As the saying goes, enemies meeting face to face see red. Cao Lihuan instantly stiffened, her expression turning wary. Liubei stopped in front of Cao Lihuan, her gaze icy but with a smile playing on her lips as she slowly said, "I've come on the Old Madam's orders. She says you're to pack your things immediately. The carriage is already waiting at the gate to take you home."
It was as if a thunderbolt had struck Cao Lihuan, freezing her in place. At that moment, the maids and matrons behind Liubei marched straight into the courtyard. Staggering, Cao Lihuan glanced inside and saw Si Shun'er sprawled on the ground like a dog. Her head spun, and when she saw them carrying her belongings out of the house, real fear set in.
This time—this time it was real!
Hui'er was still trying to block the matrons from taking the camphorwood chest from the kang, shouting, "What are you doing? What is this? These are our young lady's things! Put them down!"
Siqiao, her face streaked with tears, stumbled to Cao Lihuan's side, clutching her sleeve and sobbing, "Miss, what—what is happening? Why aren't you stopping them?"
Cao Lihuan's face twitched. She was about to grab Siqiao to ask what had happened when Liubei raised her voice: "The Old Madam has instructed that Miss Huan's belongings are valuable, so we mustn't let anyone steal them in the confusion. Fang Kun's wife, take two others and follow Miss Huan's maids to pack up the things. Let no one say later that something went missing on our watch!" Fang Kun's wife acknowledged the order and, like seizing chicks, dragged Hui'er and Siqiao away.
Realizing she wouldn't get any answers here, and not daring to question Si Shun'er, Cao Lihuan turned to leave. But at the gate, she ran into Liubei. Looking up, she saw Liubei watching her with a mocking smile, even curtsying as she said, "My dear miss, why the hurry? This isn't the behavior of a proper young lady from a respectable family, nor of the Lin family's kin. People will laugh at your lack of manners."
"You—" Cao Lihuan's face darkened as she glared at Liubei, but she knew this wasn't the time for a fight. Shoving Liubei aside, she strode off. A few matrons moved to stop her, but Liubei lightly held them back, sneering, "Let her go if she wants. If she's seeking humiliation, who are we to stand in her way?"
Cao Lihuan flew like the wind to the main house where the Old Madam resided. The maids in the courtyard seemed to expect her arrival—none tried to stop her. Pausing at the hall entrance, she took a deep breath before lifting the curtain and stepping inside. The moment she entered, she burst into tears. "Old Madam—"
Before she could finish, Qin Shi stood and stepped forward. "The Old Madam is unwell from Qi Jie'er's illness. Do you mean to add to her distress by barging in here weeping?"
Cao Lihuan, her eyes red, retorted, "The Old Madam is sending me away. Am I not even allowed to cry from the injustice?"
Qin Shi's expression was frosty, her lips curling. "No one's stopping you. Can't you see the Old Madam is bedridden? What if your wailing startles her?"
Cao Lihuan looked and saw Lin Old Madam indeed reclining on the daybed, her face pale, with Wang Shi sitting beside her holding a bowl of medicine.
Lin Old Madam lifted her eyelids to glance at Cao Lihuan before closing them again.Cao Lihuan gritted her teeth and suddenly knelt down, shuffling closer to Lin Old Madam as tears fell in large drops. "Old Madam, I shouldn't disturb you while you're unwell, but your granddaughter truly... truly has no other choice. I beg you to enlighten me—what wrong have I done to earn your disdain like this..."
Lin Old Madam kept her eyes closed for a long moment before finally speaking. "You've grown too accomplished. Our Lin family can no longer accommodate someone of your stature. You know very well why Ting Ge'er moved out and how Qi Jie'er fell ill."
Cao Lihuan's heart sank, but she sobbed in defense, "Old Madam, why must you say such things? I... I truly don't know anything about this..."
Lin Old Madam waved her hand, her expression full of disgust, as if she couldn't bear to hear more.
Cao Lihuan kowtowed, weeping. "Old Madam, I beg you—please give me another chance! I know I acted willfully and foolishly before, causing trouble and angering my elders. But... but I truly had no idea about Cousin Ting the Third and Sister Qi!" Her makeup streaked with tears, making her look pitiful like a bedraggled kitten.
Seeing Cao Lihuan's seemingly genuine distress, Lin Old Madam glanced at Qin Shi. Qin Shi clenched her teeth inwardly, knowing how soft-hearted Lin Old Madam could be. Fearing she might relent or be fooled again, Qin Shi sneered, "Huan Jie'er, we're trying to spare you the shame. Must you force us to expose everything?"
Cao Lihuan seethed with hatred but wailed dramatically, casting a pitiful look at Qin Shi. "Aunt, how can you say such things? I know you've long... long disliked me. It's my fault for being so useless, unworthy of your regard... But you can't just assume I'm wicked from now on..." She kowtowed repeatedly, her forehead nearly bleeding.
Qin Shi looked down at Cao Lihuan coldly before lifting the door curtain and calling out, "Let her in."
