She reported in her usual concise and clear manner: "Chu Lingyu was attacked in the alley this afternoon when he was leaving the government office. The attacker must have hit him hard on the waist. The Chu family has already invited famous doctors in Beijing, and they all said that his waist was broken and he would probably be paralyzed for the rest of his life."

"Cheng Linhua said that the perpetrators were most likely Haoren."

"Haoren?" Chu Qianchen raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Jiang Yuan explained: "This method of breaking people's waists is very similar to the torture methods used by the Nanhao people to extract confessions."

Chu Qianchen was thoughtful and thought of someone——

Chu Qianhuang! "Is she doing this for Chu Lingxiao?" Chu Qianchen whispered to himself.

Could it be that Chu Qianhuang was afraid that she would have no one to rely on after going to Hao Kingdom, so she used this method to help Chu Lingxiao get the title?

No, that's not quite right.

Chu Qianchen always felt that this reason was a bit unreasonable.

She did not specifically send anyone to keep an eye on Chu Qianhuang, but she still had some understanding of Chu Qianhuang. Chu Qianhuang was a person who was eager for quick success and instant benefits. Everything she did was for her own benefit, and she put herself first in everything.

Chu Qianhuang probably had no feelings for Chu Lingxiao, so when she let Chu Yunyi earn the credit for protecting the emperor, she only saved the title of Marquis, but never thought of bringing Chu Lingxiao back from Youzhou.

With Chu Qianhuang's intelligence, she probably wouldn't believe that Chu Lingxiao's coldness would give her any support.

Therefore, Chu Qianhuang should not take the initiative to get involved in this matter.

So, what was Chu Qianhuang doing this for?

Chu Qianchen was in deep thought while Gu Jue was peeling pine nuts and feeding them into Chu Qianchen's mouth.

Without the need for the two masters to say anything, Jiang Yuan wisely retreated on his own. The door curtain was raised and lowered again, and there was no sound from beginning to end, and it didn't even shake.

Chu Qianchen bit the fragrant, crispy and sweet pine nuts, tilting his face in thought.

Gu Jue fed her another pine nut, and his fingertips caressed her soft lips, and asked in a persuasive manner: "Who do you think will benefit from this?"

Benefit? Chu Qianchen's thoughts raced, the beneficiary would definitely not be Chu Lingxiao.

Suddenly, as if a thunderbolt had struck her heart, her mind became clear, and she thought of another person who was closely related to this matter, and blurted out: "Brother Yi?"

Gu Jue smiled slightly, without stopping his hands, and continued to peel the pine nuts slowly and leisurely.

His fingers were strong, and he didn't need to use his fingernails. With a gentle pinch, the pine nut shell was split in half, revealing the milky white pine kernel inside, which was plump and shiny.

After Gu Jue’s reminder, Chu Qianchen instantly felt that the whole matter became clear.

So that's how it is! Chu Lingyu is now in a state of half-life, and Chu Lingxiao is guilty, so the title can no longer be given to Chu Lingxiao. After Shen divorces Chu Lingxiao and takes Chu Yunmu away from the Chu family, the title can only be passed on to Chu Yunyi.

Moreover, Chu Lingyu had wanted to plot against Chu Yunyi before, but Chu Qianhuang's actions not only benefited Chu Yunyi, but also helped Chu Yunyi get revenge.

When you think about it this way, everything from cause to effect is very reasonable and seems to make sense.

However, Chu Qianchen narrowed her eyes. She really didn’t think that Chu Qianhuang would go to this extent for Chu Yunyi.

unless……

Chu Qianchen opened her mouth slightly and wanted to speak, but at this moment, another pine nut was stuffed into her mouth. She subconsciously tried to bite it, but accidentally bit Gu Jue's fingertips and froze immediately.

Time seemed to stop for a moment.

Gu Jue slowly withdrew his hand, and Chu Qianchen clearly saw a shallow tooth mark left on the tip of his middle finger.

She silently took out a handkerchief and wiped his fingertips, then peeled a pine nut for him in a flattering manner and fed it to him, saying something else: "It was Aunt Jiang who asked Chu Qianhuang to do this, right?"

She used an affirmative tone.

Chu Qianchen almost figured out the key.

Aunt Jiang always likes to show weakness. Whether facing Chu Lingxiao or other people, she always uses this method to achieve her goals. Chu Qianhuang always falls for Aunt Jiang's tricks, so it should be Aunt Jiang who instigated Chu Qianhuang to do this.

