Niu Momo handed the folded note to Prefect Jiao and then retreated to stand behind Madam Jiao. As she glanced at Madam Huang below, she noticed that Madam Huang's expression was as usual, showing no signs of worry or fear, which made Niu Momo's heart skip a beat.
From Madam Jiao's interrogation earlier, the household servants had indeed passed the news from the back courtyard to the front, and then the coachman Tian Zhong delivered it to the yamen, handing it to Steward Lin. As for what message was delivered, Prefect Jiao unfolded the note.
The two-inch-wide slip of paper had a single line written on it. After reading it, Prefect Jiao handed it to Madam Jiao on his right, "Madam, please see for yourself."
Niu Momo had already sensed something was amiss, and Madam Jiao, as the mistress of the household, naturally also noticed the impropriety. However, after managing the affairs of the inner chambers for many years, Madam Jiao had long since mastered the ability to conceal her emotions.
Taking the note and glancing at it quickly, Madam Jiao's lips curled into a mocking cold smile. Truly, a clever stratagem. She had underestimated Madam Huang and her son after all.
However, considering how increasingly disappointed the Master had become with Ping'er, the eldest son, over the years, with Ping'er always being the one to bear the blame. Jiao Lianyu, the illegitimate son, was praised as a refined gentleman in Qianzhong Prefecture, possessing his father's demeanor. Madam Jiao felt a sense of relief.
The ice was not frozen three feet deep in a single day. The Master had set his heart on the illegitimate son Jiao Lianyu. No matter how much Ping'er did, it was counterproductive.
Jiao Lianping, seated below, looked at the silent Madam Jiao and couldn't help but call out, "Mother?"
In terms of disposition, Ping'er was a few years older, yet he fell short of Jiao Lianyu by a considerable margin. Madam Jiao was not disappointed; everyone had their own destiny. Although her son lacked talent in academics, he was a man of integrity.
Jiao Lianyu was the top scholar in Qianzhong Prefecture, but inwardly he was a hypocrite and a true scoundrel, adept at the petty tricks of women in the inner chambers, but truly lacking in refinement.
"Let Ping'er see it, so he knows where he went wrong," Madam Jiao said gently, her face as calm as still water.
Jiao Lianping looked at the note, which served as evidence, and couldn't help but smile. He had indeed been foolish. Jiao Lianyu knew that the Jiao household was under his mother's control, so why would he use a few servants to deliver a message? This was clearly a trap. Otherwise, he would have used the assassins he had secretly trained.
He looked up at Jiao Lianyu, who stood beside him like a green bamboo. Jiao Lianping felt that his loss was not without merit. In terms of scheming, composure, and methods, he had indeed fallen short by several degrees.
"This is impossible!" A startled cry rang out. It was Madam Chen, who had been peeking sideways, unable to contain herself. The handwriting on the note was somewhat messy, indicating that the writer was in a hurry, hence the unpolished script.
Prefect Jiao sighed and looked at Jiao Lianyu below, "How did you learn of your elder brother's whereabouts?"
"Reporting to Father, after my elder brother returned to the manor, the steward of the Chen family rushed to find me. That's when I learned that my elder brother and the others had caused trouble at Yi Pin Lou," Jiao Lianyu said without any concealment. These words also cleared him of suspicion for sending people to track and monitor Jiao Lianping.
"Father was busy with official duties at the yamen, and besides, the matter had already happened. Even if my elder brother were punished, it would be of no avail. I had intended to have Steward Lin conceal the news and then report it to Mother for her decision."
Lin Feng, standing nearby, also spoke up, "Since His Lordship already knew the news, I knew it could not be kept hidden, so I said no more."
Prefect Jiao was furious at the time, and anyone who pleaded for mercy would only have fanned the flames. Lin Feng's actions were not inappropriate in any way.
Prefect Jiao nodded, knowing that Jiao Lianyu's claim of not wanting to disturb his official duties was false. It was merely a ploy to delay time. By the time Madam went to clean up the mess, even if he knew the news, he would not be furious. In this way, his eldest son would have escaped punishment.
It was a pity that Lianyu did not anticipate that after Lord Wei took leave, Lord Hu would immediately report the matter to him.
"The matter has come to this, and there is no point in saying more. Lianping, go back and reflect properly," Prefect Jiao said in a deep voice. Ultimately, he considered Madam Jiao and his eldest son's reputation. Even if they had wronged Lianyu, Prefect Jiao did not intend to pursue the matter. Moreover, with Lianyu's magnanimity, he would not hold a grudge for being wrongly accused.
