Chapter 3, Part Three: Sordid Schemes
"How did you know which master it was?" Fu Heng was surprised to find that it was his niece's maid. Even the maid was so outstanding. No wonder his eldest niece could win the Crown Prince's favor.
"Reporting to Third Master." Meng Qingci's voice rose slightly at the end, revealing a hint of pride and arrogance, but her lowered eyes were cold and aloof. "This servant has learned a little from the eldest young lady. In our manor, only Third Master is allowed to wear scarlet official robes."
The Third Master before her possessed the coldness and arrogance of someone in a high position, and was rather unpredictable. She wondered how much of her conversation with Liu Chun he had overheard. Fortunately, her words hadn't offended anyone; praising her was never a bad thing.
"You're quite clever. Get up," Fu Heng said indifferently, his gaze sweeping over her as he walked straight ahead.
Mo Jian followed behind, stealing a few glances inwardly, thinking to himself: "She really is a beauty, and even more so, a beauty with a silver tongue. Even her master, who always despises flattery, was charmed by her few words."
"Sister Qing'er, was that really Third Master? We... won't be punished, will we?" Only after the figure had gone far away did Liu Chun stand up, her legs shaking, and hurriedly help Meng Qingci.
"Don't be afraid. Now that he's gone, he's done with it and won't mention it again. It doesn't matter what you hear. Hurry back; this hurdle is over." Meng Qingci patted Liu Chun's hand on her arm, breathed a sigh of relief, and thought to herself that the rumors were true; this Third Master was indeed a rare and upright person.
Fu Heng stepped into Wuheng Mountain House. Mo Song had already prepared a hangover soup and served it to him. Fu Heng frowned and drank it all, his slender eyelids lifting, his gaze cold and deep: "Go and find out who's in the garden tonight."
Mo Jian bowed and accepted the order, quickly retreating. Beneath his master's indifferent expression, he was clearly angry. He had overheard some of the maids' whispers in the bamboo grove and already had a guess in his mind.
Mo Jian first patrolled the garden and found nothing unusual, then turned around and headed straight for the servants' quarters.
Although they often left the Marquis's residence, there were spies within. Mo Jian, familiar with the place, found the informant. The informant was quite surprised to hear that the Third Master had inquired about Qing'er in the Eldest Miss's room as soon as he returned. However, as soon as Mo Jian began to speak, the informant spilled out everything he knew—the second son and his father's behavior was outrageous and they made no attempt to conceal it, which had long been the talk of the town among the servants.
Mo Jian was dumbfounded. After returning, he told Fu Heng everything he had seen and heard, not only about the "Qing'er" incident that night, but also about all the unsavory things that had happened in the second branch of the family over the years.
Fu Heng's face was so dark it could drip water. He was no stranger to the absurdity within powerful families, but for the heir of a marquis's mansion to repeatedly fail to harm a defenseless maid and be manipulated by her instead... was utterly foolish and a disgrace to his ancestors! The only son of the second branch of the family was now completely ruined.
Thinking of His Majesty's expression and those vague words today, he pressed his aching temple.
"Give the order," Fu Heng said sternly. "We need to thoroughly investigate everything that has happened in the manor over the past few years, and see just how capable my two good brothers really are."
Mo Jian's heart skipped a beat. He quickly glanced at his master's expression and almost held his breath in horror. If the old lady found out about this, she would probably fight his master to the death! But his master always kept his word, and he had no close relationship with the old lady. Despite his fear, he dared not utter a word at this moment and could only lower his head and reply, "Yes."
Fu Heng waved to dismiss Mo Jian and Mo Song, and the room fell silent instantly. He washed and changed alone, but his movements carried an unyielding melancholy.
The eldest son became the crown prince's father-in-law, while the second son, who only had a title but no real power, got involved with the eldest prince, who was born out of wedlock. Fu Heng didn't believe that the eldest son wasn't behind this.
For the past two years, the eldest son has been trying to appease everyone in the mansion, putting on a show of being hesitant and cautious. It's obvious that he's trying to force his father to deal with the second son himself. Does he think that the infighting between his own brothers would be more provocative to his mother?
A knock came at the back door of Biqiong Garden, the sound particularly clear in the quiet night. The old woman guarding the door rushed over upon hearing the knock, and after confirming through the crack in the door that it was Qing'er, she opened the door with a creak.
The old woman's face was full of ingratiating smiles: "Oh dear, Miss Qing'er, why are you only coming back at this hour? Did you use the back door?" She glanced at Meng Qingci's expression, her tone cautiously inquiring.
Meng Qingci ignored her question, told the old woman to lock the door, and went straight to the main room.
The old woman was taken aback by her cold expression, and sheepishly slapped her mouth, cursing herself for being so talkative. Although Qing'er was young and seemed kind, she was extremely well-behaved and the eldest young lady's confidante, the one whose word was law in Biqiong Garden. If she truly offended her, her job as a gatekeeper would likely be in jeopardy.
Only when Liu Chun stepped into the familiar courtyard of Biqiong Garden did her heart, which had been hanging in suspense the whole way, finally settle back into her stomach with a "thud," though her limbs were still slightly weak. She followed Meng Qingci step by step into the main courtyard, just as Zi Fu and Chun Xi lifted the curtain and came out.
"Qing'er! You're finally back!" Zi Fu greeted them immediately upon seeing them, her voice filled with anxiety. "The young lady has asked twice already, and she even sent someone to look for you just now! She was so worried."
Meng Qingci asked Chunxi, "When did Miss return?"
"Third Master has been summoned to the palace, and Miss returned after having dinner at Madam's." Chunxi said, lifting the lacquered wooden box containing the jade ruyi. She glanced at it; its quality was mediocre. She made no attempt to hide her disdain and pursed her lips, closing the lid again.
