Perfect Match – CH 082

Chapter 82

Old Madam Lin chased after Teng Yue, but in her frantic pursuit, she reached the door only to see him mount his horse without even turning his head and ride away.

“Yu Chuan…”

Her son’s words about fighting the powerful eunuch echoed repeatedly in her ears. Old Madam Lin leaned against the door, her legs weak.

When Madam Yang reached her, she heard her cousin repeatedly saying, “He’s got a death wish, a death wish…How could he possibly defeat someone with that kind of power…”

As she spoke, her face turned deathly pale, and she almost fainted.

Madam Yang quickly had her servants help her cousin back to the courtyard. She gave her a calming pill, and seeing that, although her eyes were still closed, her breathing was much more stable, she sent everyone away.

“Ah, children grow up and are no longer under their mother’s control. You always think of Yu Chuan’s best interests, but ultimately, it’s him who becomes an official, not you; it’s him who marries, not you. After what happened with Yun’er, I realized that forcing a child to do things they do not want to do does no good.”

Madam Yang sighed as she advised. She understood the reasoning but wondered if her cousin could grasp it too.

“Think about it,” said Madam Yang, “Yu Chuan is a thoughtful child. You’ve mixed up these two crucial matters for him. Now that he knows the truth, is it not normal for him to be furious?”

“But…but he’s going to fight that Chief Eunuch. He thinks the Chief Eunuch is some barbarian from beyond the Great Wall. This is the capital, where countless high-ranking officials are deeply entrenched. How many lives does he have to fight them?”

The thought of fighting the Chief Eunuch made Madam Yang tremble.

But since the young Emperor ascended the throne, in just five short years, that Chief Eunuch had seized power and turned the court into a chaotic mess.

This world was full of scoundrels, and now everyone was fawning over the powerful and bullying the weak. Even she herself had previously thought that this was the only way to live.

Madam Yang was afraid, but after thinking for a moment, she said… “That Chief Eunuch has already wielded too much power. Even Prince Enhua rebelled because of him, yet he still tries to suppress the matter and has even arrested Yu Chuan to try to distort the truth. In my opinion, his arrogance has reached its limit.”

Her words made Old Madam Lin open her eyes and look over.

Madam Yang only had a superficial understanding of court politics, but she had seen plenty of the affairs of masters and servants in the inner quarters. Those servants who thought they could trample on others because of their masters, and some even disregarded their masters altogether, would either be sold off or face death.

She told her cousin this, unsure if her guess was true, and could only add…

“But think about it,” said Madam Yang, “this time, although Yu Chuan was rescued by Princess Ningfeng, so many civil and military officials in the court spoke up for him beforehand. Many of these people had no connection with Yu Chuan, and some were not even from Shaanxi, yet they all spoke up for him. The number of them far exceeds our imagination. This shows that this matter is no longer just Yu Chuan’s own affair. Given this, it might very well stir up an even bigger storm.”

Madam Yang shared all the reasons she could think of with her cousin. In her limited understanding, that was all she could see and think of.

Old Madam Lin listened to her words and felt slightly calmer.

Yes, Teng Yue’s current success was due to the support of his former mentor, Minister Huang Xiqing. Huang Xiqing’s influence in the court went far beyond just officials from Shaanxi. The fact that so many people were united in speaking up for Teng Yue this time was undoubtedly Huang Xiqing’s doing.

So many people harbored resentment towards the Chief Eunuch, yet her own son was ultimately chosen to lead the charge. Old Madam Lin understood the logic, but the word “heartache” was etched into her heart.

Now that things had come to this, Madam Yang could only offer her advice.

“Yu Chuan is not a reckless child. Kong Hui and Yanxing are watching him, and Minister Huang and others are in the capital. Let’s not worry about it for now. The only thing we can do is avoid hindering them further.”

Since the deaths of her husband and eldest son, Old Madam Lin had single-mindedly focused on finding support for her second son, Teng Yue, and helping him achieve success. But unexpectedly, she, as his mother, had become the one hindering him.

