Chapter 106
Chapter 106: The Payback Came Too Fast
The interrogation scene was too bloody, so Xia Meng Yan, afraid of scaring the baby in her belly, left with her people before Qiao Shan arrived.
Nanny Song felt sorry for her miss and told the servants outside to guard the doors and not come in unless it was important, then lay on a lounge chair by the second gate to keep watch.
Xia Meng Yan slept soundly, without dreams, while the Lin Family fell into chaos.
At dawn, all the masters of the household woke and learned what had happened in the night. Madam Jia was the first to freeze in shock.
She stared at Nanny Sun and asked in disbelief: “Did you hear wrong?”
Nanny Sun also wished she had heard wrong, but news this big would reach Madam anyway, even if she kept silent: “No mistake. They caught the culprits and the goods at the back door of the shop last night. The Eldest Master and the Old Master questioned them all night and only finished about an incense stick of time ago.”
Yesterday Madam Jia had fought with her daughter, accusing her of siding with outsiders. Today, she was slapped in the face by the truth.
She paced and muttered: “Could they have the wrong people? Who would be so bold as to sell fake goods in the Lin Family’s shop?”
“It was Second Madam’s own younger brother. I heard he met the supplier at a gambling house and was urged on by others to do this foolish thing. Second Madam is kneeling in the Old Madam’s courtyard right now, asking the Old Madam for mercy,” said Nanny Sun.
Madam Jia did not know if she should go or stay, and she also feared running into Xia Meng Yan: “Go ask around again and see what else happened.”
Nanny Sun turned to leave.
Clutching her handkerchief, Madam Jia paced in irritation and cursed herself in her heart: [The Eldest Master told me to trust Xia Meng Yan. How did I forget so fast?]
What now? The Head Madam of the Lin Family had wronged the Cousin Miss. If this spread, how could she keep her dignity?
Nanny Sun came back pale. Before Madam Jia could ask, she reported that Qiao Shan had bribed Shopkeeper Liu and plotted to harm the Eldest Master.
Hearing this, Madam Jia exploded at the Second Branch and stormed toward the Old Madam’s courtyard with Nanny Sun at her heels.
Seeing Second Madam kneeling there, Madam Jia rushed forward, seized her hair, and shoved her face to the ground: “You still dare beg here: who is Qiao Shan to plot against the Eldest Master? I called you younger sister-in-law and you really think you are one of the Lin Family while trying to grab our property; I should beat you to death.”
Second Madam had been kneeling for a long time and had no strength to resist. She cried for help: “Someone, help…”
Her servants tried to step in, but Nanny Sun and the others blocked them.
“Stop,” Matriarch Lin said as she came out with help after hearing the noise. Seeing Madam Jia sitting on Second Madam, she was furious: “Madam Jia, you are the Head Madam of this family.”
At the Old Madam’s words, people pulled Madam Jia up. Her hair had come loose and her bun was crooked: “Mother, Qiao Shan dared to harm the Eldest Master. If she hadn’t pushed him, how would the Qiao Family dare to act?”
Qiao Shan was not even on the level to touch a finger of the Jia Family, yet he dared target the Eldest Master.
She wanted to beat Second Madam to death.
Crude as Madam Jia was, her anger felt satisfying.
Matriarch Lin was angry too but held back because she was an elder: “Come inside with me,” she said to Madam Jia, then looked at Second Madam: “What happens to Qiao Shan will be decided by the men in the front court. Begging me is useless.”
Second Madam’s face was covered in marks. She kowtowed to the Old Madam and pleaded: “Old Madam, Qiao Shan was also led astray by others. Please, for my sake, spare his life.”
She slammed her forehead on the stone slab. Blood flowed fast.
Matriarch Lin began to speak, but Madam Jia cut in: “Now you know you are wrong. When you plotted against the Eldest Master, why didn’t you think about the result? Get out of my sight.”
She then helped the Old Madam inside.
Second Madam’s nanny lifted her up, terrified. [Qiao Shan really might get Second Madam killed.]
Seeing her mistress in a daze, the nanny whispered: “Second Madam, you could beg the Cousin Miss. The Old Madam and the Old Master love her most. If she intercedes, there may still be hope.”
