Chapter 153: The Outcome

Chapter 153: The Outcome

Elder Madam Lin was someone who always did as she said.

After her birthday, the elder madam sent someone to find the old servants previously dismissed from the second house.

One of them was the nurse who had taken care of Miss Lin.

She was no longer as young as before and had stopped working as a nurse, now farming in the countryside.

When she appeared before Elder Madam Lin, she was neatly dressed, her hair, black and white, was tied up with a silver hairpin.

The nurse, with her head bowed, told Elder Madam Lin, "Miss... she... was ill, how could I possibly let her get up at night alone! But that night, I slept so deeply, I didn’t even know when the Miss got up..."

"I’ve thought about it later... why I slept so soundly... someone from the madam’s side gave me a bowl of soup that day, and that night I slept particularly deeply..."

"When I woke up, the blood on Miss's head couldn’t be stopped..."

"The madam dismissed me because of this..."

The nurse wrung her fingers, still terrified.

Although she had her suspicions, she had no proof. Being a servant in a noble house, what could she do even if she spoke out?

Elder Madam Lin asked indifferently, "Is there any falsehood in what you’ve said?"

"If I find even a single lie..."

"No! No! Elder madam, there’s none!"

The nurse quickly shook her head and knelt down, "If I’m lying, may thunder strike me down!"

Crying, she said, "I nursed the young miss for four years. The first madam treated me so well... how could I possibly harm the young miss..." She covered her chest, weeping in a way that seemed genuine.

Back then, she was terrified too, unable to express her grievances, but now she knew how to respond.

Elder Madam Lin and Mama Fan exchanged a glance, deciding to believe the nurse's words.

Mama Fan stepped forward, gently saying, "Come with me."

She took the nurse to a neighboring room to freshen up and even gave her some silver.

The next person to appear was the fortune-telling priestess who used to visit the house.

"Elder Madam Lin..."

She still posed as a priestess. She was young and passably attractive back then, not showing her cunning. A decade later, her sly, rat-like appearance was quite repulsive when she raised her head.

Elder Madam Lin asked calmly, "Tell me, how did you calculate that the young miss of the Lin family was destined to harm her parents?"

"According to you, our girl's fate was extremely ominous, a rarity in decades. Surely you haven’t forgotten. Now, tell me everything you remember."

The priestess gave a forced smile.

She looked at Elder Madam Lin and then at Lin Huabin, seated at the head.

Mama Fan had already told her that if she told the truth, the Lin family would not only pardon her past actions but also give her silver. If she lied... the Lin family would not be lenient!

"Elder Madam Lin, Second Master Lin, the young miss of your house has a tough fate, but she did not bring harm to her parents..."

Lin Huabin erupted in anger, "You!"

"Then why did you claim my daughter was destined to harm her parents back then!"

The priestess guiltily responded, "Second Master, don’t blame me! It was... it was the second madam who gave me silver to say that."

She glanced at Elder Madam Lin, hoping the elder lady would save her.

They had all agreed on this before she entered the mansion.

Elder Madam Lin glanced at Lin Huabin and said, "Sit down."

Lin Huabin sat down, brushing off his sleeve.

Elder Madam Lin asked the priestess, "How much silver did the second madam give you?"

The priestess gestured with her hands.

"Two hundred taels?"

Lin Huabin asked.

The priestess replied, "...nowhere near that much, twenty taels."

Lin Huabin's expression turned very grim.

Mama Fan came in, and Elder Madam Lin instructed her, "Take her out as well."

Mama Fan said, "Please come with me."

She led the priestess away.

Knowing where the nurse had been taken, Lin Huabin asked Elder Madam Lin angrily, "Mother, why would you give silver to such a person?!"

Elder Madam Lin said calmly, "She will be sent to the government office today."

"Who knows how many she has harmed, keeping her would be a curse. Let the officials deal with her and punish her accordingly."

Lin Huabin nodded, "That's only right."

Elder Madam Lin sneered with a sharp gaze, "Now you speak of punishing the wicked and promoting the good. Where were you earlier?"

Lin Huabin's mouth twitched, but he said nothing.

His head lowered further, conceding, "...I too was deceived."

Elder Madam Lin smiled silently.

She further questioned Lin Huabin, "The nurse’s case isn’t clear yet, do you want to continue the investigation? Find all the maids and nannies who served Yunwan back then, compare their statements, and see if the nurse lied."

Lin Huabin said uncomfortably, "No need."

He could see the truth of the matter; how could he not?

There was nothing left for mother and son to say.

Yet, Lin Huabin couldn’t bring himself to leave. He stood up and bowed, asking, "...Mother, how do you plan to handle this matter?"

The interrogation had reached such a point that Mrs. Zheng’s guilt could not be washed away.

Even though it wouldn't reach the government office, as a mother-in-law, she had the right to punish her daughter-in-law, and no one could say anything.

Elder Madam Lin laughed in exasperation, "Er, are you implying that you don't want to punish Mrs. Zheng?"

"Of course not!"

Lin Huabin defended, "She failed as a stepmother, and as a mother-in-law, you have every right to punish her. But still..."

He said, "She is, after all, the head mistress of the house. If she loses face, how will she manage the household? Yunwan and Yunjiao are not young anymore, and she still needs to arrange their marriages. I am already disgraced enough; causing more commotion..."

His face was grim as he said, "I would become the laughingstock of Jiang Qian."

"I beg mother to show mercy."

Lin Huabin deeply bowed, refusing to rise unless Elder Madam Lin relented.

Elder Madam Lin sighed deeply, stepped down from the main seat, and said coldly, "I can’t control you anymore. The Lin family has already divided its properties, and I’ve always lived with your elder brother. Interfering in your affairs would make me seem overly intrusive."

Lin Huabin remained silent until the elder madam had walked past him, then said, "How could mother say such things."

"You should reflect on how Ling Xiang managed to bypass so many people and come to me."

Having said this, Elder Madam Lin walked away.

Lin Huabin left the elder madam’s residence and returned to his own quarters with a calm expression.

He went to find Mrs. Zheng.

Before long, rumors spread among the servants of the Lin family that the second madam had been slapped by the second master.

"Miss, the nurse wishes to see you. Would you like to meet her?"

Mama Fan conveyed the nurse's request.

Lin Yunwan hesitated for a moment, then said, "I will see her."

Mama Fan then brought the nurse to meet Lin Yunwan.

The nurse was astonished to see Lin Yunwan, crying, "The young miss has grown up so well... The madam would be at peace knowing this."

The past was like smoke; she had left the Lin family over a decade ago and it was no longer appropriate for her to stay.

After bowing to her former charge, she left.

Lin Yunwan instructed Xi Ruo, "Escort her out."

Xi Ruo had already prepared a bag of silver for the nurse, personally escorted her out, and inquired about Miss Lin’s birth mother and her dowry.