Chapter 146
Chapter 146: Another Motive
Second Madam heard this and almost wanted to kick Concubine Su to death, snapping at her with cold eyes: “Now you cry and call us one family, but when my son suffered, where were you to tell the truth? You think kneeling and saying a few soft words will wipe this clean? If you really felt remorse, you should have admitted it first, not waited for Meng Yan to pull out proof. Others may be fools, but I’m not. You only want to dodge blame and throw the hat of murder onto the second branch.”
Concubine Su crawled on her knees to Eldest Master and clutched his robe, begging in a sobbing voice: “Master, I am not heartless, I was only afraid. Yu’er is already simple-minded. If he is tied to a death, his whole life is finished. If you must punish someone, punish me. Yu’er has suffered enough and cannot take another blow.”
Xia Meng Yan felt a headache coming on as she watched the circle of blame spin back to Yu’er, thinking: [So in the end, it lands on Yu’er again.] Yu’er was her eldest cousin’s benefactor; even if Uncle refused others, he would spare Yu’er for that. This matter would be set down lightly. She thought with a cool sigh: [It seems Wang Yu’s revenge still cannot be taken.]
She rose, and Chun Yue stepped up to support her as she said evenly: “Leave the rest to Uncle to handle. It is late. Yan’er needs to rest.”
Eldest Master nodded with concern and answered: “All right. Be careful on the road. Let the steward see you back.”
Xia Meng Yan inclined her head. Just as she turned to go, a rushed voice called out behind her: “Cousin Miss, please save this servant.”
Everyone stared, stunned. What was Wang Yu doing? Did he think the Lin Family meant to kill him to silence him?
Wang Yu stood and dropped to his knees in front of Xia Meng Yan, fear written across his face as he pleaded: “Cousin Miss, I trust only you now. If you do not care, this servant has only a dead end.”
Eldest Master rose and came over, his presence pressing down like a weight as he promised in a deep voice: “Wang Yu, the matter has been made clear. What the Lin Family owes you, we will repay. I promise in front of everyone: no one will touch you. In the Lin Manor, no one dares disobey my orders.”
A flash of mockery crossed Wang Yu’s eyes as he asked coldly: “Repay? Can Eldest Master bring my sister back to life, or guarantee that no one from the Lin Family will take revenge on me in the years to come?”
Xia Meng Yan arched a brow, surprised by his nerve, thinking: [Is he tired of living, or does he have another plan?] This was the Lin Family’s hall, and Uncle was the family head. To speak like this in front of everyone, he had to be either reckless or purposeful.
Eldest Master frowned and asked, trying to keep calm: “Then what do you want?”
Wang Yu did not answer, but asked instead: “With the truth right here, how will Eldest Master deal with Concubine Su?”
Eldest Master fell silent.
Seeing that silence, Wang Yu’s laugh turned hard and bitter as he pressed on: “Are you going to settle it with money? Is my lively, lovable sister worth less to you than your concubine’s son? If it was only for silver, I could have gone to Concubine Su in private. Why would I make such a big circle to get here?”
Xia Meng Yan finally heard the real shape of his demand and asked in a cool voice that cut through the hall: “What do you want exactly?” In her mind she reviewed what Song Mo had found: Wang Yu had only a gravely ill mother and no other family. [What else could he be after?] A thought flashed like a spark. She narrowed her eyes at him and said, half statement, half question: “You want to save your mother, don’t you?”
Wang Yu’s only sister was dead. In this world, his only bond of blood left was his mother. News that Divine Physician Luo lived in the Lin Family could not spread outside, but as a gardener in the manor, Wang Yu could still catch hints. Others might not cure his mother’s illness, but Divine Physician Luo was famed for bringing people back so long as they had one breath left. Xia Meng Yan’s lips curved as she thought: [I took him for a little clever. I didn’t expect such deep planning.]
Wang Yu stopped hiding once she named it and said firmly: “A life for a life. Why not? I asked around. In all Man Lin City, no one can treat my mother. But the Lin Family has a way.”
