The Marchioness of Wuding hurried to the Marquis of Wuding’s study in the outer courtyard.
However, the Marquis of Wuding only met her in the outer room and did not allow her into the inner chamber.
“You went to the Dingguo Gongfu just like that?”
Seeing the Marchioness of Wuding in this state, the Marquis of Wuding was clearly taken aback.
The Marchioness of Wuding sighed, intending to tell the Marquis of Wuding about Shangguan Jin’s rudeness.
But the Marquis of Wuding was clearly uninterested in such matters.
“Quickly, tell me what news you gathered at the Dingguo Gongfu?” the Marquis of Wuding asked impatiently.
Noticing the Marquis of Wuding glancing repeatedly toward the inner chamber of the study, the Marchioness of Wuding nearly gritted her teeth in anger.
He must have summoned that concubine again to serve him in the study!
Though furious, the Marchioness of Wuding did not omit a single detail of what needed to be said.
Like the other noble ladies, she recounted everything from start to finish.
The stale tea from last year, the tense situation at the frontlines, the extravagance at the rear, and the steward who neglected his duties, ruining her plans.
Of course, she also mentioned Shangguan Jin’s statement about not sending anyone to search for the Duke of Dingguo this year.
The Marquis of Wuding listened and nodded but offered no opinion.
Only after the Marchioness of Wuding finished speaking did he stroke his beard and ask, “Finished?
If you’re done, go back first. I still have matters to attend to here!”
With that, ignoring the Marchioness of Wuding’s murderous glare, he strode directly into the inner chamber.
Oh, and he even closed the door behind him.
The Marchioness of Wuding was so angry she nearly fainted.
She had left early in the morning, eaten almost nothing, was half-starved, endured a shoving match, lost a precious hairpin and floral ornament, and had only drunk half a cup of stale tea so far.
You old fool, just keep protecting those little vixens by your side!
When you go to the border, I’ll sell off all your little vixens.
With this thought, the Marchioness of Wuding felt much better.
She took a deep breath, snorted in the direction of the study’s inner chamber, and, with the help of a young maid, returned to her own courtyard.
There were no beautiful concubines or mistresses in the Marquis of Wuding’s inner chamber.
Instead, there were two men.
Both were seated in the inner chamber of his study.
One was the gray-haired Duke Anguo, and the other was the Third Prince, Prince Qin.
“Your Highness, Guogong, did you both hear clearly what my wife just said?” the Marquis of Wuding asked respectfully.
The Duke Anguo remained silent, still deep in thought.
Prince Qin, however, wore a smile.
“Marquis, there’s no need to be so formal. Please, take a seat!”
Only then did the Marquis of Wuding sit down in the lower seat beside Prince Qin.
“Guogong? You…” the Marquis of Wuding cautiously looked at the Duke Anguo.
“Uncle?” Prince Qin also looked at the Duke Anguo.
The Duke Anguo felt a twinge of regret. Had he known the Dingguo Gongfu would be so lively today, he should have sent his own wife.
This woman from the Marquis of Wuding’s household had no sense of propriety and never understood what truly mattered.
The Duke Anguo thought for a moment and sighed.
“I don’t know what else to say about the rest.
But one thing alone puzzles me.
How does the Duchess of Dingguo, a woman confined to the inner chambers, know the phrase ‘tense situation at the frontlines,’ and why would she mention it at this time?” the Duke Anguo said slowly.
“Perhaps it was something the Duke of Dingguo used to say casually when he was still here, and she accidentally overheard it. Today, she might have mentioned it unintentionally?” the Marquis of Wuding suggested softly.
The Duke Anguo glanced at the Marquis of Wuding.
“Oh? Is it really such a coincidence?” the Duke Anguo asked.
Marquis Wuding dared not speak further.
Prince Qin, however, furrowed his brows.
“Uncle, could it be that Father Emperor intends to convey some message through this?” Prince Qin asked.
Duke Anguo shook his head.
“This old man is not certain either! Who can fathom the thoughts of our current Emperor?
Nevertheless, the words spoken by the Duchess of Dingguo align with a secret dispatch from the border that I received five days ago,” Duke Anguo said.
