Back in the courtyard, Zhang Yu had Ruan Liu confined to the front courtyard's east wing, personally guarded by Zhang Dian.
She returned and quietly recounted what had just happened.
Su Xiaoqi frowned slightly, "Did you deliberately let her be like that?"
Zhang Yu could have appeared and saved Zi Yu before Ruan Liu could bully her.
But she didn't.
Zhang Yu nodded, admitting without reservation, "Yes, this servant did it deliberately. What she did, being bullied is still too good for her. If she fell into my hands, I would have taken her life.
It's just that Master is too kind to have let her go."
Zhang Yu couldn't understand why her Master had repeatedly asked her to spare Zi Yu before proceeding with this plan.
She felt a bit confused and also dissatisfied.
For over twenty years, she had learned only loyalty. Betrayal, to her, was a grave sin.
Unforgivable.
Although Su Xiaoqi hadn't experienced what Zhang Yu had, she understood her thoughts.
She explained, "If you were Zi Yu, where would you go at this moment?"
Zhang Yu was stumped. She shook her head, saying she didn't know.
"She is a servant who signed a deed of sale. Although she has escaped, her deed of sale is still in my hands.
She can't even leave the capital. Perhaps she will make a desperate move."
Zhang Yu seemed to grasp some of it.
She stammered, "Zi Yu, would she really dare?" Not to mention whether she dared, would the people over there really accept her?
Su Xiaoqi said she wasn't sure if the other party would accept her.
"Perhaps. But after all, we have no losses, do we?"
Su Xiaoqi didn't have high expectations for this matter, but she didn't think it was necessary to deal with Zi Yu immediately.
Zhang Yu, for one, couldn't quite understand it.
All her life, the principle she had learned was to cut grass by the roots. Leaving the bait out without fishing made her quite bewildered.
However, since Su Xiaoqi was in charge, she had no choice but to follow, and therefore, she didn't need to carry any psychological burden.
Su Xiaoqi smiled, "Alright, let's not dwell on Zi Yu's matter. Let's deal with that peddler first."
Zhang Yu responded with an "Ai" and said she would go interrogate him immediately.
As they spoke, Shen Yun returned. He walked up, and without a word, hugged Su Xiaoqi.
"Hmm?" Su Xiaoqi was taken aback by the embrace. She pushed his arms away and leaned closer to ask him what was wrong.
Shen Yun buried his head in her neck, his voice muffled, "Wife, you have been wronged."
Su Xiaoqi blinked. She thought she understood what Shen Yun meant.
"They aren't entirely speaking nonsense. I did participate," Su Xiaoqi said with grim humor.
The rumors claimed that the scholar's wife participated in Master Kong Shan's prayer ceremony to conceive, which wasn't entirely false.
Only the latter half, about being intimate with Kong Shan and conceiving his child, was pure fabrication.
"Don't talk nonsense. Does my wife dislike that I wasn't forceful enough last night?" Shen Yun threatened in a low voice.
After hearing the rumors in court today, he had been worried that his wife would be upset. He was secretly angry at the incompetent fools in the Ministry of Justice.
That was why such important confession documents were lost.
As a result, the entire capital, from the main streets to the alleyways, was discussing the matter.
Today, Censor Wang Enze directly submitted a memorial heavily impeaching the Vice Minister of Justice, Wang Ci.
His words were sharp, nearly bringing Wang Ci to tears.
He directly knelt and resigned his official post in the Golden Phoenix Hall.
The Emperor granted his request, showing the extent of his anger.
Shen Yun recounted this to Su Xiaoqi, who also looked surprised.
"The Emperor is so angry. Could it be that Kong Shan was indeed invited to the palace for prayers?"
Before she finished speaking, Shen Yun raised his hand and lightly scraped her brow, "My wife really doesn't need to be too clever about this matter."
It would put pressure on her.
"Yes, which concubine was it?" Su Xiaoqi looked at Shen Yun with her curious eyes.
"The Crown Prince," Shen Yun said helplessly.
Su Xiaoqi's eyes sparkled, and she almost blurted out, "The Crown Prince is Kong Shan's bastard."
