Xiao Muchen nodded. “Some clues, but to fully investigate, Gao Zhan needs to be removed. Royal Mother already sent word—the time is about right.”
Mingxi hadn’t expected Duke Wei affair to bring such an unexpected benefit. “You rushed back from Dongjiang last time—if Gao Zhan is the kind to play both sides, he’s probably made preparations. Now, with cousin leaving the capital under the pretense of a family falling-out, it’s a perfect cover.”
The matter of the Madam trying to find a husband for Feng Wenxuan had been well-known in the capital for years. Now that she was forcing her son to take his cousin as a concubine—and Xu Yunhui deeply loved his wife—this provided a perfectly valid excuse to escape.
“Cousin’s wife already passed a message to Duchess Gao’s household. She should be asking the Empress to intervene in the next couple of days. Gao Zhan returning to the capital at this moment? He’ll walk right into this performance. How perfect.”
With Liu Xiangyue and her son entangling Gao Zhan, Xu Yunhui would have much greater freedom of movement in Dongjiang.
The couple exchanged looks, perfectly in sync, and couldn’t help but laugh.
A day later, Duchess Gao’s household did indeed seek audience with the Empress.
Shortly after, Consort Shu casually brought up the matter of Gao Zhan keeping a mistress and having an illegitimate child in front of the Emperor. Of course, she only expressed concern over the behavior of the young madam from Duke Gao’s household, saying it put the Duchess in a difficult position.
Married for years without bearing a child, constantly fighting with her husband, even moving out of the Duke’s residence, neglecting filial duties, acting recklessly, and now backing her maternal family’s servants to force the legitimate wife to accept the mistress and child into the household…
One offense after another—outrageous, domineering, and selfish.
Even the Emperor frowned deeply.
While grinding ink for the Emperor, Consort Shu casually remarked, “If one cannot manage their own household, how can they manage the affairs of the nation? If Governor Gao can’t handle his own family, how can he stay focused on his post in Dongjiang?”
Because of that single comment, the Emperor ordered Gao Zhan to return to the capital to resume his duties.
Gao Zhan hurried back, and at the same time, Xu Yunhui quietly left the capital.
As winter deepened and sea travel was suspended, Mingxi received a letter from her mother—she was returning to the capital. Mingxi was instantly delighted.
They had been apart for over half a year, and she missed her dearly.
On the day of Gao Zhan’s return, Duchess Gao’s household brought Liu Xiangyue and her son into the manor. Enraged, Bai Zhiwei moved out and returned to the Duke’s manor. There was no way she would accept that mother and child—doing so would be the ultimate humiliation.
As soon as Bai Zhiwei left, Qi He made his move. He had one of the stewards in her courtyard fall ill with food poisoning, and then arranged for the steward’s nephew to take over for a few days.
But what he didn’t know was that his nephew had already been bought off.
The first snow of winter came suddenly. When they opened their eyes, the world outside was blanketed in white, with icicles hanging from the eaves.
Li Mama and the others used poles to knock the icicles down—otherwise, if the sun warmed them and they fell on someone, the consequences would be severe.
Mingxi pushed open the window; a cold wind brushed her face. The young maidservants and older women were sweeping the snow in the courtyard, their laughter echoing brightly.
Xiao Zhiyi’s little feet left prints all over the untouched snow. The little girl’s laughter rang like silver bells.
Xiao Muchen came over with a cloak and draped it over Mingxi’s shoulders. “Don’t catch a chill.”
Mingxi turned to look at him. “Be careful on the road.”
Xiao Muchen nodded. “Court will be lively today, I imagine.”
Mingxi smiled. “Lively is good.”
The matter of illegally collecting maritime taxes in Dongjiang had already been reported directly to the emperor. Xiao Muchen was using it to test Gao Zhan’s stance.
He was under impeachment for misconduct in office, and at home, the scandal with Liu Xiangyue and her child had stirred up a fierce reaction from Bai Zhiwei. With troubles on both ends, the capital was swirling with rumors.
