Old Madam Fang's actions this time were swift and decisive, carrying some of the vigor of her youth.
However, no one knew that the reason Old Madam Fang could confront Fang Yacun so smoothly this time was due to guidance from a mastermind who had secretly managed connections for her. Otherwise, given Fang Yacun's current influence, Old Madam Fang might not have been able to act so unexpectedly. Old Madam Fang, for her part, believed it was the result of her daughter and son-in-law working behind the scenes.
Apart from ancestral worship during festivals, the Fang family had not opened the ancestral hall for many years. As for the grievances between Old Madam Fang and Fang Yacun, the rest of the Fang family watched in confusion. After all, in daily life, the relationship between this legitimate mother and her illegitimate son appeared harmonious and filial. No one expected that when they did clash, it would be on such a grand scale.
Even if Fang Yacun had been prepared, he never expected Old Madam Fang to suddenly gather so many people to open the ancestral hall with the intention of expelling him from the Fang family. Initially, he wasn’t worried that Old Madam Fang could bring him down with just a few words, as he had secretly built up his own influence within the Fang clan over the years.
Madam Liu, Fang Yacun’s wife, was also nearly thrown into disarray by this sudden turn of events. Fortunately, she had already sent word to her brothers in her maternal family. Her family had some connections with the Fang family, and although this was an internal matter of the Fang family, if Old Madam Fang insisted on driving Fang Yacun out, Madam Liu’s family would not stand idly by.
However, on the day the ancestral hall was opened, Old Madam Fang led the feeble-minded Fang Yaxun before the Fang clansmen, delivering a tearful and impassioned account, followed by a succession of witnesses and material evidence, which made Fang Yacun and his wife realize the situation was turning against them.
The gazes of the Fang clansmen toward Fang Yacun gradually shifted.
After all, the charge of poisoning his elder brother and harming the legitimate descendants of the Fang family was no small matter.
Although most of the evidence presented by Old Madam Fang pointed to Fang Yacun’s birth mother, the concubine who had long since passed away, there was also evidence indicating that after her death, someone had continued to poison Fang Yaxun. And who else could this person be but Fang Yacun and his sister Fang Yaru, who stood to benefit the most?
After presenting the evidence for the clansmen to examine, Old Madam Fang declared her intention to report the matter to the authorities. However, some of the older and more senior elders of the clan opposed involving the government. After all, this was not a matter of honor for the Fang family. Such family scandals were typically resolved within the clan by opening the ancestral hall. Clan laws were often more favored by the powerful figures of great families than the laws of the court.
Fortunately, at this point, there were still some who spoke in Fang Yacun’s defense. Regarding the poisoning of Fang Yaxun by Fang Yacun’s concubine, most people chose to believe it due to the conclusive evidence. Thus, this group defended Fang Yacun himself.
In the end, both sides held their ground. To catch his breath, Fang Yacun signaled his supporters to propose a temporary recess, as he needed time to devise a way to extricate himself from his current disadvantage.
The few elders of the Fang clan were also advanced in years and had grown weary after sitting through the morning’s proceedings. Old Madam Fang had no choice but to agree and personally invited the esteemed elders to take a break for tea and refreshments.Fang Yacun could still barely maintain proper etiquette at this moment, but he only held some prestige among the younger generation. The older men and women didn’t pay him much heed, so he secretly called a few close associates aside to talk.
Old Madam Fang saw this from above but merely responded with a cold laugh and let him be. Compared to Fang Yacun’s predicament, Old Madam Fang exuded confidence, as if victory was already in her grasp.
Since the clan had not yet issued any orders regarding Fang Yacun, he was not yet considered a criminal. Old Madam Fang did not stop him, so others had nothing to say either.
However, the evidence Old Madam Fang had presented today was too shocking, and the situation was extremely unfavorable for Fang Yacun. After discussing with his allies for a while, they still couldn’t come up with a good strategy to immediately turn the tables. Judging by Old Madam Fang’s demeanor today, it was clear she wouldn’t give them any opportunity to prepare a counterattack.
Finally, a young man who had received many favors from Fang Yacun in the past hesitated and said, “Old Madam said that the person who later poisoned Fang Yaxun was you, but there isn’t enough evidence. After all, besides you, there was no one else who could have done it at the time.”
At this point, the young man glanced at Fang Yacun but didn’t continue.
Another person suddenly realized, “That’s right! At that time, Fourth Aunt hadn’t married yet! And I heard Fourth Aunt also learned a good hand at medicinal cuisine from Aunt Fang, so she knows a bit about pharmacology. Before her marriage, she often made medicinal cuisine for Old Madam. She was always in the inner courtyard, so she had more opportunities than Fourth Master to…”
Halfway through his words, the person beside him tugged at his sleeve.
The speaker looked up and saw Fang Yacun’s face had turned ashen.
“No!”
