The Second Madam was taken aback and raised her eyebrows. Since the dead is already dead, there’s nothing more to say. She then nodded at Nanny Li, and said indifferently, "Go ahead."
"She said..." Nanny Li indeed didn’t dare to repeat such words, but if she didn’t, and the Second Madam found out later, her ending would be worse. After thinking about it, she steeled herself and said, "She said... the one in Marquis’s heart isn’t her, isn’t Tong Xihua, and isn’t Shen..."
This was equivalent to saying nothing, utterly worthless. The Second Madam nodded casually, but Nanny Li continued, "...it isn’t you, Madam, either."
The Second Madam paused in her tea-drinking, her sharp gaze shot towards Nanny Li, who shivered and involuntarily lowered her voice as she continued, "She said the one the Marquis truly loves... is... the Fourth Madam!"
Suddenly, the room fell silent.
The Second Madam’s face turned pale in an instant, but in the blink of an eye, she returned to normal, looked at Nanny Li, and asked, "She said so, does she have evidence?"
No suspicion, just a desire for confirmation!
No one knew Xiao Yanyi better than she did. She had long suspected that there was soone hidden in Xiao Yanyi’s heart, but she couldn’t find out who, so she could only keep the suspicion to herself.
Nanny Li shook her head and replied, "Teng Qiuniang said you should ask the Marquis, for he never lies..."
Truly ignorant, better off dead indeed.
She calmly placed her teacup on the table without even a clatter from china hitting wood. She closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, waving her hand dismissively, "You all go out; I need so peace."
Nanny Li hesitated slightly, worried that sothing might affect the fetal health of the Second Madam, but Zitan shook her head at her, and the two were about to leave when the Second Madam spoke, "Wait!"
They stopped, and the Second Madam asked Nanny Li, "Are you saying the guest list in the manor was written by the Fourth Madam herself?"
Nanny Li didn’t understand the Second Madam’s intention but nodded and said, "Yes! At the ti, the servant thought it was written by Maid Chunliu and praised the handwriting, and Maid Chunliu told the servant she couldn’t write, that it was penned by the Fourth Madam herself."
The Second Madam nodded slightly, her gaze sharpened as she instructed, "Take that list and make a trip to the Prince Mansion, find Mr. Chuan in the manor; he is skilled at imitation!"
Nanny Li paused, then bowed in acknowledgnt and exited the door!
Early the next morning, a master from Iron Pestle Temple ca to deliver a ssage, and the Grand Dowager sent Housekeeper Hu with so people to the temple.
When Xiqiu heard the news, she was discussing the kitchen nu with Nanny Li. Nanny Li had just left when a maid ca to report. Xiqiu was startled and questioned aloud, "Hanged herself? Was a forensic doctor invited?"
The maid was taken aback, puzzled by Xiqiu’s question. Madam Teng wasn’t able to endure the temple’s rules, or the Teng Family.
The news of the master’s death had just been reported, and the Fourth Madam suggested inviting a forensic doctor, for what purpose...
Without thinking, the maid replied, "Because she died outside, the Grand Dowager had Housekeeper Hu buy a coffin, purchased a plot nearby, and buried her there. She should have been laid to rest by now."
So, no forensic doctor was invited!
Suddenly, Xiqiu felt a chill. She frowned, instructed Maid Chunliu to tip the maid, and saw her out.
Then she sat quietly in her chair; the Second Madam was pregnant but deliberately concealed it. The Empress Dowager suddenly helped the Teng Family, Teng Qiuniang caused Shen to miscarry...
She had originally hoped it was rely a coincidence.
Now Teng Qiuniang’s death strongly suggested that everything she had done was under soone’s orders, or she had made a deal... Teng Qiuniang could never have offspring, so whether or not Shen was pregnant was of no consequence to her. She had no reason to cause harm, but Shen’s pregnancy did affect others. If Shen bore a son, then not only would the Second family have a legitimate son from the first wife, but also a second son, making the child she bore less important to Xiao Yanyi or the Grand Dowager.
The Second Madam, she had overestimated her!
Housekeeper Hu returned from Iron Pestle Temple and went directly to the Grand Dowager’s courtyard to report. The Fifth Madam was sitting in a chair crying bitterly. Seeing Housekeeper Hu enter, she imdiately asked sharply, "What have you done to her? She couldn’t have hanged herself for no reason. Did you call a doctor, how did she die exactly?"
Housekeeper Hu was overwheld by her barrage of questions, not knowing how to respond. The Grand Dowager had already glanced at the Fifth Madam and barked, "Silence! Sit properly and listen to what Housekeeper Hu has to say."
The Fifth Madam shivered, a bit resentful but did not speak further.
Housekeeper Hu hesitated, glanced at the Fifth Madam, his eyes flickered, and replied, "It was indeed suicide, no other clues were found, and I saw no problem. I bought a coffin at the mountain’s foot and asked the temple’s master for a burial... I’m back to consult with the Grand Dowager on the duration to remain in the temple and where it should be buried."
The Grand Dowager looked deeply at Housekeeper Hu, thought for a mont, and said, "The weather is getting hotter, so let it remain there for three days. Ask the temple master to perform the funeral rites and bury her in the secluded and beautiful area behind the mountain."
Concubines have no right to be buried in the ancestral graves.
"Mother!" The Fifth Madam, hearing this, knelt before the Grand Dowager and pleaded, "Mother, Qiuniang was so pitiful in life; she passed without leaving a descendant. Please let your daughter-in-law take care of her posthumous affairs, allow your daughter-in-law to take her to Tongzhou... Mother, I beg you!"
The Grand Dowager frowned and scolded, "Why don’t you use your brain? Your elder brother just passed away; the manor is in chaos. If you bring her back now, would your sister-in-law let her enter the ancestral tomb?"
The Fifth Madam was stunned, and the Grand Dowager had already instructed Nanny Wu, "Send her back, and don’t let her in without reason!" Then she said to the Fifth Madam, "If you wish to return for the funeral, do as you wish, but you are not to interfere in Teng Qiuniang’s affairs again!"
"Mother. I want to see Second Brother; I don’t believe Second Brother would be so heartless."
Not ntioning Xiao Yanyi was fine, but as soon as he was ntioned, the Grand Dowager’s face darkened. Nanny Wu, upon seeing this, half-pushed and half-dragged the Fifth Madam out.
Once the Fifth Madam had left, the Grand Dowager looked at Housekeeper Hu and said, "Report the true findings, speak!"
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