Chapter 4: Sigh

Chapter 4: A Sigh

Yiniang Hua's words struck like a bolt from the blue.

Wei Jingyao reacted most strongly. Before Xin He or Wei Mingjin could utter a sound, he had already risen, sharply rebuking, "When my elder brother was alive, you schemed against each other for his favor. Now that he is gone, can you not even tolerate his posthumous child?"

That last sentence, Wei Jingyao directed at Wei Mingjin.

Xin He's posthumous child could only be an impediment to Wei Mingjin.

Wei Jingyao believed Wei Mingjin was secretly orchestrating everything. Otherwise, why would Yiniang Hua, an unfavored concubine without children, suddenly attack Xin He?

Not only Wei Jingyao, but Xin He also thought the same.

No wonder Wei Mingjin had treated her so meticulously before; this was his true intention all along.

Xin He suddenly clutched the handkerchief in her hand.

She did wish to send this child away, but not in such a manner.

If Yiniang Hua succeeded in proving she had tainted the Wei family bloodline, not only would she lose her share of the family property, but she might even lose her life.

"Sister Hua, I know you resent me because you were punished by Master for bullying me before. But you cannot slander me like this!" Xin He covered her face with her handkerchief and began to weep piteously.

Wei Jingyao unhesitatingly sided with Xin He, scolding Yiniang Hua: "I heard you were always prone to tantrums and stirring up trouble, for which my elder brother punished you more than once. Now that he is gone, not only have you not learned to restrain yourself, but you’ve become even more outrageous. Our Wei family will never tolerate someone like you."

Wei Jingyao turned to Wei Mingjin, "Mingjin, you are now the head of this household. How should we deal with someone so malicious?"

Wei Mingjin, dressed in plain clothes, sat in the main seat.

He had only initiated the discussion today and had not uttered another word since, like a silent bystander watching them argue.

Now that Wei Jingyao asked him to make a judgment, Wei Mingjin could no longer remain aloof.

Wei Mingjin looked at Yiniang Hua and stated, "This matter concerns the Wei family bloodline. You cannot make baseless accusations."

"I have a witness," Yiniang Hua said with conviction.

Xin He’s pupils contracted sharply, and her nails dug into her palms.

Wei Jingyao’s face instantly changed.

Soon, Yiniang Hua’s witness was brought in.

It was a woman in pale blue robes, Yiniang Hu, another of Master Wei’s concubines.

After Yiniang Hu greeted everyone in the hall, Yiniang Hua eagerly pulled her forward: "Good sister, quickly repeat what you told me earlier to the Young Master and Second Master."

Yiniang Hu quickly scanned everyone in the room before timidly speaking.

"Master once stayed in my room and, while making casual conversation, mentioned that he had never touched Yiniang Xin."

"When was that?" Yiniang Hua asked in front of everyone.

"The eighteenth of last month."

"Master passed away on the sixteenth of this month, less than a month after he said those words." Yiniang Hua, like a hound with its prey, stared triumphantly at Xin He, determined to destroy her. "Yet you, Yiniang Xin, are more than a month pregnant. If the child in your womb isn’t a bastard, what is it?"

For a moment, all eyes in the hall fell upon Xin He.

Xin He had not expected Yiniang Hua’s witness to be this. Slowly, she relaxed her nails, which had been digging into her palms, then stood up and tearfully retorted: "When Master was alive, he repeatedly forbade us sisters from competing for his favor. Why would he then turn around and divulge such private matters with Sister Hu?"

Although Master Wei had filled his household with concubines, his sole purpose was to produce heirs. Thus, he was quite strict with them, forbidding them from engaging in petty scheming.

Seeing Yiniang Hu stumped by Xin He’s question, Yiniang Hua was about to interject, but Wei Jingyao cut her off: "I have also heard about this."

"Moreover, I remember the eighteenth of last month that Sister Hu mentioned. I recall that Master ended up staying in my room that night. When he arrived, he smelled strongly of liquor." At this point, Xin He paused, thought for a moment, then looked up. "It was only the next day, after Sister Fang Xu scolded me for taking him from her, that I learned it had been Sister Hu’s birthday that day."

Wei Jingyao spotted a flaw in the story and immediately turned to Yiniang Hu: "If it was your birthday that day, why would my elder brother discuss Yiniang Xin with you?"

