Chapter 30 : How the Concubine Compensates Miss Xue

“…After I entered, I saw the young master. When he started walking toward me, in my panic, I had no choice but to deceive him, telling him I was his mother. The little lord, missing his mother, truly accepted it,” Xue Qingyin said seriously, and this cleared her of suspicion.

She wasn’t scheming against the Duke’s mansion!

“I wonder how Miss Xue managed to escape? According to what Miss Xue said, the door was locked and couldn’t be opened, and she was trapped in a place where no one would go. Yet, with Miss Xue’s delicate body, she managed to escape safely and report the matter to Princess Jinque… Could Miss Xue enlighten me?” the voice of Concubine Wan came calmly.

Clearly, she didn’t take this public confrontation seriously, even seeming relaxed and unhurried.

This question… Xue Qingyin furrowed her brows.

Now she had to talk about King Xuan.

But King Xuan probably didn’t want to be involved…

Moreover, once she mentioned King Xuan, she would have to explain how he knew she was missing, which would lead to discussing the time they were together playing chess.

If she talked too much, wouldn’t it seem like she and King Xuan had an affair?

Marrying King Xuan in a legitimate ceremony was one thing, but being accused of having an affair was completely different.

The former had a matchmaker’s agreement, while the latter… could get one killed.

After a moment of hesitation, Concubine Wan smiled.

So there was something unclear behind this?

She sighed, “I’m afraid the princess already knew where Miss Xue was…”

Princess Jinque angrily asked, “Are you implying Miss Xue cooperated with me to stage this drama?”

“I didn’t say that just now,” Concubine Wan frowned and sighed again. “Why does the princess always misinterpret my meaning? Just like in the past…”

Before Concubine Wan could finish her sentence, Princess Jinque erupted in anger, overturning the table.

The noblewoman on the main seat spoke in a deep voice, “Jinque.”

It seemed she didn’t like the princess’s outburst.

At this point, a cold voice rang out slowly: “It was I.”

Concubine Wan froze, tightening the handkerchief in her hand.

“Miss Xue is delicate and cannot play ball, so Jinque left her with me to play chess. Just then, the deputy commander came to report military matters. The palace maid, Hongzhu, came to take Miss Xue away. It was then that I noticed something was wrong,” King Xuan’s voice was calm, with no emotion.

To the others, his tone was impartial.

“I see.” The noblewoman pondered for a moment, then spoke softly, “Such a maid, so rude, must have something unusual! King Xuan naturally deduced where Miss Xue was taken.”

Duke Zhao’s voice grew cold, “Indeed, which maid, upon seeing King Xuan, would dare to take someone away without asking?”

Concubine Wan gripped the handkerchief tighter.

So that was it…

She had been wondering why the matter had been exposed so quickly.

It was because King Xuan had been dragged into this.

No wonder Princess Jinque had been so confident today!

Consort Wan’s curiosity appeared, and she softly said, “King Xuan has a kind heart and takes good care of Miss Xue.”

This remark immediately drew everyone’s attention to the relationship between King Xuan and Xue Qingyin.

Xue Qingyin quickly responded, “That is the behavior of a gentleman. If Prince Wei had passed by, he would have surely tried to save me as well.”

Concubine Wan fell silent.

She quickly turned the situation from an affair to an act of chivalry. If she continued to pursue it, she would have been in the wrong.

The noblewoman spoke in a deep voice, “Indeed, any gentleman would try to help in such a situation. But who would employ such malicious tactics, not only to harm the son of Duke Zhao but to implicate Princess Jinque, nearly causing harm to the daughter of Minister Xue?”

Princess Jinque couldn’t hold back and said, “That palace maid Hongzhu already made it clear, didn’t she? She was instructed by a servant of the Xu family. The Xu family is Consort Wan’s maternal family. If Concubine Wan didn’t approve, how would the Xu family have such courage?”

Xue Qingyin, not particularly clever, felt that Princess Jinque was too hasty.

In contrast, Concubine Wan was as steady as a mountain.

Naturally, Princess Jinque lost the upper hand.

Concubine Wan shook her head and said, “In the end, Princess Jinque still has no evidence. I am willing to ask for an imperial decree to investigate the servant and trace it back to my maternal family…”

Xue Qingyin secretly curled her lips.

This was a typical move from someone in power.

When doing something, they always prepared a scapegoat beforehand.

“The Consort’s maternal family is quite audacious. Wasn’t there an incident last month where they clashed with the people of the Duke of Zhongyong’s household at Ruixiang Bridge?” The nobleman suddenly spoke.

The figure beside him, who appeared to be a eunuch, whispered in agreement, “Yes, something like that happened. Could it be that the Xu family has a grudge against the Duke Zhao’s household? And there are also many misunderstandings between Princess Jinque and the Consort…”

The nobleman nodded, “They should be punished.”

Princess Jinque suddenly quieted down. She lowered her head, and her expression couldn’t be seen.

There was no further discussion.

At this point, Concubine Wan spoke with a sad tone, “I dare not plead for them. If they are heavily punished, they can make amends, and perhaps this will correct the arrogance in their household.”

“Hmm…” The nobleman paused before softly saying, “The Xu family has the Emperor’s favor and indulges their servants. Punish Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiazhi by forfeiting their annual salary, taking away their palace token, and forbidding the Xu family from accompanying the Crown Prince. As Concubine Wan is related to the Xu family, she too bears some responsibility. I’ll fine her a year’s monthly salary and put her under house arrest for three months.”

It sounded like a severe punishment?

But when Xue Qingyin looked at Duke Zhao’s expression, Princess Jinque’s silence, and Consort Wan’s steady posture behind the screen…

She realized that the punishment hadn’t hurt Consort Wan’s foundation at all.

“As for the palace maid Hongzhu, since we have identified the instigator… anyone who dares to betray their master will be executed by strangulation. Anyone from the Xu family found to be involved will be given one hundred lashes.” The nobleman continued.

One hundred lashes…

That would surely be brutal, right?

Xue Qingyin felt a chill down her spine, finally realizing the true power of the imperial authority.

Lives could be taken so casually.

And the real culprit sat there, unscathed.

Concubine Wan quickly said, “For such a serious mistake, I will send word and urge the Xu family to bring gifts and apologize to Duke Zhao.”

Duke Zhao, unable to suppress his anger, snorted coldly, “My family doesn’t care for such gifts. And my son is a man, so this matter is actually worse for Miss Xue.”

The nobleman softly agreed, “Yes… The Xu family should properly compensate Miss Xue.”

Concubine Wan replied, “Indeed.”

Duke Zhao then asked, “How do you intend to compensate her?”

This seemed like Duke Zhao was advocating for Xue Qingyin.

He hadn’t thought highly of her at first, suspecting she had colluded with others to plot against the Duke Zhao household. But now that the matter was clarified…

He saw her standing there, young and obedient, and realized she was the cherished daughter of another family.

It was truly pitiful to be involved in such matters.

Concubine Wan took a deep breath. She hadn’t expected Duke Zhao to meddle so much.

Since that’s the case…

Concubine Wan suddenly smiled, “The Xu family has little wealth, but they will send silver and silk to the Xue family. However, sending these things directly to the door may invite gossip.”

“You mean…” Is she trying to avoid paying?

Duke Zhao didn’t finish his sentence.

Concubine Wan continued, “What you don’t know is that Prince Wei actually has some connections with the Xue family. Miss Xue’s brother, Xue Ning, is quite close to Prince Wei, and they often write poetry and discuss literature together. This kind of friendship almost got ruined by a few fools from the Xu family.”

Consort Wan’s words were clearly an attempt to clear her name.

She was telling everyone plainly—We were on good terms with the Xue family, and it was the fools who ruined things.

But Consort Wan, being a sly character, wouldn’t stop at just clearing her name.

Sure enough, she quickly added, “My eldest brother has a son who used to study in the East Palace. He is now preparing for the imperial exams and is the most outstanding of his generation. I will take the initiative to arrange a marriage for him with Miss Xue. In this way, we turn misfortune into a blessing, and the Xu family will offer a golden dowry and silk as the bride price. Whatever good things the Xu family has in the future will belong to Miss Xue. This is not only a legitimate compensation, but the most appropriate one.”

Xue Qingyin: “…”

So this is what you call compensation.

Marrying the victim to the perpetrator, and the other party being a stranger she had never met, with no idea whether his eyes or nose were crooked, and I’m supposed to be grateful?