Chapter 162 Leaving You Speechless Too

"What is it? Tell me," Lady Di asked.

"I just wanted to ask why the bowls used for this bird's nest porridge are all identical? What would happen if there was a mix-up and it harmed the little brother in Mother's belly?" Qin Wanru asked unhurriedly.

"Madam, why did you specifically want to have the same bird's nest porridge as Mother? I remember that in the past, Madam did not like drinking bird's nest porridge at all. I recall an occasion in Jiangzhou when the kitchen misunderstood Madam's instructions and prepared bird's nest porridge instead of bird's nest soup. Madam beat the kitchen manager severely over that, and even threw the bowl of bird's nest porridge directly onto the manager. Does Madam still remember this?"

This incident had taken place in Jiangzhou. Because Lady Di had hurled boiling bird's nest porridge at the kitchen manager, it had caused a massive uproar. The reason it became such a big deal was precisely because that manager was not a hereditary servant of the household, but rather someone who had done well as a hired helper and was temporarily serving as a manager.

Later, Lady Di offered some silver as compensation, but the manager's family refused to let the matter rest, escalating the conflict. Fortunately, Qin Huaiyong wielded great power in Jiangzhou, so the matter was suppressed before long, but it remained common knowledge within the household.

As soon as these words were spoken, Qin Huaiyong's expression changed instantly!

If this were true, Lady Di's actions today were shrouded in suspicion. Considering Lady Di's usual attitude, and recalling how this entire storm seemed to have been stirred up because of the bird's nest porridge, his gaze swept over the identical bowls, and his expression grew even uglier. Could it be that Lady Di's true target was the child in Shui Ruolan's womb?

Otherwise, what was the meaning of this sudden fuss from someone who had always disliked bird's nest porridge?

First, she had gone out of her way to procure ingredients, deliberately bypassing the bird's nest sent by the Marquis of Yongkang's estate. Then, the newly arrived old maid happened to cross paths with Qingyue and Qionghua, and Qingyue casually started a quarrel with Qionghua. Did this not point directly to Lady Di's hidden agenda? If that were the case, all those ambiguous explanations from earlier suddenly made complete sense.

Everything had been prepared long in advance, simply waiting for him to come and question it!

Lady Di indeed harbored malicious intentions!

Shui Ruolan's heart finally settled. Although she remained silent, she had been constantly worried that Qin Wanru might not be a match for Lady Di. Nurse Zhou's earlier explanation had not only made Lady Di sound utterly innocent, but had also painted her as the aggrieved party. Since the matter involved her own people, it was even more inconvenient for her to speak up, leaving her to place all her hopes on Qin Wanru.

Hearing Qin Wanru's words, Lady Di immediately knew things had taken a turn for the worse. Qin Huaiyong's trust in her was waning by the moment, and these words were fraught with suspicion. Raising her head to look at Qin Huaiyong's extremely grim expression, she could no longer maintain her facade of serene composure. She immediately snapped at Qin Wanru, "Wanru, what do you mean by that? Is it forbidden for me to dislike something in the past, but love it now?"

"Madam is naturally free to love or hate whatever she pleases. But doesn't it all seem a bit too coincidental? Even Madam arrived here faster than anyone else. I clearly remember that coming from my quarters takes longer than coming from Madam's. Yet by the time I arrived, I already found Madam presiding over an interrogation and ordering twenty heavy cane blows for Qionghua!" Qin Wanru said softly.

Yet every single soft-spoken word felt like a heavy hammer striking Lady Di's heart, leaving her momentarily speechless. There were too many coincidences, too many anomalies, coupled with the existing bad blood between her and Shui Ruolan. At this juncture, she could no longer force out the claim that she was merely showing concern for Shui Ruolan.

"Madam's palate has simply grown lighter during this period!" Nurse Zhou, sensing danger, hastily stepped in to explain on Lady Di's behalf. "As for when the maid came to report, Madam happened to be outside her courtyard and quite close by!"

