Chapter 1025 The Hidden Minister Zhao
Nanny Yu called out that Shao Hua’an was in critical condition. Well, she was telling the truth.
When Shao Wanru arrived at Shao Hua’an’s courtyard and saw Zhao Xiran, who seemed to be much more haggard, she knew he was in danger.
The doctors who came in and out of the courtyard did not look very well.
Zhao Xiran welcomed Shao Wanru into the wing room.
Shao Hua’an was undergoing medical treatment in the central room, where many people were hurrying to and fro, so it was not convenient for Shao Wanru to go there.
!!
“Sister Zhao, why would my Eldest Brother b.u.mp into Infanta Yuan’an’s carriage?” After sitting down, Shao Wanru asked.
Zhao Xiran looked up at Shao Wanru and was speechless for a moment.
Shao Wanru looked very calm, slightly raising her watery eyes with peace. Maybe there was a little concern, but it was not obvious. After having been bombarded with all the troubles caused by the second branch, Princess Chen had little affection for the Marquis Xing’s Mansion, did she?
“Is Princess Chen behind it? That was really a sudden coincidence, after all. It happened right after Shao Yuanhao became the heir of a duke, and officials were arguing fiercely about it in the imperial court.
“The accident that happened to my husband at this exact time would benefit Shao Yuanhao the most, wouldn’t it?”
“Sister Zhao…” Seeing Zhao Xiran lower her head to ponder, Shao Wanru looked upset. Zhao Xiran heard Shao Wanru call her lightly and saw the trace of displeasure in her eyes.
Her unhappy look cleared up Zhao Xiran’s doubts. Shao Wanru couldn’t be the prime mover in this conspiracy because she was not capable of carrying on such a big plot, even if she had married Prince Chen. At present, Prince Chen was not in the capital city, so everyone around her was from the inner court. Prince Chen had left a few guards for her, but so what? They couldn’t come up with such a precise plan.
Accurately carrying out a major scheme needed many helpers. Her father had told her that it was definitely not done by people from the inner court. Zhao Xiran thought Princess Chen wasn’t smart enough to do that.
What about Prince Chen? He was not in the capital city now. But even if he was, so what? No one dared to look down upon him because of his honorable position, but it was merely a position in name only. Prince Chen, who had been sick for so many years, didn’t have much real power.
But during this period, the ident.i.ty of Princess Chen gave Shao Wanru excellent service.
When Prince Chen was away, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor had put all their love and concern for Prince Chen on Princess Chen. This was the conclusion people in the Marquis Xing’s Mansion drew through their agonizing experience after their clash with Princess Chen.
So, they knew they could never offend Princess Chen!
“Fifth Sister… it… it was such an odd coincidence. When your Eldest Brother was on his way back to the mansion, his horse suddenly s.h.i.+ed and then hit the carriage of Ruiping Great Elder Princess’s Mansion. And the person inside it happened to be Infanta Yuan’an! This… this is really an unexpected disaster.” Zhao Xiran burst into tears.
“Your Eldest Brother wasn’t severely injured. But Infanta Yuan’an, Infanta Yuan’an…”
“What did she do?” Shao Wanru asked in surprise. After she got the news, she didn’t ask anyone to investigate it carefully for fear that anyone would notice she was asking about it. But now it seemed that the rumors were not true.
“After Infanta Yuan’an was injured, she sent some evil servants, and they broke your brother’s leg!” Zhao Xiran choked with sobs.
“How could this be?” Shao Wanru’s face changed. Infanta Yuan’an was overbearing, but she wouldn’t do such a thing, even if she was the Great Elder Princess’s granddaughter. In particular, she should even behave more appropriately as the future Princess Zhou, who was supposed to remain dignified and decent before others.
“Infanta Yuan’an has been left disfigured!” Zhao Xiran cried. “Like crazy, she ordered her people to beat your Eldest Brother brutally!”
“Disfigured? Is it serious?” Shao Wanru frowned slightly and asked.
“I don’t know. I only heard her face got a scar. Then, Infanta Yuan’an pressed the scar between her eyebrows and commanded the guards going with her carriage to hit him… They cruelly broke his leg on the spot…” Zhao Xiran said with hatred, crying even more bitterly. “How could Infanta Yuan’an do that even if she got a wound on her face? There are so many top-cla.s.s medicines in the Palace. The cut on her face wouldn’t spoil her look. How could she break your Eldest Brother’s leg?”
This was also because her husband wasn’t the heir of a duke in the Marquis Xing’s Mansion. Otherwise, no matter how arrogant Infanta Yuan’an was, she wouldn’t dare to do so. But unfortunately, Hua’an was just an ordinary First Young Master without any t.i.tle. Thinking of this, Zhao Xiran felt even more resentful.
So, they would have to face a court case?
There would be a lawsuit, and that was why they invited Shao Wanru over. At the gate, Nanny Yu had been waiting for her anxiously. When she arrived, Nanny Yu went to report to the Old Madam in such a hurry. All of this proved that they intended to put her forward to the heart of the fierce struggle.
The first and second branches of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion had never been on good terms with each other. To compete for the position of the heir of a duke, the two branches couldn’t get along well with each other. Now that her younger brother got the t.i.tle of the heir of a duke, she must intervene personally on behalf of the first branch. Compared with what had happened before, it was more reasonable for her to handle this matter.
No one was willing to meddle in this mess. Whoever stepped forward to settle the issue would get into desperate trouble.
Zhao Xiran mentioned it lightly, as if Infanta Yuan’an’s injury was not serious. But if what she said were true, Infanta Yuan’an would not have broken Shao Yuan’an’s leg in a frenzy.
