After Transmigration, I Snag a Stunning Bigwig as My Husband-Chapter 678: Silhouette
The Emperor is truly open-minded.
But they feel the Emperor is too optimistic.
It was clear that Marquis Dongxiang intended to continue beating him, and it was only the timely report about the Prince Zhenbei Mansion by the little eunuch that interrupted him.
Marquis Dongxiang wouldn’t come to the Chaohua Palace just to punch the Emperor, would he?
If he didn’t vent enough this time, he might continue next time, rendering this punch the Emperor received in vain.
Eunuch Fu believes he understands Marquis Dongxiang quite well.
However, who knows when the Emperor’s face will recover from swelling; he can’t just stay in the Chaohua Palace indefinitely.
Once Marquis Dongxiang left the Chaohua Palace, he headed straight back to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.
Mrs. Tang approached and asked, "Did you speak to the Emperor?"
"Not yet," replied Marquis Dongxiang.
Mrs. Tang sighed, "It’s just as well not to speak of it; mixing celebrations and mourning brings bad luck."
"Let’s wait until after the Old Madam of Zhenbei Royal Mansion is buried to discuss it."
After waiting all these years, a few more days won’t make a difference.
From behind the fake mountain, Young Master Su poked his head out, "Mother, what are the red and white joy matters?"
"Don’t ask adult matters," Mrs. Tang snapped at him.
"..."
After speaking, Mrs. Tang and Marquis Dongxiang walked away.
Leaving their retreating figures as silhouettes for Young Master Su to view.
Young Master Shen and the Ninth Prince stood nearby, feeling empathetic towards Young Master Su.
His parents left without explanation, as if he didn’t matter at all.
Young Master Su wasn’t bothered; he had long since stopped caring, having grown immune to such slights over time.
"The Old Madam from the Prince Zhenbei Mansion has been found; it’s a white joy matter. I know that, but what red joy matter is there?" Young Master Su wondered aloud.
Young Master Shen shook his head.
The Ninth Prince said, "Could it be that your sister is pregnant?"
Living in the palace, the Ninth Prince’s biggest idea of joy was when a concubine announced pregnancy.
Young Master Su sneered, "If my sister were pregnant, there’s no need to report it to the Emperor."
Ninth Prince, "..."
That’s true as well. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
The birth of the heir’s wife in the Prince Zhenbei Mansion has no relation to the Emperor.
Young Master Su watched his parents walk into the distance, trusting his keen instincts, he felt something significant was about to happen.
Prince Zhenbei Mansion.
The coffin of the Old Madam was carried into the mansion, placed in the main hall.
A servant hoisted a ladder to hang white silk over the plaque above the main entrance.
The large red lanterns at the doorway were replaced with white ones.
As soon as the white silk and white lanterns were hung, the atmosphere of the place immediately changed.
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice’s wife, also known as the grand aunt, rushed over upon hearing the news that her biological mother had been found.
Since the exposure of the fake Old Madam, the grand aunt hadn’t set foot in the mansion.
During the Old Prince’s illness, she wanted to visit but found the doors shut tight, unable to get in.
By the time she arrived, the mourning hall for the Old Madam was already set up, and Xingxing, along with a young maid, was burning paper money there.
The grand aunt knelt on the ground, overcome with grief.
She looked at the Prince, "Where is that deceiver? She should prostrate herself and confess before my mother’s spirit!"
The Prince remained silent.
Manager Li said, "I’ll have the fake Old Madam brought over at once."
Since the fake Old Madam was taken to the Qingshuang Courtyard, aside from the maid delivering meals, no one had entered to see her.
The Third Master and Third Madam wanted to enter, but were stopped at the door by the old servants.
At this moment, two old servants carried her out; her emaciated figure was shocking to behold, especially with most of her hair turned white.
If it were not known that she was the Old Madam, who would believe it?
Not only had the Old Madam changed drastically, so had Aunt Ding, aging more than ten years.
