Chapter 571 - 291 Curtain Falls_3
Qian Manjiang wondered aloud, "Oh, what’s so good about Father’s discernment?"
Qian Yixiu smiled and said, "Father has chosen the right side. Prince Ning has both virtue and talent, and he bears the aura of an emperor. He will be the one to laugh last, and when he does, he will settle accounts for us."
Qian Manjiang chuckled, "Keep that thought to yourself; you mustn’t spread it around."
The investigation went very smoothly, and by the afternoon of the next day, everything had "come out in the wash." The rumor-monger was Old Grandma Wei from Lady Cui’s retinue—a servant who, having been dissatisfied with not being promoted to a position in charge of the main court, told other servants of the Cui family, claiming that she had heard it from the main Madam herself. Believing it to be true, the servant spread the word within the Cui Mansion, and the rumor eventually leaked out. The rumormongering Sister Wei had already committed suicide the previous night out of fear of her crimes.
The finger was indeed pointed directly at the Liang Family. The Cui family had thus ruthlessly pinned the blame on Lady Cui.
However, the Old Duke Liang, no, the Old fox Liang, had already anticipated this possibility. He first conspired with the Qian family, sharing his analysis and reaching a consensus with both the Qian and Pan families to present a united front. Then he went to the Emperor to confess his failings in family management, claiming that his daughter-in-law had spoken a few words of complaint outside, which were exploited by those with ulterior motives. It seemed as though the Liang family had extricated themselves.
The final conclusion was that Lady Cui first committed the indiscretion of loose talk, and then failed to govern her household properly, leading to Old Grandma Wei spreading rumors at the Cui house. The Cui family was deemed as having poor household management for letting the rumor spread.
The Empress Dowager issued an edict reprimanding Lady Cui, also bestowing upon her a ruler and a "Women’s Admonition." The Family Head, Old Duke Liang, was chastised in person by the Emperor for his failure to manage his household properly.
The head of the Cui family was demoted from a fourth-rank officer to the fifth rank for allowing the rumor to spread through poor household management.