I heard that Concubine Ji's face was also red and swollen because Miss Qu wiped away Concubine Ji's tears when she came in. As for Miss Qu, she was in a very miserable state. She couldn't move and was still unconscious. It was unknown whether she was alive or dead, and no one knew whether she could survive this time.
The focus of the rumors was all on Yu Shi. The matter regarding Qu Qiuyan was hidden by someone with ulterior motives. There were no rumors, only that Qu Qiuyan was also involved in the frame-up and had the same vicious character as Yu Shi.
Then a news came from the front, saying that Yue Wenhan, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, knew that Yu had framed his cousin, so he brought people to catch up with Qu Mansion's carriage and had a conflict with Qu Zhizhen on the spot. During the dispute, the two horses collided, and Qu Zhizhen fell off the horse and broke his legs.
As soon as this news came, it almost immediately confirmed the previous preface. If it was not true, how could this young and promising Shaoqing of the Dali Temple have such a big conflict with Qu Zhizhen.
Rumors were flying everywhere, all about Yu and Qu Zhizhen, and some things that had to be said back then. It was said that the relationship between Yu and Qu Zhizhen had been ambiguous for a long time, and there was a mystery surrounding Xiao Yue's death. With Yu's character, it was normal for him to kill Xiao Yue.
He couldn't even keep his ex-wife's daughter, let alone the original Xiaoyue clan...
In Qu Zhizhen's study, the doctor had already applied medicine to Qu Zhizhen. In fact, it was not a broken leg, but a sprained leg. The horse had stopped moving at that time, and Qu Zhizhen was not as strong as Yue Wenhan, so the horse was pulled to the ground. He sprained his leg, but he had to take leave for the time being.
"What should we do about this?" The old lady drove everyone away, even Yu and Luo were driven back by her, and now she looked at her two sons and asked.
Qu Zhilin didn't say anything. His second brother had always been stronger than him, and this matter was related to his second brother's inner courtyard. As an elder brother, it was not convenient for him to interfere. However, he didn't have a good impression of Yu. Thinking of Xiao Yue in the past, Qu Zhilin had to admit that although his second brother was very good in officialdom, his eyes were not very good.
Yu is really a vicious woman.
Qu Zhizhen didn't say anything, his face was as gloomy as water, and he sat behind the desk with a sullen look on his face.
"Let's talk about Yan girl's matter first. She was disrespectful in front of the Crown Princess's mourning hall today. Although it has not been spread out, it must be true. The Crown Prince knows about it, Prince Jing knows about it, Princess Changyu and Concubine Ji all know about it." The lady sighed. She calmed down at this time. This matter was the biggest thing for the Qu family right now.
"Mother, let Yan go and explain this matter to King Jing herself." Qu Zhizhen said coldly.
"Let her explain. She's still an unmarried young lady, how can she explain?" The lady slammed the table angrily.
"Mother, what else can we do? Yan girl had a crush on King Jing before, and King Jing was quite good to Yan girl. This seems like a misunderstanding to me. Yan girl wouldn't be so confused. Once we explain it clearly to King Jing, it won't be a big deal." Qu Zhizhen said impatiently.
"Isn't this a big deal? If people knew that the Crown Prince and King Jing..." The old lady was shaking with anger. This son really wanted to curry favor with King Jing. He actually thought that the current matter was not a big deal and asked Qu Qiuyan to meet King Jing in private. How could this be so disgraceful.
As for whether Qu Qiuyan really had something going on with the Crown Prince, the Madam couldn't tell for sure now. The Yu mother and daughter were bent on getting close to King Jing, and now they wanted to get close to the Crown Princess who had died.
The prince is also a possibility.
But she couldn't say this in front of her son. No matter what Qu Qiuyan did wrong, she was still her son's biological daughter.
"Mother, you don't have to worry about this matter. I will handle it. I will also send someone to invite Prince Jing. If Prince Jing doesn't care, no one outside will spread rumors. Who would dare to say such things?" Qu Zhizhen interrupted the lady's words indifferently.
"Okay, okay, I won't take care of this matter, you take care of it yourself." The old lady was shaking with anger, and she became more and more angry with her son. At the beginning, she had also persuaded him kindly to live a good life with Yue, but he treated Yu, who was brought from outside, very well, and even sent the pregnant Yue to a nunnery to take care of her baby.
If Yu hadn't said that she had given birth prematurely and suspected that it was Yue's, she wouldn't have forced Yue to leave.
The lady stood up angrily and was about to leave.
"Mother, please don't be angry. I have no choice now. If King Jing forgives her, Yan's matter will not be a big deal. If King Jing doesn't forgive her, then she can just find someone to marry her off." Qu Zhizhen put his hand on his forehead, his face pale and helpless. "But I am Yan's father after all. I can't just watch her ruined like this!"
Seeing her son struggling in pain, the lady's heart softened and she sat down again. She was speechless for a while. The study became quiet and both mother and son looked unhappy.
"Mother, please let my second brother do this!" Seeing that both of them had stern faces and didn't say anything, Qu Zhilin had to speak.
