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Chapter 664: Storm (Part )

Wang Jin went to Zheng Mansion on the orders of the empress.

The once bustling Anguo Mansion was now deserted with its main gates closed. The gatekeeper was also very idle, so he came out from a distance and said politely, "Our Duke is recovering from his injuries and is not suitable to see anyone. Lord Wang, please go back!"

Wang Jin said in a gentle voice: "I am here to visit Duke Anguo on the orders of the Emperor. Please pass on the message."

Well, there is nothing else to convey. Open the main gate immediately to welcome the imperial envoy in!

The gatekeeper quickly sent a servant to deliver the message, and soon two young men from the Zheng family came out to greet them. They were both brothers of Zheng Chen, one was seventeen years old and the other fifteen years old.

Wang Jin had been to the Zheng Mansion several times before, and was familiar with the two young masters of the Zheng family. After exchanging a few polite greetings, he followed the young masters of the Zheng family to meet the Duke of Anguo.

Duke Anguo was recuperating in his study.

Zheng Chen's betrayal and escape from the capital could not be concealed for long. When Mrs. Zheng learned that her son had committed such a heinous crime, she suffered a great deal of damage and became seriously ill. She was unable to take care of her husband.

Duke Anguo managed to sit up with the help of his personal guards, which hurt the wound on his leg and made him break out in a cold sweat.

"How is the Duke's leg injury now?" Wang Jin first greeted him with the courtesy of a junior, and asked with concern: "What did the imperial physician say?"

On that day, Duke Anguo was carried back to the Zheng family to recuperate, and the Empress Dowager Zheng sent an imperial physician to come. This imperial physician naturally stayed in the Zheng family.

Another person who has this honor is Prime Minister Wang, who also has a skilled imperial physician by his side.

Duke Anguo smiled bitterly: "The imperial physician has been unwilling to speak out, but I know what is going on. I am afraid that this leg will be useless. I will be lucky if I can walk on the ground in the future."

In other words, there is a high chance that you will become lame.

This was of course unfortunate, but compared to the tragic death of Li Shangshu and his grandson, it was extremely lucky.

Wang Jin sighed and whispered, "My father's injuries are even more serious. He has been lying on the bed and can't even sit up. It's already like this, and it's all empty talk. Please take care of yourself, Duke Anguo, and heal your injuries. Only in this way can you live up to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor."

The last sentence is the key point.

Duke Anguo felt extremely bitter when he saw the popular minister close to the emperor.

His son Zheng Chen had once entered the palace to study with Wang Jin, and had risen from being the prince's companion to being the emperor's attendant. He was often compared to Wang Jin by gossipers, and it was hard to tell who was better.

But now, Zheng Chen is a traitor being hunted by the court, and he will never have a good ending in the future, and he has also implicated the entire Zheng family. On the other hand, Wang Jin made the wisest choice at the most critical moment, and now he has become the confidant of the empress, and his career is booming.

Such an obvious and strong contrast made him want to vomit blood.

Wang Jin was careful and perceptive, and could sense the sadness of Duke Anguo. He whispered to comfort him, "It's useless to think too much about what has already happened. The most important thing right now is to save the Zheng family."

"The Emperor ordered me to pass on a message. As long as the Duke can hand over Zheng Chen, the Zheng family will not be implicated in the treason case."

The pain in Anguogong's heart was about to overflow: "I really don't know where that rebellious son is hiding."

This sounds ridiculous, but it is actually true.

Duke Anguo really didn't know where Zheng Chen had fled to or where he was hiding. Ever since Zheng Chen escaped from the palace that day, he was like a kite with a broken string, with no news. There was no trace of Zheng Chen in his hometown of Xingyang.

It also shows how deep the escape route Zheng Chen prepared for himself is. He is a really bad father. Wang Jin clearly didn't believe it: "Your Majesty, you might as well think about it carefully. Even if you can come up with one or two useful clues, it will be good."

If I don't explain a few things, I won't be able to get through this hurdle today.

Duke Anguo had no choice but to think hard and said two names. One was a garrison general who defected to the Zheng family, and the other was a member of the Zheng family who was sent out to serve as a county governor.

Wang Jin did not force the interrogation. He carefully noted down the two people, then stood up and said goodbye: "I have to go back to the palace to report to the emperor. I'm leaving now..."

"Something bad is going to happen!"

A steward rushed in in panic: "My Lord, the young mistress stabbed her wrist with a sharp knife and is dead."

Duke Anguo was so shocked that he forgot that his legs could not touch the ground and suddenly got off the bed. Then he felt a sharp pain in his heart and fell down with a scream.

……

An hour later, Fan Jianing's funeral letter was delivered to the Showa Hall.

Jiang Shaohua was silent.

Wang Jin's face also looked unhappy. He reported in a low voice: "...At that time, the Duke fell down, and the study was in chaos."

"I am a foreign minister and a man, so it is not convenient for me to go to the backyard of the Zheng family's inner house. So I stayed by the Duke's bed and waited for news."

"After Zheng Chen escaped, Fan became seriously ill and could not get up. She did not eat a single grain of rice every day and had to rely on medicine to survive. To be honest, she would not have survived for much longer."

"I heard that Fan received a letter from General Fan today. In the letter, General Fan told Fan that Zheng Chen's escape would not only bring disaster to the Zheng family, but also to the Fan family, which would be implicated by their in-laws in the future. In addition, Zheng Chen did things secretly without considering the Fan family and the mother and son of Prince Ping in the palace. If the palace coup had succeeded that day, Prince Ping and his mother would have been killed long ago."

"Fan was in despair and had no desire to live. She drank some medicine and pretended to be asleep. When the maids were not around, she used the dagger hidden under her pillow to cut the tendons in her wrists."

"When the servants realized something was wrong, there was blood all over the bed, and Fan had already died."

Wang Jin paused here, his eyes complicated, and continued to whisper: "There is more than one wound on Fan's wrist, there are three in total, each one deeper than the last. It shows how determined Fan is to die."

Jiang Shaohua remained silent. Fan Jianing's sweet face flashed through his mind, and then instantly turned into a dead, bluish face with no breath at all.

"Madam Zheng is ill and unable to manage the affairs of state, the Duke is also recovering from his injuries, and with this sudden death, the Zheng family is in chaos. It is inconvenient for me to stay there, so I will return to the palace to report the news to the emperor."

"I wonder if the emperor will send someone to the Zheng family to offer condolences."

At this moment, Jiang Shaohua's statement is very important to the Zheng family. This is also related to Fan Jianing's funeral. If the Zheng family is regarded as a criminal, they will not be qualified to handle the funeral.

After a long silence, Shao Hua finally spoke: "Mr. Chen, please go to the Anguo Mansion on my behalf and send Mrs. Fan off."

"This is not to give face to the Zheng family, but to give face to General Fan."

Chen Sheren responded with a solemn expression.

Wang Jin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Duke Anguo and Prime Minister Wang had always been political enemies, and Zheng Chen didn't get along with him either. Fan Jianing was innocent. It was a pity that Fan Jianing committed suicide. A proper burial was the last dignification.