Upon hearing this, Lady Yongning’s face instantly turned ashen. She whipped her head around to glare at Su Yunyan.
“Su Yunyan, so it was you who pushed my son into the water!”
Su Yunyan’s face went deathly pale. Her body swayed slightly, her lips trembling as she made one last desperate attempt.
“No, that’s not what happened. Young Master, you must have remembered wrong. How could I have pushed you? It was Jiang Jinshu who pushed you—it was her!”
As she spoke, she raised a hand to point accusingly at Jiang Jinshu.
But the Young Master firmly pointed back at Su Yunyan, his voice weak yet clear.
“Mother, it was her. I couldn’t have mistaken it. I accidentally bumped into her, and she started saying something about me trying to harm her. Then she pushed me into the water and ran away.”
Lady Yongning’s husband had died in battle years ago. Since then, she had single-handedly shouldered the responsibilities of the entire Marquess Yongning’s Residence, which had naturally forged her into a fierce and formidable woman.
Earlier, her mind had been wholly consumed with worry for her son. Now that he was out of danger, she could finally turn her attention to dealing with the person who had nearly cost her son his life.
She rose abruptly and strode swiftly over to Su Yunyan.
With a sharp motion, she slapped Su Yunyan across the face.
“Su Yunyan, my son is just a child! How could he possibly harm you? If he bumped into you, our Marquess Yongning’s Residence could have apologized. Was it necessary to be so vicious as to threaten a child’s life?”
Having been slapped repeatedly, Su Yunyan was now genuinely aggrieved, tears streaming down her face.
A mere bump might have been inconsequential, but she was pregnant, and the child had collided directly with her abdomen.
In her panic, she had pushed back. Who could have known the Young Master of Marquess Yongning’s Residence would be so clumsy, unable to even keep his balance?
“My Lady, please let me explain. I didn’t mean to…”
Lady Yongning had no intention of listening to her excuses and spoke with icy coldness.
“Explain? What more is there to explain? Are you suggesting my son would falsely accuse you?”
Seeing Su Yunyan’s fragile state, Shen Nanxing’s heart ached, and he hurriedly spoke up.
“Lady Yongning, this matter…”
Only then did Lady Yongning turn a cold eye toward Shen Nanxing. She remembered clearly that Shen Nanxing had insisted it was Jiang Jinshu who pushed the Young Master into the water, trying to make his wife take the blame for his sister. No wonder Jiang Jinshu had been so furious earlier that she struck him.
“General Shen, Su Yunyan was taken in by your Shenjia. My Marquess Yongning’s Residence will absolutely not let this matter rest. Your Shenjia had better think carefully about how you intend to give our residence a proper explanation.”
Seeing that the Young Master had awakened, the Prime Minister’s Wife also breathed a sigh of relief.
“Lady Yongning, it is fortunate that Madam Shen’s exceptional medical skills saved the Young Master. Now that the culprit has been identified, how would you like this handled? Although this incident occurred at my Chengxiangfu, ultimately, the Young Master is the victim. How to proceed with this matter should be left to your discretion, Lady Yongning.”
After listening, Lady Yongning glanced at Su Yunyan, who was still weeping.
“Then let it be handled by the authorities. Over the years, my Marquess Yongning’s Residence has kept a low profile, but it seems some blind, filthy creature has grown bold enough to dare lay hands on the Young Master of our residence.”
“Qingsui, go to the Dali Si immediately and report this.”
Upon hearing her mistress’s order, Lady Yongning’s personal maid promptly bowed.
“Yes, I will go at once.”
The term “filthy creature” was clearly directed at her. Su Yunyan felt even more wronged, tears falling incessantly. Seeing that Lady Yongning had truly ordered someone to report the incident to the authorities, she hastily knelt down.
"Lady Yongning, I beg you not to report this to the authorities. When the Young Master suddenly rushed over, I panicked in the moment and accidentally pushed him. I never imagined he would fall into the water."
After speaking, she cast a pleading look at Shen Nanxing.
"Brother, what should I do? Yunyan doesn’t want to go to prison…"
Shen Nanxing glared fiercely at Jiang Jinshu. If she had just taken the blame earlier, none of this would have happened.
"Jiang Jinshu, this is all your fault. Why don’t you come over and apologize to the Marquess’s wife?"
Ha! Jiang Jinshu couldn’t help but laugh in anger.
"Shen Nanxing, even the walls of Huangcheng aren’t as thick as your face. Su Yunyan committed a grave mistake, and you want me to take the blame for her."
"After I managed to save the Young Master to prove my innocence, you still insist it’s my fault. Even if you can’t be a good husband, at least try to be a decent human being?"
Jiang Jinshu glanced at Su Yunyan, who was kneeling but protectively covering her stomach, then immediately bowed to Lady Yongning.
"Madam, our family has taken in such a malicious sister, and Jinshu truly has no choice. Fortunately, the Young Master is blessed and protected by heaven, escaping danger. This matter is indeed Shenjia’s fault toward Marquess Yongning’s Residence."
"But if we send Su Yunyan to the authorities, it will cause a scandal. This would harm the reputations of Marquess Yongning’s Residence, Shenjia, and even Chengxiangfu."
"In Jinshu’s opinion, it would be better to publicly give Su Yunyan fifty lashes. Tomorrow, I will accompany my mother-in-law with generous gifts to properly apologize to you and the Young Master."
Fifty lashes were practically a death sentence. Su Yunyan cried out in rage.
"Jiang Jinshu, how vicious you are! You’re trying to kill me!"
Fifty lashes would be unbearable even for a man, let alone a woman.
The Prime Minister’s Wife, however, was pleased with this punishment.
"Lady Yongning, everyone at today’s flower-viewing banquet is still waiting in the main hall for news of the Young Master. Why don’t we move the punishment to the main hall, allowing the Young Master to rest here?"
But Shen Nanxing was filled with rage.
"Jiang Jinshu, you know how delicate Yunyan’s health is. How could you suggest such a cruel punishment? How could I have married such a venomous woman into Shenjia? Today, I will divorce you!"
Suddenly, a voice interjected.
"Is she someone you can divorce so easily?"
Princess Yuanzhao, supported by her maid, arrived with a sharp and authoritative gaze.
Beside her was a man dressed in white robes, who appeared frail but whose eyes flickered with a hidden shrewdness.
Everyone hurriedly bowed.
"Greetings, Princess. Greetings, Prince."
Seeing the Princess again, Jiang Jinshu couldn’t help but tear up. In her past life, when she was imprisoned, it was the Princess who had arranged for her care and protection, ensuring her safety in prison.
Even with her noble status, the Princess had visited her, trying to find a way to help. Unfortunately, Jiang Jinshu had been stubborn, insisting on taking the blame for Su Yunyan, which angered the Princess and caused her to leave. After that, she never saw the Princess again.
Princess Yuanzhao’s gaze swept around the room. This was merely a guest chamber, and the space was rather small.
The Prime Minister’s Wife quickly stepped forward.
"Your Highness…"
She swiftly recounted the cause and events of the incident.
Listening to the Prime Minister’s Wife’s account, Princess Yuanzhao’s eyes settled on Jiang Jinshu.
"You child, I never expected you to possess such medical skills. It seems you have inherited your mother's virtues. Come closer to me."
Jiang Jinshu obediently walked toward Princess Chang.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Only then did she notice that behind Princess Chang stood her personal maid, Caiping. Just as in her previous life, Caiping had feared she would be bullied and had gone to fetch Princess Chang.
The Prime Minister's Wife spoke up at the opportune moment.
"Your Highness Princess Chang, shall we move to the main hall?"