You Stole My Husband, So I Seduced Your Son - Chapter 68

Song’s father had indeed been the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Xin Mi, naturally, knew more about this matter than anyone else. After a moment of reflection, the Old Madam sighed, “Prince Guangyang never intended to rebel. He merely sought to reap the benefits of others’ conflicts, but in the end, he outsmarted himself.”

Noticing the several pairs of eyes fixed on her, the Old Madam continued in a somber tone, “Among the imperial princes of that era, Prince Guangyang stood out for his exceptional talent and scholarship. He enjoyed widespread acclaim in court, earning the unwavering support of officials. Moreover, he had married the daughter of Grand Academician Min, who had even tutored the Late Emperor himself.”

“So, he was considered the Crown Prince’s only viable successor?” Second Madam Tan asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Indeed, that was the prevailing sentiment at the time,” the Old Madam replied. “However, the Late Emperor grew wary of Prince Guangyang’s excessive reputation, suspecting it might be a facade for personal gain. To test the prince’s character, the Emperor deliberately favored Prince Zhangwu while suppressing Prince Guangyang, hoping to gauge the latter’s magnanimity. If Prince Guangyang proved narrow-minded, the Late Emperor feared he might target the remaining imperial princes after ascending the throne.”

The group nodded in unison, acknowledging the meticulousness required in selecting an heir to the throne.

“What a pity! Prince Zhangwu enjoyed the Emperor’s excessive favor and held military power. Seeing that the court officials overwhelmingly supported Prince Guangyang, he feared he couldn’t win the succession struggle and began plotting a rebellion to usurp the throne.”

“Ah! So the Emperor was bitten by the wolf he raised?” Song Xuwan exclaimed in surprise.

Hearing this, Old Madam shook her head. “That was the Late Emperor himself. How could he fail to see through Prince Zhangwu’s intentions? He had already made arrangements to ensure Prince Zhangwu’s rebellion would fail.”

“The Late Emperor had prepared everything meticulously. He even gave the Imperial Guards Commander’s token to Prince Guangyang, instructing him to lead his troops and the court officials into the palace at the appointed hour to crush Prince Zhangwu’s rebellion in one swift move. The Late Emperor also wanted to test whether Prince Guangyang possessed brotherly compassion toward Prince Zhangwu.”

“Another test,” Eldest Madam Qin remarked.

This wasn’t just a test of Prince Zhangwu’s strength, but also of Prince Guangyang’s decisiveness and benevolence.

At this, Old Madam let out a scornful laugh. “Prince Guangyang is a clever one. He figured that even if he suppressed Prince Zhangwu’s rebellion, he would only become Crown Prince afterward. It would be better to delay his entry into the palace, let the Late Emperor and Prince Zhangwu weaken each other, and then seize the throne directly.”

“Heh, what a clever one,” someone remarked.

Old Madam chuckled in agreement. “Indeed. The truth is, the Late Emperor had already executed Prince Zhangwu in the palace. When Prince Guangyang finally arrived, he didn’t find the Late Emperor’s corpse, but the Late Emperor’s thunderous wrath. That’s why he didn’t rebel—he simply arrived late on purpose.”

“What’s the difference between failing to rescue the Emperor and regicide?”

“But the Late Emperor was benevolent. After Prince Guangyang’s suicide, he didn’t punish his family. The current Emperor was just an unremarkable member of the imperial clan back then. He was fortunate to have the throne fall into his lap.”

If Prince Guangyang hadn’t been so clever, Ji Moyang might already be the Crown Prince. Given his extraordinary talent, that would have been a true blessing for the nation.

Alas, having such a cunning father meant being outmaneuvered by the even more cunning Late Emperor. Prince Guangyang’s schemes came to nothing, and he lost his life in the process.

Of course, if not for this, she would never have had the chance to become involved with Ji Moyang. As the wife of a fifth-rank official, she likely would never have had the opportunity to meet the Crown Prince in her lifetime.

