Chapter 20: Truth

Chapter 20: The Unveiling Truth

Before the funeral, an incident befell Second Master Pei. Even Eldest Master Pei murmured to Old Madam Pei, "What is happening to our family? Grandfather supposedly died suddenly from an overdose of elixirs, and now Second Brother, who was perfectly well, has been harmed by a group of unruly peasants."

Old Madam Pei slammed down her teacup. "Harmed by unruly villagers? If he hadn't forcibly acquired their land, this wouldn't have happened. This is the wrath of the common man, spilling blood five paces wide. Who will handle the aftermath?"

"Sixth Brother. I've sent Sixth Brother," Eldest Master Pei replied, knowing his younger brothers well.

Fourth Brother was diligent and adept at managing household affairs; Fifth Brother, a former Imperial Guard, was brooding and secretive. But Sixth Brother, once as delicate as a hothouse flower, prone to fainting and with a fiery temper, had matured considerably after serving as a local official for several years.

Old Madam Pei then turned to court matters: "Now that your father has passed, Minister Tang has joined the Grand Secretariat. Since this major appointment is settled, you should cultivate your mentors. When you resume your official duties, it will be easier to secure a good position."

"I understand," Eldest Master Pei nodded.

After handling affairs outside, Sixth Master Pei rushed back without delay to find She Niang, only to discover she had already retired for the night. Yu Shi, however, looked bewildered.

"What's wrong? Where is She Niang?" Pei Yiqing wanted to ask if their daughter had dreamed about his future prospects.

Yu Shi glanced at him. "She Niang is asleep. She said those were the only things she dreamed about, nothing else." Then she murmured, "Could it be that I'm really going to die?"

Pei Yiqing had only heard that She Niang dreamed of Second Brother's incident and was unaware of his wife's situation. Alarmed by Yu Shi's words, he asked nervously, "What do you mean? She Niang said you—"

Yu Shi nodded gravely and looked at her husband. "What are we going to do?"

"Don't worry, I'll always be here for you," Pei Yiqing said, startled.

The couple now eagerly awaited She Niang's presence, but she was fast asleep. They didn't trust themselves, and sometimes putting on airs or acting aloof made others seek your help more. As long as others needed you, your words carried weight.

When She Niang woke up, she was surprised to see two people sitting by her bed—Pei Yiqing and Yu Shi.

"Father, Mother, why are you here?"

Pei Yiqing had never entered her bedchamber before, observing the strict separation between men and women, but now he couldn't care less. Yu Shi also looked at She Niang expectantly; she certainly didn't want to die.

She had survived under her stepmother's rule, protected her dowry, and endured the hardest times after marrying Pei Yiqing. She couldn't accept dying just as life was getting better.

"Oh, I know why," She Niang said.

Yu Shi looked at her daughter. "Then how did I die? Was I also hit by a carriage?"

If so, she could simply avoid it.

But She Niang’s expression darkened. "Mother, I don’t know how you passed away. I’ve been following you all this time. Otherwise, on such a cold day, wouldn’t I have slept in like my sister? But I suspect several people in this family. The first is Third Sister; she’s approached you multiple times, suspecting you caused her mother’s death. The second is Nanny Chen, who often sneaks away to see the old madam. And the old madam always tasks you with managing the household."

Pei Yiqing looked at his wife. "You caused Fifth Sister-in-Law’s death? What’s going on?"

These were Yu Shi’s innermost secrets, and she was reluctant to reveal them.

She Niang said to Yu Shi, "Mother, why not have Father step out, and you can tell me alone? I promise not to tell anyone."

She thought her mother might be embarrassed. If her mother had indeed been violated, even if she survived, her father might hold it against her, and how would her mother face the future?

Seeing her daughter’s expression, Yu Shi quickly said, "Alright, I’ll tell you. It’s actually something I did out of selfishness."

Pei Yiqing urged, "Then speak quickly."

"Shortly after I married into the family, your father misunderstood me, and the whole family looked down on me. The only one who treated me somewhat kindly was Yi Niang’s mother, Madam Huang. But she wasn’t genuinely good to me; she wanted me to accompany her to Xuandu Temple to pray for a child. The temple required devotees to stay overnight, so I packed my things and went with my wet nurse, Nanny Pan, and two maids." Yu Shi paused here.

"But I have trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places, and I found the temple’s food unpalatable, so I ate my own snacks. Unexpectedly, that night, a male Taoist tried to open my door. I made a quick decision, rounded up my servants, and fled immediately. In the rush, I didn’t wait for your aunt."

She Niang asked, "Then how did you return in the dark? And would the temple allow you to leave so easily?"

She asked so thoroughly to dispel Pei Yiqing’s doubts.

Yu Shi said, "I gave all my hairpins and jewelry to that Taoist to bribe him. We slipped out under cover of night, but the coachman had fainted, so we hid at the foot of the mountain until dawn and returned with your Fifth Aunt in the morning."

Recalling the incident, she still felt lingering fear.

At this point, she couldn’t hold back her tears. "Later, when the Xuandu Temple scandal broke, I learned that many women had been drugged and assaulted by the Taoists."

Pei Yiqing looked at her. "Why didn’t you tell me?"

"I was afraid the more I explained, the more muddled it would become. Besides, I went with Fifth Sister-in-Law, but I ran away and left her alone. I couldn’t bring myself to reveal the truth. Also, after the incident, I thought she had deliberately tricked me into going, to drag me down with her. I didn’t realize she had been deceived too. Later, she committed suicide, and I became even more afraid to speak up." Yu Shi finally unburdened herself of the secret she had carried for over a decade.

She Niang said to Yu Shi, "Indeed, such matters are often hard to explain, and others may not believe you. Even though women are the victims, they often can’t speak out to protect their reputations."

Yu Shi had expected to be scorned after revealing this, but her daughter immediately defended her, and even Pei Yiqing believed her. "Yes, She Niang is right. It’s because so many women think this way that the Xuandu Temple operated for over a decade before being exposed."

"But I only cared about saving myself back then," Yu Shi said, rubbing her temples.

She Niang asked, "Mother, what did you say to Fifth Aunt before she passed?"

Yu Shi recalled, "She told me Fifth Uncle knew she had gone to Xuandu Temple and questioned her. I said the scandal had broken out, so Fifth Uncle found out, but that didn’t prove anything."

Pei Yiqing sighed. "No, it’s because she couldn’t prove her innocence. I know Fifth Brother; though he was an Imperial Guard and a martial artist, he was very rigid and must have said many hurtful things."

"No wonder Third Sister was sent to Shuiyue Convent. I always thought it was Cao Shi’s doing, but it turns out Fifth Uncle might not have believed Third Sister was his daughter," She Niang said, as it dawned on her.