Chapter 154
Chapter 154: Came Up Empty
Second Madam rushed out of the room and snapped: “If you were only visiting someone, why sneak out at midnight dressed as a man? You clearly have a guilty conscience.”
Nanny Sun answered calmly: “Madam did it to avoid suspicion. She had this old servant put on men’s clothes so people with impure intentions would have nothing to seize on. I never thought the first person who could not stand to see Madam well would be you, Second Madam.”
Second Madam stammered, too angry to speak: “You, you…” With Madam Jia not present, arguing was useless.
Nanny Sun looked to the Eldest Master, sadness flickering across her face as she said: “Since marrying you, Eldest Master, Madam has run the inner quarters with care, borne children for the Lin family, and honored the elders. I did not expect you to believe outsiders after only a few words. If Madam learns of this, she will be sad for a long time.”
[She wondered who had stepped in to help Madam. A physician had suddenly appeared and told her what to say, which was how she escaped this disaster.]
The Eldest Master had nothing to say. He gave Zhao Tong Bin a cold smile and said: “I misjudged Madam tonight. I will admit my fault when I return. As for you, behave yourself, or bear the consequences.” With that, he left without looking back.
Second Madam still wanted to search outside the yard, but with the Eldest Master gone, finding anyone would not help. She left with her people, fuming.
Zhao Tong Bin waited until everyone withdrew and the Eldest Master was far away, then he shut the door in a hurry and ran to the back of the rooms, calling: “Yun Xiang, Yun Xiang…”
The narrow back passage was empty.
He rushed out in a panic and demanded: “Nanny, where is Yun Xiang?”
Nanny Sun bowed to him and said: “Young Master Zhao, my Madam is of course at her mother’s home. Tonight only this old servant came.”
Zhao Tong Bin was speechless.
Just then, a physician came out, handed Zhao Tong Bin a prescription, and left with Nanny Sun.
By then, Madam Jia had reached Jia Manor, where Lin Qing Wan and Xia Meng Yan were sitting. Lin Qing Wan said: “Mother, you saw it just now. What do you plan to do?” [Zhao Tong Bin dared to challenge Father in public. His mind was not clean. She would never let a man like that near her mother.]
Madam Jia lowered her head, not daring to meet their eyes, and said: “I know I was wrong. I will never see him again.”
Xia Meng Yan said: “It is late. Aunt was badly frightened. Qing Wan, let’s go back.” [She was tired and only wanted to sleep.]
Lin Qing Wan wanted to say more, but when her eyes fell on Xia Meng Yan’s round belly, guilt rose at once. [My cousin is carrying a child and still worries for our main household. I am truly useless.]
She said, “All right, let’s head back first.”
Madam Jia rose to see them off, but Lin Qing Wan stopped her with a glance and said: “Mother, rest early. When you return to the Lin family, we will talk slowly then.”
Madam Jia drew back and said: “It is dark and the road is slippery. Be careful.”
Nanny Sun came back at a trot. Seeing Madam Jia safe, her worry finally eased, and she asked: “Madam, who brought you back?” Madam Jia’s eyes flicked away; she did not know how to explain.
On the way, Lin Qing Wan stayed silent, as if she were the one who had done wrong. Xia Meng Yan knew it was hard to accept and that anyone would feel low, so she said: “Thankfully Aunt never had that idea. It was just a scare.”
Lin Qing Wan gave a bitter smile and said: “Cousin, you do not need to comfort me. I have one year left before my hairpin ceremony, and I understand many things. It is just that with Father, Mother, and Elder Brother in front, I did not want to worry.”
Xia Meng Yan had not expected Lin Qing Wan to be so clear?minded. Faced with this, she had not cried or blamed anyone, but reflected on herself. She felt a sudden ache and said: “You are still young. You do not need to grow up so fast.” [In her last life, she had been just like Lin Qing Wan now: pure, kind, and innocent. Sadly, she rebelled, was drawn to a scoundrel, and lost her whole family.]