But if she persisted, just as Teng Yue said, mother and son would go their separate ways, and she could only watch what his final fate would be.

Fear gripped her heart, but she dared not act rashly.

It was her cousin who suddenly asked a question.

“By the way, did you send someone with generous gifts and money to Hui’er today?” she frowned. “Since it was the Grand Princess who spoke on your behalf, these gifts and money should rightfully go to the Princess. Even if the Princess does not like them or does not want them, it would not be appropriate to send them to the Zhang family.”

Old Madam Lin was preoccupied with Teng Yue’s matter and had no time to think about the gifts and money sent to the Zhang family.

She rubbed her head to calm herself before replying, “The gifts should have been sent by now. As for the money, it will probably be sent later tonight when fewer people are around.”

Madam Yang frowned upon hearing that the gifts had been sent, but then added, “Lord Zhang is a respectable man. Now that he holds a high position, if it were not for his intervention, he would have naturally returned the gifts. He would not have been so greedy.”

However, she really had not expected that her niece had said a few days ago that the Marquis had already agreed to the matter, but in the end, it was the Grand Princess who intervened and released the person.

Just then, a messenger came to announce that Nanny Dong, the wet nurse from the Zhang family, had arrived.

Upon hearing this, Second Madam Yang thought it would be a good opportunity to inquire and summoned her to the hall.

Old Madam Lin composed herself before meeting her.

Nanny Dong, her face beaming with joy, entered the hall and greeted the two ladies with a bow and congratulations.

“Oh, I heard General Teng has come out! This is truly a joyous occasion! I convey my young lady’s congratulations to both ladies!”

Not wanting to be rude to a smiling face, the two ladies hesitated to speak directly for a moment. Nanny Dong continued, “Our young lady should have come for such a joyous occasion, but she is in mourning. Things are not as peaceful in the Marquis’s Mansion as they were in the Yang family. The Marquis’s wife is very strict, and our young lady dares not make a single mistake under her watchful eye. Even with my utmost joy, I can only come as your servant.”

She offered this explanation for her fourth young lady, then looked at Old Madam Lin and spoke in a softer voice.

“We received all the gifts sent by the Old Madam. We were surprised by her thoughtfulness and trustworthiness, sending so many things to the Marquis’s Mansion. We are almost embarrassed, Miss. We heard you even arranged for someone to send some more money later at night when it’s quieter. That’s incredibly considerate.”

Old Madam Lin knew that when asking for favors, one should always consider the other person’s convenience and not put them in a difficult position.

However, after hearing what Nanny Dong said, she thought for a moment and still asked, “When did the Marquis speak to the Chief Eunuch on behalf of my son?”

The person had already come out, yet she suddenly asked this question, as if she had been digging up an old grievance. Nanny Dong was taken aback by this question.

“This… oh, this old servant does not know either. Our Marquis and the Ninth Prince are very close. Where and when they meet is unpredictable, and it’s not always something that people would know.”

She gave a vague and evasive answer.

While the words were not entirely without merit, Old Madam Lin, seeing the woman’s expression, felt a growing uncertainty.

She feigned a nod and said, “Indeed. In any case, thank you very much to the Marquis. I’ve checked the auspicious days for a visit, so I will personally go to express my gratitude.”

Upon hearing the mention of a personal visit, Nanny Dong blinked rapidly.

“Oh dear, why the rush, Old Madam? General Teng has just been released from prison; he should rest well for a few days. As for my Marquis, he’s very busy and probably will not have a moment’s rest. Besides, my Marquis is not one to take advantage of favors. I think it’s best not to mention this matter. Both you and I will keep it to ourselves.”

She advised Old Madam Lin not to visit immediately and not to mention the matter of helping her in person. Not only Old Madam Lin, but even Madam Yang frowned. Previously, both women had assumed that although Kong Hui had only investigated Princess Ningfeng, perhaps Marquis Zhang had spoken for her son, though the effectiveness was uncertain.

But now, after hearing what Nanny Dong said, they both felt that Marquis Zhang might not even know about the matter.

But Young Lady Zhang had clearly stated a few days ago that her uncle had already agreed!

