Chapter 16: You Are the Heavenly Rain
All servants in the courtyard had been dismissed.
He Shi stood in the middle of the courtyard, head bowed low, repeating: "This servant truly didn't do it, this evidence was planted..."
"It definitely wasn't Nurse He," Xie Ping spoke with difficulty. "Nurse He is just a servant, why would she harm Father's child? There must be some mistake, it must be a misunderstanding!"
She tightly clenched the handkerchief in her hand, her heart filled with frustration and resentment.
She simply couldn't understand - An Ge'er was already so grown, Father's proud eldest son. An unborn illegitimate child posed no threat to An Ge'er's position at all. Why would He Shi take such a risk?
Could it be that because Father had been paying too much attention to Concubine Tao recently, He Shi became jealous and committed this absurd act?
No matter how resentful she felt, Xie Ping knew she must protect He Shi at all costs. She absolutely couldn't let He Shi be expelled from the manor or sent to the authorities bearing such a serious charge...
Xie Ping gave Xie Shi'an a meaningful look.
Xie Shi'an pressed his lips together tightly.
Earlier, because he had trusted He Shi, he had hurt his mother's feelings.
If he spoke up for He Shi now, his mother would surely be even more hurt and might never be close to him again.
Four years ago, He Shi had stayed in the Xie residence because she feared the three siblings would be mistreated by their mother. But facts had proven that their mother treated them as her own children.
Now that they were older, it wouldn't matter if He Shi left the Xie residence through this incident.
Over the years, using the silver given by elders, he had purchased a small courtyard outside where He Shi could live.
Xie Laotaitai took a deep breath and said: "He Shi truly has no motive to harm the child. This matter needs to be investigated more thoroughly."
Yun Chu raised her hand: "Because He Shi has no motive, you all think it wasn't her. Since that's the case, then let someone present the motive."
He Shi was stunned.
What was her motive? To be honest, even she couldn't explain it clearly.
Was it to prevent the children from being mistreated by the madam? To protect An Ge'er's position in the Xie residence? Or was it simply jealousy toward the madam?
Ting Xue entered carrying a tray with over a dozen envelopes.
Yun Chu casually opened one of the envelopes and handed it to Xie Shi'an: "This was found during the search for medicinal herbs. An Ge'er, read it aloud."
Xie Shi'an's heart tightened violently.
Could it be that the correspondence between He Shi and her external family had been discovered...
When his eyes fell on the words written on the letter paper, the heart stuck in his throat finally settled back in his chest. He slowly read: "You are the heavenly rain, I am the well under the house. Though we cannot flow together as waves, I wish to be your form and shadow..."
Everyone in the courtyard was educated enough to understand that this was a love poem written by a woman to a man.
Xie Shi'an's voice caught in his throat. He couldn't continue reading, his face displaying a kaleidoscope of emotions, quite a spectacular sight.
Yun Chu spoke: "Compare this with He Shi's usual handwriting and you'll know this letter was written by her. As for whom it was written to, look at the beginning - it bears two characters: Yu Lang. I don't need to say more - Old Madam, Madam, you should know who Yu Lang is."
Yuan Shi looked as if she had swallowed a fly: "He Shi, you... how dare you entertain such filthy thoughts..."
Jiang Yiniang covered her mouth: "No wonder Nurse He remains unmarried at such an age. So this... this is why...""He Shi, you're not even a concubine! What right do you have to be jealous and even lay hands on a child!" Concubine Tao cried loudly in the room, "If anything happens to my child, I will never let you off!"
He Shi suddenly looked up toward Yun Chu's direction.
She suddenly understood - this was all a trap.
When she made her move against Concubine Tao, the Madam had already known about her scheme and sent people to watch her, which was how they obtained both witnesses and evidence so quickly.
Was it because the Madam saw the letter she wrote to the Master, felt threatened by her existence, and thus turned her scheme against her, luring her into this trap?
With all the evidence laid out before her, she simply couldn't defend herself.
"He Shi, as a mere servant, not only do you harbor improper feelings toward your master, but you even attempted to harm an unborn child!" Yun Chu said word by word, "Our Xie family cannot keep you any longer. Someone! Take He Shi to the authorities!"
"Mother!" Xie Shi'an clenched his fists, "After all, this is Xie family's internal matter. If we involve the authorities, it will become public knowledge. Father's assessment is approaching soon, it would be better not to create these complications."
Yun Chu looked at him: "Then An Ge'er, tell me, how should we deal with He Shi?"
Xie Shi'an loosened his fists: "Why not send her away?"
"She almost killed the child in my womb, and sending her away is all it takes?" Concubine Tao's voice came through, "Even if we can't report to the authorities, we can't let her off so easily! Old Madam, Madam, Lady, I beg you to seek justice for the child in my womb!"
The Old Madam's temples throbbed with visible veins.
This He Shi was truly a troublesome creature - sending her away would be best.
But was sending her away really the best option? They shouldn't have gotten involved with this wretched woman in the first place...
Yun Chu looked toward the Old Madam: "May I ask where He Shi's Indentured Contract is?"
The Old Madam didn't know how to respond.
Because He Shi never had an Indentured Contract - while appearing to be a servant of the Xie residence, she was actually a free person...
"Let's wait for Jingyu to return and ask for his opinion," the Old Madam closed her eyes, "For now, keep He Shi under watch. Everyone else may disperse."
Yun Chu turned and left with the people from Sheng Residence.
After everyone had dispersed, the Old Madam picked up her cane and struck He Shi hard on the back: "Back then, I allowed you to enter the residence as a concubine from your status as an outside woman, but you refused! Since that's the case, why write these disgusting things! I was generous enough to let you stay in the Xie family, to let you remain by An Ge'er's side - how dare you lay hands on my Xie family's descendants! Who gave you such courage!"
As the old lady spoke, she struck down with her cane again.
Xie Shi'an blocked this blow for He Shi, kneeling on the ground with a thud: "Great-grandmother, please send my mother away..."
"No, I won't leave!" He Shi cried bitterly, "If I leave, what will happen to my three children? I would rather die than leave the Xie residence..."
The Old Madam said hatefully: "Do you want to become Jingyu's concubine at this age?"
"No, I won't become a concubine either," He Shi prostrated on the ground, "Old Madam, as long as I can stay in the Xie family, I will accept any punishment!"
The Old Madam wished she could beat He Shi to death.
She wouldn't leave, wouldn't become a concubine, and couldn't be sent to the authorities - just how should she be dealt with!Xie Ping said angrily, "If you wish to remain in the Xie family, behave yourself and stop causing us trouble. If others were to find out you are our birth mother, how could An Ge'er, Wei Ge'er, and I ever hold our heads up in society!"
Xie Shi'an spoke slowly and deliberately, "I can persuade Father to let you stay in the Xie family, but remember—this is your last chance."
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