Chapter 8: No One Survives!

Mama Li did not let Yuetang idle; she led her to He Hui’s bedroom and proceeded to tell her of certain unspeakable matters.

With the Second Mistress now in control of the household accounts, she, Mama Li, would also be able to throw her weight around in the inner residence in the future.

No one would dare disobey her. Those who had once forced her to put on a fawning smile would henceforth have to grovel at her feet and take orders!

And once she accomplished today’s task, the Mistress’s promise to promote her son to a steward would also be fulfilled.

With both mother and son becoming the decision-makers in the manor, would there ever be a shortage of kickbacks for the Li family?

Thinking of this, Mama Li could not help but become arrogant. "Don't think that just because you've become the Second Young Master's person, you've become a mistress.

"In front of the Mistress, you are still a servant. When it’s time to serve tea and water, you serve tea and water. When it’s time to kneel and show submission, you show submission.

"If I see you being disrespectful to the Mistress, I will still teach you the rules as I should.

"Do you understand?"

Yuetang glanced toward the courtyard gate and said, "Whether I understand or not is unimportant. Shouldn't you first think about how to save your own life?"

Mama Li’s expression turned to fury upon hearing this. Before she could lash out, a large group of manservants and matrons rushed in from outside the gate, charging toward the room: "Seize her! Seize this lowly slave who murdered the Eldest Young Master!"

Mama Li was startled. "What are you doing?!"

Those who arrived were from the main branch—or to be precise, they were He Jianzhong’s men.

Without a word, they rushed forward and, in a flurry of movement, pinned her to the ground—the very woman who had been posturing just a moment ago.

With one side of her face pressed against the floor, Mama Li twisted her head in burning pain, only to be met with the ferocious face of the head matron: "Take this true culprit who murdered the Eldest Young Master to the front courtyard!"

The head matron leading them was the very one who had often received "tributes" from Mama Li. When taking her bribes, she had called her "dear elder sister" with such affection, but now she had turned into a fierce spirit, as if she didn't recognize her at all.

She grabbed Mama Li by the nape of her neck, shouting orders for the others to shove her toward the door!

Mama Li was so panicked she became incoherent: "What true culprit? I am the Second Mistress’s person! How dare you be so insolent to me?!"

The head matron slapped her across her aged face and spat on her: "You’re at death’s door and you still dare to play dumb? Save your words for the Master!—Take her away!"

Terrified, Mama Li shrieked at Yuetang behind her: "Quick, notify the Second Mistress! Tell her to come save me!"

Yuetang curled her lips: "Mama just said that the Second Mistress ordered me to stay here and serve the Second Young Master tea, and that I must not act out of turn. I wouldn't dare wander about."

Hearing this, the head matron slapped Mama Li’s face again: "You lowly thing! This is a physician brought into the manor to serve the Mistress her medicine; when did you lot decide she was a tea-server for the second branch? The Eldest Young Master’s body is not yet cold, and you’ve already sent people to the Second Young Master?

"—Take her away!"

Mama Li was dragged away, wailing all the way.

Yuetang turned and walked back to the curio shelf, picking up the porcelain cup from the Prince of Jingyang’s estate to examine it.

...

The government officials had been temporarily invited to rest in the flower hall.

The main courtyard had become a closed-door tribunal.

The poison had been found in Mama Li’s room, and Mama Li was the Mistress’s trusted confidante.

It was obvious who the mastermind was.

Lady Liu had long been kneeling before He Jianzhong, having already endured several slaps from the matrons.

Her cheeks were bruised and swollen, and she was in a more wretched state than Lady Zhang, who had been accused the night before!

Yet, she was indeed more composed than Lady Zhang; she did not go mad or throw a tantrum, but simply stared blankly at the ground with wide eyes, shaking her head and muttering to herself. Occasionally, a fierce glint would flash in her eyes as she glared viciously at the He father and son.

He Hui’s heart had long since left Lady Liu. Now that such a crisis had suddenly erupted, he was terrified of being implicated. He had drawn a line between himself and Lady Liu early on, joining He Jianzhong in berating her and denouncing her misconduct.

Even though Yuetang stayed by Madam He’s side and never showed her face, this news still reached her ears through Madam He’s maidservants.

Madam He, of course, had not truly gone mad so easily.

But Yuetang’s previous actions had indeed triggered her. Now, whenever she saw Yuetang, she would become uncontrollably agitated. These successive upheavals made it difficult for her to remain calm. Even when Yuetang was not present, she had no spirit left for the servants.

Yuetang once again carried the medicine into the room.

As expected, Madam He pointed at her and cursed angrily: "Why haven't you left yet?"

Yuetang said, "Soon. At most, one more day."

When the medicine bowl was overturned again and the cursing began, those nearby, feeling helpless, sent the news to the front courtyard, informing He Jianzhong: "The Mistress has lost control of her emotions; no matter how we soothe her, it’s no use. She insists that Lady Lin is not normal..."

He Jianzhong was already at his wit's end. Upon hearing this, he ordered Lady Liu to be locked up as well, and commanded: "Lock all the front and back gates. Call more people over to guard her tightly! Keep a constant watch, and wait for the Liu family to arrive. There must be no mistakes!"

This was to prevent Lady Liu from meeting with an accident like Lady Zhang.

Lady Liu was quickly dragged away.

Yuetang watched from behind the crowd as she and Mama Li were bound, then returned to the small side courtyard she shared with Hua Lin.

In front of the courtyard was the main room where Madam He resided.

After He Jianzhong went inside, Madam He was still screaming, almost every sentence containing the name "Lady Lin."

After drinking two cups of tea in the dim room and sitting for who knows how long as the sky gradually changed color, Hua Lin returned.

"After I gave her two acupuncture needles, she calmed down and her speech became coherent. He Jianzhong is now firmly convinced that she is possessed by madness. He has no suspicions yet."

Yuetang poured a third cup of tea and pushed it toward him: "He will, sooner or later."

Hua Lin nodded and added, "Later, He Jianzhong brought people to interrogate Lady Liu, but she refused to admit guilt. The Liu family arrived just now, and she still cried out that she was wronged.

"The Liu family is even more guilty than the Zhang family was initially, but because of what happened to Lady Zhang, they insisted on not backing down. They refused to admit guilt and demanded to go to the government office.

"The He family originally didn't want to air their dirty laundry, but since the Zhang and Liu families insisted on not settling privately and were determined to send Lady Liu to the government to be judged, He Jianzhong had no choice but to agree.

"So, after the dispute ended, both Lady Liu and Mama Li were sent to the Shuntian Prefecture. They should be in the dungeons by now."

After finishing, he wiped his washed hands and asked her: "How are you? Can you handle the exhaustion of these past two days? I told you long ago that you didn't need to come in person..."

Yuetang flipped over a cup, picked up the pot to pour another cup of tea, and interrupted his nagging: "Father managed the Imperial City Guard for many years. Wei Zhang and his lot were all cultivated by him, and little Huo has been following his father in and out of the city’s major prisons since he was a child. He should still remember the way into the Shuntian Prefecture dungeons."

She handed him the token she had shown Lady Zhang: "Take this to little Huo and have him find out exactly where Lady Liu is being held before dark and report back to me. Next, we must let our Marquis of Guangling take the stage."

Hua Lin opened his mouth: "Are you planning to go to the prison yourself? Are you going to take risks again?"

"You guessed right." Yuetang shoved the tea at him.

Hua Lin said indignantly: "I’m not drinking it!"

"It’s the tea leaves Qin Niang gave."

Hua Lin turned his head, then resentfully took the cup.

(End of chapter)