The man who had attempted to manipulate Princess Anle’s mind and lure her here was named Zhuo Mulang. He was the grandson of the younger half-brother of the late Duke of Ying—making him a cousin of sorts to Zhuo Murong.
The Duke two generations back, who was the grandfather of the current Madam Zhuo, had kept a mistress. Only after she passed away did he bring her son—the current Duke’s estate’s former site—into the fold. Children born of mistresses were never viewed with respect, and even when this son was eventually recognized, he was never held in high regard.
Even when Madam Zhuo’s father and brother sacrificed their lives on the battlefield, the Emperor, in his sympathy for the Zhuo family, bestowed the honors upon Madam Zhuo herself. He bypassed the late Duke’s half-brother, allowing Madam Zhuo the freedom to choose her own husband, who would then inherit the title of Duke of Ying.
Chapter 46