Once the fake Old Madam was carried in, the old servants pressed her to kneel before the spirit, while Aunt Ding sensibly knelt quietly.
The grand aunt looked at the fake Old Madam’s face, which she had tried to please for twenty or thirty years, feeling as though her heart was constricted by vines, making it hard to breathe.
No child doesn’t yearn for their parent’s love, especially daughters, who have tender thoughts and can most acutely feel their parents’ affection.
She could sense that the Old Madam cared for her far less than the second grand aunt.
Though the Old Madam treated the Prince rather indifferently, the Prince was often in the outer courtyard, never caring about vying for affection.
The grand aunt didn’t know how many times she had secretly cried because the Old Madam showed more favor to the second grand aunt.
The tears wept in the past had now turned to hatred.
Was she naive enough to expect affection as a real daughter from a mother’s murderer?
What could be more laughable?!
If only her mother hadn’t died...
If the one living had always been her real mother...
The grand aunt’s eyes blurred, her whole being seething with anger.
Knowing that the fake Old Madam had been brought from the Liushuang Garden, the Third Master hurried out of the South Courtyard.
These days, the Third Master had been staying in the study, no longer in the mood to indulge Aunt Xue.
The Third Madam also lost her desire to compete for favor; now that their third branch had changed from legitimate to illegitimate status, what future prospects could they expect after the Prince unveiled the sham of exchanging someone for the Old Madam?
The Third Madam could only regret not having settled her son’s and daughter’s marriages sooner, always hoping for something better. Now, those who were once dismissive of her household now disregarded them entirely.
The maid reported to the Third Madam, "Madam, Master has gone to the front yard."
The Third Madam let out a bitter laugh, "And what good is that?"
Can he make the fake Old Madam real?
The third branch is going downhill, likely to be stationed in some distant post soon, if not dead in service, then dying en route.
Arriving at the main hall, the Third Master saw the grand aunt slapping the fake Old Madam.
The crisp sound of slaps echoed clearly.
The Third Master’s expression turned cold.
Whether the Old Madam was real or fake, she was still his mother, and how could he allow others to strike her?
He always thought the Old Prince was heartless.
No matter how the Old Madam was, she had been with him for over thirty years.
He walked over and grabbed the grand aunt’s wrist.
The grand aunt looked coldly at him, "Let go!"
The Third Master used force, causing the grand aunt to wince in pain as sweat beaded her forehead.
With her other hand, she slapped the fake Old Madam again.
She was determined to hit her!
A shameless woman!
The Third Master wished to crush the grand aunt’s hand, but even with the courage of a few more men, he dared not.
The grand aunt was certain of his reluctance, adding another slap.
The Third Master flung the grand aunt’s hand away.
The Prince entered and said to the Third Master, "If you wish to stay, then kneel as well!"
The Prince’s voice carried no warmth.
The Third Madam came in, saw them deadlocked, and pulled the Third Master away.
After pulling him back to the South Courtyard, she regretted it.
Because the Third Master shrugged her off and went to find Aunt Xue instead.
The Third Madam nearly exploded in anger.
Aunt Xue was sipping tea in her room, and when she saw the Third Master come in, she quickly went to greet him.
Seeing Aunt Xue’s charming face, the Third Master’s agitated heart finally calmed somewhat.
The Third Master sat down to drink tea, and Aunt Xue sat with him.
As a son, caught between father and mother, it was the most painful existence.
The room was eerily quiet.
After two quarters of an hour, the Third Master got up and left.
Aunt Xue saw him to the door, standing under the veranda watching him leave.
The maid beside her said, "Why doesn’t Aunt have him lean on you?"
"It’s not time yet," Aunt Xue smiled lightly.
"Can he be worse off than he is now?" the maid questioned.
"Though he’s currently fallen out of favor, he is still an official. Better speak of it when he’s no longer one."
After returning to her room, Aunt Xue continued to play her zither.
The mournful sound of the zither lingered over the South Courtyard.
