With a splash, Xie Wanrou fell into the fishpond, startling countless fish.
“Someone come here! Young Mistress has…”
The maid didn’t even get a chance to cry out before Hongye grabbed her by the neck.
Xie Wanning ignored Xie Wanrou’s struggle in the fishpond and walked slowly towards the maid, a faint smile on her face. “Xiaoxi, think carefully, how did your mistress fall in?” As soon as she finished
speaking, Hongye tightened her grip, and Xiaoxi’s face turned red instantly, unable to breathe.
Xiaoxi was frightened and quickly nodded, indicating that she was willing to obey.
Xie Wanning gestured for Hongye to release her grip. Xiaoxi immediately knelt on the ground, terrified, and said, “I’ll say whatever you tell me to say, please spare my life.”
Xie Wanning leaned down slightly and whispered a few words in her ear, then reached out and lifted Xiaoxi’s chin, saying in a calm tone, “Do as I say, and you’ll be well rewarded. If you utter a single wrong word, you’ll be beaten to death.”
Beneath her serene and gentle face lurked an invisible murderous aura, making Xiaoxi tremble with fear. “Yes… I will definitely be loyal to you, Young Madam.”
Hearing this, Xie Wanning stood up and looked at Hongye. “Pull her out.”
Hongye nodded and turned to pull Xie Wanrou out of the water.
Xie Wanrou was exhausted from struggling in the water and was too weak to speak when she was pulled out.
Xie Wanning gave her a cold look, then told Xiaoxi to call for help and make a scene.
By the time Xiao Chengli arrived, Xie Wanrou had already been taken back to the courtyard.
Xie Wanrou sobbed uncontrollably in Xiao Chengli’s arms, repeatedly saying she was terrified.
Hearing her words, Xiao Chengli glared fiercely at Xie Wanning. “You vicious woman! Knowing Rou’er was pregnant, you heartlessly pushed her into the water! Did you want to kill her and her unborn child?”
Xie Wanning’s face showed the same aggrieved expression as Xie Wanrou’s. “Husband, I didn’t… It was Aunt Rou who jumped in herself. It has nothing to do with me.”
Xiao Chengli didn’t believe her at all. “Nonsense! Rou’er was pregnant, how could she jump into the water by herself?”
Xie Wanrou cried even harder, “Young Madam, I know you’re unhappy about the past, you hate that Chengli and I loved each other. But Chengli and I only had feelings for each other, and we kept our relationship within the bounds of propriety. For him, I was willing to be a concubine, to depend on you for the rest of my life. Isn’t that enough?”
“This child is my only hope, why must you harm him?”
Xie Wanrou said, kneeling on the bed, her frail body supported by her. “Young Madam, I beg you, please have mercy and spare my life and my child’s!”
Her weak and helpless appearance, swaying precariously, broke Xiao Chengli’s heart. He quickly helped her lie down. “Rou’er, don’t kneel before her. This vicious woman is so heartless, she doesn’t deserve to be the legal wife. I’ll tell my mother, and she’ll definitely be divorced.”
Hearing this, Xie Wanrou’s eyes lit up, but she didn’t say anything more, only lowered her head and wept softly. Seeing
his beloved suffer such a great injustice, Xiao Chengli’s anger flared even more. He turned and shouted angrily, “Xie Wanning, will you go to your mother to beg for forgiveness yourself, or should I send someone to escort you there?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Madam Xiao’s cold voice came from outside the door, “No need, I’ll come myself.”
Hearing this, Xiao Chengli quickly got up, and even Xie Wanrou dared not cry anymore, struggling to sit up from the bed.
Xie Wanning immediately lowered her head when she saw Madam Xiao’s gaze fall on her as soon as she entered, looking utterly helpless.
“Granny Qi, have the doctor examine Concubine Rou.”
Madam Xiao’s cold voice rang out again. Xiao Chengli was startled and quickly asked, “Mother, what are you doing?”
Madam Xiao didn’t answer, but Granny Qi said, “Replying to Young Master, Concubine Rou is pregnant and has fallen into the water. Naturally, she needs to be examined by a doctor. It wouldn’t be good if she developed any illness.”
“She’s already been examined…”
Xiao Chengli’s words were cut short by a glare from Madam Xiao, and he immediately fell silent.
A moment later, the doctor came to Madam Xiao and reported, “Reporting to Madam, Consort Rou’s pulse is stable and there is nothing to worry about.”
Granny Qi asked again, “What about the child?”
