Chapter 37: Arguing Even When in the Wrong

Seizing the opening, he immediately began to argue his case. His agitation caused the wound on his arm to bleed profusely, but this was no time to worry about such trifles. Lü Yi crawled forward on his knees a few paces, then, with a look of frantic urgency, pleaded:

"The banquet had just concluded, and my mother and I were preparing to leave. It was only because my nephew suddenly needed to relieve himself that we were delayed for a moment. When we went to the latrines, everything was perfectly fine, but for some reason, I was overcome with dizziness. Then, my vision went black, and I lost consciousness. Honestly, I have no recollection of what happened afterward. The next thing I knew, I was being kicked by the second young master of the Marquis’s estate! Uncle, you must see the truth—someone must have been trying to frame me. Perhaps they slipped some potent drug into my drink at the latrines!"

His analysis sounded logical, and Mother Lü, standing nearby, nodded in firm agreement. Raising an adopted son was a grueling task; had she not been a woman of iron will, she would have been trampled upon by others years ago. Upon hearing her son’s words, she immediately scrambled to her feet, her eyes flashing with indignation as she scolded:

"There are those with malicious intent within the Vice Minister’s mansion who have brought my son to this state! Vice Minister Chi, why do you not hasten to find the true culprit and restore my son’s innocence?"

Innocence?!

Chi Yunjing could only laugh upon hearing this. "You want me to restore your son’s innocence? Then who will restore the innocence of my second daughter, and the maids and matrons of this household? They were all defiled by this precious son of yours!"

Mother Lü was stumped by this retort, finding it difficult to respond. However, she was a woman who would argue even when in the wrong. She raised her voice and retorted:

"They are destined to be husband and wife eventually, so let us simply move the wedding forward. As for those maids who would accompany her, if they are sensible and obedient, raise them to be concubines. If they cause a scene, Vice Minister, it would be best to deal with them sooner rather than later. As for the matrons, they won't dare speak of it for the sake of their own reputations. At worst, once this blows over, find an excuse to send them all off to a remote manor where they can be kept in check. There is no need to fear them causing trouble!"

"You certainly know how to absolve your son, yet he is the one who caused this disaster!"

Chi Yunjing had served as an official for many years; if he could be hoodwinked by a few words from Mother Lü, he would be a laughingstock. Lü Yi, hearing this, felt a pang of guilt. Regardless of the circumstances, his future father-in-law was right—the innocence of those women had indeed been ruined by his own hands. But if he were to step forward and take responsibility now, what if the Vice Minister’s mansion decided to punish him severely? Thus, he cowered behind his mother, refusing to face the situation.

Seeing him like this, Chi Yunjing felt utterly disappointed. He had never expected this son-in-law to be particularly brilliant or formidable, but he was so cowardly and gutless that even if he were to enter the officialdom, he would never become a reliable ally.

Realizing this, he no longer wanted his daughter to marry into that family. The vast wealth associated with Consort Lü in the palace was, at the end of the day, still uncertain, but he had seen firsthand just how repulsive this mother-son pair truly was. His face darkened, and his expression began to reveal his desire to sever ties. Even as foolish as Mother Lü was, she understood that if this matter were not resolved properly today, her son might well perish within the Vice Minister’s mansion. She immediately softened her tone:

"Vice Minister Chi, why speak like this? We are to be in-laws soon; why be so heartless? No matter how lacking Shao Tong may be, he is still the younger brother of Consort Lü and the uncle of the Seventh Princess. Setting aside the future, let us look at the present: if something were to truly happen to him in the Vice Minister’s mansion, it would not only be our Lü family that loses face. If the Emperor finds out, our family will suffer, but the Chi family will not necessarily escape unscathed. Furthermore, given the Second Daughter’s current state, what kind of good marriage could she possibly find elsewhere?"

"Are you threatening me?" Chi Yunjing looked at Mother Lü, a hint of murderous intent in his eyes. Since he wished to bury this matter, he knew that none of those involved could be left behind. It was simply not the right moment to act, which was why he had restrained himself. But if Mother Lü insisted on making a scene, he was capable of ruthless measures to protect his reputation and standing. What did a mere Consort in the palace matter? Were there not an Empress, Noble Consorts, and other high-ranking ladies above her? She would not be able to stir up much trouble.

Therefore, Chi Yunjing adopted a righteous stance and addressed Mother Lü:

"The Chi family may not emerge entirely unscathed, but we hold the moral high ground. Even if the Second Daughter cannot find a better match, my family can send her to a family temple to live out her days, and we will still earn a reputation for strict household discipline! And what of your Lü family? Are you certain that the Consort in the palace and the Seventh Princess will not be affected by this, making their already precarious position even more fragile? Madame Lü, save such words for the ignorant; do not think to threaten me. I, Chi Yunjing, am not someone you can threaten!"

He made a gesture for the steward to take action, terrifying Mother Lü. For years, she had used the Consort and the Seventh Princess to suppress others, believing that having a daughter in the harem granted her prestige and authority. But when truly faced with a hard-liner, she was at a loss. After all, it had been years since she last saw Consort Lü or the Seventh Princess. If she truly had any influence with the Emperor, she wouldn't have found it so difficult to even pass a message.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, her knees weakened. Just as she considered begging for mercy, hurried footsteps were heard from outside.

"Master, the Second Daughter has hanged herself!"

"What? Did you stop her?"

"We stopped her, but everyone in the Second Daughter’s courtyard is crying and saying they don't want to live anymore. Master, please go and see, the Madame can no longer restrain them!"

The matron who came to report was also weeping uncontrollably. Chi Yunjing struggled to calm the rage in his chest, looking at the trembling mother and son from the Lü family, and said:

"You had best pray that the Second Daughter is unharmed. Otherwise, I will take this to the Emperor himself, and I will let him and the entire world see what kind of son your Lü family has produced!"

With that, he ordered them to be locked in the woodshed and left Le Sheng Courtyard, heading straight for Bi Yun Courtyard. The steward did not stand on ceremony; he had the servants gag the pair again and haul them off to the woodshed. The day had been completely ruined, and as a result, neither the masters nor the servants had a kind look for the Lü family.

Inside Bi Yun Courtyard, the scene was horrific. Madame Guo was wailing as she held the distraught Chi Guiying, crying, "My dear daughter, if you hate someone, take it out on your mother—do not harm yourself!"

This time, she truly wanted to die. Since the white silk had failed, there were other ways. Bumping her head against a pillar would suffice. She gathered her strength, pushed aside her mother, Madame Guo, and dashed toward the stone pillar at the entrance. She moved so quickly that no one could stop her!

Chi Yunjing had just arrived at the door when he was struck by the sudden, immense force. His chest flared with pain, and he stumbled backward, falling down the steps and landing on his tailbone. In an instant, a wave of blood rushed to his brain, and he felt as though his legs had snapped. Flushing red with fury, he cursed:

"Are you trying to kill your own father?"