Chapter 198 The Time Has Come, Retribution Arrives

Chapter 198 The Time Has Come, Retribution Arrives

The longer it drags on, the greater the risk. Once Gu Wenxiao's people notice, the plan will be exposed.

Jiang Yutang responded, put the real imperial edict back into the brocade box, and turned around to say, "Make yourself a bowl of instant noodles and wait for me. I'll be right back."

She jogged back to her room, locked the doors and windows, grabbed her things, and returned to the modern world.

Not daring to delay, she took the brocade box and went straight to the tailor shops on the street. She found three of the best tailor shops and asked them to make a one-to-one replica of the brocade outer shell and fabric according to the material, size and pattern of the imperial edict.

Money makes the world go round. After the brocade was finished in a rush, Jiang Yutang rushed to the printing shop.

Using the store's AI scanning technology, a new imperial edict can be printed out, precisely simulating the emperor's handwriting.

She even specially asked the boss to prepare the same ink paste as the imperial seal and stamp it on the brocade.

Finally, still uneasy, she asked, "Boss, are you sure these words and ink stains will disappear in half a month?"

The boss patted his chest and assured him, "Don't worry! It's made exactly as you requested, using only special pigments."

After confirming that everything was correct, Jiang Yutang carefully put away the copied imperial edict and returned to the mansion.

At this moment, Lao Wang had only taken two bites of his instant noodles when he saw her return. He quickly put down his chopsticks and asked, "Is it done?"

"It's done." Jiang Yutang handed the brocade box containing the true imperial edict to Old Wang.

Old Wang looked surprised but didn't ask any questions. He quickly finished his instant noodles, grabbed the brocade box, and stood up, saying, "I'll take it back right away."

After saying that, he slipped out the door and disappeared into the night.

Jiang Yutang breathed a sigh of relief when Old Wang returned and informed her that the real imperial edict had been returned intact without anyone noticing.

She handed Old Wang a bag of silver: "Bring your mother to our clinic tomorrow, and I will have someone arrange for the best doctor to treat her. The rest of the money will be paid to you then."

Old Wang accepted the silver, thanked him solemnly, and then turned to leave.

Holding the forged imperial edict, Jiang Yutang went to knock on the doors of his brothers and father that very night.

He woke the four people up and had them sit around the coffee table in the living room, then laid the forged imperial edict flat on the table.

Under the sunlight, the imperial edict looked almost identical to the original.

Jiang Shengan squinted, leaned forward to examine it closely, gently ran his fingers over the brocade and the writing, and finally shook his head in disbelief.

"I never expected anyone could do something so realistic, it's truly amazing!"

Jiang Jiuzhe picked up the imperial edict, examined it repeatedly, and finally nodded, saying, "It is indeed convincingly forged, but the contents you wrote on it..."

"snort."

Jiang Yutang snorted coldly, crossed her arms, and her eyes flashed with a cold light.

"When Gu Wenxiao framed the Jiang and Cheng families, it seemed like a one-sided evil act by the Gu family. In fact, the emperor had long been wary of Cheng Lanzhou's military power and influence. To put it bluntly, the fact that the Gu family dared to do this was largely due to the emperor's tacit approval."

Jiang Jiuze continued, "Now they're in the same boat, but they don't trust each other at all. That's our breakthrough point."

Jiang Yutang nodded emphatically and pointed to the words on the imperial edict.

"We'll feign receiving a secret imperial edict to eliminate Gu Wenxiao. Once Gu Wenxiao finds out, he'll immediately inform the Gu family in the capital. The Gu family already harbors resentment towards the emperor, and they'll be furious to learn he's targeting their own people. Then, we'll submit all the evidence of Gu Wenxiao's crimes in Danzhou. To quell public anger and to warn the Gu family, the emperor will definitely target him first. This will deepen the Gu family's suspicion of the emperor and might even drive them to desperation, leading to a rebellion."

