"Madam, Li Si'er was publicly executed, Hesheli was divorced and returned home, Longkodo was confined to his home for life, Lord Tong Guowei resigned from his post, and Yue Xing'a was appointed as a bodyguard." Chen Mama summarized the fate of the Tong family, sighing, "This was half of the Tong family, and the collapse of the dynasty was just a matter of a moment."
Although Yi Hua was not present at the scene, several versions of the live recording have been circulating in the capital recently, much like scripted plays, and by piecing them together, one can get a general idea of what happened.
"It's only because of the Tong family that this happened. Otherwise, if someone else had tried to deceive the emperor, exterminating their entire clan would have been the least of their worries." Yi Hua remarked on Kangxi's trust and pity for the Tong family, or rather, for Tong Guowei.
In the end, they even gave the eldest son of this generation, Yue Xing'a, a proper birth, which was clearly a message to the people in the capital.
The Tong family has fallen, but no one should step on them!
Granny Chen was a little worried. She leaned closer and whispered, "Madam, should we close our jewelry shop for a few days?"
"Why should it be shut down?" Yi Hua asked rhetorically.
"Manager Fan from over there has come over a few times recently. Someone is eyeing her shop, and I feel a bit uneasy about it."
“Just keep it running normally. One reason is to make money, and the other is that if we shut it down now, it would be telling the people monitoring us that we have something to hide.” Yi Hua took a walk after dinner to digest her food. “Since no one has been arrested yet, it means there is no actual evidence, so don’t panic.”
"Besides, that shop isn't mine. If Manager Fan thinks my idea is bad, let her ask the owner herself." Yi Hua was in a good mood and instructed, "From now on, cut off all contact with this shop. Originally, we were just consultants."
"yes."
The owner behind such a profitable shop in a prime location in Beijing must be quite extraordinary.
This shop was actually opened by Consort Dong'e, wife of Prince Cheng. Yi Hua, bored, provided Consort Dong'e with some novel ideas and some scarcity marketing tactics that she had seen many times in her previous life.
Although it was still very inexperienced, it was the first time someone had tried selling like this here, and sure enough, they made money.
Yi Hua only valued the shop's location and used her family's influence to bribe the maidservant by Princess Yu's side, ensuring that Princess Yu could meet Hesheli. That would make the matter half-complete.
As for the other half, it depends on how much Yue Xing'a wants to save his mother.
Fortunately, the result was good. Yihua was tired from walking, so she sat in the pavilion to enjoy the breeze.
Granny Chen was still a little scared: "Madam, our Fourth Prince just had a quarrel with the Tong family, and now such a big thing has happened to the Tong family. Do you think people will think that we did it?"
“It was us who did it in the first place.” Yi Hua took a bite of grape. “The premise is that they themselves were not upright. If Li Si’er had died earlier, today, to put it bluntly, Longkodo’s crime is just favoring his concubine over his wife and failing to manage his household properly. He would be lucky to be demoted.”
“They left such a fatal weakness, don’t blame us for being hit where it hurts.” Yi Hua’s expression gradually turned cold. “Hong Hui is my life. I was powerless against the last one who dared to lay a hand on Hong Hui, but I can try this one.”
"Look, Granny, overthrowing Tong Banchao isn't as difficult as you might think."
"But what about the master?"
Yi Hua shook her head: "The movements in our Prince's mansion cannot be hidden from the master's eyes. Since he has not said anything, it means he has tacitly approved it."
"Maybe it will even make things easier for us. Otherwise, how could we possibly make Princess Yu's personal maidservant so devoted to us with just a few hundred taels of silver?"
Yi Hua felt a bit hot and turned back: "Let's keep a low profile for now and not go out of the manor. If we report to the Empress, she'll say that my pregnancy is not going well and the physician says I need to rest. We'll go to pay our respects to the Empress once I can get out of bed."
******
After giving her audience with the emperor, Hesheli fainted. The emperor ordered her to be carried to the Crown Prince's Yuqing Palace.
Yue Xing'a waited there and saw his mother being carried back covered in blood. He was heartbroken and knelt before her bed, speechless for a long time.
The imperial physician examined her carefully and shook his head: "Your Highness, the physical injuries of this princess are not too serious. However, there are two more critical issues. One is the scar on her face, which is a mix of old and new wounds. I can only do my best to fade the marks. The other is her Achilles tendon. Once severed, it can never be reattached, and this princess will have to use a wheelchair in the future."
"Prescribe the medicine." The Crown Prince felt great sympathy for his aunt's plight. He, too, had the blood of the Hesheli clan. The Tong family dared to treat the Hesheli clan in this way; they must have had the audacity of a bear and a leopard!
It's outrageous that the Emperor has been deceived by treacherous people, and such a serious crime has been raised high but then lightly dismissed.
If it hadn't happened so suddenly, and if the news hadn't spread so widely among the common people, the Tong family probably wouldn't have suffered any serious damage; after all, it would have just been a woman in the inner quarters who lost her life.
Hesheli was badly injured. She was awakened by the pain and saw her son kneeling in front of her bed. She smiled with relief.
She finally saw her son again, something she thought she would never see again in her lifetime.
Upon hearing the noise, Yue Xing'a immediately looked up, his eyes filled with tears: "Mother, it's all my fault. I insisted on leaving the capital to study, and I had no idea about your situation at home. Fortunately, the Emperor's grace is boundless, you are free, and the wicked have been punished."
Hesheli wanted to lift her head and touch Yuexing'a's head, but after trying twice and failing, she gave up.
Yue Xing'a leaned closer and rubbed his face against his mother's hand, feeling not delicate skin but fine, dense scratches.
“Good child, no one can stand in your way now. I have avenged my great grudge and fulfilled my wish.” Hesheli said haltingly, “The Tong family will not let me go. Although they dare not cause you any harm for the time being, we must be on guard!”
"Remember, trust no one." Hesheli finished speaking with all her might and then fainted again.
Yue Xing'a was heartbroken but powerless. The Crown Prince couldn't bear it and patted him on the shoulder: "Don't worry, the imperial physician is here, everything will be alright."
Crown Prince Yue Xing kowtowed and said, "Your subject thanks Your Highness for your protection."
"That's a long way off." The Crown Prince knew that his father would definitely give this person an important position in the future, so he was very kind. "Although my aunt is a woman, her integrity and character are no less than those of a man, and I admire her very much. Don't worry, my aunt is recuperating here in Yuqing Palace, and she won't be able to find anyone or anything outside."
"But what your aunt said just now is very true. You must be careful when you return to the Tong family. Your grandfather is alright, but the key is your father."
Upon hearing Longkodo's name, Yue Xing'a's expression turned sinister and furious: "He is not worthy to be my father!"
"Be careful what you say!" The Crown Prince frowned. "After all, it is a matter of father and son. I will pretend I didn't hear such words. Just keep it to yourself."
"Your Highness, once Mother is feeling better, I would like to take her to live separately in her own residence."
"Everything is subject to change; the key lies in your standing in Father Emperor's heart." The Crown Prince pointed out a clear path: "The Emperor's favor is the most important!"
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