“Has Third Miss been locked up?” It was already late when the news was sent to Piaoyun Courtyard. Shao Wanru had not deliberately asked someone to inquire about it, so she got the news much later.

“Yes, she was also locked up in the small Buddha Hall behind to accompany Second Miss. I heard that Old Madam also asked someone to beat Third Miss before locking her up. When Third Madam heard this, she went to beg Old Madam for leniency, but Old Madam refused. Later, Third Madam knelt in Old Madam’s yard and she fainted soon.”

Nanny Yu sorted out the news she had gotten and reported to Shao Wanru.

This matter had been blown up a little, so everyone in the mansion knew it. Although Old Madam had forbidden talking about this, it was so late that those who should know it had already known.

Even some guests who stayed in the front yard were talking about this.

The servants had stopped talking, but the guests could not be forbidden to discuss this. For a moment, rumors were spread everywhere. Nanny Yu merely went to the front yard just now.

She had not deliberately inquired about it. However, after listening aside for a while, she had already got the news she wanted.

“How about Third Uncle?” Shao Wanru asked calmly. She had looked down on her Third Uncle in the past. Be it Second Uncle’s plot or not, since Third Uncle could force Second Uncle to compromise on Shao Jie’er’s marriage, it meant that Third Uncle had something in his hand that Second Uncle was afraid of.

“Hearing that Third Madam fainted, Third Master took Third Madam back after making a scene. But Third Miss was still locked up!” Nanny Yu thought for a while and said.

“So who is hosting the banquet outside now?” Shao Wanru asked again.

“The Duke is hosting the banquet outside, while Old Madam inside, but…” Nanny Yu hesitated when saying this.

“What’s wrong?” Shao Wanru raised her eyes to look at Nanny Yu and asked.

“I heard that the new Madam wants to go back to her mansion!” Nanny Yu had never heard of such a thing before that a new Madam still wanted to leave after the wedding ceremony. It was better not to tell this kind of thing to an unmarried Miss. However, after thinking twice, Nanny Yu still told the truth, because her Miss was not a common master.

“Has she gone back?” Shao Wanru was not surprised. Shao Caihuan made a scene in the bridal chamber and poured all the blame on Zhao Xiran. If Zhao Xiran reacted nothing and suppressed this matter with grievances, she would not be like the Zhao Xiran that Shao Wanru had imagined.

“Old Madam will definitely not let her leave. I heard that Old Madam asked someone to guard the bridal chamber,” Nanny Yu said.

A glimmer of smile flashed through Shao Wanru’s face. After all, this was Duke Xing’s Mansion. It was impossible for Old Madam to let Duke Xing’s Mansion have such a scandal. Even though there were rumors outside, it was still better than the situation that Zhao Xiran would really go back.

Old Madam always valued the interests of Duke Xing’s Mansion more than anything else.

Maybe Zhao Xiran just wanted to show her grievance instead of really making trouble. However, in Old Madam’s eyes, this was like adding fuel to the fire. Even though she used to like Zhao Xiran very much, she would definitely change her mind this time.

“Is there any news from the palace?” After asking about things in the mansion, Shao Wanru asked again.

“I haven’t…” Nanny Yu was about to say that she hadn’t heard about it, but she suddenly saw Qu Le coming in hurriedly.

“Miss, Old Madam invites you to go out together. She said that there comes an imperial edict!” Qu Le wiped away the sweat and said in a hurry.

Shao Wanru nodded, stood up, and walked out with Qu Le. Considering the time, the imperial edict should be issued now, since it was impossible to be delayed to tomorrow.

After such a big matter had happened, if the palace had not reacted yet, it would be too slow.

In the hall, several masters of Duke Xing’s Mansion had all arrived. Even Shao Caihuan, who had just been beaten and locked up in the Buddha Hall, and Zhao Xiran, who was locked up in the bridal chamber, were both there.

Shao Wanru came quite early, and Third Madam was the last to arrive. Third Madam looked so pale and bloodless that she was about to fall. Holding Shao Cailing’s hand and Third Master of Duke Xing’s Mansion, she still staggered with every step. It could be seen that she was not in a good condition.

Seeing that everyone was here, the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict started to read the Emperor’s edict.

It said that the two princes had drank drugged wine, so that the two princes lost their manners. Emperor asked Duke Xing’s Mansion to find out who did this, and severely rebuked Duke Xing and Old Madam for not being able to manage their own mansions well. A year’s salary of Duke Xing’s Mansion was deducted, and Duke Xing’s Mansion was demoted to Marquis Xing’s Mansion

Hearing the decree, Old Madam went limp and fell to the ground. She show the whites of her eyes and fainted directly.

Third Madam struggled to support Old Madam, but even she was dragged to the ground by Old Madam.

Shao Jing stared blankly and he knew that this matter would not be settled peacefully. Either of the two princes was the favorite princes of Emperor. According to Emperor’s intention, if nothing went wrong, one of them would become the future Emperor. But anyway, he had not expected that Emperor would directly strip the title of Duke Xing’s Mansion.

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Changing the title of Duke to that of Marquis could only happen to the mansion that had committed a serious crime. Of course, it also meant that Duke Xing’s Mansion was not favored by Emperor now.

