Chapter 118: Can’t Swallow This Insult
The following banquet was somewhat torturous for the Mu Family. The Emperor and Empress Dowager Shen were also somewhat distracted.
Only Yue Tang and Yan Bei remained calm and composed, drinking and eating while appreciating the songs and dances. They would occasionally exchange a glance or two from the intervals between raising their cups.
When the sun slanted westward, all the formalities were finally completed. Empress Dowager Shen withdrew first on the pretext of fatigue. After everyone stood to see her off respectfully, they dispersed one after another once the Emperor said a few decorous words.
When Mu Shuyun walked out of Baohua Palace, she still looked toward the direction of Zichen Hall with reluctance. It was Madam Mu who, after her husband gave her a look, took her hand and pulled her away.
From the moment she got into the sedan, her tears flowed down like a gate opened.
Fortunately, the journey from the Imperial Palace to the Grand Tutor’s Mansion was not far. Upon returning to the mansion, she ignored Madam Mu’s dissuasion and went straight to Mu Chang’s study.
“Father!—”
Before she could finish her sentence, she had already collapsed into the chair, buried her face on the tea table, and burst into loud sobs.
Madam Mu walked in shortly after. Seeing this scene, she opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say, so she went to Mu Chang’s side: “Master, this loss today is a big one.
“That Princess Yongjia turned out to be such an arrogant person. Now that she is all alone, how dare she confront our Mu Family?
“At this current moment, the Emperor can only show her respect. Doesn’t she fear that after this period passes, we will make things difficult for her? That wouldn’t be hard at all.”
Mu Chang glanced at her and only took a handkerchief from his sleeve, gesturing for her to go wipe their daughter’s tears.
Madam Mu sighed heavily, sat down beside Mu Shuyun, looked at her daughter who was still sobbing with her head down, and said: “Everyone from the court up and down knows that Yun’er and the Emperor were childhood sweethearts, and they were never too restrained in their usual conversations. Yet the Princess didn’t even give her that bit of face. After we apologized to her, she got even more insolent and insisted on making things difficult for us—
“Master, with her riding roughshod over us like this, why aren’t you saying anything?
“Back when we were in Jiangling, the Emperor had already expressed that he would treat Yun’er well. We’ve guarded it for so many years—surely we’re not going to let others reap the benefits?
“Is this matter really going to be settled by them with a single blow?”
Madam Mu had too many grievances in her heart that she wanted to voice.
Mu Shuyun was the daughter most favored by the couple because she had shown talent in painting from a young age, just like her aunt Empress Mu back then.
Empress Mu was the pride of the Mu Family. She knew the Former Emperor since their youth, but how many powerful ministers’ daughters did the Former Emperor know?
Empress Dowager Shen was one, and Consort An could also be considered one.
But no matter how many people came and went in the rear palace, the Former Emperor always respected Empress Mu. Even when the Mu Family got into trouble back then, the Former Emperor’s favor toward the Empress did not diminish at all. He didn’t make the old patriarch suffer much, merely having the Mu Family retreat to Jiangling.
Even so, the rewards due to the Imperial Father-in-law’s mansion never fell short.
The Former Emperor never allowed the Mu Family’s mistakes to affect Empress Mu.
In the treacherous rear palace, that was very difficult.
Madam Mu deeply hoped that her daughter could also have the same glory as her aunt.
Mu Chang, as the patriarch, considered things from a different angle, but his thoughts were the same as hers.
The Mu Family had put in so much effort to protect the Emperor to this day, naturally expecting the best in every aspect.
How could the position of Mother of the Nation not belong to Mu Shuyun, who was the Emperor’s childhood sweetheart?
“Master!” She stood up. “Go into the palace to see the Emperor. Discuss a countermeasure with him and find a way to settle this matter!
“Previously, it was dragged on too long, leading to endless troubles. This world is still ruled by the Emperor and our Mu Family. Let’s catch them off guard first and issue an imperial decree—what can they do then?”
“What can they do?” Mu Chang sneered. “Have you forgotten how she got to this point? Chu Ying’s bones are not yet cold, and the Du Family father and son are still in prison awaiting execution after the autumn assizes.
“The He Family and Zhang Family were exterminated!
“You don’t think it’s just good luck, do you?”
Madam Mu froze.
Mu Shuyun gradually stopped crying and lifted her head.
“Are you hiding something from us?” Madam Mu said. “Since he is so formidable, why did you go to help her that night when Chu Ying tried to murder her?
“You had no interaction with her—”
Madam Mu’s heart sank as she seemed to detect something from her husband’s deep gaze.
“You’ve already guessed it.” Mu Chang said. “That night, I wasn’t originally going to save her. I was going to see Chu Ying.”
