Having served in the court with Marquis Dongxiang for a long ti.
How could Duke Chong not realize that whenever Marquis Dongxiang ddles in sothing, the situation takes an unpredictable turn?
Prince Zhenbei openly accused the Empress Dowager and the Old Madam of Duke Chong’s Mansion of orchestrating the substitution of the Old Madam in front of the officials.
When this news spreads outside the court, what will people think of the Empress Dowager?
He must do everything possible to restore the Empress Dowager’s reputation.
Marquis Dongxiang chuckled, "Everyone present has heard this old saying, how is it when I say it, I’m accused of sowing chaos?"
"The relationship between the fake Old Madam of the Prince Zhenbei Mansion and the Empress Dowager has always been good; it’s truly thought-provoking that she confessed to being aided by the Empress Dowager."
"What she said might be a ploy to sow discord, but it could also be the truth."
No matter what Marquis Dongxiang said, Duke Chong vigorously denied it, "This absolutely cannot be the truth!"
"If my mother and the Empress Dowager were really involved in the substitution of the Old Madam, how could they marry Princess Nanzhang off to Prince Zhenbei?"
"Elder Yong Cheng is the fake Old Madam’s son, and my younger sister would never marry him."
Duke Chong spoke with righteousness.
Unfortunately, his words hit a dead end.
The Prince looked at him, "I never ntioned that Elder Yong Cheng is the fake Old Madam’s son, how did Duke Chong know?"
Duke Chong, "...."
The officials, "...."
Indeed.
They could all testify that the Prince never claid Elder Yong Cheng was the son of the fake Old Madam.
Duke Chong’s throat choked, "I, I heard it from Princess Nanzhang."
The Prince sneered, "These days, my Prince Zhenbei Mansion has shut its doors to visitors. Not even a bird has left the mansion. I’m truly curious how Princess Nanzhang inford Duke Chong?"
Duke Chong was speechless for a long ti.
He had spoken too quickly and shot himself in the foot.
This matter, Princess Nanzhang never told him, but she sent soone to report it to the Empress Dowager.
There was no turning back now.
The officials looked at each other.
Could it be that the fake Old Madam was indeed orchestrated by the Empress Dowager and the Old Madam of Duke Chong’s Mansion?
The Prince looked towards the Emperor, "The fake Old Madam only had ti to ntion being instructed by the Empress Dowager and the Old Madam of Duke Chong’s Mansion, but she didn’t get the chance to detail the account or give a full confession before she was silenced."
"I will certainly investigate this matter thoroughly and ensure justice for my mother."
"If this matter is unrelated to the Empress Dowager and the Old Madam of Duke Chong’s Mansion, I will surely visit to apologize."
"However, if they were truly behind this, I implore the Emperor to make the decision for !"
The Prince’s voice echoed powerfully in the Political Discussion Hall.
The Emperor said, "The plot of substituting the Old Madam to harm the Duchess is exceedingly grave; no matter who it is, I will not let them off lightly!"
Duke Chong felt a chill down his spine, his heart inexplicably flustered.
...
In front of Duke Chong’s Mansion.
Two soft sedan chairs stopped.
Xie Jinyu erged from the back sedan chair to assist Princess Nanzhang.
The mother and daughter stepped into Duke Chong’s Mansion.
Seeing them, the Old Madam of Duke Chong’s Mansion said, "Why has Prince Zhenbei Mansion kept its doors closed for so many days?"
Princess Nanzhang casually explained a few words, then said, "Duke Chong’s Mansion suddenly sent a Jade Flute. For days, I couldn’t figure out the purpose of this Jade Flute, and finally today, I’m able to leave the mansion to inquire."
The Old Madam of Duke Chong’s Mansion waved her hand.
The maids bowed and withdrew.
Princess Nanzhang was puzzled.
It’s just a Jade Flute, why did everyone need to be dismissed?
Only heard the Old Madam ask, "Have you played that Jade Flute?"
"I haven’t played it, Yuyu played it for a while," Princess Nanzhang said.
