Chapter 240 - Get Rid of Her with a Borrowed Knife

Song Yixiao didn’t return to Duke of Yan’s mansion with a weary look until dusk.

When she came back, Jian Xubai had been already anxious for waiting too long. Upon seeing his wife enter the room, he hastened to rise and walk to her, “If you were still not back in a moment, I would go to the prince’s mansion for you. How is your mother doing?”

At the moment, Song Yixiao didn’t want to hear anything about Wei Mengying at all. She slightly frowned but she hurriedly covered it in case her reaction was discovered by her husband, “My mother doesn’t look well. According to her maids, she still has to lie in bed for some days.”

“Since she is saved, she will be fine,” Jian Xubai nodded his head and comforted her, “Moreover, your mother is in the prime of her life and she will be fine after resting for a few days. However, you are quite weak already. You are not fully recovered but you still went to the Prince’s mansion. In the following days, you had better have a good rest instead of going out.”

He didn’t mention asking Aunt Yun to check on Wei Mengying.

Distraught at the moment, Song Yixiao didn’t notice that. She agreed not to go out causally but then she recalled one thing, “It will be your birthday on the 13th day of this lunar month, which is in two days. We must get prepared for it as soon as possible!”

“Why do you get prepared for it?” Jian Xubai replied with a wry smile, “You didn’t celebrate your birthday back then. Of course neither should I. Moreover, now that you need to rest in recuperation, how can you be bothered by it?”

“No way,” Song Yixiao said disapprovingly, “My birthday coincided with the death of Prince of Yi, so the scheduled family feast could only be canceled.”

Jian Xubai said with a smile, “That’s the reason. Uncle passed away at the beginning of the second lunar month. According to the ‘Xiaogong’ ritual that requires five months’ mourning, the mourning period is not due yet since it is the fourth lunar month now. How can we hold the feast to celebrate my birthday?”

Actually, he was right about the ritual, but in fact, among the Five Garments–Zhancui, Zicui, Dagong, Xiaogong and Sima, Zhancui and Zicui were worn for the funeral of the close relatives, including parents, grandparents and uncles. Whether sentimentally or ethically, most of the people would abide by that. However, the other three garments inferior to Dagong were carelessly treated, except those who extremely valued etiquettes or felt deeply sentimental about the deceased.

For example, Ji Zifu was officially engaged to Su Shaoling not long before. Yet, Ji Zifu was also the nephew of Prince of Yi.

However, he was not accused of showing disregard for Prince of Yi at all. The reason why he was engaged during the mourning period of his uncle was not only that the Crown Prince was implementing a low-key policy but also that many people could be caught making similar mistakes. The supporters of the Crown Prince were no exceptions. As a saying went, law did not punish numerous offenders. If they used the cause for impeachment, they might get their own people into trouble.

Therefore, Jian Xubai said so sheerly to show concern for his wife.

Surely Song Yixiao understood his consideration. She insisted for a moment but as he just refused to have the celebration, she heaved a sigh and then succumbed. She was much comforted by her husband after being depressed for bargaining and quarrelling with Wei Mengying for more than half a day.

She couldn’t help leaning against Jian Xubai and throwing herself to him, with her chin rested on his shoulders. Jian Xubai turned around with a smile, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Song Yixiao put her arms around his neck and said leisurely, “Just let me lean against you for a while!”

Amidst talking, she just rubbed herself against his shoulder with her head lowered, just like a kitten.

Jian Xubai chuckled, leaving her rubbing herself against his body, and then he said, “A lot of cherries have been sent here from the manor, which I find are not bad. If you feel better later, hand out the cherries. These days, Grandaunt has been unwilling to contact with us without telling us the reason. We can take the opportunity to see if she is less angry by sending some cherries to her.”

Too many things happened these days. The incident in Prince of Hengshan’s mansion happened too. If he didn’t mention Elder Lady Duanmu, Song Yixiao would just forget this senior. Then with a frown, she said, “How come Grandaunt got us wrong? We have constantly sent our visiting cards to her but none of them were approved!”

She asked again, “No clues from Uncle Limiao either?”

“If he has a clue, how can he not tell us?” Jian Xubai pinched his eyebrows and said gently, “But your health matters more. If you feel tired, just send Qiaoqin and Jinxun to deal with it!”