Madam Mu suddenly gripped the handkerchief in her hand tightly: “When did you start interacting with her?”
“For several years.” He said deeply.
Madam Mu’s lips turned slightly pale.
She immediately recalled a certain night that had everyone on edge even on the road to the capital.
Those days were right after the Second Prince was rescued from drowning; the news arrived just as he had narrowly escaped danger.
Madam Mu later learned that on the night when the Former Emperor and Prince Duan died one after another in the palace, Princess Yongjia, whom Empress Mu cherished deeply, was also killed.
She had vaguely heard some rumors but dismissed them as groundless. In any case, nothing could deter the Mu Family’s determination to support the Second Prince’s ascension.
But now Mu Chang admitted that the incident three years ago was done jointly by him and Chu Ying.
“Father,” Mu Shuyun completely fell silent, “what does this mean? Why would you go to see someone from the Chu Family?”
“Because the murder targeting Yue Tang three years ago was actually due to me. The Chu Family had ambitions toward the Imperial City Department at that time, and we had our own crisis. That year, I entered the capital under the pretext of visiting an old friend and made that plan with Chu Ying.”
When Mu Chang said this, Madam Mu’s expression was only surprised, but Mu Shuyun was completely stunned.
“Why?”
“Because Yue Tang had to die.” Mu Chang’s gaze was piercing. “Her existence concerns the fate of our entire family!”
Mu Shuyun was dumbfounded: “I don’t understand!”
“You don’t need to understand!” Mu Chang said. “You just need to know that she has discovered I am the mastermind behind all this—that’s enough.
“You can’t imagine how heavy her killing intent is. After she returned from killing Chu Ying, I deliberately kept a low profile because I don’t know her well enough!
“Even the relationship between her and Prince Jingyang right in front of me—I couldn’t dig up more!
“The more so, the less I dared to be careless, but who would have thought—”
Mu Chang gritted his teeth and composed himself: “Forget it. It’s not your fault.
“Even if you had known about this earlier, the handles she could seize would still be seized.”
Madam Mu swallowed hard: “Yun’er, go out first.”
“Mother!”
“You’re tired. Go out first.” She smoothed her daughter’s stray hair by her ears and gently pushed her.
Mu Shuyun retreated in panic.
Mu Chang’s earlier words were like thunder, leaving her mind buzzing. She felt utterly powerless, even more despairing than before.
Originally, she still harbored hope in her heart. Yue Tang merely had an extra princess title compared to her. In terms of family background and status, how was she inferior?
Yet today she was completely suppressed by her, and even the Emperor couldn’t speak up for her. Where was the reason in that?
She didn’t believe that with her father, the dignified Grand Tutor, she couldn’t resolve this.
But what was her father telling her now?
That the much-publicized murder three years ago was orchestrated by him!
No wonder her father never challenged her at the palace banquet from beginning to end—it was because of a feud of life and death!
But what did this grudge have to do with her, a Miss of the Mu Family?
She had never harmed Yue Tang!
Why ruin her for life?
She walked out in a daze, and the servant at the doorway immediately guarded the door under Mu Chang’s gaze.
Only the silent couple remained, and the room became exceptionally quiet.
Madam Mu collapsed into the chair and murmured: “Is it because of… that person thirteen years ago?”
Mu Chang nodded slowly.
“I thought she was talking nonsense,” Madam Mu looked up. “Are all the things she said true?”
Mu Chang stared straight ahead: “There won’t be any other possibility.
“But even if only half of it is true, I still had to do it that way, didn’t I?”
His piercing gaze fixed on Madam Mu: “As I just said, I am unwilling for our Mu Family’s sake, and also for the Emperor! Our fates have long been tied to the Emperor’s. We rise and fall together.”
The deliberately suppressed words fell clearly into Madam Mu’s ears.
“You’re right. We are all for the Emperor. If she weren’t a threat to us, we wouldn’t have gone all in. But this makes things even worse.” Madam Mu said fretfully. “Since she is convinced you’re seeking revenge, she certainly won’t stop Yun’er from entering the palace!”
“She came prepared, naturally not planning to give us any chance. And now the Shen Family has also been successfully provoked by her. Seeing the signs, they will inevitably stir.”
Mu Chang took a deep breath and stood up, veins bulging on the back of his clenched fist. “She’s quite perceptive! As expected of someone personally raised by the Former Emperor’s Empress.”
Thinking of Yue Tang’s status in the court years ago, Madam Mu gripped her handkerchief tightly, trying hard to steady her mind: “But you’ve already killed Chu Ying. She must not have other evidence on hand. If she did, she would have produced it long ago!
