Chapter 59: Pretend to be sick, okay?
Pingxi Hou nodded vigorously, praising repeatedly, "Beautiful, absolutely beautiful! I've never seen such exquisite calligraphy. How much did you pay for it? How much for 10,000 taels of gold? I'll buy one too."
Yun Zheng was very disappointed that she failed to trick the father and son. The Marquis of Pingxi was indeed a thousand-year-old fox.
"My Lord, you have better taste than my son. This is the Emperor's calligraphy, a priceless treasure."
Jiang Wenzhou was stunned, then broke out in a cold sweat. Yun Zheng, why is she like this? She almost got him killed.
In fact, Pingxi Hou did not realize at first glance that this was the emperor's handwriting. Usually, memorials were written in Taige style, which is a font between Da Kai and Zhong Kai, and is the official standard font.
Who recognizes this scribble-like cursive script?
However, when he saw the signature of Zhushike, he was suddenly shocked. It was the emperor!
"Why did you write a calligraphy for no reason?"
Yun Zheng boasted to herself proudly, "The Emperor has a keen eye for talent and praised my ability and meritorious service, so he gave me this reward."
The servants in the Marquis' Mansion cast awe-inspiring glances at her. The Emperor praised her! They couldn't afford to offend him again!
The Pingxi Marquis and his son felt complicated and uncomfortable.
They were suffering, but Yun Zheng won the favor of the emperor!
"Then, has the Emperor forgiven us?"
"Haha." Yun Zheng thought they were ridiculous. What made them so sure she would plead for mercy? Why did everyone think she was just being tough on the outside but soft on the inside? Where did her confidence come from?
Yun Zheng got off the carriage, then she looked at the carriage behind her. Everyone followed her gaze and looked over. Was this carriage filled with rewards from the palace?
The car door opened and several people got out, including a palace maid, a eunuch, and two palace guards.
Pingxi Hou was startled, "Zheng'er, what is this?"
Yun Zheng smiled and said, "This is Aunt An from the palace, and this is Eunuch De."
The palace maid, dressed in a blue palace gown and stern, knelt down and said, "I, your servant, have come to visit the sick Ye Yizhen on the orders of the Queen. Please lead the way."
The father and son of Pingxi Hou were shocked when they heard this. Oh no, Ye Yizhen is still in the main courtyard! And she's not sick!
Yun Zheng said enthusiastically, "Aunt, I'll take you to Wutong Courtyard."
Jiang Wenzhou broke out in a sweat when he heard this, "Yun Zheng, don't get involved."
Oops, she's causing trouble again!
Yun Zheng ignored him and said with a smile, "Please, come this way."
Marquis Pingxi called a servant and whispered a few words to him, who immediately ran to the main courtyard to report the news.
Jiang Wenzhou quickly followed.
In the main courtyard, Ye Yizhen was applying eye drops. "My sister-in-law is so ignorant that she made my father-in-law and husband so worried."
The Marquis's wife's face was as dark as water, and her dissatisfaction deepened.
At this moment, a servant stumbled in and said, "Oh no! The Queen has sent someone to check on the eldest young lady's condition. Go back to Wutong Courtyard and pretend to be sick. Quick."
Ye Yizhen was so frightened that she rushed out, not even caring about her shoes falling off. She just ran!
On the other side, Yun Zheng was chatting and laughing, introducing the layout of the courtyards and the scenery of the Marquis' Mansion to the people in the palace.
When passing a fork in the road, Yun Zheng led the group to the right, but was stopped by Jiang Wenzhou, "Yun Zheng, you're going the wrong way. You should take this road."
He pointed to the road on the left. Yun Zheng had lived in the Marquis' Mansion for ten years in her previous life. How could she have gone the wrong way?
"That's right."
Jiang Wenzhou was very firm. "You're wrong. You're taking a long detour. There's a shorter way. I'll lead the way."
A hint of sarcasm flashed in Yun Zheng's eyes, but she said nothing more.
Jiang Wenzhou secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and slowly led the way in front, quietly testing the other party. However, the palace kept the secrets tight and did not reveal a single piece of information.
He led his men in circles until he saw his servants making gestures from afar, and then he led them to the right path.
