Chapter 192
The expressions of everyone changed.
They hurried to the medicine pavillion. Outside the pavillion, the others stood while the senior physician stopped everyone, sweating profusely. “Right now, Divine Physician Mu is saving the County Princess. Please don’t disturb.”
“What’s going on?” Lin Qingyang asked, surprised.
“I don’t know either. After Divine Physician Mu and I finished treating the County Princess, she said she wanted to talk to the young ladies, so we stepped out.”
Being pricked with needles wouldn’t affect anything; they just needed to wait for two hour. Lin Qingyang, unusually angered, turned to Lin Qinglan and Lin Qingwei.
Lin Qingwei was trembling in fear, crying as she collapsed into Lin Qinglan’s arms.
Lin Qinglan, also worried, cried as well, explaining, “At first, both little sister and I were with mother, chatting. But then little sister said she had something to discuss with mother alone, and mother agreed, so I came out.”
Lin Qinglan glanced at Lin Qingwei, but she still refused to lift her head, continuing to cry.
Lin Qingyang, not tolerating her behavior, directly pulled her out. He questioned, “What’s going on? Didn’t I instruct that mother is focusing on her treatment?”
“Don’t pull me! I was just talking to mother. How would I know she would suddenly start coughing up blood?”
Lin Qingyang’s mind briefly flashed with a dark thought: Could her own daughter be capable of harming her own mother? So Lin Qingyang’s first reaction was to look at Lin Qingwei, but the surprise on Lin Qingwei’s face seemed genuine. It meant that Lin Qingwei had no idea what Lin Qingwei had done.
“What did you say to the County Princess?” Chu Lishu grabbed Lin Qingyang, asking coldly.
“I just… I just hoped that mother could return to the Marquis’s mansion after recovering from her illness, and that we could all be together again.” Lin Qingwei’s eyes avoided Chu Lishu’s gaze, clearly not telling the truth. Instead, she argued defensively, “It was your choice of physician that was at fault. They treated mother unnecessarily, aggravating her condition. Mother was already in poor health, and yet you people kept bothering her. Don’t blame everything on me, a weak woman.”
“A weak woman? Haha, Lin Qingwei, I don’t believe a word you say. If it were just that, how could mother have an accident! Her condition was stable, and as long as she wasn’t provoked, she wouldn’t have spit blood and fainted!” Lin Qingyang was so angry with Lin Qingwei that his heart ached.
Lin Qingwei cried and shouted, “You’re wronging me!” Then she turned around, grabbed Marquis An Nan, and tried to leave, ignoring what might happen to Yawen next.
“Do you think you can get away with it?” Lin Qingyang ordered the place to be surrounded, not allowing Lin Qingwei to take a step out of the medicine pavillion.
Lin Qingwei felt even more wronged。
Just then, from inside, came the voice of Nanny Ding, asking Lin Qinglan to come in and help. Lin Qingyang remembered the ginseng pills and quickly exchanged one to give to Lin Qinglan. He had to make sure Yawen took it at the critical moment, at least to protect her life.
Although he trusted Mu Huichun’s medical skills, what he exchanged for in the system was naturally the best.
After letting Lin Qinglan go in, Lin Qingyang turned his head again to look at Lin Qingwei. Lin Qingwei was already tired from crying, so her voice naturally became softer. But when Lin Qingyang looked over, she raised her voice again to cry. Lin Qingyang felt extreme disgust.
“Lin Qingwei, haven’t you figured out the situation yet? Your tears mean nothing to me. I haven’t considered you my sister for a long time. Even if you cry yourself to death here, it will only annoy me. No one will indulge you anymore. Listen carefully to me. If something happens to mother, you will definitely be suspected of matricide and taken away by the authorities!”
Lin Qingwei, still clinging to her delusions, looked at Lin Qingyang with anger and grievance. “Second Brother, you’re going too far. Everything I’ve done is for the sake of our family!”
“Heh, stop flattering yourself. Everything you did was just for yourself.” Lin Qingyang looked at Lin Qingwei with a coldness in his eyes that was worse than facing a stranger.
