoke, Tan felt weird in her heart, so she tried to ease the atmosphere. Her eyes, which contained sarcasm and disdain, stared at Yun Qianmeng tightly, and she spoke with regret!
As soon as she opened her mouth, Qu Yan and the others had mocking and contemptuous looks in their eyes, while Qu Feiqing put down the teacup in her hand heavily, her face suddenly becoming gloomy. However, the old lady just raised her half-closed eyes slightly and glanced at Tan, a sneer appeared at the corner of her mouth, and her heart became more at ease!
Yun Qianmeng raised her eyes to look at Tan, her eyes filled with a faint smile. Everyone then heard her polite reply, "Thank you, Third Aunt, for your concern! However, since you also said it was 'heard', then it's naturally not true! Father is a high-ranking official, serving as Prime Minister, so it's inevitable that he would accidentally offend some villains! But father is honest and upright, always cautious and careful, and has never made any mistakes. Since no one can find any fault with him, they let those villains use what happened last night to discredit Qianmeng and shame him! But facts speak louder than words. Father was in the Prime Minister's residence yesterday, so how could he let Prince Chen break into the rooms of the women in the backyard! I have always heard that Third Aunt comes from an official family and has outstanding moral character, and she never follows the crowd. How could she believe something that doesn't even exist this time? Isn't Third Aunt afraid of hurting the relationship between relatives?"
Yun Qianmeng always spoke slowly and her tone was neither fast nor slow, which made people feel very comfortable listening to her. However, by the time her enemies reacted to her pleasant voice, Yun Qianmeng had already refuted them and left them speechless!
Seeing that Qu Yan didn't say anything to stop her, and that Old Lady Gu didn't support Yun Qianmeng, and seeing that Yun Qianmeng was secretly mocking her own lack of character in her words, just like the gossipy gossipmongers in the market, Tan was immediately furious. She put on an embarrassed smile and said, "Meng'er, your aunt doesn't agree with what you said! As the saying goes, there is always reason for rumors! If you really do the right thing, why don't others criticize you? Although Meng'er lost her mother when she was young, Prime Minister Yun is also a well-read man. Why did he raise his daughter like this? If this matter gets out, I'm afraid the Prince of the State's Mansion will also be embarrassed!"
It was unknown whether Tan was so angry at Yun Qianmeng that she lost her mind. She poured out everything she was thinking without considering the occasion, causing Qu Yan to glare at her vigorously. However, she was so happy that she didn't care about anyone else to stop him. She was afraid that if she didn't see Yun Qianmeng cry today, Tan would not let it go!
But Yun Qianmeng just didn't do as she wished. The more unpleasant Tan's words were, the bigger the smile on Yun Qianmeng's face became. In the end, she even covered her lips and laughed out loud. Even the old lady and Ji Shuyu looked at Yun Qianmeng worriedly!
After Yun Qianmeng finished laughing, a cold glint flashed in her eyes as she spoke, "Third aunt also knows that Meng'er has been motherless since she was a child. To such a motherless child, Third aunt is so aggressive, it is really unbecoming of an elder! Third uncle and third aunt are both healthy, so why has cousin Jingqing been in and out of Prince Chen's mansion so many times recently? I wonder where did cousin Jingqing learn this behavior that brings shame to the Fuguo Mansion and tarnishes the reputation of my cousin's husband? Although third uncle is a concubine's son, cousin Jingqing should not be so disregarding of the Fuguo Mansion's reputation!"
Tan was speechless for a moment. She didn't expect Yun Qianmeng to reveal Jing Qing's entry and exit of Prince Chen's Mansion at this time. She was instantly panicked and didn't know how to answer Yun Qianmeng's question!
After all, everyone in Kyoto knew that Prince Chen broke off the engagement with Yun Qianmeng, and that he had already made enemies with Prime Minister Yun's Mansion and the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion. But at this time, the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion's illegitimate son sent his daughter to Prince Chen's Mansion many times, which obviously let everyone know that there was hostility between the legitimate and illegitimate children in the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion. And Qu Yan even tried to curry favor with Prince Chen, wanting to take back the throne of the Marquis from Qu Lingao!
If it weren't for Tan Shi looking for trouble and repeatedly humiliating Yun Qianmeng today, she wouldn't have given Tan Shi even the slightest bit of face!
