Chapter 224: The Informer - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 224: The Informer

Hidden in the corner, Wen Yuwei held her breath, fearing that she might startle the father and son discussing secrets inside. Covering her mouth tightly, she quietly slipped away while they were lost in their dreams.

Only when she returned to her own courtyard did she dare to breathe heavily. To avoid arousing suspicion from the maid arranged by her uncle, she pretended to be in pain and insisted on calling for the family doctor, which successfully sent the maid away.

Once the maid was gone, she let out a deep sigh of relief.

“Uncle, how dare he…”

How dare he use the imperial exams for personal gain!

She was utterly shocked by this revelation and felt increasingly fearful. The once-glamorous Dongdu City now seemed like a trap filled with dirty schemes to her.

Thinking about her brother, who had not sent any news since entering the Princess’s residence, she could not help but shed tears.

Trapped here, she was unable to leave. She wondered how she could send this news to her brother. Otherwise, with his wisdom and hatred for the Wen family, he would surely avenge the great humiliation!

Keeping this secret in her heart, she found that when the family doctor arrived, he actually believed she was ill, as her condition was related to heart palpitations. He did not dare to prescribe arbitrary medicine and decided to report to his superiors, suggesting that a specialized doctor be summoned to examine her.

When the news reached Wen Jingsong, he recalled the family ties and showed some consideration.

“Given that the Princess’s residence is said to be favoring him greatly, it’s not wise to worsen our relations. Send a letter to request Princess Changlin to arrange for a doctor to examine her, to show that we have not been unfair to Yuwei.”

“Father, you are thoughtful. I will have someone send the letter right away.”

Little did they know, this act would mark the beginning of the Wen family's downfall.

Everything was slowly falling into the trap set by Feng Jinyao.

In truth, she had done nothing much—just used secrets she accidentally learned from her previous life to set up the scheme.

Wen Jingsong’s bribery to swap exam papers was something she had accidentally discovered. Unfortunately, at that time, her family was in distress and she had no way to send the news out.

This time, with a new beginning, the Wen family was bound to follow the same old path!

A profitable business like this, so easily capturing a large amount of money, was too tempting to ignore. Furthermore, it could gain favor with officials and colleagues. How could it not continue?

Thus, she decided to present them with a grand gift. After the spring exams, when the Wen family’s dreams were shattered, the blade of destruction would likely hang over their necks.

Wen Xinglu arrived in a hurry, accompanied by a physician. Now, he was dressed in luxurious silks and adorned with a jade belt and red tassels.

He clearly enjoyed high status and wealth.

He did not even glance at Wen Mengsheng, who came to curry favor, and went directly to the courtyard where Wen Yuwei was.

His demeanor made Wen Mengsheng feel embarrassed. However, Wen Xinglu was now a favored prince, and he did not have the confidence to confront him.

With a flick of his sleeve, he left to rest in his own quarters.

Wen Xinglu entered and saw that the maid attending to Wen Yuwei had been negligent. Enraged, he scolded the maid.

“The young lady is in such a condition, and you only tell me now? Should I wait until she is dead before learning of her situation?”

His words were severe, and the frightened maid kneeled, pleading for mercy.

Wen Yuwei, who had been 'unconscious' on the bed, woke up at the right moment and weakly called out, 'Brother.'

Hearing his sister’s call, Wen Xinglu forgot about scolding the maid and hurried to her side.

Seeing her pale but not overly emaciated, he asked, “How are you? Are you alright?” Then, he called over the physician.

“I have brought a doctor to examine you, so don’t worry. You will be fine.”

Wen Yuwei felt a bit guilty. Her heart palpitations were mostly feigned, with only a small part being due to fear. She worried that the doctor might uncover the truth.

Unexpectedly, after examining her, the doctor diagnosed her with “worry and anxiety, affecting both heart and lungs,” and prescribed medicine. He earnestly advised her on how to take care of her health, which made Wen Yuwei admire him.

Indeed, palace doctors had seen it all. The methods used by those seeking favor were probably even more cunning than hers.

Listening to the doctor’s words, Wen Xinglu was genuinely concerned.

“Humph, it seems that Uncle Wen has not taken my words to heart. It’s been so long, and he still hasn’t sent you away! He’s probably still greedy…”

He stopped mid-sentence, realizing there were others present.

The doctor, understanding the situation, said to Wen Xinglu, “Prince, please talk with Miss Wen. I will go prepare the medicine and bring it to her once it is ready.”

“Alright, thank you, doctor.”

“It is my duty.” With that, the doctor left the room.

The maid, fearing punishment from Wen Xinglu, hurried away, fearing she would be reprimanded if she stayed too long.

Wen Xinglu, heartbroken for his sister, saw her suddenly sit up, looking around anxiously and making a shushing gesture.

Confused, he wondered what his sister was up to.

After confirming there were no spies outside, Wen Yuwei whispered in the smallest voice, telling him all about what she had overheard.

The more he heard, the more shocked he became.

They had been with the Wen family for several years, only knowing they were better off than other Wen clan members. They had believed it was due to their uncle’s business acumen and family management. They never imagined there was such a reason behind it.

After hearing everything, Wen Xinglu asked, “What about your heart palpitations today?”

“I lied about it. Otherwise, how could I have informed you?”

Wen Xinglu felt somewhat relieved but still furrowed his brow in concern.

“What are you going to do?”

Wen Xinglu pondered his next steps. The last time Wen Yuwei had an incident, he had sought help everywhere, but no one responded, likely out of fear of offending Wen Jingsong, who had many connections in the court.

If he exposed Wen Jingsong, it would likely anger a large group of powerful officials, creating a risk so great that even the Princess’s residence might not be able to protect him.

But with such a perfect opportunity to bring down Wen Jingsong and his son, how could he let it pass?

Resolving his thoughts, he whispered to Wen Yuwei, “Rest assured and recover. Once you’re better, I will make sure to send you away. Otherwise, staying here would mean going down with the Wen family.”