Lin Qingwei hesitated for a moment, unable to bear the grievance. She said, “I’m not. I did it for our whole family! I heard that father’s position was in big trouble, which could affect the entire Marquis An Nan’s residence. I knew father came to seek help from Second Brother, so I wanted mother to speak up. Now that Second Brother is doing so well in the palace, isn’t it right to help our own family?”
“How did you hear…” Marquis An Nan suddenly realized something, his face changed, and he grabbed Lin Qingwei’s hand and started to leave. “Enough, stop talking. This is not something a girl in the inner chambers should interfere with. Come with me!”
However, Lin Qingwei shook off Marquis An Nan and yelled in a rebellious manner, “Father, you’re going to prison, and Marquis An Nan’s residence is going to be gone. What else can’t be said? It’s just that mother refuses to let Second Brother help you, right? Mother appears cold but is actually soft-hearted. As long as we persuade her and make her speak up, Second Brother will definitely help the Marquis An Nan’s residence through this crisis.”
Lin Qingwei’s words sounded strange. Yawen had no idea about the situation outside, so how could Lin Qingwei say it was Yawen who wouldn’t let Lin Qingyang help?
Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu exchanged a glance. Before Marquis An Nan could intervene, he saw Lin Qingwei running up to Lin Qingyang.
“Father did indeed frame the family from mother’s side, but it was the Emperor’s command. If Father didn’t comply, our whole family would be doomed. Isn’t this an unavoidable situation? Father owes an apology to the family from mother’s side and to mother, but mother shouldn’t seek revenge on Marquis An Nan’s residence because of past grudges. It’s wrong for her to forbid you from helping the family. After all, aren’t we all one family? I’m just asking her to forget the hatred. Must both families be ruined before it’s enough? Second Brother, don’t forget, your surname is Lin! You’re not from the Liu family, you shouldn’t obey mother’s words blindly. You should help the Marquis’s residence!”
In an instant, Lin Qingyang understood. It was Lin Qingwei, this foolish person, who intervened at this critical moment to plead for Marquis An Nan. However, in a twist of fate, she ended up revealing the truth about the prince’s residence’s tragedy to Yawen. How could such truth not stir Yawen? No wonder she spat out blood in anger. Luckily, she didn’t know that Marquis An Nan had also poisoned herself before. Otherwise, if it were revealed, Yawen might have been enraged to death on the spot. But how did Lin Qingwei know?
Before Lin Qingwei could say anything, there was suddenly a loud bang. Marquis An Nan fiercely slapped her, causing her to fall awkwardly to the ground.
“Nonsense!” Marquis An Nan roared furiously, his face contorted with rage.
It was the first time Lin Qingwei had been struck like this, her cheeks swollen and red. She immediately went berserk, saying, “Father, aren’t you going to admit your mistake? This morning, I overheard you and grandmother talking about this matter over there. Isn’t it that you said mother would definitely stop Second Brother from helping you through this crisis? I even pleaded for you, and yet you still don’t see the bigger picture.”
Marquis An Nan, driven mad by Lin Qingwei’s foolishness, struck her again with another slap, messing up her hair bun. “What does your maternal family’s affairs have to do with me? You’re just talking nonsense after hearing something. I think you’ve gone insane!”
Marquis An Nan was also wrongly accused. Lin Qingwei did indeed eavesdrop on part of their conversation, but she completely misunderstood his meaning. He was saying that if Yawen and the others found out the truth about what happened back then, they wouldn’t just refuse to help him; they might even use Lin Qingyang to harm him.
But this foolish person not only failed to mention this, but also blurted out everything, leaving Marquis An Nan no choice but to deny everything to the death.
At that moment, members of the Liu family also arrived. They hadn’t heard the specifics, but seeing Marquis An Nan there, their expressions weren’t pleasant. Liu Xiaowei tightly gripped his long sword, his gaze cold and unwavering.
Marquis An Nan persisted, “Qingyang, all of this is just a misunderstanding by your sister. How could I possibly do such a thing? You mustn’t overthink it, and you should also advise your mother not to let her thoughts run wild.”
Lin Qingyang’s eyes glinted coldly, his fists clenched involuntarily, but his hand was held by Chu Lishu.
Chu Lishu shook his head at him and said, “Uncle, you should take your daughter and leave. Otherwise, when Aunt wakes up and sees you, it won’t be good if she gets upset again.”
Feeling uncomfortable under the scrutiny of the Liu family, Marquis An Nan could only hurriedly pull Lin Qingwei away.
However, Lin Qingwei refused to comply. After all, she had said everything that needed to be said. “Second Brother, are you really going to stay out of the affairs of Marquis An Nan’s residence, even at the cost of your own family’s lives? Don’t forget, you’re still the legitimate son of Marquis An Nan’s residence
!”
Lin Qingyang looked at Lin Qingwei coldly and sneered, “In the end, you’re only concerned about yourself. You’re afraid of losing your status as the legitimate daughter of the Marquis’s residence, so you don’t care at all about what happens to mother. That’s why you dare to speak so recklessly at a time like this, all for your own selfish desires. Your selfishness truly astonishes me. Get lost, don’t come here again. I’ll make it clear on behalf of mother: you’re no longer our relative, and we never want to see you again.”
Lin Qingwei’s face turned pale, wanting to say something more, but she was already being dragged away by Marquis An Nan.
“What’s going on?” Liu Jingchen asked as he approached.
However, Lin Qingyang was too mentally exhausted to speak. It was Chu Lishu who went directly to Liu Xiaowei’s side and whispered a few words. After that, Liu Xiaowei disappeared.
Outside the courtyard, after giving Lin Qingwei another slap to silence her cries, Marquis An Nan finally managed to calm her down.
Lin Qingwei seemed unable to comprehend, “Father, what have I done wrong? Why are you all treating me like this! If it weren’t for father’s mistakes, how could we have ended up like this?”
Marquis An Nan completely ignored Lin Qingwei and instructed the coachman, “To the King Jin’s Residence.”
King Jin’s Residence belonged to the eldest prince.
At this point, Marquis An Nan no longer cared about whether he belonged to the Emperor or the eldest prince; he only wanted to save his own life. He intended to go and inform the eldest prince of everything he knew, to warn him in advance. Perhaps there was still a chance for salvation.
As the carriage traveled a distance and was about to make a turn, it suddenly came to a halt.
Marquis An Nan, in a fit of rage, pulled back the carriage curtain, only to see someone standing on the carriage shaft. He looked up and was instantly shocked.
“Marquis An Nan I’m here to escort you back to your residence,” Liu Xiaowei said coldly, wielding a silver sword “What’s this? Do you want to go somewhere else?”
Marquis An Nan struggled to maintain composure, finally conceding, “Yes, back to my residence. I’ll go back. No need to trouble…”
“Stay put in your residence until my sister is safe. If you dare to wander, I won’t guarantee your safety,” Liu Xiaowei threatened before swiftly departing. Watching his agile movements disappear, Marquis An Nan could only suppress his fear and return home for the time being.
When Yawen woke up, he wasn’t afraid. He could simply dismiss his daughter’s delusional ramblings. After all, there was no evidence, and he believed those people wouldn’t dare to initiate a real conflict. If they did, it would be like telling the Emperor they knew the truth about what happened back then. How could the Emperor let them live then? So, in that regard, Marquis An Nan was no longer worried.
When the time came for court assembly, he would find a way to contact the eldest prince.
On the other side, Mu Huichun finally emerged from the room.
The crowd gathered around, and Mu Huichun’s face was filled with dissatisfaction. “She’s stabilized for now, but there may be lingering effects in the future. That’s something we can’t change, and she’ll just have to endure it. Right now, her emotions are unstable. You all should persuade her more. Otherwise, if she gets too worked up, her condition will only worsen.”
Mu Huichun finished speaking with a weary spirit, his body swaying. Chu Lishu quickly supported him.
Mu Huichun murmured, “Brother Lin, what medicine did you give her? It’s quite effective, better than mine. Give me another one later, I’ll study it…”
Exhausted, Mu Huichun drifted off to sleep, eventually being carried away by Chu Lishu.
The Liu family members initially wanted to enter together, but Lin Qingyang stopped them. He briefly explained the situation to Liu Jingchen, indicating that if they were allowed in, Yawen might end up in tears.
After Lin Qingyang went inside, Lin Qinglan was asked to leave. Until now, Lin Qinglan still knew nothing about the situation, and it wasn’t appropriate for her to know.
Nanny Ding supported the dazed and weeping Yawen, tears streaming down her own face incessantly.
“Mother, if you keep dwelling on this, it’ll negate all of Mu Huichun’s efforts.”
“What do you know? Do you know about your father…?”
“I know. We’ve known for a long time,” Lin Qingyang said slowly.
Yawen looked up at Lin Qingyang in disbelief, trembling all over. “You knew? You’ve known all along? But you didn’t tell me, and the Liu family…”
“I, Chu Lishu, Eldest Cousin, and Uncle know the whole truth,” Lin Qingyang stated plainly.
“Don’t they want revenge? Are they worried about me? Then I’ll take matters into my own hands!” Yawen exclaimed, trying to get up, her eyes filled with bloodlust and hatred. “It’s my fault for marrying such a man. It’s my fault for letting you have such a father, too, Qingyang. Don’t stop me. Once I kill him, I’ll apologize to you all by taking my own life!”
Feeling Yawen’s pain, Lin Qingyang could only restrain her, trying to coax and deceive her. “Mother, you understand, don’t you? There’s still affection between Eldest Sister and Eldest Cousin. There might still be a chance for them to reconcile. But once you lay everything bare and Eldest Sister learns the truth, considering her temperament, they’ll be finished for good. And mother, do you want us to bear the disgrace of matricide? How will Eldest Sister and I live our lives afterwards?”
As soon as the topic turned to her children, County Princess Yawen was instantly caught in a bind. “But… your eldest cousin, he…”
Seeing the change in County Princess Yawen’s expression, Lin Qingyang knew her attention had shifted. “He knows everything but chooses not to speak. He’s protecting you and Eldest Sister. If Eldest Cousin has such magnanimity, how can we betray him? We have an understanding in this matter. Rest assured, Marquis An Nan will receive his comeuppance. Mother, why dirty your hands when we’re all in agreement? You can trust me on this.”
“What about you, Qingyang?” Yawen asked, concerned.
“I’m fine. I stopped considering him as my father a long time ago,” Lin Qingyang said with a relaxed and cold laugh.
Lin Qingyang persuaded Yawen from all angles for a while until she wasn’t as agitated, but she still couldn’t help but cry in sorrow.
Shortly after, Chu Lishu returned. Finally, he spoke up. “Marquis An Nan will soon face his downfall. So, before that happens, for the sake of your two daughters, there’s something you must do.”
Yawen and Lin Qingyang both looked up…
The next day, Chu Lishu appeared at Marquis An Nan’s residence, intercepting him as he was about to attend court.
“You don’t need to go, Marquis An Nan. I’ve already arranged for someone to report your absence. You don’t have to attend court today.”
Marquis An Nan looked at Chu Lishu in shock as he suddenly appeared.
Chu Lishu was completely different from before, not even addressing him as “Uncle” anymore.
“What do you mean by this?” Marquis An Nan spoke up. “Has something happened to the County Princess?”
“The County Princess is fine. I’m here to discuss something with you on behalf of Lin Qingyang,” Chu Lishu said as he sat down, leisurely taking out two pieces of paper.
Marquis An Nan looked closely at them, his face turning pale.
One was a divorce letter, and the other was a letter severing all ties.
“In the Great Zhou Dynasty, if a woman initiates divorce, she can take the unmarried children with her. By signing this letter severing all ties, it means that Yawen, Lin Qingyang, and Lin Qinglan will have no further legal or familial ties with you, Marquis An Nan. Even if something were to happen to you, it wouldn’t affect them,” Chu Lishu explained.
“What are you planning? Have you heard some news and know that I’m in trouble, so you’re eager to cut ties?” Marquis An Nan roared in anger, not just because of the two papers but also because of their implications.
Chu Lishu’s voice turned cold. “There’s currently no news from the court, but the Ministry of Works is certainly finished. With the charges against you, while you may not face execution, your death is inevitable. If you agree to sign, I will do everything I can to spare your life and ensure the safety of everyone in the Marquis’s residence. Otherwise, in less than three days, your head will surely roll.”
Marquis An Nan’s face darkened, his pupils trembling incessantly as he contemplated the credibility of Chu Lishu’s words.
Seeing Marquis An Nan hesitate, Chu Lishu directly presented some evidence to him. Marquis An Nan immediately snatched it, looking at it in disbelief. The investigation was much more thorough than he had anticipated, and the situation was even more serious than he had imagined.
“The originals are already in the Emperor’s hands. You should know what awaits you. Of course, you can also choose to drag everyone down with you. But you’ve misunderstood one thing: we’re under the jurisdiction of Prime Minister Li and the Fourth Prince. It won’t be too difficult to absolve yourself of your charges, and we’ve also planned an escape route,” Chu Lishu stated calmly.
Marquis An Nan realized, “So you’re saying you could help me, but you’re unwilling to? I am his father, your uncle!”
Chu Lishu, uninterested in further discussion, replied, “Since you’re unwilling, then forget it. You can go to the Eldest Prince if you want, but he’s unaware of the Ministry of Works’ crimes. If he finds out, he’ll undoubtedly deal harshly with those who caused him trouble. Do you think that includes you, as someone who knows the truth? Assassination is easy, and if the Emperor, who already knows your crimes, won’t protect you, what makes you think the Eldest Prince will?”
Marquis An Nan felt as though he had been awakened from a dream, struggling to catch his breath. Of course, the Emperor wouldn’t protect him; he probably wished to find a reason to dispose of him sooner rather than later. And as for the Eldest Prince… it was entirely possible he would silence him to eliminate any potential threats. He now realized he had no bargaining chips left.
“Is this because of the Liu family?” Marquis An Nan couldn’t help but inquire.
“The Liu family? What about them? You mean what Lin Qingwei, in her moment of madness, said? Yawen woke up yesterday and didn’t mention anything. She only expressed her desire to sever ties with you,” Chu Lishu feigned ignorance.
Marquis An Nan found a slight relief amidst all the misfortune. As he had suspected, even if Yawen harbored doubts, she wouldn’t dare to speak out, lest she draw the Emperor’s attention. Therefore, they couldn’t be sure if he was the one who framed the prince’s residence. Without solid evidence, they wouldn’t easily demand his life.
After much deliberation, Marquis An Nan, with a pained expression, hesitated for a while but finally came to a decision. Lin Qingyang’s attitude was already clear, and in this situation, Yawen wouldn’t possibly support him. Keeping them forcibly by his side wouldn’t gain him any assistance; it would only increase resentment. However, if he agreed, at least there would be no harm. As long as he stayed alive, there would be opportunities. If by some stroke of luck the Emperor spared him, the outside world would only see it as a calamity approaching, with Yawen and Lin Qingyang looking out for themselves and displaying an unseemly attitude.
In the end, under Chu Lishu’s coercion and inducement, Marquis An Nan reluctantly signed the divorce and severance documents.
Chu Lishu accepted them with a smile and then turned to leave.
At the door, Liu Xiaowei was waiting for him, his expression somewhat grim. Seeing him come out, his expression darkened even further.
Chu Lishu smiled and said, “By ‘saving his life,’ I meant sparing him from the Emperor’s judgment. But once he leaves the capital, the mutual restraint regarding those truths will no longer be effective. It’s normal for people to die in exile, so even if you seek revenge, the Emperor won’t suspect anything, will he?”
A glint flashed in Liu Xiaowei’s eyes, as if another step in the deep-seated grudge within the family was about to be completed.
“As for the Marquisate, losing everything and being expelled from the capital can also be considered ‘safe and sound’ in terms of personnel. I won’t go back on my word. I just hope they can return to their impoverished days,” Chu Lishu chuckled coldly, finally resolving the potential threat to Lin Qingyang.
With the Marquis’s residence no longer having any connection to the other courtyard. Lin Qingwei remaining at the Marquis’s residence, awaiting the arrival of misfortune in the coming days. County Princess Yawen didn’t say much about their decision not to take Lin Qingwei with them. He didn’t know what Lin Qingwei had said to provoke such a strong reaction from her, but in a way, it was for the best.
After resolving the matters at the Marquis’s residence, Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu officially ushered in the Qixi Festival banquet.
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