After all, Qu Yan is the illegitimate son of his grandfather. Although he is insidious, cunning and ambitious, he still has to call Old Lady Gu his legitimate mother in name!
If it weren't for the Tan family's relentless pressure, Yun Qianmeng wouldn't have said anything that might embarrass her grandmother...
Seeing Yun Qianmeng expose his thoughts, Qu Yan immediately shouted at Tan, "Bitch, how dare you speak here? Aren't you afraid that your voice will disturb Mother's peace? We don't live in the mansion, and we are busy with official duties on weekdays and can't come to pay our respects to Mother every day. And yet you come here and instead of saying something to cheer people up, you talk about nonsense. Do you think anyone cares to hear it? People outside are already used to it, but you are the one who presents it as if it were a treasure! Why don't you apologize to Mother quickly!"
Qu Yan's mind worked quickly, and with just a few words he cleared Tan's connection with the matter. By reprimanding Tan, he also confirmed the fact that Yun Qianmeng's bedroom had been searched. It was really insidious to kill two birds with one stone!
Tan Shi had also witnessed Yun Qianmeng's sharp tongue and heard her husband's hint. She immediately stood up from her seat, bowed to Old Madam Gu, and whispered, "Mother, it's all because of my ignorance! Please don't be angry!"
Seeing that she was docile now, completely different from the domineering attitude she had shown when facing Yun Qianmeng just now, Old Lady Gu sneered, "You are not ignorant! You are too sensible. You dare to say anything. You are really the daughter of a small official. All you can do all day is to catch wind and shadows, gossip with those unruly women..."
When Tan saw that Old Madam Gu didn't even give face to Qu Yan and spoke ill of her in front of two younger generations, Qu Feiqing and Yun Qianmeng, her face turned red with shame and she immediately closed her lips, fearing that she would never say anything more!
"Mother, please calm down! Third sister-in-law was just reminding Meng'er out of kindness! Besides, if Concubine Yuande likes Jingqing, we can't refuse her given our status!" At this time, Qu Fu, who had been silent all this time, quickly chimed in!
However, it was probably the first time that Qu Fu and Bai heard about Qu Jingqing secretly going to Prince Chen's Mansion. Therefore, Yun Qianmeng had paid close attention to the couple's expressions. Apart from the initial surprise at the news, Yun Qianmeng also read a flash of jealousy and resentment in Qu Fu's eyes!
Even though they were brothers from the same mother, and even though Qu Fu seemed so carefree and didn't care about the title, when he saw his brother, who had the same father and mother, sending his daughter to a wealthy family without telling him, Qu Fu would feel unbalanced psychologically. Especially from Qu Yan's expression at this time, he didn't feel the slightest bit of shame for hiding the truth from his brother!
Therefore, after speaking on behalf of his brother, Qu Fu added, "However, Third Brother should explain this matter clearly to the family in advance! If Jing Qing's affairs are spread by outsiders, how will Third Brother and Sister-in-law live in the future?"
After he finished speaking, Qu Fu stopped talking and just walked away feeling unhappy.
He knew that he had limited resources and lacked talent, so he had devoted himself to assisting his brother who had the same mother and father as him over the years. He only thought that if his brother became a marquis, he would also be able to benefit from it and help his daughters in the family marry better!
But he didn't expect that Qu Yan had already paved the way for his daughter without telling him before he even secured the position of Marquis!
Qu Jingqing was so arrogant and proud, and her knowledge hadn't improved much. Her temper rivaled that of a royal princess, and she was even worse than the daughters at home who never left the house! If a girl like that married well, wouldn't she be the cause of everyone's annoyance?
Qu Fu was very clear about his current situation. Seeing that he had no chance of becoming a marquis today, he focused his attention on his brother and his daughter!
If my brother becomes a marquis, his status will naturally rise!
If his daughter marries well, his whole family will prosper!
Now they received news that Qu Lingao was seriously injured and would not be cured, so they rushed here to deal a heavy blow to Old Lady Gu!
But seeing that Old Madam Gu was in good health, they had been here for a long time and not only could they not attack her, but they couldn't even convince Yun Qianmeng who was beside her. In addition, Qu Yan had already found other high-ranking officials, which made Qu Fu feel very uncomfortable. Although he still helped Qu Yan on the surface, he felt some resentment in his heart!