It is easy to imagine why Aunt Jiang did this. Chu Yunyi is her only son. Once she knew that Chu Lingyu wanted to plot against Chu Yunyi, it would be impossible for her not to hate him in her heart.

Chu Qianchen peeled another pine nut, and a slight "crackling" sound was heard when the pine nut shell cracked.

She felt as if a small stone had gently fallen into the lake of her heart, touching something...

Her instincts told her something was wrong.

Since Aunt Jiang instigated Chu Qianhuang to do this, it means that she knew Chu Qianhuang had this ability, so she should know that Chu Qianhuang had reached some kind of agreement with Hao Ren.

Judging from the result of this incident, Chu Qianhuang must have paid a "price" for asking Haoren for help, but she herself did not gain any benefit at all, and the beneficiary was Chu Yunyi.

According to Chu Qianchen's understanding of Aunt Jiang, when Aunt Jiang begged Chu Qianhuang, she just cried at most, and then said something vague like Chu Yunyi Chengjue could support Chu Qianhuang.

In fact, this kind of thing is very common. Chu Qianchen has seen and heard countless of it in his previous life.

Among the people, there are countless parents who sell their daughters in order to find wives and seek a future for their children and grandchildren. On the one hand, they suck their daughters' blood, and on the other hand, they wish they could trample them into the dust.

However, it is different for noble families like theirs. Although they value sons more than daughters, daughters are also precious. A daughter who is married off is not just water spilled, but a marriage is a bond between two families.

With Aunt Jiang's knowledge, it is impossible for her not to understand this.

However, she used such despicable means to take advantage of Chu Qianhuang and sucked Chu Qianhuang's blood to feed Chu Yunyi.

This method of hers seemed familiar to Chu Qianchen.

Yes, it's so familiar. This is exactly the same method that Aunt Jiang used on me in the past...

But, isn't Chu Qianhuang Aunt Jiang's biological daughter? !

Could it be that Aunt Jiang has also discovered that Chu Qianhuang has become a different person? Or maybe it’s because Chu Qianhuang was not raised by Aunt Jiang since childhood?

Chu Qianchen was immersed in her own thoughts and her fingers stopped moving. The next moment, Gu Jue leaned over and bit the pine nut on her fingertips.

She froze, and felt as if his teeth were biting lightly on her fingertips. Was it her illusion?

Chu Qianchen's fingers paused there and froze.

Gu Jue answered her doubts with practical actions. He took the handkerchief she had just used and wiped her fingertips gently, slowly and methodically.

She felt as if a burning heat spread from her fingertips to her heart, and then her heartbeat quickened.

Inexplicably, she thought of a saying: The fingers are connected to the heart.

Chu Qianchen suddenly had an urge to bite his fingertips...

Is she a dog?

Chu Qianchen silently shook his head in his heart, shaking off this strange impulse, and continued to talk about business: "I found that Aunt Jiang treats Chu Qianhuang and Brother Yi differently."

Chu Qianchen was certain that Aunt Jiang was truly sincere to Chu Yunyi and had the heart of a loving mother, but as for the way Aunt Jiang treated Chu Qianhuang, Chu Qianchen always felt that something was odd.

At this moment, Gu Jue's cold voice came from above his head: "Do you think there may be other hidden secrets between you and her?"

His words were like a wake-up call, instantly enlightening Chu Qianchen.

Obviously, the mystery of her and Chu Qianhuang's life experience has been revealed, but Chu Qianchen had vaguely felt that something was wrong before, but couldn't put it into words, just like a lost traveler who thought he saw an oasis, only to find out when he got closer that what was in front of him was just a mirage.

Now after hearing what Gu Jue said, Chu Qianchen felt suddenly enlightened.

Yes.

Aunt Jiang has no true feelings for Chu Qianhuang.

Aunt Jiang only acted like a loving mother on the day the "truth" was revealed, but what she is actually doing now is completely unlike that.

Looking back at Chu Qianhuang's growth, Aunt Jiang didn't have anything special to do with her. She didn't show any pity or helplessness...

"Could it be that Chu Qianhuang wasn't her daughter either, but Chu Lingxiao's... or she picked her up from somewhere?" Chu Qianchen speculated uncertainly.

After she said this, she thought about it again and felt that it was not impossible.

