The Prime Minister, having been immersed in court affairs for years, possessed a far greater understanding of human nature than that foolish woman, Madam Shen.
Thus, from the very beginning, this scheme was laid out for Madam Shen, or rather, for those behind her who instigated her to spread rumors.
Madam Shen, still reveling in the excitement of her impending triumph over Bai Shanwei, had no idea that through her actions, the Prime Minister and others had already apprehended the remaining faction of the Ninth Prince.
At this very moment, Lin Wang and his men had captured them all.
Pitiable Madam Shen, unknowingly, had served as someone else's blade.
"Third Aunt, you have schemed with all your might, but did you ever consider how your family would fare if you failed?"
To Madam Shen, these people were hardly family. The only ones she considered family were Bai Sanlang and Bai Sihan; one might even say Bai Sihan was the apple of her eye.
She had thought that by bringing down Bai Shanwei this time, she would not only vent her anger but also show the Bai family that the third branch was not to be trifled with. Little did she know it was a trap.
Her eyes turned crimson, filled with a hint of hatred.
At this moment, the Emperor faded from her vision, and all her animosity was directed at Bai Shanwei.
"Do you think you yourself are not a pawn? It's only because you are a descendant. If you were merely a daughter, do you think the Bai family would expend so much effort to bring you back!"
As she spoke, her anger escalated. She no longer cared that she was before the Emperor, wishing only to expose all the secrets of the Bai family.
Alas, the Prime Minister would not give her the chance. He said to Emperor Qi:
"This woman has become quite deranged. To avoid offending Your Majesty's ears, allow this old minister to take her back for punishment. I will certainly provide Your Majesty with a satisfactory explanation."
"Indeed, that is acceptable. Let the Prime Minister handle it himself."
Noble families and grand households always harbored secrets unknown to outsiders. He had no interest in dealing with the Bai family's affairs at this moment, so he agreed to the Prime Minister's proposal to take her away for disposition.
Upon entering the palace, Madam Shen's mouth was gagged, and her limbs were bound. No matter how she struggled, it was futile.
The noble ladies of the inner court had seen far worse than her hysterical outbursts. Madam Shen was nothing to them.
Thus, by the time she was brought back to the Bai residence by the Prime Minister and his grandson, her face was flushed crimson, and she felt as though she would die at any moment.
Bai Dalang and Madam Lin, upon witnessing this scene, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Madam Lin, in particular, pulled Feng Jinyao beside her and said:
"Fortunately, you stopped the eldest master. Otherwise, wouldn't it have ruined grandfather's plan?"
The Prime Minister and Bai Shanwei both turned their gaze towards her, their eyes filled with relief.
Feng Jinyao curtsied to the Prime Minister, "Ayao greets her maternal grandfather."
She also nodded to Bai Shanwei. Under normal circumstances, the Prime Minister would have praised Feng Jinyao's astuteness, but today was not the time.
He immediately instructed Madam Lin to gather the entire family in the ancestral hall. Everyone knew that Madam Shen was to be dealt with.
Therefore, by the time Bai Sihan rushed in, Madam Shen was already kneeling in the ancestral hall, feeling quite weak.
Since returning home, she had refused to kneel properly, so two servants were tasked with holding her down. Her head was bowed, and her arms were raised high. Few could endure such a posture, and she cried out in agony.
Unfortunately, no one present pleaded for her. She had intended to bring about the downfall of the entire Bai family.
How could anyone protect such a person?
As Bai Sihan entered, she immediately sensed that something was amiss. The Prime Minister stood at the forefront, his face ashen, hands clasped behind his back, radiating a chilling aura. Old Madam Bai, who usually stayed out of family matters, had also been summoned and stood by silently.
When Madam Lin, the first wife, saw her enter, she transferred her anger towards Madam Shen onto Bai Sihan and glared at her fiercely.
Bai Sihan immediately knelt and said to the Prime Minister, tears streaming down her face:
"I beg grandfather to show mercy. Mother was merely momentarily confused."
"Momentarily confused? Do you know what she has been doing outside these days? Do you know who she has met? Do you know what nonsensical things she said before the Emperor today, intending to destroy the Bai family? Confused? Can such a light word erase her sins?"
Bai Dalang could no longer contain himself and was the first to speak, reprimanding her sharply.
Although Bai Sihan was not directly involved in this matter, Madam Shen was certainly to be severely punished today, and no plea would be of any use.
Upon hearing her daughter's voice, Madam Shen immediately began to struggle.
She had already resigned herself to her fate and no longer feared the Bai family's retribution. Her only concern was for Bai Sihan. Everything she had done was in the hope that Bai Sihan would establish a firm footing in the Bai family and marry into a prestigious household.
If there was anything else, it was her unwillingness to accept it.
She was unwilling to accept that Bai Shanwei, also a child of their third branch, was so well-received in the Prime Minister's residence.
How could she tolerate a child without status, a mere bastard, being more important than her own legitimate daughter?
Thus, she struggled, spat out the cloth in her mouth, and began to curse:
"Bah, a house full of scum. The elder is unfair, and the younger siblings and sisters-in-law constantly look down on us. Now, you fawn over a little bastard and put on a show of sibling affection? Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?"
She had resigned herself to death, and with a surge of energy, she poured out all her past grievances.
"The father personally ruined his son's future, and the legitimate mother, with her outwardly kind but inwardly venomous heart, wishes nothing more than to trample us third branch. And you, Madam Lin, always using your status as the eldest sister-in-law to oppress us. In your heart, Bai Siruo is a noble daughter of the Bai family, but what about my Sihan? Must she forever be subservient to her?"
She then looked at the innocent Bai Siruo and said fiercely:
"That little slut who eloped with someone. The entire Bai family still pleads and covers for you, and you even managed to secure such a good marriage with Prince Kang's mansion. How is my Han'er inferior to you? She can only be matched with some rural brute in Qiongzhou. Why! Why!"
Madam Shen had gone mad, cursing everyone she saw.
Feng Jinyao frowned, looking at her in such a state, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Some people are like this, always feeling that the whole world owes them, and only when everything goes smoothly and a broad path is paved before them can they be somewhat content.
But if they were truly to walk the path of soaring success, they would likely have other ideas.
Greed cannot be eradicated, and once a person is controlled by greed, they can never awaken.
Madam Shen was such a person.
Madam Lin was infuriated by her tirade, but the Prime Minister and Bai Shanwei remained remarkably calm, watching her without any emotional fluctuation.
It had to be said that in this regard, the two were indeed very much alike.
After all, they were related by blood. Although Bai Shanwei was still young, with time, he would undoubtedly become a pillar of the Bai family, relying on his outstanding abilities and unshakeable emotional control.