Zeng Yihong's throat felt much better after taking the antidote given by Leng Ruo Li. He cupped his hands in thanks to Leng Ruo Li and immediately had two of the finest guest rooms prepared for Jun Mohan and Leng Ruo Li to rest.
As Jun Mohan and Leng Ruo Li had not yet figured out why Zeng Yihong had been impersonated by an assassin, they were to stay at the Zeng residence for the night. Tomorrow, once Zeng Yihong could speak, they would question him thoroughly. Following that, Jun Mohan would write a secret letter and have it sent to the capital, informing his father, the Emperor, about the recent events in Linzhou City.
...
Li Kexin and Qiao Jianhua fled Zeng Residence amidst the chaos. Li Kexin shoved Qiao Jianhua hard and quickly ran into a secluded alley corner to hide.
She truly had no face to see her husband. Now, she wished she could dig a hole and bury herself.
"Xin'er, Xin'er, where are you?" Qiao Jianhua called out for her incessantly.
Li Kexin watched her anxious husband searching at the alley entrance, her heart filled with immense pain. She choked back her sobs, daring only to watch him from the shadows.
"Xin'er, Xin'er, where on earth are you? Won't you come out? We can leave Linzhou City together and go back to our hometown?" Qiao Jianhua pleaded, tears streaming down his face.
As he spoke, he ran into the alley searching. Afraid of being discovered by Qiao Jianhua, Li Kexin quickly moved a large basket filled with杂物 (miscellaneous items) nearby and covered herself with it.
Qiao Jianhua heard a sound and ran swiftly deeper into the alley. As he passed Li Kexin's hiding spot, he saw a large basket overturned on the ground with杂物 (miscellaneous items) scattered everywhere. Just as he was about to right the basket, a black cat darted out from the shadows, startling him greatly. Subsequently, he abandoned the idea of righting the basket and went straight through the alley to look for Li Kexin.
Seeing Qiao Jianhua leave, Li Kexin finally relaxed, her body collapsing from exhaustion.
...
The next morning
Zeng Yihong waited excitedly outside Jun Mohan and Leng Ruo Li's room early in the morning. Seeing that they had not yet woken, he did not dare to knock on the door. Instead, Zeng Yihong paced excitedly outside the door.
Before long, Jun Mohan and Leng Ruo Li opened their doors and walked out. Zeng Yihong was momentarily stunned when he saw them both appear at the doorway.
Rumor had it that Prince Leng was a homosexual. Was this true? Zeng Yihong had not believed such rumors at all before, but seeing this scene today, he suddenly believed it.
Without needing to guess, Jun Mohan and Leng Ruo Li knew what Zeng Yihong was thinking at that moment.
Afterward, Leng Ruo Li cleared her throat lightly.
Zeng Yihong snapped back to reality and immediately performed a deep bow to Jun Mohan, "This subordinate greets His Highness! Long live His Highness, long live His Highness, long live His Highness!"
"Can Master Zeng speak today?" Jun Mohan asked indifferently.
"Yes, Your Highness! This is all thanks to the divine physician beside Your Highness," Zeng Yihong replied with immense gratitude.
Hearing this, Leng Ruo Li smiled and said, "Master Zeng, you are too kind. I hope that after your voice has recovered, you will do more for the common people."
"Yes, this humble one will remember the divine physician's teachings," Zeng Yihong said, cupping his hands.
Following this, Zeng Yihong invited Jun Mohan and Leng Ruo Li to the Zeng Residence's living room for tea, but they were blocked in the corridor by a group of women, all dressed up.
"My Lord, I do not wish to go to Jingci Nunnery. Zhuo'er and Ru'er are still young and need their mother's care. Please allow me to stay in the residence to care for them," the First Wife knelt and pleaded, weeping.
Beside her knelt Zeng Yihong's only son and daughter. The First Wife had thought that by bringing the children to plead for her, Zeng Yihong would surely show leniency and allow her to remain in the residence.
Unexpectedly, Zeng Yihong refused her directly and said, "Do not use the children to achieve your goals. The bad habits Zhuo'er and Ru'er have developed are all due to you, their mother."
With that, he flicked his sleeves, ordered the guards to pull the First Wife away, and send her to Jingci Nunnery immediately. As for the two children, both around seven or eight years old, Zeng Yihong had his servants take them back to their rooms.
The remaining concubines who were kneeling on the ground fell silent.
Zeng Yihong cast a cold gaze at them. "I have already given each of you the divorce letters I wrote, and I have given you ample silver. Take this silver and start small businesses outside, or live independently. Your silver is enough for you to live for several years."
"My Lord, this concubine married into the Zeng Residence. From now on, I am yours in life and yours in death," said a charming woman, who had been the most active in her wailing last night, speaking pitifully.
Hearing this, Zeng Yihong inwardly sneered.
If he hadn't experienced the past three years, the three years of imprisonment that made him wish he were dead, seeing her in this state would have quickly softened his heart. But now, seeing this woman disgusted him.
"Enough, you are very much related to me being impersonated by an assassin, aren't you? I originally intended to spare your life considering you served me for many years, but you are ungrateful and wish to push your luck and continue lurking by my side. Then do not blame me for being impolite," Zeng Yihong said with a chilling tone.
"My Lord, I am just an ordinary weak woman, how could I be connected to assassins? I was also unaware that you were imprisoned by bad people for three years!" the charming woman said in a sweet, coy voice.
"You have the nerve to say you were unaware?"
Hearing this, Zeng Yihong was so enraged that he could not even be bothered to look at the woman. He turned around and extended an inviting gesture to Jun Mohan and Leng Ruo Li behind him, inviting them into the hall to sit.
Then, he ordered the guards to escort that woman in, while the rest were kept outside the hall entrance.
"Your..." Prince! Before Zeng Yihong could finish the word "Prince," Jun Mohan gave him a cold glance and a look at the group of people at the door, reminding him not to expose his identity.
Last night, Jun Mohan had fought with the fake Zeng Yihong. Due to the clash of their inner forces, the group of people peeking from outside the prison cells were afraid of being caught in the crossfire, and they had all quickly retreated. Not many people knew what was said in the prison. Therefore, very few people in the Zeng Residence currently knew that Jun Mohan was a prince.
If Zeng Yihong were to loudly exclaim "Prince Leng" in front of everyone now, it was estimated that the entire Linzhou City would know within moments.
Therefore, Jun Mohan reminded Zeng Yihong. However, Zeng Yihong was quite clever and quickly understood Jun Mohan's meaning. Prince Leng was on a private visit to Linzhou City this time and did not intend to reveal his identity.
"Your Excellency, since this matter has been brought up today, I will tell you now why I was impersonated by an assassin and imprisoned three years ago," Zeng Yihong said calmly.
"Good, it is precisely what I wished to ask you. Tell me now," Jun Mohan replied.
Then, Zeng Yihong slowly recalled the events of that year.
"One summer night three years ago, for some reason, I was very restless. I went to the room of my concubine, Mei'er (the charming woman from earlier), and had a bout of passion with her. After it was over, I fell asleep."