In just half a month apart, Mingyu had visibly grown much more haggard.
Those driven out by the Young Lord would not be kept in the mansion. Only out of respect for her parents was she sent to the estate instead.
No one paid Mingyu any mind.
After quickly glancing at Mother Song, she began wailing again.
"I served by Jiang Shiyao's side for four years. Because I had previously served in the Young Lord's courtyard for two years, she grew wary of me. Whenever the Young Lord visited, she would always send me away."
"Resentful of this, I made a mistake. Two days ago, Jiang Shiyao found me and said if I did one thing for her, she would bring me back from the estate."
"Ever since the Young Lord and Miss Song began marriage discussions, I've repeatedly heard Jiang Shiyao say that if Miss Song enters the household, she would have no way out."
Mingyu cried to the point of violently kowtowing twice.
"I was bewitched to agree to her demands! I beg Old Madam to punish me!"
Song Jiyun immediately pinched her handkerchief to dab the corner of her eye. "Congxian brother, it's clearly her deliberate scheme that forced me to embroider the birthday gift with her.""
Jiang Shiyao's gaze withdrew from He Dayou.
She looked sorrowfully at Mingyu. "Mingyu, you claim I went to the estate to seek your help, but the estate is over an hour away from the ducal mansion even at full gallop. A round trip would take most of the day."
"Having been in the mansion for years, when have I ever been absent for such extended periods?"
Mingyu immediately turned and pointed at He Dayou behind her. "Of course it wasn't you who came personally! It was him who approached me!"
"He was originally the mansion's gardener. He Mama who cares for the young miss is his wife."
"He Dayou has already left the ducal mansion. Whether He Mama has been frequently going out can be verified by simply asking the gatekeepers!"
Mother Song sneered. "Niangzi Jiang is truly meticulous. If not for this maid's exposure, who knows how much suffering my Yun'er would have endured later!"
Old Madam Zhou's expression turned very unpleasant. "Jiang Shi, I originally thought you were sensible, never expecting you to be so malicious!"
She lifted her hand and threw the burned embroidery at Jiang Shiyao's feet.
"The birthday gift prepared for Her Majesty the Empress Dowager was burned. If this matter reaches certain ears, the entire ducal mansion will face consequences!"
Jiang Shiyao responded, "Old Madam, Mingyu was originally driven out for improper conduct. Now she returns with false accusations merely out of resentment."
"They are longstanding servants of the mansion, having been here longer than I have. Since He Dayou left the mansion, it's common for the He family to rent outside. Should I prevent He Mama from frequently leaving the mansion to reunite with her husband?"
Mingyu raised her head indignantly. "You precisely used the He couple's external situation to facilitate your schemes!"
Mother Song stood up. "Aunt, I only agreed to marry her because I thought Xian'er was steady. Before she's even crossed the threshold, a mere concubine is already extending her reach."
As she spoke, she looked at Zhou Congxian. "Young Lord Zhou, as an imperial official, you should know what crime it is to indulge a concubine in causing havoc."
Zhou Congxian pressed his lips tight. "Madam Song, isn't it premature to condemn Jiang Shi before the truth is fully revealed?"
Song Jiyun looked at Zhou Congxian in disbelief. "Congxian brother, even now you still want to protect her, is that it?""
Mother Song took her daughter's hand and snorted coldly. "Yun'er, let's go!"
In that moment, Song Jiyun panicked, fearing her mother might truly call off the engagement in anger.
She tugged gently on Mother Song's hand, unable to hold back, "Mother…"
Mother Song shot her daughter an exasperated look. With things having reached this point, if they didn't leave now, were they waiting to become a laughingstock?
Old Madam Zhou spoke up to detain them, "What are you doing? I naturally must give Yun'er an explanation. Moreover, Jiang Shi's actions have placed the entire Duke's residence in a precarious position—I will certainly punish her severely!"
Zhao Shi, who had remained silent until now, picked up her teacup and said languidly, "Mother, this daughter-in-law actually thinks Xian'er makes a valid point."
"Mingyu was originally dismissed from the residence for committing an offense, and He Dayou was an incorrigible gambler who repeatedly failed to mend his ways. Both had served in the residence for many years—how could they not be aware whether Jiang Shi truly had the capability to bring them back?"
Zhao Shi had never been satisfied with this marriage arrangement from the start, and now that an opportunity presented itself, she naturally had to add fuel to the fire.
Jiang Shiyao wiped her tears as if someone had finally spoken up for her, "This matter was suspicious from the beginning. While I was embroidering, Miss Song presented an identical pattern."
"After I finally finished the embroidery, Miss Song's maid Zisu claimed the pearls I purchased were counterfeit."
"A few days ago, the Young Lord stormed in with a delicately handwritten notebook, angrily questioning me. That notebook actually contained slanderous accusations about me and Minister Liu—it was utterly disgraceful!"
"Yesterday, on my way back from Yu Bao Tower, I was ambushed by bandits. They didn't want money but explicitly demanded my life. I'm merely an insignificant concubine."
"And today, they're claiming I set the embroidery on fire."
Jiang Shiyao's face was pale, her fingertips trembling slightly, "I don't even know whom I've offended to warrant such relentless efforts—all just to take my life."
Zhao Shi exclaimed in shock upon hearing this, "Such grave matters, why didn't you speak of them sooner!"
Song Jiyun's face turned pale, "Niangzi Jiang, what do you mean by this? Are you suggesting I hired someone to kill you?"
Watching Jiang Shiyao silently weeping, Mother Song felt as if the scenes of her own past false accusations were resurfacing.
