Chapter 499

Chapter 505: Entanglement (Part 2)

Eleventh Miss gazed quietly at Yang Shi.

Lady Wen, however, felt a cold sweat break out down her back.

Yang Shi wasn’t here to plead for mercy—she was here to admit her faults.

As the mistress had pointed out, Yang Shi had yet to mention what she had done before, even in her presence.

No wonder Yang Shi had insisted she come along to see the mistress.

The mistress’s trust in her was known throughout the household. Without her, Yang Shi wouldn’t have been able to see the mistress in the dead of night, let alone get past the door of the passage hall.

At this thought, anger flared in her chest, her face flushing crimson.

The mistress had never accepted Yang Shi’s goodwill—she had long seen through Yang Shi as a backstabbing snake. Only she, foolishly blind, had believed Yang Shi was like her, burdened by family troubles, and had pitied her… Not only had she been used as a pawn, but she had also dragged the mistress into this mess…

Lady Wen wished she could slap herself twice.

She had maintained her independence in the household for over a decade, only to be ruined by this troublemaker, Yang Shi…

Unable to contain herself, Lady Wen threw Yang Shi a venomous look.

Yang Shi, however, couldn’t care less now. Her full attention was fixed on Eleventh Miss.

She had seen conflicts between wives and concubines before. Some mistresses put up with rage that made them spit blood—not because they lacked the means to discipline them, nor merely for the sake of a spotless reputation. It all came down to…

Still, she feared offending her husband and being despised by him, which might even affect the status and distribution of property among their children.

Lady Shier was an exclusive concubine, while she herself had never been favored to share his bed. The difference between them was like that between heaven and earth, and thus Lady Shier often treated her with a casual indifference. But now, Lady Shier's gaze towards her was cold and sharp.

The situation was already clear; Lord Xu must have recounted the entire incident to Lady Shier upon his return. It was even possible that he had detailed every word and action she had taken...

At this thought, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Madam, I heard from home that my father’s promissory note for three taels of silver has now become a debt of thirty thousand taels... Madam, think about it, who has such exorbitant interest rates?" She choked back a sob, trying to hold back her tears, "I thought that those people, seeing my two uncles imprisoned in the Dali Temple, would take advantage of the situation, as is common in times of adversity. But when my father reported it to the authorities, they did nothing..." She looked at Lady Shier with a face full of indignation, "Madam, country folk do not understand the affairs of the court. When the wind blows, it knocks down the weakest tree first, but can the officials of the court be so blind? My two uncles have neither been convicted nor sent to the imperial prison. How can anyone be so certain that they will never rise again? Clearly, someone is behind this, taking advantage of Yang Shi’s predicament to kick her when she’s down."

"Madam, when the Empress Dowager bestowed a lady from our family to the Marquis as a concubine, it was to strengthen the ties between our families. One should consider the master before punishing the dog. Yet those people disregarded this completely, as if they were sure that the Marquis would not stand up for me out of concern for his reputation... After much consideration, I find this matter suspicious," her expression grew serious, and her tone became more solemn, "It’s possible that someone is targeting the Xu family, using this opportunity to drag us into trouble. I wanted to seek your help, Madam, but then I thought of your frail health and how considerate the Marquis is, entrusting all household matters to the Grandmother. If my suspicions prove true, it would be one thing, but if they are unfounded, and I am merely overreacting, causing you unnecessary worry, the Marquis would surely blame me, and I fear I could not escape his punishment, even at the cost of my life."

After hesitating for a long time, I still went to see Lord Xu.

As she spoke, a tear rolled down her cheek, and she bowed her head to the water-polished blue bricks: "My Lady, please save my life. I was only chosen to be sent to Lord Xu because I am from a collateral branch, but I have never had any improper thoughts. I only wish to serve you and the Sixth Young Master wholeheartedly, hoping for nothing more than enough clothes to cover my body and food to fill my stomach... My Lady, please save my life. In my next life, I will repay your kindness as a cow or a horse."

The servants in the room had already fallen silent when Elven asked her questions, each standing like a wooden stake with lowered eyes and closed mouths. The sound of Yang Shi’s head thudding against the ground was particularly loud, creating an oppressive atmosphere that made everyone tremble involuntarily.

Wen Yiniang and Zhuxiang couldn’t help but look at Elven.

Elven was leaning against a large cushion, playing with a cloisonné enamel hand mirror adorned with a pattern of birds and flowers symbolizing a hundred years of harmony, her expression one of leisure and contentment. Yang Shi’s sorrow, anger, seriousness, and worry seemed to have no effect on her at all.

The two women were taken aback.

Elven then said casually, "I wonder what Lady Yang has done wrong that requires my forgiveness?"

Her words made Yang Shi’s dramatic performance seem superfluous and meaningless, turning into a burden.

Yang Shi’s heart sank.

Elven, who had married Lord Xu as a secondary wife and gained the affection of everyone from the Old Lady down to the young maids, was indeed not an ordinary person. She seized every opportunity to challenge, thinking of ways to punish her...

She lifted her head, her forehead flushed red, and said through tears, "My Lord scolded me for overstepping my bounds and discussing matters of the court, thereby bringing disgrace to the Xu family. I dare not have any objections. But it was truly unintentional on my part. Though I come from humble origins, I am well aware of the saying 'when the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken.' I would never dare to put the Xu family in a compromising position because of my own family's affairs..."