Nanny Dong left after saying only a few words. As soon as she left, Old Madam Lin and Second Madam Yang exchanged a suspicious glance.

Old Madam Lin frequently summoned people to inquire about the gift money.

The servants reported that the gifts had indeed been sent to Young Lady Zhang’s mother’s dowry mansion, and the money had been arranged and would be sent over that evening.

However, when Old Madam Lin inquired, her servant said something…

“Madam, we unexpectedly encountered someone from our family near the dowry mansion of Young Lady Zhang’s mother.”

He did not get a chance to speak, but several servants saw them.

Old Madam Lin immediately asked, “Someone from our family? Who is it?”

The servant replied, “It’s Nanny Wei! She seems to have also come looking for Young Lady Zhang, but unfortunately, she passed us by without speaking. I reckon Nanny Wei does not know you are also in the capital.”

Old Madam Lin knew that Nanny Wei had taken her daughter to Henan for medical treatment and had even sent some money to Nanny Wei.

Nanny Wei’s husband had died in battle against Teng Yue’s father, and her daughter had suffered from an illness since childhood. Old Madam Lin had always taken good care of Nanny Wei and her daughter.

Currently, Nanny Wei was neither in Henan receiving medical treatment nor back in Xi’an. Why had she come to the capital and even sought out Zhang Zhenhui?

Madam Yang was also surprised. The two immediately sent someone to fetch Nanny Wei for questioning.

That day, as dusk fell, the servants indeed brought Nanny Wei and her two daughters.

Nanny Wei was astonished to see her mistress in the capital and immediately knelt down to kowtow. Nanny Wei’s biological daughter, Luo Xia, and goddaughter, Qingrui, also kowtowed and greeted the two ladies.

Old Madam Lin had everyone stand. At this point, she stopped beating around the bush and spoke directly to Nanny Wei.

“Why have you come to the capital? Why are you looking for Fourth Young Lady Zhang?”

Nanny Wei could easily answer the first question. She said that Xia’er’s illness had not improved after half a year of treatment in Henan, so “since we were already out of Shaanxi, we might as well come to the capital to try and find some connections.”

Actually, some time ago, after listening to the words of that “fellow merchant” from Xi’an, she had become suspicious of the Henan clinic. The more she observed, the more it seemed like a scam.

Not only had Xia’er’s illness not improved, but every time she used the clinic’s “golden elixir,” she suffered unbearable stomach pain, and recently she had even started vomiting blood. She was becoming increasingly thin, which frightened Nanny Wei so much that she dared not stay any longer. Remembering the “fellow merchant’s” warning, she simply came to the capital to ask the noble ladies of the Marquis’s Mansion what was going on.

She could not tell the truth, and naturally, she could not mention her reason for coming to see Zhang Zhenhui.

Years ago, the Fourth Young Lady’s wet nurse contacted her, first inquiring about Sister Xia’s illness. Later, when the Fourth Young Lady returned to the capital, she sent her a golden elixir but instructed her not to mention it to the Old Madam, fearing it would damage her reputation.

Nanny Wei was always loyal to the Old Madam, but she kept this matter a secret.

Later, when the Old Madam found a betrothed for the Second Master, Nanny Wei, grateful for the Fourth Young Lady’s kindness and fearing that the betrothed would steal the Second Master’s heart, subtly and overtly reprimanded the betrothed. The Old Madam even asked Nanny Wei why, and she insisted that she had not revealed any private contact between her and the Fourth Young Lady.

But now, she encountered her Old Madam in the capital, and the Old Madam directly asked her why she had come to see the Fourth Young Lady.

Startled by the question, Nanny Wei hesitated, then mumbled, “This old servant does not know any other nobles in the capital, except for Fourth Young Lady, whom I’ve met a few times. For Xia’er’s sake, I had no choice but to swallow my pride and come here.”

But as soon as she spoke, the old lady’s voice suddenly turned cold.

“You will not even tell me the truth?”

This question struck Nanny Wei’s heart.