The doctor replied, “The pregnancy is stable, and the fetal pulse is strong, very good.”
Xie Wan Ning raised her eyes at the right moment and asked with feigned doubt, “Didn’t you just say that Consort Rou’s pulse wasn’t very good…”
Upon hearing this, the doctor, who had been huddled in the corner, immediately knelt down, “Perhaps my medical skills are inadequate, and I misdiagnosed her. Please forgive me, Madam.”
Xie Wan Ning’s eyes reddened instantly. She looked up at Xiao Cheng Li with a wronged expression.
Xiao Cheng Li was obviously also somewhat surprised, but in order to protect Xie Wan Rou, he immediately ordered someone to drag the doctor out, but Madam Xiao stopped him.
“Let’s put that aside for now. I’m asking you, weren’t you supposed to be going back to your parents’ home today? What were you doing in Aunt Rou’s courtyard?”
Xie Wanning, under Madam Xiao’s sharp gaze, spoke in a weak and aggrieved tone, “Mother-in-law, I left your courtyard just now to go back to my room to invite my husband to go back to his parents’ home together. But when I got to the pond in the small garden, Aunt Rou suddenly stopped me, saying that I was bringing her things to harm the child in her womb.”
“Mother-in-law, please understand. Everything I gave to Consort Rou was carefully selected, and my husband said it’s excellent for pregnant women. Even the list was from my husband. I truly don’t understand why Consort Rou would accuse me of harming her.”
Madam Xiao looked up at Xiao Chengli. “Is that so?”
Although Xiao Chengli was puzzled, he nodded. “I gave her the list.”
Madam Xiao then looked at Xie Wanning. “Go on!”
Xie Wanning shed two tears. “I said I didn’t, but Consort Rou went crazy and tried to hit me. Then she accidentally fell into the pond.”
“You’re lying!” Xie Wanrou cried loudly. “You pushed me into the water.” ”
She’s lying? Then let me ask you, why did you go to the pond? You couldn’t have just been passing by, could you?”
Upon hearing Madam Xiao’s question, Xiao Chengli’s gaze towards Xie Wanrou became more questioning.
This morning, when Liuying and Feiyue asked him to leave, Xie Wanrou said she wasn’t feeling well and needed to rest. So why did she go to the small pond in the backyard?
When questioned, Xie Wanrou showed a moment of panic, but she quickly came up with a defense. She immediately got out of bed, knelt on the ground, and cried,
“Madam, it’s all my fault! I was delusional, thinking that since the young mistress is returning home today, I wanted to ask her to take me with her. The Xie family is the young mistress’s family, but it’s also mine. I want to go home to see my parents and fulfill my filial duty.”
“The young mistress scolded me and wasn’t satisfied, so she pushed me into the pond.”
Hearing this, Madam Xiao became even angrier. Pointing at Xie Wanrou, she scolded, “You, a concubine, shouldn’t be staying in the backyard serving your husband and taking good care of your pregnancy. You actually thought about going back to your parents’ home with the young mistress to show off. You’re delusional!”
This Xie Wanrou was even more restless than Liu Shi; she was simply a menace.
Madam Xiao grew increasingly angry, and then reprimanded Xiao Chengli, “And you! This concubine’s arrogance is all your fault.”
Xie Wanrou had mentioned returning to her parents’ home to Xiao Chengli, but having just been scolded by Madam Xiao, he knew he would be reprimanded again and didn’t immediately agree. Just
as Xie Wanrou was acting coquettishly, Liuying and Feiyue came to deliver some things. Xiao Chengli, not wanting to get entangled with Xie Wanrou on this matter, left with Feiyue and Liuying.
It was also for this reason that Xie Wanrou, in a fit of pique, claimed to be unwell. But Xiao Chengli hadn’t expected that Xie Wanrou would turn to Xie Wanning for help.
It would have been one thing if Xie Wanning hadn’t agreed, but why was she so ruthless, showing no regard for sisterly affection, and making such a big scene, causing him to be reprimanded?
Seeing Xiao Chengli’s bad expression and that he was turning to look at her, clearly intending to vent his anger, Xie Wanning immediately covered her face and began to weep.
“Husband, I didn’t know that Aunt Rou wanted to return to the Xie family. If she had told me, I might have agreed.” ”
But she said that I sent her things to harm her child and even pushed her into the water. I absolutely cannot admit to that.”
At this moment, Xiao Chengli’s mind was completely confused. Everyone had a different version of events. Who was telling the truth?