Chapter 305: Chapter 305: Frivolous
Xingxing looked at Su Jin, "Miss, what should we do now?"
Su Jin rubbed her forehead.
The Jade Pendant can be compensated for, but the meaning behind the Jade Pendant cannot be replaced by anything.
The Jade Pendant was lost because of her, so she should take responsibility.
But as for telling Xie Jingchen, Su Jin was truly hesitant.
"Let’s keep it a secret for now. If we truly can’t find it, I’ll replace it with the Jade Pendant the Emperor awarded me at the Great Buddha Temple," Su Jin said.
The Hidden Guard said, "Eldest Young Madam need not worry too much. You saved Eldest Young Master; the Eldest Master’s gratitude is immeasurable, and Eldest Young Master’s natural mother, if aware from the heavens, would also protect you."
"We must find it, all the same," Su Jin said.
Xie Jingchen has never seen his mother; he only has this one Jade Pendant, and it’s not even meant for him, it’s for the Eldest Master.
Having lost it like this, how could she bear it?
"I’ll go look for it now," the Hidden Guard said.
As the Hidden Guard turned to leave, outside, Xie Jingchen ascended the steps and said, "What are you going to find?"
"I’m going to find an herbal medicine," Su Jin said.
Xie Jingchen looked at her suspiciously.
Su Jin, who normally spoke calmly and deliberately, was now speaking three times faster, and there was a hint of panic on her face, clearly deceiving him.
She had deceived him many times, and the Hidden Guard was even siding with her.
Xie Jingchen glanced at the Hidden Guard, who said, "I’ll go buy the medicine now."
Su Jin helped Xie Jingchen sit down and poured him tea.
Her obsequiousness was shocking.
Halfway through pouring the tea, Su Jin’s nose itched and she sneezed, causing the tea she was holding to spill onto the small table and splash onto Xie Jingchen.
Xie Jingchen, "..."
He quickly took the teapot away and said, "Drinking a sip of tea you poured is truly difficult."
Right Minister Mansion.
In a finely adorned luxurious boudoir.
Soft sobs could be heard.
A young lady huddled in a corner of the bed, weeping like a rain-soaked pear blossom, pitiable to anyone who saw her.
The Right Minister’s Wife sat by the bed, both angry and distressed.
Her well-behaved daughter went out for a stroll, only to be knocked into the water by someone. While being saved was a good thing, she was utterly taken advantage of in broad daylight. The story had already spread far and wide, how could her daughter marry after this?
Though she had tried to comfort her daughter, the girl continued to cry, leaving the Right Minister’s Wife at a loss for what to do.
Outside, a maid entered and said, "Madam, the Old Madam asked you to go to the main hall to discuss what to do about Miss."
The Right Minister’s Wife, with a solemn expression, signaled the maid to keep an eye on the young lady to prevent her from doing anything foolish.
After the Right Minister’s Wife left, the maid comforted the young lady, "Miss, stop crying."
The young lady looked at the maid, biting her lip, "He..."
"Miss, just ask whatever you want," the maid said.
"Did he really go to Baihua Building?" the young lady asked, her voice choked.
The maid nodded and said, "The Second Young Madam had a servant follow him and saw them enter Baihua Building with her own eyes."
The maid felt sorry for her young lady; having been taken advantage of, she had no choice but to marry him.
Yet, he turned out to be a libertine covered in rouge, flitting through flower houses despite his respectable appearance.
The maid considered her mistress undeserving of such a fate.
Outside the main hall.
The Right Minister’s Wife wiped away her tears before stepping inside.
The Second Madam greeted her, rising and saying, "Sister-in-law, are you alright?"
"I’m fine," the Right Minister’s Wife responded wearily.
The Old Madam’s face was somber, and beside her on a small table lay a Jade Pendant, the very one inadvertently pulled from Su Jin by Miss Zhou.
Its jade was pure, and the carving exquisite.
Looking at the Right Minister’s Wife’s tear-swollen eyes, the Old Madam sighed, "What’s done is done, crying won’t help. The priority now is to find the person who took advantage of Yiyi and arrange the marriage. We can’t let Yiyi spend her life in seclusion."