Qu Yan probably never thought that today's trip would create a subtle rift between him and his brother!
Yun Qianmeng saw that there was already some unhappiness between the two brothers, so she took the opportunity to speak: "Grandma, didn't you just say that you wanted to go to Doctor Nie's residence to visit him? Meng'er has nothing to do right now, so why not accompany Grandma!"
Old Lady Gu's eyes immediately turned to Yun Qianmeng. She saw Yun Qianmeng winking at her from a corner where Qu Yan and the others couldn't see. Old Lady Gu's eyes immediately filled with a smile. She nodded without changing her expression and then said, "I'm afraid Ling Ao won't be back until very late today. The four of you should go back for now! There are mostly women in the mansion right now, so it would be inconvenient for you to stay here!"
Having said that, Yun Qianmeng quickly stood up and walked towards Old Lady Gu without waiting for Qu Yan and the others to refuse. She carefully helped her up and the two of them walked out together!
Qu Yan saw that today's matter was so easily blocked by Old Madam Gu. Although he was holding back his anger, he also knew that as long as Old Madam Gu was in the Fuguo Mansion, even if Qu Lingao died, the title would probably not fall on his head!
But now is the perfect time. Qu Changqing is not in Kyoto, and Qu Lingao's life and death are unknown. He can only take advantage of the opponent's unpreparedness with thunderous force to seize back the title. Otherwise, once Qu Changqing returns to the capital, everything will be too late!
Qu Yan's eyes flashed with an obscure light. He glanced at Old Lady Gu and the others, and unexpectedly gave up his original intention and said, "Since that's the case, my son and the others will take their leave first!"
After saying that, he left Ruilin Court with the other three people who looked puzzled!
Yun Qianmeng immediately exchanged glances with Ji Shuyu. Ji Shuyu quickly called over the most trusted nanny around her and whispered a few words in her ear. Then the nanny turned around and walked out of the inner room!
"I didn't expect that it was Meng'er who protected the Fuguo Mansion today!" Old Lady Gu held Yun Qianmeng's hand, her heart full of emotion, but her eyes were full of relief when she looked at Yun Qianmeng. I believe that if Ruoli saw her child become so strong and smart, she would also be very pleased!
Yun Qianmeng smiled calmly, helping Old Lady Gu sit down again. She then squatted beside her, gently resting her hands on her knees. She said with a smile, "Meng'er and the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion are of one mind. Naturally, we won't let anyone bully Grandmother! Besides, Meng'er encountered difficulties many times before, and it was the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion's secret help that allowed Meng'er to escape death. How could Meng'er be ungrateful! But now, judging by Third Uncle's various actions, he is indeed attached to Prince Chen, and he obviously came here prepared today. Although I don't know if Uncle's injury is really related to them, I am afraid that the people in the Marquis' Mansion will have to be thoroughly cleaned up after receiving the news so quickly!"
When Ji Shuyu heard Yun Qianmeng talking about this, she told her what had just happened in Qingsong Courtyard. Thinking of how someone wanted to harm her husband when he was unconscious, even though Ji Shuyu had been strong and calm when facing Qu Yan and others just now, she couldn't help but shed tears at this moment!
When Old Lady Gu heard that her only son was nearly poisoned to death, her face turned blue with rage. The veins on the back of her hand clenched tightly around her cane bulged, and her tightly pursed lips trembled slightly. Her calm eyes shone with murderous intent. Finally, she spoke in a resounding voice, "Investigate! If you find that traitor, don't even answer me; just stick him to death!"
Seeing that Old Lady Gu was so agitated, Concubine Qu was afraid that the sole pillar of the Fuguogong Mansion would collapse. She immediately brought a cup of tea to Old Lady Gu and comforted her, saying, "Grandmother, please don't get angry with those ungrateful villains! They may be vicious, but God is watching us, and we will not let them succeed! But regarding Daddy's assassination, should we inform the Queen Mother and Big Brother?"