Second Madam Tan, upon hearing these old stories, sneered, “Grand Academician Min’s talent is undeniable, but raising a daughter who would set her sights on Prince Guangyang’s daughter speaks volumes about his character. At the very least, his judgment of people is questionable. Your family would do well to keep their distance from the Min Family in the future.”

Song Xuwan had heard her eldest brother, Song Zhijian, mention this matter the previous night. As long as they didn’t plot rebellion, there was no political risk involved.

As for personal matters, she was already working to distance herself from Madam Min and her family, but this required a gradual approach.

“Thank you for your concern, Second Sister-in-Law.”

Eldest Madam Qin glanced at Song Xuwan several times before finally warning, “I heard Zhou Minghai once studied at Grand Academician Min’s residence. Wouldn’t that mean he and Min Rongxue saw each other often? Now that he’s so eager to help her, Little Sister, you should be wary. Men have many dark corners in their hearts.”

Song Xuwan chuckled dryly. Her eldest sister-in-law’s words were indeed sharp and to the point. She replied, “Eldest Sister-in-Law, you’re overthinking things. Madam Min’s character is as pure as the moon; she would never approve of Zhou Minghai.”

It was hard to say whether it was Zhou Minghai’s tragedy or Song Xuwan’s. Her own husband was obsessively chasing after another woman, only to be coldly rebuffed.

“Hmph!” Second Madam Tan scoffed. “If she disdains your Zhou Minghai, why does she keep him running errands? That’s the most disgusting part. If there’s nothing between them, why does she haunt him like a ghost? Little sister, don’t be fooled by Zhou Minghai.”

This time, Song Xuwan finally laughed. It turned out everyone knew about her humiliation except Min Rongxue, who continued to use Zhou Minghai without a shred of guilt.

The Old Madam, growing uncomfortable, said sternly, “If you can’t handle this yourself, have your brother deal with it. A demon is a demon, no matter how it disguises itself as a celestial being.”

“Alright, I’ll go find Second Brother right away and have him investigate Zhou Minghai thoroughly.”

Seeing Song Xuwan take the matter seriously, the others fell silent. Seizing the opportunity, Song Xuwan went to find her second brother, Song Zhili.

“Second Brother,” she said directly, “have you found any leads on the Sterility Potion?”

“I have.”

“Really?” Song Xuwan’s excitement surged. She grabbed her brother’s arm. “Where is it? Give it to me now!”

“Let go!” Song Zhili snapped, annoyed. “This is a new robe.”

He pretended to brush dust off his sleeves before saying solemnly, “The medicine is still being tested. It’s too early to say if it will work.”

If a single dose rendered his sister’s husband incapable, his sister would be living as a widow in name only for the rest of her life.

“When can I have it?” Song Xuwan asked, still brimming with excitement.

“Just wait. I’ll send it over when it’s ready.”

With this matter settled, Song Xuwan’s spirits soared. Her only worry now was that Zhou Minghai might climb into Min Rongxue’s bed before the medicine arrived.

After spending the afternoon at the Song Residence, the three women reluctantly made their way back to the Zhou Residence.

As they passed through the bustling marketplace, Ningning and Liyue pressed their faces against the carriage windows, their eyes wide with longing to explore.

Song Xuwan shook her head firmly. Without a male escort, wandering through the crowded market would inevitably attract unwanted attention.

Seeing their disappointment, she relented slightly. “Alright, if you see anything you want to eat, I’ll have a servant buy it for you.”

“But remember, your father doesn’t approve of you eating from street vendors. We need to finish everything before we return to the residence, and we can’t tell him about it.”

Ningning nodded eagerly, pointing to a vendor’s call. “I want that!”

Liyue mustered her courage and pointed to another snack. A servant trailing the carriage immediately ran to purchase the treats, and the group continued their journey, buying and eating along the way.