"Second Master—"

Wei Jingyao interrupted Yiniang Hua: "I am asking her, not you. Be quiet."

A concubine was akin to a servant. Though Yiniang Hua’s face showed defiance, she had no choice but to fall silent.

Seeing Yiniang Hua put in her place, Yiniang Hu, not daring to lie, stammered, "Master mentioned it casually."

Wei Jingyao pressed on: "Since it was your birthday, did you drink?"

Unable to deny it, Yiniang Hu had to truthfully admit she had.

"My elder brother had a high alcohol tolerance. Since you drank with him, you likely weren’t entirely sober either. How could a drunken person remember my elder brother’s casual words so clearly?"

"This…" Yiniang Hu hesitated.

Wei Jingyao gave her no chance to explain, his face filled with anger: "Before my elder brother’s body is even cold, you’re already stirring up trouble, throwing the household into chaos. Your intentions are truly despicable. If you ask me, we should find a slave trader and sell off all these troublemakers to prevent them from turning this household into a complete mess."

Yiniang Hu, naturally timid, was terrified by Wei Jingyao’s threat and instinctively tried to clear herself: "It wasn’t me. Yiniang Hua put me up to saying those things."

Yiniang Hua’s face instantly turned ashen with rage.

She never expected Yiniang Hu to be so spineless.

With this betrayal, all her efforts were wasted. Yiniang Hua glared viciously at Yiniang Hu, looking as though she wanted to devour her alive.

Terrified, Yiniang Hu cowered behind Xin He.

Xin He stood there, delicate and frail like a willow in the wind, her face pale and her eyes red, resembling a fragile, pitiable little white flower. She wept, tears streaming down her face: "Yiniang Hua, how could you use such a thing to frame me!"

Meanwhile, the furious Wei Jingyao charged to Xin He's defense: "Mingjin, you heard it too. This is all Yiniang Hua’s scheme. If you don’t punish her severely today to make an example of her, this household will descend into chaos tomorrow."

Hearing that Wei Jingyao’s words implied a threat to her life, Yiniang Hua lost all reason.

She stiffened her neck and sneered: "I am Master Wei’s concubine. Now that he is gone, whether to beat or punish me is entirely up to the Young Master. I will not complain. But you, Second Master, are Master Wei’s own brother. Yet now you are helping Yiniang Xin without any regard for propriety. Anyone who didn’t know better would think the child in her womb is yours!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Mingjin sighed softly to himself.

After Yiniang Hua’s reckless words, she instantly realized she had gone too far, but it was too late.

"Bullshit!" A woman’s voice rang out from afar.

Everyone turned to look and saw Zou Shi burst in, slapping Yiniang Hua to the ground.

"You vile wretch with a rotten tongue! You failed to frame someone, and now you’re trying to drag my husband into it!" As she spoke, Zou Shi slapped Yiniang Hua several more times across the face.

Enraged, Zou Shi’s slaps left Yiniang Hua’s cheeks swollen and bruised, rendering her unable to speak another word.

Wei Mingjin, who had remained aloof until now, finally stood up to intervene: "Second Aunt, please calm down. It’s not worth ruining your health over such nonsense."

But Zou Shi was relentless. "Your second uncle is a fool. He thought you were young and had just lost your father, worried that you couldn't handle things on your own. When he heard you invited him to discuss matters, he eagerly came. Now he’s ended up getting himself into trouble."

"Second Aunt..." Wei Mingjin tried to persuade her again, but Xin He spoke up with a sob.

"Second Aunt, please don’t blame the Young Master. It’s all my fault." Xin He stepped forward, bowed gracefully to everyone, and said with tear-filled eyes, "This matter started because of me, and it should end with me. Now that the Master is gone, I no longer wish to stay. I beg Second Uncle and the Young Master to allow me to leave the estate."

"No!" Wei Jingyao was the first to object.

His future wealth and status depended entirely on Xin He’s posthumous child. If Xin He left the Wei family now, all his plans would come to nothing.

"Your husband has just been laid to rest. If you leave the estate at this time, people outside will surely say that Mingjin cannot tolerate you and your child." As she spoke, Zou Shi’s gaze subtly flickered toward Wei Mingjin.

