Guangxiang Marquis Madam did not treat Yu Wangfei condescendingly due to her junior status. Instead, she was respectful and courteous.
Hearing Yu Wangfei’s words, she thought for a moment before saying, “Wangfei, this matter is extremely complicated. The course of action will depend on Consort Xian and Yu Wang’s decisions.”
Then, she glanced around and asked, “Where is Yu Wang?”
At this, Consort Xian’s expression shifted slightly. She glanced at Yu Wangfei before saying in a subdued tone, “Still at Kunde Palace.”
“Kunde Palace?” The Marquis Madam frowned. What was he doing there? Shouldn’t he be figuring out how to handle this situation?
A thought struck her—He Wanyi must also be detained at Kunde Palace.
Realizing this, the Marquis Madam’s expression became quite intriguing. She suppressed her anger since it wouldn’t be appropriate to say anything harsh in front of Yu Wangfei, who was already the one suffering.
But the fact remained—her husband should be by her side, reassuring and protecting her. instead, he was lingering at He Wanyi’s side.
The Marquis Madam’s silence spoke volumes. Consort Xian immediately sensed her disapproval and hastily explained, “If we leave He Wanyi alone at Kunde Palace, what if someone manipulates her?”
The Marquis Madam’s temples throbbed. She looked at Consort Xian and couldn’t help but remark, “Niang Niang, this entire affair was orchestrated by the Empress and Crown Prince. He Wanyi is very likely one of the Empress’s people. it was unwise to leave Yu Wang there.”
Consort Xian’s expression stiffened. She replied coolly, “Sister-in-law, we mustn’t jump to conclusions before the truth is fully uncovered.”
The Marquis Madam glanced at Yu Wangfei.
She stood there with her head slightly lowered, her figure appearing frail and solitary. The ones who had schemed against her were none other than her stepmother and stepsister.
Now caught in this crisis, she had no family support, no protection from her husband, and no children to rely on. Truly, her situation was pitiful.
The Marquis Madam had always liked Yu Wangfei. Now, seeing the foolishness of Consort Xian’s actions, she sighed deeply.
She couldn’t bluntly criticize Consort Xian, so she could only warn her from a practical standpoint.
With that in mind, she said to Consort Xian, “Niang Niang, don’t you find it odd that this scandal is being exposed at this particular moment?”
Consort Xian, of course, knew. “I already understand that.”
Then why had she done nothing useful?
Just as the Marquis Madam was about to speak again, Yu Wangfei interjected gently, “Aunt, Royal Mother is in a difficult position in the palace. The Empress has ordered that he remain, and His Highness has been caught in a compromising situation. it would not be easy for him to leave.”
That was true—Yu Wang couldn’t openly defy the Empress. But that was precisely why Consort Xian should be taking charge! Just look at how Consort Gui and Consort Shu fiercely protected their sons—by comparison, Consort Xian was woefully inadequate.
Suppressing her frustration, the Marquis Madam said, “The priority now is to bring Yu Wang back so we can discuss countermeasures.”
Consort Xian finally agreed and sent someone to Kunde Palace.
However, they returned empty-handed—Yu Wang had already been summoned to the Eastern Palace by the Crown Prince.
The Marquis Madam nearly spat blood. They were too late!
Consort Xian also realized the gravity of the situation. Her face paled. “Should I send someone to the Eastern Palace to fetch him?”
The Marquis Madam shook her head. “That won’t work.” She turned to Feng Momo. “How long has he been there?”
Feng Momo replied immediately, “An hour.”
The Marquis Madam felt her vision go dark. What now?
Yu Wangfei suddenly stepped forward and gently suggested, “Royal Mother, Aunt, I could feign a sudden illness and request His Highness’s urgent return.”
The Marquis Madam’s eyes lit up. “Brilliant idea!”
Consort Xian didn’t hesitate. “What are you waiting for? Send someone to the Eastern Palace at once.”
Feng Momo quickly acknowledged the order and hurried outside to relay the message.
Guangxiang Marquis Madam hadn’t expected Yu Wangfei to act in such a way at this moment. She remarked, “This must be quite a grievance for Wangfei.”
“Please don’t say that, Aunt. Wangye and I are husband and wife—this is my duty. Now that the word is out, I must put on an act,” Yu Wangfei replied sincerely.
Guangxiang Marquis Madam turned to Consort Xian. “Your Highness, where should we arrange for Wangfeit to stay?”
“The west side hall will do,” Consort Xian immediately decided, instructing the palace attendants to make preparations. She then advised Yu Wangfei, “Make it look convincing. I’ll have someone summon the imperial physician at once.”
Yu Wangfei nodded obediently and said softly, “I’ll need some powder to cover my face.”
Soon, Changning Palace was bustling with activity. Yu Wangfei was assisted by palace attendants in changing clothes and retouching her makeup before being escorted to the side hall.
Guangxiang Marquis Madam, still uneasy, followed to ensure everything was properly arranged before returning to Consort Xian’s side.
Consort Xian noticed her sister-in-law’s grave expression and felt a sudden unease. “Sister-in-law, please sit and rest for a while.”
Guangxiang Marquis Madam observed that Consort Xian still didn’t seem to grasp the gravity of the situation. She clearly believed this was merely a romantic scandal, one that would blow over once His Majesty’s anger subsided.
Taking advantage of the fact that the imperial physician had yet to arrive, she solemnly explained the dire consequences to Consort Xian in great detail.
Consort Xian forced a smile. “Sister-in-law, are you trying to scare me?”
“How could I possibly frighten Niang Niang? These are the words the Marquis explicitly instructed me to convey to you,” Guangxiang Marquis Madam said firmly. She couldn’t understand how Consort Xian could be so blind in this matter—she hadn’t been this naive in the past.
Noticing Consort Xian’s shift in expression, Guangxiang Marquis Madam’s gaze sharpened as she suddenly asked, “Niang Niang, did the Empress promise you something?”
Consort Xian: …
Guangxiang Marquis Madam was stunned—she had actually guessed correctly!
Her expression darkened as she suddenly stood up, completely disregarding protocol. In a furious voice, she said, “How could you be so foolish? The Empress is clearly using Yu Wang as a scapegoat to shield the Crown Prince, yet you’re still helping her pave the way!”
Only now did Consort Xian realize the truth—she had fallen right into the Empress’s trap!
“Sister-in-law, what should I do now?” Consort Xian panicked. “The Empress assured me it was just a minor issue…”
“A minor issue? Then why would she go to such lengths to pull Xingan Marquis and the Jingyuan Marquis into this to set a trap for Yu Wang? Your Highness, they want to use this opportunity to completely remove Yu Wang from the equation! How could He Wanyi, who is colluding with Kunde Palace, possibly be a good person?”
“That can’t be! He Wanyi said that Xingan Marquis would support Yu Wang in the future.”
“The eldest daughter of Xingan Marquis is already Jin Wangfei—a legitimate, official consort! That alone speaks volumes,” Guangxiang Marquis Madam said sternly. Just then, she saw Pan Jinzhong return alone, without Yu Wang in tow.
In that instant, she felt as if the sky was collapsing—what now?