Chu Qianchen couldn't help but look up at Gu Jue, wanting to ask him if her guess was too absurd and if it was because she was concerned about him.

Gu Jue gently stroked her unconsciously knitted brows, kissed her brows lightly, and said, "If you want to know, I'll have someone check it out."

What this sentence means is that it is not impossible.

Chu Qianchen lowered his eyes and thought about it again. Gu Jue said this because he also felt that something was wrong and that this matter was worth investigating, not because she was overthinking.

"Okay." She nodded, pursing her cherry lips.

In fact, this incident happened so many years ago, and Chu Qianchen no longer cares about the truth. No matter what Chu Qianhuang's background is, it cannot change what she has done, nor will it change Chu Qianchen's attitude towards her.

But Chu Qianchen knew that the Shen family would definitely care about Chu Qianhuang's background.

If you can check, it’s better to check it clearly.

This is also an explanation to Shen, so that she can leave the Chu family with ease and no more worries.

Chu Qianchen ordered Gu Jue to continue peeling pine nuts for her, while she went to make tea for the two of them.

After a while, the aroma of tea filled the air.

At this time, the sky outside began to darken, the sun set in the west, and the rosy glow spread down, covering everything with a layer of golden gauze like a cicada's wing.

Chu Qianchen said: "I have to go out tomorrow morning, but I will be back early...well, I will bring you something delicious."

"..." Gu Jue raised his eyebrows. Was his little girl's tone coaxing a child?

As soon as she finished speaking, she shook her head: "No, let's not alert the enemy."

In Chu Qianchen's opinion, Aunt Jiang is more scheming than Chu Lingxiao, and is better at forbearance. She can hide a secret for more than ten years. This is no longer a secret, but her life.

Gu Jue didn't say anything, obviously agreeing with this.

Gu Jue always took Chu Qianchen's affairs to heart, and immediately gave an order for someone to investigate.

That evening, the palace sent out three groups of people: one group went to the hometown of Yuzhou where Aunt Jiang gave birth, one group went to the temple on the road where Shen gave birth, and another group went to look for Chu Qianchen's wet nurse and the old people who were still alive around Aunt Jiang.

Chu Qianchen also knew that there would be no news for a while, so she was not in a hurry. That night, she went to bed early and slept well, without any dreams.

The next morning, she got up early and went to Duke Mu's Mansion to meet Shen and the others.

Nanny Chen had already counted all of Shen's dowry. They should have come a few days ago, but Shen wanted to see the internal fighting in the Chu family. She thought that if she went too early, the Chu family might unite to "face the outside world", so she waited a few more days reluctantly. Now that she saw that the fight between brothers Chu Lingxiao and Chu Lingyu was almost over, she no longer waited.

The group arrived at the Yongding Marquis' Mansion at the beginning of the morning. Nanny Chen compared the dowry list and ordered people to move the dowry away piece by piece.

Shen's dowry was quite a lot. When it was carried out piece by piece, it immediately attracted the attention of many passers-by. They didn't know what was going on, so they curiously poked their heads around the gate and whispered to each other.

When one third of the dowry had been moved, the lady-in-waiting got the news and hurried over. She was so anxious that when she reached the ceremonial gate, she was already out of breath, with thin beads of sweat on her forehead.

Originally, the lady could have ordered her servants to stop them by force, but the people who came to move the dowry today were the wife of Duke Mu and Chu Qianchen.

When the lady found out that Shen didn't come today, she was disappointed. She could still show her authority as a mother-in-law to Shen, but she had no way to deal with the wife of Duke Mu.

She could only try to put on a smile and said, "My dear relatives, Ling Xiao and Azhi just had a little conflict. As the saying goes, there is still a time when teeth and tongue collide. How could they get to this point?!"

The Madam said what was in her heart. She had always thought that Shen was just talking and deliberately used this to threaten and control the Chu family. After all, Chu Yunyi was not Shen's biological child. Was it worth it to go to this extent for Chu Yunyi? !

Chu Yunmu is the legitimate son of the Chu family. He should have inherited the title. Once Shen and Chu Lingxiao divorced, Chu Yunmu's position would be awkward. Divorce would do more harm than good to Shen and her son! !

However, Shen didn't know if it was because of a demon or not, but things had come to this point.

What's even more outrageous is that not only Shen was acting stupidly, but all the Shen family members followed her in acting stupidly.

