Yun Qing hadn't told Zhu Tao about this, but Zhu Tao immediately remembered that Yun Qing hadn't been in a good mood a few days ago when she sat in the carriage after leaving the banquet. Now he knew why.
Yunqi added, "I just noticed that Ba's carriage looks quite similar to the carriage in your residence."
Zhu Tao now understood even more clearly that he had almost been the victim of a staged accident today.
It's no wonder he didn't think of it that way. He knew that women in ancient times had a low status and were not allowed to have physical contact with men. Zhu Tao would avoid contact with women, but he didn't have the ability to be wary of a strange man for no reason.
Zhu Tao imagined what would happen if he were traveling alone in a carriage today and encountered Yunqi's cousin.
He would probably let her into his carriage. A man and a woman alone in a carriage, if Yunqi's cousin really went all out, he might not be able to shake off this pest.
If a woman like this is so restless before marriage, she will surely cause trouble in the household after marriage. If he has no choice but to take her into the household, he probably won't have a peaceful life.
Zhu Tao thought about it and immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
"I was lucky today."
It was just good luck, wasn't it? Ordinary people rarely encounter such a coincidence, which just happened to defuse someone else's carefully planned scheme.
Yunqi felt that Zhu Tao's matter was indeed quite distressing, but Chang Mian was also her cousin, so she couldn't just stand by and watch. She said, "Don't worry, since she dared to scheme against you, she has to bear the consequences of her failed scheme. She doesn't want to be someone's concubine, does she? We'll find her a good family later."
Zhu Tao didn't have a good impression of Chang Mian, but he didn't want his brother-in-law to do anything to her. It wasn't out of pity for Chang Mian; after all, his brother-in-law was the grandson of the Lin family. If he wasn't careful, the Lin family could use something against him, and his reputation would suffer.
"No need for that. Since she's plotting against me, I can do it myself. What she did today seems like a coincidence, but upon closer inspection, there are signs of planning everywhere. It's impossible for a woman from the inner quarters to do things without leaving any trace. I'll send someone to investigate her, and then I can make her suffer openly and honestly."
Seeing that Zhu Tao had an idea, Yunqi said, "That will work too."
Chang Mian returned to her residence, her heart filled with unease. If today's events were investigated closely, it would surely be clear that she was behind it all. Chang Mian couldn't deny it; she was afraid.
She wanted a good life, so when she heard that Zhu Tao treated her cousin like a precious jewel, she developed inappropriate thoughts, which quickly spiraled out of control. Now that things have come to this point, she is truly afraid and regretful, but there is no medicine for regret in this world!
Chang Mian didn't know what to do, so she told her aunt about what had happened that day. Her aunt was also surprised by the coincidence, and naturally, she had also participated in her daughter's plan.
It's only a matter of time before things come to light.
"There is only one way out now: quickly settle down with your husband's family. Also, those who participated today cannot stay. Your aunt will help you resolve this. You stay at home and keep the madam company. Your aunt will talk to your father about your marriage later."
After hearing her aunt's words, Chang Mian felt a little more at ease and was less afraid.
After returning to the manor, Zhu Tao did not hide anything from Yun Qing and briefly told her what had happened that day. When Yun Qing and Zhu Tao first learned that this was a conspiracy, they both broke out in a cold sweat.
Yun Qing felt utterly disgusted when she thought of her cousin Chang Mian.
It's really too much to be so eager to become someone's concubine.
"What's your opinion on this matter, sir?"
Yun Qing asked Zhu Tao for his opinion.
“I sent someone to investigate. Your brother said that your second aunt is not living a very good life in the mansion. Your second uncle dotes on your cousin’s aunt. Tell your second aunt what you found out and let them fight amongst themselves.”
Yun Qing said, "That's fine too."
After returning home, Yunxi was still angry and felt very frustrated, so she told Suochuoluo about it. Suochuoluo felt speechless about her cousin Changmian.
Suochuoluo couldn't understand why she would so eagerly become someone's concubine. If she had no choice, she could understand, but she knew that Changmian was still very favored in the mansion. Even though she was an illegitimate daughter, it would be easy for her to marry into a family with a respectable background.
"Is there anything I can do for you?"
Yunxi said, "My brother-in-law said he could handle it himself, but it's a matter for the inner quarters after all. If there's an opportunity, we should give Chang Mian a little warning."
Sochoro understood.
Chang Mian's aunt was indeed ruthless. Zhu Tao sent people to investigate, and in the end they did find out something, but the things they found were all trivial and not worth mentioning.
Chang Mian's marriage is about to be settled. Her reputation isn't very good, but her father loves her after all, and if he looks carefully, he can find a decent match for her. Of course, the other party's family background won't be very good.
After all, she was a concubine's daughter. In ancient times, it was important to marry someone of equal social standing. Her father found her a husband who was the youngest son of his colleague. He was not very old and was born out of wedlock, but he was good at studying. At seventeen, he had already become a scholar.
It was rare for a proper Manchu to be particularly good at studying, and it was not common for a Manchu scholar to be a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations) at the age of seventeen.
Of course, the other person's academic talent was not as good as Zhu Tao's, but it was better than some and worse than others. Chang Mian was unwilling, but she knew that this was her fate and she had to accept it.
Chang Mian's aunt said to her, "I've already inquired about everything for you. The husband your father found for you is quite good. I've met him; he's not bad-looking. Although he's born out of wedlock, he's ambitious and hardworking. His older brother is much older and not as good at studying as him. He's only seventeen now, which is quite promising for his age. He'll definitely achieve something in the future. Even if he can't compare to your cousin's husband, you'll still be his principal wife. You can make decisions about things in his household..."
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