Chapter 185 [VIP]
The tabby cat lazily yawned on the stone table, strolled over with leisurely steps, sniffed at Xiangyang, then turned its head away, showing no interest in him, and pointed its tail at him.
Gu Zhizhuo asked Xiangyang to sit down and handed him a glass of warm water.
It's almost October, and it's quite cold to make the round trip.
"Sit down and talk."
Xiangyang didn't stand on ceremony and sat down across the stone table, secretly using his pinky to hook the cat's tail.
"That manor is south of the capital, off the main road, and there are no villages or towns nearby. Even hunters wouldn't go in that direction."
It's really tough for Xiangyang to keep up.
After all, there was no one else around except for the Prince of Jin. Even if he followed far behind, the Prince of Jin would notice him as soon as he turned around.
"...Later, I saw that he was going further and further astray, so I pretended to ask for directions and caught up with him, and then sprinkled something on the Prince of Jin. He was on guard at the time, and only noticed that I had left first."
"Meow."
Gu Zhizhuo stroked the cat's chin and smiled, "Prince Jin is indeed a very cautious man."
She had someone keep an eye on Prince Jin for several months, but he never went there once.
Later, when the Eastern Depot was sealed off, she asked Shen Xu to secretly investigate. There was no secret room in the Prince of Jin's mansion, which made Gu Zhizhuo even more certain that such a place existed outside the city.
The King of Jin remained unmoved.
Gu Zhizhuo had no choice but to force him to act.
Just then, the Prince of Jin and the Duke of Chengen's family were about to get married, so she decided to stir up trouble.
The Prince of Jin was tempted.
That's true. Even if reason tells him that he wouldn't be so kind, when the only way out is right in front of him, anyone would be tempted to take advantage of it.
She chuckled softly, her eyes crinkling with delight. Xiangyang put down his half-finished water glass and asked curiously, "Young lady, what are you laughing at?"
"The Duke of Cheng'en certainly didn't agree to marry himself off to Xie Qiyun..." She couldn't help but laugh as she said this. "Xie Qiyun is probably nearing his end. The Prince of Jin is eager to find something to hold against the Duke of Cheng'en and force him to agree."
When Gu Zhizhuo last saw Xie Qiyun, he had already divined that Xie Qiyun was full of death energy and would not live for more than a month.
How can it be so much fun!
She leaned against the balustrade, her feet dangling in the air beneath her silk skirt, swaying back and forth: "Go on."
The cat washed its paws in his cup, then shook off the water droplets, splashing water all over his face.
Xiangyang was delighted and pushed the water cup towards it, smiling brightly: "When Prince Jin was inside, only the old steward was guarding outside. After Prince Jin left, I quietly approached. It seems that none of the servants in the manor can speak; they are mute servants. These mute servants are scattered around the manor, seemingly casual, but each one is always staring in a different direction. Anyone passing by the manor cannot escape their eyes."
"I also discovered that the room was filled with kerosene around the perimeter, and there were candles and flint inside, almost within reach. The manager must be a skilled fighter, with sharp ears and eyes. I almost found him, but to avoid alerting him, I returned first."
Gu Zhizhuo tapped the tabletop lightly with his fingertips.
The mute servants were there to ensure that no one would leak the secret; Gu Zhizhuo guessed that they were most likely illiterate as well.
The steward was a skilled fighter and should be considered a suicide squad member; the Prince of Jin clearly trusted him the most.
As for the kerosene, candles, and flint, they were just in case; if someone forced their way in, a single fire could easily burn everything that needed to be burned.
Gu Zhizhuo was still unsure what the Prince of Jin had hidden. If there really was an imperial edict left by the late emperor, it would not withstand the test of fire.
We should not act rashly for the time being.
She asked, "Has the Prince of Jin returned to his residence yet?"
"yes."
Xiangyang deliberately lagged behind, and only when they were almost at the capital and the official road was crowded did he blend into the crowd and enter the city, following Prince Jin back to his residence.
"I waited for half an hour, but the Prince of Jin did not come out again."
It seems there isn't enough leverage, which surprised Gu Zhizhuo somewhat.