Not only did she answer off-topic, but she also cleverly shifted the conversation by appealing to people's curiosity about secrets, subtly mentioning the scene when she met Lord Xu, and implying that his displeasure stemmed solely from her speaking out of turn.

If one lacked confidence in Lord Xu or had a bit more curiosity, they might very well follow her lead and ask more questions.

Eleventh Miss began to understand why she dared to seek her out.

Setting aside other considerations, just with her silver-tongued eloquence rivaling that of Su Qin and Zhang Yi, she indeed had some chance of turning the situation around.

"Yang Shi," she put down the target mirror, her expression serious as she cut Yang Shi off without hesitation, "After all you've said, I still don't understand what exactly you want me to forgive. If you're afraid I'll blame you for going to see My Lord without telling me, you've already explained clearly that it was out of concern for me. If it's because My Lord scolded you and you fear his wrath, he hasn't detained you or sent for Mother to punish you. I really can't fathom why you cry out to me for help upon seeing me." Her tone then turned more aggressive, "Could it be that your words are nothing but exaggerations and deceit? It seems My Lord was right. A hen crowing at dawn brings ruin to the household. You should return to rest and reflect on My Lord's words, examining yourself. Then you will know what is proper and what is not." As she spoke, she reached for the teacup.

She placed the entire blame on Yang Shi.

Wen Shi, understanding Yang Shi's intentions, had been feeling guilty and remorseful ever since. Seeing Eleventh Miss speak, and recalling that she had brought Yang Shi here, she stepped forward to support Yang Shi, as if trying to make amends: "Sister Yang, Lady is right. These are not matters for us women to worry about. What you did was indeed inappropriate. Since Lady has asked you to go back and reflect, we should not argue further..."

"... I have disturbed Lady’s rest."

If she were to leave now, why would she have gone through such great lengths to meet Young Miss? And in this situation, if she lost this opportunity, there might not be a second chance.

The most pressing matter now is to stay.

As long as the green hills remain, one needn’t fear for firewood.

Yang Shi immediately pushed away Concubine Wen’s outstretched arm and hurriedly said to Young Miss, “Lady, your words are etched in my heart. But Lord...” She covered her face and wept, “Lord wishes to send me to a temple because of this.”

From Yang Shi’s tone, it seemed that the reason Lord Xu was sending her to a temple was entirely due to her discussing sensitive matters that a woman should not concern herself with, which Lord Xu could not tolerate.

Zhu Xiang and the others who knew the truth lowered their heads, while Concubine Wen and the others who were unaware showed signs of shock.

Young Miss couldn’t help but sneer.

If her understanding of Lord Xu were shallower, if her trust in him were less... she might have believed Yang Shi’s claims.

“You have caused trouble,” Young Miss stared sharply at Yang Shi, “Lord sent you to a temple instead of ordering me to use family discipline. Could it be that you still harbor resentment? Otherwise, why would you cry for help when you see me?”

“No, I do not have the slightest resentment,” Yang Shi hastily defended herself, “I am just afraid.” As she spoke, she crawled to the edge of the kang and clung to its frame, “Lady, you come from a scholarly family with strict upbringing. Even when you occasionally visit temples with your parents and siblings, you only choose places with a good reputation, where you might drink tea or eat a vegetarian meal in the meditation hall. How could you know about those...”

The despicable deeds of those with ulterior motives...

As she spoke, her face flushed.

"Some busybodies, seeing that the number of offerings at the nunnery matched those at the monastery, often went there to play, not only failing to avoid the ladies who came to burn incense but also criticizing them and giving money for secret meetings. Some malicious individuals even devised ways to abduct these women, either selling them into brothels or keeping them as concubines... This was still the case for those who had families and fathers or brothers. If they encountered solitary and homeless nuns, they would drug them with knockout powder and kidnap them, often bribing the abbess to sell them. How much more so for a servant like me, sent to the temple by my husband's family as a criminal’s daughter?"

Tears streamed down her face.

"Though I am of low birth, I have read 'Admonitions for Women' and 'Biographies of Exemplary Women.' I am not afraid of the poverty and austerity of monastic life; what I fear is being in a situation where I cannot call upon heaven or earth for help..."

She had intended to say, "If such were the case, I would rather die," but then thought that if Madam Shier were to take this as a reason to ask Lord Xu to grant her death, it would be self-inflicted suffering. So she paused, lowered her head, and wiped her eyes, choosing to omit this part. "Madam, since His Excellency has decided to send me to a nunnery, I dare not disobey. I only beg you to allow me to take my vows at the family temple, so I do not fall into a situation where life is unbearable and death is impossible. This way, I can pray daily for His Excellency, Madam, the young master, and the young misses, asking the Buddha to bless the Xu family with prosperity and many descendants."

"The family temple..." Madam Shier looked at her tear-streaked face.

This must be her true intention.

Let her stay for now.

But having seen her methods, how could Madam Shier dare to keep her?

Her home should be a place of rest, not a battlefield.

"The Buddhist hall in the back garden is tended by only an old woman who cares for the incense and candles; it does not qualify as a place of seclusion." She said softly, "I think the Great Enlightenment Temple, which Concubine Qiao visited, would be better... After her visit, Concubine Qiao, though I don’t know about other things, at least learned to follow the rules. What do you think, Concubine Yang? It should be a place of high moral standing, shouldn't it?"