Everyone fell into deep thought because of Qu Feiqing's words. After a while, Yun Qianmeng glanced at Old Lady Gu and slowly spoke, "Let's keep it a secret for now! They dared to make trouble today because they wanted to spread the news of my uncle's injury. They wanted to use Prince Chen's influence to support Qu Yan to take the position of Marquis while my cousin is away in Kyoto! If we take the initiative to tell them about this now, it would be exactly what they want! And my cousin left the capital this time under the secret decree of the Emperor, and his movements are secret. Not to mention that we don't know where he is right now, even if we knew, we must not let this matter disturb my cousin's heart! There are swords and sabers ahead, and we must not let my cousin be distracted!"
Seeing that Yun Qianmeng's views coincided with her own, Old Lady Gu nodded with a faint smile... and instructed Ji Shuyu and Qu Feiqing, "Unless it's absolutely necessary, we must keep this a secret. However, I will send someone I trust to the palace to secretly inform the Queen Mother so that she can take precautions! Since they are so unkind, we don't need to be too righteous in the future. As long as I live, the title of Marquis of Fuguo Mansion will never fall on Qu Yan and Qu Fu's heads!"
Listening to Old Lady Gu's unwavering tone, Yun Qianmeng raised her eyes and felt that Old Lady Gu at this moment was unlike anything she had ever seen before. This kind of Old Lady Gu who single-handedly shouldered the heavy responsibility of the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion made Yun Qianmeng's heart suddenly flash with an unignorable respect!
At this moment, a nanny's voice came from the door, "Old Madam, Guard Ma wants to see you!"
Seeing that the matter he had just ordered was beginning to take shape, Ji Shuyu immediately said, "Tell him to wait in the side room!"
After saying that, Ji Shuyu supported Old Madam Gu, leaving Yun Qianmeng and Qu Feiqing to walk to the side room. Ma Zhong, the guard of the Marquis' Mansion, had already been waiting inside. Seeing Old Madam Gu coming, he immediately knelt on one knee and said loudly, "Your humble servant greets Old Madam Gu and Madam!"
Old Lady Gu nodded and said calmly, "Wake up. Did you find anything just now?"
Guard Ma stood up, leaned forward, and told the two people in front of him everything he had just seen!
After listening to Guard Ma's report, the old lady sat upright on the first seat, her eyes calm and her expression indifferent, but the calm and composed aura on her body made Ji Shuyu feel inferior!
After a while, Old Lady Gu took off a small-leaf red sandalwood, emerald jade, and colored glass bracelet from her wrist and handed it to Guard Ma. She whispered, "Go to Rongshan Hall and ask for Doctor Nie. Give the bracelet to him, and he will come with you to the Marquis' Mansion!"
Guard Ma put on the bracelet, bowed to the old lady and Ji Shuyu, then immediately turned around and walked out of the side room!
The old lady was worried about Qu Lingao. Without waiting for a moment to rest, she asked Ji Shuyu to help her go to Qingsong Courtyard. Seeing the two maids Yun Qianmeng had left behind were diligently serving her son, she felt relieved. She then said to Yun Qianmeng, "You've been out for a while now. I'll have Madam Wu take you back first to prevent outsiders from noticing anything!"
Yun Qianmeng saw that although the old lady looked tired, Qu Yan and others had aroused the maternal love in her. She knew that such an old lady would not be defeated so easily, so she nodded and took Mu Chun and the other two to bid farewell to the old lady Gu and others!
As Yun Qianmeng and her three maids entered Qiluo Garden, Nanny Mi hurried out to greet her. She invited her into the inner chamber and whispered in Yun Qianmeng's ear, "Just now, the Prime Minister summoned the Minister of Justice into the study. According to the maid who brought tea, the Prime Minister was furious with Minister Su. Both of them looked very unhappy. I guess there was a quarrel going on!"
Yun Qianmeng was still concerned about the affairs of the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion at this time. She just smiled awkwardly at Mi Jiwu's words. In addition, she did not get a good rest last night, so she sent everyone away and lay on the soft couch to rest her eyes!
However, the palace of Prince Chen was bustling with activity. After what happened last night, Prince Chen showed his influence and strength to all the other palaces!
When Emperor Xijing passed away, Prince Chen was still young, and the Qu and Yuan families joined forces to push Emperor Yugan onto the throne, causing Prince Chen to miss the opportunity to ascend the throne of the emperor!
In these years, Concubine Yuande has been living in seclusion and Prince Chen has been recuperating. The two of them have been keeping a low profile so that no one can find any fault with them. This has also left Emperor Yugan and the Queen Mother, who have always regarded Prince Chen and his mother as thorns in their eyes, with no reason to take action!