Wei Mingjin also spoke up. "What kind of talk is this, Concubine Xin? Since you are carrying my father’s posthumous child, you should naturally stay in the estate and rest well. When the child is born, it will not only comfort my father’s spirit in heaven but also give me a sibling to rely on. This way, someone can share the burden of managing the family legacy my father left behind."

Wei Mingjin’s words sounded gracious, but instead of being moved, Xin He only felt more determined to leave the Wei family.

"If the Young Master is concerned, before I leave, I can sign a contract in front of the Wei family elders, stating that the child in my womb won’t claim a single penny of the Wei family’s wealth." All she asked was for Wei Mingjin to allow her to leave.

Wei Mingjin had not expected Xin He to say this and was momentarily stunned.

Wei Jingyao grew anxious and scolded, "Nonsense! This is no joking matter!"

"Exactly, Concubine Xin. I know you are upset right now, but you cannot joke about something like this." After comforting Xin He, Zou Shi turned to Wei Mingjin. "You are in charge of the estate now. How do you propose we handle today’s matter?"

"This incident has caused Concubine Xin distress. As an apology, I will let you decide the punishment for the one who started this. Please help you feel better, alright?"

Xin He looked up and met Wei Mingjin’s eyes, which appeared gentle and kind but were full of calculation.

Xin He’s eyelashes trembled slightly before she lowered her gaze. "You decide, Young Master."

"It seems Concubine Xin is still unwilling to forgive." Wei Mingjin sighed softly and turned to Wei Jingyao and his wife. "I have never dealt with such matters before. I ask Second Uncle and Second Aunt to help me decide."

Wei Jingyao and his wife had long coveted the main branch’s family fortune and were eager to get involved to profit from it.

Zou Shi was the first to speak. "That little viper has a wicked heart. She failed to frame Concubine Xin and then turned around to slander my husband. I say we should find a broker and sell her off far away."

"But she did serve my father after all. Wouldn’t selling her off like this be somewhat heartless?" Wei Mingjin’s kind expression showed a trace of reluctance.

Wei Jingyao chimed in, "After committing such a wicked deed, selling her off is already a lenient punishment."

"Exactly, not to criticize, Mingjin, but you are too soft-hearted. That’s why those beneath you dare to cause trouble like this. If this had happened in our household, I would have had her made an example of."

Wei Jingyao and his wife went back and forth, talking incessantly.

Wei Mingjin seemed reluctant but eventually conceded. "Since that’s the case, let’s do as Second Aunt suggests."

Seeing the smug expressions on Wei Jingyao and his wife’s faces, Xin He couldn’t help but curse inwardly: A couple of fools.

They thought they had manipulated Wei Mingjin, but little did they know they had become his pawns.

Today, it was Concubine Hua who set her up, and it was the two of them who disposed of Concubine Hua, while Wei Mingjin remained unscathed.

When people discussed this matter later, all the blame would fall on others, and Wei Mingjin would still be the flawless, polished gentleman.

Moreover, this polished gentleman knew how to smooth things over. With a heap of fancy gifts and silks, Wei Jingyao and his wife had long gotten over their earlier complaints.

As Xin He was about to leave, Wei Mingjin called out to her.

Wei Mingjin’s expression was soft. "I hope Concubine Xin will not take today’s events to heart."

"I won’t." Xin He kept her head down and left after speaking.

Wei Mingjin stood by the window, hands behind his back.

Xin He was wearing a plain pale blue silk dress today, with an inconspicuous silver osmanthus flower tucked into her dark hair. Her figure was frail and delicate, as if a strong wind could knock her over.

Yet she had emerged unscathed from this turmoil.

From the first time he saw her, Wei Mingjin had known that this Concubine Xin wasn’t to be underestimated.

Today, she had impressed him further.

Xin He naturally felt his eyes on her.

But she didn’t look back, nor did she act scared. Instead, she walked away steadily, step by step.

Meanwhile, in another courtyard of the Wei estate, someone stood by the window, idly fiddling with a red flower petal.

A maid hurried in and reported the news that Concubine Hua had been sold off and Concubine Hu had been driven out of the estate. The person’s hand slammed heavily against the windowsill, and she cursed angrily, "They’re useless! I planned everything for her, and she still managed to ruin it."

With the movement, the Baizi Ruyi patterned bracelet on her wrist knocked against the windowsill, emitting a sharp, ringing clink.