Quick Transmigration: Why did you provoke him? He's love-struck!

Chapter 170 Canglan Ferry (40)

Yan Zhen patted her hand to comfort her, "Don't worry, Madam Lu is coming back with us."

No matter how outrageous the rumors in the capital are, as long as the old lady of the Pingxi Marquis comes forward to clarify and prove that they spent the night at the Taoist temple, the rumors will fall apart on their own.

Zhang Shulan instantly understood Madam Lu's good intentions and was deeply moved: "Madam is truly a good person."

-

Beijing.

After hearing the steward's report, Madam Zhang learned that her daughter's disappearance had been leaked and was known to everyone in the streets and alleys. She was so anxious and angry that she almost fainted.

She could almost imagine the consequences—even if Lan'er returned safely, she would be suspected of being impure, and the Zhang family would face the Xu family's annulment of the engagement.

With Lan'er's personality, how could she withstand such a blow!

Thinking of this, Madam Zhang felt as if her heart was being torn apart, and she was also filled with doubt. Who had leaked this news?

Madam Zhang is skilled at managing her subordinates, and the servants in the mansion are all very obedient. Moreover, ever since the incident last night, she has ordered the steward to keep a close watch on things, so the news could not have come from the mouths of the servants.

Moreover, the speed at which the rumors spread was so fast, it was clear that someone was stirring things up behind the scenes.

This was done intentionally.

After calming down, Madam Zhang called the butler in a deep voice: "Go, arrest a few of the people who spread the most rumors and find out the source of the information."

She wanted to let those who spread rumors know that the Grand Secretariat was not a pushover!

The butler took the order and left.

An hour later, the steward brought the two storytellers back to the Zhang family and pushed them in front of Madam Zhang: "Madam, the rumors came from them."

Madam Zhang coldly looked at the two refined-looking men in long gowns: "Speak, who told you to spread rumors?"

At first, the two refused to say anything, but Madam Zhang had someone bring over benches and gave each of them thirty strokes of the cane. They then confessed everything—it was a maidservant from the Duke of Dingguo's mansion who gave them a large sum of money to do this.

Madam Zhang was taken aback.

Dingguo Gongfu?

The Crown Prince's wife?

Isn't that Pei Wangzhou's legal wife?

The steward stepped forward to explain: "She is the daughter of Grand Tutor Yan. I heard that after the heir of the Duke of Dingguo took a concubine, he neglected her and favored Jiang. A few days ago, there was a lot of unrest in the household. This Yan may be holding a grudge and want to take this opportunity to ruin Jiang's reputation."

Madam Zhang came to her senses and realized that her daughter had been implicated.

She was furious and, disregarding any semblance of dignity befitting a noble family, jumped up.

"Yan is so vicious! Come on! Bring your men and come with me to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion. My daughter's reputation has already been ruined. Even if we have to tear off this mask today, I will let the world know what kind of person Yan Jinhe is!"

At this moment, the Duke of Dingguo's mansion was also on the verge of a major upheaval.

Ever since she learned last night that Yan Zhen had been kidnapped by bandits, Xu had been worried sick.

Even if she disliked Yan Zhen, she still hoped that Yan Zhen would return safely because she was carrying the blood of the Pei family.

She learned from her personal maid this morning that the news of Yan Zhen being captured by bandits had leaked and spread like wildfire throughout the city, and she almost couldn't catch her breath.

"How did the news get leaked?" Xu was panicked and at a loss.

The son went out to look for someone and hasn't returned yet. Jiang doesn't know if she's dead or alive. To make matters worse, the news leaked out at this time, which is like adding insult to injury for the already troubled Duke's Mansion.

Madam Feng, being relatively calmer, advised from the side, "Miss Jiang is a woman of her own mind; perhaps things aren't as bad as you think..."

Madam Xu said irritably, "No matter how resourceful she is, she's still just a woman. Can she grow wings and fly away when she encounters fierce bandits? Besides, there's a lot of gossip going on outside right now, and the things they're saying are as nasty as can be! She's ruined the reputation of the Duke's Mansion!"

Madam Feng muttered under her breath, "But it's not her fault..."

Madam Xu was furious: "If it's not her fault, whose fault is it? She and that young lady from the Zhang family, one is pregnant and the other is engaged, and instead of staying at home, she insisted on going to Qingshui Temple to burn incense, causing this trouble and making such a big fuss. She'd better die in a bandit's den, otherwise this matter will never be resolved!"

Startled, Madam Feng looked up sharply at Madam Xu.

Madam Xu glared at her sister-in-law: "I know you are on good terms with her and have received a lot of benefits from her, but if she, a woman with a tainted body and reputation, is found and brought back, the Duke's mansion will be disgraced because of her, and how will the daughters of the mansion find husbands?"

From now on, when others mention the Pei family, they won't talk about how high their social standing or how good their family background is, but rather that the young master's concubine was violated by bandits! With such a disgrace remaining, our daughters will be unable to marry!

Feng: "..."

She stopped talking.

After venting her anger, Madam Xu grew increasingly irritated. Just as she was pacing back and forth in the courtyard in frustration, a maidservant ran in: "Madam! Madam!"

Madam Xu scolded, "Why are you in such a panic?"

"The wife of the Grand Chancellor has arrived, accompanied by many people. She says she wants to see that person from the Brocade Garden..."

Xu was taken aback, and quickly exchanged a glance with Feng.

Why is Madam Zhang bringing people to our door at this time? She wants to see Yan Jinhe.

Madam Feng's mind worked faster than Madam Xu's. A bold idea popped into her head: "Could the person who leaked the information be Yan Jinhe?"

After all, she hated Jiang Li so much that she had this motive.

Reminded by her words, Madam Xu suddenly realized that Madam Zhang might have discovered something and had come to Yan Jinhe's door with her people to settle accounts.

Thinking about this, Xu was in a real bind.

If it really was Yan Jinhe who did it, then Zhang Shulan was completely implicated innocently.

Now that Madam Zhang has come to settle accounts, how should she, as the party in the wrong, respond?

As Xu walked out anxiously, she said to her maid, "Go quickly and inform the master to come back and make a decision."

As soon as Xu stepped out of the Duke's mansion, she saw Madam Zhang with a stern face, leading dozens of servants and guards armed with sticks, standing menacingly at the gate.

The two families are currently in the eye of the storm, and Madam Zhang's move instantly attracted a lot of passersby to watch the spectacle, blocking the huge Duke's mansion.

The sight sent chills down Xu's spine.

She wasn't good at handling these kinds of things, so she could only smile awkwardly and step forward: "Mrs. Zhang, it's been a long time..."

"No need for pleasantries. I'm not here as a guest today—Madam Pei, I need to see the Crown Prince's wife, Lady Yan. Please ask her to come out; I have something to ask her."

Xu: “…”

She grabbed Madam Zhang's arm and lowered her voice, saying, "Madam Zhang, the person hasn't even been found yet. If you make such a big fuss by coming here, won't that just confirm the rumors and make us a laughingstock?"

Madam Zhang brushed her hand away, not answering her question directly, but coldly and loudly said, "Madam Pei, please bring out Madam Yan. I have questions for her!"

As a daughter who loves her mother dearly, she has prepared for the worst—that her daughter may never come back.

Even if she came back, the uproar in public opinion left her no way out.

My daughter's life has been completely ruined.

Since that's the case, she might as well make a big scene; she will never let those who bullied her daughter get away with it.

Xu was still stalling for time by talking about other things, hoping to wait for Pei Yuanhong to return and deal with it. Madam Zhang saw through his intentions and waved her hand, and the people she brought barged in.