Chapter 279
Yang Xu and Qiu Jinyu finding a doctor for Zhang Yiyi was something they didn't bother to hide.
In the backyard of the blacksmith's shop, Yang Shoucheng heard the report from his subordinate. His usually stern and fierce face showed no anger, remaining as calm as if the news had nothing to do with the Yang family or Yang Xu.
"After all, she is Young Master Xu's mother," Old Man Tie said in a deep voice. Although they all looked down on Madam Zhang, who had abandoned the General's Mansion, for an eight-year-old child, blood ties were unbreakable. If Young Master Xu remained indifferent to his birth mother's life or death, it would be heartbreaking.
Yang Shoucheng hadn't thought of Madam Zhang in years. Whether she was glamorous or down on her luck meant nothing to him. If it weren't for Xu'er, he wouldn't have even inquired.
Yang Shoucheng looked out the window at the thin layer of white snow on the eaves. "What is the Zhenbian Marquis's Mansion doing?"
"Our scouts report that there have been many secret movements of assassins from the Zhenbian Marquis's Mansion these past few days. They should be contacting officials in the capital and various regions," Old Man Tie said, his face, darkened and roughened by years of working with fire, now held a coldness and murderous intent.
The people who framed the General back then were not openly from the Zhenbian Marquis's Mansion. Furthermore, to consolidate his power and fearing that prolonged delays would cause trouble, the Emperor had hastily closed the case, preventing the Yang family from pursuing further investigations.
However, after the General's Mansion was falsely accused of colluding with the enemy and treason, the Zhenbian Marquis's Mansion was temporarily in charge of the General's Mansion's military power. If the Zhen family of the Zhenbian Marquis's Mansion had no hand in this, even a three-year-old child wouldn't believe it.
"The wind and rain are coming, and the tower is filled with anticipation. His Majesty is waiting for chaos to erupt in Longyou Circuit. Only when it is in chaos can His Majesty follow the clues to gain control of the situation in Longyou Circuit. Even if the military power is returned to the Yang family, His Majesty will remain invincible!"
A flicker of mockery flashed in Yang Shoucheng's dark eyes, but as he had told Yang Xu on the mountaintop that day, the Yang family guarded the people of this region, not the supreme ruler on the throne.
"Young General, our men have followed the connections of the Zhenbian Marquis's people and are investigating. We believe we can find evidence of the conspiracy against the General's Mansion back then," Old Man Tie had not given up on pursuing the truth over the years, but lacked the right time, place, and people.
Yang Shoucheng remained silent. At this point, the truth no longer mattered. "Has the Zhenbian Marquis abandoned Madam Zhang?"
Madam Zhang's imprisonment could be considered a fuse, and the ostensible crime was the death of eight hooligans. The culprits were the guards of the Zhenbian Marquis's Mansion. If the Zhenbian Marquis's Mansion was willing to abandon these guards, Madam Zhang might have been acquitted.
But now, the Zhenbian Marquis was also worried about being impeached by the Censorate for his illicit affair with Madam Zhang, thus committing the crime of deceiving the emperor. At this time, the Zhenbian Marquis would certainly not save Madam Zhang.
"Neither Magistrate Zhu nor Commander Dou have received any news," Old Man Tie had activated the spies the General's Mansion had planted in the Zhenbian Marquis's Mansion and the garrison on the day Madam Zhang was imprisoned. Continuous intelligence was being sent back to Xiangwu County.
Yang Shoucheng commanded in a deep voice, "Continue to send people to keep an eye on them."
Half an hour later, in a private room on the second floor of a teahouse.
"It's better to be early than late. Miss, this is our shopkeeper's last stock of premium black tea bought from Jiangnan Circuit," the teahouse waiter greeted them enthusiastically. Every year, when winter arrived and snow began to fall, the streets of Xiangwu County became deserted, and the teahouse business became even more sluggish. The shopkeeper usually didn't open until noon and closed as soon as it got dark, with fewer than two tables of customers drinking tea all day.