Her eyes burning crimson, she stepped forward and slapped Jiang Shiyao hard across the face, "You wretched little strumpet, putting on this act again! What lies are you fabricating now!"
"If it weren't for you, how could my Heng'er have been lost!!"
"Ah—"
Jiang Shiyao's head was knocked to the side by the slap, the corner of her mouth involuntarily curling upward. So it was true—Madam Song really did suffer from delusions.
"What are you doing!" Zhou Congxian raised his hand to intervene, but it was already too late.
"Mother!" Song Jiyun's expression changed drastically.
Jiang Shiyao lifted her tear-streaked face, "Madam Song, my life may be worthless, but I will not tolerate being trampled upon. For things I did not do, I would rather die than confess!"
"You're still making excuses! Heng'er was killed by you!" Madam Song lunged madly toward Jiang Shiyao.
Song Jiyun embraced her mother, "Mother, she isn't Concubine Lu, she isn't Concubine Lu."
Zhou Congxian helped Jiang Shiyao to her feet, whispering, "Don't say any more."
Seeing Madam Song's frenzied state, Zhao Shi immediately questioned Old Madam Zhou, "Mother, what is the meaning of this! Xian'er is your own grandson! How could you harm him like this?!"
She knew Madam Song had been recuperating in the south for two or three years, but no one had mentioned it was due to madness!
Old Madam Zhou hadn't expected her niece-in-law, who hadn't had an episode in years, to break down at this critical moment.
"What are you all standing around for? Escort her inside to rest immediately. Gao Mama, summon the Song family's physician."
For conditions like Madam Song's, families typically retained their own physicians to avoid gossip from outsiders.
Mingyu looked at the chaotic state of the room, her heart sinking to the depths.
Even if Jiang Shiyao were punished today, she had witnessed Madam Song's disgraceful behavior. Would Miss Song still employ her in the future?
Zhao Shi was furious. At this point, Jiang Shiyao's matter was no longer important.
The most crucial thing was that her son's marriage engagement must not proceed!
"Call off the engagement!"
"This engagement must be called off! With a mother like that, who knows if the daughter might be the same? What if their future children inherit such traits!"
Zhou Congxian tried to calm Zhao Shi. "Mother, Aunt Song's condition resulted from an illness she suffered years ago."
"You!—" Zhao Shi nearly choked on her anger. "Have you lost your mind?! How many fine young ladies are there in the capital, yet you insist on marrying her?!"
Zhou Congxian couldn't explain too much to his mother at the moment, so he stiffened his neck and endured.
"Yes, I will marry no one but her."
"Fine, fine!"
Zhao Shi's finger trembled as she pointed at Zhou Congxian. "Even if I held a knife to your throat, you wouldn't change your mind, would you?"
Zhou Congxian replied, "No."
Zhao Shi's face paled. Her raised hand hesitated mid-air, but ultimately she couldn't bring herself to strike him. With a furious flick of her sleeve, she turned and left.
Jiang Shiyao glanced at Zhou Congxian's profile, her heart now completely calm.
Of course. If he hadn't been deeply in love already, how could Song Jiyun have obtained his token of authority in their previous life?
After Song Jiyun settled her mother, she emerged just in time to hear Zhou Congxian's declaration.
Biting her lower lip gently, she slowly stepped forward. "Brother Congxian, it's not that Yun'er lacks tolerance, but… Yun'er worries for your safety."
Jiang Shiyao glanced between Zhou Congxian and Song Jiyun.
"This concubine maintains her position: what I did not do, I will not confess to."
He Dayou, who had remained silent until now, quietly raised his hand. "Young Lord, may this humble servant speak?"
Song Jiyun had nearly forgotten about this man—a former servant who had left the ducal estate. With enough money, he would say whatever he was told.
"Then speak! Who instructed you?!"
He Dayou scratched the back of his head with a confused expression. "Young Lord, this humble servant currently works at a granary in the southern city and has never been to the manor."
"Someone shoved a piece of silver at me today and pushed me in here, telling me to just agree to whatever was said."
Jiang Shiyao nearly laughed aloud when she saw the silver He Dayou produced.
To think they thought such pocket change could buy He Dayou's cooperation.
Now that he controlled granaries worth thousands of taels, how could he possibly care about such petty cash?
If He Dayou wanted money, his only option was to stand on the same side as her.
Song Jiyun nearly fainted when she saw that small piece of silver!
She had clearly given him one hundred taels—how had it dwindled to this measly amount by the time it reached him?!
He Dayou even glanced subtly at Jiang Shiyao. "This humble servant was once addicted to gambling and nearly beaten to death. It was my wife who borrowed money from Niangzi Jiang to repay my gambling debts."
"How could I be so ungrateful as to betray Niangzi Jiang?"
Zhou Congxian asked, "Then who gave you the silver?"
"This humble servant doesn't know him. He appeared roughly my age, slightly heavier than me."
How could He Dayou not know?
But having heard the Young Lord's declaration of "I will marry no one but her," he understood that feigning ignorance was the wisest response.
After all, it was a messy affair that would likely end with Mingyu being blamed for deceiving her masters.
What He Dayou could clearly see, how could Mingyu fail to understand?
Her face deathly pale, she stared at Song Jiyun. "It was truly Jiang Shiyao who ordered this! Miss Song, please save this humble servant!"
Song Jiyun took a step back in disgust. "I don't even know you. Don't beg me randomly!"
Jiang Shiyao's gaze turned cold.
"If I was the one who ordered you, why are you begging Miss Song?"