Chapter 073
Chapter 73: Trap
Lin Ye Lan’s heart thumped, but he pretended not to understand.
Old Madam Xia’s eyes dodged: “What nonsense are you talking?”
Madam Wan looked away and kept quiet.
Xia Meng Yan slowly lay back. Her belly was big now, and her lower back had started to ache: “Do not think I do not know. You all had a hand in the rumors outside.”
“Not so, Meng Yan. I came this time because I want to…” Lin Ye Lan tightened his grip on the thing in his hand. It was time to show it. He put on a look of doubt and glanced at Old Madam Xia and Madam Wan: “Old madam, may I speak with Meng Yan alone for a moment?”
Old Madam Xia was not happy about it, but she did not want to stay either. She saw clearly now that Xia Meng Yan was as hard and stubborn as a stone in a latrine. There was no way to control her. Better to go find the eldest son.
“Fine, you two talk. I should head back.” She put on a kind face again and let Madam Wan support her toward the door. At the door she still reminded, “Talk well with the marquis.”
Xia Meng Yan was almost sick from the old woman’s fake kindness. Her face changed as fast as turning a page.
When the door closed, Lin Ye Lan sat across from her and took out some papers from his robe, placing them on the table: “I truly care about you and the child. I had someone investigate in secret. Years ago, at the Hanlin Academy, a student accused Lord Xia. Because there was not enough evidence, the Academy expelled him. That student could not bear the rumors and jumped into the river to die. Back then, people said Lord Xia forced him to death. Now the old case is being raised again. The student’s older brother and sister-in-law plan to sue Lord Xia. I found them in secret. They agreed that if they receive five thousand taels, they will withdraw the lawsuit. These are their statements and letters of forgiveness.”
Xia Meng Yan did not even look at the papers. Her fingers idly pushed the lotus seeds around. [He moves fast. He got this so easily. I really should thank him. As long as I agree, that becomes proof. Do they take me for a fool.]
Seeing she was unmoved, Lin Ye Lan grew anxious: “Five thousand taels is nothing to you. This concerns Lord Xia’s name. You must not mess around. If you are worried, after the matter is done, I will personally make sure they leave the capital.”
She propped her chin and looked straight at him: “What benefit do you want for doing all this, marquis?”
From the time he entered, Xia Meng Yan had not once truly looked at him. Now that their eyes met, Lin Ye Lan felt uneasy: “I want nothing. I only want one chance to take good care of you and the child.”
She raised an eyebrow with a trace of scorn: “How will you take care of us, marquis? Tell me.”
He had not expected that question, but soon found his line: “Before the baby is born, I will settle the trouble outside. After the birth, we will remarry. I know you and my mother do not get along. We can buy another house and live on our own. We will only visit her on holidays.”
“Have you found a house, marquis? Do you have enough saved to buy one?” Xia Meng Yan kept smiling, but her words made his face redden. “From the look of you, it seems not. So your care is only a picture you paint in the air?”
“It is not like that.” He did not want to waste this chance to talk. “The Marquis Manor recently had a big fire. We are staying in a side courtyard of the Marquis of Xuan Ping’s estate, so I cannot bring out that much silver for now. But if you agree, I will enter the palace at once to ask for a campaign to wipe out bandits. I will win you a title of honor.”
The smile on Xia Meng Yan’s face turned sharp in an instant. She opened the papers and read, her voice cold: “There is already someone ready. Why should I wait for you? You cannot be blind to the trap on these pages. If I agree to pay what they ask, it will nail down the charge that my father bullied others with power. Then no matter what we say, we cannot clear it.”
“I have already made terms with them. They will not turn on us.”
“And if they do, what will you do?”
“……”
She looked at him, now impatient: “When that happens, you will stand in front of me, full of guilt, and say you never thought they would go back on their word. You will say you meant well and it was those people who did not keep their promise.”
Lin Ye Lan’s face clouded with sorrow: “Meng Yan, no one is perfect. Anything can have an accident. Why will you not trust me…”
“Why should I trust you?” Xia Meng Yan cut him off and tossed the papers back. “You have hurt me more times than I can count. Why would I trust you? I have been back in the capital almost half a year. Have you truly repented even once? Your schemes and your anger are written on your face. Do you never look in a mirror?”
“You…”
“Take your things and get out. If you dare bother me again, I will make sure you never see Divine Physician Luo.”
Face burning, Lin Ye Lan grabbed the papers and stood up in anger: “Xia Meng Yan, do not regret this.”
“Even if I do, it has nothing to do with you. Chun Yue, see the guest out.”
Chun Yue had long disliked Lin Ye Lan, thinking him clingy like a dogskin plaster: “Marquis, this way please.”
Seeing contempt on a maid’s face shamed him deeply. He left in a hurry.
After everyone left, the laziness on Xia Meng Yan’s face gave way to tension. [If Lin Ye Lan could find those two, others can too. Does Father have a plan.]
When Xia Ping Yuan returned to the manor, he ordered the steward to close the gates to refuse all visitors, even at the back door. After dinner, he went to the study. Father and daughter stayed there a long time.
When Xia Meng Yan came out, her brows were tight: “Song Mo.”
Song Mo stepped from the shadows: “Eldest Miss.”
She gave a quiet order: “Go investigate something.”
Song Mo listened and left at once.
In the days that followed, the Xia Family stayed calm, but outside was in chaos. The Dali Court began to dig into the case of the student who had jumped into the river. Some people dug into Xia Ping Yuan’s past and claimed his old essays were likely plagiarized. Some students, angry at what they heard, went to the gate of the Hanlin Academy to make trouble, shouting that a disgrace like Xia Ping Yuan should not stay in the Academy. Those in the Academy who disliked him fanned the flames. The whole Hanlin Academy was a smoky mess. When the students could not find Xia Ping Yuan, they smashed his quarters in the Academy to pieces.
The matter grew and grew. Each time the Xia Family’s servants went out to buy food, they bought extra. They guarded against trouble in every way, yet still failed.
Xia Ping Yuan was poisoned.
The Xia Family fell into chaos. The gates that had been shut for days swung open at last. With her belly high, Xia Meng Yan climbed into a carriage for the palace. Before morning court began, she was already kneeling at the palace gate, crying for justice.
A passing official glanced at the girl in white and sneered: “What is this? Is Eldest Miss Xia planning to sue before the throne?”
Xia Meng Yan said nothing.
Another laughed: “Not to sue. She wants to beat the appeal drum.”
A third said: “Beating the appeal drum brings flogging. She is pregnant. If a life is lost, how will the palace servants speak of His Majesty?”
“Worthy daughter of Xia Ping Yuan. What a nasty trick.”
Xia Meng Yan ignored them and kept crying out her grievance.
The Chief Steward hurried out, whisk in hand. Seeing Xia Meng Yan, he helped her up: “Eldest Miss Xia, what are you doing?”
Tears fell before she spoke: “They poisoned him. My father’s life hangs by a thread. I cannot let him die with a stain on his name. Please report to His Majesty for me. I beg to see him.”
At the word poisoned, the Chief Steward’s face changed: “Who is so bold as to murder an official of the Court?”
Xia Meng Yan only wept.
“Please wait a moment, Eldest Miss. I will report at once.” The Chief Steward trotted off, cursing those fools in his heart. Even if the rumors could not be proved, they had already harmed Xia Ping Yuan’s name. Now that he had been poisoned, in His Majesty’s eyes all those rumors would look like malicious slander. He could already picture how, when the truth came out, His Majesty would make it up to Xia Ping Yuan.
A good game of chess had been ruined.