Xiao Hezi's investigation revealed that one person was innocent, while the other was vaguely pointed to Hesheli in the backyard.
I thought this was something that would be easy to investigate thoroughly, but to my surprise, it became more and more complicated the more I investigated.
Further investigation revealed that Li Shi was also involved, and it seemed that the Fujin (the wife of the emperor) was also contributing to the scheme. Of course, some people in the inner quarters also played a role, seemingly working together to deal with her.
Jiaming looked at Xiao Hezi's report with some hesitation, "Do you really think it was their doing to disregard Master's warning and join forces against me? Or was it one of them?"
Before Xiao Hezi could answer, she suddenly thought of the Qing dynasty transmigrators outside the mansion. They had dealt with the Niohuru clan before, and might also see her as a thorn in their side. So, "Could it be that someone outside the mansion did it?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Hezi immediately thought it was impossible, since his master hadn't offended anyone outside. But upon closer examination, it seemed possible, since sometimes there are just a few idiots who would attack people for no reason.
However, the clues pointed to too many people, and it seemed highly likely that the people in the backyard had worked together to do it, but he still felt that something was wrong.
His intuition was usually quite accurate, so he tried his best to find more clues to deduce who was behind it all. However, he couldn't find any further clues for analysis, so he frowned and said helplessly, "The information I have found is limited, and I cannot deduce who did it for the time being."
Outside Taoyuan, the matter of Jiaming requesting a doctor caused quite a stir.
In the main courtyard, the Princess Consort sat at the head of the table, looking at the people below and asking, "Who did this?"
The servants below exclaimed in surprise, "You didn't do this together, Master?!"
"What?! Join forces?! How is that possible?!" The princess was shocked, her brows furrowed, and her face turned grim.
They had just been reprimanded and warned by the master for their previous collusion, so they wouldn't dare to do it again. Therefore, this was absolutely impossible.
Moreover, judging from what his subordinates said, he was clearly implicated. Who framed him?!
The thought of being framed successfully, coupled with the master's cold face and temper, made the princess's expression even more unpleasant. She was eager to know what had happened, "Tell me in detail what you found out!"
The subordinates immediately reported back, and what they said was similar to what Xiao Hezi had found.
When the Fujin heard that the matter truly involved Hesheli, Li, the other women in the inner quarters, and even herself, she knew that the situation was dangerous and that she had to immediately think of a way to extricate herself from the situation so that she would not be truly framed.
Compared to the Fujin (principal wife), the other women received the news later because of the prince's previous exploitation. They only learned of the situation after the prince returned from outside the mansion. The Fujin, however, found out before the prince and, being quite clever, quickly cleared herself of any wrongdoing, while the others suffered a tragic fate.
In the study in the front courtyard, the Fourth Prince, who had just heard Gao Wuyong's words from the garrison commander's residence, angrily smashed the teacup he was holding.
"It seems the lessons learned so far haven't been enough!"
His cold expression, coupled with the look of an impending storm in his eyes, and the chilling sensation of the "cold air," made Gao Wuyong involuntarily shrink his neck.
Although he followed his master around to relieve himself and had experienced many times when his master was angry and furious, he knew that his master's anger and fury were not directed at him, and that he would not be the target of his master's anger according to his temper, every time, he was still so terrified.
"Guards!" Fourth Master coldly summoned the head of the Imperial Guard and ordered, "Continue to purge everyone in the manor!"
After the leader of the Sticky Rod Office left to carry out his orders, Fourth Master looked out the window and sneered, "If one lesson isn't enough, then two will do. If that's still not enough, then I don't need to exist anymore. I don't lack women."
Then, he turned around, looked at Gao Wuyong, composed himself, and said, "Go to Peach Garden."
As soon as he finished speaking, he took the first step, and Gao Wuyong responded with a "Yes, sir!" and hurriedly followed.
By the time they arrived at Taoyuan, Jiaming and Xiao Hezi's conversation had already come to an end.
Looking at Jiaming's pale face, the Fourth Master's bad mood, which he had just suppressed, instantly surged up again.
Her anger was immediately vented on the people serving Jiaming in the room, "How do you serve your master? You didn't even know someone had taken advantage of you."
Everyone in the room turned pale, feeling that the Fourth Master in front of them was incredibly violent and terrifying. Except for Xiao Hezi, everyone began to tremble to varying degrees.
"So incompetent!" At this point, Xiao Hezi, who had performed even better, immediately stood out. Upon seeing him, the Fourth Master instantly remembered that Xiao Hezi was in charge of security at Peach Garden. His eyes, blazing with anger, glared at Xiao Hezi. "Hmph, is this how you take care of the Guarjia clan? So incompetent! Guards..."
Jiaming was in a panic when she was about to be severely punished. She hurriedly pleaded, "Master, this is not his fault. In the past, when he was in charge of Peach Courtyard, my place was always safe and sound. This time, the operation was too secretive and impossible to guard against. Moreover, he is my capable assistant, and my Peach Courtyard cannot do without his management."
After hearing Jiaming's words, Fourth Master recalled what Gao Wuyong had said earlier and knew that Jiaming's words made sense. However, mistakes cannot go unpunished.
Finally, the Fourth Master raised the cane high and brought it down gently, without even letting anyone hit him with the cane. He only fined him three months' wages, and the same applied to the others in Peach Courtyard.
Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Fourth Master's final verdict. Jiaming, in particular, felt guilty because she had only pretended to fall for the trap. She worried that Xiao Hezi and the others might be severely punished for her "pretending."
Inside the Peach Blossom Courtyard, the Fourth Prince was gently comforting Jiaming. Outside the courtyard, he was ruthlessly dealing with the people in the inner quarters, and apart from his wife, no one else was affected.
Only then did Li and the others realize that they had been framed for joining forces against Jiaming, and Fourth Master's men began to harvest Li and the others' subordinates once again.
The women, who had just finished being angry and anxious about being framed, all suffered from heart problems.
Damn it, the pitiful little bit of power I managed to retain has been hit again, and even the power I had just developed has been wiped out.
How can I not be heartbroken?!
How can I not be anxious?!
But there was no use in being anxious; the master seemed convinced that they had joined forces again to deal with the Guarjia clan.
If it were, then so be it, but it isn't!
Waaah, sir, you've wronged us! We really didn't do it.
Waaah, which bastard framed me? If I find out, I will definitely, absolutely, and certainly not let him off easily.
Otherwise, it would be difficult to quell the pain and resentment in my heart.
In Taoyuan, after Fourth Master left, Jiaming learned from Xiao Hezi that the master thought her illness was caused by the combined efforts of the women in the back courtyard, so he took action against the back courtyard again. She was overjoyed.
Although she also felt that this incident was not the work of the women in the backyard, regardless of the truth, she was happy to see her master tormenting the women in the backyard.
Of course, she didn't forget that the mastermind behind this hadn't been found out yet, so she would have Xiao Hezi continue the investigation.
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