The area in front of the general's mansion was in complete disarray.
Granny Wu stood at the door in a panic. When she saw Song Ziyu get off the carriage, she hurriedly ran up to him.
"Something's happened, General! A huge group of Imperial Guards rushed in just now. They made quite a scene, saying they were going to search the entire mansion. They ransacked the front and back courtyards!"
Song Ziyu asked, "Where is Grandmother? Didn't she come out to deal with them?"
"The old lady has been working hard lately and hasn't woken up since she went to bed this morning," sighed Granny Wu. "General, don't worry, they didn't find anything and left empty-handed."
Song Ziyu's face turned pale.
The worst thing is not finding anything.
How is he supposed to explain where the 15,000 taels of silver went?
Granny Wu wanted to ask more, but then she saw the sedan curtain in front of the door lifted, and Jiang Wan slowly walked out.
Her eyes widened as if she'd seen a ghost: "Madam Jiang, what's wrong...?"
The old lady clearly sent assassins last night, all of them strong and capable, and the Ministry of Justice has also made arrangements.
Jiang Wan, a frail woman who doesn't know martial arts, actually managed to return unharmed!
How could she be so lucky to be alive?
"Your Majesty is wise and has exonerated me, pardoning my crime." Jiang Wan smiled gently, then asked with concern, "Grandmother, why are you ill again? Is it because you've been worrying too much?"
Granny Wu forced a smile: "It's not a serious illness, you'll be fine after a few days of rest."
"That's good."
Jiang Wan curled her lips into a smile.
“With me away from home, Grandmother must have had to work hard in many ways. Tell her that now that I’m back, she can rest and recuperate in peace.”
Granny Wu's face was stiff as she gritted her teeth inwardly.
If the old lady were to learn that Madam Jiang had returned to the mansion alive, she would be furious.
She really didn't know how to bring up this news...
Jiang Wan returned to Xingzhi Courtyard, and all the servants there were very happy. They even prepared a brazier for her.
Lifting the hem of her skirt and stepping over it was like dispelling the bad luck from prison.
She is a person who has come back from the dead and does not believe in such superstitions.
But the servants had made careful preparations, so Jiang Wan was not disappointed. She stepped over the brazier, let the butterflies smother her with mugwort leaves, and solemnly recited a few words before returning to the garden.
The servants at Xingzhi Courtyard were unaware of the truth and only thought that she had been wrongfully imprisoned and was suffering.
Seeing that her complexion was rosy, everyone was relieved and surrounded her.
“Luhetang must have had a lot of trouble while I was away, and you all suffered because of me.”
In grand mansions, the most common practice is to fawn over the powerful and belittle the weak.
When she was granted the title of Second Rank Imperial Consort, her servants benefited from it. Now that she has been convicted and imprisoned, they are bound to hear gossip.
"Now that I'm back, I will naturally help you with any difficulties you may have. In addition, everyone in Xingzhi Academy will receive a six-month monthly allowance."
The servants cheered in unison, their gazes towards Jiang Wan becoming even more fervent.
Cai Die followed her into the house and told her about the recent situation in the mansion.
"Gu Shi and Young Master Lin have been confined to the main courtyard. Apart from the fact that Consort Rong summoned Gu Shi a few times, the Old Madam Yuan forbade them to leave the house, but she has not punished them."
"There have been many things going on lately, and the matriarch of the family hasn't had time to take care of them."
Jiang Wan said calmly.
Now that Song Ziyu has handed over his military power and the tiger tally, and is retired at home, he can naturally free up his hands to settle accounts with Gu Yurong.
After Emperor Jingyuan accepted the tiger tally today, he did not mention the matter of severely punishing the Song family again.
The heart of an emperor is as deep as the sea.
While Yun Que's farce certainly caused the royal family to lose face, if it could be used to regain military power, it would undoubtedly be a good thing for Emperor Jingyuan.
She could tell that Emperor Jingyuan was feigning anger, but was actually quite satisfied with Song Ziyu's handing over of the tiger tally.
This is also why she dared to let Yun Que cause trouble with the tiger tally pattern.
"The matriarch of the family used a 'cutting off the fuel supply' tactic, handing over the tiger tally, which gave the Song family a way out. It was quite a wise move."
Unfortunately, she encountered herself.
Jiang Wan's eyes flickered.
With her around, the Song family will never have a chance to turn things around.
"Madam, what should we do next?" Biluo asked.
Jiang Wan closed her eyes, pressed her forehead, and uttered two words.
"rest."
Now that Ji Rong has been kept in the palace, his next move depends on Emperor Jingyuan's attitude toward this matter.
Before that, she needs to get a good night's sleep to recharge.
Although everything in prison was arranged and Ah Si was there to protect her, she never had a good night's sleep.
Now, lying in my own bed, I feel relaxed, and exhaustion washes over me like a tide.
When I opened my eyes again, it was already the morning of the next day.
A steaming breakfast was already laid out on the table: two bowls of sweet porridge, a steamer of steamed buns, a plate of osmanthus cake, and several dishes of seasonal side dishes.
Song Yu sat to the side, quietly waiting for her to wake up.
After Jiang Wan finished washing up, she stepped out from behind the screen and saw this scene.
She sat down at the table, scooped a spoonful of porridge, and looked for Biluo: "What's going on at Luhetang?"
"Mother," Song Yu placed a vegetarian bun on the plate, "You've worked hard for many days, and right now nothing is more important than eating."
Jiang Wan smiled slightly: "I'm fine."
Song Yu remained silent, but her furrowed brows betrayed her disapproval.
He had slept for a day and a night and had never seen his mother so tired before, which showed how much she had been exhausted these past few days.
In his view, nothing was more important than his mother's well-being.
The mother and son sat facing each other and quietly finished their breakfast.
“If there’s nothing else today, you may rest at home,” Song Yu said, rising to his feet. “After His Majesty reclaimed the Tiger Tally, morale in the army has been low. I will be staying in the camp for the next few days to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation to cause trouble.”
Jiang Wan nodded: "The general's military power has been taken back. As a descendant of the Song family, you must have heard some sarcastic remarks in the army. You don't need to take them to heart. Just do your job well."
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