Unexpectedly, Prince Chen's power is gradually expanding, and in recent years he has even been competing with Emperor Yugan in the court. Especially last night, when he did not bring the imperial guards but personally led his own guards to search various mansions, those dignitaries truly realized how powerful and terrifying he is!
Therefore, in this battle for the throne, it seems that Emperor Yugan has firmly sat on the throne, but no one knows who will have the last laugh!
A cool breeze blew through the night, and the wind direction in Kyoto changed accordingly. The noble families who were eager to send their daughters to the palace, after a whole night of careful consideration, tentatively asked their wives to bring their still precious daughters to Prince Chen's Mansion to pay their respects to Concubine Yuande!
For a while, there was a constant stream of traffic in front of Prince Chen’s Mansion, which almost blocked the intersection, forcing the passing carriages to take detours!
The Concubine Yuande was also very high-profile. She changed her usual practice of not seeing guests and asked the housekeeper to invite all the ladies in and arrange them in the side hall of Prince Chen's Mansion. Then she went to the study to see Jiang Muchen!
The study was completely silent. Jiang Muchen glared at Ning Feng, who was sitting at the desk, and asked coldly, "Have all the ambushes been taken out?"
Ning Feng felt that he could not even raise his head at this moment. Following King Chen since he was a child made Ning Feng very loyal to Jiang Muchen. He hoped that he could complete everything he asked him to do perfectly. And those guards he personally appointed last night were masters. Needless to say, their martial arts skills were also several times higher than others!
Even so, these elite soldiers were all killed within half an incense stick of time when he left to do his work. This not only made Ning Feng heartbroken, but also made him feel full of guilt towards Jiang Muchen. He immediately knelt on his knees and said in a deep voice, "I have failed in my duty. Please punish me, Your Highness!"
But Jiang Muchen didn't immediately speak to punish Ning Feng. His eyes, which were filled with gloom, now showed a faint light of understanding, and he said, "You go down first!"
Ning Feng suddenly looked up, eyes full of surprise at Jiang Muchen, but found that he had already lowered his head to examine the map. He quietly left the study and just as he closed the door, he saw Concubine Yuande coming over. He immediately stepped forward and saluted, "Your humble servant greets the Concubine!"
"Where is the prince?" Concubine Yuande glanced at the closed carved wooden door and asked Ning Feng in a cold voice!
"In reply to the Concubine Dowager, the prince is in the study!" Before Ning Feng finished his words, he saw Concubine Yuande leading a group of maids walking past him and directly into the study!
"Chen'er!" Upon seeing her son, Concubine Yuande's expression softened. With a hint of heartache in her eyes, she said, "You were busy all night last night. Why didn't you take a break? You've exhausted yourself. Wouldn't that mother and son be laughing at you?"
As she spoke, Concubine Yuande glanced at the maid beside her. The maid immediately walked to the desk smartly, put the white and blue porcelain cup in her hand on the table, and then silently retreated behind Concubine Yuande!
"Drink this ginseng chicken soup quickly! Mother had it specially prepared for you! You have never taken care of your own body, but do you know how much pain it is in my eyes?" Concubine Yuande stepped forward personally, opened the white printed porcelain lid, took the porcelain spoon from the porcelain bowl, scooped half a bowl of the fragrant ginseng chicken soup, and placed it next to Prince Chen's hand!
But it was only at this moment that Jiang Muchen raised his eyes to look at Concubine Yuande, and then said to the maid who followed in: "Mother, you know I don't like women entering the study at will!"
Seeing how stubborn he was, Concubine Yuande waved the maid out and waited until the door closed before she walked in. Zheng Leng stared at her only son and said slowly, "It's time for you to consider getting married! In recent days, many daughters of important officials have come to our Prince Chen's Palace. You can go and take a look and choose a few concubines to manage the palace!"
In the past, Prince Chen had never thought anything was wrong when hearing Concubine Yuande's words. However, in recent days, his mother has been pushing him very hard, which has made Jiang Muchen feel even more disgusted. Without thinking, he refused. "Prince Chen's mansion is managed by my mother, so what else do we need them for? If my mother has nothing to do, why don't you go to the Yuan Mansion and find a good marriage for Qingzhou?"
