inspire-indiana Chapter 247 The whole team was wiped out
Chapter 247 The whole team was wiped out
Chapter 247 Total Annihilation
Teahouses and taverns in the capital city.
The storyteller has a new story every day.
The materials are mostly drawn from folk traditions.
Of course, nobody is interested in listening to the mundane gossip among ordinary people.
If you want to hear something, it's the gossip and anecdotes about princes, princesses, and noblewomen.
Recently, taverns and teahouses have been packed with people, and Yipinju in the capital is no exception, having hired storytellers.
Not only in the capital, but also in the Yipinju restaurants of various prefectures and counties, storytellers were hired.
Because their owners believed that teahouses and restaurants were the most popular places and the gathering place for local news.
It facilitates the exchange of goods and services.
Today's storytellers are almost all adapting the story of Princess Yuqing.
Because a major event recently occurred at the Princess's residence.
Cao, the son-in-law, was assassinated and died.
Less than two days later, his most beloved only daughter, Princess Jiayue, also passed away.
Princess Yuqing was heartbroken after losing both her husband and daughter.
As luck would have it, misfortune never comes singly.
On the day of Consort Cao's funeral, Madam Cao suffered a mental breakdown due to excessive grief. She went mad whenever she saw people and almost strangled Princess Yuqing to death in her son's mourning hall.
The eldest princess was magnanimous and generous. She not only invited a royal physician for Lady Cao, but also specially arranged for someone to take care of her.
This woman was Lin, the newlywed mistress of Consort Cao and a distant niece of Lady Cao's family.
The incident began the day after Consort Cao's death, when rumors began to circulate that a woman had come to the princess's residence claiming to be Consort Cao's mistress and that Princess Jiayue was not the princess's biological daughter, but rather the son of a mistress.
Unexpectedly, no sooner had the affair been exposed than the young princess passed away, following her father.
Princess Yuqing couldn't bear to see her cousin Lin all alone, so she bestowed upon her a favor and a title, elevating her to the rank of concubine and allowing her to live with her mother-in-law and aunt, Lady Cao.
After all, a princess of noble status could not possibly remain a widow and serve her elderly mother for Cao the Imperial Son-in-Law.
Unexpectedly, less than three days later, Madam Cao went mad and beat Lin. The two fought fiercely, and Lin accidentally killed her mother-in-law. Knowing that she was guilty, she felt deeply ashamed.
He hanged himself.
Two more coffins were added to the Cao family mansion.
The most poignant story is that of Princess Yuqing.
She had only been married for a little over three years when, overnight, her husband's entire family was gone.
Many common people felt sorry for her upon hearing this, but the women in the inner quarters shuddered upon hearing it, feeling both respect and fear.
As expected of the eldest princess.
Other families who keep mistresses at most end up separating the mother from the child, but this princess's husband keeps a mistress.
It was a complete wipeout.
Such courage and decisiveness are truly admirable.
Of course, some people think that the eldest princess is ruthless and cold-blooded, but most of them are her concubines.
I was terrified when I heard it.
But no one dared to say anything, not even the censors.
If the rumors are true, then Princess Jiayue is probably not the eldest princess's biological child.
To confuse royal bloodlines is a grave offense.
This approach, in fact, preserved the Cao family's reputation and the Empress's dignity; it was a prudent and appropriate measure that considered the overall situation.
Moreover, on the other hand, any mother would want to wipe out the whole family if she were to do something like this.
Especially the wives, who were all on the princess's side, were constantly admonishing their husbands, "Mind your own business, don't bring trouble upon yourselves, or your precious daughters outside will be wiped out."
While everyone was gossiping, quite a few people naturally mentioned the missing Princess Zhen.
The poor little princess, we don't know if she's dead or alive, or where she is.
Princess Yuqing disguised herself and went to Yipinju with a veil.
I heard a lot about her from both the stage and the audience, some of which she herself didn't even know.
She smiled.
Hearing the people's discussions and analyses, and recalling the people and events that his fifth brother, Prince Jing, had investigated in recent days, his thoughts suddenly became clear.