The old lady couldn't figure it out. Sometimes she lowered her posture and spoke soft words, promising to open the ancestral hall immediately and register Chu Qianchen under the name of Shen family; sometimes she spoke hard words in a threatening tone, using Chu Yunmu to threaten the wife of Duke Mu.

The old lady tried to persuade the wife of Duke Mu with both soft and hard tactics, but the wife of Duke Mu seemed to hear nothing. She glanced coldly at the old lady's face and was too lazy to say a word to her for fear of dirtying her own mouth.

Lady Mu simply told the servants, "Keep moving."

An old woman in a rust-colored jacket bowed with a smile and accepted the order, pointing fingers at the servants who were moving the boxes: "You two, be careful, there are porcelains in here."

"The lid of this box is not closed yet. Put the box down first and then put it in order."

"Take these boxes to the carriage at the back."

“…”

Seeing the dowry being carried out box by box, the lady was extremely anxious and heartbroken at the same time, feeling as if something that belonged to her was being taken away by someone.

She was really panicked and blocked the gate, trying to use her body to stop those people from carrying away the dowry.

When Shen brought Chu Yunmu back to her parents' home, the lady did not panic. She thought Shen just wanted to calm down. She had stayed at her parents' home for a short time before.

However, now that Duke Mu's Mansion has moved all of Shen's dowry away, the meaning is different. It means that Shen is determined and she will never come back.

There are so many eyes watching in the capital. As long as Shen's dowry is moved away today, the matter will be known to everyone in the streets tomorrow. By then, it will be even more impossible for Duke Mu's Mansion to change its mind. Everyone knows that Duke Mu has always been a man of his word and will not change his mind overnight.

The more the lady thought about it, the more panicked she became. Cold sweat broke out from the back of her neck to her back. The sweat soaked her middle clothes and made her feel cold all over.

Originally, the matter of her second son being beaten and paralyzed had already made the lady very anxious. She had not slept all night last night and was now tired, flustered, and had a severe headache.

Outside the mansion, more and more people gathered to watch the fun; inside the mansion, the second, third and other branches also heard the news and came, watching the developments from a distance.

For the other families, what Shen moved away was her dowry, and whether she divorced Chu Lingxiao was none of their business, so no one stepped forward to persuade them.

Now, except for the injured Chu Lingyu, all the men in the mansion were gone. The old lady was really helpless. She gritted her teeth and ordered the servants, "Quick, go and ask the clan leader and the elders to come and persuade them, and then ask the eldest master to come back."

The lady told herself that as long as Chu Lingxiao was willing to admit his mistake to the wife of Duke Mu, there would definitely be room for things to turn around.

Chu Qianchen, who was standing next to the wife of Duke Mu, silently gestured to Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan understood immediately, and stepped forward swiftly, saying, "Madam, you don't look well. Let me help you sit down."

The maidservant beside the lady didn't want Jiang Yuan to get close to her, but Jiang Yuan acted as fast as lightning. He grabbed the maid's arm and pulled her away easily.

Then, Jiang Yuan took over the empty seat and "gently" supported the old lady. She brushed her sleeve lightly under the old lady's nose. The old lady only smelled a strange fragrance, and then her limbs became weak, as if her bones were pulled out.

The lady wanted to open her mouth, but she didn't even have the strength to do so. She could only be "helped" to sit down, leaning weakly against the back of the chair.

"..." The old lady glared at Chu Qianchen almost viciously. At this moment, all her anger was directed at Chu Qianchen.

It's her, it's all her!

She came from her previous life to collect debts from the Chu family, and she was determined to cause unrest in the Chu family.

The lady wanted to curse, but she couldn't utter a word, and veins on her neck appeared from anger.

Without the "stumbling block" of the lady dowager, the servants of Duke Mu's mansion moved the dowry more smoothly and continued to move it out of the gate box by box.

At the same time, the servants of the Chu family wanted to go out to find the clan leader and elders, but the palace guards brought by Chu Qianchen had already guarded the doors of the Marquis' Mansion and did not allow anyone to enter or leave, surrounding the Marquis' Mansion like an iron barrel.

Chu Qianchen was not afraid of either the patriarch of the Chu family or Chu Lingxiao, she was just too lazy to deal with them. It was conceivable that if these people came after hearing the news, they would definitely try to persuade and stop them, and would talk about endless principles, rules and etiquette, which would simply waste their time.

