Chapter 25: Xie Tingyao

After returning to the General’s Mansion, Tang Chaochao heard the servants gossiping about the noble guest who had arrived that morning: none other than the Crown Prince, Murong Bo. That was not all; she also learned that the Crown Prince had spent the better part of the day in Tang Yuntao’s courtyard before leaving. The rumor was that the two had conversed so delightedly that it was as if they had found kindred spirits in one another.

Tang Chaochao remained indifferent to these reports, but the atmosphere in the second branch of the family was one of jubilation. Madam Zhou looked at her daughter, Tang Yuntao, with delight. "The Crown Prince has clearly taken a liking to you, Yuntao."

Tang Yuntao, acting coy and shy, replied, "Mother, it is far too early to say! Besides, the Crown Prince was once betrothed to my eldest cousin. If the Eldest Aunt finds out, do you think she will try to interfere and block us?"

Madam Zhou scoffed, "She wouldn't dare! Furthermore, if the Crown Prince truly favors you, even your uncle won’t be able to say otherwise. It is their own misfortune that her daughter had such a short life and was not destined to be the Crown Princess. My Yuntao, however, is truly blessed."

Tang Yuntao agreed that she was indeed blessed; otherwise, how could she have formed such a wonderful connection with the Crown Prince over a green plum tree? "Mother, how is it that she didn't make a scene about the courtyard you assigned her?" She was referring to Tang Chaochao. Tang Yuntao had specifically arranged for her to stay in a house where someone had died, hoping to see her make a fool of herself in the mansion. She had not forgotten the slap she received from Tang Chaochao, and she vowed that one day, she would force Tang Chaochao to kneel and beg for forgiveness.

Madam Zhou sighed with a touch of helplessness. "It seems that this wild girl is quite cunning. Not only did she manage to make your grandmother ill the moment she returned, but she has also remained silent about the courtyard. It is clear she knows that even if she made a fuss, she would have no leg to stand on."

Tang Yuntao bit her lip in frustration. "Are we just going to let her get away with hitting me?"

Seeing her daughter’s aggrieved expression, Madam Zhou comforted her. "Be patient, Yuntao. There is plenty of time to catch her in a trap. By the way, there will be a welcome banquet held in the palace next month for your uncle. That wild girl has never learned a shred of etiquette. If she makes a fool of herself at her own father’s banquet, she will become the laughingstock of the entire capital."

"Then I shall let her be smug for a little longer," Tang Yuntao pouted resentfully.

Madam Zhou chided her, "You, child, the most important thing right now is to capture the Crown Prince’s heart. Once you are the Crown Princess, how could a mere Tang Chaochao ever hope to suppress you?"

At these words, Tang Yuntao’s face flushed red. "Mother!"

Old Madam Tang had fallen ill and demanded that Song Rongzhi serve her at her bedside. Tang Chaochao knew the old woman was simply finding ways to bully her mother, but for now, there was nothing she could do about it.

***

Left to dine alone, Tang Chaochao went to see her father, Tang Wu, afterward. Tang Wu sat at his desk, his face as pallid as ever. He looked at his youngest daughter and asked, "Now that we have entered the capital, what do you intend to do?"

Tang Chaochao toyed with the jade pendant at her waist. "I have already captured Xie Tingyao. I suspect the Prime Minister’s residence will soon be sending people out to search for her."

Tang Wu was surprised by his daughter’s swiftness; she had barely returned to the capital and had already apprehended the primary suspect. "Do you intend to interrogate her?"

Tang Chaochao nodded. "Interrogate her, yes, but there is no rush. Since the Prime Minister has lost his legitimate daughter, he will not dare to make it public and will only search for her in secret. After all, if this matter were to become known, no one would dare to marry the Prime Minister’s daughter in the future."

Tang Wu contemplated this for a moment. "It would be good to let them stew in anxiety for a few days."

Tang Chaochao grinned. "If it turns out they were indeed the ones behind it, then I will hang Xie Tingyao’s head at the gates of the Prime Minister’s residence."

For the first time, Tang Wu realized that his daughter possessed a formidable, murderous aura. Yet, if he were in her shoes, he might have done the same. "Do as you wish; I am not afraid of the consequences."

Tang Chaochao stood up, walked over to Tang Wu, and patted his shoulder unceremoniously. "Don't worry, old man. I will do what you cannot. You have your burdens to bear, but as for me, I have no such constraints."

Tang Wu glared at her half-heartedly. "You brat. Beyond avenging your sister, your own life is just as important."

Tang Chaochao smiled. "I know!"

With that, she left the study. Tang Wu sighed; how he wished he could cast everything aside to avenge his daughter, but there were too many people and interests involved.

Just as Tang Chaochao had predicted, the Prime Minister’s residence did not dare to raise an alarm. Instead, they sent out a large number of men to search. After three days of fruitless searching, just as they were about to lose the ability to cover it up, Tang Chaochao heard from A'Bei that the Prime Minister’s residence had announced that Xie Tingyao had fallen ill and had been sent to a villa to recuperate.

Tang Chaochao curled her lips. "Let’s go. Take me to see this Miss Xie."

A'Bei led the way, escorting Tang Chaochao to a villa on the outskirts of the city. "This is the Prince’s property; no one would dare come here to search. The Prince said that whatever you wish to do, his properties are at your disposal."

Tang Chaochao nodded. The Prince of Lin seemed to be a decent partner; at the very least, having him in the capital would save her a great deal of trouble.

***

Tang Chaochao entered a dimly lit room where a woman was bound to a wooden chair, her eyes blindfolded. Xie Tingyao, who had been sleeping, woke instinctively at the sound of footsteps. Having been locked up for days with almost no one speaking to her, she was a nervous wreck. She struggled in the chair, trying to cry out, but with her mouth gagged, she could only emit muffled whimpers.

Tang Chaochao signaled to A'Bei, who stepped forward and ripped the gag from the woman’s mouth.

Xie Tingyao immediately let out a sharp scream. "Help! Who are you people? Do you know who I am? Are you tired of living?"

The barrage of questions made Tang Chaochao smile with amusement. "Xie Tingyao, the legitimate eldest daughter of the Prime Minister’s residence. Your cousin is the Third Prince, and your aunt is the current Consort Jing. Am I wrong?"

Xie Tingyao froze, her voice trembling. "You know... how could you still dare to..."

"Still dare to kidnap you, you mean?" Tang Chaochao finished the sentence for her. "Miss Xie, you may not realize it, but not only do I dare to capture you, I also dare to kill you!"

She then tore the black cloth from Xie Tingyao’s eyes. Xie Tingyao squinted instinctively, taking a moment to adjust before she clearly saw the woman before her. Dressed in the robes of a Daoist nun, the woman possessed a face strikingly similar to that other woman.

"Tang Mumu!?"

The name slipped out, and Tang Chaochao’s lips curled into a smile. "It seems you knew my elder sister, which makes things much simpler."

Xie Tingyao was bewildered. She had only met Tang Mumu a few times, and that was three years ago. She recognized her only because she had been stunned by Tang Mumu’s beauty at a banquet back then. "What do you want?"

Facing Tang Chaochao’s inscrutable expression, Xie Tingyao felt an inexplicable sense of dread.

Tang Chaochao cut straight to the point. "You sent people to Huai City to confirm whether my sister was dead or alive, and now you ask me what I want?"

Xie Tingyao was dumbfounded. She had never sent anyone to Huai City, and what did Tang Mumu’s life or death have to do with her? Tang Chaochao ignored the confusion in her eyes. There were certain people in this world who were exceptionally good at acting, especially the women who grew up in the inner chambers of the capital.