Based on various clues, she deduced that her daughter was in Jiangzhou and was related to the abandoned Madam Jiang.
It just so happens that Madam Jiang has a daughter who is the same age as her daughter.
And the remains of infants in the pine and cypress forest.
Can't go wrong.
She used to only know that the Lu family had been kind to her fifth brother, which was why her brother protected him in every way.
Her brother's benefactor was naturally also her benefactor.
Therefore, when she learned that her fifth brother wanted to get rid of Qi's illegitimate daughter, she did not hesitate to lend a helping hand.
Unexpectedly, it was I who ended up helping myself.
Princess Yuqing looked at the travel-worn nanny and smiled, "Nanny Feng, you've come all the way from Jiangzhou, you must be tired."
"Your Highness is too kind. I am honored that Your Highness thinks so highly of my old bones. I will do my best to serve Your Highness."
Granny Feng was an old servant in the palace and had watched Princess Yuqing grow up. When the princess got married, she came to the princess's residence with her dowry and was in charge of the residence's storeroom.
He rarely appears in front of outsiders.
Upon learning that Madam Qi had found a palace maid to discipline her illegitimate daughter, Granny Feng took her place halfway through the journey.
Princess Yuqing offered her a seat and served her tea and refreshments before asking, "How was it? Did you find anything?"
"Yes, that Qi woman opened gambling dens, pawnshops, and antique shops in Jiangzhou, amassing wealth and accepting bribes in the names of Minister Qi and Lord Jiang, forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices..."
"Is there any evidence left?"
“Yes, before they destroyed the evidence, this old servant had someone make a copy.” Granny Feng said, presenting a wooden box.
She admired Jiang San-guniang quite a bit. She was ruthless and decisive in her actions, meticulous in her thinking, and very skilled at managing household affairs at such a young age.
Her manner and methods of doing things made her overlook the girl's age on several occasions.
That's definitely not the mindset a teenager should have.
If she hadn't been prepared, she wouldn't have been able to obtain these letters and ledgers at all.
Princess Yuqing had the account books and evidence collected.
She used to think she was just helping her fifth brother repay a debt of gratitude, but now that she's dealing with the Qi family, her mindset is completely different.
This matter concerns the Jiang family, Madam Jiang, and that young girl.
It needs to be handled with caution.
Fortunately, that Qi family's illegitimate daughter is stupid; she enjoys causing trouble for her father and husband so much, which is good.
That gave her an opening.
Princess Yuqing took a sip of tea, concealing the joy in her eyes and brows.
After putting down her teacup and calming herself, she asked, "Granny, did you see Madam Jiang in Jiangzhou?"
"Yes, I have met Madam Jiang a few times."
In the past, Granny Feng would have been curious as to why the Eldest Princess would pay so much attention to the wives and concubines of the Jiang family.
But she was also very surprised when she saw Lu Qingyao's young daughter.
They look so alike, those eyes are so similar!
Yesterday, as soon as I returned to the capital, I heard that the Cao family was gone, including Princess Jiayue, and that the Cao family had taken a mistress.
The eldest princess then asked about Madam Jiang again.
Then look at the eldest princess seated at the head of the table.
Although dressed in plain clothes and with a pale face, he showed no signs of being haggard.
When he saw her, the joy in his eyes was palpable.
She doesn't look like someone who has just lost her husband and son.
Upon closer inspection, her face was excessively pale; it must have been due to the poor skill of the maid who did her makeup.
Granny Feng felt that her guess was probably right.
Just as he was pondering whether to tell the princess about his discovery, he heard the princess ask urgently, "What kind of person is Lady Jiang? Does she have a daughter? What is the child's name? Is Lady Jiang good to her?"
Princess Yuqing gripped her fan tightly, her body involuntarily leaning forward, her eyes sparkling.
Recalling the portrait that Prince Jing had shown her, she realized she had seen the child before.
The little figures in the painting were so lively and active that not a single proper, straight face was captured.
At the time, she only felt that the little doll in the painting was very lively and cute, the most beautiful and playful little girl she had ever seen.
Now, the thought that the little girl is actually her daughter is still fresh in my mind.
It seemed unbelievable.
……