Chapter 49: A Scheme
Old Madam Gong fell ill, yet Wen Mingqian was not home all day.
At first, the Old Madam said nothing, but as time passed, she couldn’t help but show some displeasure.
Fortunately, Wei Shi was there to put in a good word for Wen Mingqian.
Old Madam Gong worried about her youngest son and didn’t bother to restrain Wen Mingqian.
With Wei Shi by her side to serve her, she didn’t need him anyway.
Wen Mingqian only came by briefly in the morning and evening to see her, neither serving by her side nor explaining what he was busy with each day.
On this day, after taking her medicine, the Old Madam asked again, “How many more days until the Eldest Master returns home? If he returns, he can go out and gather more information.”
“He should be back soon, Old Madam, please don’t worry. That case won’t be concluded in a day or two. There are over a dozen people summoned this time, and every family is waiting,” Wei Shi said as she had a young maid take the medicine bowl away and personally fed her mother-in-law a spoonful of sweet soup.
“In previous years, if I returned from worshipping Buddha, many people would come to visit. This year is good; it’s as if they’ve all agreed not to come,” Old Madam Gong said with a bitter smile. “It truly shows how cold human feelings are!”
“Human feelings are like this, Old Madam, you don’t need to take it to heart,” Wei Shi advised. “People are all about avoiding suspicion, and besides, even if they came, we wouldn’t have the energy to entertain them.” “I had a very bad dream last night,” the Old Madam said, her eyes slightly closed, looking quite weary.
“You are just worrying too much; what you think about during the day, you dream about at night,” Wei Shi said, picking up the agarwood prayer beads beside her and placing them in the Old Madam’s hand. “Why not chant Buddha’s name and calm your heart?”
Old Madam Gong sighed heavily upon hearing this and slowly began to turn the prayer beads in her hand. She also knew that excessive worry was of no use.
After Wei Shi settled her mother-in-law, she had just come out of the room when the butler arrived.
“Madam, the Luan family has come to announce a death,” the butler said in a low voice.
“What happened to the Luan family? Who passed away?” Wei Shi asked, surprised.
“It’s Luan Huanling, Lord Luan,” the butler said. “They say he committed suicide in prison.”
“Ah?!” Wei Shi couldn’t help but exclaim in a low voice, “How could he have committed suicide?”
They were old family friends with the Luan family. Luan Huanling was also detained because of Yu Fengchen’s case, and like Gong Xu, he had served in the Salt Administration.
“I suppose the pressure from above was too intense!” the butler guessed. “Or perhaps for other reasons; the Luan family didn’t say.”
“Send over the funeral gifts for that matter. The Eldest Master should be back soon, and we can go pay our respects then,” Wei Shi said. “Keep the mouths of the servants shut, don’t speak carelessly, and definitely don’t let the Old Madam hear about it.”
“I understand. If the Old Madam were to find out about this, it would be terrible,” the butler said.
He then asked, “Should we inform the West Courtyard about this matter?”
Wei Shi thought for a moment and said, “No need to inform them. Telling them will only make them anxious. If they cause a commotion, it will be even more troublesome.”
“However, this matter cannot be kept secret forever. It’s not like the Old Madam; as long as the people around her don’t speak, it will be fine.”
Wei Shi knew that Consort Song and the others would eventually hear the news, especially since Consort Song had quite a few informants.
As expected, not long after the Luan family came to announce the death, Consort Song also heard the news.
Naturally, she was worried. Luan Huanling’s suicide could only mean that the situation had become more critical.
“What is to be done?” Consort Song was so anxious her eyes were dry, and she couldn’t even cry.
“Little Madam, isn’t it said that the First Master is returning soon?” Granny Yang said from the side.
“What good will it do if he returns? Will Zhu Hui show him any favor?” Consort Song said dejectedly. “At most, he can only gather information, but what’s the use of just knowing? It’s not enough to alleviate our worries.”
“Little Madam, the Aunt-in-law has arrived,” Liuyun said as she entered. “She’s already in the courtyard.”
“Quickly invite her in,” Consort Song said, immediately getting up upon hearing that it was her sister-in-law.
As they were speaking, Ge Shi had already walked in.
“Oh, my dear! It’s been a few days, and you’ve become so thin! You’re pregnant now! How can you not take care of yourself?” Ge Shi exclaimed in surprise at her sister-in-law’s gaunt appearance.
“Sister-in-law, you don’t know, my heart feels like it’s being fried in oil every day; I haven’t had a moment of peace! I can’t even take care of this one in my belly,” Consort Song said, unable to hold back tears upon seeing her maternal relatives.
“Alright, alright, stop crying,” Ge Shi said, using her own handkerchief to wipe away Consort Song’s tears. “I heard your Old Madam has returned, so I specifically came to see her. We mustn’t let them think we’re lacking in propriety.”
“Even if you come, she might not agree to see you,” Consort Song said, knowing that Old Madam Gong didn’t favor her or her maternal relatives, especially now that she was in a bad mood.
“Whether she sees me or not is her business; whether I come is mine,” Ge Shi said with a smile. “Besides, I still need to see you!”
Upon hearing this, Consort Song sent someone to the other courtyard: “Go see if the Old Madam is feeling any better. Ask the First Madam, and say that our Aunt-in-law has come to pay respects to the Old Madam, and we’ll see if she’s willing to receive us.”
“Sister-in-law, have you heard about the Luan family’s matter?” Consort Song asked Ge Shi after giving her instructions. “After I found out, I was so upset I couldn’t describe it.”
“Luan Huanling’s time under Yu Fengchen was longer than your Second Master’s,” Ge Shi said. “I suppose he already had something on him, otherwise, why would he commit suicide without any harsh interrogation?”
“Now that the trial has just begun and a life has been lost, who knows what will happen in the future?” Consort Song said worriedly. “Nowadays, besides burning incense and kowtowing every day, I can’t think of any other method.”
Ge Shi discreetly looked around, and seeing that there were no outsiders, she said, “Younger Sister, I have something important to tell you today.”
“What is it?” Consort Song leaned forward, asking urgently, seeing how serious she looked.
“Didn’t your brother go to beg the Prince before? The Prince said this matter was extremely difficult to handle and he couldn’t get involved,” Ge Shi said in a low voice. “You also know that with our status, when we ask a master to do something, it depends entirely on the master’s grace.”
“Yes, that Zhu Hui is impossible to reason with; he even dares to defy the Emperor when he’s in a mood,” Consort Song sighed. “The Prince certainly has no reason to make trouble for himself over our family’s affairs.”
“But now I’m telling you, there’s a way to make the Prince help with all his might. What do you say?” Ge Shi looked at Consort Song, her eyes filled with deep meaning.
“Really? Sister-in-law?” Consort Song was so excited she grabbed Ge Shi’s hand. “Quickly tell me what this method is!”
“This method, if it is to succeed, will depend on that person,” Ge Shi said, tilting her chin towards Lingyue Pavilion, where Wen Mingqian lived.
“Rely on her? What magic could she possibly have?” Consort Song was stunned.
“If you truly want your husband to return safely, and even be promoted in the future, you must give up the son born to Consort Wen,” Ge Shi said. “If your Gong Family can achieve this, you will have no worries about your wealth and status reaching new heights.”
Her words made Consort Song’s heart yearn, and since it was about giving up Gong Changan, what reason would she have to refuse?