It's better like this now, so quiet! Chu Qianchen was very leisurely, and smiled and asked the wife of Duke Mu to sit down. Amber served the snacks prepared in advance and took tea from the red wheel cart, as if they were here to watch a show.

Chu Qianchen didn't care about other people. As long as they didn't block the way, she didn't care if they saw her.

Most of the Chu family members watching nearby were servants from each room. Some of them watched for a while and then ran to their master's yard. People were coming and going.

Under a paulownia tree a few feet away, a slender and weak figure stood in the chaotic crowd, silently watching them move the dowry. There were also many people around who looked at her from time to time and whispered silently.

The head maid asked cautiously, "Auntie, I think the Madam seems..."

Aunt Jiang glanced at them lightly, and the maidservant tactfully shut her mouth.

Aunt Jiang stroked her sleeves. The silk material beneath her fingers was smooth and soft. As her sleeves swayed, the jade bracelet on her wrist was revealed, making her wrist look slender.

She curled her lips slightly and looked towards the gate, looking at the boxes of heavy dowry.

She fought with Shen Zhi for fifteen years, and finally she won.

She clenched the handkerchief in her hands, her eyes were unusually bright and lively, the joy in her eyes could not be concealed, and there was a hint of malice in her joy.

The next moment, Chu Qianchen raised his eyes and looked towards Aunt Jiang, and their gazes met quietly in mid-air.

Aunt Jiang's pupils shrank slightly and her eyelashes trembled slightly.

She bit her lower lip, lowered her eyes, and returned to her usual pitiful look, so delicate that it seemed as if she would break if someone touched her lightly.

Chu Qianchen saw the malice in Aunt Jiang's eyes and his eyebrows twitched slightly.

The biggest beneficiary of Shen and Chu Lingxiao's divorce is Aunt Jiang, who has been looking forward to this day for a very long time.

Chu Qianchen picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea. When she looked at Aunt Jiang again, she found another familiar figure beside Aunt Jiang.

The tall and slender girl was wearing a bright red cloak, her black hair was tied into double buns, and she wore a pair of red gold butterfly beads inlaid with rubies. As the girl tilted her head, the butterfly wings like cicada wings trembled gently, making the girl's bright eyes shine.

The young girl in her prime is like a red camellia bathed in the morning light, gorgeous as fire, elegant and beautiful.

She was graceful and composed, which formed a sharp contrast with Aunt Jiang's weak and pitiful demeanor.

"Aunt," Chu Qianhuang held Aunt Jiang's arm affectionately and whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "After father and 'her' are divorced, I will find a way to make father marry you."

Although there has never been a saying of making concubines the legal wife in noble families, it is not absolute. For example, there was a case in the previous dynasty. A great general named Zhu Jin was born out of wedlock. He fought for decades and made great contributions to the country. The emperor of the previous dynasty at that time wanted to confer a title on him, but he chose to confer a title on his biological mother because his stepmother had passed away. So his father simply made Zhu Jin's biological mother the legal wife, and this became a good story.

This is how the world works. As long as a person has enough strength, he can change his own destiny and even the destiny of his family.

She believed that with her ability, she would be able to make Chu Lingxiao and the lady compromise.

Chu Qianhuang personally helped Aunt Jiang gather her cloak, his eyes swept over her rough fingers, and said, "Aunt, don't worry, I won't let you suffer."

"Sister Huang..." Aunt Jiang looked at Chu Qianhuang with emotion. A thin layer of tears appeared in her eyes again and her cherry lips trembled slightly.

The mother and daughter are very affectionate and have a deep love for each other.

Chu Qianchen watched this scene coldly, her eyes flashed, and when she thought of the speculation between her and Gu Jue, her face remained expressionless.

This scene also fell into the eyes of the wife of Duke Mu.

Lady Mu sighed inwardly, and quickly withdrew her gaze, never looking at Chu Qianhuang again. If it's not yours, you can't force it.

Lady Mu turned to look at Chu Qianchen, a kind smile on her face again, and said, "It will take another hour, it should be almost done."

Chu Qianchen smiled and said, "Take your time. The sun is nice today, grandma. It would be nice for us to bask in the sun and drink some tea here."

While Chu Qianchen was speaking, he also exchanged glances with Jiang Yuan tacitly.

Jiang Yuan nodded slightly, meaning that the effect of the tendon softening powder used on the lady should be enough.

(End of this chapter)