"An unscrupulous man frequenting brothels, and you would marry Yiyi to him?" The Right Minister’s Wife’s eyes were red with rage.
"Despite everything, he did save Yiyi. Not everyone who visits brothels is a scoundrel," the Old Madam reasoned with difficulty.
"If he isn’t a scoundrel, how could he do such a thing in public?!" the Right Minister’s Wife asked angrily.
Someone like him as her son-in-law was someone she wished she could thrash whenever she saw him.
The Second Madam sighed, "I had thought Yiyi might marry into the Duke Dingguo Mansion, but now... "
Before she could finish, the Old Madam silenced her with a glare.
The words forming on her lips were forcibly swallowed.
The Right Minister’s Wife sat down again, unsure of what to do. Not marrying wasn’t an option, but the prospect of the arranged marriage filled her with unease.
Fortunately, the Right Minister returned soon after, having been occupied with state affairs, and only just learned of his daughter’s ordeal.
The Right Minister had only one son and one daughter whom he treasured. How could he not be angry when such an affront had happened?
"Who defiled my daughter?!" The Right Minister’s usually genteel face now bore an uncharacteristic coldness.
The Right Minister’s Wife silently wept.
The Old Madam, looking at the Jade Pendant on the small table beside her, said, "We don’t know who it is yet, only that there is this Jade Pendant."
The Right Minister walked over, glanced at it, and his brow furrowed tightly.
"Isn’t this the Jade Pendant belonging to the Eldest Master of Duke Zhen Mansion?" he remarked.
His words caused an uproar.
Everyone in the room was stunned.
"Are you sure you’re not mistaken?" the Old Madam asked.
The Right Minister picked up the Jade Pendant and examined it briefly, "There’s no mistaking it. This Jade Pendant has been worn by General Xie for over a decade. No one in the court wouldn’t recognize it, so how could I be wrong?"
"General Xie never parts with this Jade Pendant. He should have taken it to the border; how did it end up in the Capital City?" the Right Minister questioned.
The Old Madam said, "Such matters are not for guessing. Since you’re sure it’s the Eldest Master of Duke Zhen Mansion’s Jade Pendant, why not visit Duke Zhen Mansion tomorrow and find out?"
The next day, the weather was clear, with brilliant sunshine.
After breakfast, Su Jin, accompanied by Xingxing, went to Qihao Hall to pay her respects.
After a short time, she returned to Agarwood Pavilion.
There was only time to prepare one type of pill for Old Duke Chong yesterday; today, she needed to continue.
She hoped to finish by the afternoon and deliver it to Old Duke Chong.
Qihao Hall.
Princess Nanzhang and the Old Madam discussed affairs of the Duke Mansion, preparing to head to the palace afterward.
Just as Princess Nanzhang was about to leave, a young maid came in and said, "Commandery Princess, the Right Minister’s Wife is here."
"The Right Minister’s Wife?" Princess Nanzhang’s brows slightly furrowed.
The Right Minister, that old fox, was exceedingly cunning. He held a high position, wielded great power, and never left any traces in his deeds, never involving himself in factional strife.
Attempts to win him over had failed, and finding an opportunity to bring him down was elusive.
Duke Chong had tried several times to catch him slipping, but all ended without success.
However, the Right Minister had never targeted Duke Chong’s Mansion either, maintaining neutrality or slightly favoring the Emperor’s side, earning the Emperor’s trust and reliance.
The Right Minister’s Wife had no particular ties with her, so why would she suddenly visit Duke Zhen Mansion?
"Didn’t the eldest young lady of the Right Minister Mansion fall into the water and get taken advantage of yesterday? Why would the Right Minister’s Wife have the leisure to visit our Duke Zhen Mansion?" the Third Madam wondered.
"It’s a time when she should be with her daughter, so she must have important business with us," the Second Madam guessed.
"Please invite her in," Princess Nanzhang said.
The maid withdrew.
After about a quarter of an hour, the Right Minister’s Wife arrived.