The news found by the Old Madam of Prince Zhenbei Mansion spread like wind, and the whole Capital City knew about it.
On this day, not many people ca to offer condolences.
The next day, neither the Old Prince nor the Prince went to court, and the Emperor also did not attend court, having been punched by Marquis Dongxiang, although he used dicine, his face was still a bit bruised.
A whole night didn’t make it completely fade, and the Emperor didn’t want the ministers to see it, so he cancelled court for a day.
Prince Zhenbei Mansion was holding a funeral, and the Emperor sent Eunuch Fu to offer condolences, advising the Old Prince to take care of himself.
Yesterday, nobody ca by, but today, there were more ministers and wives offering condolences.
The Princess Consort, being pregnant, had the red and white matters easily clashing, so all the greeting and seeing-off was entrusted to Su Jin.
Moreover, the household matters of the Prince Mansion were still under the managent of Princess Nanzhang.
Speaking of this, Princess Nanzhang felt very awkward too.
If it hadn’t been for the fake Old Madam having close relations with the Empress Dowager, the inside and outside siege, the Prince wouldn’t have married Princess Nanzhang at all.
A woman pushed over by the fake Old Madam, how could the Prince possibly co to like her?
Moreover, since the Prince ntioned the Empress Dowager directly and forthrightly at the court, he surely suspected the sches of switching the genuine with the fake by the fake Old Madam were related to the Empress Dowager.
If the Empress Dowager were indeed the mastermind, then Princess Nanzhang’s position in Prince Zhenbei Mansion would be even more awkward.
Princess Nanzhang clearly felt that those noble wives weren’t as respectful and familiar with her as they used to be.
Being accustod to being surrounded like stars around the moon, she couldn’t endure such a disparity. She thought of leaving it all behind more than once, but once the household power is thrown away, it’s feared that there’d be no chance to regain it.
Mrs. Zhao advised her, life’s ups and downs are inevitable; there’s no need to worry about temporary highs or lows; smiling at the end is what’s important.
Only then did Princess Nanzhang persistently welco the guests.
Guests ca one after another, even Mrs. Tang, who rarely stepped out, ca.
This was her first ti visiting Prince Zhenbei Mansion.
Since entering the Capital City, Mrs. Tang had visited only a few mansions, yesterday was Su Chong’s banquet, today was Prince Zhenbei Mansion’s funeral. Just to stay for one night and then say she fell ill didn’t sit right.
Mrs. Tang and Marquis Dongxiang went together to offer incense to the Old Madam.
While Marquis Dongxiang spoke with the Prince, Mrs. Tang went to see the Princess Consort.
As she ca out of the main courtyard, she saw two people she least wanted to see.
Duchess Chong walked up, accompanied by another madam.
Seeing Mrs. Tang walk past, that madam furrowed her brows, her gaze followed Mrs. Tang until she walked far away.
Why did that figure and appearance look so familiar?
Though she tried to recall, she couldn’t imdiately rember where she had seen them.
"What’s the matter?" Seeing she didn’t move, Duchess Chong asked.
"Who is that madam?" Madam Wen Yuan asked.
"That’s Marquis Dongxiang’s wife," Duchess Chong ntioned through clenched teeth.
It’s Marquis Dongxiang’s wife?!
Madam Wen Yuan’s heart shook.
Sothing seed to flash through her mind, so quickly that it disappeared without a trace before she could capture it.
She turned back to look, but it was too far to see clearly.
Since their return to the Capital, her husband had prepared generous gifts to visit, but sadly, Dongxiang Marquis Mansion did not see them.
Yesterday, the eldest son of Duke Chong Mansion married Princess Fu Yun from Prince Yun Mansion, but they didn’t send an invitation to Wenyuan Bo Mansion.
Though there are many nobles in the Capital, Wenyuan Bo Mansion is not considered significant, and they knew this.
But households with titles in the Capital are not as common as cabbages in the market, being ignored like this ruffled Madam Wen Yuan’s heart.
It is said that Wenyuan Bo Mansion and Dongxiang Marquis Mansion did not have any enmity, so why do they get such treatnt?