After saying this, King Chen continued to look at the sheepcloth map on the table, examining the treacherous terrain of the border...
...Afraid! Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Yuande was instantly filled with rage. She slammed her right hand against the carved pear flower table, causing the bowl of ginseng chicken soup to spill a little!
But Prince Chen completely ignored Concubine Yuande's anger and looked at the map seriously, his slender fingers carefully studying the direction of the mountains on the map...
"Chen'er, do you really think that your mother doesn't know about your recent behavior? In the Sea Palace, you actually jumped off the boat to save Yun Qianmeng; yesterday, regardless of your status as a prince, you even tried to break into Yun Qianmeng's boudoir! She is the one whose engagement you broke off, you must not be fooled by such a woman again and let all our efforts of so many years go to waste! Back then, the Queen Mother instigated the late Emperor to marry the newly born Yun Qianmeng to you. Do you know that this matter has been a major concern of your mother for so many years! If the Queen Mother really succeeds, then we will have an extra spy in the Chen Palace! We have finally gotten rid of this burden, you must not fall into it again!" When Concubine Yuande said this, she stared at her son's expression carefully. When she mentioned... Yun Qianmeng, her son's finger that was crossing the map paused for a moment. Although it was only a blink of an eye, it did not escape Concubine Yuande's shrewd eyes!
At this time, although Jiang Muchen's expression did not change, the coldness on his body became heavier, as if he was subconsciously refusing to talk to her about anything related to Yun Qianmeng. This made Concubine Yuande's heart sink. Her originally gloomy eyes now emitted a faint sinister light, making people feel that danger was right in front of them!
"Ning Feng!" Jiang Muchen did not answer Concubine Yuande's words, but instead shouted coldly at Ning Feng who was guarding outside the door!
"Your Highness!" Ning Feng was guarding outside the door, so he naturally heard what Concubine Yuande had just said. For some reason, his heart suddenly tightened, and he felt that he was about to be in trouble!
But no matter what, Ning Feng still quickly came to the study, lowered his head and waited for Jiang Muchen's instructions!
"Go to the yard and get thirty military sticks!" Jiang Muchen didn't even raise his eyes, just looked at the map and gave orders without mercy!
Ning Feng felt a layer of cold sweat on his head at that moment. When he heard King Chen's punishment, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief!
But before he could fully exhale, Jiang Muchen's even colder voice rang in his ears again, "If there's a next time, you'll be beaten to death!"
"Yes! I obey your command!" Ning Feng's heart suddenly rose to his throat, and he dared not be vague anymore. He immediately knelt on one knee and promised loudly. Then he immediately turned around and left the study. He took the initiative to lie on the wide stool that had been prepared in the yard, and let his subordinates carry out the execution!
The sound of boards hitting people resounded throughout the courtyard. Seeing her son killing a chicken to scare the monkeys, Concubine Yuande's face suddenly turned ugly, but a sneer appeared on the corner of her mouth. "Chen'er, are you doing this for me to see? Is it wrong for me to care about my own son?"
When she said the last word... wrong, Concubine Yuande's voice was already sharp. Apart from the time when Jiang Muchen asked her to leave without saying a word in the Empress Dowager's palace, this time of punishing Ning Feng was the second time that Jiang Muchen did not give face to her, his mother!
This made Concubine Yuande furious, but Jiang Muchen ignored her efforts to suppress her anger, raised his eyes and looked at his mother calmly, and said in a cold voice, "Mother, do you think those ladies from wealthy families are qualified to marry into Prince Chen's Mansion?"
"What I want is not these daughters of wealth, but the families behind them! Besides, for the position of Princess Chen, your mother has already chosen the most suitable one for you. The other concubines are just pawns for us to win over important officials in the court!" When Concubine Yuande saw that Jiang Muchen asked this because he was not satisfied with these daughters of wealth, she softened her tone and spoke slowly!
After hearing this, Jiang Muchen just said coldly, "You can choose any other position as you wish, but I will choose the main wife myself!"
After the words fell, the punishment in the courtyard was over. Jiang Muchen no longer looked at Concubine Yuande's distorted face, and walked straight past her and out of the study...
In the mansion of the Duke of Fuguo, the old lady and her daughter-in-law Yuxi stood in front of the bed, anxiously watching the doctor check Qu Lingao's injuries!