If it's her, and she doesn't have any leverage, then she'll have to create one, and Prince Jin would probably do the same. Time is of the essence, and there shouldn't be many things in court he can use...
Xiangyang tossed a walnut to the ground. The walnut rolled away, and the cat's eyes widened. It pounced off the stone table.
Gu Zhizhuo took out his compass, cast three hexagrams in succession, and when he looked up, Xiangyang was already sitting on the ground, the two of them having a great time.
"When you get back, tell the young master about this."
"yes."
Xiangyang jumped up and looked at the cat several times with reluctance.
They came in a hurry, and they left in a hurry.
Gu Zhizhuo had a horse prepared and went out to the residence of the Princess of Fu'an County.
For two days in a row, the Prince of Jin made no move.
Gu Zhizhuo wasn't in a hurry. He simply had someone secretly spread the news that the Prince of Jin's heir was dying. Many people in Sanliting had seen the Prince of Jin's strange illness, so no one was surprised.
Following closely behind, the Prince of Jin's mansion made a grand gesture by sending out betrothal invitations to the Duke of Cheng'en's mansion, setting the wedding date for the third day of the tenth month, just four days away.
This situation puts people in a dilemma: should they prepare wedding gifts first, or should they also prepare funeral arrangements at the same time?
The Prince of Jin's mansion was filled with joy and decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers.
The atmosphere at the Duke of Chengen's mansion was clearly not lively; it was as if a funeral was about to take place. After the Prince of Jin's betrothal gifts were delivered, Sun Nian hid in his own courtyard and never came out again.
Lady Chengen sat directly opposite her husband, wiping away tears. Her eyes were red and swollen, as if they were stained with blood.
Why.
"My lady, you must understand that now we absolutely must tie Prince Jin to our family."
"If His Highness the Third Prince does not ascend the throne, our Sun family's good days will be over."
"You should also think about your son."
"No matter what, the Prince of Jin's mansion is still a prince's mansion. Nian'er won't suffer if she marries there."
It's unclear whether these words were meant to persuade the other person or to persuade himself.
After rambling on and on, the Duke of Cheng'en couldn't bear to face the resentment that was about to well up in his wife's eyes. He said dryly, "Give Nian'er another 100,000 taels for her treasure chest," and left quickly.
As he left, a suppressed, almost unbearable sob rose from behind.
The Duke of Cheng'en fled in disarray.
During his escape, he encountered his favorite concubine, whom he had always been favored, in the courtyard.
The concubine coaxed him into her room and poured him several cups of wine, making him a little dizzy. She leaned over him and said sweetly, "My lord, do you know who I met when I went out today?"
who?
“Princess of Fu’an County! Your Excellency, you must have seen her before.”
"Oh." Upon hearing this, Duke Cheng'en became interested: "You've met me, sir?"
The court had been speculating about the identity of the Lady of Fu'an County for several days. They initially thought that an ordinary county princess's background could be uncovered in a few days. However, she was on good terms with Miss Gu, who was clearly backing her up. Even if they inquired, they couldn't go too far, so until now, apart from the name "Lady Yin," there was no other information.
Duke Cheng'en urged, "Tell me quickly."
"That's the Lady Gui, who's so skilled at playing the pipa! The Grand Madam invited her to her birthday banquet, don't you remember?"
Lady Gui was quite famous in the capital. She was a master of the pipa, and her skill in playing the instrument was so exceptional that she could rival any other courtesan.
"Is it really her?" Duke Cheng'en asked, still somewhat doubtful.
"My lord, it's true." The concubine leaned against him, her voice tinged with bitterness. "I would never mistake her. You always praised Lady Gui's captivating peach blossom eyes, and said that if her face hadn't been ruined, you would definitely have taken her into your household and kept her as a mistress. I recognized her at a glance. I heard someone call her the county princess, so I secretly followed them. She entered the gate of the Fu'an County Princess's mansion."
Duke Cheng'en slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "Does Xie Yingchen know anything about propriety and shame? He bestows the title of county princess upon a lowly courtesan. Doesn't he feel ashamed?"
