Butler Lu returned after a long while, accompanied by an unfamiliar maid named Lian Qiao. She was bright-eyed, white-toothed, and quite clever.
"Greetings to the eunuch, and greetings to Old Madam Xiao. My young lady states that Old Madam Xiao has already decreed her divorce, and it is inconvenient for her to step foot into the General's Mansion again. If the noble title is a reward for the General's wife, then my young lady naturally cannot accept it. If it is a personal reward for my young lady, please have the eunuch proceed to the inn where my young lady is staying."
"Presumptuous!" Old Madam Xiao's face turned pale with anger. She had already offered He Qingyi a way out, yet He Qingyi dared to put on airs. "When did I divorce her? She herself is indiscreet, staying out of the house all day, and yet she pushes the blame onto me!"
Lian Qiao bowed to Hu Wan. "The message has been delivered. I shall take my leave."
"Stop, who gave you permission to leave?"
Lian Qiao paused and looked at the old madam. "Old Madam Xiao, I am a woman of good standing, with my own freedom. The authorities have records. If Old Madam stops me, are you intending to bully the weak or disregard human life?"
Old Madam Xiao's lips trembled, and her chest heaved with rage. Liu Mei'er saw this and quickly soothed her, "Aunt, please calm your anger. Do not stoop to the level of such a lowly wretch."
"This young lady speaks so rudely. Although I work as a maid, I do so with integrity. Unlike some people who, without betrothal or engagement, usurp others' nests like a cuckoo. Truly base and shameless."
"Who are you calling base and shameless?" Liu Mei'er was enraged and immediately lunged forward to strike Lian Qiao.
Lian Qiao immediately dodged behind Eunuch Hu. Liu Mei'er's raised palm actually slapped Eunuch Hu across the face!
"Presumptuous!" Hu Wan had served the Emperor for many years and was a person of some standing in the palace. Even princes dared not slap him, yet he was hit by a country bumpkin. How could he not be angry?
"Mei'er, quickly apologize to Eunuch Hu!" Old Madam Xiao never imagined that things would escalate to this point. She quickly stepped forward to make amends. "Eunuch, please forgive her. Mei'er is young and ignorant. Please be understanding."
"Old Madam Xiao, this humble servant has followed His Majesty since he was a prince. Thirty years have passed, and His Majesty has never slapped this humble servant. Your young lady from your maternal family truly possesses great authority to dare strike even this humble servant!"
"Mei'er, kneel down and admit your mistake." Old Madam Xiao reprimanded.
Liu Mei'er was also startled and quickly knelt. "It's not my fault, it's that wretched servant. If that wretched servant hadn't dodged, how would I have hit the eunuch?"
"Guards, restrain her." Hu Wan was usually amiable, leading many to believe he was easy to deal with. Only the eunuchs serving him closely knew that their Great Eunuch was never to be trifled with!
"Teach this lowly wretch a good lesson on manners!"
Two young eunuchs held Liu Mei'er down and struck her from both sides, so hard that Liu Mei'er couldn't even cry out. Her beautiful face, like that of a flower, was instantly bruised like a pig's head, and several of her beautiful teeth were knocked out.
"Eunuch, please spare her. She is young and ignorant!"
"Young? Ignorant? Princess Yongning is even younger than her, yet she is not as arrogant and domineering? How could Princess Yongning be so arrogant and domineering?" Hu Wan's face turned cold. "Old Madam Xiao, it is not this humble servant's place to say, but do not bring just any stray cat or dog into your home. If you continue like this, you will eventually bring catastrophic disaster upon the General's Mansion!"
Old Madam Xiao's face turned ashen. She had only been away from the capital for half a year, yet how had people and affairs in the capital changed so much?
"Guards, bring the items." Hu Wan said with a dark expression. "Since He Qingyi is no longer the General's wife, this noble title robe will not be presented. However, the plaque personally bestowed by His Majesty must still be delivered. Proceed to the inn where He Qingyi is staying."
"Yes, Eunuch."
Lian Qiao followed behind Hu Wan and quietly slipped a stack of silver notes into his hand.