Everyone exchanged glances upon hearing this. The person who had spoken earlier tried to persuade him, “Fourth Master, Fourth Aunt is already married, and she married far away to Yanbei. Even if we shift all the blame onto her now, the Fang family can’t summon her back for punishment. With her husband’s family protecting her, what could possibly happen to her? But you are different. If the charges against you aren’t completely cleared, the position of family head will likely…”
Someone else chimed in, “Yes, Fourth Brother. And I heard Fourth Sister went missing some time ago and hasn’t been found yet. To put it bluntly, even if she’s found in the end, it might be worse than not finding her at all. In this situation, using Fourth Sister as a shield isn’t necessarily a bad idea.”
“Yes, Fourth Master.”
Fang Yacun angrily said, “Enough! As a man, how can I let a weak woman take the blame? And she’s my own sister! All of you, leave now!”
The members of Fang Yacun’s faction shook their heads and walked away.
Fang Yacun downed a pot of cold tea in one gulp. At that moment, Madam Liu entered with their son.
Seeing Madam Liu, Fang Yacun asked, “How did it go? What did your brother’s people say?”
Madam Liu sighed and remained silent.
Fang Yacun grew even more agitated upon seeing this.
Madam Liu watched Fang Yacun pacing back and forth for a long time, then suddenly knelt before him with their son.
Fang Yacun was taken aback. “What are you doing?” He reached out to help Madam Liu up.
But Madam Liu avoided his hand. Fang Shuzhou looked at his mother, then at his father, and remained kneeling without moving.Madam Liu lowered her head and said, "Master, I have been married to you for over ten years and have never asked you for anything, but today I wish to beg you for one thing."
Fang Yacun frowned. "What is it that you cannot stand up and speak properly about?"
Madam Liu let out a bitter laugh and whispered, "If it were just the two of us as husband and wife, then no matter what the outcome, I would be willing to stand by you through thick and thin, never abandoning you in life or death."
Fang Yacun was taken aback.
Madam Liu stroked her son’s head and continued, "But I am a mother, and I cannot bear to see my child be spat upon in the future, unable to find a match, with his future completely ruined. So even though I know this is selfish, I cannot help but be selfish this once."
"What do you mean by this?"
Madam Liu finally looked up at Fang Yacun. "I overheard your conversation with them earlier."
Fang Yacun widened his eyes, his expression turning grim. "Do you also want my sister to take the blame?"
Madam Liu said, "Take the blame? Why should she take the blame for us? Master, tell me the truth—was it you who poisoned the eldest uncle?"
Fang Yacun was left speechless.
Seeing Fang Yacun’s expression, Madam Liu smiled bitterly. "We have been husband and wife for over ten years. How could I not know your character? I believe you would bribe someone to carry out a covert assassination, but you would never poison the eldest uncle. I think the only one who could have poisoned him is your sister."
Fang Yacun turned his head away. "Nonsense!"
Madam Liu simply stared at Fang Yacun without saying a word.
Fang Yacun closed his eyes and finally said, "No matter what Fourth Sister did, she did it for me! Without her, I would not be where I am today. Although I, Fang Yacun, am not a particularly virtuous or good man, I know I should not betray my own sister, who sacrificed herself for me and became a concubine."
Madam Liu looked at Fang Yacun with disappointment. "What about me and our child? Master, do me and our child deserve to be betrayed? You always say that Fourth Aunt suffered so much for you, but from what I have seen, she is the one living the best among your half-sisters. Hasn’t that been due in part to our protection and support over the years? In the past, when you asked me to help her, I did my duty as a family member and never treated her unfairly. If it weren’t for our child, I would be willing to bear the consequences of her crime with you, but I cannot. Master, look at me, look at our child—we are the ones who are truly one family, the ones who share honor and disgrace!"
Fang Yacun closed his eyes in pain. "I... I cannot..."
Slowly, disappointment appeared in Madam Liu’s eyes.
In the end, she wiped the tears from her face, stood up with her son, and said slowly to Fang Yacun, "Master, you cannot, but I can. I have already spoken to my family and asked them to find a way to pin all of this on Fourth Aunt."
Fang Yacun looked at Madam Liu in shock. "You..."
Madam Liu, however, gradually calmed down and said word by word, "My mind is made up! If you still intend to take the blame for Fourth Aunt in the end, then I will hang myself with our son in front of the Fang family’s gate. You should know what kind of person I am—I always keep my word. I have already sent someone to buy the coffin."Madam Liu paused, then added, "After this matter is settled, if you wish to divorce me, I will bear no resentment! As long as you treat the child well, I will spend the rest of my life in a nunnery."
With that, Madam Liu curtsied and left with the child.
Fang Yacun took two steps forward, wanting to call her back, but ultimately did not step out the door. He could only stand dazedly at the entrance, watching Madam Liu leave with their son.
Double Pink is still ongoing, seeking early-month Pink Votes～o(∩_∩)o
The next chapter will be around 10 o'clock.
OpenNovel