Zhu Yuanshu suddenly snapped back to reality. She turned to look at the handsome and dignified Prince Jing, and the lingering resentment in her heart immediately dissipated.
Hmph, so what if Zhu Changsheng received so many rewards? Does present prosperity guarantee the future?
Absolutely not.
Once new nobles emerge in the court to replace the Wei family, Zhu Changsheng is destined to be forgotten. By then, she might not even be able to hold onto her Pardon Token. And if she loses it…
“Your Highness,” Zhu Yuanshu turned and walked toward Prince Jing. Right in front of Zhu Changsheng, she linked her arm with his, then glanced smugly at Zhu Changsheng, her eyes filled with provocation. It was as if she were telling Zhu Changsheng: Look, the good man from your past life is mine now. So what if you received so many rewards? You’re still just a widow. Prince Jing is the future emperor, and he will give me whatever I want!
“Your concubine was just about to introduce Lady Yi to Your Highness. She is my half-sister, and since childhood, she has been the childhood sweetheart of Young General Wei—oh, no, now he is the first-rank Divine Martial General—and their affection was genuine.”
Zhu Yuanshu, arm in arm with Prince Jing, approached Zhu Changsheng.
Zhu Changsheng turned around and mechanically performed a bow to Prince Jing, her tone indifferent as she said, “Your subject, Lady Zhu, greets His Highness Prince Jing.”
“Lady Yi, there is no need for such formalities. Today, the deceased takes precedence. The Emperor has exempted you from these rituals. Please rise quickly.” Prince Jing extended his hand, making a gesture of support, his voice gentle and courteous.
Zhu Changsheng replied expressionlessly, “Thank you, Your Highness Prince Jing.”
She slowly straightened up, slightly raised her gaze, and her cold eyes swept past Prince Jing without truly looking at him before she continued, “The Wei Mansion is busy. Your subject must go and make arrangements. If there is any lack of hospitality, I hope Your Highness and Your Ladyship the Concubine will forgive me.”
She truly had no time to engage in empty pleasantries or pretenses with this man, so she turned to leave.
Seeing this, Prince Jing quickly spoke up to stop her: “Lady Yi, this prince has a matter he wishes to ask you.”
Zhu Changsheng paused slightly, heightened her vigilance, and turned back to ask, “What matter?”
Prince Jing, holding Zhu Yuanshu’s hand, took a step toward Zhu Changsheng: “This prince has heard that the Divine Martial General left behind a personal handwritten book titled ‘Legacy Testament’ before his passing. This prince hopes to one day have the honor of appreciating the Divine Martial General’s ‘Legacy Testament.’ I wonder if it is in Lady Yi’s possession.”
Legacy Testament? Zhu Changsheng pondered carefully.
She remembered that in her past life, Prince Jing obtained a handwritten manuscript from outside, which recorded the Mirage Shield Armor Technique and Spear Technique created by Wei Yuan, as well as the battle reports Wei Yuan recorded after recapturing each city.
It was said that the ‘Legacy Testament’ passed down by Wei Yuan held immense value—something that could revitalize the Great Jin Kingdom and even unify the five nations.
In her past life, Prince Jing only obtained half of it; the other half was said to have been burned by an enemy nation.
If this ‘Legacy Testament’ truly benefits the Great Jin Kingdom, it should not be handed over to Prince Jing but to the Emperor.
“Your subject burned it.”
“Burned it?” Prince Jing was inwardly shocked.
Zhu Changsheng replied calmly, “Your subject has already burned all of her husband’s belongings for him, right there in the fire basins.”
She pointed toward several fire basins placed in the center of the spirit hall.
Several servants continuously burned Spirit Paper into the basins, and the ashes inside had piled up thickly.
Prince Jing followed her pointing direction. His expression remained unchanged, but the corner of his mouth stiffened slightly.Zhu Changsheng curtsied to him, then entered the spirit hall and knelt on the ground to burn paper money.
Just then, someone from Prince Jing’s Mansion arrived.
“Your Highness, the princess consort has vomited blood.”
“What? How could she vomit blood?” Zhu Yuanshu exclaimed in shock.
Prince Jing had already hurriedly left the spirit hall, and Zhu Yuanshu followed closely behind.
Prince Jing and Zhu Yuanshu soon departed from Wei Mansion.
Hearing the gradually fading footsteps behind her, Zhu Changsheng slowly turned to look at the maid Hong Shan who had come to deliver the message.
Everyone from Prince Jing’s Mansion is extraordinary indeed. Zhu Yuanshu is in for quite the ordeal.
At that moment, Su Ji hurried into the spirit hall, knelt beside Zhu Changsheng, and said to her, “Madam, Sun Gou, who guards the main gate, has reported that he saw the clan leader’s second son running naked from your courtyard.”
