Chapter 86: Pleads Not Guilty
Gong Xu sat down again, but he was still furious.
Old Madam Gong asked Sang Er again, “Are you telling the truth this time? Or are you saying this out of fear of physical pain?”
“Old Madam, this servant dares not lie, it is truly as I said,” Sang Er said tearfully. “The truth will come out eventually, and this servant is not made of iron, so I must honestly tell the truth.”
“Then tell us from the beginning, in detail, and do not omit anything,” Old Madam Gong said. “We are not fools sitting here; if you are fabricating, there will be flaws in your words.”
“This servant speaks the truth,” Sang Er said, kneeling upright. “Because Concubine Song is pregnant, she has been seeing a doctor every few days, and Master always visits Concubine Song’s chambers, rarely coming to Madam’s.
We who serve Madam all feel that Concubine Song is too pampered and affected, and that she monopolizes Master, and we feel very indignant on Madam’s behalf.
That day, when Old Madam invited our Madam over for soup, Madam told me she wanted to teach Little Madam a lesson. She asked if I dared.
To show my loyalty to Madam, I said I would do whatever Madam asked me to do.
Madam said that later she would persuade Old Madam to send a bowl of soup to Concubine Song as well, and asked me to find a way to stop the person delivering the soup.
Then she gave me a packet of powdered medicine and told me to sprinkle it into the soup bowl when no one was looking.
I asked what kind of medicine it was. Madam said it was a mild laxative, and that Concubine Song would have diarrhea after eating it, which would be a way to trouble her.
This servant heard this and felt it was nothing, so I took the powdered medicine.
Later, I was the one who stopped Xiu Lian sister on the way and took the opportunity to sprinkle the powdered medicine into the soup bowl…”
“This is called poisoning, do you know that?!” Gong Xu pointed at Sang Er and questioned, “What wrong has Little Madam done to you all to harm her like this!”
“Master, this servant truly… truly thought it was just a mild laxative. If… if I had known it would be so potent, I wouldn’t have dared even if you beat me to death,” Sang Er cried in fear. “This servant deserves to die! This servant deserves to die! But this servant truly didn’t know…”
“Mother, since things have come to this, shouldn’t we call Wen Mingqian here?” Gong Xu suppressed his anger, feeling as though his chest would burst from rage.
“Alas, we can only call her,” Old Madam Gong said helplessly. “Let’s hear how she defends herself!”
Wen Mingqian had already gone to bed and was called up; it was very late at night.
However, Old Madam Gong’s room was brightly lit, with Mei Zhi and Sang Er kneeling on the floor.
Gong Xu’s eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at her, as if looking at an irreconcilable enemy.
Wen Mingqian met his gaze calmly, and couldn’t help but recall the scene from seven years ago.
But back then, she had felt wronged and heartbroken, whereas now, only indifference remained.
“What is Old Madam calling me here for?” Wen Mingqian asked slowly as she walked forward.
“Sang Er claims you instructed her to put powdered medicine in the nourishing soup Mei Zhi was delivering. Is this true?” Old Madam Gong rubbed her temples wearily.
Wen Mingqian showed no emotion upon hearing this, merely glancing at Sang Er and saying, “That is not true. Sang Er is lying.”
“Wen Mingqian, Sang Er is your maid. If she administered the medicine, can you escape responsibility?” Gong Xu sneered in extreme anger.
“Master, if we are to speak in that way, then I am your wife. If I were to do something shameful, would you also be implicated?” Wen Mingqian retorted with a question.
“In these seven years, your skin has grown thicker.” Gong Xu’s newfound good feelings towards Wen Mingqian had vanished completely due to this incident, replaced by even deeper hatred. “In this household, only you would not want Xiu Lian’s child to be born. If not you, then who else? Moreover, you have a history!”
“Is that what Master truly believes?” Wen Mingqian sneered.
“Of course! It’s all my fault for still holding onto a sliver of hope for you. If I had known your nature was unchangeable, I shouldn’t have let you return!” Gong Xu spoke from the heart, hating Wen Mingqian’s ruthlessness and his own indecisiveness.
“Does Master not wish to hear my defense?” Wen Mingqian lowered her eyes, completely concealing her emotions. “Or will you, like seven years ago, not believe anything I say.”
“You still have the nerve to say such things?! Back then, you resented Xiu Lian for giving birth to my eldest son and were determined to get rid of her. Now you’ve heard that Kang An’s spirit is lingering, and Xiu Lian wants him to be reborn, so you naturally can’t stand it.” Gong Xu’s mind flashed with images of Consort Song’s suffering, one after another as if before his eyes. “You killed Xiu Lian’s two children. Are you a viper reincarnated?!”
“Master, have you ever considered that I was framed?” Wen Mingqian asked, though her tone carried no hint of grievance or sadness, only calmness.
“You were framed? Who framed you?” Gong Xu seemed to hear a joke. He actually laughed a couple of times, but the laughter was short and filled with hatred.
“Master, how much do you truly know about me? Although we have been married for ten years, you have never truly trusted me.”
“Wen Mingqian, I, Gong Xu, must have burned incense for a headless ghost in my past life to be married to you, a bringer of disaster, in this one!” Gong Xu was filled with regret and despair. “You always put on this air of superiority, yet you use despicable means! What has Xiu Lian ever done to you? Why do you keep harming her like this!”
“Old Madam, I am tired and do not wish to argue further,” Wen Mingqian sighed deeply. “Either we go to court and let the authorities investigate clearly! Otherwise, I will not admit to anything!”
After speaking, Wen Mingqian turned and drifted away.
“She… she is so disrespectful! You all saw it, how arrogant has this bitch become?!” Gong Xu did not expect Wen Mingqian to leave. Who gave her the courage?!
“It’s late, and Old Madam is also exhausted. Perhaps we should stop here for today?” Gong Rang said. “I know you are anxious, but you must also consider Old Madam’s health.”
“Since everyone is here, she cannot run away anyway,” Old Madam Gong was truly exhausted. “Go and check on Concubine Song again to see if she has stabilized.”
“Then we must clarify things tomorrow,” Gong Xu said, though unwilling, he had to comply with Old Madam’s wishes.
“I really cannot hold on any longer. Let’s leave it at this for now; everything can wait until tomorrow,” Old Madam Gong waved her hand, and Wei Shi and a maid quickly stepped forward to help her up.
“Please let Old Madam rest!” Gong Rang said. “Second Brother, let’s go out first.”
“Elder Brother, this time, no matter what, we cannot let that vicious woman go!” Gong Xu said to Gong Rang as they walked out.
“Then don’t act rashly. The more serious the matter, the more cautious we must be,” Gong Rang said. “Right now, we only have a maid’s testimony. Why don’t we question her thoroughly tomorrow? We must not wrongly accuse my sister-in-law.”
Gong Xu did not reply, but in his heart, he had already decided that Wen Mingqian was the culprit.
He returned to Consort Song’s chambers. Consort Song had already taken her medicine and was sleeping.
He looked at Consort Song’s pale face and felt utterly useless.
He had promised Consort Song countless times that he would protect her for the rest of his life, but instead, he had allowed her to suffer the pain of losing a child again and again.
The lamp on the table flickered like a bean. A large part of Gong Xu’s face was hidden in darkness. He knew that some ruthless decisions had to be made.
