I really don't want to take shortcuts anymore

Chapter 495 Hysteria
Zhang Xianqiu hadn't had a good night's sleep for several nights. Before dawn, she called her trusted maid in to wash up and asked in a low voice, "Is Madam Meng not back yet?"

"No." The maid's face was also very unhappy. She said in a low and quick voice: "We have sent out all the people who can be sent, and even hired people to go there to inquire, but there is still no news. It's like she disappeared out of thin air. I really can't figure out who has such great ability to cover up the sky with one hand and stir up trouble in Xijing."

With a loud "bang", the door was kicked open by someone from outside.

Zhang Xianqiu was furious and turned around and shouted, "Who is it?"

She caught sight of Huo Xuan walking in with a gloomy face and his hands behind his back, and swallowed back the rest of her words.

Huo Xuan's eyes did not fall on the female servant who was already kneeling on the ground, but his words were merciless:
"It's these servants who are making trouble every day. Since Madam is not willing to discipline them, I have no choice but to do it for them - drag them away and beat them to death in public together with that Madam Meng, so that everyone will know what the fate of the evil servants who instigate their masters is!"

Two personal attendants immediately rushed in, picked up the maid, whose body had collapsed into the mud, and carried her out like a chick.

From beginning to end, she kept looking at Zhang Xianqiu with longing eyes, and kept shouting "Madam, help me", but unfortunately the other party didn't even look at her.

Ever since she heard the three words "Madame Meng", Zhang Xianqiu turned her head with a look of astonishment, staring at her husband in a high position with her mouth open, unable to utter a word.

The door was closed from the outside, leaving only the couple in the room.

In the distance, one could faintly hear the dull sound of a heavy object hitting flesh, and the suppressed screams.

Zhang Xianqiu's face turned pale, and he found his voice again: "My husband, what are you going to do? Nanny Meng is my chambermaid, and Ah Zhu is my personal maid, how can you just treat her so casually?"

Huo Xuan did not answer directly. He looked at his wife with a very strange look, which seemed to be mixed with a little, barely perceptible sympathy.

"Madam, you probably don't know that the largest underground force in Xijing City, Yinmo Cave, no longer exists."

Zhang Xianqiu shuddered involuntarily, but remained calm: "What is the Hidden Ink Cave? I have never known it."

Huo Xuan looked at her steadily and nodded slowly: "Since Madam said so, I will believe it. Speaking of which, the Yinmo Cave has been entrenched in Xijing for many years, controlling many shady businesses such as gambling houses and secret doors, and even accepting orders to kill people for a price."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Although we have conducted several raids over the years, we have never been able to find the root of the problem. I never expected that it would be completely wiped out overnight."

Huo Xuan looked at Zhang Xianqiu's completely pale face and continued, "Madam has been bedridden due to grief over Yu'er's matter recently. She wants to stay at home and recuperate for half a year. Why not take this time to think about who has such great ability to accomplish such a thing?"

When Zhang Xianqiu heard the words "rest indoors for half a year", he knew it was useless to pretend.

"My husband already knows about this?" She sneered and said, "Then you should know that everything I did was for Yu'er!"

"He died in an unclear manner. Even his name was removed from the family tree, and his tablet could not be placed in the family temple. You didn't even let me ask about these things, and I didn't even know who to blame! You asked me to endure it, and I listened, even though my heart was in pain and bleeding every day. He only had such a small wish when he was alive, and I wanted to help him fulfill it. What's wrong with that?"

It would have been fine if she didn't mention Huo Yu, but once she did, Huo Xuan got furious. "That rebellious son almost ruined the Huo family. I've been so busy cleaning up the mess he left behind, but I didn't expect you to stop there and believe Luan Wei's nonsense and put your hands on someone who can't move!"

"She is just a concubine of a minor official in the imperial court. How can she be considered a great figure?" Zhang Xianqiu also got angry and said sternly:
"You are now the Grand Marshal and General. Outsiders may think you are in a very high position, but you can't even protect your own son. Even though he is gone, you are still hesitant and can't even touch a woman like that. You are simply not a man!"

Her face was flushed with excitement, and her hair, which had not yet been combed, was disheveled and messy, making her look both crazy and ugly.

Huo Xuan remained silent, waiting until Zhang Xianqiu had vented his emotions and calmed down, then he said solemnly, "Madam is seriously ill and has suffered from hysteria. She cannot be seen in public and should not be disturbed easily. Come, seal this Rong'an Hall. No one is allowed to enter or leave without my order!"

"Huo Xuan, what did I do wrong to deserve your treatment of me like this!" Zhang Xianqiu had never expected that her husband, who had always respected her so much, would suddenly become so unreasonable and heartless.

Her words received no response. After Huo Xuan walked out with his hands behind his back, she suddenly came to her senses and wanted to rush out as well, but was stopped by several expressionless guards.

The door was closed, with an iron chain and a copper lock on the outside. Wooden boards were nailed firmly to the window frames with long and sharp iron nails, and the inner room soon became pitch black.

Zhang Xianqiu knelt weakly on the ground. Huo Xuan's words just now kept churning in her mind like a revolving lantern.

"Think carefully, who on earth has such great ability to accomplish such a thing?"

"I listened to Luan Wei Niang's nonsense and put my hands on someone I shouldn't have touched."

The Yinmo Cave that was suddenly destroyed, and Nanny Meng who fell into the hands of Huo Xuan after being missing for several days...all the things seemed to be slowly strung together by a transparent silk thread.

Zhang Xianqiu stood up suddenly: "It's her, that little bitch!"

"She is clearly just a country girl, a lowly concubine's daughter, how could she have such ability? There must be someone helping her behind the scenes. Who could it be?"

A pair of narrow and long phoenix eyes suddenly appeared in front of her eyes, which were cold and indifferent, without a trace of warmth.

"Could it be him? He's just a piece of trash. How could there be something I've overlooked? That little bitch has nothing else to offer, but she has a good appearance and is used to seducing frivolous people."

Jingyuan's family has moved out of Yishanfang and moved into a two-story house in Fuxingfang, which was the one included in Mr. Mo's betrothal gift.

Luo Qianhuai was called up early in the morning to wash and dress. She was not good at sewing, and Master Mo knew it very well, so he prepared a full set of dresses for the Marquis' wife and sent them to her early in the morning.

This is not the case with some dynasties in the past. The clothing of the ladies of noble birth was distributed by government regulations, and even the official uniforms of officials had to be made at their own expense, let alone the clothes of the female family members.

The only thing Luo Qianhuai did was to symbolically embroider twice on the red gauze covering the surface.

Dayu values ​​water virtue, so the wedding dress is mainly black with red and gold embroidery in the middle, which looks very solemn and dignified.