Mingxi secretly nudged things along again—having Liu Huiyue persuade Liu Xiangyue to insist on entering the household so her son could be recognized by his Father’s family.
Only if Liu Xiangyue succeeded could she and her son be legitimized and enter Zhang Pingtai’s household in name as well as fact.
Ge Hongchou had been watching Liu Huiyue and her son like a hawk. The moment she saw Liu Huiyue meeting Liu Xiangyue in secret, she had someone report it to Bai Zhiwei.
Wasn’t Bai Zhiwei just helping Liu Huiyue? How did it feel now to be stabbed in the back?
Bai Zhiwei immediately sent people to slap Liu Huiyue several times, scolding her as a traitor who ate from her bowl and kicked it over. She even had Liu Huiyue’s son taken away.
Liu Huiyue was counting on these two sons to turn her life around—how could she accept this? She went crazy trying to find her child, but couldn’t even see Bai Zhiwei, and was beaten half to death by her household servants before being thrown out.
Mingxi bribed the maidservant attending Liu Huiyue, telling her to deliberately talk in front of Liu Huiyue about how Bai Zhiwei was fighting Liu Xiangyue in the Duke Gao’s household—especially to remind her that her son was in Bai Zhiwei’s hands, and his life was hanging by a thread.
Liu Huiyue, injured and dragging her body, went to find Zhang Pingtai. But Zhang Pingtai was now keeping his head down and wouldn’t dare show his face at the Duke Gao’s residence. He scolded Liu Huiyue for overthinking it and said the child would be sent back after a few days.
Liu Huiyue caused a scene and was slapped in the face by Zhang Pingtai.
That slap instantly sobered her up. She knew Zhang Pingtai wouldn’t risk anything to save her son. Aside from his own son, he still had Ge Hongchou’s child.
Li Quan paid a sum to someone watching Liu Huiyue’s children and obtained one of the boys’ jackets—it was stained with blood. Liu Huiyue nearly lost her mind when she saw it.
She had always known Bai Zhiwei was ruthless—but to be so heartless even toward such young children?
Urged by her maidservant, Liu Huiyue wrote a complaint and went to the magistrate, accusing the wife of Governor Gao of stealing her child.
Yamen runners came to Duke Gao’s estate to arrest people. Gao Zhan couldn’t afford that kind of disgrace. Fortunately, Zhang Pingtai was a household retainer of Duke Zhen’s residence. He sought out his Father-in-law and had him pressure Liu Huiyue to withdraw the complaint.
He personally retrieved the two boys being held at Bai Zhiwei’s estate and sent them back.
Liu Xiangyue seized the opportunity to bring her son to seek shelter with Duchess Gao. She cried that she was afraid her child would end up like her sister’s—losing his life in some careless moment.
Duchess Gao had long been fed up with Bai Zhiwei and used the incident to pressure Gao Zhan to divorce her. Shockingly, Gao Zhan actually hesitated. Bai Zhiwei and Gao Zhan quarreled again, and in a fit of rage, she smashed a flower vase on his head.
When Mingxi heard the news, she was stunned. She turned to Li Quan and asked, “Really? Gao Zhan’s head was split open?”
“It’s true, Wangfei,” Li Quan said. “I heard several imperial physicians went in one after another. Blood was everywhere. They almost couldn’t save him due to blood loss.”
Mingxi thought: Duchess Gao will definitely use this opportunity to drive Bai Zhiwei out of the house. Sure enough, the duchess went berserk, had Bai Zhiwei bound and sent back to her natal family, and announced to the public: such a vicious woman who would try to murder her husband was not welcome in their noble house!
Bai Zhiwei’s face was swollen from the duchess’s beating. She had just been sent back to her family when she found an opportunity to escape—to her private residence.
She opened the hidden passage and went straight to Donghua Palace.
She couldn’t endure another moment of this life.