“I just need to give a few orders and I don’t have to pick the cherries myself. Why can’t I take it?” Song Yixiao nudged him smilingly, “I am not that fragile!”

Jian Xubai was about to answer when Ji Su reported outside, “Your Highness, a few urgent documents were sent from Yamen, which require your prompt review!”

“Your work matters. Go ahead!” Song Yixiao hastened to get off her husband’s shoulder and said with concern.

“Qiaoqin will send the medicine over later. The preserved fruit in that pot is your favorite dessert. You may have some to get rid of the bitter flavor after taking the medicine.” Jian Xubai nodded his head, got up and gave her a reminder before leaving.

However, when he arrived at the study, there were no urgent documents but Yuan Xuepei dressed in blue, who was waiting for him with his sleeves rolled up.

“How is everything going?” Not surprised at his arrival, Jian Xubai walked to the seat of the honor, flicked away his rope and sat down, asking in a deep voice.

“Apart from Princess Consort Wei’s maids who are not easy to deal with, any other trails that can be used to induce that Princess Consort Wei once sent someone to ask about Lanhui’s going to a drug store have been got rid of,” Yuan Xuepei said in a composed tone, “As to the trusted maid of Princess Consort Wei, since she can even sacrifice Madam Song, as long as they are disloyal, they won’t be a problem to us!”

Speaking of that, he couldn’t help sneering, “This princess consort is so lucky. When Lanhui went to buy the components of the poison for the Dowager Consort in disguise, the moment she bought the herb, the maid of Princess Consort Wei approached her and asked what she bought. The Dowager Consort specially let Lanhui buy the components separately in more than ten drugstores in order not to draw any attention. The loophole was so obvious. If we didn’t help cover it up, could she hide them forever?”

“Just because she was sure that we would help, she didn’t do it herself. Moreover, she had nobody suitable to do it.” Jian Xubai replied drily, “Otherwise, who do you think sent the letter to your mansion that disclosed the fact that she once sent someone to spy on Lanhui?”

It was a few days since Dowager Consort of Hengshan and her granddaughter passed away. They were not idlers. If the doorkeeper of Marquis Boling’s mansion didn’t find the anonymous letter addressed to Yuan Xuepei in the crack of the door, how could they think of investigating into Wei Mengying?

However, as they investigated, they had to deal with the aftermath for Wei Mengying!

Actually, they had to. Jian Xubai loved his wife, so he surely hated his mother-in-law who attempted to use his wife’s life as the stepping stone, but the problem was that Song Yixiao was Wei Mengying’s birth daughter indeed. If Wei Mengying’s reputation was really wrecked, the saying that like mother, like daughter would just bring a lot of trouble to Song Yixiao!

Particularly, when she sought revenge for Zhiqin before, Song Yixiao had left a bad impression on the Empress Dowager, Jinguo Grand Princess and Commandery Princess Qingjiang. If it was discovered that she had such a vicious and brutal mother, even though the Empress Dowager and Jinguo Grand Princess covered her up before, a wedge would be driven between them anyway.

The reason why Yuan Xuepei would like to suffer the loss was not only that Jian Xubai wanted to protect his wife but also that the letter was sent to his mansion. When he learnt that Wei Mengying was such a cruel and vicious woman that she could even sacrifice her daughter’s life, how could he not worry that she could find a way to harness Yuan Xue’e since she dared to send the letter to his mansion?

Therefore, although they resented Wei Mengying so much, they had to get rid of all the clues what could arouse any suspicion on her in case that Song Yixiao and Yuan Xue’e were implicated by her!

Both Jian Xubai and Yuan Xuepei were born and raised in a rich family, who were used to bossing around, but now they nursed a great grievance due to Wei Mengying! How they felt now was imaginable!

“Madam Song is smart. Even if Princess Consort Wei surely wants to keep her from this matter, I suppose her wish may not be fulfilled?” Yuan Xuepei stayed silent for a while and then said, “I heard that Madam Song went to Prince of Hengshan’s mansion to meet Princess Consort Wei. I wonder how she felt when she came back.”

Jian Xubai’s eyes glistened. Then he replied, “As to this kind of thing, no matter how grieved she is, how can she tell me about it? After all, that woman is her birth mother.”

Then he sneered, “I can’t say anything about it to her either. Still, that is her birth mother!”

