After much persuasion, Yu Ming Ying finally agreed to rest in the east side room and have some tea to soothe her throat.
Before leaving, she glanced at Gu Lan and Gu Lian with clear intent not to let the matter drop.
Madam Feng took a deep breath and said quietly: “Gu Lian, come here.”
Gu Lian looked up, noticed Madam Feng’s unhappy expression, and took small steps forward. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Madam Feng’s hand struck her across the face.
Gu Lian staggered from the blow and, covering her face, burst into tears. The Second Madam immediately felt heartbroken and rushed forward to support her.
This angered Madam Feng even more: “Look at the daughter you’ve raised! Of all the things to learn, she steals others’ belongings. Our Gu family has never had such young ladies; even our maids wouldn’t dare to pilfer. The way you’ve raised this daughter… is truly excessive!”
Although she was furious enough to point at Gu Lian while scolding, she kept her voice down to prevent Yu Ming Ying from overhearing.
Gu Jin Hua, seeing her sister’s delicate face marked with finger imprints and crying so hard she could barely breathe, quickly said: “Grandmother, we can’t be certain Lian took it. Her coming-of-age ceremony is tomorrow. What will we do if you hurt her badly…”
Madam Feng had never felt so humiliated, especially in front of a younger generation, and was too angry to care about anything else.
She continued addressing Gu Lian: “Tell me, in all your years, have I ever struck you? Yet you claim it wasn’t you. In that room were only you, Gu Lan, and Zhao. Would Gu Lan or Zhao take someone else’s belongings? Either it was you, or you incited a maid to do it. Quickly hand over the item!” After a pause, still unsatisfied, she added, “If not for your coming-of-age ceremony tomorrow, I would make you kneel in the ancestral hall all night!”
Gu Lian, covering her cheek, sobbed: “I took it. She… she was just showing off a bracelet, what’s there to brag about? I thought she was being excessive, I didn’t intend to covet her belongings… Grandmother, you know, is Lian the sort who would steal from others?”
Madam Feng nearly jumped up to slap Gu Lian again. “Let her show off if she wants, why did you have to act rashly? If Yu Ming Ying makes a scene, your reputation will be ruined. Perfect timing for your coming-of-age ceremony, with all these distinguished madams visiting—your scandal will spread without even leaving the house. You’re grown now… how could you act without any consideration!”
Gu Lian was frightened into continuous crying, unable to respond.
Madam Feng took a breath and asked again: “Where is the item?”
As Gu Lian just kept crying without answering, Madam Feng’s forehead veins began to throb. Her attendant Lan Zhi tremblingly said: “Reporting to the Old Madam… it’s… it’s in Chengxin Lake beside the Second Madam’s courtyard…”
The Second Madam asked softly: “The Second Young Lady threw the bracelet into the lake?”
Lan Zhi nodded; otherwise, Gu Lian would have sent her to retrieve it when the incident first occurred.
Madam Feng was so angry she couldn’t speak.
Gu Jin Hua whispered: “Then… what should we do? We can’t hand Lian over to them. If this gets out, Lian’s reputation will be completely ruined. Tomorrow is her coming-of-age ceremony, and Madam Yao is here…”
Nothing made Gu Lian more anxious than her marriage prospects. Hearing this, her face turned pale with fear.
A damaged reputation… she didn’t want a damaged reputation, or she would end up like Gu Jin Chao, with no marriage proposals and people mocking her behind her back…
Thinking of Gu Jin Chao, her eyes suddenly brightened. Yes, her own damaged reputation would greatly impact the Gu family. But for Jin Chao, it wouldn’t matter. Her reputation was already so poor—how much worse could it get?
She suddenly pointed at Gu Jin Chao and said: “Say she stole it! Her reputation is already bad, adding one more strike won’t make any difference!”
Gu Lian’s shocking words made everyone look at Gu Jin Chao in surprise.
Gu Jin Chao had remained silent all along and only now raised her head.
The Fifth Madam had remained silent throughout. The Second Madam and Gu Jin Hua didn’t contradict Gu Lian. Madam Feng looked Jin Chao over, with an intent in her eyes that no one could discern. Even if others couldn’t understand, Jin Chao knew exactly what she was thinking.
She thought Gu Lian’s suggestion was feasible.
Madam Feng finally spoke slowly: “Don’t you know to call her Elder Cousin? You have no manners at all! Is making someone take the blame something to suggest so casually?” She hesitated, then sighed and said to Jin Chao, “Zhao, Grandmother knows you’ve always been sensible. Regarding reputation… we won’t say much. Your relationship with Ming Ying is better than Lian’s. Maybe… you could speak with Ming Ying privately. Lian is about to be married after all…”
Because she was sensible, she was to be treated like a pushover?
Because her reputation was poor, she deserved to take the blame for Gu Lian’s mistake.
There was no justification for such bullying.
Gu Jin Chao was almost amused by Madam Feng’s audacity. For Madam Feng, there was no such thing as a favorite granddaughter—whoever could bring the most benefit to the Gu family would receive her protection. But with the Gu family facing both internal and external troubles, they were still playing these petty games, which made Jin Chao’s heart grow cold.
