Chapter 247: The Truth Revealed
"Now? You want me to go to the Wu Family residence?" Consort Wu stared at Lianxin in shock. "What happened?"
Lianxin lowered her head even further.
"Yes, it's my fault," she began to sob. "I went to inquire about how the position Young Master wanted was lost... and Madam Wu found out... She, she wants to summon you for questioning." With that, she burst into loud wails. "I, I didn’t mean to... I never thought they would report it to Madam Wu..."
To think Madam Wu had discovered it!
Consort Wu’s mind was instantly thrown into turmoil, unsure of what to do. Still, she asked, "Then did you find out where Madam Zhao is from?"
"I did," Lianxin sniffled. "They say Madam Zhao is from Shaanxi. The one who took Young Master’s position is someone named Shen Rensi, who was in the same examination cohort as Young Master... from Hancheng, Shaanxi..."
Consort Wu’s heart pounded wildly.
Both from Shaanxi... a grudge... thick wine... the lost position...
She felt as though she had grasped something, yet at the same time, nothing at all...
To make matters worse, Lianxin was still crying beside her. "The sedan chair sent by Madam Wu is already waiting at the side gate... Her personal housekeeper has already informed Madam Yu, saying you were thoughtful to remember the Third Young Mistress’s birthday and wanted to invite you over for some celebration... Madam Yu has agreed and sent me to inform you..."
Consort Wu had no choice but to steady her emotions. In a daze, she let Lianxin help her freshen up, bid farewell to Madam Yu, and boarded the Wu Family’s sedan chair.
Since Madam Wu was still present, the celebration for the Third Young Mistress’s birthday was merely a modest family banquet. By the time Consort Wu arrived, the Wu Family was playing mahjong in the flower hall.
When the maids announced Consort Wu’s arrival, Madam Wu remained unmoved, continuing her game. Only between plays did she glance up at Consort Wu and casually remark, "You’re here."
As for the rest of the Wu Family, they didn’t even spare her a look.
Even when Consort Wu had been a daughter of the Wu Family, she had never had a place in the flower hall—let alone now, as a concubine of the Yu Family.
The Wu Family’s indifference, however, put Consort Wu more at ease.
She stood quietly, waiting until Madam Wu finished a round of mahjong, stood up, and coldly said, "Follow me." After curtsying to the others in the room, she followed Madam Wu to a small resting chamber beside the flower hall.
Madam Wu sat on the daybed and gestured to the embroidered stool beside her, indicating for Consort Wu to sit.
Consort Wu thanked her and took her seat.
Once a maid had served tea, Madam Wu dismissed her attendants and fixed Consort Wu with a sharp gaze. "What mischief are you up to? How is it your business to inquire about how the Yu Family’s Young Master lost his position? All you need to do is stay quietly in the Yu Family’s inner quarters—they provide you with food and clothing, don’t they? Why meddle in such matters? I always thought you were a sensible girl—what’s gotten into you? Thankfully, it was me who caught wind of it. If someone else had found out and reported it to Madam Yu, what would she think? Have you lost your mind?" She added sternly, "Let me make this clear: if you step out of line and the Yu Family decides to punish you, don’t expect me to humiliate myself by pleading on your behalf!"Her heart felt as if it were burning with fire, and Consort Wu's face flushed crimson in an instant.
That wasn't what you said when you had me enter the Yu Family.
Now that my child is lost, and the Yu master treats me as if I don't exist, your tune has completely changed.
How can someone be so heartless?
Thinking of this, she could no longer hold back and said stiffly, "No matter how improper I may be, I can't compare to the Yu Family, who made an enemy of Madam Zhao and even provoked her to the point of wanting to destroy the Yu Family!"
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Madam Wu was both shocked and horrified, her hand brushing against the teacup beside her, causing a clinking sound. "Shut your mouth at once!" Her eyes flickered with unease. "What... what have you heard?"
Consort Wu's expression turned blank.
She was frightened by her own words!
She didn't even know how she could have said such things!
How could she possibly take this back now?
If word got out, would the Yu Family and Madam Zhao let it go so easily? Wouldn't Madam Zhao suffer unjustly because of her?
The thought flashed through her mind, and Consort Wu fell to her knees with a thud before Madam Wu. "I... I was just talking nonsense... Madam, please don't listen to me... It was all my own assumptions..." Her face had turned as pale as plain silk. "This matter has nothing to do with Madam Zhao! Really! It was all my reckless words..."
But Madam Wu wasn't listening to Consort Wu's excuses at all.
Her gaze was somewhat vacant, her mind filled with the buzzing voice of Wu Daren: "...Luckily, you didn't interfere with what happened afterward.
"Zhao Ling had already thoroughly investigated the Zhao Family before he even returned. As soon as he arrived back in Songjiang, he put on an act of 'as long as the Zhao Family hands over those who bullied his family in the past, he would let bygones be bygones; otherwise, he would take the matter to the imperial court.' This forced Eighth Master Zhao to make Sixth Master Zhao apologize to Zhao Ling's mother in the ancestral hall in front of the entire clan and compensate Zhao Ling with family property.
"But who would have thought that just a few days later, the authorities suddenly arrested Sixth Master Zhao's only son, claiming that five years ago, during a dispute over water with the neighboring estate, it was Sixth Master Zhao's son who led the servants to beat their family member to death. Now, the neighboring family had accused Sixth Master Zhao's son, demanding a life for a life.
