As night fell, Wu Caiwei sent someone to deliver a bottle of medicine, saying it was to neutralize the poison from the jade pendant earlier that day. Despite her sadness, Zheng Rui swallowed it without hesitation, trusting his mother. Naturally, his mood couldn't improve, and his childhood longing turned into disappointment.
Unbeknownst to him, Wu Caiwei was capable of stirring such complex emotions within him, and no one else but Yang Zhongqing could be the cause. As soon as he entered the Third Prince's mansion, Wu Caiwei and the Third Prince immediately issued orders for Yang Zongqing to be apprehended at all costs.
Surprisingly, he was quite cunning. Several times, his men had almost caught him, only for him to escape.
Yang Zongqing's men emerged from a secret tunnel, mounted horses that had been waiting for them, and headed south.
Wu Caiwei quickly searched for his belongings in the city. Everything seemed normal, and at times, she felt he was trying to approach her, but for some reason, he then gave up.
Little did she know, it wasn't that Yang Zongqing wanted to give up. His main objective had not yet been completed. His primary mission this time was to eliminate their entire family of three. Although he had made some mistakes, Wu Caiwei's skills suggested that those following him were carefully selected elites of the Emperor. He had a plan, but he still needed to avoid the Third Prince. He had heard that the Third Prince had once caused chaos in the palace.
When they encountered Wu Caiwei's men, they intended to greet them, but the latter attacked first, looking at them ferociously. Seeing the unfavorable situation, they quickly fled.
They had made this trip with great difficulty, hoping to gather more information or, if the situation was favorable, to cause trouble. However, the other party was like rabid dogs, relentlessly pursuing them as soon as they were spotted. With no other choice, they had to escape through the prearranged secret tunnel.
They didn't dare to delay along the way, heading south rapidly.
Wu Caiwei clapped her hands three times, and a man completely clad in black appeared. "Have the matters I asked you to investigate yielded any results?"
The black-clad man did not make excuses. He placed his findings on Wu Caiwei's desk. Wu Caiwei picked it up and glanced at it, her surprise evident. "Are you sure your investigation is correct?"
"Master knows our capabilities. We wouldn't present anything we weren't certain about." The black-clad man couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. After so many years, his master still doubted his professional competence.
"I know, of course. It's just that it's too astonishing. If your findings are true, then what was Yang Zongqing's years of heartfelt dedication for? In the end, he remains a solitary figure."
The man in black nodded silently in agreement.
Wu Caiwei suddenly became excited. Wasn't he here to cause trouble on her territory? It seemed he was too idle. She decided to find something for him to do, lest he go around causing destruction.
"Go to the capital and deliver a grand gift to Lord Yang." After speaking, she beckoned him closer, whispering instructions in his ear. Soon, several people from the Third Prince's mansion rode out on tall horses, heading that way.
Yang Zongqing traveled arduously, never daring to stop. Returning to the capital, he was still apprehensive. The thought of the unfinished task assigned by his superiors filled him with worry. He wondered if his jade pendant had taken effect, as no one had discussed the Third Prince and his consort in days.
He silently prayed for everything to go smoothly and develop in the direction he hoped. However, fate had other plans. A few days later, several of Wu Caiwei's disguised guards, dressed as commoners, entered the city through the gates.
Having been on the run and without proper rest, Yang Zongqing returned home, enjoyed the service of his maids, and slept soundly. The next morning, the maids, unaware of what had happened, were indifferent to his presence. After breakfast, as he walked down the street, he sensed something was amiss.
"It's a heinous crime of colluding with the enemy and treason. Has Lord Yang known for years that his cousin was his former consort, and intended to rebel?"
"Everyone else avoids such entanglements, yet he keeps her right under his nose. What if she were to achieve great success in the future..."
"Impossible! You're overthinking. How terrible the rule of the previous dynasty was! Even though we were young then, we remember. The current administration isn't perfect, but it's better than that. Still, this way, Lord Yang has raised someone else's child, and even expelled his own biological son from the Yang family. Does he know about this? If he does, he's truly ambitious. If he doesn't, then he can only be described as foolish."
...
Listening to the scattered conversations, Yang Zongqing was dumbfounded at this moment. What did they mean by raising someone else's son? Could his own son not be his? He felt as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.
He couldn't fathom what these people were thinking. Wouldn't he know his own son? He dismissed it with a scoff. However, when he went to dinner that afternoon, he overheard the next table discussing it with vivid detail, even mentioning the birthmark on his son's body with perfect accuracy. This made it hard not to doubt the veracity of the claims.
Especially the rumors that his wife was intimately involved with remnants of the previous dynasty, not only accepting the former consort but also her children. The fact that they knew such details made him lament the importance of brotherhood.
Indeed, some things hadn't crossed his mind before. But once he started thinking in that direction, he realized the situation was beyond his imagination. At this point, Yang Zongqing felt disgusted and wanted to go back and question her. What had he done wrong for her to treat him this way? How had she abandoned him, and how had she treated him?
He felt he was on the verge of a breakdown if he didn't vent soon.
"What have I done to you for you to treat me like this?" Yang Zongqing approached her, inadvertently backing away as he spoke.
"They're just spreading rumors! How can you not believe me? My contact with them was an accident. I needed someone to teach that girl a lesson, and I didn't expect... I only knew their reputation. Before that, they were notorious ruffians known for taking money to resolve disputes. Normally, as long as you don't provoke them, they won't bother you."
"Stop lying! Others might not know, but I do. We've been together for so many years, and I know exactly what kind of person you are. I never thought about this before. Whenever you were seen with remnants of the previous dynasty, people said your relationship was complicated. I didn't believe them. Now, it seems I've been a fool, a complete idiot." He didn't know how things had reached this point. The thought that his son and daughter, whom he had doted on for so many years, were not his own brought him unbearable pain. At the same time, he felt a sense of retribution. Such people should disappear from this world, otherwise, where would his dignity lie?