But this year was strange. It had already snowed three times, yet there was a sudden influx of out-of-town guests in Xiangwu County. Not only was the teahouse business booming, but the inns and taverns were also full.
"Turn up the charcoal fire, and we'll brew the tea ourselves," He Nuan said, signaling the waiter to bring the tea leaves.
"Certainly, I'll go right away." The waiter was not surprised, as they encountered such particular guests every year. After all, the tea brewed by the tea master was not as skillful as that brewed by these dedicated maids.
Zhan Feiyu was indifferent to whether she drank tea or not. She was looking out the window and was surprised when she saw a group of people alighting from a carriage. "A Nuan, look?"
He Nuan was peeling longans, intending to brew a pot of fruit tea for Zhan Feiyu. She looked up and saw six people entering. One of them was dressed in luxurious noble attire, with a golden hairpin and a phoenix coronet. Her face bore a seventy percent resemblance to Madam Zhang, but she looked seven or eight years older.
Moreover, unlike Madam Zhang's gentle and elegant demeanor, the noblewoman had a stern face, with vertical wrinkles between her brows and faint nasolabial folds on her cheeks. Her clothing was also a heavy, dark purple, and her imposing presence clearly indicated she was the mistress of the household.
Seeing them enter the teahouse, Zhan Feiyu smiled playfully. "It seems the Zhang family has arrived. We just don't know if they are friends or foes."
Men fought in the political arena, while the inner chambers were the battlegrounds for women. Zhang Yiyi had married into a prestigious family. Wouldn't Zhang family's two legitimate daughters be jealous? Yet they had to support Zhang Yiyi and try to mend their relationship, perhaps even humbling themselves to curry favor with the General's Mansion.
When the Yang family fell into trouble and Zhang Yiyi suffered misfortune, the Zhang family's legitimate daughters would not only refrain from offering help but would also kick her while she was down. That was why Lian'er had said earlier that if Zhang Yiyi hadn't gone to the Zhenbian Marquis's Mansion, she would likely have been sold into a disreputable place.
"Judging by her age, it should be Zhang Minhua, the eldest legitimate daughter of the Zhang family." He Nuan had seen the intelligence reports on the Zhang family. There were two legitimate daughters, and the other was the same age as Zhang Yiyi and married the second son. This woman in front of them could only be the eldest legitimate daughter of the Zhang family.
Zhan Feiyu nodded and looked at the man in the front, dressed in splendid robes. He appeared to be in his forties, with a short beard, a lean face, and a somewhat rigid and stern demeanor. His appearance also bore some resemblance to Madam Zhang and Zhang Minhua, so he must be a family member. "That must be the eldest legitimate son of the Zhang family. I recall he holds the position of Tongzhi."
"That should be it," He Nuan replied, her gaze lingering for a moment on the young woman in the crimson fox fur. She looked about fifteen or sixteen years old. Generally, well-bred young ladies did not venture out of their homes. Seeing her closeness to Zhang Minhua, she must be her mother.
Meanwhile, at the Qiu residence, Yang Xu, who had not gone out, also received news from Old Man Tie that the Zhang family had arrived in Xiangwu County.
"I don't know," Yang Xu replied blankly. He truly didn't know. His father had never mentioned the Zhang family, only saying that his mother had remarried. Yang Xu hadn't asked any further questions.
"Women have a difficult life, and not everyone is as intelligent and independent as Xiao Yu," Qiu Jinyu said, mentioning Zhan Feiyu. At such a young age, she had traveled from Jiangnan Circuit to Longyou Circuit, while many women had never even been to the prefectural city.
Yang Xu thought of Zhang Yiyi, who had fallen ill in prison. Xiao Yu had also been imprisoned in Huaian Prefecture, but she had not only escaped the ambush of assassins but had also killed one of them.
When the General's Mansion had fallen into trouble, if it were Xiao Yu, she would never have gone to the Zhenbian Marquis's Mansion. She could have lived well on her own, even with an infant in her arms. But Yang Xu knew that most women couldn't. Even those tough aunts in Stone Village, if they were divorced and cast aside, they would cry and be at a loss.