The watchman, who had been shrinking back hoping to be ignored, stood trembling. “I was called here by this young lady. She said someone was crying and shouting over here, and she was afraid and didn’t dare come over alone, so this lowly one followed. Then I was beaten for no reason…”
Concubine Meng smiled awkwardly. “Madam, it seems this matter is fairly clear. Someone attacked Bailian. Jinghua and Chuntao happened upon it. Chuntao went to find someone to help and met this watchman. Jinghua stayed here watching and was, was frightened… It all makes sense.”
Wu Jinghua, prompted by Concubine Meng’s detailed explanation, finally had her mind turn again. She immediately continued, “Yes, that’s right. Jinghua has been too stifled these days and wanted to come out for a walk, but there are too many people in the daytime, so I secretly came out at night to get some air. Jinghua was wrong. I will never run around again. Mother, please spare me this once.”
Jiang Qingxue didn’t speak. In truth, she believed it. And Wu Jinghua really had been frightened badly. Could there truly be a ghost?
Concubine Meng pressed her advantage. “Madam, better to believe it than not. Perhaps from beginning to end, everything really was done by a ghost. Why not invite a ritual master tomorrow? If there is a ghost, drive it out. If there is none, pray for blessings. And in my view, our Chancellor’s residence may not be entirely clean. So many strange things have happened lately. What Jinghua said may very well be true…”
Wu Sheyue naturally knew who she was hinting at—but was she someone who would let others casually throw dirty water on her? “Ah! All the valuables on Bailian are gone… This criminal is truly vicious. Stealing is one thing, but why strip her clothes? How will Bailian live after this?”
Just then, a guard who had finished searching nearby came over carrying a pile of things. “Madam, there are sticks, ropes, a sack, and a water pot in the flowerbed over there.”
Jiang Qingxue said coldly, “Enough ghosts and spirits. It seems a person did this. Wake her up and ask directly.”
Wu Sheyue hugged Bailian with boundless worry. “Mother! Bailian is bleeding here. Better call a doctor to examine her. It would be too cruel to keep tormenting her like this!”
Jiang Qingxue stared into Wu Sheyue’s eyes, but Wu Sheyue looked back with utter sincerity. Her eyes were like a pool of clear water without ripples. Jiang Qingxue began to doubt her original thoughts. If Wu Sheyue understood that Bailian was a spy and wanted to guard against her, she should have allowed Bailian to lie here naked and ruin her reputation, or even had cold water splashed on her to wake her.
Could she really not be what Jiang Qingxue thought? “What you say is reasonable. Then what do you suggest?”
“Why not search them and see whether they have any of Bailian’s things? In any case… in any case, Second Sister and the others didn’t do it. Prove their innocence, then let Second Sister go back. At worst, Second Sister can be confined a few more days. The criminal who attacked Bailian must have run away. Later, we can search the residence.”
Wu Sheyue’s extremely sincere and magnanimous appearance drained Wu Jinghua of strength. She felt she was doomed. Those things… she hadn’t yet had time to put them on the watchman.
But Concubine Meng was certain her daughter couldn’t possibly strip another woman’s clothes, so she stiffened her neck. “Search if you want!” Did they think she would be afraid?
Wu Jinghua immediately cried out, “No, no! I don’t want that!”
Concubine Liu and Wu Lixiang felt the matter had become interesting again. Jiang Qingxue’s face was expressionless. “What is wrong with you?”
Wu Jinghua was extremely distressed. “I—I don’t want to be naked like her! I… I don’t want to—”
When Concubine Meng heard that, she believed it too. Holding her daughter, she pleaded, “Madam, Jinghua must have been frightened out of her wits by that ghostly shadow. Could you please be considerate of Jinghua? She’s crying like this.”
“Aiyo—” The kneeling Wu Jinghua suddenly pitched forward. She braced herself with her hands in time and didn’t fall, but the things in her arms scattered across the ground with a clatter.
“Second Sister!”
“Jinghua—”
Looking at the things scattered on the ground, everyone knew who the criminal was. Concubine Liu covered her own gasp with her hand and held Wu Lixiang tightly. Tonight had truly not been a waste.
Silence fell all around. Ning’er’s voice appeared at just the right time. “Th-that is Bailian’s jewelry… I have seen her wear it.”
“Wu Jinghua, do you have anything else to say?” Wu Sheyue noticed that Jiang Qingxue’s body was already trembling with anger.
Wu Jinghua’s face was ashen, and she could only howl, “I didn’t do anything! It wasn’t me… it wasn’t me…”
Chuntao was no better. Although Jiang Qingxue had been directing her anger at Wu Jinghua, Chuntao knew her own ending would be even worse. Both the First Madam and Concubine Meng would not spare her.
Wu Sheyue’s cool voice pierced through. “Second Sister, I truly never imagined you would come to the gate of my courtyard in the middle of the night just to humiliate Bailian. Bailian came to care for me in Mother’s place. Do you really look down on me that much? If you have anything against me, come at me instead!”
Jiang Qingxue glanced at Wu Sheyue again, then said to Concubine Meng and her daughter, “Enough. Tomorrow morning, go see the Old Madam. I will not manage this matter.”
Concubine Meng knelt and shuffled forward on her knees to grab Jiang Qingxue’s skirt. “No, Madam! Jinghua is still young. She was only ignorant!”
Jiang Qingxue didn’t look at Concubine Meng. She only said to the guards, “You men, carry Bailian back and treat her properly.” Then she pulled her skirt free and left.
The guards came to carry Bailian. Wu Sheyue covered her face and stepped aside. She hadn’t properly dressed Bailian just now, so when the guards helped her up, her clothes fell open again. But Wu Sheyue leaned sadly against Ning’er as if she hadn’t noticed at all.
Concubine Liu sighed inwardly. Bailian’s name means ‘white lotus,’ but her bodily purity is truly finished. Now that the show was over, she casually comforted Wu Sheyue a few sentences, then pulled Wu Lixiang back with her.
The watchman looked around and saw no one paying attention to him. He hurriedly slipped away in silence.
Wu Jinghua and Chuntao had landed themselves in such trouble that they remained on the ground, crying and unable to rise. Concubine Meng stood angrily, pointed at Wu Sheyue, and shouted, “Why did you frame my daughter?”
“Clearly your daughter wanted to harm my maid, yet you really know how to reverse black and white.” In any case, no one else was around. Wu Sheyue and these people had already torn off all pretense on the first day she woke.
Wu Sheyue slowly approached her. “Heh. She ran here herself. Did I go to her courtyard and tie her up? The others haven’t gone far yet. Shall I call them back to hear how you turn black into white?”
“You—” Concubine Meng stepped back. Although Wu Sheyue’s tone was gentle, her eyes were sharp and frightening—as though filled with murderous intent. Concubine Meng suddenly thought of everything Wu Jinghua had said about Wu Sheyue. At this moment, only one thought remained in her mind: Wu Sheyue truly, truly is no longer the person she used to be.
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