Emperor Wen said in a deep voice, "Let him in and give his answer."
After all, she was a close follower who had followed him for many years, and also the "matchmaker" between him and Tang Zhuzi, so there was no need for him to avoid suspicion.
After Huaishang entered, he walked to the corridor and quietly gave Xiu'er a wink, meaning he wanted to know how the people inside were feeling.
Xiu'er deliberately scared him by making a throat-slitting face.
Huaishang looked at Xiu'er in horror.
But Xiu'er remained completely serious, showing no sign of joking.
Huaishang was completely devastated.
He steeled himself and went inside, then knelt down to pay his respects to the Emperor and Empress.
Tang Zhuyun smiled and said, "It's Huaishang. Is Xiaobai's cough any better?"
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I've taken the medicine you prescribed for three days and I'm feeling much better."
"That's good. Go back and tell Mianmian to continue giving it to her for another four days, don't stop."
"... yes."
He went back and told the maid to tell that spendthrift woman, but she wouldn't say anything.
He's still angry!
A while ago, Xiaobai caught a cold and coughed badly at night. She took a lot of medicine but it didn't help.
The two parents were naturally anxious, so they brought him to ask Tang Zhuyun for help.
Tang Zhuyun prescribed the medicine, isn't that enough?
Mianmian, but not.
She was tricked into spending a thousand taels of silver to invite some kind of goddess to her home to worship.
Huaishang was absolutely furious.
If you have that spare money, you should offer it to the Empress!
Mianmian, however, said that everyone says the White Lotus Lady is very efficacious, so she would also invite one to try it out.
Better safe than sorry; she's not short of money.
Opinions on the Huaishang?
That was her dowry.
They've been married for so long, and Mianmian has her temper too. When they argue about money, she brings up the dowry issue.
Huaishang immediately turned off the engine, then slapped his thigh and sighed deeply to Huai Jiande, "Girl, your mother doesn't want to leave you anything."
No, if he can't control him, all that'll be left for Xiaobai in the future is a mountain of debt.
What comforted Huaishang the most was that while his mother and wife were spendthrifts, his daughter was just like him.
This was truly the only consolation.
Huaishang felt that although he couldn't interfere with Mianmian's dowry, he had to make his stance clear!
So for the next few days, he ignored Mianmian, waiting for her to realize her mistake.
It's not that he wanted a cold war; it's just that he had already lost the hot war and was out of options.
Hmm, when we get back tonight, I'll have the maid convey Her Majesty the Empress's message!
When they got back that night, Mianmian spent another three thousand taels of silver to make an extremely exquisite gemstone headdress for Tang Zhuyun, saying it was to thank her. This almost broke Huaishang's heart again.
Mianmian argued vehemently, "I think you're right. The Empress is more useful than the White Lotus Lady, so she deserves more money."
He died on the Huaishang.
Of course, that's a story for another time.
He's Huaishang to report on important matters.
"Your Majesty, I have ascertained that the assassination attempt on the Empress was indeed carried out by Lei Qun's concubine."
Lei Qun was the man Ren Yingying found to build the academy on a voluntary basis. He had a wife and a concubine.
He invested a lot in the academy, saying it was to fulfill his late grandmother's wish.
His deceased grandmother said that women should also be able to read and write.
For the sake of that sentence alone, he devoted himself to supporting the construction of the academy.
The Lei Family is a renowned architectural family of this era.
Tang Zhuyun frowned upon hearing this. "Lei Qun's concubine?"
She had met Lei Qun's wives and concubines.
Although she always inspected the academy's construction progress incognito, she was, after all, the Empress, so Lei Qun always had his wives and concubines accompany him.
In my memory, Lei Qun's concubine was honest and dutiful, always following closely behind Madam Lei, and had little presence.
Tang Zhuyun couldn't figure out her motive.
I don't think I've ever spoken to her at all.
Huaishang hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, it is her. She has already... left a note and hanged herself."
Leaving a note and hanging himself?
Did he hang himself, or was he put there by someone else?
There's a sense of conspiracy going on.
Emperor Wen asked, "What was written in the will?"
Huaishang lowered his head and said, "They say they hate Lei Qun's wife for being harsh to them, that Lei Qun favors his wife and ignores them, and that she has no children, so they want to drag the entire Lei Family down with them..."
Given Emperor Wen's unique favor towards Tang Zhuyun, he would surely be furious after this incident.
It's hard to say whether the Lei Family will be executed along with their entire nine generations, but the extermination of three generations is a certainty.
--The entire Lei Family is still being held in custody as suspects.
Tang Zhuyun said, "Look, this is what happens when a man has three wives and four concubines."
You thought you were enjoying the blessings of having multiple wives, but you never imagined you were leaving behind a calamity that would lead to the extermination of your entire family.
This matter truly deserves to be included in the history of Nandeli.
On the surface, they lived in peace and harmony, with wives and concubines in harmony, but in reality, undercurrents were surging, and it was a matter of life and death for them.
Emperor Wen remained silent, seemingly deep in thought.
After "watching the drama unfold," Tang Zhuyun also remembered something.
"That concubine, Lei Qun, actually managed to arrange an assassination!"
Is she really that innocent?
Was the truth as written in her suicide note, or was Lei Qun or someone else plotting to assassinate her but later making her a scapegoat?
This matter is highly suspicious and requires further investigation.
Huaishang cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, you may not know this, but Lei Qun's concubine is no ordinary person. In fact, she is the daughter of Lei Qun's aunt, and also Lei Qun's sister. After her divorce, she married Lei Qun as a concubine."
Therefore, this concubine was quite respectable in the Lei Family.
It's not unbelievable that she can mobilize resources.
"The coroner confirmed that she did indeed die by hanging, not by someone hanging her after death."
Although Huaishang is stingy, he is quite capable when it comes to getting things done.
Tang Zhuyun said that her brain capacity was not enough.
Forget it, let's leave it to Emperor Wen. Anyway, she's already raised the points of doubt she's raised.
After pondering for a moment, Emperor Wen looked at Tang Zhuyun and asked, "If you were to handle this, what would you do?"
Tang Zhuyun looked completely bewildered. "Me?"
She didn't understand anything, so what was there to deal with?
"Hmm." Emperor Wen smiled. "You don't need to overthink it; just consider what Huaishang said to be true."
Huaishang's eyes widened.
What does the Emperor mean by that?
Do you doubt him?
What he said was absolutely true!
Was he fooled and became crippled?
Tang Zhuyun said, "Although Lei Qun has failed in managing his household, it is still too harsh to implicate the entire family in this matter."
After all, the concubine was biased, and the others were innocent.
"Then let them go after a small punishment?" Emperor Wen interjected. "Huaishang, do you understand?"
Tang Zhuyun: Hey, hey, wait a minute!
There are prerequisites to what we're saying!
Shouldn't we investigate further?
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Huaishang bowed and withdrew.
Tang Zhuyun also realized what was happening and looked at Emperor Wen, saying, "Playing the long game?"
"Hmm." A flash of coldness crossed Emperor Wen's eyes.
Tang Zhuyun looked at him suspiciously. "I have a feeling you're hiding something from me. Tell me the truth!"
Xiu'er, standing at the door, perked up her ears.
Quick, bring out the melons!
(I've already killed the person who copied me, thanks for your support~)