Chapter 1019 Each with Their Own Axe to Grind
Shao Jing had steadied his nerves. He looked around and took a shabby chair, wobbling it a few times to make sure it wouldn’t fall apart. Then he sat down in the chair and said, “You brought all this on yourself, didn’t you? Our daughter-in-law has done nothing wrong. Why did you hit her? As for Princess Chen, you can’t afford to offend her because of her current noble and high status!”
Shao Jing said drily after taking his seat.
Madam Jiang was so pissed off that she trembled all over. Pointing angrily at Shao Jing, she barked, “Do you think I wanted to irritate her? Why would I have to do that? I invited her over to solve Wang Shengxue’s problem. How could I aim at her?”
Until now, Madam Jiang was still very confused about this matter. She was affected by the medicine for a period, so her memory was vague. She just wanted to meet trick with trick and let Qiu Yu get something against Shao Wanru, but she didn’t mean to deal with her. However, it was true that she wanted to put pressure on Shao Wanru in order to settle this matter.
Because of Shao Wanru’s current identity, Madam Jiang did not dare to act rashly.
“You must have lost your mind to provoke her again and again. She is Princess Chen, not some ordinary married daughter of our mansion. Besides, she is my Eldest Brother’s daughter!” Shao Jing laughed scornfully.
“Your Eldest Brother’s daughter? Oh, now you’re willing to mention your Eldest Brother. Please don’t pretend you respect him very much. That woman…” Madam Jiang rasped.
“If you don’t want to die, don’t talk about it casually. I’m not the only one who lives in this mansion. There are also your children.” Shao Jing harshly stopped her from saying any confidential thing out of control.
After a moment of silence, Madam Jiang took a few deep breaths and gradually calmed down. Although her face was still gloomy, she was no longer in hysterics. “Well, enlighten me, what should we do now? I can never be a concubine. If you don’t intend to save me, don’t blame me for saying anything to the public at that time.”
It was a patent threat. Even though Shao Jing was trying hard to suppress his anger, he couldn’t help but reveal a chilling murderous intention in his eyes.
In fact, he preferred to see a dead Madam Jiang at this time, which would save him from all this trouble. According to his original plan, he would think of a way to wipe out Madam Jiang after Wang Shengxue put all the blame on her.
When she was demoted to a cheap concubine, it would be a piece of cake for Shao Jing, a marquis, to put her to death.
But now, with the death of Wang Shengxue, it became much more troublesome for him to get rid of her.
When he entered the door, Marquis Xing noticed that the situation here differed from what he had imagined. These old maids here should have been sent by his daughter-in-law. Was it because his son doubted his intention, or because Madam Jiang used some tricks to get the servants?
“Did you plot against Wang Shengxue?” Shao Jing didn’t beat around the bush and came straight to the point.
“Wang Shengxue? What happened to him?” Madam Jiang was stunned. She had been confined to this courtyard and had no contact with any outsider. This news had just come out, and even Zhao Xiran might not hear about it. How could she know it?
Her astonished look looked authentic, so Shao Jing said rather grimly, “Wang Shengxue is dead. He was poisoned to death in the cell!”
“Dead?” Madam Jiang blinked and suddenly burst into wild laughter. “Great! That’s great! I’m so glad that he died. That goddamned evildoer should have died a long time ago! If he’s dead, I won’t be charged with any crime! Wonderful news! He died just in time!”
“Wang Shengxue is dead. If someone else bears the responsibility for his death, I will be acquitted on charges of scheming against Shao Wanru, that bitch. I will be proved innocent.”
With her hands on the edge of the table, Madam Jiang looked toward Shao Jing with a big smile on her face, and all the sullenness on her face vanished. “Your Grace, we have been husband and wife for many years. We should share happiness and woe, especially at this time. I’d like to make a deal with you. As long as I get through this difficulty, you can take in any woman you like in the future. I will always be your decent legal wife with dignity and will never pick on others out of jealousy!”
With hope, Madam Jiang no longer treated her husband coolly with a rude and arrogant attitude. Instead, she immediately became much more clear-headed and gentler. So quick-witted was she that she immediately thought of this deal. Also, Madam Jiang regained her dignified and decent manner.
Shao Jing closely examined Madam Jiang’s expression. When he witnessed that she became a changed person in an instant, a trace of doubt flashed through his eyes. “It seems that Madam Jiang is not behind the murder. But if so, who else could it be?
“Who would make such an audacious move? It appeared Wang Shengxue’s death was a great favor for Madam Jiang!”
Seeing that Shao Jing meditated in silence, Shao Jing thought he was dissatisfied with the condition, so she pondered this matter for a moment and added, “Ru’er is still in the Palace. It’s hard to say what will happen in the future. You don’t want Ru’er to stop at her current position because of me, do you?”
“We can’t count on Ru’er anymore!” Shao Jing looked up at Madam Jiang and said.
“Do you believe it? I gave birth to Ru’er. We all know what kind of person she is. How could she resign herself to fate? Grace, don’t lie to me. I don’t believe that you and Ru’er will bow to fate. No matter what happens, with Ru’er, everything is possible in the future. So what if the rank of nobility becomes a marquis now?”
Madam Jiang curled her lips and said.
.
Shao Jing fell silent.