What he said actually acknowledged that Song Yixiao had also realized the truth of the tragedy that happened on Dowager Consort of Hengshan’s birthday.

He emphasized repeatedly that Wei Mengying was Song Yixiao’s birth mother anyway. How could Yuan Xuepei not get his hint?

With a glint of delight in his eyes, he said gently, “Given such a thing that happened between her and her mother, no wonder Madam Song feels sad. However, since Madam Song got married, Princess Consort Wei has been loath to contact with Duke of Yan’s mansion. In this case, if they meet less frequently or just don’t meet anymore, maybe Madam Song will forget these unhappy memories soon!”

Without hesitation, Jian Xubai replied, “Exactly!”

A while later, Yuan Xuepei left. Jian Xubai picked up a few documents that he had brought back from the table, ordered Ji Su to prepare ink and brush pen for him and then started to review the documents.

“Your Highness, the Princess Consort is too arrogant!” Ji Su ground the inkstick and said in a low voice, “It was unfilial, unvirtuous, immoral and disloyal of her to have seen Dowager Consort of Hengshan die without taking any action and she even attempted to clear herself of the suspicion with Her Highness’s life, which is crazy enough. How dare she even send a letter to Marquis Boling’s mansion!”

While glancing through the official documents, Jian Xubai chuckled, “Do you really believe that the letter was sent by Madam Wei to Marquis Boling’s mansion?”

He had known that Wei Mengying was scheming, but as he loved his wife, he was always respectful to his mother-in-law. Whenever he sent gifts to Jinguo Grand Princess, he never forgot to send some to Prince of Hengshan’s mansion. Nevertheless, what Wei Mengying did this time had touched his bottom line. When his wife was not around, Jian Xubai couldn’t be bothered to refer to Wei Mengying as his mother-in-law.

Dumbfounded, Ji Su asked, “What?”

“The letter was brought here by Xuepei.” Jian Xubai lifted the brush pen, dipped it in the ink, and wrote down the solution in the blank of the document, saying drily, “Madam Wei once sent someone to spy on Lanhui; Lanhui bought the components of the poison separately under the order of the Dowager Consort; Madam Wei figured out the specific poison according to what Lanhui bought and then got the antidote ready to manage to meet trick with trick. Xuepei told me all of these after he carried out the ‘investigation’. He is even the one who ‘dealt with the aftermath of what Madam Wei has done’.”

Having put aside the reviewed documents for the ink to dry, Jian Xubai said in a playful voice, “It is his side of the story only! Did he take out any other evidence than the letter that God knows who wrote? Even when I asked him how he dealt with the aftermath, he was just offhand with me too, wasn’t he?”

Taken aback, Ji Su didn’t reply until a moment later, “Your Highness, you mean the letter was actually prepared by His Excellency?”

“Xuepei loves his sister so much. What Wei Mengying did was directly against Lu Guanlun, which was equally against his wife!” Jian Xubai put down his brush pen and relaxed his wrists, saying drily, “Under the circumstance, if Madam Wei still sent a letter to him to stir up his anger, Xuepei would surely fight with her! How could she be that silly? If she really wanted to send a letter, she should send it to us anyway. At least, Shanyao is her birth daughter. The bloodline between them can’t be severed!”

Therefore, when Yuan Xuepei came to him with the letter, he knew that Yuan Xuepei staged the incident for the purpose of figuring out whether he agreed Yuan Xuepei to strike a blow at Wei Mengying!

“She is Shanyao’s birth mother anyway. This time, Shanyao was almost killed by her but she still tried to cover her up before me…” Jian Xubai picked up the brush pen again and then said with a sigh, “It is the most difficult thing to judge the dispute between families. If I take any action and Shanyao finds it out, she may hate me. It is a good thing that Xuepei does so!”

Even he himself was loath to say anything harsh to his beloved wife. How could he allow others to hurt her?

Even Song Yixiao’s birth mother couldn’t either. If he were not the son-in-law of Wei Mengying, he would have killed this woman the moment he learned about the truth!

Therefore, even though he knew that Yuan Xuepei was scapegoating and testing the waters, Jian Xubai not only “believed” him without hesitation but also actively asserted that the letter was written by Wei Mengying. Apparently, he wanted to get rid of her with a borrowed knife!