"Okay, I'll do as you say. What about Yu's matter? I just asked about it. It was indeed Yu who sent the clothes to Ying, and Ying chose them. After Ying had chosen them, the manager of the sewing room accidentally fell and soiled the clothes in his hands. Then he went to change the clothes and sent them to me."
The lady said, her eyes falling on her second son, "Yu Shi really wants to harm Ying girl. What do you think about this matter? Although Yue Shi has been in Jiangnan, Yue Wenhan is in the capital right now. Tomorrow, the censor will definitely report you."
"I will definitely report it." Qu Zhilin himself is also an imperial censor, and he knows that this matter will not be let go like this. He stretched out his hand and rubbed his brow, "Report that my second brother is not good at managing the family, that Yu is vicious, and that the concubine is the legal wife, that my second brother and Yu have been hooking up for a long time, and that he himself is not upright. Yue Wenhan can even say that Yue's death was unjust, that Yue was killed by Yu, and that my second brother favors his concubine over his wife."
If all these things were connected together and really came true, Qu Zhizhen's future would be ruined.
The Yue family is a family of poets and scholars in Jiangnan. Although there are not many of them in official circles, they are all very talented and have great prestige among the literati.
"What should we do?" The lady was a little panicked. Although her son was not making progress, he was still her son after all. She didn't want to see her son end up like this. "Why not divorce Yu?"
"I can't take a break." Qu Zhizhen gritted his teeth.
"Why can't you divorce? Do you want to keep such a vicious woman?" The old lady was angry that her son still couldn't see Yu's true face, so she stomped her feet hard.
"Mother, I only have one son, Mingcheng. If I divorce Yu now, Mingcheng will become a bastard." Qu Zhizhen explained in a low voice.
Thinking of Qu Mingcheng, the lady was speechless for a moment. She had always disliked the Yu mother and daughter, but she liked Qu Mingcheng very much. Qu Mingcheng was mostly
He lived in the East Palace most of the time, not close to Yu, and they didn't seem to be close in the past. This was a good thing. If he really became a bastard, the lady would feel distressed.
"Mother, please go back first. I'll think of a solution." Qu Zhizhen waved his hand. At this moment, neither his mother nor his elder brother could help him. He could only think of another way.
"Let her practice in the family temple." The lady stood up and suggested helplessly.
"It is said that she fell ill after she came back and was so seriously ill that she could not get up. Then she went to the family temple in the mansion to meditate. From now on, I may have to trouble my mother and sister-in-law with the affairs of the mansion." After thinking it over carefully, this was the only way now, and Qu Zhizhen agreed with a frown.
Yu had made such a big mistake. If she hadn't been seriously ill, she would have had no choice but to be divorced. On the way here, Yue Wenhan had said that he would not let her go unless Yu gave an explanation.
But Qu Zhizhen had his reasons for not divorcing Yu.
"Okay, I will let Luo help mother manage the internal affairs of the West Mansion." Qu Zhilin agreed immediately.
After a few people had discussed it, the old lady and Qu Zhilin left. The so-called family temple was actually at the back of the Qu Mansion, in an empty courtyard near the back gate. The old lady liked the quietness of this place, so she had a small family temple built here. In the past, the old lady would come here every now and then to chant scriptures and worship Buddha.
After they left, the study became quiet. Qu Zhizhen sat in the shadow in front of the desk with a gloomy face, not moving.
A servant reported outside the door: "Second Master, someone has sent you a letter."
"Bring it in." Qu Zhizhen said coldly.
The servant came in hurriedly and handed the letter to him. Qu Zhizhen took the letter, looked at the familiar secret mark on the envelope, and waved his hand: "Go down!"
"Yes!" The servant hurriedly retreated and stood outside the door.
Qu Zhizhen reached out and opened the letter, reading it quickly. After he finished reading, he closed the letter and showed some hesitation on his face. After a long time, his expression became firm. He picked up the pen at hand, spread out a piece of paper, and began to write quickly. In a short while, the letter was finished.
After finishing writing, he let the paper air out, took out an envelope, inserted it, sealed it, and raised it to say, "Come in!"
The servant hurried in and saluted respectfully: "Second Master!"
"Put the letter away and don't let anyone see it." Qu Zhizhen pointed at the letter on the desk and said in a low voice.
"Yes, I understand." The servant responded without daring to raise his head. Then he took the letter, put it in his arms, and stepped back carefully. When he reached the door, he turned around and left towards the backyard door.
He went out of the backyard door and got on a carriage that was waiting there. He drove away, turned around a few times outside, and finally came to a small pawnshop. There were a few passers-by in front of the pawnshop, and they didn't care when they saw the carriage.
The servant jumped off the carriage, took out a jade pendant from his arms skillfully, and walked into the pawnshop with confidence. There were people in the pawnshop, but not many. When they saw the servant coming in, they just glanced at him and no one paid attention. There were many servants and maids coming to pawn things. Although some masters had fallen on hard times, they were very concerned about their reputation and were unwilling to come themselves, so it was common for them to send a servant over.
The boy came to the window of the pawnshop and said to the person who was looking inside, "Boss, pawn your things!"
"Okay, you!"