“Since that’s the case, we have no reason to just accept defeat!
“Does she really have no flaws exposed?
“Does the Emperor have any reason to disregard us and get close to that elder cousin of his instead? Is he willing to give up Yun’er?”
Mu Chang turned to look at her: “Do you think he will?”
Madam Mu’s face was ashen: “Won’t he? What reason does he have not to?”
Mu Chang was silent for a moment, then said steadily: “Not necessarily.”
Madam Mu was about to say something upon hearing this, but he raised his hand: “Go check on our daughter first. I need to speak with Lu Zhao.”
Madam Mu pursed her lips, gritted her teeth, and walked out.
……
Yue Tang left the palace a step later. At the palace gate, she exchanged a distant glance with Yan Bei, then went straight back to the mansion.
Han Yi was waiting for her under the shadow wall: “Was the trip satisfactory for you, Princess?”
Yue Tang hummed in acknowledgment and kept walking toward the mansion without stopping: “Go instruct the Imperial Guard Department that if anyone comes to the back gate, bring them directly in.”
Han Yi paused, then acknowledged and left.
Yue Tang entered the hall door. Wei Zhang, who had just finished checking the East Side Hall with people, came up: “Why so hurried? Did something happen?”
“In such an occasion, how could it live up to the arrangement without something happening?” Yue Tang sneered coldly as she walked into the inner room.
Wei Zhang was baffled and looked toward Lan Qin.
Lan Qin then explained the whole story. Seeing Yue Tang come out after changing clothes, she hurriedly brought people forward to remove her makeup.
Yue Tang looked at Wei Zhang waiting at the doorway through the mirror and said: “Have a few people go squat outside the Shen Family mansion.”
“Right,” she turned around as she spoke, “do you remember Fang Ling, whom we saw last time at the prince’s mansion?
“At that time, several guards promised to inquire at the Shen Family about that advisor surnamed Huang by Shen Li’s side. It’s been many days—have they reported back?
“Is the person still at Prince Duan’s Mansion?”
Wei Zhang said: “This subordinate did not dare forget. This morning, I found Fang Ling. He was disabled and included in the list to be dismissed from the prince’s mansion.
“The remaining few people, along with all the guards left behind by the heirs who had followed Chu Yan, have gone out.
“My men are planning to look for them tonight.”
“Go as soon as possible.” Yue Tang stood up, waved her wide robe, went out to the side hall, and sat down on the brocade couch with the stove burning. “The Shen Family absolutely won’t let such a good opportunity pass. They will be the first to act.”
“This subordinate will go now.”
After Wei Zhang withdrew, Yue Tang lowered her head to pick up her tea. Seeing the notebook placed beside her, she picked it up and flipped through it—it turned out to be Han Yi’s household registration file.
On the second read, the man himself had entered.
“Princess, the message has been passed on.”
Yue Tang looked up at him: “Your grandfather was convicted in the tenth year of Xuande?”
Han Yi lowered his head: “Yes.”
“I remember that in that year, another incident happened. The father of the current Grand Tutor Mu Chang, who was the Imperial Father-in-law at the time, served as Deputy Chancellor with the authority of a vice premier, but he was dismissed due to an error in the Ministry of Revenue’s scheduling and even imprisoned. Do you know about it?”
Han Yi looked up, held his breath for a moment before nodding: “This minister knows. This minister’s grandfather was serving in the Imperial Secretariat at the time and was implicated in that case.”
Yue Tang closed the household registration file and asked: “Were you grandfather and the Mu Family close?”
“No personal friendship. But among the officials responsible for sorting the case files at the time was my grandfather’s family, and many others were implicated as well. My grandfather was just one of them.”
Yue Tang thought for a moment: “Was the Mu Family’s case real?”
Han Yi inhaled and nodded: “It was real. My grandfather did indeed have the crime of neglecting his duties at the time.”
Yue Tang took a sip of tea and paused: “Can you still find all the case files from the Mu Family’s case back then?
“If not, inquire about the details clearly and write them down for me.”
Han Yi was silent for a moment, then bowed his head: “This minister’s status is lowly, and it’s hard to obtain the sealed case files. But my grandfather had a few colleagues from back then living outside the capital, and they know the inside story. Fortunately, there has been occasional contact over these years.
“If it’s just to inquire about the circumstances, this minister will surely obtain it for the Princess.”
“Good.” Yue Tang nodded. “Go there tomorrow. I’ll wait for your news.”
Han Yi cupped his hands and took his leave.
One person, however, walked in from outside and paused when passing him.
Han Yi noticed the other looking at him, raised his head to meet the gaze, then stepped back half a pace in shock: “This official deserves death for not knowing the Prince had arrived!”
