Thump! Thump, thump!
In the morning, with the sunlight just right, the streets were bustling with people, and the sounding drum outside the Capital Governor’s office was struck thunderously loud.
The Capital Governor was an honest and upright official. Upon hearing the sounding drum, he imdiately ordered the court to be convened.
"Old servant’s surna is Zhao, I am a slave of Mrs. Zhang from Marquis Pingnan’s Mansion!"
Nanny Zhao knelt reverently below the court, holding a complaint high above her head with both hands.
Seated high in the court, the Capital Governor felt a jolt in his heart upon hearing the words "Marquis Pingnan’s Mansion."
It was not that he feared Marquis Pingnan, but rather, recently, the Marquis had stirred up a storm in Capital City, attracting widespread attention.
Having disappeared for seven or eight years, he had suddenly returned, bringing with him several barbarian leaders as gifts.
With his actual deeds, he had cleared his na of the false accusations from the past and had established new military rits.
Emperor Chengtai was overjoyed and felt sowhat guilty towards Marquis Pingnan.
Yet, Marquis Pingnan bore no resentnt towards Emperor Chengtai, instead showing great respect by saying, "Both thunder and rain are graces from the sovereign," and even making excuses for the Emperor that "the Saint too was deceived by villains."
Indeed, how could the Emperor be wrong? Even if he had wrongfully killed an Outstanding Official, it would have been the machinations of deceivers.
Thus, the "villain" in Marquis Pingnan’s words, the Deputy General who had back then, oh no, falsely accused Marquis Pingnan, was directly sentenced to beheading by the "enraged" Emperor Chengtai, and his family was exiled.
The suffering endured by the Marquis Pingnan’s Mansion back then was fully visited upon that "villain’s" family.
It was indeed karma, with retribution unfailing.
The Saint reinstated Marquis Pingnan as a Marquis, and awarded him a mansion in Capital City.
Moreover, the other people of the Marquis’s household were also pardoned.
With great fanfare, Marquis Pingnan rode to fetch the Grand Madam from her external family ho back to Marquis Pingnan’s Mansion, along with Mrs. Zhang and nurous other female family mbers, of course.
The reunions of mother and son, husband and wife, naturally involved mutual inquiries of well-being and sharing of heartfelt thoughts.
Having brought back his relatives, Marquis Pingnan then started to loudly thank those who had once assisted his female family mbers.
For instance, the couple Feng Zhongliang, famously known as Righteous Warriors in the neighborhood.
Hmm, it’s not right to call them loyal servants anymore, especially since Feng Zhongliang had long ago been freed from servitude.
Yet this very old servant, having spent all his family wealth to rescue the Marquis’s female family mbers and toiling to support Mrs. Zhang, deserves recognition.
Despite Marquis Pingnan’s recent return to Capital City, rumors circulated about a loyal servant (Nanny Zhao) and Righteous Warriors (the couple Feng Zhongliang) in the Marquis Mansion, and he heard several versions of these stories.
Whether out of genuine gratitude or for the sake of reputation, Marquis Pingnan had to thank and repay them.
Particularly after Marquis Pingnan learned that Mrs. Gu had sohow managed to send his legitimate eldest daughter, Wei Yuanniang, to Qingyun Temple, his impression of "Gu Xiuniang" greatly improved.
Do not think that since the Saint restored Marquis Pingnan’s title, and granted him compensation and rewards, everything was settled.
In fact, Marquis Pingnan was very clear that Emperor Chengtai still guarded against him.
In the future, if Marquis Pingnan were to return to the Southwest to continue commanding the Southwest Army, Emperor Chengtai would still seek ways to consolidate military power and suppress Marquis Pingnan’s Mansion.
If there could be a Noble in Capital City who didn’t need to be overly biased towards Marquis Pingnan, but who might speak a word in his favor when Emperor Chengtai sought to strike or provide a warning to the Marquis Mansion, it would be imnsely helpful.