A maid entered with her head bowed. The moment Cao Lihuan saw her, her pupils constricted in shock.
It was Xianglan!
Neatly dressed and properly groomed, Xianglan!
Xianglan knelt respectfully without even glancing at Cao Lihuan. "Greetings to Old Madam, First Madam, and Second Madam." She moved naturally, her expression calm, showing no trace of distress. Cao Lihuan's heart tightened.
Qin Shi said indifferently, "Speak."
Xianglan kept her head lowered. "Miss Huan once gave me an envelope, ordering me to deliver it personally to Third Master Ting. Regardless of the contents, this was an improper exchange. Moreover, rumors about Miss Huan and Third Master Ting had already spread in the household. I didn’t want to deliver it, but Miss Huan forced me and even sent a maid to secretly follow me. Not long after I delivered the letter, Third Master Ting moved out of the garden."
"You—you're lying!" Cao Lihuan's eyes flashed with venom."I'm not lying, may lightning strike me and sores fester in my throat if I speak a single false word!" Xianglan suddenly turned to face Cao Lihuan, her gaze innocent with a touch of simple-minded foolishness. "Miss even conspired with Hui'er to move into Gathered Verdure Residence because it's closer to Third Master Ting's Lying Cloud Courtyard. Later when Taitai brought Siqiao to reprimand Miss, she protested fiercely, saying she'd 'rather be a noble concubine in the Lin household than live in poverty,' and that even if she's just a concubine now, the position of principal wife would eventually be hers."
Lin Old Madam's expression grew increasingly grim, while Wang Shi turned livid with rage. Qin Shi, however, looked pleasantly surprised—she had thought Xianglan was the type who couldn't utter a word even after three beatings, never expecting her to speak so logically and strike with such deadly precision!
Cao Lihuan nearly lunged to tear Xianglan's face apart, screaming, "You little slut! You're lying! Slandering me! These are all lies!"
Xianglan maintained her naive, unworldly expression as she addressed Lin Old Madam: "I'm not lying. These were things Miss Huan said privately to Hui'er while I happened to be working in the room and overheard snippets. I even advised her that she already had a marriage contract with Young Master Ren and would become his principal wife, but Miss wouldn't listen. Instead, she beat and scolded me for meddling, so I stopped speaking up."
"Old Madam, don't believe her!" Cao Lihuan scrambled on her knees to cling to Lin Old Madam's legs. "This maid is wicked-hearted, lazy, disobedient, and light-fingered. Because I disciplined her strictly, she's holding a grudge and now seeks revenge..." She cast a heartbroken look at Xianglan and wailed piteously: "I was only strict with you, why must you... why must you..."
Before she could finish, Xianglan burst into even more dramatic sobs: "Miss, how can you say such things? The clothes on your back, the handkerchiefs you hold, even your wedding gown and trousseau—all were embroidered by me. I also fetched water, swept floors, watered plants—everything! Look at my hands full of needle pricks if you don't believe me!" She raised her hands. "Tell me truthfully, Miss—did Hui'er, Huairui, or even Siqiao later ever worked harder than me? If I'm not to your liking, it's because I'm dull-witted, but you shouldn't despise me just for speaking unpleasant truths... Only before Old Madam and Taitai would I dare say these words—have you ever heard me gossip behind your back? When have I ever spoken ill of you? I only say this so Old Madam and Taitai can advise you properly..." Her tears were genuine now, recalling past grievances until she was truly heartbroken.
Qin Shi nearly applauded. This clever little maid had turned what should have been an unseemly act of betrayal into something entirely different—with her artless demeanor making it seem she had no ulterior motives at all. In just a few words, she'd reframed her tattling as "speaking truth that her mistress wouldn't hear, so she had no choice but to tell the elders for proper guidance."Xianglan wiped her tears with her sleeve and continued between sobs, "Later, Miss Huan became increasingly... confused. At today's birthday banquet, she secretly took a peach from the table, then excused herself to relieve herself. I followed behind and saw her squeezing the peach juice into a porcelain bottle in the washroom. When she returned to the banquet, she used her sleeve to conceal the act and poured the peach juice into the wine, coaxing Miss Qi to drink several cups. At first, I was puzzled, but then I suddenly remembered—during their last gathering, Miss Qi had mentioned to Miss Huan that she couldn't touch or eat peaches. I feared something might happen to Miss Qi, and it would worry the Old Madam and Taitai. After leaving, I happened to run into Sister Hongjian and told her everything."
As soon as the words were spoken, the room fell silent.
Cao Lihuan's legs gave way, and she felt as if all the blood in her body had turned cold.
Thank you to yu21yu21 for the cake gift and to Donggu for the cake reward =3=~~ Hehe, the next chapter is the highlight. If you find it exciting, please bookmark it, leave comments, and vote for me—it's free!~~
Also, to maintain the continuity of this event, I might update a chapter this afternoon, counting it as tomorrow's update in advance. What do you all think? Or should I wait until tomorrow to update?
OpenNovel