Qin Shi's gaze turned icy. "Huan Jie'er, what more do you have to say? Are you going to claim the peach juice wasn't placed by you, that this maid deliberately framed you by saying so?"
Cao Lihuan sobbed, her shoulders shaking. "She did frame me, because... because..." Because she had ordered Si Shun'er to ruin Xianglan's virtue. But how could she possibly say that out loud?
Xianglan gave Cao Lihuan a look of utter "disbelief," her face the picture of aggrieved innocence, and wailed, "Old Madam, I swear I'm not falsely accusing Miss Huan! If you don't believe me, search her pouch—the small porcelain vial that held the peach juice should still be there. It's an enamel-glazed bottle, one of Miss Huan's favorites. She originally used it to store medicinal pills and always kept it close. Even if she used it for peach juice today, she likely wouldn't have thrown it away."
Qin Shi moved swiftly, stepping forward to snatch the pouch from Cao Lihuan's waist. She opened it and rummaged through, finding an enamel-glazed Beauty's Shoulder bottle. When she unscrewed the lid, the sweet scent of peaches wafted out.
Lin Old Madam sniffed it, her expression turning frigid.
Cao Lihuan collapsed to the floor in a heap.
Qin Shi felt a surge of satisfaction, as if half the grievances her daughter had suffered had been avenged. She glanced at Lin Old Madam, who gave her a weary look and waved her hand slightly.
Just as Qin Shi nodded and was about to speak, Cao Lihuan suddenly shrieked through her tears, "Old Madam, why won't you ask for the reason?" She pointed at Qin Shi. "It was my elder aunt who slighted me first!"
Qin Shi frowned. Cao Lihuan cried, "When I attended the banquet, all the other sisters—even Song Tanchai—were introduced to the distinguished guests by my elder aunt. Only I was left out. I know my family has fallen on hard times, and that my elder aunt dislikes me, but it wasn’t about seeking attention—it was about being humiliated in front of everyone! That’s why I was so angry, I... I..."
Qin Shi remained coldly silent, but Wang Shi, furious, sneered, "Oh, so you had it all planned out, didn’t you? Since you couldn’t latch onto our Ting Ge'er, you thought you’d find some other wealthy family to be a concubine for?"
At this, Cao Lihuan wept even harder, casting a pitiful, pleading look at Lin Old Madam. Qin Shi shook her head silently, thinking that it was no wonder Wang Shi had never won her husband’s favor—after all these years, her foolishness hadn’t sharpened into wit. She stepped forward and said, "So, by your reasoning, just because my elder sister didn’t introduce you to a few guests, you were justified in harming Second Miss? Meaning, even though you hurt someone, you’re still in the right?"
Before Cao Lihuan could respond, Qin Shi cut her off. "Not only did you resort to underhanded tricks, but you also denied everything. And when denial failed, you shifted the blame onto others—is that also justifiable?"
She took another step forward. "You have a betrothal and are soon to be married, yet you still covet wealth and scheme shamelessly, disregarding reputations—is that justifiable too? All this time, you’ve eaten the Lin family’s food, drunk their wine, lived under their roof. If you had even an ounce of gratitude, how could you have done such a thing?" Qin Shi looked down at Cao Lihuan. "You arrived late to the banquet, which already displeased the guests. That’s why you weren’t introduced immediately—we were going to do so at the end."
Cao Lihuan wailed miserably, "I was wrong, it’s all my fault! Old Madam, Aunt, please forgive me!"Lin Old Madam's mind was clear as she spoke slowly, "How is the west side courtyard coming along? Has Huan Jie'er's luggage been packed? If everything's ready, send her out before sunset."
Cao Lihuan wept bitterly, clinging to Lin Old Madam's legs, wailing, "Old Madam, spare me! Spare me! I'll never dare again, I'll be good from now on..."
Lin Old Madam shook her head. "If you leave quietly, perhaps the Lin family might still contribute to your dowry when you marry."
Cao Lihuan burst into loud sobs, glaring venomously at Xianglan as if she wanted to tear her apart.
She never imagined that all her painstaking schemes, her careful plotting, would ultimately be ruined by a meek little maid who wouldn't say boo to a goose!
How she hated her! How could she have ever thought that stupid wench was just a simpleton who knew nothing and could be twisted around her finger!