Nanny Wei looked up in surprise and saw the old lady’s brows furrowed, her face slightly pale, staring intently at her.

Nanny Wei’s heart skipped a beat.

She did want to tell the old lady that she had considered speaking frankly from the beginning. But Fourth Young Lady had specifically warned her not to, and later, regarding the matter of the betrothed wife, the old lady had questioned her more than once. She had concealed and covered it up time and time again, the lies piling up, and now she could no longer speak openly.

She thought that admitting to concealing something would not only make the Fourth Young Lady look bad in the Old Madam’s eyes but also make her, a so-called loyal servant, no different from someone who had betrayed their master.

She did not know how to begin and tried to say something to cover it up again.

Unexpectedly, her daughter, Sister Xia, knelt down directly. Her voice was weak and trembling from her illness, but she kowtowed at Old Madam Lin’s feet and spoke frankly.

“Old Madam, my mother made a grave mistake. The elixir I took was given to me by Fourth Young Lady Zhang, and the clinic she recommended was also introduced to me. But Fourth Young Lady forbade my mother from telling you, so my mother was confused and did not tell you the truth until now, when she discovered that the clinic was probably a scam, and she had no choice but to come to the capital…”

Sister Xia blurted out everything that Nanny Wei had concealed and covered up.

After speaking, she gasped heavily. Qingrui hurriedly helped her up. Nanny Wei saw that her old lady’s face had turned completely pale, and she kowtowed repeatedly before her.

“Old Madam, please forgive me! It was not that I deliberately lied to you, but I was truly caught in a dilemma! And Sister Xia’s illness is my greatest worry; that’s why I…”

She kowtowed loudly, but Old Madam Lin felt a chill run through her body and was momentarily dazed.

She looked at her most trusted old servant in disbelief and asked only, “When did Nanny Dong contact you? And when did she send the Golden Elixir?”

At this point, Nanny Wei dared not deny it. She tightly gripped the hem of Old Madam Lin’s skirt and knelt at her feet.

“Nanny Dong spoke to me when you had just developed feelings for Young Lady Zhang, but had not yet made it clear. As for sending the Golden Elixir, they sent it almost immediately after returning to the capital.”

It was before Teng Yue married Yunniang.

If the former timing was convenient enough to allow her to inquire about the Teng family’s situation and Old Madam Lin’s intentions through Nanny Wei, then the latter was like planting a seed of discord in Deng Ruyun’s heart before she even entered the house.

Old Madam Lin looked at Nanny Wei in astonishment. “So you’ve repeatedly made things difficult for Yunniang?”

She spoke directly, and Nanny Wei’s face turned pale.

But this was no longer just a matter of Nanny Wei’s disloyalty.

Even Second Madam Yang swallowed hard, feeling a chill run down her spine at the thought of her delicate niece.

She was just a young girl, not even twenty years old…

Just then, Qingrui suddenly became anxious.

“Sister Xia, Sister Xia…”

She cried out, and everyone looked towards Sister Xia, only to see her suddenly spit out a mouthful of blood, then her eyes rolled back, she convulsed, and she collapsed at Second Madam Yang’s feet.

Madam Yang was so frightened she almost jumped up, but Nanny Wei rushed forward and shoved her own arm into her daughter’s mouth, yelling, “Do not bite yourself; bite your mother! Quickly, bite your mother!”

Old Madam Lin paused for a moment, then immediately called for a physician!

… …

When the physician arrived, Sister Xia had already woken up. After examining her, the physician said that her epilepsy could not be cured in a short time.

“But this young lady’s vomiting blood is quite unusual,” the physician said. “It looks suspiciously like she’s been poisoned.”

Upon hearing this, Nanny Wei trembled violently, while Qingrui immediately pulled out the “golden pill” and showed it to the physician.

This physician from the capital was no ordinary country quack; he happened to be a pharmacist by training.

He crushed the pill and examined it carefully several times, then looked at Sister Xia again, shaking his head repeatedly.

“This pill is completely useless for epilepsy. It only makes the patient appear stable, but in reality, it severely damages the spleen and stomach. It’s clearly poison!”

