Chapter 923: Chapter 918: Winter Jackets

The Minister of Ministry of Industry was just dismissed like that.

Several ministers entered the Imperial Palace to plead with the Emperor, but their efforts were in vain, pushing this matter to a greater climax.

Everywhere in the city, whether it be tea houses or taverns, people were discussing this matter.

Su Jin had no intention of using Nanny Wei’s death to establish her authority.

Yet, after this incident, her prestige surpassed the past.

Just because the Minister of Ministry of Industry’s wife feared her, she poisoned Nanny Wei, the biological aunt of the personal maid of the Princess Consort Zhenbei.

With the Princess Consort Zhenbei enraged, a Lord Minister was demoted four ranks by the Emperor.

Who else could compare to such favor?

The Emperor spoils his daughter to the heavens and almost spoils himself into an ignorant ruler.

Outside the court, discussions abound.

However, within the court, everything is unusually calm.

Could it be any less calm?

Serving in the court, there are many private exchanges too, the Minister of Ministry of Industry’s dismissal led several ministers to enter the palace to help plead, advising the Emperor not to overly favor the princess.

But the ministers left the palace shortly after entering, no matter who inquired, there was only one response: “The Minister of Ministry of Industry’s Mansion brought it upon themselves.”

Just one sentence, nothing more.

Even those who sided with the Minister of Ministry of Industry claimed it was self-inflicted. Who among those observing this spectacle would waste their time interceding?

Yet, curiosity about how the Minister of Ministry of Industry’s Mansion brought it upon themselves lingered in their hearts.

The Minister’s wife committed the poisoning of Nanny Wei, but according to the court’s laws, demoting the Minister four ranks seemed overly severe.

No one spoke of it, leaving this case as an unsolved mystery.

From the Imperial Palace, Su Jin went to the small courtyard where Nanny Wei and Nanny Ji lived.

Nanny Wei’s body had already been taken back, and Nanny Ji was arranging her funeral.

Su Jin wasn’t sure if Nanny Wei’s death should be attributed to her involvement.

Judging by the Minister’s wife’s disposition, Nanny Wei most likely couldn’t escape death.

Though the narrative of Consort Yun’s death was due to Su Jin trading for ointment.

Yet Su Jin held gratitude towards Nanny Wei.

Nanny Ji was kneeling on the ground, burning paper money.

Su Jin offered three sticks of incense to Nanny Wei.

Nanny Ji’s nose was tinged with acidity.

She and Nanny Wei were sisters forged through struggle.

Back then in the palace, Nanny Ji and Nanny Wei were at odds, with intentions to step over each other for advancement.

Eventually, Nanny Wei admitted defeat, voluntarily stopping the struggle and reconciled with her.

Once Nanny Wei softened, Nanny Ji found the competition pointless.

What was there to compete for?

Going from a second-class palace maid to a first-class one, they were still maids, their lives in others’ hands, mere fish and meat on someone else’s chopping board.

Nanny Wei stopped competing, preferring to live well, hoping to leave the palace at twenty-five.

Initially, Nanny Ji thought Nanny Wei was pretending, but witnessed her transformation.

Without an adversary, Nanny Ji found herself bored, and the once antagonistic pair became close sisters.

Warming each other in the cold palace, they endured together for ten years.

Nanny Wei had no family left, nor did Nanny Ji.

They regarded each other as the closest kin.

Now that Nanny Wei was murdered, Nanny Ji felt desolate.

“With the Princess Consort’s help to seek justice, Nanny Wei can rest easy in the afterlife,” said Nanny Ji with tears.

Su Jin didn’t know what to say, only offering, “Please restrain your grief and adapt to changes.”

Xingxing stood by Su Jin’s side.

Su Jin looked at her and said, “To find the murderer for Nanny Wei, we had no choice but to declare Nanny Wei as Xingxing’s biological aunt, so Xingxing should arrange Nanny Wei’s final affairs.”

“These days, I’ll have Xingxing assist you until Nanny Wei is buried due to security.”

Nanny Ji wiped her tears and said, “Having the Princess Consort’s personal maid help with the funeral arrangements is a blessing that Nanny Wei accumulated during her lifetime.”

Su Jin stayed for a while before leaving.

Xingxing remained behind.

Three days later, Nanny Wei was buried.

Watching Nanny Wei laid to rest, after burning incense, Xingxing returned to the Prince Zhenbei Mansion.

Nanny Ji stayed one night at the small courtyard and went to the Marquis Jingguo Mansion the next day.