Jiang Shengan stroked his beard and praised repeatedly, "This plan is brilliant."

The four listened attentively to Jiang Yutang's plan, while Jiang Jiuze calmly asked the key question.

"That's the plan, but how can we get Gu Wenxiao to know about this imperial edict?"

Jiang Yutang wagged her index finger, a sly smile playing on her lips.

"It's no big deal. Just let the people spread the word that they saw a carriage with the capital's insignia stop in front of our house late at night and hand us a secret letter. Given Gu Wenxiao's suspicious nature, he will definitely try to verify it. Then we can 'accidentally' let him see the imperial edict, and he will completely believe it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Sumin, who had been unable to get a word in edgewise, immediately responded.

"That's easy! I'll go to the accounting office first thing tomorrow morning and spread the word among the staff. I guarantee it'll spread quickly and be true!"

After saying that, Jiang Shengan turned to look at Jiang Songzhi: "Songzhi, you teach and educate people in the private school every day. Occasionally chatting with students about interesting folk tales and casually mentioning this rumor is not necessarily inappropriate. On the contrary, it seems more natural."

"I?"

Jiang Songzhi was taken aback, not expecting that he would need to be used for this matter. He nodded helplessly and agreed: "Okay, I know what to do."

Over the next three days, rumors quietly spread throughout Danzhou City that "the Jiang family secretly received an imperial edict from the capital."

At first, there were only scattered discussions, but later the rumors became more and more mysterious. Some people said that the imperial edict was sealed in a secret letter and concerned a major change in Danzhou.

People were secretly discussing this matter in the streets and alleys.

The Jiang family estimated that Gu Wenxiao would definitely become restless after hearing the rumors.

Sure enough, on the morning after the rumors reached their peak, they discovered that the forged imperial edict had vanished.

Jiang Yutang excitedly turned around and ran to the room with the surveillance cameras to pull up the surveillance footage from last night.

In the footage, four men in black, their faces covered, swiftly sneak into the mansion, grab what they need, and quickly leave. The whole process takes no more than fifteen minutes.

Jiang Yutang couldn't help but rub his hands together, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"He took the bait!"

That same day, Gu Wenxiao arrived at the door with several attendants, looking quite aggressive.

As soon as he entered, he scanned the store with a sarcastic and mocking tone, making veiled and overt remarks.

"Madam Cheng is truly capable; she managed to receive the imperial decree in private. It seems the Jiang family is quite secretive and not at all honest."

Jiang Yutang had anticipated his arrival. Unfazed, she coldly replied, "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. Why are you in such a hurry to come here? Do you have something to hide?"

Gu Wenxiao was speechless, her face turning pale and then red. Finally, she snorted coldly, flicked her sleeves, and stormed off.

Jiang Yutang learned that Gu Wenxiao had left Danzhou in a carriage that day, most likely returning to the capital.

Danzhou is far from the capital. It took them two or three months to travel there when they were exiled. If they travel by carriage, it would take a month and a half if all went smoothly, and about twenty days if they traveled urgently.

Jiang Yutang calculated the time and quietly waited for news from the capital.

Not long after, Jiang Jiuzhe learned the news from his close friend in the capital.

The Gu family has fallen out with the Emperor over the "secret decree," and both the Emperor and his ministers look very unhappy.

The time has come.

Jiang Yutang immediately compiled all of Gu Wenxiao's previous incriminating evidence into a book and sent it to the capital by his most reliable person as soon as possible, to be handed over directly to the emperor.

Surveillance screenshots, audio recordings, and evidence of crimes presented by both the public and the government—the evidence is irrefutable.

What happened next turned out to be a huge blunder.

According to news from the capital, after returning to the Gu family, Gu Wenxiao immediately went to the palace to meet the emperor with the elders of the Gu family, and even brought the forged imperial edict with him.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he unfolded the imperial edict, all the writing and ink disappeared, leaving behind a blank sheet of brocade.