"Don't misunderstand. The Crown Prince is naturally the Emperor's royal offspring," Shen Yun explained.
After capturing Kong Shan, before handing him over to the Ministry of Justice, he had already interrogated him with Zhang Lei.
Although Kong Shan had prayed for children for noble concubines in the palace, he wouldn't have been so reckless. At most, he would have given them some ash water from his charms.
He wouldn't have dared to engage in such acts.
Wasn't he afraid of having his nine generations of kin exterminated?
Moreover, the Crown Prince was conceived half a year after Consort Huang sought prayers.
Therefore, there was naturally no connection to Kong Shan.
"I'm afraid it's not me who is overthinking. My husband also wishes they had some connection," Su Xiaoqi guessed Shen Yun's thoughts.
If he hadn't had any ideas, he wouldn't have interrogated Kong Shan about palace matters in advance.
It was just a pity that the answer he received wasn't what he wanted.
"My husband knows about this, but the Crown Prince certainly doesn't. He has no way to personally interrogate Kong Shan. How about we let someone spread the rumor of Consort Huang seeking prayers to him?
Let him doubt his own origins," Su Xiaoqi raised her eyebrows and offered a suggestion.
Shen Yun smiled slowly, "You know me best, my wife."
He had thought the same, but hadn't yet had time to discuss it with his superiors.
Su Xiaoqi blinked, thinking to herself that when it came to plotting, she was no match for Shen Yun.
After their conversation, the couple returned to the inner courtyard's Ninghe Hall to dine with Madam Zhao.
Mei Xin was also present during this time.
Su Xiaoqi noticed her glancing towards the hallway outside the hall from time to time, as if looking for someone.
Needless to say, she was naturally looking for Zi Yu.
After searching several times without finding her, it was expected that she would be unable to resist taking action herself.
Mei Xin found it very strange. She remembered that Zi Yu had been assigned to do odd jobs in the backyard.
Usually, during meal times, she would proactively come to Ninghe Hall, find an excuse to serve her, or chat with her for a while.
Today, however, she couldn't find her no matter how hard she looked.
When it was time for Mei Xin to leave, she still hadn't seen Zi Yu. Mei Xin couldn't help but become anxious.
She still had many things to pass on through Zi Yu.
Mei Xin was secretly worried. When she stepped out of the hallway, she couldn't hold back any longer. She grabbed Zi Cao and asked hurriedly:
"Hey, where is Zi Yu? Why haven't I seen her today?"
Zi Cao glanced at her. Remembering the instructions from her own Master, she said in a low voice, "She seems to have gone to the woodshed. You can find her there."
Mei Xin believed her immediately.
Because Zi Yu was unpopular throughout the scholar's mansion, she didn't have many friends.
During meals or breaks, she basically kept to herself.
And besides doing her assigned work, she had nowhere else to go.
The woodshed in the backyard was secluded, which seemed like a place she often liked to frequent.
Mei Xin, without suspicion, rushed to the backyard woodshed and heard a low voice asking inside:
"Tell me, what is your relationship with Mei Xin, who lives in our mansion?"
"No relationship."
"Hmph, don't lie to me, granny. I see you won't speak the truth without suffering. Zhang Lei, bring the branding iron and brand a turtle or tortoise on his chest and back."
As the words fell, a shrill scream pierced the sky: "Ah..."
"Speak or not? Will you speak now?"
"I'll speak, I'll speak. I'll tell you everything."
"Good, you speak." Zhang Yu made a gesture of sitting in front of the person, concentrating on watching him.
Mei Xin outside was startled. Although she wasn't very familiar with this voice, she recognized him instantly – the intermediary who had relayed a lot of messages for her.
Her communication with the organization relied entirely on him as a runner.
She was so scared her heart almost leaped out of her chest. She was anxiously trying to figure out how to interrupt.
Just then, a series of urgent shouts echoed in the courtyard: "Zhang Yu, Zhang Lei, come out for a moment. Master has something to instruct..."
Zhang Yu and Zhang Lei exchanged a glance. Looking at the peddler whose mouth was completely gagged, they each delivered a swift kick, sending him to the ground, and then ran out.