Chapter 84: Isn’t This Heaven’s Justice?

Chapter 84: Isn’t This Heaven’s Justice?

The magistrate's wife looked up at Lu Mingchao, who had been freshly groomed and tidied up.

Her skin was as white as porcelain, pure as accumulated snow.

Her eyes sparkled, her brows lively and spirited.

Despite having just experienced a terrifying fall into the water, not a trace of fear, panic, or confusion showed on her face.

No matter the storm, she stood firm.

Such a temperament was wasted on a mere hunter.

One had to wonder what extraordinary talent the true daughter must have to make the Duke's family agree to change the marriage arrangement without hesitation.

But the Duke's family's decision wasn’t for a distant relative like her to question.

Her gaze swept over to Xie Yan, and she couldn't help but be taken aback.

"Madam Xie, do you recall what happened by the lake?"

After being offered a seat, a maid brought hot tea.

Lu Mingchao spoke calmly and methodically, "To be frank, Magistrate's wife, I have always had delicate skin and been sensitive to the cold. But your estate’s plum grove is breathtaking, and I couldn’t bear to miss it, so I wanted to find a spot where I could enjoy the red plums in the snow while also being somewhat sheltered from the wind."

"I was by the lake when someone pushed me from behind."

"As I fell, I grabbed the arm of the person who pushed me, and unfortunately, we both fell into the water."

"You're lying!" Madam Sun's eyes were red. "The guilty always accuse first. It's only because my Ying'er is unconscious and unable to defend herself that you can twist the truth here. How despicable!"

"If she pushed you, why is she more hurt than you?"

Lu Mingchao gently held the teacup, feeling the warmth emanating from it. She took a small sip of the hot tea, her eyelids lifting slightly as she said nonchalantly, "Isn’t this heaven’s justice—evil repaid with evil?"

"By the way, I also want to ask why Miss Ying'er's heart is so cruel?"

"No matter what you say, you pushed her into the lake," Madam Sun continued to accuse Lu Mingchao.

The lid of the teacup clinked lightly, producing a crisp sound.

"If that’s what helps you sleep at night, go ahead."

"Madam Sun, I'll say something you might not like to hear: I'm not so incompetent as to fail at such a simple task," Lu Mingchao said softly.

Lu Mingchao then shifted her tone, "Magistrate's wife, this could be seen as attempted murder. Even though I am just a commoner, I do not wish to bear the stigma of being a murderer. My testimony is being questioned at every turn by Madam Sun, and I find her accusations hard to accept as well."

"Though the spot seems deserted, it’s not entirely hidden. There were many guests at the banquet today, and maids were coming and going frequently. Moreover, standing at the Lake Pavilion and looking out over the railing, one could see everything by the lake. Someone must have seen something by accident."

"I’ll need your help to settle this."

The magistrate's wife frowned slightly, "I’ve asked the steward to question everyone."

One incident after another, and the magistrate's wife was growing increasingly impatient with the Sun family.

No matter how capable Sun Zhiye was, he couldn't withstand the Sun family's constant blunders.

To the magistrate's wife, fine jade wouldn’t risk itself against a rough stone unless it were foolish.

It was clear that Lu Mingchao's expression was pure and clear, and she was definitely not foolish or stupid.

Time ticked by slowly.

Lu Mingchao's gaze swept over the people seated in the flower hall, and not seeing Sun Zhiye, her brow couldn't help but twitch.

The housekeeper came to report that the maid responsible for burning incense and brewing tea in a corner of the Lake Pavilion during the plum blossom banquet had witnessed the scene from afar.

"Explain in detail what you saw," the magistrate's wife said sharply.

"Through the window of the Lake Pavilion, I saw Madam Lu and Miss Qu walking one after the other. Miss Qu slipped and fell toward Madam Lu. In her panic, Madam Lu grabbed Miss Qu's arm, and they both tumbled into the lake."

Lu Mingchao raised an eyebrow. This account was unexpected, much safer than directly accusing her outright.

Could this be Sun Zhiye's doing?

Blaming it all on a slippery accident.

Even with other eyewitnesses, this solid testimony could make them doubt their own observations and accept it as a simple slip.

After all, near the place where they fell into the water, she hadn't seen anyone else with her own eyes.

Lu Mingchao smiled and asked softly, "Really?"

"Are you sure you saw it clearly?"

The maid nodded without hesitation, "Absolutely."

Lu Mingchao's smile remained unchanged. "I didn't expect that a life-threatening incident was caused by the snow by the lake not being cleared in time, making the path slippery."

She shook her head slightly, sighing. "Tsk, Miss Qu and I were just unlucky."

The magistrate's wife's face clouded over.

If it was an accident, then it was her negligence in organizing the plum blossom banquet.

Lu Mingchao gently ran her fingers over the teacup, her gaze thoughtful. Just as everyone thought the matter was settled, she spoke again, "Madam Magistrate, I lied."

The magistrate's wife was stunned. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't pull Miss Qu's arm. She fell into the lake with me due to momentum and couldn't stop."

"This maid doesn't seem to have seen very clearly either," Lu Mingchao said playfully.

"Are you certain you saw me pull Miss Qu's arm?"

The maid hesitated, then insisted, "Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

Lu Mingchao exhaled lightly, her tone cheerful. "Mystery solved, this maid is lying."

"How can you prove you didn't pull Ying'er?" Madam Sun interjected impatiently.

"I did pull, but it was Miss Qu's ankle. The ankle and arm are quite different—surely you couldn't confuse them?" Lu Mingchao's gaze shifted to the magistrate's wife, continuing, "Madam Magistrate, perhaps you could have a trusted maid examine Miss Qu's ankle for any remaining fingerprints."

"I was so terrified when I fell into the water that I couldn’t control my strength for a moment."

The magistrate's wife shot Chunxing a glance, and Chunxing curtsied before leaving.

She returned shortly after and reported, "Madam, Miss Qu Ying has a bruise in the shape of a finger on her ankle."

Lu Mingchao held out her hand, "I don’t mind comparing the fingerprints."

"But this still doesn’t prove that Ying'er deliberately pushed Lu Mingchao into the water," Madam Sun grumbled under her breath.

The tea had gone cold, and Lu Mingchao’s patience was running out. "Madam Sun must have quite a few confidants, don’t you?"

"Don’t fret about the road ahead being unclear—the best will always be recognized!"

"Following your heart and being true to yourself isn’t wrong, but you shouldn’t act recklessly, ignoring others’ lives."

"Why did she push me? Surely Madam Sun knows the answer?"

"Who put you up to this?" The magistrate's wife glared at the maid kneeling on the ground, her face burning with shame.

Her maid had been bribed to smear the reputation of her invited guests!

The maid kowtowed, insisting, "Madam, spare me! Maybe I saw it wrong from afar."

Lu Mingchao rose at the perfect moment, "The truth is coming to light, and I’ll leave the rest to you."

"Magistrate's wife, it’s getting late, and the roads are treacherous. I should head home now."

The magistrate's wife sighed heavily, "Once the truth comes out, I’ll send someone reliable to Changxi Village to fill you in on everything."

"I’ve embarrassed myself in front of you."

"You wanted to share the beauty of your home with others, which is truly generous. There’s no fault in that. I’m grateful for the chance to experience such beauty."

"The blame lies with those who scheme in the shadows, unseen."

Lu Mingchao was a master of the art of conversation.

"I thought you were merely foolish."