"What else is there?" the Empress’s anger slowly subsided, yet her tone remained harsh, "Don’t tell me you’re unaware of the Emperor suddenly acknowledging an elder Prince."
How did they manage to pin the ’ungrateful wretch’ on her head? What did it have to do with her?
Madam Lin said indifferently, "This consort only found out today. This matter... indeed, it was unexpected."
"Unexpected, indeed." the Empress slammed her palm on the armrest and angrily said, "What’s the deal with that niece of Lin Xingyi? Who is she? I think she’s long been aware of Jin Zijin’s identity. You live with her in the same courtyard every day and yet you also helped to keep it a secret."
Madam Lin was startled, how could Gu Youyou have known this early? She replied, "I do not know of this matter, and as for Youyou, I have recently noticed she indeed has some relationship with Jin Zijin. However, when I asked her today, she told me it wasn’t convenient to tell me now. Besides, the Empress summoned me urgently, so naturally, I prioritized coming to the Imperial Palace to see you."
The Empress scoffed coldly and said, "Of course, she wouldn’t find it convenient to speak. A woman of over twenty years who has never been betrothed—it’s because she’s already engaged in a secret affair with a man. Jin Zijin’s hasty entry into the palace yesterday was for her sake. Everyone else’s attention might be fixed on the Jade Pendant, but I see everything clearly.
So, your niece, she had a secret affair with Jin Zijin, and you, managing the household, were completely oblivious. I really want to ask you, are you truly unaware, or have you developed a disloyal heart towards the Ducal Residence and are colluding with Lin Xingyi to deceive me?"
Madam Lin took a deep breath. To her, this was quite unexpected. Jin Zijin was Tianzong’s eldest senior brother, wasn’t he the favorite candidate for the next State Preceptor? How could such a person fall for a woman?
Thus, she had never even considered this possibility.
Even if she thought about Gu Youyou having a secret affair with Yue Rujing, she never would have imagined Gu Youyou having anything to do with Jin Zijin.
Even if there was something, the Empress had no right to slap her so recklessly.
Madam Lin was extremely displeased and managed to say indifferently, suppressing the pain on her face, "The Empress is overly concerned. The Lin Residence naturally would not be disloyal to the Ducal Residence; after all, my only daughter is married to King Jin."
The Empress heaved a sigh of relief and said, "That’s precisely the reason I continue to trust you. Gu Youyou is not simple; make sure to keep a close eye on her after you return. I will have someone look into her background, and before I have ascertained the facts, there must be no slip-ups."
The aunt who used to be cold on the outside but warm at heart toward Gu Youyou, this time, truly turned cold inside as well.
Upon her return from the Imperial Palace, Madam Lin immediately ordered that Gu Youyou was not allowed to leave under any circumstances. She also assigned additional people to guard her courtyard and took aside all the servants from her courtyard, except for Xiang Chun, for a serious scolding. When they returned, each had seemingly changed.
The news swiftly reached Old Madam Lin’s ears. She, of course, would not tolerate her granddaughter being bullied for no reason and immediately sent for Madam Lin.
"I heard you’ve confined Youyou again; what exactly happened?"
Madam Lin, now trusting no one, said, "Youyou spent the night at Sanqing Temple yesterday. If word got out, what would happen to her, an unmarried lady? I confine her for her own good."
"She’s not spending the night at Sanqing Temple for the first time. Previously, when the Heavenly Master was ill, she stayed there for quite a long time. You didn’t act back then. So speak, what’s truly going on?"