“Your Grace, you must understand what I want to say. After so many things have happened, the quarrels between us will benefit no one but our opponents and even Great Elder Princess. Hua’an is not young anymore. If he can’t become the heir of a duke, it will be troublesome!”
Madam Jiang added and once again increased her bargaining chip.
“If Hua’an is a son of a concubine, then we’ll never achieve success!”
“Does Wang Shengxue’s death have nothing to do with you?” Shao Jing frowned.
“Grace, doesn’t your conscience trouble you for saying that? Look at me now. I couldn’t do it even if I wanted to take his life away. If it weren’t for Xiran’s kindness, I might die here without anyone noticing it, and no one would care about my fate.” Madam Jiang curled her lips and then lowered her voice. “From then on, you will decide the affairs in the inner court, though I appear to be in charge. If you want that woman to enter our mansion with a new identity, I will protect her from being discovered.”
“What nonsense are you talking about!” Shao Jing, annoyed, flicked his sleeves.
“Your Grace, you know whether it’s nonsense or not. Don’t say that you don’t have such an idea. I knew your intention long ago, but you weren’t the one to marry her in the end.” Madam Jiang laughed sarcastically.
Shao Jing fell silent, his suspicious eyes scanning her face. Madam Jiang behaved naturally and looked relaxed as she had just learned Wang Shengxue’s death. “So, who plotted against Wang Shengxue’s life? If Madam Jiang were not the target, then it would be me.”
“Who wants to grind me down?”
“I’m now a guilty party and have been scolded by the Emperor. Is there anyone who wants to strike me when I’m already so miserable? Anybody not from my inner court but the official circles?”
He felt it was very possible. The other party killed a man in custody in the Ministry of Justice. Madam Jiang couldn’t make it even at the apex of her power. This murder was not like a means of struggle in the inner court but more like tactics between men in his official circles.
At this time, Shao Jing could never have imagined that it was his son who did it. On the surface, Shao Hua’an was useless, though he had a good reputation. But he was never what he appeared.
Madam Jiang was not behind Wang Shengxue’s death, but her words sent a chill down his spine. He had been determined to get rid of Madam Jiang, for he feared she would speak indiscreetly outside when in distress and expose some of his secrets. Now that Madam Jiang looked fine, he changed his mind.
“Can you do that?” He flicked his eyes up and asked.
“Of course. If you help me out this time, I’ll follow your lead. I won’t give you any more trouble and help you manage family affairs.” Madam Jiang promised. “I won’t mind whatever you do!”
“It’s best if you can think like this. However, the Empress Dowager has issued the decree, so it won’t be so easy to change your current status!” Shao Jing was not as optimistic as her. Moreover, he didn’t want her to be the Madam of Marquis Xing anymore. After witnessing too many malevolent schemes of her for so many years, he grew increasingly impatient with her.
“What do you mean?” Madam Jiang’s face fell because she keenly captured Shao Jing’s changing attitude.
“It’s not about how I think of it. It won’t be so easy to settle Wang Shengxue’s matter. Besides, how could the Empress Dowager be wrong? How could anyone dare to point out her mistake even if she was wrong? Unless…” Shao Jing paused. The Empress Dowager had extremely noble status. Even if she really made a mistake and Madam Jiang was wronged, so what? If the Empress Dowager insisted, no one had the guts to speak for Madam Jiang.
“Unless what?” Madam Jiang understood what he meant, and her face darkened.
“Unless Hua’an’s wife is willing to make an appeal for you before the Empress Dowager in the Palace!” Shao Jing said nonchalantly, “But even so, you should be mentally prepared. I’m afraid you might not get back up to the position as the legal wife. After all, if you did nothing wrong, the Empress Dowager would have to take part of the blame!”
How could the Empress Dowager be wrong? Even if she misjudged the matter, it would be others’ fault.
What he said sounded difficult to comprehend, but Madam Jiang fully understood the twists and turns of this matter. After all, she had remained the Madam of Marquis Xing for many years.
She took a deep breath and looked at Shao Jing with a severe countenance. “I can be your secondary legal wife, and you can’t marry another legal wife. This is the biggest concession I can make!”
She couldn’t concede anymore because she had to make sure her son would be the legitimate son. Shao Jing might get another child to be his legitimate son in the future; even worse, he might be partial to his newborn son and make him the heir of a duke.
She couldn’t take this risk, so it was her bottom line. If Shao Jing dared to disagree, she would fight with him at the risk of mutual destruction. These days, she had been enduring hardship because she would like to see how long Shao Jing could hold on.
If she lost hope, she would give him a hard time.
Looking at the hideous Madam Jiang with a ferocious look, Shao Jing cordially detested her. But he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he mustn’t provoke Madam Jiang for the time being. He would kill her sooner or later, but not at this time.
“Well, I agree. But I can’t guarantee the specific outcomes. I can only try my best to help you clear your name and let Wang Shengxue’s family change their confession!” Shao Jing said.
“That would be best. You don’t have to worry about other things. I will talk to Hua’an’s wife!” Madam Jiang said with great confidence. As Zhao Xiran’s mother-in-law, she had a natural advantage. If Zhao Xiran refused to help her, Madam Jiang would ask her son to divorce her. Why would she keep a good-for-nothing daughter-in-law?