A moment ago, everyone witnessed Luo Old Madam’s ruthlessness and swift decisiveness. And now, they again witness her ‘benevolence’ and ‘leniency’.
Luo Old Madam let someone have Liu’er brought before her, looking down on her from high above. Liu’er, who still had a vicious look earlier, at this moment, trembled uncontrollably. “I’ll give you a chance, confess everything you’re hiding and I’ll give a bottle of Jade Dew Ointment.”
Jade Dew Ointment had an miraculous effect on removing scars. Because during the previous Emperor’s time, it erased a terrible scar for a beloved consort of the previous Emperor, its reputation greatly rose from then on out. But that thing was very expensive, and also very rare, nearly considered something specially used only by the few favored imperial consorts in the palace. Before this, no one even knew Luo Old Madam had this thing in her hands. However, since she said she had it, no one doubted her.
Liu’er let out a pleasantly surprised look, “Old madam are you telling the truth?”
“Are you questioning me?” Luo Old Madam faintly answered.
“No, no…” Liu’er hastily denied. Afterwards, she didn’t think too much, fearing Luo Old Madam would go back on her word. And like a cracked pea, she spilled out everything she knew in one breath without stopping, not considering in the slightest what kind of end those people she’s implicated will meet. She also didn’t consider whether or not she will even have the fortune to use that Jade Dew Ointment after obtaining it either. The only thought left in her mind was that her face won’t be disfigured, and she’ll still be beautiful like before.
And sure enough, it was because Liu’er’s intentions had been discovered by someone, and afterwards intentionally or otherwise provoked into taking action.
This way, another person was implicated. In addition to the previous accomplices, there was a total of four people. The gatehouse, front courtyard, rear courtyard, and Falling Plum Residence, really were all connected by one thread. Just the three from before, did they help Liu’er simply because they were bribed by her, or did someone order them to make things easy for her?
Regardless of the situation, they were all arrested and brought over. And perhaps out of anger, Luo Old Madam didn’t ask anything and had them beaten first. Don’t say that they’d only help in some trivial matters and weren’t at fault. To have brought those dirty things into the back manor, regardless whether they were aware or not, that was still a tremendous offense.
Every single one, if not begging for mercy, then they were shouting for their innocence.
That grim and bloody scene made quite a few servants shut their mouths out of fear. They’d only known that old madam was benevolent one, yet didn’t expect when she acted ruthless, she was even more terrifying than the eldest madam that they’d always revered. One after the other, they all retracted their necks, not daring to make a sound, instead just silently warning themselves that in the future they absolutely need to be content with their place, and not get possessed with strange ideas. Otherwise, next time, it’ll be their turn.
Similarly ordered to be sold off as criminal servants, this way, even those who really didn’t know anything all spilled some unrelated inner court dirty secrets. Aside from the fourth branch, both the third and first branch all had some, while the second branch had the least. Majority of the second branches problems were all on Bai Yiniang.
This time, aside from Wu-shi and the still unaware of everything Zhang-shi, quite a few people all had unsightly expressions.
Jing Wan glanced at Liu-shi. The things that were exposed were unrelated to her, but because it involved the Yiniangs of the third branch, she carried an ashamed expression. Heh, as expected of her oscars level acting skills, just how many can surpass?
Gong mama came over and brought along the old servant woman that was held in Elegant Haitang Residence. And soon after, the womenfolk of Cai Ling’s family all arrived. The men, along with the Luo family’s other male servants, were all kept under watch outside the second gate[1].
Luo Old Madam let someone have all the related people separately take down to be carefully interrogated and have them clearly explain everything they know. If they were to point someone else out, and there’s no contradictions between the two statements, then they can be exempted from being sold off. And if they succeed in exposing someone, there’s even an extra reward of ten to a hundred taels of silver. A first rank servant girl’s monthly salary was only one tael of silver, this reward was definitely a huge sum.
Coerced and tempted by gain, the results very quickly became clear. The mastermind behind the scene was unexpectedly the third branch’s Hua Yiniang. That was Luo Jing Qiang’s birth mother. Including Bai-shi’s Cai Ling, everyone were all bribed by her. Turns out, the reason why Bai-shi flared up that quickly was because on the first piece of dessert that Cai Ling handed to her, Cai Ling added something else extra. And similarly, the servant girl sent to pass on the message to Zhang-shi was also arranged by her. That old servant woman that went to Jing Wan’s courtyard was the person that supplied Liu’er with those unclean prescriptions, and she was also the key person in communicating with the two sides. And before Gong mama had her brought over, she’d already told her, her grandson’s whereabouts have already been found. The time used was short, unexpectedly short.
And the reason why Cai Ling betrayed her master was because she’d received a hundred taels of silver. That disappointing yet troublesome younger brother of hers, stirring up trouble all day, and from an young age already entering into the gambling dens and visiting brothels, owed a butt ton of debt. The debt collectors came looking, and her parents didn’t want to be kicked out by their masters, so they shamelessly made a scene using filial piety to force their daughters, saying to use a hundred taels of silver as payment to sever their relationship. Afterwards, they’ll never look for their daughters ever again. Cai Ling knew that her own master Bai-shi couldn’t help her, so eventually when someone else came knocking, she still betrayed her master.
Hua Yiniang was brought over, and in addition there was also Luo Jing Qiang, who insisted on coming too.
