Chapter 23: Verbal Sparring

The Marquis of Chengwu sat at his desk, busy cleaning and inscribing the ceremonial tablet he would need for the morning court session the following day.

The Marchioness, ignoring his preoccupation, recounted the entire ordeal: her poisoning earlier that day and her subsequent conversation with their son. Finally, she performed a formal, respectful bow, her voice thick with tears as she pleaded, "I am truly at my wit's end. I beseech the Marquis to deal with this!"

Initially, when their son claimed the midwife had swapped their daughter, the Marquis, concerned for the reputation of the Marquisate, had intended to let the error stand. Had the Marchioness not persisted out of love for her daughter, the Marquis would never have relented, and Meng Zhenyue would never have had the chance to step into the household and poison their son. Now, she sought the Marquis’s intervention because she knew he possessed none of a woman's soft-heartedness; his fury and his methods would be far more effective in securing justice for their son.

The Marquis slammed his belongings down and roared, "Such a thing has actually occurred!" He shouted orders: "Bring her here! Prepare the boards! And then..."

Seeing the Marquis so enraged, the Marchioness trembled slightly. A flicker of anxiety took hold of her, and as she was about to plead for leniency—hoping he would administer only a few blows before casting the girl out, ensuring she would learn her lesson without causing their son further harm—the Marquis suddenly fell silent. A wave of panic washed over her. Could it be that the Marquis intended to... to kill her?

Before the Marchioness could voice her fear, the Marquis’s tone deflated like a punctured ball, his aggression waning as he muttered, "Never mind. Let her copy the scriptures and the *Precepts for Women* one hundred times... No, first, summon her here so I may have a word with her."

"Ah... ah?" The Marchioness gaped in confusion.

At that moment, his personal attendant, Yaowang, stepped forward to tidy the mess. The Marquis huffed, flicked his sleeves, and stood up. He had intended to discipline Meng Zhenyue for throwing the household into chaos, but a new thought had crossed his mind. Judging by the belt she had given him yesterday, Meng Zhenyue’s needlework was superior to that of Zhizhi, making her a prime candidate for the embroidery academy of the Grand Princess of Jingyi.

That academy was the most coveted destination for noble ladies in the capital—no, for women across the Great Zhou Dynasty. Though the powerful Grand Princess of Jingyi was at odds with Prince Chen, she was not aligned with the Emperor, and for years, Emperor Jinghe had sought ways to win her favor. If a daughter of the Marquis of Chengwu were selected for the academy, would there be any doubt about the family’s prestige or the Emperor’s favor? Meng Zhenyue was also sharper than Zhizhi; she was the perfect choice.

Thus, he chose to handle the matter lightly, intending to trade his forgiveness for her loyalty and service. He was about to briefly explain his plan to his wife when he suddenly realized that the servants in Yuehua Courtyard were mostly long-time staff of the house. How could Meng Zhenyue, having just returned, command them? Once this thought took root, it grew uncontrollably. He soon wondered: if it were Meng Zhenyue who had orchestrated this, were all those eyes in the courtyard blind?

Moreover, why would Meng Zhenyue poison someone so blatantly? She would be the first to be suspected, so how could she possibly cover her tracks? As he turned the matter over in his mind, the Marquis clenched his fists in frustration. This was clearly the work of Xianzhi!

He glared at the Marchioness, on the verge of calling her a fool, when his gaze fell upon the tablet Yaowang had placed on the desk. Suddenly, he was struck by a realization. The eldest son of the Xiao family—Xiao Jide!

The Marquis’s anger toward his wife subsided slightly. Gritting his teeth, he said, "My lady, have you considered that this might be the Xiao family’s move against Xianzhi in preparation for the upcoming Martial Examination?"

