Chapter 171: The Mole

Madam Hong launched a barrage of accusations at Lu Man, completely ignoring her eldest son’s subtle signals.

Lu Man knelt down once more, covering her face as tears streamed down. “Grandmother, grandfather, during my long marriage to Third Young Master, I have always considered myself filial to the elders and caring towards my younger siblings. Yet, there are still those who cannot tolerate me. Tarnishing my reputation is a small matter, but tarnishing the reputation of the estate is significant. Please let me go, to prevent bringing shame upon grandmother, grandfather, and Third Young Master.”

The old Marquis could no longer contain his anger, pointing at Madam Hong, shouting, “This woman is too wicked, daring to bully my granddaughter-in-law here. Kick her out, kick her out!” With a swift motion, he took off his slipper and hurled it towards Madam Hong, but missed.

Anger can indeed lead to miracles. Not only did the old Marquis speak smoothly, he even managed to remove his own shoe. However, his aim was off, failing to hit Madam Hong.

Despite her face turning purple with rage, Madam Hong dared not speak further. She either could not match his level of confrontation or simply feared him. The old Marquis was not only an elder but also unwell.

Princess Changting’s face remained cold as ice. She softly comforted the old Marquis for a few moments, then turned to Jiang Zhanwei, asking, “Zhanwei, Lady Lu is your wife. Since she is requesting to leave on her own, what do you say?”

Jiang Zhanwei bowed to the Princess, speaking sorrowfully, “I will not divorce her. Because today’s issue does not lie with Lady Lu, the main problem is her useless husband. It’s only because of me that others dare to mistreat her, even to the extent of the servants disrespecting her. In the eyes of this grandson, since marrying me, she has excelled in filial piety, caring for my siblings, being gentle and virtuous, excelling in every aspect… She has committed no wrongdoing, the fault lies with her incompetent man!” His voice choked up towards the end.

Princess Changting remarked, “Good child, you are not only filial but also remember kindness. However, you’ve misspoken in one aspect. It’s not just Lady Lu’s husband who is useless and cannot protect his wife. This household’s head is even more incompetent, unable to protect even his own family. Otherwise, those rascals wouldn’t dare repeatedly bring ill omens to our family, and some wouldn’t ignore my warnings repeatedly to help outsiders.”

Surveying those around her, she continued, “I have long said that Lady Lu, this granddaughter-in-law, has been approved by both me and the old Marquis! Yet, there are still those who pretend loyalty while acting otherwise, leading to so many incidents. Do they take me for a fool?”

Madam Hong harbored a guilty conscience, understanding the Princess’s implications. Her face paled from purple, realizing the Princess was siding with Lu Man. She felt ashamed, angry, and fearful, yet harbored no regrets. The Princess was becoming more confused as she aged. For the sake of a mere Lu Man, she disregarded hints from the Empress, the relationships of the Marquis’ estate, the interests and dignity of the main branch… She knew she would be punished this time but anticipated that Lu Man would be expelled from the estate before her punishment. As long as her goal was achieved, she accepted it. The Emperor’s health was deteriorating, and who knew how long he could hold on. If the Crown Prince ascended, he would undoubtedly heed the Empress and the Wang family in all matters. At that time, they would surely receive even greater benefits. Her husband was a Marquis, her son the heir, and her maternal family prominent, punishing her would only mean confinement. With time, by coaxing the Princess through her husband, son, and grandson, everything would blow over. Yet, why should Lu Man, who caused such a commotion, be let off lightly, leaving her feeling as if her efforts were in vain…

Marquis Jiang and his sons quickly bowed, “Mother, please calm down.”

Marquis Jiang could sense his mother’s implications and realized his wife’s involvement in the matter. He resented Hong’s refusal to heed advice, aligning with the Wang family to cause trouble, and was shocked that his mother’s allegiance seemed to lean towards the illegitimate son’s side. He glanced at Jiang Zhanwei, whose stern and mysterious demeanor hinted at the chaos within the illegitimate branch. Wasn’t the previous lesson enough?

At that moment, he noticed an unfamiliar lower-ranking maid entering, likely accompanying Lu Man, and added, “Mother, let this maid explain what happened today. Was it Wang Haobai’s involvement or solely Song Xian’s doing?”

Princess Changting waved her hand, stating, “I trust Zhanwei’s wife. I believe every word she and that maid said earlier. There’s no need for anyone else to speak. Besides the coachman and this maid who went out today, I will generously reward them. The rest will each receive a hundred lashes. If anyone dies, so be it, if not, they are to be banished from the estate forever. As for Song Xian and Wang Haobai, those two troublemakers, I will personally visit the palace tomorrow to demand an explanation. My granddaughter-in-law’s maid is not someone those people can covet.”

With the household setting the tone to mislead and portray the granddaughter-in-law as merely a maid to the public.

Touched by the Princess’s actions, Lu Man cried out gratefully, whispering, “Grandmother, thank you…” After all this time, her efforts were not in vain, the Princess trusted and cared for her.

Princess Changting addressed Lu Man with a hint of meaning, saying, “Good child, rise. This matter is not your fault, you too have suffered from the misfortune.”

As the servants helped Lu Man up, Princess Changting glanced in the direction of Madam Hong, stating, “If she does not wish to be our family’s daughter-in-law, disregards my repeated warnings, and conspires with outsiders against her family, I will grant her wish.” Pointing at Marquis Jiang, she continued, “Eldest son, stay behind. Let’s discuss how to handle the mole in the household. It’s all my fault for being lenient initially, allowing her audacity to grow. The others, you may leave.”

Madam Hong’s body swayed slightly. All eyes turned towards her, only Marquis Jiang was kept back. The internal mole mentioned by the Princess seemed to be her. However, to save face for Marquis Jiang and his son, she refrained from exposing her publicly.

Just as everyone was about to leave, Jiang Zhanwei suddenly knelt before the Princess and the old Marquis, saying, “Grandmother, grandfather, I have something to report.”

“Speak.” Princess Changting replied.

Jiang Zhanwei stated, “Grandmother, your grandson has been mischievous since childhood, causing concern for the elders. However, even if I am unfilial, I have taken Lu Man as my wife into the household for the wedding. The Heavens have eyes, grandfather has finally awakened, and his health is gradually improving.”

Princess Changting nodded, “Yes, I am well aware of your filial piety.”

Jiang Zhanwei bowed his head and continued, “I seek grandmother’s approval, your grandson wishes to separate and start anew.”

“What?”

Not only did the Princess utter these words, but Marquis Jiang and Second Master also simultaneously expressed the same sentiment. However, the Princess and Second Master Jiang were shocked and angry, while Marquis Jiang’s face displayed a hint of joy, and even Third Master Jiang seemed to relax slightly.

Jiang Zhanwei firmly stated, “Your grandson wishes to separate and start anew with the younger siblings.”

As Jiang Zhanwei knelt down, Lu Man followed suit. She was taken aback by his words, her mind racing. If they were to separate, she would become the head of the household, still the granddaughter-in-law of the Princess, under her protection. She would remain the wife of a soldier, with bystanders wary of mistreating her openly, and she wouldn’t face Madam Hong’s hostility again… This option seemed much better than her previous thoughts of leaving the estate with her reputation tarnished. A sense of joy filled her heart, although she remained silent, lacking the authority to speak at that moment.