He explained in careful words what he had picked up: there was an honored guest living in Lin Manor who ate, wore, and lived finer than Eldest Master himself. He rarely walked about the estate, and aside from an occasional visit to Cousin Miss, he stayed in his courtyard, sitting in the sun. Wang Yu had delivered flowers there on purpose and seen many medicinal herbs laid out to dry. From this, he guessed the person was a physician whom the Lin Family deeply respected. The Lin Family kept this person hidden because they did not want outsiders to know. Wang Yu was seeking a cure, not vengeance, so he spoke as vaguely as he dared.
Everyone in the first branch understood at once: Wang Yu wanted Divine Physician Luo to treat his mother.
Eldest Master did not expect that after all the twists, the demand landed on Divine Physician Luo. He softened his tone and said: “The Lin Family will think of a way for your mother’s illness. For now, return to your work.”
Wang Yu quickly shook his head and made another request: “Eldest Master, this servant wishes to stay by Cousin Miss.”
“No,” Eldest Master said at once, not even thinking it over. A man with such mixed purpose could not be left near Yan’er.
Wang Yu was not flustered. He explained with a strained smile: “Today I offended both the first and second branches. If I go back to the flower beds, I will be dead within days. If Eldest Master truly wants to make things right, please also save this servant.”
Eldest Master drew breath to refuse, but Xia Meng Yan spoke first with a calm nod: “Uncle, I have no objection. If he is willing to stay in my courtyard, let him come.”
Wang Yu’s head knocked the floor in grateful bows as he said thickly: “Thank you, Cousin Miss, for saving my life.”
Xia Meng Yan left with her people, and Wang Yu hurried to follow.
As soon as they were gone, Madam Jia finally grasped the heart of it. She whispered to Eldest Master in alarm: “How could you let Wang Yu into Meng Yan’s courtyard?” Now she understood: talk of revenge for his sister was only a cover. From the start, Wang Yu was aiming for Divine Physician Luo. A crafty man like that, sent into Xia Meng Yan’s courtyard, would surely bring blame from the two elders.
Eldest Master’s face sank in gloom as he answered coldly: “If we refuse, then we must hand over Yu’er. Would you agree to that?”
Madam Jia choked. In truth, she had no reason to refuse, but Yu’er had saved her son. If she agreed to hand him over, people would accuse her of ingratitude.
“Enough. Everyone go sleep,” Eldest Master said at last. He turned to Second Master Qian and added in a steady voice: “The second branch will not be wronged. At dawn I will report to Father, and then we will decide.”
Second Master Qian gave a quick look to Second Madam and said with a polite bow: “We will follow Elder Brother’s arrangements.” The two of them withdrew. Third Master Zhou nodded and left with Third Madam as well.
When all others had gone, only the first branch remained in the hall.
Before Concubine Su could speak, Eldest Master raised his hand and slapped her.
Concubine Su stared at him in disbelief, one hand on her stinging cheek. Madam Jia stepped back in fright. Eldest Master was normally gentle. At most he scolded a few words when someone in the first branch made a mistake. What was this today, that he raised his hand and struck a concubine? The mood to watch any “show” evaporated completely.
Eldest Master’s voice was cold as winter as he said: “I thought you were clever. I closed one eye to many things. I did not expect you to be this short-sighted.” He pulled out a handkerchief, wiped his palm, and threw the cloth to the floor as he went on: “Divine Physician Luo lives in the Lin Family out of respect for Father and for Yan’er. Did you think it was for Yu’er? Now that his whereabouts are exposed, people will come knocking. Either we offend noble households by refusing them, or we offend Divine Physician Luo by letting them in. Either way the Lin Family is caught in the middle. You brought this disaster here. The fault is mine; I spoiled you until you forgot your place. All properties under your name will be given to the second branch as compensation. From now on, without my permission, you do not step outside your courtyard.”
Concubine Su’s face went pale as paper and she panicked: “Eldest Master, you cannot take those shops. They are mine.”
His eyes grew distant and chill as he asked one soft word: “Yours?”
Her weeping cut off. She had forgotten: she was sold into the Lin Family without a dowry. The shops and house deeds under her name were all gifts from Eldest Master. In truth, after all these years, she owned nothing. Her knees wobbled as if her spine had been snapped.
Later, as Xia Meng Yan returned to her own courtyard, she saw Wang Yu kneeling outside her gate. Her mood tightened with irritation as she said coolly: “I do not keep people with impure motives. You had better confess honestly.”