Second Madam came to her senses: “Right, Xia Meng Yan.”
Xia Meng Yan did not know she was being targeted. After breakfast, Shopkeeper Liu’s words from last night flashed in her mind, and something felt off.
Buying Snow Swallow Resin had been a sudden idea. Only the people close to her knew.
If someone had set a trap using her move to strike at the Second Branch, it was possible, but not likely.
Yet Shopkeeper Liu was strange.
Her fingers rested lightly on the small golden nanmu table. All at once her hand paused.
She finally understood what was wrong with Shopkeeper Liu.
He confessed too fast.
Everything had gone too smoothly, as if the answers had already been placed in front of them, waiting for them to find.
“Second Madam, you cannot enter. The Big Miss is still resting,” came a noisy protest outside.
Before Xia Meng Yan could ask what was happening, someone rushed in.
Second Madam fell to her knees the moment she entered and knocked her head to the floor without another word: “Meng Yan, I beg you, save my brother. He is the only male of the Qiao Family. If he dies, the Qiao Family is finished.”
She could not understand why Qiao Shan would sell fake goods, let alone plot to kill the Eldest Brother. That was the greatest taboo in the Lin Family.
Either act alone could get Qiao Shan killed.
Nanny Song’s face stayed blank as she spoke in a calm, distant voice: “Attempted murder of the Eldest Master should be handled by the authorities. Why are you making things hard for my miss?”
Chun Yue had disliked Second Madam ever since she barged in two days ago. Now that Second Madam was kneeling, she could not help her smug tone: “Exactly. You keep bullying my miss for no reason. Did you think we would never push back?”
Second Madam knew she was in the wrong and shook her head again and again: “No. My brother and I were both set up. We didn’t mean it. Cousin Miss, only you can save him. Spare his life and I will do anything.”
Qiao Shan was her real brother, and their mother had passed away. If he died, she would have no one left in this world.
“Help Second Madam up,” Xia Meng Yan said. She did not like making things hard for people, but she also did not want to be treated like a soft target.
Seeing that Xia Meng Yan would at least listen, Second Madam wiped her tears and sat opposite her.
Xia Meng Yan kept her face calm so no one could read her mood: “Tell me everything about Qiao Shan.”
Qiao Shan had been brought into the Lin Family’s compound last night by Second Master Qian. Early this morning, Second Madam had gone to see him and already knew the basic story.
“My brother likes to play, but he is not evil. He started gambling because of a bet and played a few times. That is when he met the people selling fake Snow Swallow Resin. He told me the man was not from Man Lin City. The man stayed a little over a month and left. After that, all deals were done by letters. The goods were left at the dock. Someone picked them up and delivered them to my brother,” said Second Madam.
Xia Meng Yan held her teacup tighter, her expression unchanged: “Can Qiao Shan draw the man’s face?”
Second Madam had already asked and could only shake her head: “It was a year ago. Qiao Shan has already forgotten what he looks like.”
“Then how did they split the silver?” Xia Meng Yan asked. The more she heard, the stranger it seemed. Not knowing the seller and still daring to trade made Qiao Shan a fool.
No, it was greed for money. He had not even seen this giant flaw.
“The silver was put in a bank. The man would come take it himself,” said Second Madam.
“The seller trusted Qiao Shan that much?” Xia Meng Yan thought of the Huo Family. If it was someone from the Huo Family, then everything made sense.
First, ruin the Lin Family’s name. Then, stir up infighting and help in secret. In the end, swallow the Lin Family whole.
Second Madam also felt her brother had been stupid. The other side had dug a hole and he had jumped in.
Even so, he was her brother. She could not stand aside.
“Cousin Miss, someone set up the Lin Family. Qiao Shan blocked the disaster for us. Please, because he is the only blood of the Qiao Family, spare his life. I will teach him well from now on.”
“I cannot help you,” Xia Meng Yan said. She knew Qiao Shan had been used, but a foolish crime was still a crime, and he should bear the result: “Instead of begging, have Qiao Shan think hard about who the seller is. If he can help catch the mastermind, he may earn merit to make up for his crimes.”
Second Madam’s face went white as her fingers clenched again and again: “Why? If you speak up, he can be saved. You are a mother. How can you be so cold?”