With great enthusiasm, these people in the capital city had been gossiping about the affairs of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion.

Every few days, a disturbance would occur. The Duke Xing’s Mansion could be regarded as one of the great aristocratic families in the capital city, and ordinary people dared not to make unkind remarks about it. But now, it was reduced to the Marquis Xing’s Mansion with ridiculous and disgusting things taking place in an unending flow.

Not long ago, the Madam of Marquis Xing was demoted as a concubine, which was something rare that people hadn’t heard of for many years. Just a few days later, there was a rumor that the Madam of Marquis Xing had been wronged. It was all the fault of Wang Shengxue, who had been locked up in the Ministry of Justice. He incriminated Madam Jiang with planted evidence to make up for his wrongdoings. As for the hearsay that Madam Jiang’s slap caused her daughter-in-law to miscarry, it was not true either. The public was wrongly informed. Some people heard that the virtuous daughter-in-law had gone to redress the grievance for Madam Jiang before the Empress Dowager in the Palace.

Their arguments of rights and wrongs presented a full-scale drama for these citizens in the capital to enjoy this year. There were all kinds of rumors. In the end, people concluded that this daughter-in-law was kind-hearted and understanding. After suffering so much, she was still willing to defend her husband’s mother. In any view, Madam Jiang, the mother-in-law, looked very suspicious.

Anyway, opinions were widely divided. More people were closely following the host of miscellaneous problems in the Marquis Xing’s Mansion. There were even many idlers who had assembled spontaneously outside the Marquis Xing’s Mansion to watch the fun.

Whenever any master went out of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion, a group of onlookers would follow up, which was very annoying.

For a time, the gate of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion was tightly closed. Not to mention the masters, even their servants barely went out. It was better for them to hide in the mansion if they had no necessary matter to deal with.

The Empress was in the Empress Dowager’s Palace of Benevolent Peace. There was only Rui’an Great Elder Princess accompanying them.

“What’s your opinion about this matter?” With a headache, the Empress Dowager asked the Empress. She felt pestered beyond endurance when she had to handle the everlasting troublesome things for the Marquis Xing’s Mansion again and again.

“Imperial Mother, since this is the case, let it be!” The Empress said.

Rui’an Great Elder Princess did not speak. Before she entered the Palace, she had discussed how to deal with this matter with her granddaughter. At this moment, she should listen to the two masters of the imperial harem. It was inappropriate for her to say anything now because they would think her opinion was not objective enough. So, even if she expressed her ideas, her words would yield no result.

Listening to their decisions first was her best choice.

Rui’an Great Elder Princess was always willing to follow her granddaughter’s advice.

With her granddaughter-in-law, the Old Madam of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion cried and begged for mercy at the Palace’s gate, pleading for Madam Jiang. Since she was thick-skinned enough to do all of that, Rui’an Great Elder Princess would like to heap more calamities on her.

“In your eyes, the title of nobility of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion is of the utmost importance, right? You want to protect Madam Jiang, don’t you? Then show some sincerity.”

Now, Rui’an Great Elder Princess no longer cared about whether Old Madam was partial or not. Since she was so much in favor of Madam Jiang, Shao Wanru might as well give up on her, which would be a better choice. Rui’an Great Elder Princess was the one and only elder who took Shao Wanru as a real treasure, so she would rather let her discard Old Madam, a partial old woman.

Rui’an Great Elder Princess, always calm and collected, lowered her head and listened quietly to the conversation between the Empress and the Empress Dowager, casually placing her fingers on a corner of her handkerchief.

“They had made a terrible scene before the Palace’s gate. Although few outsiders heard of it, many others still have learned the news!” The Empress Dowager said in displeasure.

Common people didn’t know how exactly Old Madam of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion beseeched the Empress Dowager with Zhao Xiran, but the well-informed aristocratic families had already heard the news.

When thinking about the whole matter carefully, the Empress Dowager thought their unseemly conduct brought disgrace upon her. It was the Empress Dowager who issued the imperial edict at the beginning, so they had to call on her to defend Madam Jiang. Their purpose was to make her backtrack on her decision.

The Empress Dowager had a gentle disposition, yet she got a bit miffed at this time. It was too presumptuous for those people from the Marquis Xing’s Mansion to do so. They brought their revolting struggles before her and implicitly reminded her that she was wrong.

The Empress sneered and added, “Mother, what else can we do now that things have become like this? They couldn’t deal with their own affairs and the evidence they have provided is inadequate. How could they bring the blame of themselves upon the chief judge?” Ever since she knew what they had done to Shao Yanru, she had never liked these people from the Marquis Xing’s Mansion.

At this moment, she did not intend to support the Marquis Xing’s Mansion.

Since they were even bold enough to criticize the Empress Dowager, they would certainly set the Empress’s authority at naught. No wonder Shao Yanru dared to scheme against others in the imperial harem under her charge. It was obvious that Shao Yanru had no regard for her at all.

The Empress Dowager turned to Rui’an Great Elder Princess and asked with knitted brows. “Rui’an, what do you think?”

Rui’an Great Elder Princess remained imperturbable. When she heard the question, she raised her head and said without batting an eye. “Your Majesties, everything is up to you.”

“You are Shao Wanru’s elder, so I suppose you should speak your mind or her opinions about this matter?” suggested the Empress Dowager mildly. Shao Wanru hadn’t yet recovered from her illness, and they were always generous in sending her first-rate medicinal materials from the Palace. It was said that although Shao Wanru was better, she was still very weak.

Somehow, the Empress Dowager felt very guilty. If her grandson came back at this time and saw Princess Chen like this, he would be greatly distressed. Before leaving for his mission, he repeatedly told the Empress Dowager to take good care of his wife. But before long, Shao Wanru became sick and weak under her eyes.