Among the aristocratic families in the capital city, Duke Xing’s Mansion had always been famous for being beloved by Emperor. Previously, Old Duke Xing and the former Heir of Duke Xing had both been favored by Emperor, and Duke Xing’s Mansion had always been flourishing. According to this trend, everyone knew that Duke Xing’s Mansion was very prosperous.

“Duke Xing… Oh, no, Marquis Xing, please accept the imperial edict!” After reading the imperial edict, the eunuch deliberately said in a loud and high-pitched voice. In Shao Jing’s ears, this voice was almost full of sarcasm.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” He lowered his head, forced himself to clear up the tremble in his heart, and said respectfully.

“Marquis, what’s going on in your mansion? Several princes came to congratulate the wedding, but such a thing happened. It’s really…” The eunuch shook his head with a speechless look.

This matter indeed made people speechless. Other people had all been fine, but it was the two princes that had been in trouble, and they had even lost their manners to fight with each other. Even if nothing could be found out now, this matter had something to do with Duke Xing’s Mansion. However, directly demoting the title of Duke as a punishment was still too heavy.

However, discerning people also knew that now Duke Xing’s Mansion was less and less valued by Emperor. There had been a matter that First Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion had had an accident in the palace before, and there were rumours that it had caused a fight between the two princes. Was this the continuation of what had happened at that time?

If it was true, Marquis Xing should indeed be punished for making the two princes lose the face of the whole royal family again and again. From this point of view, Emperor’s punishment was not too much, because the royal family’s face could not be slapped by anyone at will.

“Eunuch, may I ask you… how should we deal with this matter next?” Shao Jing pulled out the jade pendant hanging on his waist, sent it to the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict, and said with a smile.

Actually, this matter had not been over yet.

“Marquis Xing, I really don’t know about this matter. But… several princes almost got hurt this time, so Empress Dowager and Empress are very angry.”

The eunuch took the jade pendant, and the smile on his face became more sincere, bright like a flower.

“Eunuch, what do you mean?” Seeing that the eunuch was quite easy to speak with, Shao Jing pulled him aside to talk more. He was still in a daze now.

“There must be an explanation for this matter,” the eunuch said with a smile.

“Please tell me about it!” Shao Jing asked in a low voice without looking at the women members of Marquis Xing’s Mansion, who were in a mess on the side.

“After all, it happened in your mansion…” The eunuch rolled his eyes and said meaningfully. It was inappropriate for him to make some things too clear, “Emperor is very angry and he is still investigating this matter.”

“Eunuch, our mansion has detained all the servants who had delivered the wine and dishes at that time. Eunuch, may I bother you to take them to the palace, please? No matter who committed a crime, I will never cover it up. Now all the people that had touched dishes are here. None of them is missing or in trouble!” Shao Jing handed over another banknote.

This was the way to show his innocence. With no one missing, he sent all of them to the palace and had never interrogated them before. Doing in this way meant that he had a clear conscience and had not doctored any evidence. He hoped that Emperor might understand his innocence and intention.

The eunuch understood what he meant. Besides, he also came here today to take those people away. Even if Marquis Xing wanted to interrogate servants by himself, Emperor would not agree.

Marquis Xing’s action was quite smart, so the eunuch smiled more brightly now. He nodded repeatedly and skillfully slid the banknotes into his sleeves. The eunuch raised his voice and said, “Okay, Marquis, I will take these people away for you!”

He waved his hand, and then several guards came in from outside the hall.

Shao Jing hurriedly asked his servant to lead these guards to take those people away. They had been locked up separately.

The eunuch watched the guards take them away with a smile and then took leave of Shao Jing. His attitude was much friendlier than before when he had just come here. It could be seen that Shao Jing was really innocent this time. He didn’t know whether the people in Duke Xing’s Mansion had done something wrong or someone else had intervened in it. This original Duke could only accept his bad luck.

Shao Wanru watched the farce with an extremely calm. She also saw the servants holding Old Madam and shouting in panic one after another, as if Old Madam was really going to die.

In addition to Old Madam’s servant girls and old maids, there were also Third Madam’s servant girls and old maids. They showed no weakness, and kept shouting “Third Madam, wake up”. For a time, the hall was full of crying and shouting. The women members staggered, as if the whole Duke Xing’s Mansion had been searched.

Shao Wanru closed her eyes slightly, with her long eyelashes fluttering together, and then her head tilted to Qu Le’s shoulder.

“Miss, Fifth Miss…” Qu Le understood and hurriedly shouted, looking anxious and flustered as if she was frightened to be at a loss.

Old Madam and Third Madam had been in a coma for a while, so the crying of the servants of the two sides almost got lower now. Qu Le’s cry shocked all the other people.

Of course, the most important thing was that Shao Wanru had a different identity now. If she was just an ordinary Miss of Marquis Xing’s Mansion, no one would pay attention to her at this time.

“What happened?” Shao Jing had just sent the eunuch away. Hearing this, he hurriedly came over and asked.

“Our Miss was fine just now, but she suddenly passed out!” Qu Le said with anxiety all over her pale face.

“Why did she pass out suddenly?” Shao Jing suspiciously looked at Shao Wanru, who lowered her face. If she had also fainted because of shock like Old Madam, she might have passed out a long time ago. But she reacted too slowly!