Chapter 316: Duke Dingguo is Too Restless

Chapter 316: Duke Dingguo is Too Restless

Naturally, the Grand Tutor Yang and Old Madam Yang did not part on amicable terms, and tonight, several masters of the Yang residence were doomed to a sleepless night.

In the imperial palace, Concubine Yuan sat in front of the mirror, adorning herself. Just a moment ago, a young eunuch from the emperor's side had come to deliver a message that the emperor would visit her shortly. She had promptly bathed and dressed up, now simply awaiting his arrival.

Recently, the emperor favored younger, more vibrant women. Women of her age who had borne children were almost untouched by him. She knew the emperor's visit today was related to the Duke Dingguo's affair, but even so, she had to adorn herself meticulously.

Such is the life of women in the palace, constantly vying for favor.

At this moment, a sharp voice announced, "The emperor has arrived."

Concubine Yuan immediately stood up, her face adorned with a gentle smile. Stepping outside, she saw the emperor entering and hastily paid her respects, "This concubine greets Your Majesty."

The emperor hummed affirmatively, gesturing with his hand as he walked inside, "Rise."

As Concubine Yuan stood up, the emperor had already taken his seat at the main place. She took the tea passed by a palace maid and placed it beside the emperor with a smile, "Your Majesty, your tea."

The emperor hummed again but did not reach for the tea cup. Concubine Yuan discreetly gestured for all the palace maids and eunuchs to leave the room, leaving just the two of them.

The emperor appreciated her tact, his expression softening a bit, "You may sit as well."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Concubine Yuan said, taking a seat to the side, and then listened as the emperor inquired, "How goes the matter?"

"After returning to the residence that day, this concubine met with the Duchess of Dingguo and conveyed everything that needed to be said," replied Concubine Yuan.

"Hmm, you should understand my intentions. As long as the matter is settled, the promises I made will be kept."

The emperor picked up his cup to drink tea, while Concubine Yuan said with a smile, "This concubine understands everything. The Duke and Duchess of Dingguo hold their daughter in high regard. Should any misfortune befall her, they will certainly not endure it."

A smile crept onto the emperor's face, "All I do is for the great expanse of our Qian Empire."

"Your Majesty is a wise and sagacious ruler. It's just that Duke Dingguo is too restless," Concubine Yuan immediately added.

The emperor enjoyed these words, grasping Concubine Yuan's hand, "My beloved concubine understands me."

With a shy blush on her face, Concubine Yuan listened as the emperor smiled at her, "Jingyang is a fine child. I shall nurture him well."

Concubine Yuan hastily stood up, bowing respectfully, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

The emperor rose and waved his hand dismissively, "Enough, I have other matters to attend to. Rest well, my beloved concubine."

Concubine Yuan paused for a moment, then quickly said, "Your Majesty, I bid you farewell."

The emperor patted her hand, "No need to see me out. It's rather chilly."

With that, he strode out. He wasn't one to linger. His energy was limited and needed to be spent wisely. Succession—the matter of heirs—was his most pressing concern at the moment.

Watching his retreating figure, Concubine Yuan's face bore a bitter smile. Her mind suddenly wandered to the day she returned to her parental home and saw Yang Huacan. His gaze was still fervent, his words treading carefully as if afraid to anger her.

Since then, she had wondered—what if she had not entered the palace and instead married Yang Huacan? Would their days be as devoted as the Duke of Dingguo is to his wife, with eyes only for her?

At that thought, she suppressed the idea. She had always been lucid in her understanding that Yang Huacan's unchanging affection over the years was partly out of guilt for her having to "suffer" in the palace due to his past actions. Also, without daily companionship, his image of her remained untarnished, as it was in the beginning.

Had they married, being together every day, eventually one grows weary. Thus, many a fond dream is but a mutual fantasy. Nonetheless, she was grateful to Yang Huacan.

……………

Tang Shuyi instructed Cuicui and Steward Zhao to investigate the servants in the mansion, and indeed, they found a few. These were low-level servants, mostly working in the outer court, hardly privy to any significant information. Nevertheless, she had Steward Zhao interrogate them thoroughly. In the end, it turned out that two were spies sent by the emperor, one by the empress' maternal Wu family, and one from the Grand Tutor's residence.

"What does His Excellency the Duke plan to do with them?" Tang Shuyi inquired of Xiao Huai after receiving the results of the interrogation.

Xiao Huai, peeling walnuts for her, responded, "My lady, you are the master of our household matters."

Tang Shuyi pondered for a moment, "Send the one from the Grand Tutor's residence back. Consider it a warning to Old Madam Yang to hasten her actions."

Xiao Huai passed a walnut kernel to Tang Shuyi with a smile, "A wise decision, my lady."

Tang Shuyi took the walnut kernel and placed it in her mouth, then after a while added, "Keep the ones sent by the emperor and the Wu family. They might prove useful at some point."

Xiao Huai nodded, "Agreed."

He handed her another piece of walnut, and she took it, looking at him, "Do you think they will act before the New Year or after?"

Seeing her lose interest in eating, Xiao Huai wiped his hands with a cloth and said, "It depends on the opportunity. They'll act as soon as one presents itself."

"Let's be extra cautious before the New Year then. Better to let them make their move after. Otherwise, the New Year celebrations would be spoiled."

"The lady is right," he affirmed.

Tang Shuyi glanced at him and couldn't help but laugh. This was indeed quite nice!

The next day, Cuiyun took a carriage to the residence of Grand Tutor Yang, accompanied by a spy from the Grand Tutor's household, a woman in her forties. Arriving at the Grand Tutor's residence, Cuiyun, holding the visiting card from Duke Dingguo's household, smiled and handed it to the young gatekeeper, "My lady has sent a gift for the old madam of your household, please convey this message."

The gatekeeper glanced at the visiting card and hurried inside. Soon after, the nursemaid close to the old Madam Yang came out smiling, "Miss, please come inside."

Cuiyun waved her hand, "I'm merely running an errand. My lady asked me to deliver something to the old madam of your household."

As she spoke, she glanced towards the carriage. Seeing her cryptic demeanor, the nursemaid chuckled and walked towards the carriage, lifting the curtain. The sight inside almost made her cry out in shock.

Cuiyun's voice rang out again, "Recently, my lady was organizing things at our residence and discovered an item with a connection to your household, so she sent me to deliver it."

The nursemaid, upon hearing this, immediately understood and nodded hurriedly, "Thank... thank the Duchess of Dingguo."

"The item is now in the nursemaid's care, I shall take my leave." Cuiyun bowed to her and then boarded another carriage.

Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, the nursemaid took a deep breath and turned to the gatekeeper, "Drive the carriage to the old madam's courtyard."

The gatekeeper was momentarily stunned. Such a carriage was not usually permitted in the back courtyard. But, as a confidante of the old madam, the nursemaid's command had to be followed, and he immediately drove the carriage to the old madam's courtyard.

Once there, the nursemaid dismissed the young gatekeeper, closed the courtyard gate, and summoned several people to pull the person out of the carriage. Indeed, they had to pull, for the person inside was drenched in blood, slumped in the carriage as if dead.