Xie Jinyu said, "That tune is difficult to play."
"How is your house’s Old Madam?" the Old Madam of Duke Chong’s Mansion asked again.
"Aunt rest assured, the Old Madam is bleeding from six orifices, left with only a breath, posing no threat," Princess Nanzhang laughed.
After speaking, she felt sothing was amiss.
She looked at the Old Madam Duke Chong, "Could it be that Aunt...."
The Old Madam Duke Chong lifted a teacup and laughed, "It’s that Jade Flute and the tune."
Princess Nanzhang was astonished.
How could it be the Jade Flute and the tune that caused the Old Madam to bleed from six orifices?
The Old Madam Duke Chong nodded, "It was supposed to be seven orifices bleeding to death; Yuyu didn’t finish playing the tune, that’s why she has a breath left."
"In a way, it’s good. She’s enjoyed luxury for so many years, perhaps she should endure so suffering before her end."
Princess Nanzhang didn’t understand, "Does that Jade Flute have such powerful force?"
The Old Madam Duke Chong chuckled lightly, "The Jade Flute and the tune have no power; the power lies in the parasite inside the Old Madam’s body."
Elder Yong Cheng embezzled tributes and was imprisoned, the Old Madam sent her ssages repeatedly for rescue.
The Old Madam Duke Chong knew the Old Madam was no simple character.
Anyone who could strangle her own sister for luxury and riches couldn’t be a good person.
That day, the Old Madam invited her to et at the Great Buddha Temple. Coincidentally, the person Duke Chong sent to the Southern Border to inquire about the Disguise Gu had returned.
Not only did they bring back the Disguise Gu, but also other parasites.
The Old Madam was skeptical about the parasites, and after hearing that a Jade Flute could control them to take lives, the Old Madam Duke Chong wanted to teach the Old Madam a lesson, so she brought them to the Great Buddha Temple.
Unexpectedly, it ca in handy.
After the Old Madam’s plot was exposed, Princess Nanzhang sent soone to the palace to report to the Empress Dowager without informing her.
It wasn’t until the Empress Dowager ntioned it that she rembered, hurriedly sending soone to deliver the Jade Flute and the Flute Score to Princess Nanzhang.
Fortunately, the Old Madam didn’t confess, silencing her promptly.
Xie Jinyu was very interested in the Disguise Gu, "Does such a thing as the Disguise Gu really exist?"
An astonished tone, clearly skeptical.
Though they all knew Marquis Dongxiang and Princess Zhenbei used the Disguise Gu to alter appearances, they had only heard about it, never seen it.
It was because Duke Chong didn’t believe it that he sent soone to the Southern Border to inquire.
The Old Madam Duke Chong glanced at the nanny beside her.
The nanny went inside and brought out a brocade box.
The brocade box was opened in front of Princess Nanzhang.
Inside the box was a pill.
"This is the Disguise Gu," said the Old Madam Duke Chong.
Princess Nanzhang looked intently for a long ti but saw nothing special.
If not told beforehand that it was the Disguise Gu, she would have mistaken it for an ordinary pill.
"Has Aunt had soone test it?" Princess Nanzhang asked.
Not only had soone tested it.
But it had even cost a life.
Only after witnessing it firsthand did Duke Chong believe in the existence of the Disguise Gu.
They found a guard with decent martial arts skills and had him take it.
They watched as the guard’s appearance changed.
However, the process was so painful that the guard scread repeatedly.
In the end, he couldn’t withstand it and passed away.
"He died?" Princess Nanzhang gasped.
"Then how did the Nanliang Hengyang Princess survive it?" she asked.
The Old Madam Duke Chong shook her head.
For soone skilled in martial arts to not survive it, it’s indeed baffling how the Nanliang Hengyang Princess, who couldn’t even truss a chicken, managed to live through it.
It was precisely because they understood the excruciating pain involved in changing appearances that Marquis Dongxiang dared to publicly stand up for Nanliang Hengyang Princess in front of the Emperor at the Political Discussion Hall.
User Comments
0 comments from readers