Lin Qing Wan said: “I am fine. I just feel useless. When I heard Mother went back to her maiden home, I panicked. I thought if I went after her I could stop her, but when it happened, I did not know what to do.” She truly feared that helpless, panicked feeling.
Xia Meng Yan pulled her into a hug and soothed her forehead like an older sister, saying: “I also went from confusion to calm. It takes time. We are not in a hurry.”
Lin Qing Wan’s eyes reddened and she nodded hard.
Duan Yi Chen waited at the back gate of Lin Manor. When he saw them return, he told someone to escort Lin Qing Wan home, then supported Xia Meng Yan as they walked back and asked: “We have brought the person back. Do you want to question him now?”
Xia Meng Yan nodded. They went to a woodshed. Duan Yi Chen pushed open the door, and inside, Zhao Tong Bin looked up. He did not know the woman before him was Xia Meng Yan, the one the Lin family held in the palm of their hands. Duan Yi Chen stepped up and released his acupoints.
Zhao Tong Bin demanded: “Who are you, and why did you grab me?” After Nanny Sun left, he had gone to sleep, only to be tied up as soon as he lay down.
Xia Meng Yan asked straight out: “Who told you to seek out Madam Lin?”
Zhao Tong Bin froze, his eyes darting as he said: “I do not understand what you mean?”
Xia Meng Yan said: “Tonight Madam Lin went to the Zhao Family to visit your mother. Do not tell me that is fake.” She did not believe he was the mastermind. If he had wanted to seduce Madam Jia, he could have tried years ago, not waited until now. She added: “My patience is limited. If you lie, I do not mind making public how you two?timed back then.”
At her words, Zhao Tong Bin felt prickly all over. After a night of threats from two people, his composure cracked, and he blurted: “I will talk, I will say it all. Someone came to me and said Madam Lin was living badly and still had me in her heart. I wanted to make some money, so I tried it. I did not expect to bring such trouble to Yun Xiang.”
She asked: “Do you remember what that person looked like?”
He said: “He stood outside the window. I did not see his face clearly, but…” He paused, looked at Xia Meng Yan, and added: “He had a limp.”
[Publishing note from the original posting: This chapter continued on the next page.]
Xia Meng Yan’s hand trembled slightly. [Again a man with a limp. In Wang Yu’s case, it was also someone speaking through a window, also with a limp. Could that be a coincidence?] She said: “Leave the Capital after tonight. If I see you again, suffer the consequences.”
Already scared out of his wits, Zhao Tong Bin dared not refuse and said: “All right. At daybreak I will leave the city and never come back.”
Xia Meng Yan turned to go. Duan Yi Chen glanced at Song Mo, and Song Mo hauled Zhao Tong Bin away.
In a nearby courtyard, Auntie Su tossed and turned, wondering if that man’s plan had worked. These days she had tried to meet the Eldest Master, but he had refused her each time. If she waited longer, he might forget her.
Chang Xi parted the curtain and reported softly: “Auntie, something happened. Eldest Master left the manor with people, and when he came back his face was dark. I asked around in secret. It seems he went to find Madam.”
Auntie Su sat up at once: [Did it work?] She asked: “What was his face like when he returned?”
Chang Xi said: “The serving lad at the gate said he looked upset. Not long after, Second Madam also came back with people. Auntie, why would Eldest Master and Second Madam both go out at midnight?”
The more she heard, the brighter Auntie Su’s eyes became. [That man’s methods were clever. He even made Second Madam take the blame. Two birds with one stone. It seems the plan worked.] [The madam is the Lin family’s matriarch. Even if an affair were found, she would not make a loud fuss.] Seeing herself already seated as matriarch, she grew more excited and said: “Chang Xi, at daybreak send someone to the front yard to learn where Eldest Master went at midnight.”
Chang Xi nodded. Auntie Su’s worry eased, and she prayed that when she opened her eyes again, she would hear the news that Madam had been dismissed.
The next day, Xia Meng Yan slept until near noon. After breakfast, Duan Yi Chen waited by the second gate. Hearing movement inside, he stood behind the curtain and said softly: “Yan’er, I have an idea that can draw out the person behind this.”