Chapter 308: Reactions
Master Hu thought of the unconscious Grand Secretary Yu, glanced at the chaotic scene around Madam Yu and the others, then looked at Fei Shi, whose face was ashen but whose eyes flashed with determination. After a brief moment of contemplation, he lowered his voice and said, "That man surnamed Guo is a Presented Scholar from the year of Ding Chou."
Fei Shi's expression changed drastically.
If the opponent were an ordinary commoner, any commoner who dared to sue an official—regardless of whether they were in the right—would first receive twenty heavy strikes upon entering the courtroom. Many never even got the chance to speak before succumbing to those twenty blows. Thus, even in cases of blood-soaked vendettas, ordinary people rarely dared to take legal action. But if the opponent was a Presented Scholar, they had the privilege to sit in court and speak without suffering physical harm. If the first lawsuit failed, they could file a second; if the second failed, a third. If unsatisfied with the county's verdict, they could appeal to the prefecture; if still dissatisfied, they could take it to the provincial level... Some, driven by sheer stubbornness, might even escalate the case to the Court of Judicial Review. Even if the accused was innocent, such relentless litigation would utterly ruin their reputation.
Seeing that Fei Shi understood the gravity of the situation, Master Hu couldn't help but regard her with newfound respect. After a moment's thought, he added in a hushed tone, "Madam, you should advise the mistress to prepare for the worst."
"Thank you for your guidance, sir," Fei Shi replied, her voice trembling as she curtsied deeply.
Master Hu clasped his hands in farewell and withdrew from the side chamber.
Fei Shi helped Housekeeper Shu carry Madam Yu to a nearby daybed, where she wiped Madam Yu's face with a cold cloth. Madam Yu gradually regained consciousness and immediately scanned the room for Yu Huaian. "Where is De Pu? Where is he now?"
Yu Huaian hurried forward and said softly, "I'll go fetch the young master at once."
Madam Yu nodded and urged him, "Tell him to return quickly—say his father has collapsed."
Yu Huaian acknowledged the order and left.
Just then, Madam Yu noticed Fei Shi approaching with a cup of hot tea and couldn't help but ask, "Where is the young mistress?"
The crowd's gaze shifted toward the large kang by the window.
Fan Shi was sobbing quietly against Mo Zhuan's shoulder.
A surge of inexplicable fury rose in Madam Yu's heart. She snatched the teacup from Fei Shi and hurled it at Fan Shi. "What are you wailing for? De Pu isn't dead yet! The Yu Family's good fortune has been ruined by your incessant crying!"
Fan Shi had no time to dodge. The scalding tea splashed over her, turning the back of her hand bright red, but she dared not utter a sound of pain. Swallowing her grief, she wiped away her tears.
Mo Zhuan's eyes reddened at the sight.
Still unsatisfied, Madam Yu snapped, "Your father-in-law lies unconscious, your mother-in-law is bedridden, and all you can do is cry. Did your mother never teach you even the basics, like serving tea?"
Bitter resentment welled up in Fan Shi's heart, but she forced herself to rise and personally brew a fresh cup of tea for Madam Yu.
Madam Yu then ordered her to check whether Yu Huaian had returned with De Pu. "With your husband in trouble, you show no concern at all!"
This was clearly a task for maids or servants, yet she was being ordered to do it—a blatant humiliation. Worse, she was being accused of indifference toward her husband, and she had no choice but to endure it silently.
Fan Shi, her face pale with suppressed anger, went to the outer courtyard.
Meanwhile, Madam Yu turned to Fei Shi and asked, "What do you think of that Min Shi...?" Her tone was noticeably gentler than when she had spoken to Fan Shi.Fei Shi was slightly taken aback and gave a bitter smile. "Madam, you don't understand. I'm caught between the young master and the young mistress. If I get too close to Min Shi, I'd be betraying the young mistress. If I distance myself from Min Shi, I'd be failing the young master. So I had no choice but to turn a blind eye—I'd just relay the tasks the young master entrusted to me and leave immediately. How could I dare to speak more with Min Shi?"
Madam Yu was quite surprised and wanted to ask more, but a young maid rushed in. "Madam, the master has woken up."
"Really?" Madam Yu's face lit up with joy as she lifted her skirts and hurried toward the study.
Maids and housekeepers followed in a flurry.
The imperial physician took the pulse again, prescribed a remedy, advised rest, and then took his leave.
Madam Yu quickly ordered someone to prepare the medicine and asked her husband solicitously if he was still feeling unwell, if he wanted a cup of hot tea, or if he'd like something to eat. She deliberately avoided mentioning Yu Jingxiu, fearing her husband might fly into another rage and faint again.
Grand Secretary Yu inquired about Yu Huaian.
"I sent him to find De Pu," Madam Yu replied cautiously, watching her husband's expression.
"That's fine," Grand Secretary Yu nodded slightly. "I have some questions for him." Then his expression turned serious. "I need to speak with you."
Housekeeper Shu promptly led the maids and housekeepers out of the room.
Grand Secretary Yu lowered his voice. "That Guo fellow is just a petty county magistrate. Seeing Min Shi's family in decline, he wanted to break off the engagement—clearly a man who forgets morality for profit. He has more than one son, yet for this one, he dared to sue De Pu at the Court of Judicial Review. Someone must be behind this. After much thought, I can only conclude it's Zhao Ling..."
"How could this be?" Madam Yu turned pale. "It's been so long. They've been living well, and we haven't provoked them. Why is he still holding on so tightly?"
"Don't complain yet," Grand Secretary Yu whispered. "Let me finish."
Madam Yu hummed in acknowledgment and waited quietly.
"If Zhao Ling dared to incite that Guo fellow to sue, he must have solid evidence. We won't find any loopholes there. Our only option now is to... influence the Court of Judicial Review..."