"Sixth Master Zhao had no choice but to use his coffin savings to fight the lawsuit, even pawning his daughter-in-law's jewelry.
"In the end, they lost the case, and his son was sentenced to military exile in the Nine Frontiers. Upon hearing this, his daughter-in-law abandoned her child and fled...
"Think about it—Zhao Ling is one of the Nine Frontier commanders. They all know each other well and rely on mutual support in battle. If he wanted to deal with Sixth Master Zhao's son, all he had to do was drop a hint, and there would be plenty of people eager to curry favor and handle it for him.
"By this point, Sixth Master Zhao probably realized—after all these years, why would the neighboring family suddenly bring charges now? There must have been someone inciting them behind the scenes, someone who wanted to ruin his family. And who else but Zhao Ling could have such power? To save his grandson's life, Sixth Master Zhao simply hanged himself in the Zhao Family ancestral hall, giving Zhao Ling his answer.
"Now the Zhao Family refuses to accept this...""They felt that Sixth Master Zhao was indeed in the wrong back then, but he had already compensated Zhao Ling with silver. When the lawsuit with the neighbors arose, Eighth Master Zhao, as the clan leader, should have stepped in to help. Otherwise, Sixth Master Zhao wouldn’t have had to hang himself in the ancestral hall."
"Then some clan members came forward, saying that when Sixth Master Zhao’s son got into trouble, the authorities had summoned Eighth Master Zhao for questioning..."
"The Zhao family was thrown into chaos."
"Everyone thought Eighth Master Zhao had gone too far—not only disrespecting his elders but also sowing discord among kin and refusing to help in dire times."
"Then the branch families began clamoring to elect a new clan leader and even nominated Zhao Qi..."
"Killing someone is one thing, but Zhao Ling, who merely lost his parents and had his property seized, now seeks to end another’s lineage. Such a man is not someone we can afford to offend!"
At this thought, Madam Wu couldn’t help but shudder.
She grabbed Consort Wu, who was kneeling on the ground, her expression tinged with panic. "Explain this to me clearly—what exactly is going on?"
Fearing Madam Wu might misunderstand Fu Tingyun, Consort Wu recounted everything in detail: how they had met at Tanzhe Temple, how she had spotted an acquaintance and wanted to speak with Fu Tingyun, only for Fu Tingyun to reveal her rift with the Yu Family. She also described how Madam Yu had panicked upon hearing they had met and secretly sent the Yu Family’s chief steward to Xi’an... "I just blurted out a wild guess in the heat of the moment..."
"Wait," Madam Wu interrupted, clearly dismissing Consort Wu’s self-reproach. Instead, she murmured, "Madam Zhao personally told you she was at odds with the Yu Family... Then the Yu Family’s eldest son lost the position he was angling for... Shen Rensi got it instead, and he happens to be from the same place as Madam Zhao..." She raised her voice and called for her housekeeper. "Has the master returned yet?"
The housekeeper hurriedly replied, "The master just returned and is changing his clothes now!"
"Stay here," Madam Wu instructed Consort Wu. "Wait for me." Then, surrounded by maids and matrons, she headed to the main house.
Master Wu was about to go to the flower hall when his wife rushed in. He smiled. "What’s the matter? No mahjong today?" Noticing her anxious expression, he added, "What’s wrong?"
Without a word, Madam Wu pulled him into the side chamber and relayed Consort Wu’s account.
Master Wu paled. Abandoning his plans for the flower hall, he said, "I’ll go see Hao Jianfeng immediately to inquire about Shen Rensi’s background. You find out if there’s any connection between the Zhao Family and Shen Rensi."
Madam Wu nodded and left.
By evening, they reconvened.
Madam Wu reported, "It’s confirmed—the Zhao and Shen families seem to be very close. When Madam Zhao was in confinement, Madam Shen stayed by her side to care for her, and her two sons also stayed with the Zhaos. The Zhao family refers to Madam Shen as 'Third Aunt.' I assumed she was Madam Zhao’s sister, but now it seems they might be sworn sisters."Official Wu was drenched in sweat. "That Shen Rensi only secured the position of Left Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel through the Zhao Family's connections. Moreover, the Zhao Family obtained this through the Emperor's personal favor." He couldn't help but smile bitterly as he continued, "When I went to ask Hao Jianfeng about it, he even inquired whether I had any way to get acquainted with this Shen Rensi. He said the Emperor seems to hold this man in high regard—even the Seal-holding Eunuch Liansheng from the Directorate of Ceremonial specifically sent a junior eunuch to the Ministry of Personnel to ask whether Shen Rensi's matter had been settled properly..."
"Then... what should we do now?" Madam Wu was dumbfounded. "If the Yu Family and Zhao Family start fighting, won't we get dragged down with them?"
Official Wu couldn't help but complain, "I told you long ago not to meddle in such matters, but you wouldn't listen. Now look—you've gotten us entangled, haven't you?"
Madam Wu's face was full of grievance.
If you hadn't agreed back then, could I have sent our Wu Family relative to become someone's concubine?
Now that we can't extricate ourselves, you blame me.
But she didn't dare voice these thoughts. All she could say was, "How about... we bring Consort Wu back? After all, she's just a decorative piece in the Yu Family now!"
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Sisters, brothers, the competition is fierce—we need your pink votes for support...
PS: There was a detail I wasn't sure about and spent a long time researching, so this update is a bit late. My apologies!
O(∩_∩)O~
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(End of Chapter)
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