"Quite close by? Close to what place? Earlier, it was said that Eldest Young Master Qi came to the estate to visit Eldest Miss Qi, and Madam even sent word specifically telling us all to steer clear and avoid them. How is it that Madam herself failed to steer clear?" Qin Wanru raised her willow-like brows and asked.

***

Lady Di had indeed given such instructions previously, claiming that although they were old acquaintances from Jiangzhou, it was best to avoid suspicion now that they were in the capital. The real purpose, of course, was to prevent anyone from stumbling upon Qin Yuru and Qi Tianyu together.

Yet now, this had become an explanation that tied her tongue, and she never could have anticipated that this matter could be linked to the kitchen incident.

Caught completely off guard, she could only grit her teeth and explain, "Qi Tianyu grew up watching me; what need is there to avoid suspicion? When we entered the capital earlier, his mother even asked me to take extra good care of him!"

"So Madam went to see the Eldest Young Master Qi?" Qin Wanru pressed forward step by step, subtly steering the conversation toward Qi Tianyu!

"I went late and missed him, and ran straight into the kitchen incident instead." Lady Di clenched her teeth, a flash of ruthlessness crossing her eyes. She was determined to deny everything to the bitter end and handle whatever came her way.

"Did Mother have business with Eldest Young Master Qi?" Qin Wanru continued to lead the conversation, framing every sentence as a question that Lady Di could not afford to ignore.

"Nothing in particular, I merely went to check on him," Lady Di said after a moment of thought.

"Since there was no particular business, it was just a chance encounter—fortunate if you met, of no consequence if you didn't. Then, what kind of intentions was Mother holding toward Eldest Young Master Qi?" Qin Wanru slowly peeled back the opening she had targeted, her gaze carrying a hint of mockery. This was yet another matter that Lady Di understood all too well, but could never adequately explain.

It was not just Qionghua who found herself unable to speak her mind!

Catching the mockery in Qin Wanru's eyes, Lady Di trembled with rage, her voice turning sharp involuntarily: "Qin Wanru, what does this matter have to do with you? You are young and failing to learn proper conduct, yet you've learned how to back your adoptive mother into a corner. Are you determined to force me into a confession?"

"I wouldn't dare, Madam. I am merely stating a fact. Now, I ask Father to investigate Eldest Young Master Qi's movements after entering the estate—where he went, where Mother went, and whom Eldest Young Master Qi met. Perhaps that will make the truth of this matter entirely clear!" Qin Wanru smiled faintly, offering her suggestion to Qin Huaiyong. She then withdrew gracefully to Shui Ruolan's side, casting a glance at Qionghua. The whole affair had originated with Qionghua, so naturally, the focus could now return to her. Lady Di wanted to grind her down slowly, but she was in no rush either!

Noticing Qin Wanru's signal, Qionghua immediately turned a wary gaze toward Lady Di.

Lady Di's eyes were practically burning red with fury. Had Qin Huaiyong not been standing right there keeping her in check, she would have long since lost control and given Qin Wanru several vicious slaps across the face.

She wasn't particularly worried about what Qin Huaiyong might discover; what she feared was others finding out!

The Marquis of Yongkang's estate had sent quite a few trusted servants, and though she had only brought a few along, there was no guarantee that one of them wouldn't carry tales back to the Marquis's estate. If her eldest sister-in-law were to discover that Qin Yuru and Qi Tianyu were having a private tryst within the courtyard, how could the marriage alliance between the two estates ever succeed?

"General, listen to my explanation! It is not what you think!" Seeing Qin Huaiyong's dark, gloomy expression, Lady Di hurriedly tried to explain. She could not speak of it publicly, but she could find Qin Huaiyong in private.

"Madam, you asked the bondmaid earlier what she said to insult our Madam. At the time, I found it hard to utter, but I am quite willing to explain it privately to both Madam and the General!"

