Xue Tianyue walked step by step before the man, her tone icy, "Director of the Imperial Observatory, I asked you to solve this for me, not to insist on whether my throne is legitimate."
"Your Majesty, please forgive me, this minister knows his mistake."
"Get out..." Xue Tianyue said angrily.
The man dared not linger, scrambling away from there.
Xue Xingyue saw Meng Jiangming when it was nearing evening. After leaving the imperial palace and getting into the carriage, Meng Jiangming finally spoke, "Did the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty trouble you?"
Xue Xingyue shook her head, "The Empress Dowager and Your Majesty did not trouble this subordinate."
Meng Jiangming breathed a sigh of relief, "Xiao Yue, it was my oversight that made you fearful."
Xue Xingyue shook her head, "My life is cheap, not worth the Crown Prince doing this."
Meng Jiangming heard this and chuckled lowly, his smile tinged with sorrow, "Cheap life? Who is born with a cheap life? It's just that I was born into the Duke Ning's mansion. If I were born elsewhere, perhaps I would be like you, at the mercy of others."
Xue Xingyue frowned. Meng Jiangming seemed not quite right today, very not right.
The carriage stopped. From outside the carriage came the voice of Meng Jiangming's servant, "Crown Prince, we have arrived."
Meng Jiangming alighted from the carriage first, then reached his hand into the carriage. Xue Xingyue was slightly stunned but dared not place her hand in Meng Jiangming's. She agilely stepped out of the carriage, "Crown Prince, you flatter this subordinate."
Meng Jiangming's expression was blank. He walked towards Duke Ning's mansion as if he had not done what he had just done.
Entering Duke Ning's mansion, he heard a wail in the distance. Meng Jiangming frowned and quickened his steps, asking the servant as he walked, "What happened?"
The servant was also confused and quickly said, "Crown Prince, this subordinate will go and see."
Soon, the servant returned and came before Meng Jiangming, whispering, "Crown Prince, it is the Madam punishing Concubine Jiang."
Meng Jiangming took a moment to recall who Concubine Jiang was, "Quickly take me there."
Soon, Meng Jiangming arrived at the disciplinary room. Outside the room, several rough maids were restraining Concubine Jiang. In her struggle, Concubine Jiang had already torn open her clothes. The courtyard was filled with servants.
Seeing this scene, Meng Jiangming coldly shouted, "Those who are not needed, get out immediately, or do not blame this Crown Prince for being impolite."
Seeing it was the Crown Prince, the servants quickly left. Only Madam Jiang and Concubine Jiang, who was being restrained by the rough maids, remained.
"Release Concubine Jiang," Meng Jiangming coldly ordered the rough maids.
The rough maids glanced at Madam Jiang. Seeing Madam Jiang silent, they dared not let go.
Meng Jiangming became enraged. He stepped forward and kicked away a rough maid, shouting, "Are you not even listening to my words anymore? Believe it or not, I can have you bastards thrown out right now!"
The rough maids dared not disobey and let go. Meng Jiangming turned away and pointed at Concubine Jiang's maidservant, coldly saying, "Haven't you helped your Concubine Jiang back yet?"
The maidservant quickly stepped forward to help Concubine Jiang. Concubine Jiang glanced at Meng Jiangming and bowed, "Thank you, Crown Prince, for speaking up for this concubine."
Meng Jiangming said nothing more. Only after Concubine Jiang left did he approach, "Mother, what are you doing?" Meng Jiangming came before Madam Jiang, his tone cold.
Madam Jiang glanced at Meng Jiangming and said, "What else can I do? As the principal wife, if I see a concubine behaving indecently, can I not discipline her?"
"Mother, you know that Father does not favor you, why do you bother?"
"Why bother? What? As the principal wife, I cannot even deal with a concubine?" Madam Jiang was angry.
Meng Jiangming sighed, "Mother, that's not what I meant, but the fact is that Father dotes on Concubine Jiang. Why must you displease Father?"
"If he is pleased, I am displeased," Madam Jiang said slowly.
"Mother, how long will this continue with Father? Are you not tired?"
Madam Jiang looked at Meng Jiangming and suddenly asked, "Jiang Ming, you also think Mother is doing the wrong thing, don't you?"
Meng Jiangming was startled and turned his head away, "Mother, Father's heart is no longer with you. Please do not force it."
Madam Jiang trembled all over and looked at Meng Jiangming. Meng Jiangming felt a chill and said, "Mother, I have other matters. I will leave now."
Meng Jiangming left in a daze.
Madam Jiang watched Meng Jiangming's retreating back, her gaze falling.
At midnight, Xue Xingyue was awakened by the servants of Duke Ning's mansion. Coming out of her room, she grabbed a hurried Ning Duke's mansion servant and asked, "What happened? Why such haste?"
The servant saw her and said, "The Madam has hanged herself."
Xue Xingyue trembled all over, "What do you mean?"
"The Madam has just committed suicide," the servant repeated.
Xue Xingyue had no time to think, she rushed to Madam Jiang's courtyard and saw some servants carrying Madam Jiang out.
Meng Jiangming trembled all over. Looking at Madam Jiang being carried out, he could not believe it. Suddenly, he rushed forward, pushed away the servants, and Madam Jiang rolled off the blanket.
Meng Jiangming shook his head and shouted hysterically, "Impossible, impossible, Mother cannot have hanged herself, impossible..."
"Crown Prince, please bear your grief!" the servants could not help but say.
"Impossible..." Meng Jiangming slumped to the ground, covering his face and crying.
The servants did not know what to do watching this scene.
Xue Xingyue stepped forward and said, "Take Madam out. Place her in the ancestral hall first. Everything can wait until the Duke returns."
The servants nodded and carried Madam Jiang away.
Xue Xingyue squatted down and said slowly, "Crown Prince, this is not the time to cry. Do you not find this matter strange?"
Meng Jiangming looked up, his eyes red, "Xiao Yue, what do you want to say?"
"This subordinate feels that things are not so simple."
Meng Jiangming looked at her for a long time before saying, "You mean, there is another hidden reason?"
Xue Xingyue nodded, "Although Madam was in a bad mood, she is the principal wife. Concubine Jiang could never have surpassed her. Although the Duke does not enter Madam's courtyard, he still respects Madam. This subordinate feels that these are not the reasons why Madam would commit suicide."