kvmb Chapter 278 The Opportunity to Repay Has Arrived
Chapter 278 The Opportunity to Repay Has Arrived
After receiving the message, Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan went inside to wash up and prepare to go to Shian Hall to pay their respects to the Duke and the old lady before heading to the palace.
The couple had just arrived at the entrance of Shian Hall when they encountered the Duke, who had just returned from his travels. In just one day, the once vigorous Duke now had dry eyes and looked haggard and aged.
Shen Qingtan guessed that the Duke was devastated by Zhao Jue's death.
She glanced discreetly at the Duke's boots, the soles of which were stained with a ring of red mud.
The villa is located on a red clay ground, unlike the yellow clay ground in other places.
It was clear that the Duke had returned from the other residence.
"grandfather."
Shen Qingtan composed herself and greeted Zhao Yi together.
The Duke was very disappointed in Zhao Jue. After all, he was his grandson, and they shared the same blood. How could their feelings be severed so easily, just like a formal title?
Now that Zhao Jue has died tragically, he is once again grieving the loss of his son, and his heart is filled with sorrow.
He sent his steward to handle Zhao Jue's funeral arrangements, but the steward returned with news that Zhao Jue's death was suspicious.
He received word of this and took the coroner to investigate. It was found that Zhao Jue and Shen Mingzhu had died of poisoning.
The fire at the villa was not an accident, but a premeditated murder.
He summoned the servants who had previously guarded the villa for questioning. The information he received was that Shen Mingzhu had lost her child and, out of hatred for Zhao Jue's abandonment, had tried to take Zhao Jue down with her.
The Duke suspected that Shen Qingtan was behind it. Given her grudges with the second wife, why would she give the villa to Shen Mingzhu?
Even though Shen Qingtan didn't do it herself, she at least played a role in pushing things forward.
The Duke arranged for people to investigate and found that after the Second Master was expelled from the clan, he frequented brothels and spent his days in a brothel called Yue Niang.
Zhao Jue married Yue Niang for money.
When the investigation reached this point, the Duke stopped the investigation, as he couldn't bear the embarrassment.
Zhao Jue's own incompetence led to his current tragic end, which is entirely his own fault.
The Duke looked at Shen Qingtan with a probing gaze. He saw that her eyebrows and eyes were as gentle as flowing water, and she had a kind of indifferent calmness, which did not seem like a ruthless person.
"You're back." The Duke withdrew his gaze, glancing at Zhao Yi's casual attire. "Are you heading to the palace?"
Seeing that the Duke's spirits were not as strong as before, Zhao Yi reached out to help him up: "The Emperor sent someone to tell me and Manman to come to the palace."
The Duke raised his hand to stop them: "It's getting late, you should go to the palace first."
After saying this, the Duke walked unsteadily into the courtyard, climbing the steps one by one. Just as he was about to cross the threshold, he slowly turned his head and looked at the backs of Shen Qingtan and Zhao Yi as they left hand in hand.
The Duke raised his hand to support himself on a pillar inscribed with a couplet. He looked up at the second line: "May the family's virtue and fortune endure."
The gist is that the family's prosperity and good fortune are due to the benevolence of the head of the household.
The Duke stared intently at the couplet, a sudden wave of sorrow washing over him.
He withdrew his hand and went inside.
The old lady sat on the couch, her back against a soft pillow, looking rather listless.
Hearing footsteps, she looked up at the Duke standing beside her and sat up straight: "What's going on with the villa?"
"It's nothing," the Duke said in a deep voice. "He brought this upon himself."
Upon hearing this, the old lady slowly lay back down, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief: "This child has always loved to compete with his second brother since he was little, always wanting to be better than him. As he competed, his ambition and desires grew, ultimately ruining him."
If the eldest son's child were a healthy child who could handle things, there wouldn't have been so many troubles in the household.
"Fate, it's all fate."
The old lady turned over, her back to the Duke.
The Duke remained silent, his gaze falling on a booklet on the desk. This booklet contained evidence and charges against Luo Lingzhi for embezzlement.
Now the second son is devastated and depressed, spending his days drinking.
The second son's wife is bedridden and unable to take care of herself.
Zhao Jue and Shen Mingzhu are dead.
The Duke took the booklet, tore off page by page, and burned them in the stove.
-
The carriage stopped at the palace gate, and Shen Qingtan and Zhao Yi rode in a sedan chair to the Taiji Hall.
When Eunuch Deng, who was on duty at the Taiji Hall, saw the two of them arrive, he hurriedly came forward to greet them: "Lord Zhao, Madam Zhao, His Majesty is resting in the hall. Please wait a moment while I go in and inform him."
Zhao Yi said gently, "Thank you for your trouble, Father-in-law."
"This is my duty." Eunuch Deng went inside to announce the arrival of the emperor, and soon came out to invite Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan into the hall: "His Majesty is waiting for you two."
Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan entered the main hall and paid their respects to Emperor Jing'an.
"No need to be polite."
Emperor Jing'an put down the memorial he was holding and offered them seats.
His gaze fell on Zhao Yi's face, and seeing that Zhao Yi's usually pale face had a faint blush, he felt a sense of relief.
Emperor Jing'an asked with concern, "Yi'er, how is your health?"
Zhao Yi replied, "My health has improved considerably, and my life is not in danger."
Emperor Jing'an learned about Zhao Yi's health condition from Imperial Physician Chen.
Zhao Yi had been ill for many years, and his body was severely depleted.
Although he has recovered, he still needs to recuperate gradually.
Emperor Jing'an stared at Zhao Yi's face, as if looking at him, yet also as if looking at an old friend, the sorrow in his eyes slowly turning into joy.
"Now that your illness is cured, one of my worries is relieved." Emperor Jing'an's tone was unusually relaxed, the gloom on his face dissipated, and his expression became gentle and loving: "I heard from Cao Chunxiang that you and your wife went to the Western Hills to relax. I sent someone to invite you to the palace, which disturbed your peace and quiet."
"Uncle, you have worried so much about my illness over the years and devoted so much effort to it." Zhao Yi stood up and bowed to Emperor Jing'an with the courtesy due to a junior: "Now that I have recovered, I should come to report my well-being to you."
Emperor Jing'an looked at Zhao Yi with emotion, his fingers clenching tightly on his knees. He just looked at the child before him, no longer as pale as paper, no longer so weak that he could hardly breathe, as if he might disappear at any moment.
He still clearly remembers that when Zhao Yi was a little over one year old, he was a tiny little bundle, curled up in his arms, making a bellows-like sound in his throat, his little face was cyanotic, as if he would never grow up.
In the blink of an eye, I've grown up and recovered.
A surge of emotion welled up in Emperor Jing'an's eyes: "Remember what your uncle has done for you, and recover your health as soon as possible so that you can share his burdens."
Zhao Yi's abilities were evident to all the cabinet ministers. Everyone felt sorry for him; if it weren't for his illness, he would have already made great strides in the court and achieved something significant.
Emperor Jing'an pulled out an appointment document and handed it to him: "Your chance to repay me has come."