"Hehe, no wonder the Lady of Fu'an County didn't dare to leave her house after being conferred the title. There are so many people in the capital who have heard her sing, how could she dare to show her face in public!"
A mere courtesan is expected to be on equal footing with princes and nobles?
This is outrageous!
Cheng'en Gong slammed his hand on the octagonal table, splashing wine all over it.
"Master."
His favorite concubine brought the wine cup to his lips and coaxed him to drink a few more cups, until his face turned red.
The concubine said sweetly, "Oh dear, you wanted to find a county princess for our third young lady to rely on, but the Crown Prince refused. Now look what's happened, the county princess has been given to a courtesan. Even I feel sorry for our third young lady."
"If it were the Third Miss who received the title of Lady of Fu'an County, the Prince of Jin's mansion would surely not mistreat her."
"Third Sister will also know your good intentions."
The favored concubine carefully observed the situation and said in a coquettish voice, "Now look how it is, the Third Miss resents you, and the Madam also resents you."
The fire in Cheng'en Gong's chest surged upwards.
He wanted to support Nianjie'er and went to Xie Yingchen to request the title of county princess for his daughter, but Xie Yingchen rejected him, saying that it would not serve the court. Now, even a courtesan can be made a county princess. What merit can a courtesan have! Xie Yingchen deliberately made a title for a courtesan to slap him in the face.
The more Cheng'en Gong thought about it, the more he realized it was true. He suddenly stood up, ignoring the clanging bowls and plates, and loudly called for his servant to go out.
Duke Cheng'en initially wanted to go to the palace to complain to the Empress's sister, but now these eunuchs in the inner court acted as if they were the masters of the palace. To enter the palace, one had to be obsequious and fawn over them. Even if one bribed them, whether one could enter the palace depended on the eunuchs' attitude. If they said no, even if he was the Empress's brother-in-law, they could block him for ten days or half a month.
But he didn't dare to get angry.
Shen Xu is a ruthless man who will wipe out a family and destroy their home at the slightest provocation. Who would dare to provoke him?
So his carriage turned and drove straight to the gate of the Fu'an County Magistrate's Mansion.
Under the candlelight of the lanterns, the words "Fuan County Princess's Residence" on the plaque were clearly visible. The Duke of Cheng'en, thinking about his favored concubine's words, grew increasingly angry.
Under the influence of alcohol, he kicked the vermilion gate with a bang.
"come out!"
Many people in the capital had seen Lady Gui. After all, when various mansions held banquets, the warm-up acts were either opera troupes or musicians and dancers. Lady Gui was famous, and once she showed her face, it was impossible to hide her.
By then, everyone will know that Xie Yingchen has appointed a courtesan as a county princess!
Cheng'en Gong was prone to making mistakes, even when he was young.
If Xie Yingchen dared to embarrass him, he would make sure to humiliate Xie Yingchen in return.
Bang bang bang!
Cheng'en Gong kicked him several times in a row, and shouted with his neck stiff, "Bring out your county princess."
"I'm going out for a drink, but I need a beautiful woman to sing for me."
"Have your princess sing a little song for me, and I'll reward her with silver."
The Duke of Cheng'en threw out a money bag, which slammed heavily against the door and then fell down.
The string came undone, and the silver ingots from the money bag scattered all over the ground.
There were three or four households on the street where the county magistrate's mansion was located. They were all the residences of officials of the second or third rank in the imperial court. The commotion caused by the Duke of Cheng'en was quite significant. Before long, they all heard that the Duke of Cheng'en was drunk and disorderly in front of the county magistrate's mansion, insisting that the county magistrate come out and sing a song.
Upon further inquiry...
"What? Lord Cheng'en said that the Lady of Fu'an County is Lady Gui?"
"It's actually Lady Gui?"
"How did the Duke of Cheng'en know?"
"To bestow the title of county princess upon a courtesan is truly inappropriate for the Crown Prince."
So they decided to go out and take a look, and as soon as they opened the door, it was all over!
The entire street was surrounded by the Eastern Depot!
Cheng'en Gong stood dumbfounded in the circle of the guards, meeting the fierce and menacing gazes around him.