"Ping'er, the weather is hot, and wounds can easily worsen. You should stay at home for the next few days and not go out. Rest and recover from your injuries," Madam Jiao said as she stood up, not even bothering with polite pleasantries.
As the Prefect's wife, let alone merely "wronging" a concubine and an illegitimate son, what if Madam Huang and her son were punished or beaten? If the Master dared to investigate, the reputation of favoring a concubine over his wife would spread, and the Master's official position would be unstable.
Prefect Jiao glanced at his "arrogant" wife with disappointment. It was precisely his wife's attitude that caused Ping'er to carry himself with the airs of a legitimate son, targeting Lianyu everywhere, never considering that fratricide was the source of family ruin.
Madam Huang, who had been silent all along, now bowed to Prefect Jiao and Madam Jiao with a gentle expression, her voice soft and devoid of any resentment, "Master, Madam, since there is nothing else, Lianyu and I shall take our leave."
As Madam Huang turned to leave, she finally noticed Zhan Feiyu behind the crowd. After all, amidst a group of servants in gray and green attire, Zhan Feiyu in a moon-white pleated ruqun skirt was particularly conspicuous.
Perhaps Madam Huang's momentary pause was too obvious. Prefect Jiao and Madam Jiao, seated at the head of the table, also looked up in surprise.
Prefect Jiao exclaimed in surprise and stood up, "Miss Zhan?"
The servants blocking the way hastily moved aside. Zhan Feiyu stepped forward, "Please forgive my intrusion, Lord Jiao."
After a moment, the servants in the room all withdrew. Zhan Feiyu was a young lady, and Madam Jiao was more suited to be present.
Jiao Lianping remained seated, and Madam Chen hesitated before standing by his side. However, her gaze subtly shifted towards Zhan Feiyu. What was this young girl's background to have become her father's honored guest?
"Today, it is regarding the matter of the eldest young master," Zhan Feiyu's words made Prefect Jiao and Madam Jiao's hearts skip a beat.
Unlike Madam Chen, who lived deep within the inner chambers and was completely unaware of outside news, Madam Jiao was well aware of Zhan Feiyu's identity and feared that she was here to demand an explanation.
The more polite Zhan Feiyu's attitude was, the more uneasy Madam Jiao felt. A ten-year-old girl, having been so offended, could still speak with such composure. If Ping'er possessed such steadiness, how could he have been forced into such a predicament by the illegitimate son Jiao Lianyu!
"The matter at Yi Pin Lou was merely an accident. I heard that Lord Jiao is a strict father. I sent someone to deliver a letter to explain one or two things. Who would have thought I would hear that His Lordship had punished the eldest young master, so I had to visit uninvited," Zhan Feiyu gestured for He Nuan to bring over the ointment and said with a smile, "This is an excellent medicine for scars. As long as the wound is not deep enough to expose bone, applying it for three months will leave no scar."
"Thank you, Miss," Madam Jiao's suspended heart finally settled, and her expression softened. This was not only due to Zhan Feiyu's attitude but also because with this ointment, she no longer had to worry about Ping'er's face being scarred, which would affect his future official career.
Prefect Jiao also expressed his gratitude. He had whipped his eldest son less than half an hour ago, yet Zhan Feiyu had already received the news and even prepared medicine to bring. How many informants had been planted in the Jiao manor? If the manor was like this, the yamen was even more so.
More than the ointment, Jiao Lianyu cared more about Zhan Feiyu's words, "You sent someone to deliver a letter?"
The reason Prefect Jiao was so furious, even losing his reason and whipping Jiao Lianping until he was covered in lash marks, was precisely because he feared that Zhan Feiyu, having been offended, would vent her anger on the entire Jiao manor and would not let Jiao Lianping, his son, off the hook.
Therefore, Prefect Jiao could only "strike first." In this way, it would be difficult for Zhan Feiyu to retaliate against Jiao Lianping.
But who would have thought that Zhan Feiyu, who was vindictive and ruthless enough to cripple the arms of Cai Zhiyuan's personal guards, would generously spare Jiao Lianping and even personally write a letter?
"Steward Niu!" Madam Jiao said, suppressing her anger. If such a letter truly existed, it would have been sent to the front courtyard. With the Master not at home, the letter would have been delivered to her immediately.
But now, if Zhan Feiyu had not mentioned it, Madam Jiao would not have known of the letter's existence.
Steward Niu had been waiting outside the door and naturally heard Zhan Feiyu's words. He immediately entered the room to beg for forgiveness, "Reporting to His Lordship and Madam, this subordinate knew nothing of this matter."
Steward Niu had married a dowry maid of Madam Jiao. If he were to conceal the letter to frame Jiao Lianping, it would be absolutely impossible.