Qionghua had been waiting precisely for those words. Hearing Lady Di speak thus, she immediately seized the opportunity.

Previously, she too had found herself unable to defend her innocence, allowing the old maid to gain the upper hand and enabling Lady Di to seize the high ground, preparing to punish Qionghua without a second thought. If Qin Wanru had arrived any later, Qionghua would have already taken the beating; even if she had been crippled, what of it? At worst, it would have been dismissed as a misunderstanding, and no matter how much Shui Ruolan wished to seek justice for Qionghua, it would have been too late.

***

Yet now, Qionghua had not only used Lady Di's own words to vindicate herself, but Qin Wanru's earlier remarks were laden with so many coincidences that Qin Huaiyong was already convinced Lady Di was up to her old tricks again. How could he possibly be in the mood to listen to her explanations now?

He barked coldly at her: "Let's go!"

With that, he turned and strode away. Lady Di stood rigidly in place with a pale complexion, a venomous glare fixed on Qin Wanru and Shui Ruolan. Gritting her teeth, she had no choice but to follow.

News arrived around lunchtime that Qin Huaiyong had quarreled fiercely with Lady Di in her courtyard, even kicking her, leaving her confined to her bed and unable to get up.

Qin Yuru rushed over to check on her, then hurried to Qin Huaiyong's study to beg him to summon a physician for Lady Di.

One physician wasn't enough; several were called, creating the impression that Lady Di was on the verge of drawing her last breath. Lady Yulan was in an absolute uproar.

Yet no matter how much noise was made, the old maid who had stirred up the trouble was dealt with harshly. After receiving twenty heavy cane blows, she was dragged away by her family.

When human traffickers sell people, they do so with absolute deeds of sale. Even if the person was beaten to death, no one could raise an objection.

Besides, it was rumored that this whole incident involved plotting against Lady Shui's unborn child.

The commotion spread until the entire estate knew about it, and because it had broken out in the main kitchen where many people were present, numerous witnesses saw Qin Huaiyong lead Lady Di away, after which Lady Di suffered a kick, and even the old maid failed to escape a miserable fate.

For a time, the newly arrived servants trembled with fear. Someone had already been crippled just after entering the estate; if they failed to perform their duties satisfactorily in the future, their fate might be even more tragic.

The household was thrown into chaos followed by an atmosphere of dread. However, with so many people mingling in the large kitchen—including vegetable vendors from outside who often stayed for hours at a time—certain details gradually leaked out.

People from the Marquis of Yongkang's estate arrived in the afternoon, with the Marquis himself personally bringing his son to check on Lady Di.

Qin Huaiyong invited the Marquis of Yongkang into the outer study, while Di Yan went to Lady Yulan's quarters to visit Lady Di.

"Huaiyong, I remember when you asked for my sister's hand in marriage all those years ago, you promised to treat her well always, and even boasted about the strict moral standards of your household. Is this what your household's moral standards look like? To actually raise your hand and beat her—you are quite the grand general, aren't you?" The Marquis of Yongkang and Lady Di were full siblings, and he had been fiercely protective of his sister back in the day. Without a word of pleasantry, he slammed his teacup heavily onto the tea table and glared menacingly at Qin Huaiyong.

When his sister married Qin Huaiyong, it was considered marrying beneath her. An aristocratic scion like him would never have looked twice at Qin Huaiyong under normal circumstances, but given the situation back then, they had no other choice!

Qin Huaiyong was well-prepared. He raised his head to meet the Marquis's gaze, his own expression equally grim. "Brother-in-law, you know full well that I lack an heir. After much difficulty, Lady Shui has finally conceived, yet your sister simply could not stomach it and was determined to destroy this child. How could I not be furious! Besides, it was an accident—as I was leaving, she lunged forward and was accidentally struck by my foot."

"What if the loss of this child serves to benefit your official career?" The Marquis of Yongkang sneered, cutting straight to the point. He knew exactly where his own sister's obsession lay!