“From my room?” Zhu Changsheng turned to look at Steward Su.
Upon hearing this, Shui Yao immediately rolled up her sleeves and rushed out of the spirit hall.
However, before she could even leave the spirit hall, she bumped headfirst into Ling Su’s chest and fell to the ground with a thud, letting out a pained “Ouch!”
“Miss Shui Yao!” Su Ji cried out in alarm.
Ling Su quickly helped her up.
Zhu Changsheng was also assisted to her feet by a servant and said to Shui Yao, “Shui Yao, don’t act impulsively.”
She thought she now understood what Lady Xiang’s second son, Wei Xing, intended by running to her courtyard.
Wei Xing was a man who loved gambling, indulged in lust, and never kept his wealth overnight—a typical prodigal son.
Due to his terrible reputation, he had yet to marry.
Zhu Yuanshu’s chastity had been ruined by this very man.
It was just unfortunate that Lady Xiang had now encountered a tough opponent, for she was not as easy to deal with as Zhu Yuanshu.
Ling Su glanced at Shui Yao, asked a few questions to ensure she was unharmed, and then reported to Zhu Changsheng, “Madam, I have retrieved eleven guards. They are currently outside the courtyard.”
“We’ll discuss this back at Pine Bamboo Courtyard. Steward Su, handle matters here for now.”
“Yes.”
Zhu Changsheng instructed Ling Su to bring the eleven guards into Pine Bamboo Courtyard.
Upon returning to the courtyard, Shui Yao immediately rushed into the room and soon emerged carrying Wei Xing’s clothes and the Red Umbrella, indignantly saying, “Madam, look! He really came into your room to do such shameful things. He even threw the umbrella on the floor, and the bedding is in disarray. The bed still reeks of that scoundrel’s sweat. Let me personally go and kill him!”
She angrily threw Wei Xing’s clothes out of the courtyard and, still fuming, added, “Tomorrow, I’ll go to the market and buy a few large dogs to tie up in your room. Let’s see if that lecher dares to barge in again.”
Ling Su quietly followed behind Zhu Changsheng and succinctly said, “Madam, I will go and kill him.”
Zhu Changsheng raised her hand, stopping Ling Su and Shui Yao from their rash words and actions.
Even when punishing a villain, one must not sacrifice oneself in the process.
Just then, a voice came from the umbrella—it was Wei Yuan: “I drove him away. Quickly have someone change the bedding.”
He couldn’t stand the thought of another man lying on his bed, especially since that bed was now being used by Zhu Changsheng.
“However, I originally only intended to control the umbrella to scare him. I didn’t expect Wei Xing to be able to see my soul, and then…”
He ended up running out naked, not even bothering to take his clothes.
Zhu Changsheng now understood the situation.
She turned to look at Ling Su and asked, “Steward Su mentioned that our Wei Mansion’s treasury has lost millions in gold, silver, and treasures. Can those eleven people outside be trusted?””Trustworthy,” Ling Su said. “They are all orphans from the Wei family army, children brought back to the mansion by the Old General to be raised. They grew up alongside the Young General.”
It’s just that their talents were somewhat lacking, so they were kept at Wei Mansion as guards, including him.
“Good. There’s a mission tonight. You need to prepare the carriage, wait quietly for news, and follow my orders.”
“Yes, I will make arrangements immediately.” Ling Su bowed and led the eleven men back to their previous residence.
Zhu Changsheng returned to the room and opened the umbrella.
Wei Yuan’s soul immediately appeared inside. It was clear that his ghostly face looked terrible, his expression gloomy, exactly like a Vengeful Ghost. A chilling yin energy surrounded him, and his voice carried a tone of anger: “If I weren’t dead, I wouldn’t have allowed Wei Xing to run wild in my room.”
Zhu Changsheng walked to the bed, looked at the messy bedding, and instructed Shui Yao to have someone throw the bed away as well. Then she turned to Wei Yuan and said, “Since he can see you, it means his luck has been low recently. Let’s take this opportunity to visit his room again tonight. You can ask him where they hid the gold, silver, and treasures from our storeroom.”
With so many things in the storeroom, Lady Xiang would surely have entrusted the task to those she trusted most and was closest to.
And Wei Xing, being her son, must have been involved as well.
At the ancestral residence, chaos reigned.
After the children returned to the ancestral residence, they were punished by kneeling in the ancestral hall, subjected to Lady Xiang’s Clan Law.
“Beat them, beat them hard! A bunch of ungrateful wretches!”
Lady Xiang lay on a soft couch, roaring toward the direction of the ancestral hall.
The sound of beating echoed one after another.
At that moment, Wei Xing’s terrified screams came from outside: “Ghosts, there are ghosts! Wei Yuan has returned!”