ebookland Chapter 150: Going to jail
Chapter 150: Going to jail
"It is highly likely to be Prince Xin."
Xie Jinghan's words were like a thunderbolt from the blue.
Wen Shuyao froze on the spot. She never expected to get such an answer from Xie Jinghan's words.
Before Wen Shuyao could speak, Xie Jinghan continued, "If tonight's test is successful, then the relationship between Prince Xin and Zhang will be set in stone."
Wen Shuyao nodded quickly, her eyes sparkling with excitement: "Then I will stay in the manor and await your good news, Your Highness."
It was clearly a polite remark, but Xie Jinghan felt inexplicably excited because of it.
Seeing Wen Shuyao's face appear even whiter and more delicate under the light, he couldn't help but reach out, wanting to touch it.
But the moment Wen Shuyao raised her head, his hand quickly withdrew.
Meeting Wen Shuyao's puzzled gaze, he used his hand to cover most of his expression and coughed softly, "We'll know the answer by this time tomorrow."
After saying that, Xie Jinghan left without looking back, his movements extremely fast, as if someone was chasing him.
Seeing him flee in a panic, Granny Qi stamped her foot in exasperation.
Seeing Qi Mama's expression, Si Qing, fearing that Qi Mama would catch him and teach him a lesson, quickly followed Xie Jinghan and ran away.
Only Granny Qi remained, holding the medicinal meal in her hands, sighing deeply at the moon.
However, Wen Shuyao did not touch the medicinal food that she served to her.
Seeing this, Granny Qi quickly explained, "Your Highness, please rest assured, this medicinal cuisine is very clean. Seeing that you have been working hard these past few days, this old servant specially asked Principal Zhou for the recipe to nourish your body."
"I'm a little tired." Wen Shuyao clearly remembered the effects of the medicinal diet last time. Upon hearing what Granny Qi said, she waved her hand very quickly, "Granny has also been working very hard these past few days. Why don't you take it yourself?"
After saying that, she pretended to yawn and went back to her bedroom.
Granny Qi was left alone, sighing as she looked at the bowl of medicinal food.
Upon seeing the magpie, she quickly waved and said, "Come and try the medicinal cuisine I made myself?"
The magpie's eyes lit up, and it quickly came forward.
……
Tonight, the capital city is destined to be anything but peaceful.
Outside the Duke of Wen's mansion, the imperial guards stood solemnly, with the Third Prince at the forefront, his hands behind his back, coldly staring at the plaque bearing the four characters "Duke of Wen's mansion".
"Third Prince, are we really going to throw Madam Wen into prison?" Leng Shan, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, looked uneasy and reminded him, "This is the Duke of Wen's mansion after all. We probably can't act recklessly."
It would have been better if he hadn't said anything, but as soon as he did, the Third Prince's face turned ugly.
"So what if it's the Duke of Wen's mansion? Even princes are subject to the same laws as commoners. Does the Duke of Wen's mansion think it's above princes and imperial grandsons?" The Third Prince glanced coldly at Leng Shan and said in a deep voice, "Today, we must arrest Zhang and bring her to justice. I want to teach these aristocratic families a lesson."
Upon hearing this, Leng Shan inwardly scoffed – this wasn't about showing the powerful families a lesson; it was clearly about seizing upon the mistakes of political enemies and using this opportunity to eliminate them.
However, these thoughts can only remain in one's mind.
“The Zhang family has committed heinous crimes, driving four people from Xiaozao Village and five people from Lihua Village to their deaths,” the Third Prince said sinisterly. “I have been ordered by my father, the Emperor, to arrest the Zhang family and bring them to justice.”
The entire Duke Wen's mansion fell silent, and then, like boiling water, it became noisy and chaotic.
When Granny Lin first heard the news, she immediately sneered, "How could that be? Madam is an official's wife, a noble lady, a titled lady. How could he possibly change her mind with just a word..."
"But the Third Prince has already surrounded the gate with the Imperial Guards." The servant who came to report was pale-faced. "Judging from their posture, it doesn't seem like they're faking it."
Before Granny Lin could react, Duke Wen rushed back.
Seeing the Duke of Wen's expression, Granny Lin thought to herself that something was wrong.
She immediately ran to the main courtyard to try to tell Madam Wen the news.
"Madam!" Lin Mama cried out breathlessly, "You'd better get out and avoid the storm! The Third Prince has brought the Imperial Guards to arrest you!"
"Arrest someone?" Madam Wen was taken aback, but when she glanced at Lin Mama's expression, she found it utterly absurd. "What? Does he think he's here to arrest me? I'm the Imperial Concubine's own sister! How dare he do that?"
"Why not?" Duke Wen was a step behind and happened to hear Madam Wen's words.
Upon seeing Madam Wen, his face turned extremely ugly, and he coldly shouted, "You stupid woman! You don't even know who you've offended!"
"I told you to be careful and not to provoke Shu Yao again!" he said sternly. "But you always target her, making her suspicious of you! When you were lending money at exorbitant interest rates, I also told you to be more restrained, but you wouldn't listen and were obsessed with money."
"Now look what's happened! Of all the noble ladies in the capital, you're the only one who's going to jail!" Duke Wen had obviously learned something, and he angrily berated Madam Wen.
If it weren't for angering Wen Shuyao and making everyone aware of the bad relationship between Wen Shuyao and the Duke of Wen's mansion, the Third Prince wouldn't have dared to target the Duke of Wen's mansion.
If it weren't for Madam Wen's insatiable greed and failure to stop in time, Baohua Pavilion wouldn't have been sealed off, and she, as its owner, would have been implicated.
Thinking this, Duke Wen felt his head buzzing.
"Hurry up and send a message to your dear sister!" he said through gritted teeth. "Do you really want to spend the rest of your life in jail?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Wen froze, and it took her a long time to recover: "What do you mean? He really wants to throw me in jail? How could that be? How dare he?"
“I disagree with the Third Prince politically,” Duke Wen said through gritted teeth. “He has been painstakingly trying to find fault with me, and you… are Duke Wen’s greatest weakness!”
He looked at Madam Wen, his eyes filled with disappointment.
How could he have abandoned Chu Wanqing and fallen for a fool like Madam Wen?
Over the years, under Madam Wen's management, the Wen State Duke's Mansion has declined year by year, and even Madam Wen's good sister, Consort Zhang, could not provide him with any help.
On the contrary, it was Wen Shuyao...
Thinking of this, he sighed with regret.
If he could be more clear-headed and appease Wen Shuyao, what would he have to worry about in his career?
A single word from Prince Jing is far more effective than a hundred or a thousand words from Consort Zhang!
If he and Madam Wen weren't already firmly bound together in the same boat, he would want to divorce her right now and kick this jinx out!
The Duke of Wen made no attempt to hide his disgust, and when Lady Wen saw this, she felt utterly heartbroken.
This is the man she chose!
She was so blind back then!
At this moment, a series of hurried footsteps sounded. Madam Wen looked up and saw a large group of imperial guards.
The Third Prince, who was in the lead, coldly raised his hand and said, "Please ask Madam Wen to go to the Dali Temple."