Duchess Chong walked away, and Madam Wen Yuan hastened her pace to catch up.
After the worship, Madam Wen Yuan bid farewell to Uncle Wen Yuan.
In Prince Zhenbei Mansion, she not only saw Mrs. Tang but also Marquis Dongxiang, yet Marquis Dongxiang’s appearance differed so vastly from when he was younger, lacking any resemblance.
Madam Wen Yuan was even more puzzled, "Though over a decade has passed, appearances do change, why has Marquis Dongxiang’s appearance changed so drastically?"
She was yet unaware that Marquis Dongxiang had used a Disguise Pill, Uncle Wen Yuan knew but had never ntioned, saying, "Marquis Dongxiang’s drastic change in appearance is because of the Disguise Pill."
"No wonder," Madam Wen Yuan said.
The familiar Marquis Dongxiang beca a stranger, yet the unfamiliar Marquis Dongxiang’s wife strangely felt familiar, which she found quite amusing.
All the way, she pondered over why Marquis Dongxiang’s wife felt familiar to her.
She thought about it for a long ti in the soft sedan, without coming to a conclusion. Upon returning to Wenyuan Bo Mansion, as she stepped over the threshold, a beautiful silhouette flashed through her mind, causing her steps to halt.
"It’s her!" Madam Wen Yuan exclaid.
The voice carried not just surprise but also a tremor.
Her abrupt shout startled Uncle Wen Yuan, "Jumping at shadows!"
"This is the Capital, not Yongzhou, be mindful of your identity as a Madam!"
Madam Wen Yuan glared at him, "How am I not being mindful of my identity?!"
"Then what are you yelling about?" Uncle Wen Yuan said weakly.
Their family was dominant in Yongzhou, with no one daring to provoke them, but now entering the Capital, still holding themselves aloof and arrogant as in Yongzhou, inevitably he feared it would bring trouble!
Madam Wen Yuan looked around, "I saw Marquis Dongxiang’s wife today."
"Seeing is seeing, she’s not worth you jumping at shadows," Uncle Wen Yuan said indifferently.
"But she resembles Yun Chu very much!"
Uncle Wen Yuan’s body shook.
"How could that be?!" he exclaid, raising his voice.
"It must be mistaken; Yun Chu has been dead for over a decade, having fallen off a cliff and drowned."
Madam Wen Yuan knew Yun Chu was dead as well, "But she really resembles Yun Chu, at least five points in common with young Yun Chu."
"Back then, we did find Yun Chu’s body, but it had been bloated beyond recognition, who could guarantee it was Yun Chu for sure?"
Madam Wen Yuan felt she couldn’t be mistaken, nor imagine wrongly.
No matter how she argued, Uncle Wen Yuan wouldn’t believe, "Think about what you’ve done in the past, if she were really Yun Chu, could she have such a grown daughter as the Princess Consort Zhenbei?"
Madam Wen Yuan paused, it seed true.
A bowl of sterility dicine consud, she’d never be able to bear children again, how could she have such a grown daughter?
It’s heard Marquis Dongxiang has not only one biological daughter but a biological son too.
It seems it’s just her overthinking.
"But she really looks like Yun Chu...."
"Enough! Saying more gives one the creeps!"
"There are plenty of people who look alike in the world, stop being paranoid."
Uncle Wen Yuan flicked his sleeve and strode away.
After walking far, he rembered they’d been back in the Capital for so ti, yet hadn’t gone to pay respects to his sister’s grave.
Uncle Wen Yuan ordered the steward to take people to clear the grass from the grave. He planned to pay respects in a couple of days.
Uncle Wen Yuan’s orders the steward dared not delay, and imdiately took people out of the mansion.
After only half an hour, the steward rushed back and reported to Uncle Wen Yuan, "The grave has been cleaned by soone, with fresh fruits and pastries placed there. We arrived in ti to catch an old woman stealing offerings."
Uncle Wen Yuan froze.
Besides Wenyuan Bo Mansion, who else would go to pay respects to Yun Chu?
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