Madam Yu's eyes twitched. "You mean... bribing the officials there?"
Grand Secretary Yu gave a slight nod, his voice even lower. "How much cash do we have at home?"
"Thirteen thousand four hundred fifty taels in bank notes," Madam Yu replied.
"That's not enough," Grand Secretary Yu said. "Find a way to gather thirty thousand taels."
With her husband's plan in place and their son's life at stake, Madam Yu took a deep breath. "Understood. I'll go gather the silver now."
Grand Secretary Yu nodded and instructed, "Summon Mr. Wu."
Madam Yu acknowledged, but just then, Yu Huaian's voice came from outside: "Master, Madam, I've returned."
His voice sounded panicked.
Both Grand Secretary Yu and Madam Yu felt their hearts sink at the tone.
"Come in and speak!" Madam Yu barely finished speaking when Yu Huaian rushed in.
"Master, Madam, it's terrible!" he exclaimed, sweating profusely. "The young master has been taken away by the Court of Judicial Review..."
"What did you say?" Grand Secretary Yu was utterly shocked.
Madam Yu went limp, unable to utter a word."It's true," Yu Huaian said with a mournful face. "Not only was the young master taken to the Court of Judicial Review, but even Min Shi and all her maids and servants were arrested. I heard the one who hired the assassins was Min Shi's wet nurse..."
"That wretched scoundrel!" Grand Secretary Yu was so furious and anxious he nearly fainted.
Madam Yu came to her senses and tightly grasped Grand Secretary Yu's sleeve. "Shouldn't they have summoned him first? How could they suddenly throw him in jail? This must be Zhao Ling's scheme. If he could bribe that Guo fellow, he can certainly bribe the jailers too." As she spoke, she shuddered and pleaded desperately with Grand Secretary Yu, "My lord, you must save De Pu!"
"He's my son too!" Grand Secretary Yu looked helplessly at his wife. "Do you think I'm not heartbroken that he's in trouble?" He added, "Now I fear thirty thousand taels won't be enough. Try to gather another twenty thousand—fifty thousand in total. I'll go to the Court of Judicial Review."
"Yes!" Madam Yu hastily agreed. She left her personal maid to attend to Grand Secretary Yu while she and Housekeeper Shu went to tally their valuables.
Housekeeper Shu worried, "Pawnbrokers always take advantage when they know people are desperate for money. We probably won't get good prices for these gold and silver ornaments."
"There's no help for it. The loans we've issued can't be recalled immediately," Madam Yu said, staring at the red jeweled hair ornaments the size of lotus seeds in the box. She steeled herself, closed the lid, and placed it with the other items to be pawned. "Let's pawn them temporarily first. We can redeem them once we collect the outstanding loans."
"Perhaps," Housekeeper Shu suggested, "we should inform the young mistress? She could probably gather about ten thousand taels..."
"No need," Madam Yu said. "They still have to live, and we're not yet at the point of touching our son and daughter-in-law's private savings."
Housekeeper Shu couldn't help muttering under her breath, "Your money will surely go to the young master, but the young mistress may not be of one mind with him. Her money might not necessarily be his..."
Madam Yu's hands stilled as she packed, her expression darkening.
She slowly sat down on the kang and said, "Go call the young mistress here."
Housekeeper Shu hesitated for a moment before going to summon Fan Shi.
Madam Yu gestured for Fan Shi to sit by the kang and told her about Yu Jingxiu's situation, concluding, "...We're gathering silver now to bribe the officials at the Court of Judicial Review."
Fan Shi had already begun weeping. Wiping her tears, she blamed Min Shi: "She must have incited him. Poor young master, for her sake, he wouldn't even listen to his parents' orders. His reputation has been ruined by her..."
Madam Yu remained silent, sitting quietly as she listened.
After Fan Shi had spoken at length without any reaction from Madam Yu, she quickly changed the subject. "Mother, why did you call me here?"
"It's nothing much," Madam Yu said. "I just wanted to talk to you."
Fan Shi sniffled, her eyes red. "Mother, I was wrong before. I shouldn't have quarreled with De Pu. When he returns, I'll live harmoniously with him and not trouble you and Father anymore."
As Madam Yu listened, a flicker of disappointment crossed her brow. "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
Fan Shi thought for a moment. "Mother, are you blaming me for not taking good care of De Pu, leaving him childless past thirty? In the future, I...""We'll talk about the future later," Madam Yu interrupted her, her tone tinged with displeasure. "Right now, the household doesn't have that much silver. See how much money and valuables you have on hand, and let's first gather enough to bribe the Ministry of Justice."
Fan Shi was dumbfounded, gaping for a long moment before stammering, "I don't have much left either... Zhen Jie'er's medicine is a constant expense..."
"It's just for an emergency," Madam Yu said, her voice growing even colder. "In a couple of days, Huai'an will return to Nanjing. As for your side, bring whatever you have!"
With things put so bluntly, what else could Fan Shi say?
She murmured a quiet "Yes" and went to fetch her bank notes and valuables.
"You were right," Madam Yu said, watching Fan Shi's retreating figure with a gaze as sharp as a blade. "My money is De Pu's, but her money isn't necessarily De Pu's."
Mama Shu dared not respond and lowered her head.
Fan Shi brought two thousand taels in bank notes and a few pieces of jewelry Madam Yu had gifted her, explaining, "I didn't expect such an urgent need. I've been spending freely, so only these bank notes remain. As for valuables, only the ones you've given me are worth anything."
Madam Yu glanced at them and had Mama Shu take them.
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Tried to make the plot tighter, kept cutting and cutting, so the update is a bit late... O(∩_∩)O~
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(End of Chapter)
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