Su Yaoyao immediately nodded vigorously at these words. “Father, there’s something very wrong here! Old Madam Zhou appearing here is completely abnormal! Please don’t blame Mother she’s definitely been falsely accused!”
Su Lingqing’s voice was hoarse: “Lingqing also believes Mother has nothing to do with this. But how did Old Madam Zhou and that thief even get into the residence? And why were they in Lingqing’s room…”
Zhou Jianyue feigned helplessness. “These two people both have connections to Madam; it’s really too coincidental.”
Su Yaoyao, furious, snapped, “What does that have to do with you?! You already disrespected my mother before, and now you dare slander her openly!”
“That’s enough! Shut your mouth!” Su Huai interrupted her.
Startled, Su Yaoyao lowered her head, afraid to speak further.
At this moment, Su Yuan spoke slowly, “Since no one knows anything, let’s ask the two involved. They wouldn’t have flown here to commit such disgraceful acts, right?”
Zheng Rui and Su Yaoyao turned sharply to him, eyes wide with fear.
Ask them?!
Wouldn’t that expose everything?!
After all, Su Huai valued and cherished his son most. Seeing Su Yuan kneeling calmly, he granted him this courtesy.
“Fine, we’ll do as Yuan says! Send for them!”
Su Lingqing frowned; she knew nothing good would come of Su Yuan getting involved.
Sure enough, as soon as Su Huai finished speaking, Su Yuan added, “Father, leaving aside the thief for now Old Madam Zhou was nurtured by Mother. Even if she were foolish, she wouldn’t dare commit such a moral transgression! Furthermore, even if Mother were involved, she wouldn’t have let Old Madam Zhou take part. Isn’t that just throwing herself into the fire?”
These words made Zheng Rui, who was still collapsed on the ground, straighten up again, tears streaming uncontrollably. “Husband, Yuan is right. Old Madam Zhou is my trusted aide. If she did such a disgraceful thing, it would implicate me but why would I ever do such a thing?”
Su Huai was silent for a moment after hearing this.
He was skilled at officialdom, able to protect himself amidst all the intrigue, but family matters were hard to judge and he couldn’t be bothered to judge them.
As long as this matter could be suppressed and a decent conclusion fabricated, the truth didn’t matter.
Su Lingqing quietly observed the scene, finding it utterly laughable.
Truly the most selfish and hypocritical group of people yet somehow, they managed to form a family.
Su Huai looked at Old Madam Zhou and kicked her. “Speak! Fool, why are you here?”
Old Madam Zhou, who had been dazed, was knocked to the ground. It seemed the blow had shaken her wits awake.
She immediately scrambled to kneel, pointing at Su Lingqing and shouting, “Miss! Why are you harming me?!”
In an instant, everyone’s gaze cut at Su Lingqing like knives.
Su Huai furrowed his brows, looking at her with ruthless intensity.
Zhou Jianyue noticed how blatantly Su Huai favored some over others, and in her heart, she was furious!
Su Lingqing, however, shook her head. “Old Madam Zhou, your attempt to frame me is a bit too obvious.”
“According to Fourth Brother, you are Mother’s person. If something happened, it would implicate Mother, making it unlikely that she could have done this. But last night, you and someone else were debauching in my room do you think nothing would happen?”
Su Lingqing analyzed calmly, even sighing for effect.
“Leaving aside the others, I am, first and foremost, an unmarried young lady. Such a scandal in my room wouldn’t my reputation be damaged?”
“And most importantly, Lingqing is the legitimate eldest daughter of the current Minister of Rites. My position is clear if anything happened, it would shame Father! Lingqing has always respected Father, how could she ever do something so disgusting?”
Her words struck harder than anyone else’s in the room.
Su Huai, who had been frowning, relaxed slightly, the ice in his eyes melting.
“Lingqing is right. Although she is usually timid and weak, that very fact proves she could never do such a thing.”
Su Yaoyao shouted, “Father! You can’t just believe her side of the story! Mother she…”
Su Huai, uninterested in hearing more, cut her off. “Enough! I still have official duties there’s no time left.”
He strode toward the door. “Lock these two in the wood storage. No food or drink all day. When I return, I’ll interrogate them individually!”
Tao Yong immediately cried out, “I’ll talk! It’s… uhuhuh!” but Su Yuan clamped a hand over his mouth.
The young boy whispered menacingly in his ear, “Dare to speak, and I’ll kill you right now.”
Old Madam Zhou also wanted to say something, but when she saw the person suddenly appear before her, her voice caught in her throat.
Su Lingqing stood smiling in front of her, leaving a final comment unnoticed: “Do you think your master will still protect you? Think about how you’ll survive.”
The thought made Old Madam Zhou break out in a cold sweat.
Tao Yong and Old Madam Zhou were taken away by Su Huai’s men. Zheng Rui felt her heart leap into her throat, already exhausted and furious from the early morning chaos.
“Move!” With one command, Su Yaoyao dared not speak, following obediently.
Su Yuan, however, turned back and looked at Su Lingqing intently.
When she met his gaze, he suddenly adopted an innocent expression, as if pleading for forgiveness.
Su Lingqing was disgusted.
The young girl turned to a side room, giving a few instructions to her maids. Immediately, all the servants began frantically cleaning the room.
Meanwhile, the trio of Zheng Rui and her children returned to Fusheng Courtyard, but there was no peace.
“Slap!” A sharp slap landed on Su Yaoyao’s face.
Zheng Rui looked at her, full of disappointment.
Su Yaoyao covered her face, eyes red, glaring at her mother in defiance.
Su Yuan disliked seeing a woman lose control, even if she was his own blood, so he said nothing and went straight to his room to study.
“Mother! Why did you hit me! I didn’t do anything wrong!” Su Yaoyao cried and shouted.
“Shut up! How did I end up with such a foolish child!” Zheng Rui’s vision blurred with anger.
After being tormented all morning, she hadn’t eaten a bite and her body was near breaking point.
If Su Huai hadn’t needed to go to court, how could she have returned unscathed?!
“Do you realize, your foolishness almost got me killed!” Zheng Rui was beside herself.
Su Yaoyao, scared and regretful, still held her ground. “I just wanted to get revenge for Mother! That wretched woman was unbearable!”
“Why didn’t you discuss it with me? What could you accomplish on your own!”
Su Yaoyao suddenly began wailing. “Waaah! Mother always says that! I… I know you don’t care about me at all! Father too you only care about Su Yuan and your own status!”
Zheng Rui never expected her doted-on daughter to think this way.
The woman raised her hand, trembling, about to strike again, when Dong Xue suddenly burst in to stop her.
“Madam! Calm down! The Eldest Miss has already gone ahead to the wood storage!”