Nanny Wei was more than just trembling. When Qingrui mentioned the clinic in Henan, saying it was run by a junior apprentice of a physician in the Imperial Medical Bureau, the physician let out a cold laugh.

“That imperial physician you mentioned, two years ago, someone impersonated him to swindle people, so he reported them to the authorities. He specifically stated that he had no fellow disciples and no clinic outside the capital; everyone in the capital knew this. How come there’s a junior disciple here?”

The physician asked Nanny Wei directly, “Where did you hear this news?”

Upon hearing her question, Nanny Wei nearly collapsed to the ground.

The matter she had stated two years ago, something everyone in the capital knew, was now being told to her by that Miss Fourth Young Lady Zhang with absolute certainty last year!

Meanwhile, Sister Xia coughed up another mouthful of blood, crimson filling Nanny Wei’s vision. She gripped the physician tightly. “Can this poison still be cured?”

The physician said it was hard to say, “You’ve been taking this elixir for too long. I can only prescribe a formula for her to try; whether it will cure her is another matter.”

Upon hearing this, Nanny Wei staggered completely and finally collapsed to the ground.

“How could this be?”

She could not understand. “That’s a noble lady from the Yongchang Marquis’s Mansion! How could she deceive us servants?!”

If she had not come to the capital and heard about the imperial physician’s statement two years ago, she would never have known in her entire life in Xi’an. Even if she discovered the elixir was poison, the noble lady would simply claim she had been deceived as well, denying everything. How could she, a mere servant, possibly verify anything?!

This was the so-called noble lady of the Marquis’s Mansion? A noble lady?!

Looking at the blood her daughter had vomited on the ground, Nanny Wei was heartbroken and almost fainted.

The only important thing in her life was treating her daughter’s epilepsy. Now, instead of curing the illness, her daughter had been poisoned and vomited blood like this.

If the poison could not be cured, would she only live for a few more years?!

Nanny Wei wept uncontrollably, feeling that her cleverness had betrayed her mistress and harmed her daughter—this was retribution!

After hearing and witnessing the events involving Nanny Wei and Sister Xia, Old Madam Lin and Madam Yang fell completely silent.

Madam Yang, bewildered, clutched her head, lost in deep thought. Old Madam Lin, meanwhile, suffered a recurring, unbearable headache.

A servant approached and said that it was already dark, and the streets were nearly deserted. He suggested delivering the last large sum of money to the dowry mansion of Young Lady Zhang’s mother on behalf of the old lady.

But why send money now?

Old Madam Lin raised her hand.

“Do not send any more.”

*

At the Zhang family of the Yongchang Marquis’s Mansion.

Nanny Dong waited for the servants from the dowry mansion to report back. While fanning her fourth young lady, she whispered with a smile.

“General Teng is out just like that! Everything’s going perfectly for us.”

After Marquis Yongchang mentioned the difficulties of dealing with Teng Yue’s imprisonment, Zhang Zhenhui did not say anything more to her uncle.

If Teng Yue had thoroughly angered the Chief Eunuch and could not get out, then she would not want this so-called future husband, and naturally, she would not mention it to her uncle.

But if Teng Yue could get out through his own abilities, there were two possibilities:

First, the Chief Eunuch would have no choice but to release him. Teng Yue had angered the Chief Eunuch, and his future would be difficult. Why should she let her uncle speak for him and jump into this fire pit?

Second, the Chief Eunuch could not do anything to him, could not punish him, and even wanted to restore his merits in suppressing the rebellion. In that case, she would definitely keep this husband in her grasp, and it would not be too late to mention it to her uncle later.

As for the gifts and money sent by Old Madam Lin, if Teng Yue could not be released, the Teng family would decline, and they would not be able to care about the gifts and money anymore; at most, she would return a portion.

If Teng Yue could be released, Old Madam Lin would definitely think that her uncle’s intercession had worked, and the gifts and money should rightfully be sent to the Zhang family.

She was an orphan; her mother’s dowry was not much, and her father had spent a lot. No matter who she married, she would need to save some dowry for herself. If she could marry into the Teng family, she would take this money back with her so the Teng family would not lose out.