Aunt An looked up at the plaque and asked, "Wutong Courtyard?"
There are couplets on both sides: The cricket loves the green grass, and the phoenix roosts on the green wutong tree.
Yun Zheng smiled faintly and said, "This is about being loyal to one's feelings, not fearing power, not being greedy for money, and a love that is stronger than gold."
The tone was cold, like mockery and contempt.
Aunt An was silent. Unwavering loyalty? Stronger than gold? Between uncle and sister-in-law?
Not interested in money? Then why bother with two wives?
This is treating everyone in the world as fools and deliberately disgusting people. No wonder the head of Jinyun Township rebelled.
A cough was heard from inside the room. Jiang Wenzhou was a little worried. "Aunt, why don't you take a look outside? Don't go into the inner room. I'm afraid that I'll pass on my illness to you."
"It's okay." Aunt An walked in.
In the inner room, Ye Yichen was lying on the bed, her face pale, without a trace of blood, her eyes dull, lifeless, and her forehead covered with sweat.
Seeing someone coming in, she tried to sit up, but fell back weakly. The frightened maid hurried forward to help her.
After struggling for a long time, Ye Yichen fell weakly into the maid's arms, trembling all over.
"Aunt, please forgive me. I am really very sick and cannot get up to greet you. Ahem."
Aunt An came forward and sat beside the bed, took her arm, and asked with concern, "What's wrong with you?"
Ye Yizhen replied weakly, "I'm too tired and caught a cold. Ahem, auntie, I'm sorry."
Aunt An said it was fine. "You look really good. Where are you from? Who else is in your family?"
Ye Yizhen's pupils constricted, but soon returned to normal as she spoke with tears in her eyes.
"I'm from Ba County in the southwest. My parents died when I was young, and I was fortunate to be taken in by the Marquis' Mansion, which gave me a place to live. To me, the Pingxi Marquis' Mansion is my home, and the Marquis's wife is my biological mother."
"I would be willing to die for her."
Aunt An praised, "You are so filial."
"As a child, this is what you should do."
Jiang Wenzhou was very touched. His Zhenzhen was the kindest, most filial, gentle and considerate girl in the world.
Yun Zheng watched coldly from the side, not missing a single expression. It was strange, why did Ye Yizhen seem a little nervous when she mentioned her background? Was it an illusion?
Ye Yizhen suddenly looked over and said, "However, I suddenly fell ill, and there is no one to take care of my mother-in-law. I really can't leave her, so I have to trouble my sister-in-law to go and take care of her. My mother-in-law is kind and easy to take care of."
She not only showed her demeanor as the eldest sister-in-law, but also displayed her kindness. She also used moral blackmail and leveraged the power in the palace to force Yun Zheng to serve the Marquis's wife.
But Yun Zheng doesn't buy it. She has no morals at all.
"Why is there no one left? Are all her sons dead? Are her daughters gone too?"
The Marquis's wife had two sons and one daughter. During this period, both her children were sent to her maternal home, under the pretext of celebrating her grandmother's birthday.
Jiang Wenzhou couldn't hold it in any longer and flew into a rage, "Yun Zheng, you actually cursed my entire family."
"She said there was no one left." Yun Zheng pointed at Ye Yizhen and complained loudly, "I thought everyone had died today. Aunt, you can see that there is not a single decent person in the Marquis' Mansion."
"You're being unreasonable." Jiang Wenzhou was furious.
Ye Yizhen's eyes were red, as if she had suffered a great injustice. "Sister-in-law, if you want to vent your anger, come to me. Don't make things difficult for the others in the Marquis' Mansion. I'm sick and my husband is exhausted. Only you are well. You should also shoulder your responsibilities as a daughter-in-law."
Yun Zheng looked at her and suddenly asked, "Why aren't you coughing anymore?"
Ye Yizhen's face changed and she immediately started coughing violently.
But it was too late. Aunt An withdrew her hand, stood up, and shouted loudly.
"Ye, you are so bold that you actually pretended to be sick to fool the Queen. Damn it."
Ye Yizhen's mind went blank. It was over! How could she argue?
No, she still has a mission to complete, nothing can happen to her!
Call for help! A dark shadow flashed through her mind...
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