Both Prince Qin and Marquis Wuding immediately straightened their postures.
The Weiyuan Army in the north had long been under the command of Duke Dingguo. After Duke Dingguo’s disappearance, Chang Sheng Hou (the Ever-Victorious Marquis) succeeded him in that position.
This had caused some discontent within Duke Anguo’s faction, who also hailed from a military lineage.
Yet, the reasoning from Tianjia left them with no grounds for objection.
“The Weiyuan Army was trained personally by Duke Dingguo, and Chang Sheng Hou was formerly his chief deputy commander.
Having participated in numerous battles, both large and small, his capabilities are no less than those of Duke Dingguo.
With Chang Sheng Hou assuming that position, the Weiyuan Army would find it easier to accept.”
Unable to counter this, Duke Anguo could only hinder the Weiyuan Army through other means.
Such as: military supplies!
“Five days ago, the secret dispatch I received precisely stated that the Weiyuan Army’s provisions were critically low, lasting at most another half month,” Duke Anguo suddenly revealed.
Prince Qin and Marquis Wuding were both taken aback.
How could they not have known about the critical shortage of provisions in the north?
“This is a secret dispatch; naturally, you would not be aware of it.
Originally, I intended to suppress the news and delay for another ten days or so.
That way, I could also exert some pressure on Chang Sheng Hou.
Who would have thought that this information would emerge from the mouth of an inner-house lady.
It seems that besides myself, others are also privy to this news!” Duke Anguo continued with a sigh.
“Uncle, are you suggesting that Father Emperor also knows?” Prince Qin was the first to react.
Duke Anguo stroked his beard twice and nodded.
“Most likely he does!
Perhaps when the news from the north came back, it was also sent to Tianjia. Or maybe it was even sent to Tianjia earlier.
After all, the celebration for the Old Madam at Dingguo Gongfu took place ten days ago, while I received the secret dispatch only five days ago…”
Duke Anguo abruptly stood up.
“Tianjia is warning me!” he declared.
“Warning?” Both Prince Qin and Marquis Wuding were somewhat puzzled.
The more Duke Anguo pondered, the more he felt he had nearly fallen into a trap, breaking out in a cold sweat.
Perhaps this secret dispatch itself was a trap.
Tianjia was aware of the actual situation in the north, but he, in order to pressure Chang Sheng Hou, had delayed releasing the provisions.
If anything were to go wrong in the north, the responsibility would fall on him…
“Marquis Wuding, you must depart for Suzhou tomorrow at once. There are provisions stored there. Take my seal and expedite the delivery of last year’s stockpiled provisions to Chang Sheng Hou.
I apologize for the hardship, but you must travel day and night,” Duke Anguo instructed.
Seeing Duke Anguo’s grave expression, Marquis Wuding promptly accepted the task.
“Uncle, is it truly Father Emperor warning you?” Prince Qin still harbored some doubt.
Duke Anguo nodded.
“Is Tianjia’s intent not clear enough? By using the Duchess of Dingguo’s words, he is informing me that he already knows about the situation in the north.
If I continue to feign ignorance, any mishap in the north would become my responsibility.
Otherwise, who else could have learned of the northern news so swiftly?”
“Could it be Dingguogong…” Prince Qin asked softly.
Duke Anguo’s face immediately darkened.
He recalled what the Marchioness of Wuding had said—that Dingguo Gongfu did not plan to send anyone out to search this year.
In truth, the living Dingguogong standing before them was not frightening, nor was the deceased Dingguogong.
The most terrifying was the missing Dingguogong.
Not knowing where he was, nor whether he was alive or dead—such a Dingguogong was the most fearsome.
“Keep an eye on Dingguo Gongfu. Report immediately if any strangers come or go.”
…
Unaware that her mere thought of retrieving gifts had kept the entire Jingcheng nobility awake at night, Shangguan Jin was now staring in astonishment at a hairpin and a pearl flower held in Dongmai’s hand.
“Isn’t this the one the Marchioness of Wuding was wearing…”
“Well, not entirely hers. It fell on the ground of our Guogongfu, so it belongs to our Guogongfu now,” Dongmai declared triumphantly.