Half an incense stick later, the man in green cloth stood up from the bedside, looked at Old Lady Gu and Ji Shuyu bowing, and then whispered, "Old Lady, Madam, let's go outside and talk in detail!"
Seeing his solemn expression, Old Lady Gu and Ji Shuyu's hearts sank. They exchanged a glance and nodded to the doctor. They moved to the outer room. Old Lady Gu immediately asked anxiously, "Doctor Nie, how is my son's injury? Is his life in danger?"
The young doctor saw the old lady, the Marquis' wife, and the eldest daughter all looking worried. He sighed inwardly and could only tell the truth, "The Marquis has injured his heart and lungs this time. If he is carefully treated, he can still live for another six months! But I just noticed that the wound that stabbed the Marquis is faintly glowing with black light. I'm afraid the other party smeared poison on the sharp weapon. However..."
Having said this, Doctor Nie paused and looked at Qu Lingao's relatives in front of him, weighing his words in his mind, to see how he could help them reduce their pain!
"Doctor Nie, what will happen to my father?" Seeing Doctor Nie stop talking, Qu Feiqing could no longer bear the depressing atmosphere in front of her and couldn't help but ask!
This time, neither Old Lady Gu nor Ji Shuyu blamed Qu Feiqing for her rudeness. Instead, the three of them stared at Doctor Nie, their hands and feet cold and their faces pale with nervousness!
Seeing the three men like this, Doctor Nie knew he couldn't keep the secret any longer. He could only frown and speak solemnly, "This poison is insidious, and the poisoning is in such a vital part of the heart and lungs. I'm afraid the Marquis won't survive more than three months! He needs careful care here, otherwise if we're not careful, he might not even make it through the three months!"
"Mother..." Before Doctor Nie could finish his words, Ji Shuyu's eyes went dark and she fell straight backwards. Fortunately, a maid or an old woman caught her from behind, but Qu Feiqing could no longer bear it and burst into tears!
"Why are you crying? You are the eldest daughter of the Marquis' Mansion. When you encounter something like this, all you can do is cry?" Old Madam Gu asked everyone to move Ji Shuyu to lie on the soft couch in the inner room, and then she shouted coldly to Qu Feiqing who was crying!
Doctor Nie saw that the old lady had suddenly encountered such an accident. Although her face was pale and her brows showed a little fatigue, her back was straight and her expression was stern. A sense of general's spirit instantly emerged from her body, especially when she scolded Qu Feiqing just now. The majesty and strength of the mistress of the house were immediately reflected in this moment, which made Doctor Nie feel a touch of respect in his heart!
After being scolded so harshly by Old Lady Gu, Qu Feiqing's panic mood calmed down instantly. Although her heart was still in pain because of Doctor Nie's words, her emotions had calmed down a lot. She wiped the tears from her face and stood quietly beside the old lady without saying a word!
"My dear nephew, this matter happened too suddenly. I hope you can stay in the Marquis' Mansion temporarily to take care of my son's injuries! I really don't trust the others!" The old lady stared at Doctor Nie, and her words were full of trust in entrusting him with an important task!
Seeing the old lady like this, Doctor Nie knew that it was inconvenient to let others know at this time, so he immediately nodded and said, "Don't worry, old lady, as long as you ensure the peace and tranquility of Qingsong Courtyard, I will do my best to ensure that the Marquis will not die within three months!"
Seeing that he was serious, the old lady knew that she had not found the wrong person, so she nodded and let Qu Feiqing help her walk into the inner room. She looked at her son lying motionless on the bed, and her daughter-in-law who had fainted on the couch but was still crying in her dream. Even though the old lady Gu had just appeared unusually strong and calm, she could not help but feel sad at this moment, and a hot tear fell on the back of Qu Feiqing's hand!
But when Qu Feiqing looked up at the old lady in surprise, she had already composed herself, turned around and left the inner room, and ordered the guard outside in a deep voice, "Take that traitor to the Punishment Hall!"
After she finished speaking, Old Lady Gu pushed away Qu Feiqing's support and let her go in to serve her parents. She then smoothed her silver hair and walked out of Qingsong Courtyard step by step with the help of a cane!
But at this time, someone was spreading rumors wantonly in the streets and alleys, saying that the Marquis of the Fuguo Mansion was attacked by someone last night.
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