“Empress Dowager, you are Princess Chen’s respectable elder. With your support, she won’t suffer any grievance. She will do whatever you wish.” Rui’an Great Elder Princess said.

The Empress Dowager felt very satisfied with her words. This granddaughter-in-law was so well-behaved that she saved her a lot of worries. Recently, she had experienced such a severe incident and dealt with those despicable people from her parents’ home. Even so, she did not complain at all, nor did she demand the Empress Dowager to make it up to her. Prince Chen should never be regarded as being in the same category as those people of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion who were well capable of doing shameful things.

Even if Princess Chen made some trouble for them to vent her resentment, the Empress Dowager could understand her. After all, she was young, and there were no elders in the Prince Chen’s Mansion to help her. Besides, Chu Liuchen was not there. Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager, who thought highly of this considerate Princess Chen, suddenly felt sorry for her.

The Marquis Xing’s Mansion was despicable indeed.

This time, they stuck to utterly different arguments from what they had said before. If the Empress Dowager didn’t do anything, people would secretly criticize her for clinging to the mistake instead of correcting it.

“So, are they forcing me to recall my edict?”

“Your Majesty, as Princess Chen’s elder, you will give consideration to her situation. No matter what, Princess Chen has been wronged. People from the Marquis Xing’s Mansion are quick to switch their stance, but it can’t change the fact, right?” The Empress said timely.

As the Empress Dowager’s daughter-in-law for so many years, the Empress knew what she was thinking.

“So, you think what happened before is true?” The Empress Dowager was still hesitating. The rumors outside had been spread to the Palace, and she learned them from the Emperor’s people.

“I think what happened before must be true. Otherwise, Wang Shengxue couldn’t have cooperated so well with that maid, who wore the same clothes as Princess Chen and walked to her courtyard. These people are black-hearted. At that time, Princess Chen was just a noble descendant who wanted to return to the royal family, but they couldn’t even tolerate such a girl!” said the Empress.

The matter three years ago happened for a reason. But now that Wang Shengxue was dead, no other clues were found to solve this case. Also, there was nothing more they could get from the Marquis Xing’s Mansion.

As for the current situation, it was not so important for them. The Empress Dowager and the Empress didn’t care much about what they had done, whether it was Madam Jiang’s daughter-in-law, Madam Jiang, or Old Madam of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion. These people were a family. Since they wanted to stick together, the Empress Dowager and the Empress chose not to mess up with these people.

Whether Zhao Xiran felt wronged or did it of her own free will, they would not feel sorry for her. What they had done was enough to embarrass the Empress Dowager, so how could any of them wish to get the Empress Dowager’s help?

The whole Marquis Xing’s Mansion had let the Empress Dowager down. For the sake of the deceased former Heir of Duke Xing and the old Duke, the Empress Dowager had always overestimated this mansion. These people who managed this mansion now had used up all her previous appreciation. Thus, when Old Madam of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion left this time, the Empress Dowager specially ordered her not to enter the Palace in the future unless an imperial edict summoned her.

“Shao Yuanhao has grown older, hasn’t he?” The Empress Dowager asked Rui’an Great Elder Princess.

“Hao’er is already ten years old. All his instructors have praised him for his intelligence. Though he entered the school a little late, he is quick in grasping new things and knows the rest of a kind by analogy. Even if his study has been delayed, it doesn’t matter. Now he has caught up with his peers and performs even better than most of them!” Whenever Rui’an Great Elder Princess spoke of her little grandson, her face would be full of pride.

Shao Yuanhao had changed a lot, which made her grandma feel gratified. As expected, it was best to let him live in her place. Otherwise, the future of her smart grandson would be ruined.

In the past three years, Rui’an Great Elder Princess had not allowed Shao Yuanhao to come into contact with the Marquis Xing’s Mansion, which was a foul place in a horrible mess in her eyes.

Even if he had to go, he would be accompanied by the people chosen by Rui’an Great Elder Princess. Moreover, he would come back after a brief courtesy call. Sometimes, to attend his lessons, Shao Yuanhao wouldn’t even have time to take a meal there. No people of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion were allowed to approach him, lest they would plot against him again.

Seeing her like this, the Empress Dowager knew that Rui’an Great Elder Princess was proud of her grandson. She looked completely different from three years ago when talking about her grandson. At that time, she could only lower her head, shedding tears.

The Empress Dowager had made a decision in her heart and asked the Empress, “Ten years old, he can inherit the title of nobility now, right?”

The Empress nodded knowingly and said, “Sure enough. When each memorial to the throne about inheriting the title was presented, some people would object to it and say that Shao Yuanhao was too young and barely made any progress. Well, he was the son of the former Heir of Duke Xing, but without any big improvement, he didn’t compare with First Young Master Shao, who enjoyed a good reputation.”

“Since Shao Yuanhao is doing much better than before, the previous reasons can no longer apply to him. Rui’an, present another memorial to the Emperor for the title,” instructed the Empress Dowager.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you very much for that!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess choked out, the rims of her eyes slightly red. Almost immediately, she understood what the Empress Dowager meant. She stood up, knelt to the ground, and respectfully kowtowed to the Empress Dowager three times.

It was not that she cared much about the title of nobility, but it belonged to her son-in-law. How could she watch the title fall into the grasp of the second branch of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion? Everyone in the second branch, from top to bottom, harbored evil intentions.

“His Majesty will issue an imperial edict, and you can also issue an imperial edict to let Madam Jiang be the secondary legal wife!” The Empress Dowager rubbed the painful place between her eyebrows and said to the Empress.

“Then… what is the reason for that?” The Empress asked cautiously.