Chapter 145
Chapter 145: Solid Evidence
Hearing that, Madam Jia brightened. She and Second Madam could not handle Concubine Su, but Xia Meng Yan could. Xia was the elders’ darling. Madam Jia urged her and said: “Meng Yan, bring out the proof and shut her mouth.”
This was only the second time Concubine Su had met Xia Meng Yan. Last time she had been focused on Yu’er and had not looked closely. Xia was slender and coldly beautiful. Just standing there, she pressed down the roomful of men. That kind of presence was something Concubine Su would not dare even to dream of.
Concubine Su forced calm and said: “Cousin Miss, if there is proof, please show it, so I can clear my name.”
Xia Meng Yan’s lips curved: [She sounds fearless. She must have prepared her escape. Too bad the killer might not have.] Xia said aloud: “Now things are already clear. Someone secretly harmed Wang Xiao and left evidence at the scene. Since that evidence points to Concubine Su, then bring in all her people and question them one by one. There will be someone with a soft spine who will talk.”
Concubine Su’s face changed at once and she blurted: “No.”
Seeing the Eldest Master look over, she hurried to explain and said: “The courtyard of a concubine is not clean. When the drop was lost back then, I searched in secret for a long time and never found it. If someone could reach into my rooms, there must be someone behind them. If you use torture now and they speak nonsense, I will not be able to defend myself. I am being wronged.”
Listening, Xia Meng Yan almost wanted to applaud: [With a tongue this good, being a concubine is truly a waste. Even her retreat is spoken so neatly. Impressive.]
The Eldest Master was swayed. He looked to Xia Meng Yan and said: “Yan’er, the drop was lost long ago. It could have been picked up and later planted at the scene. Do you have another way?”
Sitting in the wide armchair, Xia Meng Yan studied Concubine Su. To gain her grandmother’s trust and raise three children in the Lin family’s rear court took real skill. But a concubine is still a concubine and cannot compare to the main wife.
Madam Jia grew anxious when Xia Meng Yan lowered her head to drink tea and did not speak. She said: “Eldest Master, don’t let her twist the truth. What ‘stolen’? She is guilty at heart. If everyone argued like her, all criminals would go free.”
“Be quiet,” the Eldest Master snapped. Madam Jia never seemed to understand the words “consider the big picture.”
Second Madam was even angrier than Madam Jia. It was one thing for the Eldest Master to shield Xia Meng Yan, but who was Concubine Su to deserve it? [Are the main branch’s ants more precious than our gold?] She said: “Elder Brother, Elder Sister-in-law is right. Concubine Su is quibbling. If the drop was stolen, why didn’t she make a public search? Now that the scandal is exposed, she suddenly speaks up. ‘The courtyard isn’t clean’? She is just guilty.”
Not wanting to argue with the women, the Eldest Master looked once more to Xia Meng Yan and said: “Yan’er, have you thought of another way?”
“Yes, but I am waiting,” Xia Meng Yan said as she set down her cup and wiped her hands with a handkerchief. Her eyes swept the room as she added: “Today, I don’t care who used me or schemed against me. I will say this only once: if I learn anyone plots against me again, I will pull up the roots.”
At that, everyone was startled. Half of it was to Wang Yu, who had used her to draw out his sister’s killer. The other half was to the main and second branches, who were trying to push her out front to be the bad person. That was not right, especially since she was a victim too.
Second Master Qian and Second Madam lowered their heads, guilty. The Eldest Master and Madam Jia looked embarrassed.
Wang Yu was frank. He bowed his head to the floor and said: “Cousin Miss, I act for what I did. Even if I was forced, that is not a reason to use you. I apologize to you.” He knocked his head to the floor three times, hard.
Xia Meng Yan did not refuse, which meant she accepted his apology.
Inside and outside the room, the crowd waited quietly. They did not know what they were waiting for, but there seemed no other way.
Before long, Song Mo returned to Xia Meng Yan’s side and slipped something into her hand.
Xia Meng Yan looked, smiled, and raised her hand to show everyone as she said: “Mission accomplished. We found the other pearl drop in Concubine Su’s makeup box. I wonder, how will you quibble now?”
Concubine Su lived well in the Lin family, but inside she was poor in spirit. South Sea pearls were rare even in great houses. Xia Meng Yan had bet Concubine Su could not bear to throw it away, so she secretly sent Song Mo to search her courtyard. She had guessed right.
Madam Jia snapped: “Wretch, the evidence is solid. Confess.”
Seeing the other drop, Concubine Su’s face went pale, then blazed with anger as she said: “Xia Meng Yan, you’ve gone too far. This is a setup. It must be because of last time. You broke into my rooms. Who can prove this pearl drop was taken from my makeup box?”
Xia Meng Yan almost laughed from anger, but she had prepared. Song Mo lifted his hand, and two guards stepped out, bowed, and said: “Cousin Miss ordered us to accompany Guard Song to search Concubine Su’s courtyard. We can testify that the pearl drop was found in Concubine Su’s makeup box.”
“Concubine Su, how will you argue now?” Xia Meng Yan said as she covered her belly. She did not want the child inside her to witness a person like this.
Concubine Su’s face kept changing, but she still refused to yield. She looked at the Eldest Master with red eyes and said: “Master, do you not believe me either?”
The Eldest Master was no fool. He could manage the Lin family’s business; he could also tell right from wrong. He said: “Tell the truth. For the children’s sake, I can lessen your punishment.”
Cold spread through Concubine Su’s heart. She stared at the Eldest Master, and when she saw no sign of protection, she stood in disappointment and said: “Master once said he would always believe me. I did not expect that in just a few years…”
Her voice broke as she wept. She slowly straightened and said, full of loneliness: “I had planned to keep this locked in my heart forever, but now that we are driven apart, I have to say it.”
She asked: “Master, do you remember, a few years ago, after Yu’er hurt his head, you bought him an expensive ball to comfort him? He loved it and often pulled the servant boys to play in the courtyard. You even played with him a few times.”
The Eldest Master thought a moment, then nodded and said: “That did happen. What does it have to do with Yu’er?”
Xia Meng Yan’s eyes narrowed: [This feels bad.]
Concubine Su wiped her tears and said: “That day, Yu’er was kicking the ball and saw someone on the rockery. He wanted them to play with him. When he went closer, the little miss sat on the ground and would not get up. Yu’er thought she didn’t want to play with him, so he picked up a stone and threw it. No one expected that by such a cruel coincidence, the little miss died.”
“I rushed over and was frightened out of my wits. Yu’er was bawling. I took him away and told a maid to fetch a physician, but Second Madam arrived and told the servant boys not to speak. I did have selfish motives, but Yu’er had injured his brain. He did not even know what he had done, so I did not speak the truth.”
“You lie,” Second Madam burst out. “When I arrived, there was no one beside Wang Xiao. You had already fled. Elder Brother, the evidence is solid. Concubine Su knew someone was hurt and kept silent. If you still shield her, where is the Lin family’s fairness?”
Weeping like pear blossoms in the rain, Concubine Su shook her head again and again. She kowtowed toward Second Madam and said: “Second Madam, Yu’er has the mind of a five-year-old. He was terrified. I only left for a moment and did not mean to run. I know I have made you suffer these years. I apologize on Yu’er’s behalf. Please, for the sake of family, spare him this once.”