The Marchioness stared at him in shock. Seeing her silence, the Marquis paced with his hands behind his back, detailing the anomalies he had perceived. With every word, the Marchioness’s indignation flared. So that was it! The wretched Xiao family! They had actually made her doubt her own children! Thankful that she had consulted the Marquis, she leaned against his broad chest and wept, "My Lord, you must see justice done for our son!"

Soon after, she stopped crying, a thought striking her with worry. She looked up and asked, "But... if the two families turn against one another, what will become of Zhizhi’s marriage?" Both she and the Marquis knew that this match was no simple union; it was aimed at the half of the Zhao army controlled by the grandfather of the Third Young Master Xiao.

The Marquis frowned, but after a moment of contemplation, he narrowed his eyes and said with an air of confidence, "I have plenty of ways to handle this." He then instructed his wife to soothe Meng Zhenyue and spoke in detail about the arrangement for Zhao Zhizhi. The Marchioness agreed repeatedly, though when the topic of Zhizhi’s marriage arose, she hesitated, wanting to offer advice but ultimately settling for, "The Marquis is wise." She had to know when to put the greater good first.

She then took her leave of Rusong Courtyard to carry out the Marquis’s orders. After she left, the Marquis sat back down at his desk and picked up his tablet once more, writing with newfound ease.

The next day, just before dawn, the officials were already gathered outside the palace, awaiting the hour to enter for the morning court session. As it happened, the moment the fully adorned Marquis of Chengwu stepped off his horse, he saw a carriage stop nearby. It looked unremarkable, yet every detail of it was extraordinary. The Grand Tutor Xiao, who stepped out and began nodding to others with a smile, emerged from that very carriage.

Seeing the Grand Tutor, the Marquis was consumed with rage: *You pretentious old fool, just you wait!* He did not go over to pay his respects, but instead flicked his sleeves slightly and marched toward the line of military officials.

The Grand Tutor, who was enjoying the flattery of officials lower in rank than himself, noticed the Marquis’s gesture and felt deeply displeased. *This foolish Marquis, is he trying to show off in front of me?* The Grand Tutor secretly noted this in his mind.

During the morning court, as the eunuch shouted for any reports, the Grand Tutor aimed to step forward and impeach the fool, but someone beat him to it. The Grand Tutor looked up—it was that very fool!

"Your Majesty, my son Xianzhi was poisoned with oleander yesterday. I have investigated and confirmed it was not done by anyone in my household, nor does the Marquisate grow oleander."

"I have found clues suggesting the culprit sought to eliminate a rival before the Martial Examination. Alas, the culprit was cunning, and the evidence has been destroyed. It is a pity that I cannot secure justice for my son."

"I propose that we increase the guard and strictly investigate all matters concerning the Martial Examination in the days leading up to it!"

The Marquis’s booming voice echoed through the great hall. The Grand Tutor felt that something was amiss, his mind racing to fathom the Marquis’s true intent. He was so distracted that he did not even hear the Emperor’s response until the Marquis called out to him loudly, "Grand Tutor Xiao!" Only then did he snap to attention.

He felt a sudden jolt of alarm. Was this directed at him?

The Marquis, feigning kindness, offered a warning: "I recall that the Grand Tutor’s residence grows oleander. Since your eldest son is also participating in the Martial Examination, you must be careful, lest he accidentally ingest it and be poisoned."

A surge of fury rose within the Grand Tutor. Connecting the dots, it was as if the Marquis were openly accusing him of poisoning his son! Within the hall, from the Emperor down to the lowest official, all eyes turned toward him. The Grand Tutor felt humiliated, as if those gazes were a blight upon his honor; he was mortified! *Which nerve has this idiot struck today to come biting at me?*

The Grand Tutor was about to retort when he suddenly thought of his eldest son. *Could it be...?* Fearing that he might provoke an investigation that would reveal his own son’s involvement and bring shame upon himself, he suppressed his anger, bowed, and said, "I thank the Marquis of Chengwu for the reminder."

"Grand Tutor Xiao." The Emperor above opened his lips.