Everyone's hearts pounded, and they tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The servant smiled and gestured for them to come out. They laughed along, their laughter more like a grimace, and one by one they obediently stepped out from behind the door.
The servant brought over a basin of cold water and splashed it on Cheng'en Gong. A gust of wind blew, and he felt a chill all over his body. He was completely sobered up and his mind became clear.
Upon waking, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed onto the spot.
Why would it be the Eastern Depot?
He could recognize these people in their brown clothes and pointed hats even if he were blind.
He thought that no matter how much trouble he caused, it would be Miss Gu's turn to intervene. The Gu family might be fierce, but they never killed indiscriminately. Alcohol emboldened him, and he wasn't entirely without fault; at most, he'd get a beating.
If you really hit him, he'll just lie on the ground and say he's been crippled. Xie Yingchen will want to protect Miss Gu, and might just agree to give Nianjie a county princess title.
"Mr. Cheng'en."
A shrill voice exploded in my ear.
This man was recognized by Cheng Engong; he was Wu Shang, the commander of the Eastern Depot in charge of criminal law.
The Duke of Cheng'en, being both flexible and resilient, quickly lowered his voice and said, "It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."
He dared not provoke the Eastern Depot. Those agents of the Eastern Depot were all inhuman; they could easily frame him for a crime and take half his life.
Wu Shang said sarcastically, "What misunderstanding could possibly warrant the Duke disturbing the peace of the Princess of Fu'an in the middle of the night?"
With a forced smile, Duke Cheng'en said ingratiatingly, "I...I had too much to drink and went to the wrong place."
"Oh," Wu Shang said with a straight face, "Take him away."
"Whether the Duke is drunk or has ulterior motives, we'll find out by interrogation."
Review, review?
Now, even the drunken man who had been drunk for the rest of his life was sobered up, and he wished he could slap himself.
What business is it of mine that Xie Yingchen is giving a courtesan to a county princess? Why should I stick my neck out?
"I can explain it."
Cheng En Gong chuckled dryly, cold water dripping down his hair. He even felt like going back an hour to strangle himself.
As the guards drew ever closer, Duke Cheng'en's vision blurred, and he nearly collapsed. Just then, a heavenly voice entered his ears.
"stop!"
When Cheng'en Gong looked in the direction of the sound, he was so moved that he almost cried: "My dear in-law!"
Prince Jin rode over, but was stopped by the guards as soon as he approached the county princess's residence.
"My dear in-law, please save me!"
As if grasping at a straw, Duke Cheng'en cried out loudly, sobbing uncontrollably.
Prince Jin did not force his way in. He dismounted and frowned with some difficulty, saying, "Alas, what happened to you... how did you get involved with the Eastern Depot?"
“My dear in-law, you can’t just stand by and watch me go to prison.”
The Duke of Chengen, emboldened by some unknown source, shook off the approaching guards and charged forward.
The two were separated on either side. The Duke of Cheng'en was full of hope, but the Prince of Jin shook his head and said, "It's not that I don't want to help, but what benefit would it bring me?"
What's the meaning?
The Prince of Jin, not wanting to beat around the bush any longer, said directly, "I wonder what you think of my proposal, my in-law."
"What proposal?" Duke Cheng'en was about to ask when his expression suddenly froze. The proposal the Prince of Jin made was to have him marry into the Prince of Jin's household in place of his daughter!
This is clearly taking advantage of someone's misfortune!
"Absolutely impossible!" The bright red lantern light cast dappled shadows on his face.
"In that case, I shall take my leave." The Prince of Jin pulled on the reins, making as if to depart.
"Halt!" Duke Cheng'en shouted. "Does Your Highness no longer wish to form a marriage alliance with my family?"
"The marriage contract has been signed, and Nian'er will definitely marry into my royal family. It's a pity that the Duke cannot come to witness the ceremony. You must take good care of yourself while you are in the Eastern Depot prison."
The Prince of Jin looked at him with unwavering certainty.
If there's no handle, then create one.
The Duke of Cheng'en will surely compromise and come to bring good fortune to Yun'er.
A note from the author:
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
