Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

188. Because I’m Madam Modest

Translator: Sissy That Walk

The imperial physician had already checked on Auntie Lu when the emperor arrived, it turned out Auntie Lu was fine, like other goods Prince Ning had purchased, the poison was fake as well.

Xiao Yi requested that the emperor should inquire the case of the Xiao family maintaining private troops on the spot, he demanded justice for his family.

“There are no so-called private troops, we have helped about two hundred thousand drought victims to settle down in Dingzhou. Your Majesty, we are so wronged that some people are slandering our family that we harbour evil designs when we are racking our brains to help out the victims!” Xiao Yi wept bitter tears.

With that Cao Mo took off his overcoat and Xiao Yi knelt down on the overcoat to protect his knees, Cao Mo kowtowed to the emperor as well, “Your Majesty, please investigate this and uphold justice for our family!”

Xiao Yi grabbed Cao Mo’s hands and the two wept disconsolately together.

The emperor felt so touched, he had never seen a loving couple in his life, everyone around him was calculating and sophisticated, he didn’t know whether there was someone who actually loved him for who he was instead of for the throne he was sitting on.

“Please rise, both of you. I will investigate this.” said the emperor.

Prince Xing chimed in, “Father, the Lu woman now is awake, shall we interrogate her?”

The emperor shot Prince Xing a warning look, he wished his son could be more patient. He personally would like to keep Xiao Yi and Cao Mo waiting for longer thus they would be more grateful when everything was settled.

Prince Xing noticed the emperor’s warning look, he added promptly, “It’s just the Lus tend to commit suicide when they are captured, I just want to find more useful information from her before it’s too late.”

Prince Xing was talking about Lu Jianzhong who had committed suicide when he was interrogated.

The emperor was a bit appeased, “You have a point!”

With that Auntie Lu was dragged to the palace, she took a hairpin from and threw herself at Cao Mo the second she set foot in the palace, “I will drag you down at my last breath!”

Both Cao Mo and Xiao Yi were caught off guard, Xiao Yi stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Cao Mo to protect him, the hairpin pierced his back!

Cao Mo gasped, “Yi, are you all right?”

Xiao Yi groaned in pain.

Cao Mo turned around and kicked Auntie Lu on the ground, “Why do you want to kill me time and again, what have I done to you to deserve this!”

Auntie Lu threw the hairpin which was dripping blood on the ground and pointed at Cao Mo, “Why don’t you ask yourself, you evil spirit! The more you do, the more you are exposing yourself! Mirrors, printing, lotion, pandemic prescription, no way can a human being accomplish so many things! You can talk to ghosts as well!”

“Are you out of your mind?” Cao Mo shushed Auntie Lu, he didn’t want the emperor hear this and suspect him.

But it was too late, the emperor squinted his eyes and shot a look at Cao Mo.

Xiao Yi defended Cao Mo, “Your Majesty, my Second Aunt has lost her mind months ago, she has been talking about she was haunted and she blamed it on Mo, but Mo has only been to her house twice, probably my aunt is seeing things because of guilt. Everyone in our manor knows she is crazy, she has once thrown my younger brother Qian into a water vat trying to drown him, please don’t believe whatever she is talking about.”

The emperor still didn’t say a word.

Prince Xing asked, “Father, shall we continue the interrogation?”

“What do you think?” the emperor threw the question back at Prince Xing.

“I think we better send for an imperial physician to check Madam Lu.” replied Prince Xing.

“Madam Lu? Since when is she a madam?”

“Imperial Concubine Fair conferred her the title yesterday.” Prince Xing took advantage of the chance and complained about Imperial Concubine Fair again.

The emperor snorted and said, “Don’t hit a person when he is down.”

Prince Xing explained, “Father, that’s not what I meant. I’m just feeling sorry for recommending Prince Ning to take charge of purchasing for the festival, now he is grounded in his manor, of course Imperial Concubine Fair gets worried and made poor judgement on conferring madam titles.”

The emperor now looked mollified, “I’m glad to know you are not hitting people when they are down. Withdraw the Lu woman’s title, a superstitions woman like her doesn’t deserve a madam title, throw her to the ministry of penalty and interrogate her!”

Xiao Yi’s heart sank on hearing ‘the ministry of penalty’, Auntie Lu knew a lot of their family’s secret, he hoped Auntie Lu wouldn’t say anything to arouse the emperor’s suspicion.

Cao Mo squeezed Xiao Yi’s hand and said, “Don’t worry, the emperor won’t believe a word of what Auntie Lu is going to say.”

“Why?”

“Because the emperor just announced that I’m Madam Modest. What will become of the emperor if Auntie Lu insists that I’m evil spirit and I’ve been committing crimes?”

Hearing that, Xiao Yi chuckled. No way would an emperor contradict himself, praising Cao Mo last second and punishing him the next.

With that Cao Mo and Xiao Yi cuddled tightly.

The emperor now understood why Auntie Lu hated Cao Mo’s guts, he was able to charm everyone around him, of course Auntie Lu would get jealous.

‘I will talk to Han Qi and see what I can do with this Cao Mo… …’, thought the emperor.

Typhoon had hit several towns in the south after Dragon Boat Festival. The neighbouring country took advantage of the situation and invaded the border, to make it worse, a pestilence was raging in that area as well.

The emperor had lost all desire for food and drink, he had been as restless as ants on a hot pan, wishing to find a solution. But no one in court made any constructive suggestion, no one wanted to be sent to the south except Yao Wenyuan.

Prince Xing got so worried after he heard that, he asked Xiao Yi to persuade Yao Wenyuan for him.

“Your Highness, please tell me why Cousin Wenyuan is so determined this time, have you two patched up yet?” asked Xiao Yi.

“Here is the thing, the empress has selected Taifu Yang’s daughter for me, so Yao Wenyuan has been avoiding me. Yi, please ask Mo to help me to bring Wenyuan to his senses, I know he resents me for this, but he shouldn’t risk his own life and venture into the south!”

Xiao Yi pulled a long face, and he didn’t say anything.

‘Mo would have asked me to stay away from you if he knew you were about to marry someone else! Poor Cousin Wenyuan! Mo will hate me if he knows I try to talk you up.’ thought Xiao Yi.

Xiao Yi then noticed Yao Wenyuan was looking at him, so he stepped aside to keep a distance with Prince Xing, he didn’t want to get involved.