Duke Chu had always been Emperor Yongchang’s trusted aide, a founding subject who had followed him from the Min region all the way to the capital.
Not to mention, he was also the maternal family of Qi Wang and Princess Baorong.
Even if it was just for the sake of preserving the children’s reputations, he didn’t wish for Duke Chu and his wife to truly be involved in such a messy and disgraceful affair.
He coldly asked, “The victim went to the Shuntian Prefecture to cry out for justice, and Shuntian Prefecture sent people to your residence to investigate. This incident is real, witnessed by so many commoners with their own eyes. If you were truly innocent, why didn’t you allow Duchess Chu to go to the court to explain everything clearly?!”
Duke Chu knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his old face, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. “Your Majesty! I was also caught off guard by today’s events! When the people from Shuntian Prefecture came and demanded that my wife appear in court, I only thought—my wife is, after all, a titled lady of the court. If she were to appear in public, people who don’t know the full story would surely spread wild rumors.”
He cupped his hands toward Emperor Yongchang, speaking with deep sincerity: “Your Majesty, if my wife is truly to appear in court, it should be the Dali Temple or the Imperial Clan Court who summons her. This old subject was not intentionally defying the law!”
This part was indeed true.
Emperor Yongchang looked at Duke Chu with a complicated expression for a long moment and finally said, “Then I shall order the Imperial Clan Court to fully investigate this matter!”
Duke Chu, still kneeling, let out a bitter laugh. “Your Majesty, I also hope this matter can be thoroughly investigated! Because my wife was so frightened by the scene at the time that she fell and struck the back of her head on the steps. The imperial physician said… she’s now in critical condition and may not survive!”
Emperor Yongchang hadn’t expected the situation to be this severe and was momentarily shocked. “How could this happen?”
After all, she was the biological mother of Noble Consort Xiao Liu, the grandmother of Qi Wang and Princess Baorong, and a titled lady of the highest rank in the empire. No matter how one looked at it, her life was not a trivial matter.
Duke Chu prostrated on the ground, knowing that he had successfully stirred the emperor’s compassion. He pressed on: “Your Majesty, I truly don’t even know where to begin explaining this. Rumors can destroy a person’s life—this old subject has now personally experienced the taste of being killed by slander.”
He couldn’t help but add, “Think about it—if I had truly harmed my own wife, how could I have maintained such close relations with the Jiang family all these years?”
This argument was actually quite persuasive.
Over the years, Duke Chu had indeed treated the Jiang family with great care, doing his utmost to support them in all matters.
Thinking of this, Emperor Yongchang frowned and sighed, “Very well. First, let the imperial physicians do everything they can to save Duchess Chu. I will have both the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Imperial Clan Court thoroughly investigate this matter! If you have been falsely accused, I will surely clear your name. But if this is proven to be true, I will not show leniency—you understand that, don’t you?”
Duke Chu kowtowed and agreed, while secretly breathing a sigh of relief.
No matter what, surviving this immediate crisis was already a victory.
After so many years, he had long since gained the experience to handle such situations and had seen it all. Even if Hu Yichuan was incited by the Eastern Palace and Qi Yuan to stir up trouble—so what?
This case could drag on for two or three months, maybe even longer. He could think of a hundred ways to patch things up and turn it around.
Emperor Yongchang felt an unbearable headache.
Liu Wangfei had testified that Duke Chu abandoned his wife to marry another and kept a mistress outside, eventually driving his first wife to her death.
But Duke Chu and the Jiang family both firmly denied this.
If it were just Duke Chu proclaiming his innocence, it wouldn’t have much credibility.
The problem was, Madam Jiang’s own elder brother had come forward to testify in his favor.
Things had become rather complicated.
Unable to suppress his frustration, the emperor rubbed his temples and asked Eunuch Xia, “Has Zhou Wang not returned to the capital yet?”
The whole truth behind this matter still depended on Lu Mingan’s return.
First, they needed to find the assassin who tried to kill Liu Wangfei.
He would give her an explanation for this incident first, then proceed to investigate the case involving Madam Jiang from back then.
Eunuch Xia, sensing the emperor’s irritation, carefully shook his head. “Your Majesty, Wangye has not yet returned.”
Emperor Yongchang slowly let out a breath.
As soon as Duke Chu left the palace, he headed straight to the Duke’s residence to see his ailing wife.
All the imperial physicians knew that Duchess Chu was the biological mother of Noble Consort Xiao Liu. Who would dare not give their utmost effort?
So although Duchess Chu had struck the back of her head, she miraculously regained consciousness.
When she saw Duke Chu return, she gripped his hand tightly. “My Lord, what should we do about this? Our family must not fall to such a point; we must not let them lead us by the nose!”
If the events of that year were truly dug up again…
Never mind that Liu Wangfei would use this to relentlessly entangle them.
The key issue was that she had caused that man surnamed Hu to die of anger. In the eyes of the world, that was simply unforgivable.
Even the reputations of Noble Consort Xiao Liu and Princess Baorong would inevitably be affected.
Duke Chu quickly comforted her. “Don’t worry, I’ve already thought of a solution. Isn’t he trying to lodge a complaint? But how can a dead man file a complaint?”
Duchess Chu finally breathed a sigh of relief. “But now both the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Imperial Clan Court are investigating. How will you kill him…?”
If they got caught, things would become even worse.
Duke Chu smiled meaningfully. “Of course, we won’t do it ourselves.”
Back then, he didn’t kill Liu Wangfei with his own hands.
Now, having Lu Minghui go kill Lu Mingan—he wouldn’t do that himself either.
And as for killing Hu Yichuan, naturally, he wouldn’t do it himself.
He gently patted Duchess Chu’s hand and softly said, “Enough, focus on recovering your health for now. As long as I’m here, Duke Chu’s residence will not fall. Rest assured.”
At that moment, Baizhi was following closely behind Qi Yuan, nervously asking, “Miss, are we just going to leave it at this?”
Shunzi lifted the carriage curtain for Qi Yuan. After getting in, Qi Yuan smiled and said, “Of course we’re not done. We’re waiting for a bigger fish.”
Baizhi’s eyes lit up—she just knew things wouldn’t end here. It was too strange that the young lady would personally come out and yet no one had died.
Sure enough, the young lady still had something up her sleeve.
With that, Qi Yuan returned home to change her clothes.
Old Marquis Qi and Qi Zhen had just finished handling the affairs at home. When they saw Qi Yuan return, they exchanged a glance and saw the worry in each other’s eyes.
It was Old Marquis Qi who finally asked, “Ah Yuan, did everything go smoothly?”
Qi Yuan responded with a simple “Mm,” and casually said, “It went quite smoothly.”
Old Marquis Qi blurted out, “Who died?”
Qi Yuan turned to look at Old Marquis Qi.
Old Marquis Qi quickly coughed a few times to cover his slip and rephrased, “What I meant was, with something this big, surely it can’t just be over like this, right?”
Surely someone had to die, right?
Who was it?
Even if it was Qi Wang, he could accept that.
Qi Yuan shook her head. “If I’ve calculated the timing correctly, Lord Lu, the Grand Commandant, should be dead by now.”
Lord Lu?
There was only one Grand Commandant in the capital—that was Lu Minghui from the Five Armies Command.
Qi Zhen was dumbfounded. “How is it him who died?”
Qi Yuan sneered. “Didn’t I say, whoever jumps out next is the one. Grand Commandant Lu simply jumped out faster—that’s all. As for who’s next, you two will find out soon enough.”
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