Despite Qi Jingxuan's strict orders, the affair involving Consort Jiang was still widely discussed in the palace.
After General Xu learned of this, he actually had murderous intent and urgently dispatched his secret guards to assassinate Consort Jiang at Chengfu Palace. However, after the secret guards went around, they found that there was no such person as Consort Jiang at all.
It is said that he has now been assigned by the Emperor to the Suqing Palace.
That night, they made their way towards Suqing Palace in the dark.
"What should we do? It looks like we won't be able to finish this mission tonight."
"I just went over there to check, and it seems there's really no way to get there. Let's go back and report to our master."
"Be careful not to disturb others, what if we get caught?"
There were quite a few people guarding inside and outside the palace, which shows that the Emperor takes this matter quite seriously.
The guards ran around all night but had no chance to kill Jiang Meiren.
At this point, a bomb was planted in Xu Yuanzhang's heart. He didn't know when the emperor would throw him into prison or exterminate his entire Xu family.
Having no other option, Xu Yuanzhang went to his father, General Xu, and told him everything.
"Father, Father, are you asleep? No, Father, are you awake?" It was only the fourth watch of the night, but Xu Yuanzhang couldn't wait to come and find General Xu.
"Why are you up so early today, my son? Is something the matter?" General Xu looked outside and saw that it was still dark. Although he had just woken up, he had not yet gotten out of bed.
"Father, get up quickly, I have something important to discuss with you." Upon hearing this, General Xu hurriedly put on his clothes and went to his study.
"What's wrong? Tell me quickly. You're in such a hurry, coming to see me so early. It must be something important. What's wrong? Have you finally taken a fancy to some noble lady?"
Xu Yuanzhang immediately knelt down! "Father, I am unfilial. Please don't be angry after I finish speaking."
Upon hearing this, General Xu's expression turned serious. "Tell me slowly, I'll listen."
"Father, do you remember the woman I found in the brothel? Didn't I send her to the palace later?"
"Yes, why are we bringing up that woman again? She's already one of the Emperor's concubines, what more do you want?" General Xu sipped his tea casually, thinking it was some earth-shattering event. Turns out it's still about that woman. What has he been doing all these years? Why hasn't he thought about his own marriage? At his age, he's still searching everywhere for a virtuous and gentle wife.
She's pregnant.
"She's pregnant! This is wonderful news, especially since she came from our Xu family. The Emperor will surely reward us!"
Xu Yuanzhang shook his head, clenched his fists, mustered his courage, and finally said what he wanted to say. "Father, that child is mine."
"What? You unfilial son, what are you doing?"
General Xu was furious upon hearing this, and immediately flew into a rage. "My son, how have I taught you? How could you do such a thing? You've committed such a rebellious act! Your father has spent half his life fighting on the battlefield. You're going to ruin such a good reputation! What kind of thing have you done?"
"Father, please calm down! I originally wanted her to gain more favor with the Emperor so that she could speak up for our Xu family. That way, it would be more secure for you, Father, to win the position of Grand General." Xu Yuanzhang knelt on the ground and hurriedly began to explain his actions.
"I have my own ways of securing the position of Grand General. We generals earn our living through our abilities, how could you do such a despicable thing? I originally thought you had finally seen the light, that you felt that woman's status was unworthy of you, which is why you sent her to the palace. I never imagined you would have such thoughts. If someone must help our Xu family, it should be our Xu family's legitimate daughter. Look at how even the Minister of Personnel sent his own daughter to the palace. What's wrong with you now? Aren't you bringing shame to our Xu family?"
Xu Yuanzhang knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a single word, for at that moment he already knew. He had committed an unforgivable and heinous crime. The reason he had gotten up so early to tell his father was to ask him for a solution, for such a calamity might soon befall them.
"Father, Father, the most important thing now isn't to scold me. Since I've already made such a mistake, I need to find a way to make amends. It seems the Emperor has already sealed Consort Jiang away; he's probably going to investigate thoroughly. If it really comes back to me, what will happen to the Xu family?" Xu Yuanzhang grabbed his father's hand, pleading like a coward. He had always thought he had everything under control, that he had everything in his grasp. He never imagined things would get out of his control. That damned Consort Jiang was infuriating him.
General Xu raised his hand and punched Xu Anzhang. "You still care about our family's interests? When you committed these crimes, why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you ask for my opinion at all? You don't respect your old father at all, nor do you respect the entire Xu family. Look at what you've done, a grown man like you."
"Father, Father, what should we do now?" Xu Yuanzhang didn't want to argue with his father about right and wrong; he only wanted to discuss the issues that followed.
"Don't panic, stay calm. If Jiang Jinhua wanted to betray us, she would have already implicated you. But we haven't received any imperial decree yet, which proves she hasn't revealed you. I'll go check the situation again this morning during the morning court session, and then we'll take appropriate measures and make corresponding arrangements. If this situation really occurs, your life may be in danger." General Xu looked at his son with disappointment.
Having fought on the battlefield for so many years, decisive and ruthless, slaying countless enemies, he never imagined that his son would choose such dirty means to make him the Grand General.
"You should stay home and spend some quality time with your mother today. If the imperial decree arrives, you might not even get to see her."
Xu Yuanzhang nodded helplessly, looking at his elderly father's graying hair in the candlelight. He felt a pang of sadness in his heart.
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