Chapter 137: Coming to Inform
Wen Mingqian returned home and ran into Sang Er.
“Has Changan not returned yet? It looks like the weather is changing. Find his clothes for tomorrow, and don’t let him catch a cold in the morning or evening,” Wen Mingqian said.
“Young Master is back. He said he was too tired and fell asleep, and asked to be woken up when dinner is ready,” Sang Er said with a smile. “I’ve found his clothes. I’ll tell Heming to remind him to change them at the academy.”
Wen Mingqian knew that Gong Changan had gone to Prince Zhao’s Mansion today, but since Duke Qiao had taken him, she didn’t expect any trouble.
She had no idea Gong Changan had also gone to play kickball.
After changing her clothes, Wen Mingqian went to see Gong Changan.
She saw him sleeping on the bed with the quilt only half covering him.
“You never sleep still,” Wen Mingqian said, pulling the quilt up for him. She then felt the pillow wasn’t quite flat and reached out to adjust it.
However, she found something under the pillow. She took it out and saw it was a pouch filled with gold ingots.
“Mother,” Gong Changan woke up and, with sleepy eyes, saw Wen Mingqian. He then nuzzled his face against her hand.
“Where did this come from?” Wen Mingqian asked.
“Prince Zhao rewarded me with it,” Gong Changan said. “He also gave me a string of white jade prayer beads, which I gave to Old Madam.”
“Why would Prince Zhao reward you with so many things?” Wen Mingqian immediately sensed something was wrong. “Tell me the truth, no lying.”
At this point, Gong Changan was fully awake. He carefully sat up. “It was what your son won in the kickball match.”
“Kickball? You competed with Song Xiang?” Wen Mingqian immediately sensed something was wrong.
“Yes…” Gong Changan bit his lip. “Mother, please don’t be angry. I didn’t mean to hide it from you. Duke Qiao’s family’s trained Kunlun slaves presented them to Prince Zhao, so we joined in for fun.”
“How could you be so reckless? What if you got hurt? Song Xiang already sees you as a thorn in his side,” Wen Mingqian’s worry was evident. “It’s also my fault that I’ve been so busy with Cuiyi’s matters that I’ve neglected you. I should have realized this sooner.”
“Mother, don’t worry! I’ve already dealt with that fellow named Song. He broke his leg and can no longer curry favor with Prince Zhao,” Gong Changan’s tone was filled with unconcealed pride.
“Changan, do you think you’re capable of handling things now? That you can do anything without consulting me?” Wen Mingqian’s expression was more serious than ever.
“Mother, your son knows he was wrong and will never dare to do it again,” Gong Changan lowered his head. “I wanted to get revenge for you. Song Xiang kidnapped me last time, which made you very ill. I naturally had to settle that score with him.”
“Do you think I would let it go? With him around, I can’t help but want to scheme against you,” Wen Mingqian sighed. “It’s just that I hadn’t made a move yet, and I didn’t expect you to beat me to it.”
“So, our mother and son are thinking along the same lines?” Gong Changan smiled. “But what was Mother’s plan?”
“Some things children shouldn’t hear,” Wen Mingqian didn’t tell him. “You just need to remember that you are not allowed to act on your own in such dangerous matters in the future.”
In fact, Wen Mingqian had been having people watch Ma Daguang. Once, when he was drunk, he told a jailer that Song Xiang was having an affair with a concubine in Prince Zhao’s Mansion.
Wen Mingqian had planned to find a suitable opportunity to expose this affair, which would ruin Song Xiang’s reputation and even endanger his life.
She hadn’t expected Gong Changan to make a move first. However, Song Xiang only had his leg crippled and was still alive, so he might cause trouble in the future.
At this juncture, she had no choice but to send him on his way.
After leaving Gong Changan’s room, Wen Mingqian ordered Sang Er to summon Ma Ping’an and gave him a few instructions.
As for Song Xiang, after being treated at Prince Zhao’s Mansion, he was carried home.
His wife, Ge Shi, upon seeing him, couldn’t help but cry.
“Oh, heavens! What are we going to do? The pillar of our home has fallen. How are we, like crabs without feet, supposed to live?”
“Keep your voice down! I’m not dead, why are you crying like you’re mourning?” Song Xiang was full of frustration, and coupled with the excruciating pain in his leg, he found his wife’s crying unbearable.
“I’m worried about you!” Ge Shi said, wiping her tears. “How did this happen out of the blue?”
“It was that brat from the Gong Family. That little beast is full of schemes. I should have gotten rid of him early on!” Song Xiang was filled with hatred.
“Ah?! What did you say?!” Ge Shi was so startled that her tears stopped. “You told Ma Daguang to…”
“Shut up!!” Song Xiang glared at her. “Things are not as bad as you think. Although my leg is broken, Prince Zhao will not treat me unfairly.
He will definitely give me a large sum of silver, and with what I’ve earned over the years, it will be enough for you to live comfortably.”
“Alas, this is truly…” Ge Shi felt wronged and distressed, but there was nothing she could do now that things had come to this. She could only hope that Prince Zhao would give them more silver so they could live without worry for the rest of their lives.
Song Xiang was not worried about this. Prince Zhao had always been generous, and moreover, he had broken his leg at his birthday banquet, so he would certainly not treat him unfairly.
“Stop crying and go make me some medicine,” Song Xiang said. “Take good care of my leg. At worst, I can still do some business with a cane. At my age, I couldn’t have kicked a ball for many more years anyway.”
Ge Shi wiped away her tears and got up to make the medicine.
She knew her husband would have to be bedridden for a long time this time.
A day later, Chi Mama, who managed the flowers and plants in Prince Zhao’s Mansion, found Jiang Mama, the stewardess for the Princess Consort, and whispered a few words in her ear.
“Is this true?” Jiang Mama’s eyes widened.
“How would I dare to lie? Am I tired of living?” Chi Mama said in a low voice. “I saw it once before in the garden, but I was too far away to see clearly.
Song Xiang broke his leg this time, and Concubine Bai cried until her eyes were swollen. Last night, after the mansion was closed, she sent her attendant, Yu Pozi, out, most likely to see Song Xiang.
If you don’t believe me, call Yu Pozi over and interrogate her thoroughly. As soon as she speaks, Concubine Bai will have no way to deny it.”
“I’ll call Yu Pozi over later, but this matter cannot be made public,” Jiang Mama said. “Don’t tell anyone else.”
“Don’t worry! I know. How could such a scandal be spread?” Chi Mama swore to the heavens.
Actually, she heard this news from her son, who said it was absolutely true.
However, this was a matter of the inner chambers, and it was not convenient for her son to say it, so he let her expose it.
Chi Mama knew this was a good opportunity to climb up. Song Xiang was already useless, so she had nothing to fear from him.
And that Concubine Bai, relying on her youth and beauty, didn’t pay much attention to them, the servants.
More importantly, she had offended Jiang Mama before. Now that she was revealing this matter, Jiang Mama would also be indebted to her.
She would surely speak well of her to the Princess Consort.
