Chapter 255: Chapter 243 There are Quite a Lot of Rumors
After Xu Yin left, the door was closed again.
Footsteps could be heard from outside, indicating that the eunuchs responsible for guarding Yongping had returned.
For the next three years, she would be confined to this courtyard. Apart from her parents, Xu Yin, and the child, no one else was allowed to see her.
Even when they wanted to visit, they couldn’t come freely; they had to report and follow the procedures.
Yongping collapsed into a chair, sweeping all the cups and plates off the tea table beside her onto the floor.
Her heart was both heavy and hollow. Initially, when she heard that Xu Yin had entered the palace to plead for her, she still held a glimmer of hope. She thought perhaps she had misunderstood him, perhaps he didn’t appear because he couldn’t find a better way to save her.
But after his plea, the emperor’s second decree quickly followed. She couldn’t understand whether Xu Yin was trying to save her or harm her.
It was only now that she truly understood that every hurtful word he had said in the past was genuinely heartfelt. He really had never taken a liking to her.
What kind of beast was this?
Yongping felt a chill deep in her heart.
She didn’t know whether Liang Ning was killed by his own hand, but it was undeniable that Xu Yin had something to do with Liang Ning’s death.
Although he didn’t have the intention to kill her physically, the words he spoke were more piercing than killing her directly!
How could he possess such great skills?
Wasn’t he just a poor scholar with no power?
Where did he get such deep shrewdness, capable of killing without blinking and also treating Prince Rong’s Mansion with such disdain?!
Suddenly, she stood up and quickly walked to the door, banging on it, "I want to see the Consort! I want to see the Consort!"
The eunuch outside responded, "Mrs. Xu, please calm down."
Yongping said, "Is that you, Tian Fu? Tian Fu, for the sake of my father the clan head, he will look after you. Help me send a message to the Consort, I need to see her!"
There was silence from outside for a long time.
Yongping spoke again, "Tian Fu! Even if I hold no status, I am still Prince Rong’s only daughter! I have a father, a mother, and a brother!"
After her words fell, Tian Fu replied, "Mrs. Xu, just this once, only this once. If I get caught, the consequences will be dire for me too."
"Understood, go quickly!"
Yongping’s words were filled with an uncontrollable urgency.
Xu Yin wanted her to get the fan.
Xu Yin also mentioned that the Prince Rong father and son held a secret capable of destroying Prince Rong’s Mansion.
She had never heard of this, and she was certain that Princess Rong hadn’t heard of it either!
Xu Yin hadn’t denied that Liang Ning’s death was related to him, and since he had revealed something like this, the fan was surely connected to this secret.
Since the Prince Rong father and son had to side with Zhang Shicheng, and with Princess Rong isolated, Yongping had to let Princess Rong know this secret!
She absolutely couldn’t let Princess Rong remain ignorant!
She hadn’t seen the fan, nor could she get it, but Princess Rong certainly could!
Even Xu Yin at this moment wanted the fan, it surely would allow her to leverage something for herself!
...
The incident at Wanbin Building was so significant that the news exploded immediately. However, Fu Zhen acted swiftly, capturing the real culprit while everyone was still fervently discussing, thus timely restoring the Ning Family’s reputation, preventing significant loss.
Just two days later, Zhang Feng personally booked a banquet table at Wanbin Building. Seeing this, the diners talked about it extensively, which further reinforced the belief in the Ning Family’s innocence and Wanbin Building’s blamelessness.
When Zhang Feng went to dine, there were no further incidents. He simply booked a table, ordered food, paid the bill like a regular patron, and respectfully saluted Mrs. Ning, who happened to be in the shop, without any additional gestures. However, Fu Zhen could infer that Mrs. Zhang had instigated this from behind.
Even though Zhang Feng had no significant wrongdoings in the past, he was not considered a philanthropist. If the Zhang Family didn’t care about the Liu Yan incident, they could have ignored it entirely. There was no need for such a grand gesture unless they aimed to mend relations. After all, with the vast Pei family’s influence, who wouldn’t covet it?
Yet, Fu Zhen had to admire Mrs. Zhang. Despite the previous bitter fallout, she hadn’t given up on the idea of wooing the Pei family back, showing herself to be a woman with remarkable resilience.
As long as Mrs. Zhang expressed an intention to reconcile, there shouldn’t be any trouble, at least temporarily.
Prince Rong’s Mansion had produced such a Commandery Princess, and since she had been taken to the palace, there would likely be a period of silence.
The one still in motion, however, was Xu Yin.