She no longer had the heart to teach Qin Hanhan the family rules; she came to resign.

Nanny Wei taught decorum so thoroughly she ended up losing her life; who knows if she might follow in Nanny Wei’s footsteps?

She wished to live more peacefully.

The Marchioness Jingguo sympathized with her, did not make things difficult, and gave her a farewell gift.

Qin Hanhan felt compassion, retaining her, “Where could Nanny Ji go, with no kith or kin?”

“Leaving the capital alone may be more unsafe than staying in the Capital City.”

“If you think well of me, why not stay as the housekeeper in the Marquis Jingguo Mansion?”

Qin Hanhan, though married from Southern Border, despite the grand escort at her wedding, had few stay behind.

Southern Border’s customs differ from Daqi’s, making it tough to leave one’s homeland.

Qin Hanhan sent those accompanying her, the maids and servants, back to Southern Border with Third Master Qin.

Now those serving beside her are from Marquis Jingguo Mansion.

Though no one dared slight her as the Heir’s wife, using them wasn’t always smooth.

Nanny Ji, although invited by Marchioness Jingguo back to the mansion, wasn’t considered hers.

Nanny Ji, having come from the palace, was strictly disciplined. With her by her side, guiding her, she could avoid making mistakes.

Qin Hanhan’s insistence to retain Nanny Ji was well-received by Marchioness Jingguo, who said, “It would be better for Nanny Ji to stay in Marquis Jingguo Mansion, as the Heir’s wife indeed needs a reliable person.”

Nanny Ji’s nose turned sour.

Qin Hanhan’s repeated urging had Nanny Ji kneel and pledge loyalty.

Agarwood Pavilion, backyard.

Xingxing sat on the steps, gazing at the sky in wistfulness.

She had only met Nanny Wei once, yet became her “niece”.

After losing her “aunt”, the maids and matrons of Agarwood Pavilion comforted her whenever they saw her.

Knowing her fondness for food, they prepared numerous delicious dishes and treats for her.

Then—

Xingxing grew even more sorrowful.

With Nanny Wei’s death, her own lady had lost appetite.

That was her “real aunt”; her aunt’s death robbed her of any desire to eat.

She couldn’t be heartless.

In anguish, Xingxing returned all the tempting delicacies she had wanted to keep.

Now she was somewhat afraid to go to the front courtyard, fearing she couldn’t resist taking a pile of food boxes back.

After several days, Su Jin’s mood had somewhat calmed.

Nanny Wei was already dead; she had to find another way to uncover the truth behind Consort Yun’s death, anger wouldn’t solve the issue.

However, just when Su Jin was exerting her mind for solutions, trouble arose within the court.

An urgent report came from eight hundred miles away; the cold-resistant garments prepared for the border soldiers by the court were ambushed during transport, largely burned by fire arrows.

As soon as the news spread to the Capital City, the court was enraged.

The days were getting colder each day, it’s uncertain when heavy snow would fall.

The border was even colder.

Actually, a batch of padded garments had already been sent to the border earlier, the court wouldn’t wait until winter to send them.

But due to cut corners, the thickness of the padded garments was inadequate, with poor cold resistance, Marquis Dongxiang sent an eight-hundred-mile-urgent memorial back to the Capital City to curse the Emperor.

In fury, the Emperor beheaded over ten people, both high and low, in the Clothing Workshop, and promoted a new group.

This batch was rush-made for shipment.

Being set on fire and destroyed, how would border soldiers survive the winter?

Freezing people were shivering, how would they confront the enemy?

This ploy was clearly collusion between insiders and Nanliang as traitors.

Prince Qi escaped, Duke Chong’s whereabouts were unknown.

Their suspicion over the torched garments was greatest.

The Emperor was livid, dispatching people to investigate the arsonists while urgently mobilizing to produce padded garments for emergency shipment to the border.

Simultaneously, far at the border, Marquis Dongxiang and Old Prince were also enraged by the burnt garments.

With the padded garments destroyed, the cold wind shook the soldiers’ morale.

Marquis Dongxiang was furious beyond control.

The money allocated by the court was enough to manufacture padded garments; yet, due to repeated embezzlement, soldier’s garments were thinned repeatedly.

Those engrossed in wealth and indulgence in comforts, could they ever consider the soldiers shivering in the cold wind?

Marquis Dongxiang was stationed far at the border, had he been in the Capital City, who knows how many more would suffer?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep