Chapter 054
Chapter 54: Unrelenting
Xia Meng Yan let everyone stare as she walked at an easy pace to Old Madam Xia’s side, then smiled: “Grandmother, what did I do that makes you cut off your own kin in the name of justice?”
Old Madam Xia looked at her in surprise, her eyes flicking to the far side of the lake as she blurted: “You, why are you here?”
Xia Meng Yan acted as if she had noticed nothing and asked: “If I am not here, where else would I be?”
Old Madam Xia choked and almost gave herself away.
Consort Ping withdrew her gaze and gave a look to the nanny at her side.
The trusted nanny followed her mistress’s eyes, noticed that Xia Meng Yan’s dress was different from before, and let a smile curl at the corner of her mouth as she said: “It is not Old Madam Xia’s fault to suspect the Eldest Miss. It is that the Eldest Miss cannot explain herself.” Pointing at the dress, she added: “A palace maid saw you go to the far side of the lake just now, and now you have changed clothes. That has to raise doubts.”
Hearing this, Old Madam Xia looked that way and could not hide the joy on her face as she said: “Meng Yan, Grandmother does not want to doubt you. But all the signs point to you, and Grandmother has no choice. The good thing is the person is still alive. If you admit your mistake, Grandmother will beg Consort Ping to be lenient.”
Xia Meng Yan lowered her eyes a little. To outsiders, Old Madam Xia sounded like a kind grandmother cleaning up after the younger generation and protecting the Xia family’s name. The only thing missing was the truth that she was the one pulling the strings.
She lifted her gaze and asked: “Qing Yao still has not shown up. Why does Grandmother not suspect her?”
Old Madam Xia felt Duan Yi Chen’s killing gaze and her heart skipped; with guests present, she did not dare press too hard as she said: “Your sister is not that kind of person.”
“Oh, if Sister Qing Yao is not that kind of person, then I am?” said Xia Meng Yan in a calm tone that somehow sounded sharp to many ears.
Both granddaughters were absent, yet Old Madam Xia’s attitude could not have been more different.
The palace maids and eunuchs lowered their heads and kept quiet, but in their hearts they were already weighing things. Perhaps this Eldest Miss was not favored at home.
Old Madam Xia drew a deep breath and tried to look gentle as she said: “Someone saw you go to the far side of the lake, so Grandmother jumped to conclusions. I am not favoring Qing Yao. You two have been gone for so long. Where did you go, and why did you change clothes? If you explain clearly, Grandmother can answer to Consort Ping.”
[Explain? Or are you just looking for holes to pick at?]
Xia Meng Yan put on a helpless look and said: “My sister suddenly disappeared, so I searched everywhere. I tore my dress by accident.”
Old Madam Xia pressed: “You looked for your sister for so long? Where did these clothes come from?”
Since Her Highness had summoned them suddenly, they had come in a hurry with no spare clothing.
Step by step, Xia Meng Yan drew closer to Old Madam Xia, met her eyes, and said: “I searched near here for my sister. As for this dress, I borrowed it from a passing palace maid.” [She could not say where the clothes really came from, because Duan Yi Chen had prepared them.]
“Who can prove it? Bring that palace maid here and have her speak before Consort Ping,” said Old Madam Xia, forcing down her rising panic. If they kept dragging this out, the matter might be brushed away.
Looking at her own grandmother, Xia Meng Yan felt it was sad that the woman would not stop until the charge stuck. [What has the main branch done that is so unforgivable that Grandmother would rather stain the Xia family’s name than spare me?]
Seeing Old Madam Xia had no chance of winning against Xia Meng Yan, Consort Ping signaled her nanny.
The nanny understood and looked at Xia Meng Yan as she said: “Eldest Miss Xia, I saw you go to the lakeside, and a palace maid saw you cross to the other shore. The evidence is solid. You cannot brush it away by saying you were elsewhere.”
“I have a witness,” said Xia Meng Yan, watching how eager the two were and laughing coldly in her heart.
At that, Old Madam Xia and the nanny both turned to Consort Ping.
Consort Ping cursed them as fools in her heart, but spoke mildly: “Since there is a witness, explain it clearly.”
Xia Meng Yan raised her hand, and not far away someone limped into view. It was Xia Qing Yao.
Old Madam Xia’s face changed. The witness was Xia Qing Yao? How could that be? Had she not lured Xia Meng Yan to the lakeside and then hidden herself?
Old Madam Xia kept signaling at Xia Qing Yao, but the girl did not look at her at all.
Supported by a palace maid, Xia Qing Yao came to Xia Meng Yan’s side. The sisters exchanged a glance.
Xia Meng Yan spoke slowly: “The nanny is right. When I heard my sister call, I went to find her and saw she had twisted her ankle. I wanted to ask the nanny for help, but she had not followed us. So we searched for the nearest hall to rest. On the way, a branch by the path tore my skirt. Not wanting to be rude before Your Highness, I borrowed a dress from a passing palace maid. After I settled my sister, I came back the same way and heard someone framing me for hurting a person.” She glanced at Duan Yi Chen; their eyes met, and he gave a slight nod. Understanding, she looked to Consort Ping and said: “Your Highness may send people to check along the path. There should be scraps from my torn hem by the road.” [If Duan Yi Chen’s Shadow Guard could enter the palace, the rest would be easily handled.]
Before Consort Ping could speak, Old Madam Xia cut in and questioned Xia Qing Yao: “Qing Yao, do not be afraid. With Consort Ping here, just speak.”
Xia Qing Yao heard the hint. Old Madam wanted her to say that Xia Meng Yan was lying. She bit her lip and ran through all the possible outcomes in her mind.
Xia Meng Yan did not urge her. She believed the terms she had offered were tempting enough. Even so, seeing Xia Qing Yao still hesitate made her feel real hurt. In the face of personal gain, sisterly love and family honor became fake words. What fell on one’s own head was what felt real.
She understood Xia Qing Yao, yet she was still sad.
For years, the main branch had paid for everyone in the Xia family. Her father and mother had worn themselves out raising the younger generation. For their first tutor they chose a top-ranked scholar, and for the qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting they hired famous teachers from all over. The guqin and copybooks they used had belonged to great scholars of the previous dynasty, treasures you could not buy even with silver. Her father and mother had done it all out of conscience and had asked for nothing in return. But when the people who benefited stood on the other side for profit, anyone’s heart would grow cold.
Xia Qing Yao slowly lifted her head and met Xia Meng Yan’s disappointed eyes. Her hand clenched, then loosened as she said: “Grandmother, what Elder Sister said is true. She has been with me the whole time.”
“What? Qing Yao, think this through—”
“Grandmother,” said Xia Meng Yan coldly, cutting her off as she looked at her calmly, “Sister Qing Yao has said I was with her the whole time. If you keep questioning, do you mean to nail me as the one who hurt him?”
Old Madam Xia had not expected Xia Meng Yan to speak aloud what she herself was aiming for. Her face turned red and green by turns.
Consort Ping’s nanny saw the matter slipping from her control and said: “Xia Qing Yao is your sister, of course she will help you.”
Duan Yi Chen had watched Xia Meng Yan since the moment she appeared. Now that the matter was clear and they still would not let it go, his eyes cooled as he asked Consort Ping: “Your Highness, shall we report to His Majesty and have this investigated?”
Consort Ping froze, a crack in her gentle mask. Let His Majesty investigate and dig up what should not be dug up? That would do more harm than good. She said: “No need. It is a misunderstanding. Likely Eunuch Xiao Mu Zi shirked his duty and fell by accident. It has nothing to do with Eldest Miss Xia.”
Not wanting to lose the chance, Old Madam Xia spoke rashly: “If Eunuch Xiao Mu Zi wakes and points to Meng Yan, would that not cause trouble for Your Highness?”
At this, Duan Yi Chen’s face went as cold as ice as he said: “What do you mean, Old Madam Xia? If Xiao Mu Zi dies, Eldest Miss Xia can never clear her name?”
Old Madam Xia seemed possessed and kept talking: “I am thinking of the Xia family. Rumors are like sharp swords. They can destroy a family with ease. I beg the Heir Apparent to understand my good intentions.” To her, witnesses did not matter. What mattered was which story people preferred to believe.