Chapter Nineteen: Suspicion

"Master, I truly could not understand before how the eldest sister-in-law, the daughter of a minor official, could ever afford such an exquisite flower. Now, however, I see it all clearly," Lady Wang said, seizing the opportunity as Jia Zheng approached.

"Are you still dwelling on that flower? Have you not learned your lesson from what happened before?" Jia Zheng now turned pale at the mere mention of flowers, yet Lady Wang insisted on bringing it up in his ear.

"I know I was wrong, but I suspect you do not know the reason behind this matter, Master. Zhao’s maiden family manages a flower shop. They could have easily put in a good word for the Jia family back then. Perhaps we would not have had to spend such an exorbitant price buying an order from others, only to be mocked for it!" At the mere thought, Lady Wang wished she could skin Qin Mingyue alive to satisfy her spite.

"Where did you hear this news?" Jia Zheng’s attitude shifted instantly upon hearing this.

"I discovered that the flower was a gift to the eldest sister-in-law from the Zhao woman. Following the trail, I learned that her brother, Zhao Guoji, became the manager of that flower shop after leaving our estate. Had we known this earlier, we might have established a connection with Prince Sheng, who stands behind the shop. Why would we have needed to waste so much money? It is hateful that the Zhao woman never uttered a word; she clearly harbors ulterior motives!" Lady Wang spoke as if it were a self-evident truth, never once considering whether Prince Sheng would even deign to notice them.

"Is what you say true?" Jia Zheng began to waver. Although their Jia family was currently close to the Crown Prince, the power of Prince Gong could not be underestimated. If they could truly connect with Prince Gong through Prince Sheng, it might provide the Jia estate with a way out.

"It is absolutely certain! If you do not believe me, Master, you may call Lian over and ask him yourself!" Lady Wang insisted.

For safety's sake, Jia Zheng summoned Jia Lian.

"Lian, did you truly see that Zhao Guoji had become the manager of the flower shop that day?" Jia Zheng demanded as soon as Jia Lian entered.

"This... I did indeed see him there, but I heard him say he was merely doing odd jobs and held no real authority, so I did not take it to heart," Jia Lian replied, puzzled, yet recounting everything he knew.

"And you believed what he said? I always thought you were sharp, but I never expected you to be so foolish in this matter. The Zhao family is clearly hiding something from us," Lady Wang said, venting her frustration on Jia Lian. If she hadn't sent her own people to investigate, she would never have known that Jia Lian had seen Zhao Guoji at the shop, only to be deceived so easily.

"Madam, if Zhao Guoji had such capability, he would have been promoted long ago after serving in the Jia household for so many years. He likely only helped the manager of the Yunxiang Pavilion with a few things and was lucky enough to be kept on," Jia Lian did not believe that someone who had been a servant for years could suddenly change so much; it was nothing more than a stroke of luck.

"Do not speak of this to anyone yet. I have my own plans," Jia Zheng said, finding Jia Lian's assessment plausible. Lady Wang was merely a woman who panicked at the slightest rumor; she understood nothing of the relationships in the outside world.

***

Qin Mingyue was soon summoned to the Matriarch’s quarters.

"Zhao! Do you know your crime?"

As soon as Qin Mingyue entered, a sharp reprimand rang out. She sneered inwardly; it was clearly the matter of the flower shop that had brought these three to such a state of agitation.

"I beg for the Matriarch’s forgiveness. I truly do not know what I have done wrong. Could you enlighten me?" Qin Mingyue wore a look of utter confusion, making Jia Zheng wonder if he had truly misjudged her.

Lady Wang cursed the "fox-like creature" in her heart, thinking of how skilled she was at using underhanded tactics.

"Do you know that your brother, Zhao Guoji, is a manager at the Zhao Flower Shop?" The Matriarch, still as sharp as ever, was not so easily fooled.

"I do," Qin Mingyue answered crisply, and the Matriarch’s expression darkened instantly.

"Master! The Zhao woman truly harbors ulterior motives!" Lady Wang cried out to the scowling Jia Zheng.

"Our Jia estate will not tolerate such a treacherous concubine. If you do not confess the truth, do not blame me for being heartless. What exactly is your brother’s relationship with Prince Sheng?" The Matriarch’s gaze turned vicious.

"I am wronged! Matriarch, I am but a woman; how would I know such a person as Prince Sheng? I only know that after my brother left the estate, he found work at a flower shop. I know nothing of Prince Sheng!" Qin Mingyue collapsed onto the floor, acting the part of a wronged victim with flawless conviction.

"Still lying! That flower in Lady Xing’s room was a gift from you. Looking at its quality, how could the Zhao family possibly afford it?" Lady Wang fanned the flames, pinning the blame for the Jia family’s past humiliation on Qin Mingyue.

"Madam, before the new year, my brother could not find work and often came to the estate to borrow silver to support his family. Later, he told me he was working at a flower shop, and the shopkeeper had given him that flower. He brought it to me to lift my spirits. But I am a vulgar person; how would I know the value of such a flower? Seeing that the eldest mistress liked it, I gave it to her. If I had known it was so valuable, I would never have given it away!"

Qin Mingyue played the part of a greedy person filled with regret so well that the Matriarch, despite her disdain, was mostly convinced.

***

The Matriarch summoned the maids and matrons from Qin Mingyue’s courtyard, as well as the gatekeepers, and interrogated them thoroughly. The conclusions matched Qin Mingyue’s story almost perfectly, leaving the Matriarch feeling somewhat deflated.

"Ignorant woman! From now on, stay in your courtyard. Do not leave without reason, and do not let outsiders enter!" Jia Zheng said, exasperated. After all this trouble, it seemed the Zhao woman knew nothing, and Zhao Guoji was likely just a small fry who knew nothing of Prince Sheng.

"Wait! If your brother comes, let the gatekeepers let him through. After all, he served as a manager in our house for many years; would it not be cold-hearted to ignore him?" The Matriarch seemed to return to her usual, benevolent demeanor.

"Thank you, Matriarch. I will certainly have my brother thank you for your great kindness!" Qin Mingyue kowtowed with a look of gratitude before being permitted to withdraw, knowing she would have to be even more careful when meeting Zhao Guoji in the future.

"Mother! We are just letting her go? That Zhao woman was certainly not telling the truth!" Lady Wang was unwilling to let Qin Mingyue off so easily.

"Enough. Send more people to watch her. If the Zhao family really is connected to Prince Sheng, they could be useful to the estate. But I suspect this woman is unaware; just keep a closer eye on Zhao Guoji," the Matriarch said, dismissing them all.

"Master, someone has been following Zhao Guoji recently. My men have discovered it is people from the Rongguo estate," inside Prince Gong’s residence, they had already noticed the surveillance on Zhao Guoji.

"Any movement from that concubine in the Jia household?"

"She has not been discovered, though she suspects Zhao Guoji is connected to Prince Sheng."

"She is quite clever," Prince Gong knew that Zhao Guoji’s success was inseparable from the help of that concubine, and he felt a sudden sense of appreciation for her talent.

"Help them resolve this matter. Do not let it interfere with the fifth prince's business." After all, the Rongguo estate was on the Crown Prince’s side. If it were discovered how important the Zhao family was, the Crown Prince’s side might not be able to keep it hidden, so Xiao Junchi decided to intervene and help the Zhao family.