Who Cares About Being the Matriarch? My Rebellious Husband Secured Me a Noble Rank! - Chapter 42

“An incident?” Madam Hou’s heart sank. She had no choice but to feign ignorance. “What incident? Lord Liu, I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean.”

Lord Liu had come prepared and clasped his hands respectfully. “Today, Her Highness the Princess and your Second Young Madam met by chance and struck up a pleasant conversation. But shortly after parting ways, the Second Young Madam was ambushed and held hostage within Putuo Temple!”

He furrowed his brows and continued solemnly, “In broad daylight, for such a brazen act to occur within the sacred grounds of a Buddhist temple is simply outrageous. Her Highness is furious and has tasked this official to thoroughly investigate the matter.”

Lord Liu himself felt the headache coming. If not for the Princess’s direct command, he would’ve never waded into this murky mess of an aristocratic household.

There was nothing to gain and everything to lose—it was a thankless job that risked offending powerful people.

Madam Hou’s last shred of hope was crushed. Her gaze darkened.

Wasn’t the Princess supposed to be living in religious seclusion, removed from worldly matters?

Why was she suddenly meddling?

When she’d first heard Chi Yan mention the Princess, she thought he was bluffing. She never imagined he’d built a connection with her!

She closed her eyes briefly. With the Princess involved, this wouldn’t be easy to sweep under the rug. She quickly made her decision.

Feigning shock, she widened her eyes. “So, it was true? When Yan’er came to me, I thought he was exaggerating. If that’s the case, then I cannot tolerate such a treacherous servant in our household. Lord Liu, please handle the matter according to the law!”

Chi Yan sneered inwardly, his dear aunt certainly knew how to adapt to circumstances in record time.

Housekeeper Wang’s eyes flew open. His face went pale as ash. He felt like the sky was falling.

He realized in an instant that Madam Hou had abandoned him as a scapegoat. Cold sweat soaked his back. In a panic, he crawled forward on his knees and began sobbing and swearing oaths. “Madam! Please see clearly! I had no intention of harming Second Young Madam!”

Madam Hou hated him to the bone. She hated his reckless behavior—and more than that, she hated that he had dragged her into this. Even if she truly had no knowledge of it, who would believe that a mere housekeeper had the nerve to orchestrate a murder?

Her gaze turned frosty, unmoved. She gritted her teeth. “If you truly had no ill intentions, then why would those men implicate you directly?”

She couldn’t believe Shen Tangning would go to such lengths to stage a farce just to frame Housekeeper Wang.

And besides, if it really was all an act, how could she possibly convince the Princess to cooperate?

A chilling thought flashed through her mind.

Could this idiot have been used as someone else’s pawn?

Even if she figured it out now, it was too late to turn back. What was done was done.

Sacrificing one housekeeper to minimize the damage—that was the most logical choice for everyone.

Still crying and kowtowing, Housekeeper Wang pleaded, “Madam! Think of the hard work I’ve done over the years! Please, just this once!”

Tears and snot streamed down his face. There was none of his former pride or prestige left.

Madam Hou stared at him coldly, then hardened her heart. “Housekeeper Wang, I’ve treated you well over the years. I never thought you’d harbor such vicious thoughts, daring to harm a member of our family!”

His body froze. In desperation, he tried to grab the hem of her skirt. “Madam—!”

But Nanny Jiang stepped in swiftly, kicking him away with visible disgust. “Madam trusted you and left the household affairs in your care. Is this how you repay her?”

Madam Hou turned her head away with a look of painful resignation. “Housekeeper Wang, may you find peace. If you’re truly innocent, Lord Liu will see justice done. But if you are guilty—this household cannot tolerate you!”

Her words were a death sentence. Housekeeper Wang collapsed like a felled tree.

The Marquis’s face was grave. He gave a brief glance at the fallen housekeeper before turning to Lord Liu and softening his tone. “Lord Liu, I leave him in your hands.”

Lord Liu bowed slightly. “Rest assured, Marquis. I will see it through.”

Everyone present understood perfectly—there was no room for negotiation. In situations like this, truth hardly mattered. What mattered was the outcome—and the scapegoat had to be Housekeeper Wang.

With the Princess personally involved, it was clear this matter ran deep.

Lord Liu had been in the office for years. He knew well the value of self-preservation. Even if he wanted to, there were things beyond his reach.

The only real victim in all this… was probably Second Young Madam Chi.

The Marquis furrowed his brow and spoke quietly, “Lord Liu, would it be possible to keep this matter quiet? I admit this was due to lax discipline within our household, but if word gets out, it would be a tremendous loss of face…”

Lord Liu nodded knowingly and smiled. “Marquis, rest assured. I came today merely to enjoy a cup of tea with you.”

The Marquis let out a sigh of relief and personally escorted the officials out.

…

When he returned, he caught sight of Madam Hou’s conflicted expression and didn’t bother to hide his displeasure. “So, this is the household you’ve been managing?”

Madam Hou had always been meticulous, and he rarely had to worry about the inner residence. But lately, mistakes have been happening left and right. After enduring so much frustration outside, it was hard not to take it out on her.

“I…” Madam Hou looked pale, frustration bubbling in her chest. “I truly didn’t know. I can’t follow Wang Fu around all day, can I?”

The Marquis coldly replied, “But he is your man. What are outsiders thinking? I might believe you, but would they?”

She had no answer. He quickly lost patience.

“Since the work is clearly too much for one person, why not let your Second Sister-in-law help manage things? It’ll lighten your load.”

Madam Hou’s eyes widened in disbelief, as if struck by lightning.

Was he saying she had to share her authority with that lowly woman from the second branch? What would the servants think?

Ever since she married into this household, she had always had the upper hand. Now she was being asked to split power?

She felt very humiliated. “Marquis, you can’t—”

He frowned; his tone laced with mockery. “The second branch has suffered in silence. Yan’er’s wife was injured, and someone needed to smooth things over. Will you do it, or shall I?”

Madam Hou seethed. She’d already disposed of Housekeeper Wang, which was like cutting off her own arm. Was that not enough?

Now the second branch wanted to take her authority too. Weren’t they being a bit too greedy?

The Marquis gave her no chance to protest. “That’s final! If you’d done a better job, it wouldn’t have come to this.”

With that, he turned and walked away—straight to the concubine’s courtyard.

Madam Hou choked on her rage, her vision going black.

“Madam! Someone calls the physician—quick!”