Cao Lihuan's whole body convulsed with sobs as she howled, "Old Madam, don't drive me out... I... I might as well die!" With that, she sprang up to dash her head against the wall.
Qin Shi was so startled she reached out to grab her, only managing to catch Cao Lihuan's sleeve before losing grip as she struggled free. Xianglan hastily rose and spread her arms to block the way. Cao Lihuan stumbled and crashed into her, making Xianglan cry "Ai!" as her back hit the octagonal flower stand by the wall. The begonia in the celadon pot atop it smashed to the floor with a crash, and Xianglan was knocked over backwards, falling to the ground.
Hearing the commotion, several maids and matrons rushed in from the doorway. Cao Lihuan struggled to her feet, crying, "I won't live anymore!" and made to dash herself against the wall again. The servants hurried to surround and hold her back, shouting, "You mustn't!"
Cao Lihuan's suicidal display was utterly sincere as she fought desperately, wailing and flailing her arms. One matron wrapped her arms around Cao Lihuan's waist from behind, lifting her feet off the ground as she kicked wildly, tears and snot streaming down her face, her hair in disarray, hairpins and ornaments scattering across the floor. She shrieked incoherently, "If you drive me out, I'd rather find a rope and hang myself—at least that would be clean!" Then she yelled, "I'd sooner dash my brains out than leave under such a cloud!" How could she just walk away from the Lin family's vast wealth like this!
Lin Old Madam hadn't witnessed such a scene in years and was dumbstruck, trembling with rage. She pounded the kang table and pointed, scolding, "This is... outrageous! Utterly outrageous! Cough, cough, cough..."
Wang Shi had been watching with great interest, but seeing Lin Old Madam coughing violently, she hastily stepped forward to pat her chest and soothe her, a smile still playing at her lips as she said, "Why get so worked up, Old Madam? Just treat it as a good show, Huan—" She broke off when she saw Lin Old Madam glaring at her and awkwardly fell silent.
In the meantime, Cao Lihuan had snatched someone's hairpin and was about to stab her own neck with it. Everyone cried out in alarm, "She'll kill herself!" Several hands reached out to wrest it away from her.
Lin Old Madam was so agitated she could barely breathe. Wang Shi panicked and called out repeatedly, "Someone, go fetch the doctor! Quickly, get Old Madam's medicine!"
The room descended into chaos.
Qin Shi frowned and barked, "Hold her down at once! Can't you see Old Madam is unwell?"Xianglan saw the situation with crystal clarity—Cao Lihuan would never recover from this disgrace. She stepped forward and grasped Cao Lihuan's arm, yet whispered in her ear in an almost inaudible voice: "Save your efforts, miss. Do you think faking a suicide by bashing your head or drawing blood will let you convalesce in the Lin household? More likely, the Old Madam, First Madam, and Second Madam all detest you now. Believe me, even if you feigned unconsciousness this instant, the Lins would just roll you up in a mat, toss you into a carriage, and send you packing."
Cao Lihuan's face, already flushed crimson, turned purple upon hearing this. She whipped her head around and found herself staring into Xianglan's faintly mocking eyes. Only then did she realize this seemingly meek and simple maid possessed a pair of piercingly sharp eyes that saw right through her, leaving no place to hide.
Cao Lihuan burned with hatred, wishing she could tear Xianglan's flesh with her teeth. But the surrounding maids held her firmly, leaving no room for struggle. Xianglan continued softly in her ear: "Since things have come to this, you might as well preserve some dignity... And don't assume everyone else is a fool. Don't scoff at the retribution of hell either—what goes around comes around, in due time!"
At this moment, Qin Shi bellowed: "Drag her out of here this instant!"
Seizing the opportunity, Xianglan released her grip as the maids hauled Cao Lihuan away. Cao Lihuan had barely begun wailing when someone stuffed a cloth into her mouth.
Xianglan turned to watch Cao Lihuan being dragged off, listening to the chaotic voices in the room, her mind a blank—
Was Cao Lihuan really gone just like that?
Had the fiery pit she'd dreamed of escaping every single day been leaped over so easily? It felt surreal, like a dream.
Then... where would she go from here?
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Whew, finally finished—exhausting. The heroine's life now enters a new chapter ^_^
Thanks to Ban Tai's blog for the two cakes, Hua Xiyuexi for the cake, and 091208231540199 for the PK votes and review votes. Thanks also to christine_86! =3=
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