Volume 1 Chapter 43 Interrogating Liu Lingling

  Xie Wenjing let out a long sigh, knowing it wouldn't be easy to make San Shu and the others believe in the true nature of that hypocritical old woman.

  Third Uncle stared blankly at the face of his twelve-year-old niece, showing a heavy expression. Could it be true what Wenjing said? Why did her mother have to do this? Didn't Father see it?

  "Wen Jing said that I knew some of it, when Mrs. Zhao came that time, I was also there accompanying her, that woman was indeed mocking Wen Jing from start to finish, but was particularly close to Ye Zhu, even Zhao Qiusheng was like that."

  And that Mrs. Zhao shouldn't have struck Wen Jing's face when she was about to leave, in front of Wen Jing herself. If an ordinary young lady were treated like this, they would be so humiliated that they'd want to die. It's really too shameful.

  Even I felt embarrassed to death, but my mother was smiling and accepted the gift from Ye Zhen. If there were a responsible grandmother, she should have stood up to defend the eldest daughter of the Xie family from being humiliated by outsiders.

  But that time, I was very disappointed in Mother, and when I came back, I didn't say much to you all.

  Third Aunt watched her niece leave the cabin with a heavy heart and continued where Wenjing left off, explaining what happened when Mrs. Zhao came that time.

  Third Aunt's heart had already somewhat believed Eldest Brother and Wen Jing's words, Mother wasn't necessarily a good stepmother in the eyes of outsiders.

  Xie Wenjing arrived at Du's mother's place, and Liu Lingling was still discussing the embroidery issue with Du's mother.

  "Liu Niangniang, come with me. Your parents are waiting for you." Xie Wenjing calmly asked Liu Lingling to go over and interrogate this grandmother's spy face-to-face.

  Liu Lingling didn't know what was going on and followed Xie Wenjing to Xie Chengyu's cabin.

  "Kneel down!" Xie Wenjing slammed shut the cabin door and harshly rebuked Liu Lingling.

  "Old Master? Madam?" Liu Lingling looked at Chai Chengyu and Du Juan with a wronged expression, without any intention of kneeling.

  But in his heart, it was already turbulent. How could this dying man sit on the stool? Why wasn't his face as pale and haggard as before? Was there a change?

  "Kneel down!"

  Xie Chengyu coldly looked at this woman. If it weren't for his daughter saying she was useful, he would have dealt with this adulterous woman according to the Xie family rules long ago.

  "Master, mistress, I have always been diligent and devoted, even to the point of not removing my clothes, in taking care of you. Why must you treat me like this?"

  Liu Lingling had a bad feeling, but she was confident that she hadn't revealed any weaknesses. She just wanted to help Wang Yi burn him to death, but there were too many people watching and she couldn't bring herself to do it.

  "What? You're a concubine, and when your master orders you to kneel down, you refuse? And yet you dare say you are innocent?"

  Xie Wenjing suddenly shouted loudly and slammed her own teacup to the ground in front of her, but missed and didn't hit her.

  Liu Lingling was so frightened that she quickly knelt down, and when she looked up again, her eyes were already brimming with tears, looking very pitiful. Unfortunately, there was no man here to pity her.

  "Tell me the purpose of this time following my father, tell me about the agreement between you and my grandmother. How much money did my grandmother give your family to marry my father? After my father's death, how much more money will my grandmother give you? What tasks did my grandmother assign to you when she asked you to serve my father?"

  "To be honest, I won't blame you for how you are. You will still be treated as my father's Liu Niang, with your food and drink, monthly allowance, all taken care of. Think carefully before answering us again. Think it over carefully before responding! If you answer incorrectly, the consequences will be severe."

  Xie Wenjing's gloomy and oppressive questioning. Her eyes were even colder than frost.

  Liu Ling's face suddenly turned pale, and her facial expression kept changing.

  It's all over, my own affair with the old lady has been exposed. Even the fact that the old lady promised to give me silver after her husband died is known by Xie Wenjing and others. How can I answer this? What should I say?

  Liu Ling's eyes darted back and forth, her thoughts were extremely disordered. If she didn't answer honestly, once the old master and mistress got angry, they would throw her into the canal, and even if she died, no one would know.

  "Isn't that right? If you don't say anything, you're only worthy of being drowned in a pond. According to the Xie family rules, even adulterous couples who elope will be drowned."

  March 6th is a good day, unfortunately, Wang Yi didn't have the sincerity, not even a pair of red candles were prepared for you, are those fallen red candles still being kept in your house?

  Xie Wenjing suddenly said something that made everyone in the house look at her in disbelief. It was originally thought that Liu Lingling was just a spy sent by the old lady, but unexpectedly, this woman had also given her brother-in-law a green hat?

  The crowd was still in a state of indignation, and it was a young girl who was questioning such an embarrassing case.

  Everyone was also stunned by Xie Wenjing's calm and mature expression, and didn't think much of it.

  "What? You? How did you know?" Liu Lingling was already flustered from being interrogated by Xie Wenjing, and suddenly having her affair exposed, she uncontrollably let out a loud cry.

  "How did I know? If you want to keep it a secret, don't do it yourself. Your affair with Wang Yi, I didn't expose you, and instead gave you chance after chance to meet in secret, helping you to fulfill your good deed."

  Now you know how to answer my previous question, right? If you don't tell the truth, you'll die in the canal, and it will be a meaningless death. No one will pity a beautiful woman like you who dies young and in her prime.

  If you answer me truthfully, I won't make things difficult for you. You can still be my father's concubine and have your food, clothing, and shelter provided. You may even regain your freedom and remarry.

  However, you still have to write a letter to my grandmother in a few months and tell her not to worry, that under the Buddha's care, my father is slowly recovering without taking any medicine. Do you know how to respond?

  Xie Wenjing's enchanting voice, with its mesmerizing power, slowly guided Liu Lingling.

  "I'm saying, I'm saying, as long as you don't drown me, I'll say anything!"

  Liu Lingling was so pressed by Xie Wenjing that her spirit collapsed. She thought that if she didn't tell the truth, she would definitely be drowned in this icy canal. This is the Xie family's rule.

  As Liu Lingling's truthful account unfolded, Third Uncle's face turned increasingly dark, and he couldn't imagine that his respected stepmother was actually so ruthless.

  After harming his elder brother, he still didn't feel at ease and bought a concubine for him, watching as his brother ate those expensive medicines that harmed him every day.

  He even promised this concubine that after his elder brother died, he would give her silver.

  The most hateful thing is that after Wen Jing fought for her elder brother to leave Yangzhou, her mother wanted to go with Wang Yi to burn or poison her elder brother to death that night. Fortunately, Wen Jing had made arrangements in advance, otherwise, there would be no elder brother!

  "The old lady ordered Li to warn me this morning, telling me to keep an eye on the old master and mistress at all times, and if there's a chance, kill the old master!"

  Master, mistress, spare my life! I've said it all, I've said it all! These were all ordered by the old mistress, if I didn't do them, I wouldn't be able to escape her grasp either! Please forgive me, please spare me!

  Young lady, you promised me that as long as I told the truth, you would let me go! The servant has already told the truth! The servant begs of you, young lady, please spare my life!"

  Liu Lingling cried extremely sorrowfully. She kept kowtowing and crying, begging.