And Temple Master Hua Yang of Qingyun Temple, with both status and imperial favor, if he could forge a connection with her, it would be greatly beneficial for Marquis Pingnan’s Mansion.
Having his own legitimate daughter nurtured close to Temple Master Hua Yang, even with the possibility of eting the Emperor, Marquis Pingnan couldn’t help but internally applaud "Gu Xiuniang"—well done!
There was even a mont when Marquis Pingnan felt that "Gu Xiuniang," a common woman from an old servant family, had more foresight and planning capabilities than Mrs. Zhang, the Marchioness herself.
Marquis Pingnan did not disdain Mrs. Zhang, and to be fair, he felt grateful and guilty towards her.
No matter what, during the Marquis Mansion’s tis of trouble, Mrs. Zhang did not "scatter in the face of danger" but shared hardships with the Marquis Mansion.
Feng Zhongliang and the like, being under Mrs. Zhang’s na as her slaves, their rits could also be accredited to Mrs. Zhang.
Not to ntion, while Mrs. Zhang and her daughter suffered, he had married other won.
Although Marquis Pingnan did not intend it, he had indeed failed his wife emotionally and morally.
Marquis Pingnan felt gratitude toward Mrs. Zhang and would treat her well in the future, but to be honest, he was not entirely satisfied with so of Mrs. Zhang’s behaviors.
Not to ntion anything else, just on the matter of Wei Yuanniang’s upbringing, Mrs. Zhang had seriously neglected her duties, even less competent than "Gu Xiuniang," a woman from a lesser household.
Yes, the legitimate eldest daughter was also very important for a family.
If raised well, she could still bring assistance to the family!
Yet Mrs. Zhang—
Alas, fortunately, Mrs. Zhang lacked ability but had a good servant.
This good servant had taken a good daughter-in-law, and finally, their Yuanniang had not been wasted in the past few years and had embarked on the path of Qingyun.
After returning to Capital City, Marquis Pingnan had brought Grand Madam and others back to the mansion and then made ti to visit Qingyun Temple to see Temple Master Hua Yang.
At their first eting, they could only exchange pleasantries, but at least they had made contact.
And they had Wei Yuanniang as a bridge for potential future "cooperation."
Moreover, Wei Yuanniang herself had surprised Marquis Pingnan.
Several years had passed, and the once chubby little girl had turned into a slender and elegant young beauty.
Lacking any vulgar aura, she instead carried the unique pride and confidence of a noble family.
With exquisite looks and an elegant deanor, combined with the careful guidance of Temple Master Hua Yang, Marquis Pingnan felt that his daughter could even marry the Crown Prince!
When Marquis Pingnan left Qingyun Temple, he actually harbored so wild ambitions.
However, before Marquis Pingnan could take the opportunity to plan anything, Nanny Zhao had already run to the Capital Governor’s office to beat the drum of grievance!
"...Lady Zhao, what did you just say? This official did not hear clearly, you, say it again!"
The Capital Governor leaned forward, his tiger-like eyes staring incredulously at Nanny Zhao.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t heard Nanny Zhao’s words clearly, but rather, he found it unbelievable.
Had it not been for a shred of rationality reminding him, the Capital Governor would have wanted to look around—
Right!
This is my Capital’s Governor Mansion!
It is neither the stage in the East Market nor the teahouse in the West Market.
No one is performing a play here, and nobody is narrating stories, but soone is coming forward to confess!
But, but, the words spoken by this old servant, how could they sound so preposterous?
The Capital Governor felt that not even the troupes or storytellers of the East and West Markets could co up with such a tale.
"You say you secretly switched Marquis Pingnan’s wife’s son?"
A snatching of dragons for phoenixes? Switching the commoner with the Crown Prince?
As the Capital Governor spoke, he shook his head inwardly.
Impossible!
Absolutely impossible.
What kind of place is the Marquis Mansion?
When the Family Head’s mother-in-law gave birth, how many people attended her?
Nanny Zhao was just a wet nurse; even with so connections, how could she deceive everyone...
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