Her gaze fell on Liu Chun's face, and she was startled by her deathly pale complexion. "What happened to Liu Chun? Look, her lips have turned purple!"
Meng Qingci didn't explain much, only saying to Liu Chun, "Go and record the jade ruyi you retrieved into the archives." Then she turned to Zi Fuchunxi, her voice slightly lowered, "Where's Qiao'er? Has she returned?"
Zi Fu and Chun Xi had no idea about this. Just as they were about to find a maid to report back, Qiao'er came running over, panting, her face flushed: "Sister Qing'er! I'm here!"
Meng Qingci's tense shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly, and he took out a handkerchief to wipe the fine sweat from her forehead: "You ran so fast, did something happen?"
Qiao'er then recounted how she had been delayed by being questioned by the young master in the garden.
Meng Qingci gave Qiao'er a dozen or so copper coins and sent her away.
At this moment, Yun Jian lifted the curtain and came out, smiling and saying in surprise, "Why are you all talking in the corridor? The young lady heard you and called you all in."
Upon meeting Fu Jingyu, Meng Qingci reported that he had insisted she personally retrieve the mutton-fat jade ruyi from the storeroom that day.
At this moment, everyone in the room was Fu Jingyu's confidante. The two, mistress and servant, had a tacit understanding over the years, and they all knew that the second branch of the family had taken advantage of the situation today, without Meng Qingci needing to explain in detail.
Zi Fu, Chun Xi, and Yun Jian all looked shaken. If Qing'er had gotten into trouble today, given the young master's nature, it was hard to guarantee that they wouldn't be next.
The young master has no shame now, daring to openly scheme against his cousin's family. What's even more terrifying is that the old lady has the tacit approval or even indulgence behind the scenes! Thinking of the filth and danger lurking in the shadows of this mansion, the group felt a chill run up from their feet and straight to their hearts.
They all wished that the young lady would marry into the Eastern Palace tomorrow so that she could escape this cannibalistic Marquis's mansion.
Upon hearing this, Fu Jingyu's chest heaved violently, her usually gentle face flushed red and then turned pale, her fingertips gripping the teacup turned white, and she clenched her teeth tightly.
After calming herself down for a few moments, Fu Jingyu still restrained herself and instructed the others: "You are all close to me. Their insults to you are my insults. I will make them pay back double in the future. We are living under someone else's roof... You all need to be careful."
Seeing their good-natured master so angry that his hands were trembling, the group quickly stepped forward to soothe him with kind words.
On one hand, she felt indignant for her own daughter. The legitimate eldest daughter of the Fu family had become an illegitimate child. If it weren't for this, why would the eldest daughter have had to go to such lengths to gain a good reputation in the past two years in order to become the Crown Princess?
Now the old lady and the second wife are still finding ways to mistreat their daughters, and they are very afraid that the eldest wife's family will have a good life.
As evening fell, Qiao'er was caught red-handed by Prince Fu Hongxuan in the garden. She was only ten years old and just running errands. Fu Hongxuan didn't take her seriously and quickly let her go so as not to alert him.
Fu Hongxuan hadn't seen Qing'er enter the garden for a long time, and after waiting all night, he came up empty-handed. He was filled with resentment and had nowhere to vent it.
He summoned Chen Yourong and launched into a tirade, kicking Chen Yourong hard in the chest: "Useless! You can't even handle this little thing! What use are you to me!"
The kick sent Chen Yourong staggering back several steps, clutching his chest, his face deathly pale, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. He didn't even dare to cry out loudly, only bowing and begging for mercy: "Young Master, please calm down! Young Master, please calm down! I deserve to die! I never expected Qing'er to be so cunning. I saw her go into the garden with my own eyes..."
Fu Hongxuan stared menacingly at Chen Yourong, who was curled up on the ground, with eyes gleaming with lust and a hint of malice. He sneered, "Hmph, you shameless wretch who doesn't know what's good for you."
Chen Yourong shuddered in fright, unsure whether this ancestor was referring to him or Qing'er.
Fu Hongxuan licked his dry lips, his eyes filled with a mixture of lust and anger. Qing'er had grown up a bit in the past two years, and her slender figure and beautiful eyes made him even more alluring.
Even her father was so captivated by her that he would look at her with longing whenever he saw her, as if he wanted to glue his eyes to that girl.
He had finally managed to persuade his grandmother to agree, hoping to use the old lady's name to lure the person out. He thought he had it all figured out, but the cooked duck flew away! How could he accept this?
"A lowly maid! She's been studying with my dear sister for a few days, and now she thinks she's some kind of rich young lady? She's repeatedly defied my wishes, what's with her attitude? She's shameless!" Fu Hongxuan grew more and more resentful, his teeth grinding together, feeling a surge of anger coursing through his internal organs, burning him with pain in his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.
That ungrateful brat deserves to be taught a lesson and shown who's in charge in this manor!
Fu Hongxuan, enraged, kicked Chen Yourong several times in succession, until Chen Yourong was almost breathless. Then, panting heavily, he lifted his clothes and sat heavily on the armchair, his face so gloomy it could drip water.
Chen Yourong clutched his aching chest and saw Fu Hongxuan's ghostly and terrifying face, looking at him with a sinister gaze. He broke out in a cold sweat, fearing that this ancestor might really beat him to death in a fit of anger. In a moment of quick thinking, he endured the excruciating pain and crawled to Fu Heng's feet.
He forced a fawning smile that looked more like a grimace, and lowered his voice: "Young Master, please calm down! I... I have another way! I guarantee that no matter how fierce Qing'er's temper is, she'll have to obediently beg to serve you..."
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