Biluo took out a letter from her sleeve: "By the way, this time when I left the palace, I also went to the Ji residence. This is from Madam Wang for you."
Jiang Wan sent a letter.
Wang first thanked Jiang Wan for resolving Ji Shiyi's marriage, and then said that once the storm had passed, she would let her marry a distant cousin to avoid getting involved in any more disputes.
She also mentioned that a few days ago, her family went to visit relatives at the Prime Minister's residence but did not see Jiang Linyuan. She advised Jiang Wan that if she wanted to repair her relationship with her father, she should not be impatient and should take it slowly.
Jiang Wan lowered her eyelids.
Although the aunt did not say it explicitly, it was clear that the father was avoiding them and had given them the cold shoulder.
Perhaps she heard some unpleasant words at the Prime Minister's residence and was afraid that she would suffer the same treatment, so she gave a tactful reminder.
Jiang Wan sighed silently.
My father's temperament is as stubborn as it was in my previous life. And look at his expression on New Year's Eve; he seems to really dislike the matriarch.
The only thing these two people had in common was their marriage to the Song family.
Could it be that the matriarch played a key role in her marriage into the Song family?
Unfortunately, her mother died young, and the reason why she asked the late emperor for that imperial decree to grant her marriage will never be known from her.
She frowned and thought for a moment, then wrote a reply, asking her aunt to inquire about her mother's life.
In the following days.
News from outside the palace frequently reached Jiang Wan's ears.
With Gu Yurong's support, Gu's mother thrived in the business world of the capital and even gained the tacit approval of the elder's wife, becoming a guest of honor at the General's Mansion.
On the fifth day of the first lunar month, it was Gu Yurong's voice. The General's Mansion celebrated her birthday with a grand ceremony, including setting off fireworks all over the sky at Jade Liquid Lake.
The matriarch also placed a jade bracelet, symbolizing inheritance, on her wrist in front of everyone.
All of this demonstrates the importance the General's Mansion places on this daughter-in-law and the close relationship between the Song and Gu families.
Outsiders, sensing the implication, also began to discuss it.
It is said that Jiang Wan is jealous of Gu Yurong's favor with the Song family, which is why she hides in the palace and doesn't even dare to go home.
She was also said to only know how to please the royal family, but was disliked by her husband and mother-in-law, and lacked virtue as a woman.
Jiang Wan had heard similar things many times and no longer took them to heart.
The Empress, however, felt indignant on her behalf and, unusually, became angry, punishing the servants who had been gossiping.
"You'll stay here with me. I'll take you with me to the Lantern Festival. Let's see who dares to gossip then!"
"Your Majesty, please don't be angry. Rumors are like the wind; they will eventually stop," Jiang Wan said.
The Empress instinctively said, "Who knows when it will stop?"
"It will be soon," Jiang Wan said softly. "Didn't His Majesty go to court today?"
Today is the eighth day of the lunar month, the first day of the new dynasty.
The Minister of War has been holding back for a long time, and he will definitely submit the memorial impeaching the Gu family as soon as possible.
The Empress was initially confused, but after the court session, she heard that Emperor Jingyuan had been furious in the palace.
Several members of the Gu family were imprisoned in succession, and Song Ziyu was demoted and temporarily stripped of his command of the Song family army. The Ministry of War sent someone to take over, and he was told to stay at home and reflect on his mistakes.
For military officers, demotion is not a severe punishment; what is fatal is losing military power.
This was a fatal blow to the Song family.
It is said that Song Ziyu knelt before the emperor and pleaded for two hours. When he returned home, his face was ashen, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.
The women in the general's mansion were also struck dumb.
Gu Yurong, in particular, had a lock of her hair torn off by Zhou Shi, and her clothes were disheveled.
She stared at the imperial edict of punishment, as if in a daze, unable to recover for a long time.
Although the Gu family has been cutting corners for years, every business makes money. Those soldiers are just cheapskates; why can't they stand the cold or endure hardship?
Moreover, Song Ziyu clearly stated that those poorly made items came from Linglong Pavilion, so how did they turn out like this!
"You scourge! How dare you do such audacious things in secret, making this dirty money! Are you trying to ruin the General's Mansion?!" Zhou cursed, stepping forward and slapping her again.
Gu Yurong's lips were bleeding from the beating, and she couldn't help but speak.
"Black money? Fine, how much subsidy has Mother received from the Gu family over the years? Buying jewelry and land, spending black money to put on a glamorous facade. How clean are you, anyway?"
Zhou was furious and went forward to fight with her.
"Enough!" the old lady said angrily. "What's the use of making a scene now?"
She looked at Gu Yurong, suppressing the anger in her heart.
"Tell me, besides this matter, what else are you hiding from me?"
Gu Yurong's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly remembered the matter of selling the palace rewards a few days ago.
But she couldn't say it, otherwise the matriarch would be even less likely to forgive her.
"No, Grandmother, please forgive me."
Gu Yurong was in tears.
"This time I've dragged the Song family down with me, there will absolutely be no next time, I swear."
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