"I don't know either. Have you doted on Zhong Qi'er for more than 20 years, or have you spoiled her for more than 20 years?" Jiang Yu twitched the corner of her mouth. "Faced with a reincarnated Zhong Qi'er like this, you are actually more worried about the Zhong family, aren't you?"
They were just worried that the woman who claimed to be the reincarnation of Zhong Qi'er would reveal something detrimental to the Zhong family.
The Zhong father and son were so ashamed by Jiang Yu's words that they couldn't lift their heads, especially Zhong Wuyi, whose old face turned completely red.
"What Your Majesty the Empress Dowager means is..." Zhong Wuyi stammered, "That woman knows far too much about Qi'er; those things would never be known except by those closest to her."
"madness!"
Jiang Yu stared intently at Zhong Wuyi. "You only know that Zhong Qi'er sneaked out of the mansion and was assassinated, but do you know why she sneaked out? And what do you know about the maidservant who was ordered to be killed by my decree?"
"Your Majesty is referring to... Lan Yu?"
Zhong Min clearly still remembered Lan Yu, but a look of confusion appeared in her eyes. Wasn't Lan Yu ordered to be executed because she helped Qi'er sneak out of the mansion?
"Qi'er is a bit naughty. She has never stayed quietly in the manor since she was a child. It is also because I spoiled her too much yesterday."
Hearing Zhong Wuyi's words, even Gu Qingyan, who had been silent all along, was speechless.
Do the two men in the Zhong family love Zhong Qi'er or not?
Why do their words sound so strange?
"On that day, Lan Yu colluded with the Sun family to deliver a letter to Zhong Qi'er, telling him that the Zhong family would face annihilation. The envelope also contained the jade pendants that you and your son wore. Of course, the jade pendants were fake."
Upon hearing this, Zhong Wuyi raised his head in disbelief, and suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Does Lord Zhong regret not visiting Zhong Qi'er once? Letting her die alone and tragically in the sea of fire?" Jiang Yu said mockingly. How come Zhong Wuyi is getting old and his reactions are a bit slow?
Gu Qingyan, who was standing to the side, couldn't stand it anymore. "Why haven't you figured out what Mother Empress said yet?"
Under the gazes of Jiang Yu and Gu Qingyan, Zhong Wuyi suddenly froze on the spot, "That woman is not Qi'er's reincarnation, but... a member of a noble family?"
"Not too stupid."
Gu Qingyan rolled his eyes where no one could see him, already plotting how to get Zhong Wuyi to retire. He really couldn't rest easy letting someone like that handle state affairs.
"I will do whatever the Empress Dowager and the Emperor require of me."
A deep sadness appeared in Zhong Wuyi's eyes. Only now did he realize that his daughter was not as unruly as he had imagined.
"I want you to bring her back to the manor in a grand manner as a concubine's daughter, and to add her to the family genealogy according to her birth order."
Jiang Yu's words left the Zhong father and son completely bewildered. In the short hour that followed, their hearts hadn't slowed down at all.
"Remember, the scene must be grand, so that others will think that you value this illegitimate daughter very much."
"yes."
The moment Zhong Wuyi left the Hall of Supreme Harmony and stepped out of the palace gate, he could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground, leaving only Zhong Min's panicked cries all around.
......
"Mother, please don't get angry or upset because of the Zhong family father and son."
Gu Qingyan helped Jiang Yu walk back to Zhaoning Palace. Jiang Yu smiled when she heard this, "Now that Zhong Qi'er is investigating cases for us outside, she is living a comfortable life. As for the Zhong family father and son, let nature take its course."
Gu Qingyan nodded. "However, the Pei family is quite strange. Gu Qingfeng has been waiting for almost two months without any progress. Only Pei Jian sends the antidote every month. Instead, the Pei family has set their sights on the Zhong family father and son."
“Pei Jian is cunning and treacherous. He wouldn’t dare to use Gu Qingfeng so quickly. Just watch. In a few months, he will delay the delivery of the antidote each time, making Gu Qingfeng suffer from the poison for a period of time first. Only then will he become an obedient pawn.”
"Does Mother understand Pei Jian so well?"
Jiang Yu chuckled, "I've thoroughly investigated everything that happened to Pei Jian after he came of age. Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory."
"Let's first set up a trap for the Pei family, making them think that the Zhong family can succeed."
Despite his illness, Zhong Wuyi dared not delay Jiang Yu's instructions.
The next day, they arrived in a grand manner at the courtyard where the woman was being housed.
“My child, I have finally found you.” Zhong Wuyi hid the hatred in his eyes well, and looked at the woman in front of him with tears streaming down her face. “From now on, you are the second young lady of the Zhong family, Zhong Lian’er.”
Zhong Lian'er seemed somewhat stunned by the scene before her; Zhong Wuyi's actions far exceeded their plans.
"Lian'er, come home with your father. I will make up for the suffering you have endured."
"Father—" Zhong Lian'er knelt down with a thud after realizing what had happened. "Your daughter has finally found you."
The carriages that brought Zhong Lian'er back to the Zhong family were a grand procession. In less than half a day, the entire capital city knew that the Zhong family had gained a second young lady.
"I heard from the servants of the Zhong family that this second young lady was secretly born to Lord Zhong's beloved, so she is a concubine's child."
"So what if she's a concubine? Look at the scene today. The rightful Miss Zhong is dead, and this second young lady will soon be showered with wealth and honor."
"With Miss Zhong ahead of us, as long as this second young lady behaves herself, she will be much better than her."
The people Jiang Yu had arranged listened to the people's words and kept them in mind.
Not only that, after bringing Zhong Lian'er back to the manor, Zhong Wuyi, contrary to his usual practice, held a banquet at the Zhong manor and invited all the court officials to attend what was called a...welcome banquet.
Kui Mansion.
"My lord, this is an invitation from the Zhong family."
Upon hearing this, Wei Ruo glanced at the invitation and said, "Prepare the carriage early tomorrow morning, and we will go to the Zhong residence after court."
"My lord, you're attending this banquet? It's just a concubine's daughter returning home." The servant was clearly puzzled as to why Wei Ruo would go to celebrate with a concubine's daughter.
"Both the legitimate daughter and the illegitimate daughter are the children of my adoptive father, so I should go and see them."
Kui Ruo curled the corners of her lips. "By the way, there's no need to hide the fact that I'll be going to the Zhong residence tomorrow. If anyone asks, just say so."
"yes."
The servant left, completely bewildered, and Kui Ruo finally couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
Zhong Lian'er...
The usually old-fashioned Zhong Wuyi gave his precious daughter such a name, which shows how much he dotes on her. In that case, he must go and see what this Miss Zhong really is like.
And what about the palace...?
Thinking of this, Wei Ruo felt that she could already see the Zhong family's fate.
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