All these possibilities had to be considered thoroughly, requiring a level of thought beyond what ordinary people could muster.

Naturally, this most careful consideration was unknown to anyone except Nanny Dong.

At this moment, Nanny Dong only thought that her young lady had done a very good job.

“Young lady, your life has been difficult. You should only do what benefits us. The lives of others are in God’s hands; they have nothing to do with us. Young lady, you only need to focus on yourself first, plan everything carefully, and once you find a good marriage, you can live a smooth life.”

As she spoke, she saw the young lady nod, and a slight smile curved her lips. Even when no one was around, she maintained the dignified and gentle demeanor of a well-bred young lady.

Nanny Dong smiled as well, saying that a generous gift was part of it, but real gold and silver were the most important.

“The money should have been delivered to the madam’s dowry mansion by now. This old servant heard some noise outside; it must be someone coming to report the news. I will go and ask.”

Zhang Zhenhui told her not to trouble herself, “Nanny, you’ve worked hard too. Just call the person in to talk.”

She took Nanny Dong’s hand, telling her not to move, and went to call the person forward.

Both of them thought it must be good news, but the person who came spoke… “Miss, no one delivered anything to Madam’s dowry mansion tonight. Our people inquired at the Yang family and found out that Old Madam Lin’s people… are not coming!”

*

In a secluded mansion in the capital.

Huang Xiqing, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, held a private meeting with a crucial confidant.

After news of Prince Enhua’s rebellion reached the capital, the Emperor urgently appointed Huang Xiqing, who had previously commanded military affairs in Shaanxi, as the important imperial envoy to quell the rebellion in the border town of Ningxia.

Unexpectedly, the rebellion was suppressed in just eighteen days, and the two high-ranking officials turned back halfway.

Now that the rebel prince and his followers had been brought to the capital, another wave of turmoil was inevitable, and the matter of Teng Yue had also stirred up considerable controversy.

Huang Xiqing had previously joined forces with civil and military officials to pressure the Chief Eunuch, expecting Teng Yue to be released in a few days. However, the Grand Princess intervened, releasing him ahead of schedule.

With Teng Yue released, Huang Xiqing’s mind was settled, and he focused on more pressing matters.

This time, even though the Chief Eunuch Hong Jin managed to rescue the man by distorting the truth and accusing the loyal of evil, if he continued to act so arrogantly and rampantly, even the storms of Prince Enhua’s rebellion could not shake him in the slightest. From then on, there would be no more justice in the land.

Huang Xiqing had been preparing to bring down Chief Eunuch Hong Jin for a long time. He had invited this important figure in the imperial court to meet him several times, but with Chief Eunuchs’ spies everywhere in the capital, he finally managed to get him to his secret mansion tonight. Given Chief Eunuch Hong Jin’s influence with the Emperor, no one else could speak to him; only this important figure had a slight chance.

The two talked privately in the room, while Teng Yue, Kong Hui, and Shen Yanxing waited in the courtyard.

The courtyard was dimly lit, with only the faint light of the Milky Way streaming down.

Teng Yue stood in the courtyard, sword in hand. They had been talking for almost half an hour, and as the night deepened, not a sound was uttered. He slowly gazed from the eaves of the courtyard towards the western night sky.

Among the bright stars, a small star, shimmering with a faint blue light, appeared and disappeared intermittently. It was so subtle that it was difficult to spot, yet if you looked closely, its clear blue light would captivate your gaze.

But it also seemed to want to remain hidden, vanishing into the boundless expanse of the Milky Way in the blink of an eye.

Teng Yue looked on, longing for the person who had vanished without a trace.

Where did she go after leaving home? Could she not even find a safe place to stay? Did she eat well and sleep well? Was she too worried about Linglang and her grandmother?

Had she heard that he had been released? Did she still want to remember him?

Or… had she already thrown him into the sand, never to be seen again…?

Teng Yue did not know, only gazing incessantly towards that tiny, twinkling blue star in the distant direction of Shaanxi.