Chapter 347: The End of a Life

Chapter 347: The End of a Life

Under the cover of night, the imperial palace was engulfed in silence, with only a few palace maids treading lightly outside. The quarters of Consort Liang were shrouded in darkness, except for a lantern still burning in the direction of her sleeping chamber.

Inside the chamber, Consort Liang reclined against the bedhead, listening to a maid whispering: "...Lady Pan, accompanied by her people, arrived at the Meng residence and caught Master Pan there. Soon after, Lady Pan’s kin arrived and thrashed Master Pan, dragging Mistress Meng through the streets for a public beating. Now, she has been taken back to the Meng household."

"She deserves death!"

Enraged, Consort Liang rose from her bed, panting heavily before commanding, "Tomorrow morning, send a message to the Meng Estate. I want Mistress Meng dead, immediately."

"Yes," the maid promptly replied, sensing the towering fury of Consort Liang.

Consort Liang, trying to calm her nerves, seated herself beside the brocaded couch, and said, "Speak, if there's more to tell."

"Yes." The maid cautiously continued, "Today, the wife of the Duke of Dingguo visited the Marquis of Pingyang’s residence. Not long after she left, Lady Pan set out to catch the adulterers."

"Hmph!"

Consort Liang snorted disdainfully, "I had planned to bide my time before taking action against them, but they seem intent on forcing my hand."

The maid stood silently aside, wishing she could persuade Consort Liang to let go of past grievances and enjoy her favored status peacefully. But Consort Liang was beyond reason now, and any attempt to counsel her would only incur her disdain.

After a while, Consort Liang got up and lay down on her bed. The maid, with light and careful steps, extinguished the light and quietly exited.

The next day

Tang Shuyi was set to take her siblings to the Prince of Xiaoyao’s residence. On New Year's Day, she had sent gifts to the Dowager Princess, and today was a visit to extend New Year greetings.

Superficially, the Duke of Dingguo’s family didn't seem to have a close relationship with the Prince of Xiaoyao’s household, so their New Year visit was delayed, a strategy to protect Li Jingyu. Too close an association would lead the keen-eyed to suspect something. The time wasn't ripe yet for Li Jingyu's exposure.

After breakfast, Tang Shuyi made some quick preparations to leave. Xiao Huai had to go to the military camp outside the capital, so they both left the world of Shi An Garden together. Just as they reached the entrance, Steward Zhao hurried over and, after a bow, said, "Consort Liang in the palace must have heard about Mistress Meng's incident."

Xiao Huai hummed in acknowledgment, "She has."

After Steward Zhao withdrew, Tang Shuyi remarked, "The drama should be starting now."

Xiao Huai adjusted her cloak for her and said, "My lady is truly foresighted."

Tang Shuyi smiled at him, "My lord has become quite the flatterer."

Xiao Huai: "As long as madam is happy, that is all that matters."

The two exchanged a smile and stepped out the door together.

………

The Meng residence appeared no different from any other day, but a closer look would reveal an atmosphere of tension enveloping the entire household, with the servants treading as lightly as they could.

In the ancestral hall, Meng Xiuzhen knelt before the family tablets, her head bowed, emanating a sense of defeat. Beside her knelt her mother, Lady Meng, a woman in her fifties, who was now being punished by the elderly Mr. Meng to kneel in the hall, losing all face.

“How did I ever give birth to such a calamity like you?” Lady Meng hissed through clenched teeth.

Kneeling there, Meng Xiuzhen took a long while before responding, “I also wonder why you ever gave birth to me. If you hadn't, I wouldn't have had to experience so much, nor would I have ended up where I am today.”

These words infuriated Lady Meng, causing her to see stars. "How can you utter such unfilial and outrageous words?" she exclaimed.

“Then what would you have me say?” Meng Xiuzhen retorted. “Originally, I wanted to marry Xiao Huai, but since our family couldn't match the power of the Tang Ducal Mansion, I had to settle for Liang Jian'an. Yet, before marrying him, you never thoroughly investigated what kind of person he was, resulting in my unhappy marriage.

Furthermore, had Meng Chengtian not foolishly fallen into Xiao Er's trap, Liang Jian'an wouldn't have died, the Liang family wouldn't have been expelled from the capital, and I wouldn't have divorced Liang Jian'an, leading to the situation today. It's all because of your incompetence; it’s your fault that my life has come to this.”

“You... you…”

Lady Meng pointed at her, gasping for air, and fainted. A maid at the door heard the commotion, pushed the door open, and upon seeing Lady Meng collapsed on the floor, hurriedly called for help.

Amid the ensuing chaos, Lady Meng was carried away. Meng Xiuzhen's father, the elder Mr. Meng, arrived at the ancestral hall, angrily pointing at her and saying, “You are a disaster! Your actions have implicated all the women of the Meng family.”

Meng Xiuzhen retorted, “I am not their parent; their fates are not my responsibility.”

The elder Mr. Meng felt a sudden pain in his chest. Just then, a servant rushed over, whispering urgently to him, “The envoy from the Empress Consort Liang has arrived, and the elder master requests your immediate presence.”

The elder Mr. Meng’s heart skipped a beat, and after casting a fierce glare at Meng Xiuzhen, he hurried off. Slumped on the ground, Meng Xiuzhen realized that this time, her life was truly hanging by a thread.

In the Meng family's main hall, the elderly Mr. Meng sat solemnly in the center, his hair white as snow. The elder gentlemen of the Meng family sat to his side. Standing in the middle of the hall was a man who looked like a steward, familiar to the Meng family as the former steward of the Liang residence.

He announced, “The Empress Consort decrees that Meng Xiuzhen must die today.”

The hall fell into a silence so profound, one could hear a pin drop. In truth, the elder Mr. Meng had already resolved to let Meng Xiuzhen die. However, there was a vast difference between the Meng family executing her and someone else doing so. For an outsider to execute Meng Xiuzhen was a direct affront to the Meng family's honor.

But now, it was Consort Liang who demanded Meng Xiuzhen's death. Even with faces swollen from the slap of disgrace, they had to obey the command.

Elder Master Meng took a deep breath and said, "I will ensure she departs today."

Steward Liang stated, "The Consort wants you to do it personally."

Elder Master Meng closed his eyes momentarily, "Very well."

He gestured, and the Meng family's steward led Steward Liang towards the ancestral hall. Once there, Steward Liang took out a small porcelain bottle and said to the Meng steward, "Please trouble you for a cup of tea."

With a heavy sigh, the Meng steward instructed Xiao Si to bring a cup of tea. Steward Liang poured the poison from the porcelain bottle into the tea and then pushed open the door of the ancestral hall.

Meng Xiuzhen turned her head and, seeing him, smiled, "It's you!"

Steward Liang, foregoing any formalities, said, "The Consort orders your departure today."

Meng Xiuzhen's hands clenched tightly together, yet even so, she couldn't control the trembling of her body. Aware of her imminent death, she couldn't suppress the fear of her life drawing to a close.

"I... I have no ties with the Liang family anymore, on what grounds do you decree my death?" Meng Xiuzhen struggled in vain.

Her protest was clearly futile. Hearing her words, Steward Liang turned to the Meng steward and said, "Call some men to hold her down."

Though somewhat reluctant, the Meng steward gestured, and two servants came to hold Meng Xiuzhen from either side. Steward Liang stepped forward, gripped her cheeks, and poured the tea down her throat.

Once released, Meng Xiuzhen frantically clawed at her throat, attempting to vomit the ingested substance. But it was no use. She felt an escalating pain in her abdomen, writhing on the ground in agony. Eventually, blood seeped from her eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, and then she moved no more.

Thus, her life came to an end.