If so, Minister Zhao would be the first to go out and right the wrong. But instead of doing that, they chose to dump this problem on her to drag her down.
Unlucky for her, Shao Wanru had no choice but to take it over.
“What did Grandma say?” After thinking for a while, Shao Wanru asked.
“She is ill and can’t even get up from the bed. At present, only Nanny Yu is helping me. People in the whole mansion become… useless like this.” Zhao Xiran stood up and suddenly knelt before Shao Wanru. “Please help me, Princess Chen. Anyway… you can’t let Infanta Yuan’an bully the people of our Marquis Xing’s Mansion like this!”
Zhao Xiran cried and shed bitter tears.
“Sister Zhao, get up and talk to me!” Shao Wanru reached out to pull Zhao Xiran.
Yujie, standing nearby, helped pull Zhao Xiran up, supporting her to sit down in her seat.
“What did Minister Zhao think of it?” Shao Wanru rolled her watery eyes and asked.
“My… my father…” Zhao Xiran didn’t expect that Shao Wanru would suddenly mention Minister Zhao at this time. After a brief pause, she said, “I haven’t informed my father about this, so I don’t know what his att.i.tude is!”
“Infanta Yuan’an played the tyrant at will and broke my Eldest Brother’s leg. A complaint about this should be made to His Majesty. We can’t let Infanta Yuan’an think our mansion has no capable person and is in a vulnerable position!” Shao Wanru spoke with the force of justice.
Zhao Xiran wiped her tears with her handkerchief and said, “My father has shouldered many other responsibilities, so it’s not suitable for him to take up the matter himself. Fifth Sister, if you’re willing to uphold justice for my husband, my father is glad to lend a hand.”
Her words were sincere. Like her father, all the ministers were very cautious with their words and actions. It meant that even if Minister Zhao had known the matter, he wouldn’t thrust himself forward to face the challenge. It was best for him to encourage and increase Shao Wanru’s influence aside.
Well, she was suggesting that Shao Wanru should take up the main task.
“How about my Second Uncle?” Shao Wanru asked.
“He fainted all of a sudden. Although he has woken up now, he vomited blood.” Zhao Xiran cried.
According to her, Zhao Xiran was the only one who did not fall, but she had a miscarriage not long ago and was in bad health.
Shao Jing fell ill at the best time. A series of accidents happened to his wife and son in his mansion. Worse still, he lost the t.i.tle of the heir of a duke. After lots of terrible blows, he spat out blood and collapsed. His reaction sounded fair and reasonable even though Shao Jing appeared much tougher on ordinary days.
However, he stood a good chance of going down when he was too occupied to cope with all the problems coming one after another.
Needless to say, at this time, Shao Jing’s courtyard must be full of doctors serving him.
The reality forced Shao Wanru to brace up and press charges against Infanta Yuan’an.
Even after a woman got married, her parent’s home was still very important to her. If they were unable to defend themselves or were easily bullied before the mansion gate, it would bring disgrace upon every member surnamed Shao of the family. Even if Shao Wanru was on bad terms with them and she had married into Prince Chen’s Mansion, she had to stand up and fight for Marquis Xing’s Mansion at this time.
If Shao Wanru made no response at this time, others would despise her and would think she had nothing to rely on. In the future, anyone would dare to trample on the Marquis Xing’s Mansion without scruples.
Shao Wanru wouldn’t care about it in the past, but after Shao Yuanhao became the heir of a duke of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion. She had to help even if she didn’t want to!
“Fifth Sister, please beg the Empress Dowager to uphold justice for our family,” Zhao Xiran cried, “Your Eldest Brother’s leg is seriously injured. I’m afraid he has to lie down the whole time… In the future… the future of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion will depend on you and our younger brother!”
“Sister Zhao, I understood. I will soon go to meet the Empress Dowager in the Palace!” Shao Wanru said, her eyes deep and serene.
“That… that’s great. Thank you, Princess Chen. Thank you, Fifth Sister!” Zhao Xiran was deeply touched. She stood up and was about to bow to Shao Wanru again. This time, Yujie quickly stopped her.
“Sister Zhao, have a good rest and take good care of my Eldest Brother. I will go to the Palace now!” Shao Wanru stood up and said softly.
“Yes, I… I will!” Zhao Xiran was once again moved and looked at Shao Wanru with grat.i.tude. She nodded repeatedly and walked Shao Wanru to the corridor. Watching Shao Wanru leave, she vigorously wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and turned into another wing room.
A middle-aged man was sitting there, appearing perfectly calm and collected. He was Zhao Xiran’s biological father, Minister Zhao, whom Zhao Xiran and Shao Wanru had just mentioned.
“Father, Princess Chen is gone!” Zhao Xiran closed the door and whispered after entering the room.
Shao Wanru came as quite a surprise to them, and she blocked Minister Zhao in the yard.
“Never underestimate Princess Chen!” Minister Zhao said steadily. He had stolen a glance at Shao Wanru through the window. In a hurry, she came and left, but she remained composed and steady the whole time.
“Father, I have never looked down upon her. But in the current situation, she has to intervene in this matter. Since she has agreed to help, this crisis also belongs to Prince Chen’s Mansion.” Zhao Xiran said unhappily. Except for her, her father had never praised other women. Why would her father think highly of Princess Chen?
“Don’t act rashly!” Minister Zhao warned.
“Father, but my husband’s t.i.tle of the heir of a duke is gone!” Zhao Xiran, a little anxious, unconsciously raised her voice.