"Eunuch, please forgive me. It is my servant who has implicated you."
Hu Wan subtly accepted the silver notes. "It is not your fault. It is that lowly wretch who is ignorant of manners. With Princess Yongning absent, the cats and dogs of the General's Mansion are all becoming unruly."
"My princess is also suffering. Lian Qiao choked back a sob. "For no reason, while out buying something, she was severely injured. If not for the Imperial Preceptor using medicine to sustain the princess's life, she would have long since passed away."
"Princess Yongning is blessed with good fortune and will recover from danger."
"Thank you for your auspicious words, Eunuch." Lian Qiao wiped away her tears. "My lady received news of the General's serious illness and rushed back to the General's Mansion overnight. However, as soon as she entered, she was driven out by the Old Madam, who accused my lady of being out in public all day and not adhering to wifely virtues, thus committing the seven grounds for divorce. She even allowed her niece's granddaughter to move into the main courtyard..."
Hu Wan couldn't help but sigh inwardly. This Old Madam Xiao was becoming more confused with age. He Qingyi had pleaded for the common people and, disregarding her own life, went to the disaster area to rescue them. That was a royal decree. Old Madam Xiao actually used this as an excuse to drive her out of the mansion!
No wonder the Great General wanted to send this old madam back to her ancestral home in Cangzhou. With such constant trouble, who could bear it!
"Young lady, rest assured. This matter today, this humble servant will truthfully report to His Majesty. The madam will not suffer any grievances."
"Thank you, Eunuch."
Hu Wan ostentatiously delivered the plaque of "Benevolent Heart, Skilled Hand," personally inscribed by the Emperor, to the inn where He Qingyi was staying, attracting a large crowd. The General's Mansion held significant prestige in the capital, and coupled with He Qingyi's plea to go to the plague-stricken area to save lives, it was an act of great righteousness and virtue, naturally earning her much admiration.
As the autumn imperial examinations were approaching, many scholars and degree holders came to the capital to take the exams. He Qingyi, as the General's wife, staying in an inn instead of the General's Mansion naturally drew questions.
Someone inadvertently spread the news that He Qingyi, upon hearing of her husband's serious illness, had rushed back to the General's Mansion overnight, intending to treat her husband, but without even seeing her husband's face, she was driven out of the General's Mansion by her mother-in-law on the grounds of being out in public and not adhering to wifely virtues!
Instantly, the crowd was incensed. The scholars taking the exams, in a torrent of condemnation, wrote a lengthy manifesto extolling He Qingyi and denouncing Old Madam Xiao. Those scholars even spontaneously marched to the gates of the General's Mansion and surrounded it, demanding an explanation from Old Madam Xiao.
"Old Madam Xiao must regret returning to the capital at this time." The Crown Prince watched the dense crowd of students, who were demanding an explanation from Old Madam Xiao, surrounding the gates of the General's Mansion. Even the servants of the General's Mansion dared not go out to purchase supplies.
"This He Qingyi is not to be underestimated either." Uncle Xue said in a low voice. "As soon as she returned, she put Old Madam Xiao on the spot. The General's Mansion is likely to decline."
"Uncle, don't forget that the General's Mansion still has Xiao Luo." The Crown Prince said gently. He had been confined for three months due to the Jiangzhou incident and was only just released. Upon his release, he heard much good news.
"Xiao Luo is far away in Yunzhong City. Distant water cannot quench a nearby fire." Uncle Xue said with a smile. "Before, with Xiao Zhen keeping them in check within the mansion, these people were all well-behaved. Now that Xiao Zhen is in trouble, they are all trying to stir up trouble."
"Stirring up trouble is good!" The Crown Prince's lips curled into a calculating smile. "If they don't stir up trouble, how can we seize control of the Shen Du Camp's military power?"
The uncle and nephew exchanged a smile. That was right; their objective was the Shen Du Camp's troops. The Shen Du Camp guarded the capital and was responsible for the capital's defense, a highly important department. Only by gaining control of the Shen Du Camp could the Crown Prince's position be further solidified.