Chapter 194: Sudden Calamity
Liu Huanchun had long been impatient, and upon hearing this, she said sarcastically, “This First Madam is truly something. Can she be more heartbroken than Madam? For a junior to be so presumptuous, what excellent upbringing!”
At this moment, Liu Cuiyi’s mother was also present. Upon hearing this, she felt utterly ashamed and said, “I was just saying! This is not right, it’s too much against the rules.”
Then she called to the old woman accompanying her, “Go and call the young lady out. With so many guests here to pay respects, how can she not show herself?”
The old woman hurried to Liu Cuiyi’s room and said, “Miss, Madam is asking you to come out! County Princess Liu is here, along with other female guests. If you don’t show yourself, it might be considered too impolite.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Cuiyi couldn’t help but exchange a glance with Wen Mingqian and said, “It really is her.”
“Then do you intend to go out?” Wen Mingqian asked.
“Granny Zhao, bring me my outer clothes,” Liu Cuiyi said. “Granny Shi, you may go! Tell Mother I will be there shortly.”
Then she said to Wen Mingqian, “You know, none of my maternal relatives are sensible. My disposition has been so timidly controlled by them that I’ve been in a sorry state for half my life. Now that the one from the Liu family has come, she’s clearly here to cause trouble. I can hide for a while, but it will make her think I’m guilty, and she’ll never leave me alone afterward.”
“What you’re thinking is reasonable. Since I’m here, we’ll go out together and meet this County Princess Liu,” Wen Mingqian said. “Let’s try to achieve everything in one go.”
Liu Cuiyi changed into her clothes, dressed in mourning attire, her hair tied up, with a white flower pinned to her temple.
Her abdomen was already slightly rounded, and the mourning clothes made her appear even more beautiful.
Wen Mingqian took out some rouge and carefully applied it to her eyelids and the tip of her nose. “This way, you’ll look like you’ve just finished crying.”
The two walked hand in hand before the assembled guests. Liu Cuiyi resumed her usual timid and honest demeanor in front of others. In people’s impression, she had always been a pushover who was bullied.
“Greetings to everyone. Thank you all for coming, and please forgive any of my impoliteness,” Liu Cuiyi said, bowing deeply to everyone present.
The others said nothing, but Liu Huanchun opened her mouth with a slight cold smile, “First Madam Zhou, your complexion looks quite good. It doesn’t seem like you absolutely must stay in bed and not be seen.”
“County Princess, you may not know, but my health has not been good all these years. I even had a miscarriage before this pregnancy. Although this one is a bit stronger, my late husband’s passing has inevitably made me overwhelmed with grief. I haven’t been feeling well, and the doctor ordered me to rest in bed. My mother-in-law also insisted that I take care of myself…” Liu Cuiyi explained.
Most of those present believed Liu Cuiyi’s words to be true, but Liu Huanchun naturally did not, and continued to press, “Your Eldest Young Master was in the prime of his life, how did he suddenly pass away? Could there be some hidden circumstances?”
“What do you mean by that, County Princess? I don’t understand,” Liu Cuiyi said with a look of surprise.
The assembled guests also showed expressions of suspicion, not knowing what Liu Huanchun’s words truly implied.
Liu Huanchun did not answer Liu Cuiyi, but turned her gaze to Wen Mingqian. “Madam Wen, you are truly resourceful! I know you and the First Madam Zhou are close friends. You’ve really gone to great lengths to help her! And what about that beautiful young maid by your side? Her surname is Sang, isn’t it? Is she related to the owner of Sang Ji Silk Shop?”
“Thank you for your concern, County Princess, but everyone is here to pay their respects today, and I shouldn’t steal the spotlight. Furthermore, Cuiyi is indeed unwell, so I should help her back to her room to rest,” Wen Mingqian said with a smile.
Liu Huanchun was already of a very irritable disposition, and Wen Mingqian was a thorn in her side. Especially since Wen Mingqian had publicly shown her no respect, she was even more enraged.
So she shouted, “Wen Mingqian, stop being a coward! How dare you show your face at the Zhou family’s home? Aren’t you afraid of the ghost of the Eldest Young Master Zhou haunting you?!”
“County Princess, I know you have a considerable grievance against me, but the deceased should be respected. Why must you disturb the spirit of the Eldest Master Zhou?” Wen Mingqian’s expression turned serious.
“I insist on arguing, so what? I think you’re clearly guilty!” Liu Huanchun stood up decisively and took a few steps forward. “Today, I will strip away your masks in front of everyone and show them what kind of black-hearted, troublemaking people you truly are!”
“County Princess, I am being polite to you because I respect you as a guest. I have no past grievances with you, and my husband has just passed away. I am heartbroken and grief-stricken. Yet you continue to provoke me with harsh words, which is simply going too far,” Liu Cuiyi said, her voice trembling.
“Stop acting! I ask you, whose child is in your belly? Is it the Eldest Master Zhou’s? Don’t think I don’t know that Wen Mingqian, in order to help you establish yourself in the Zhou family, didn’t hesitate to procure a lover for you. Everyone knows the Eldest Master Zhou’s body was deficient, how could he have enabled you to conceive such a healthy child?” Liu Huanchun stared directly at her. “Do you dare to swear to heaven that the child you are carrying is the Zhou family’s?”
At this point, everyone was stunned by her words, looking at each other, unsure of what to do.
“This is truly an undeserved disaster!” Liu Cuiyi’s tears fell like rain. “If the child in my belly is not my husband’s, then whose could it be? You ask me to swear, and I can swear. But if what you say is false, what kind of retribution will you face?!”
“Fine, I, Liu Huanchun, swear to heaven that if what I say is not true, I am willing to be abandoned in the wilderness and devoured by wild dogs!” Liu Huanchun shouted. “You had an affair with Sang Sanyang, the owner of Sang Ji Silk Shop, and became pregnant. It was your friend, Madam Wen, who orchestrated this!”
“County Princess Liu, my daughter has been taught the Three Obediences and Four Virtues since childhood. She would not do such a shameful thing,” Liu Cuiyi’s mother said, her voice trembling. “Where did you hear such rumors? Aren’t you trying to falsely accuse my daughter to death?”
“I’m wronging her?” Liu Huanchun sneered, pointing at Liu Cuiyi. “Think about it yourself, are the words I said earlier unreasonable? Her scandal was just discovered, and then the Eldest Master Zhou died. Is there such a coincidence in this world?”
Liu’s mother was momentarily speechless and could only repeatedly say it was impossible, impossible.
Liu Cuiyi, crying, walked to Madam Zhou and knelt down, saying, “Mother-in-law, I cannot live on! Even if I were to lay my heart bare today, I fear I could not clear this baseless slander.
Why not bring a knife and let me die in front of everyone! Let me go with my late husband and explain myself before the King of Hell!”
Everyone turned their gaze to Madam Zhou. Madam Zhou gritted her teeth and said to Liu Cuiyi, “My child, please get up quickly. I still know your character well.”
Several old women beside her stepped forward and helped Liu Cuiyi up.
Liu Huanchun could not believe it and said to Madam Zhou, “Madam Zhou, have you lost your mind from crying? She has defiled the Zhou family’s bloodline and is the murderer of your son! How can you indulge her?!”
