Chapter 49: Could Her Misfortune Be Any Worse?

Chapter 49: Could Her Misfortune Be Any Worse?

Wu Guoliang's mood on his way back from the Marquis of Yongning's residence was far too complex to describe simply. He felt a tinge of regret and a wistful longing. Regret for underestimating Xiaoyu Chen; had he been more sincere earlier, perhaps things would have gone smoother.

Wistful, because he lost Xiaoyu Chen as a son-in-law. Clearly, Xiaoyu Chen had grown much; should he continue on this path, he might become a significant figure in the future.

He returned to his residence in a flurry of vexation. No sooner had he sat down in his study than his attendant reported, "Master, the monk Chang Jing has fled."

"Fled!" Wu Guoliang's mood soured further. "How did you handle this?"

The attendant immediately knelt, "When I arrived at Chongguang Temple, Chang Jing had already gone. I searched the entire temple but found no trace of him."

Wu Guoliang frowned deeply, sinking into silence. Chang Jing must have fled out of fear. He doubted the monk would disclose that day's events; a hint of a rumor would suffice to track him down.

A man who fled so swiftly must be clever.

"Rise," Wu Guoliang ordered. "Pay close attention to any rumblings outside in the coming days, and quash them immediately."

The attendant understood he referred to the affair between Wu Jing Shu and Monk Chang Jing. With the reputation of the entire Wu family's women at stake, he dared not be negligent. "I will be thoroughly vigilant," he assured solemnly.

Wu Guoliang gestured for him to leave. The attendant exhaled a sigh of relief as he exited, encountering Madam Wu at the door. After he paid his respects and was about to leave, she stopped him to inquire about Chang Jing. Learning of the monk's escape, she nearly toppled over, saved only by her maidservant's quick support.

Inside the study, upon seeing Wu Guoliang, Madam Wu grabbed his sleeve. "Chang Jing has run off, what about our Jing Shu?"

"You actually wish to marry our daughter to that monk?" Wu Guoliang's ire flared at the sight of his wife. If not for her antics at Chongguang Temple, he wouldn't be in such a predicament.

In truth, her scheming was for her daughter's advantage over her stepdaughter's matrimonial prospects.

"Of course I don't wish Jing Shu to marry Chang Jing, but if he divulges our secret, how can Jing Shu live?" Madam Wu's greatest fear was the scandal.

"Then let her die!" Wu Guoliang bellowed, his gaze upon Madam Wu turning fierce. "I've always believed you to be kind and virtuous, treating Jing Yun as your own. Who knew you harbored such vile thoughts? What other harm have you wrought upon Jing Yun?"

"Master, if not for Jing Yun's persecution, how would Jing Shu be in this plight?"

Wu Guoliang had no desire to hear her speak, nor did he want to delve deeper into the matter. The issues at the Marquis of Yongning's residence were headache enough.

He said, "Now, the Marquis of Yongning’s household won't let go of their grievances against Xiao Yuchen because of your schemes. Unless we appease them, the chances of them keeping this matter under wraps are slim."

Madam Wu’s mind had been a jumbled mess these past few days. She didn't grasp the meaning of Wu Guoliang's words at first, but after pondering for a while, she said, "At Chongguang Temple, neither the Marquise nor the heir of Marquis Yongning suffered any loss. What right do they have to be so infuriated and unrelenting?"

"You schemed against them, and you think they have no right to be angry?" Wu Guoliang nearly blurted out 'fool' again. How had he never realized how foolish she was before?

"Then... what should we do now?" Though still somewhat indignant, Madam Wu didn't dare voice her dissatisfaction.

Wu Guoliang instructed, "Prepare a sincere apology. I’m stepping out for a bit."

With those words, he walked towards the door. Pausing at the entrance of the study, he added, "The apology must be heartfelt. If you're unsure of what to offer, consider the 30,000 taels of silver the Liang family paid to the Marquis of Yongning. Moreover, the compensation should come from your dowry."

After he left, Madam Wu was so infuriated she felt like spitting blood. Her daughter had been violated, and now she was expected to pay tens of thousands of taels in compensation. Was there anyone as wretched as her?

Wu Guoliang left the study and headed towards Wu Jingyun’s courtyard. He hadn't realized before how secluded his daughter's living quarters were, and the simplicity of her courtyard suggested the hardships she must have endured under Feng's care over the years.

This realization dispelled many of his suspicions towards Wu Jingyun.

Wu Jingyun was pretending to read a book, but she couldn’t concentrate on a single word. Ever since returning from Chongguang Temple, she had been consumed with worry, fearing that the Marquise and Xiao Yuchen might disclose her actions to Wu Guoliang.

If Feng accused her of harming Wu Jingjun, she could argue against it, and her father might believe her somewhat. But if the Marquise or Xiao Yuchen accused her, even if her father didn't believe them fully, he would likely interrogate her attendants to verify their claims. Even the most loyal servant might confess under severe torture.

While she was fretting, a maid informed her that Wu Guoliang had arrived. She hurriedly set aside her book to greet him, her heart pounding in her throat. She knew her father had visited the Marquis of Yongning.

Once inside, father and daughter sat in uncomfortable silence. Wu Jingyun was afraid of what her father might have learned at the Marquis’s residence, while Wu Guoliang found it difficult to broach the topic.

After a prolonged silence, Wu Guoliang finally spoke. "Jingyun," he said, "you have been wronged this time."

Hearing this, Wu Jingyun’s heart settled. The Marquise and Xiao Yuchen hadn’t spoken to her father about her actions.

"But this matter still needs resolution," Wu Guoliang continued. "The incident involving your youngest sister... it must not be disclosed. If it were, all the women in the Wu family would suffer the consequences.

However, the Marquise and Xiao Yuchen are fully aware of the incident. We must ensure they keep silent. But Feng and the others have schemed against Xiao Yuchen, and now the Marquise and Xiao Yuchen are furious. They need to vent their anger before we can negotiate their silence."

Wu Guoliang’s gaze then held a hint of pleading as he looked at Wu Jingyun. "I was thinking... your maternal grandmother has close ties with the Marquis of Yongning’s household. I want her to take a peace offering to them on our behalf. Mainly because, as an outsider, it’s inappropriate for me to meet the Marquise."

This was the best solution Wu Guoliang could think of – to find someone respected and trustworthy, with a good relationship with the Marquis’s family, to apologize on his behalf. And the ideal person for this task was Wu Jingyun's maternal grandmother, the venerable matriarch of the Zhang family.

The Zhang family matriarch and the late old Marquise of Yongning were close as sisters, and even though the old Marquise had passed away, the current Marquise would still afford her due respect. Moreover, the matriarch would certainly keep the incident involving Wu Jingjun a secret, knowing that if it were to leak, Wu Jingyun wouldn’t be spared either.

………