Hua Yiniang presented herself without makeup. There was distinct wrinkles in the corner of her eyes, but her features were exquisite and delicate, a skin of a beauty. Carefully looking, Luo Jing Qiang actually resembled her father more. Hua Yiniang was neither upset nor happy, and the expression in her eyes was also exceptionally peaceful, seemingly having already foreseen this situation. She quietly knelt before Luo Old Madam, and neither urgently nor slowly, admitted to all her offenses.
Because she was unsatisfied with the main wife, Liu-shi, deducting her daughter’s dowry, she thus thought of retaliating. Because she’d unintentionally heard Liu-shi complain about Zhang-shi having a good life previously, she used this as a pretext to scheme against the second branch in an attempt to frame Liu-shi. Just, in the end, her abilities were limited, and thus didn’t succeed.
“Old madam, this concubine is self aware that the sins are heavy, but second miss really doesn’t know anything. Asking you to please, seeing that she is also your granddaughter, let her be able to grandly get married off. Don’t let this concubine affect her.” Hua Yiniang looked to Luo Old Madam, tears shinning in the corners of her eyes. The sorrow and pleading in the depths of her eyes were truly sincere and heartfelt. She no longer had her calmness from before.
This person, Hua Yiniang, Jing Wan naturally already knew about. A few years ago, she didn’t compete with Liu-shi any less, yet was able to live till now, moreover even raising Luo Jing Qiang to adulthood. It can be seen that she wasn’t someone simple either. Just, afterwards, she gradually became more secluded, rarely ever going out, most likely erasing her edge, becoming transparent. Furthermore, she was a good mother.
At the same time, Liu-shi also quickly knelt down to apologize humbly, indicating that she wasn’t really intending on deducting Luo Jing Qiang’s dowry, just because she’d been angered by her husband, in a fit of anger, did such a thing. She didn’t think that it would cause such a terrible tragedy.
Luo Old Madam calmly looked to the two of them. For a moment, it was so quiet that the sound of a needle dropping could be heard. Everyone was waiting for Luo Old Madam to make the final decision.
Luo Jing Qiang used her handkerchief to cover her mouth, not daring to cry out. A lot of things, she was fully aware of, but she couldn’t say, and further couldn’t do anything about. Otherwise, she and her own Yiniang’s days will become even more difficult.
“Starting from today, Hua-shi will be put in confinement until second girl marries, and afterwards, moved to an outside estate, never to return. For third one’s wife’s incompetence in managing, punish with a year’s monthly allowance. In addition, second girl’s dowry, aside from the amount provided by the public funds, your third branch will add an additional three-folds. The dowry list, I will personally look over. Bai-shi lost the fetus and injured the body, just stay in your own courtyard and properly recuperate. If there’s nothing don’t move about outside. As for the others, whether it’s reward or punishment, eldest family’s wife can take care of it.” Afterwards, she directly left.
Luo Old Madam didn’t even call Jing Wan along. It can be seen she was really angered.
Jing Wan contemplated for a moment, and still decided to not follow after her.
Bai-shi first lost her child, afterwards suffered a betrayal, and now was also implicitly forbidden to go out. In a fit of anger, she passed out. Liu-shi knelt on the ground, not moving for quite awhile. Those who didn’t know just treated it as her aching for the extra money she has to give out, but in Jing Wan eyes, she wasn’t just heart-aching. Perhaps she was still reflecting, reflecting over the fact that she wasn’t meticulous enough. ‘To try to steal a chicken, only to lose the rice used to lure it.’ She took into consideration the fact that she might be discovered, thus finding a scapegoat. And in the end, she really did get removed from the mess perfectly, even eliminating Hua Yiniang, this thorn in her eyes of many years, but her initial goal was never reached. Instead, some things were noticed by Luo Old Madam, and she got issued a warning, even losing quite a bit of money in the process.
Jing Wan was very curious as to how she was able to accomplish being incomparably twisted inside, yet not show any of it on the surface.
Wang-shi has always had her own set of principles in handling things, clearly distinguishing between reward and punishment. Yet, she also had to take Luo Old Madam’s words into consideration. Reward was reward, punishment was punishment, neither offset the other. Those that should be beaten with the rod, get beaten, and those that should be sold off, get sold off. And of the people that were sold off, they weren’t left without that bit of money promised to them. It can be said to be not the least bit considerate of sentiments, yet also extremely benevolent. Once everything was cleanly taken care of, everyone all scattered, off to do what they should be doing. And if there were places that was short on people, then just fill in the vacancies.
Jing Wan let Zhang-shi’s people take her back, hinting to them to properly enlighten her. In actuality, Jing Wan wasn’t that worried for her. Her mother may be easily heartbroken, but sometimes that was just called being ‘too generous’. It was unlikely for a servant girl to genuinely hurt her. She’ll be fine after a while. To say it nicely, she was optimistic and open-minded. To say it unpleasantly, then she was just empty-headed.
Jing Wan followed behind the people of the third branch out of the little courtyard. And in the split in the road, where they were about to head back to the third branch, while Jing Wan was going to head to the main courtyard, “Third aunt, please wait a moment.” Jing Wan opened her mouth.
[1] Second Gate – Pictured below. This is the style of a traditional courtyard. An entire manor is made up of a bunch of these courtyards next to each other and then another outer wall that surrounds the entire residences. Second picture is a full layout of a single manor.
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