“Look at what my Fourth Uncle is doing . Didn’t you come to talk to me early this morning? Why has it suddenly become about what I wanted to do?” Du Jingyi’s voice held a sweet innocence, laced with a hint of feigned confusion. “Just talk. Why do you need to use your hands and feet ?”This sentence was said by Shen Wulang’s wife .
Unexpectedly, Du Jingyi’s smile turned sharp, her gaze filled with thinly veiled menace. “What Fifth Sister-in-law said is true. Just keep talking; why resort to physical violence? But just now, I saw Fifth Grandma rushing towards me, clearly intending to strike me. My maid, out of fear, simply reacted, didn’t she?”
“You! Who said Grandma was going to beat you? She obviously wanted to come closer and talk to you!” Shang Wulang blurted, immediately resorting to denial. Even if Steward Qi’s death wasn’t fully resolved today, they had to establish that Du Jingyi allowed her servants to injure a master. This leverage was crucial for securing the positions they craved. Alas, Du Jingyi’s cunning far outmatched her opponent’s bluster.
“Oh, so you mean there are blind and deaf people all over your courtyard? Just moments ago, my Fifth Grandma shouted that she wanted to tear my mouth apart. What’s the matter?Don’t you hear it ?Or you simply don’t want to admit it?” Hearing her words, Li Zhu intensified the pressure of her knee on Madam Wu’s chest . The pain was so excruciating that Madam Wu couldn’t even scream, and sweat start pouring from her brow as she teetered on the brink of unconsciousness.
The members of the Fifth House had never anticipated Du Jingyi’s attendants to be so ruthless, even more so than themselves. She was utterly unfazed by their intimidation. If this continued, Madam Wu would surely perish before the confrontation was even over! Their bluster ceased, and they looked at Du Jingyi with palpable reluctance, not daring to provoke another skirmish.
Seeing Shang Yuan and his son lower their heads, unwilling to make any substantial moves, Du Jingyi formulated a new strategy. It seemed the Fifth Old Lady wasn’t as important in their eyes as they pretended. Since their unity was a façade, why not conquer them one by one? The most valuable asset in the Fifth House was undoubtedly Shang Wulang. He was their grandson. Even with Wu Lang’s wife pregnant, who could say if it would be a son or a daughter?
Thus, Du Jingyi directed her focus entirely on Shang Wulang, speaking slowly and deliberately. “In the twelfth year of Xian De’s reign, Steward Qi , relying on his distant relationship with Fifth Uncle, came to work in the Duke’s Mansion. Initially, he was just a young errand boy at the second gate.”
“But in just three years, he transformed from a mere boy into a steward. It was said he was recommended to this position because he was considerate in everything and won the favor of my Fifth Cousin. But I asked Mama Dou, and from the twelfth to the fifteenth year of Xian De, even when my mother-in-law, Madam Gu, was still managing the household, I never heard that Steward Qi possessed any remarkable abilities.”
She spoke with a measured, unhurried pace, yet each word sent a shiver of unease through Shang Wulang. Steward Qi ’s rapid ascent from errand boy to steward was indeed due to his involvement in shadowy dealings, benefiting the Fifth House greatly. He had believed the matter long forgotten after so many years. Yet, Du Jingyi had unearthed it today. She had only been in this estate for three years; how could she possibly know of such things? Had someone snitched about them?
The flicker of panic in the eyes of the Fifth House members was not lost on Du Jingyi. A faint smile touched her lips as she continued, a hint of sarcasm in her tone. “Mama Dou, I recall you mentioning that Madam Wei succeeded to the position of the Duke’s wife in the sixteenth year of her stay in the mansion, correct?”
“Returning to the Young Madam, yes.”
“Then Steward Qi truly is talented. He managed to circumvent my mother-in-law and her authority. During the interregnum when Madam Wei took over, he was promoted remarkably quickly. One needn’t even alert outsiders; they might believe he did something truly scandalous. How else could a person’s affairs meet with such a destiny?” Du Jingyi spoke as if she were a judge in a play, each word a resounding slap to the faces of the Fifth House members. They were terrified.
Especially the Fourth Lady Ni, who was visibly trembling. If one looked closely, beads of sweat were almost dripping from her hair bun. It was evident at a glance that there was something deeply amiss about her . Not long after Du Jingyi finished speaking, Madam. Wu, still struggling on the ground, gritted her teeth, not daring to utter a sound. Other matters were easier to discuss, but if that particular affair were truly exposed, the Fifth House would lose all standing in the Duke’s Mansion. Hence, even she felt a surge of guilt.
Steward He and Aunt Dou, sharp-eyed as ever, immediately spotted the flaw. Their minds raced, recalling the events of that time, but no matter how much they pondered, they couldn’t pinpoint any misstep. Those who had lived through it firsthand didn’t know, so how did the Young Lady unearth such a secret? The two of them were even more bewildered.
Shang Yu’an, ever the suspicious one, saw how Du Jingyi’s mere few sentences had silenced everyone in the room. He, too, felt a chill of fear. But in moments like these, one needed to be calm. This had happened ten years ago. Not only was there no evidence, but the only potential witness, Steward Qi , was also dead. So, what if it was discovered? Could they all be sent to the authorities for investigation? He didn’t believe it.
Thus, with a betting tone, Shang Yu’an stood up and calmly stated, “I don’t understand what Liulang’s wife is saying. Today, we are merely here to inquire why Liulang was so ruthless as to kill someone. After all, we are also belong to an official’s family , and we have laws in this country . It would be too cruel to indiscriminately kill a servant like this.” He was attempting to pivot the conversation from this topic . After all, the current inquiry wasn’t about Qi ’s past, but the circumstances of his death.
Shang Yu’an’s words elicited a silent laugh from Du Jingyi. Her eyes, as she looked at him, were full of scrutiny. Despite her tender age, barely two decades old, she possessed such an uncanny ability to perceive the depths of human hearts. Seeing her silence, Shang Yu’an grew even more agitated.
At this, the Fifth Old Lady on the ground began to struggle anew. Helplessly, Li Zhu held her down firmly, leaving her no chance to utter whatever she wished to say. At this point, Shang Wulang interjected loudly, questioning Du Jingyi, “That’s right, why are you talking about those old things? First we have to resolve this issue as , why did Steward Qi die? And why did Liu Lang want to punish him with a stick?”
Hearing this, Du Jingyi’s smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression as she addressed Shang Yu’an and Shang Wulang. “How presumptuous. What status do you have to address General as Liulang so casually? Not to mention he is now His Majesty’s personal general. Even according to the rules in the Duke’s Mansion, you should respectfully address him as Young Master. Those who fail to do so will be held accountable, brother-in-law , are you perhaps asking for a slap?”