She said softly: “You asked me to accompany cousin Lian to speak with Ming Ying, but I was making forehead decorations with Ming Ying the entire time. If you say I stole the bracelet, Ming Ying isn’t foolish—how could someone constantly by her side have time to steal her bracelet? In the beginning, when Ming Ying and Governess Wen went out, I was coincidentally called outside by your little maid Chun Jiang to answer questions. When I returned shortly afterward, Ming Ying came back too. At that time, only Cousin Lian and Cousin Lan were in the room, and all the maids outside saw this…”
Madam Feng then remembered that she had indeed sent a maid to ask questions, conveniently removing Jin Chao from the scene.
After finishing, Jin Chao didn’t stop. Instead, she looked up at Madam Feng and continued: “Even so, if you want me to admit fault, I’ll go admit it… whether Ming Ying believes it or not, I’ll say it. After all, my reputation is already poor; what’s one more stain… ” Her eyes gradually reddened, and she knelt to continue, “What face do I have left to live? After admitting fault, I’ll go end my life. Just say the word, and I’ll go immediately.”
Madam Feng was stunned. Jin Chao had always been sensible and obedient but had never spoken to her like this before.
She quickly said: “What talk is this of ending your life? Grandmother was just speaking hypothetically. How could I make you go?” She got down from the wooden couch to help Jin Chao up, but Jin Chao refused to rise and continued, “Anyway, I’m feeling terrible now… just say the word. For Cousin Lian’s sake, doing this much is worth it. The Gu family’s honor is enough; what does it matter about me!”
At this, the Second Madam and Gu Jin Hua also came to help her up. “Cousin Zhao, don’t say such things. You can’t take the blame for this—even if you did, Ming Ying wouldn’t believe it! Get up quickly!” The Second Madam then glared at Gu Lian, “Come over quickly and apologize! What nonsense were you speaking!”
Gu Lian was also frightened by Jin Chao’s words, but she didn’t believe that the usually calm and composed Jin Chao truly intended to die. She apologized softly. Only then did Jin Chao allow herself to be helped up. Madam Feng personally led her to sit at the edge of the wooden couch, wiped her tears, and comforted her: “Zhao, Grandmother was just joking. How could I make you go? That was just Gu Lian talking nonsense. Don’t take it to heart! Don’t speak of death anymore. Grandmother truly cherishes you; such talk breaks my heart completely.”
She hadn’t expected Jin Chao to be so firm.
Indeed, forcing a young lady to admit to something she never did, just to preserve a cousin’s reputation—even a person made of clay couldn’t tolerate it, let alone Jin Chao, who wasn’t clay to be molded at will. The words she had just spoken made it clear that Madam Feng wasn’t merely forcing her to admit fault but driving her to death!
Madam Feng spoke to Jin Chao this way, but Jin Chao didn’t say anything more, instead withdrawing her hand.
…Madam Feng coughed once, not daring to mention Jin Chao taking the blame again. She called Gu Lian over: “Tell me, when did you take Yu Ming Ying’s bracelet?”
Gu Lian hesitated, then said softly: “When Cousin Jin Chao went out, Cousin Lan and I were in the side room.”
Madam Feng looked toward Gu Lan, who was sitting nearby.
Gu Lan didn’t dare speak. Seeing Madam Feng’s gaze fall on her, she bit her lip in fear.
Madam Feng asked with a gloomy expression: “Lan, you saw Lian take the item and didn’t stop her?”
How could she dare stop her? Besides, she hadn’t wanted to stop her. Deep down, she had secretly anticipated that when the matter came to light, Gu Lian would surely be condemned by everyone. After enjoying such prominence these past few days, she should taste what it felt like to be the target of public criticism. But she hadn’t expected Yu Ming Ying to make such a big issue of it, nor had she imagined that to preserve Gu Lian’s reputation, Madam Feng would even drag Gu Jin Chao down.
If even Jin Chao could be dragged down, what about her…
Gu Lan quickly knelt on the ground and cried: “Grandmother, it was my fault. I didn’t stop cousin Lian. Please punish me instead!”
Madam Feng remained unmoved, giving Gu Lan a cold look, though her tone was gentle: “This is just children’s business; there’s no need for punishment. Lan, you’re sensible and reasonable, Grandmother knows this. How could this be your fault? You’ve always been close to Lian; if you don’t help her now, she’ll have nowhere to turn…”
Gu Lan felt waves of dizziness. Madam Feng’s implication was clear—she wanted to push her forward to take the blame!
She wanted to protect Gu Lian but didn’t dare touch Jin Chao, so she turned her attention to Gu Lan.
Gu Lian, who had been silent, finally spoke through tears: “Cousin Lan, you must help me! I’ll… I’ll give you my pair of gold hairpins, alright?”
Gu Lan seemed not to hear Gu Lian’s words. She tried to imitate Jin Chao, with tears streaming down like broken strings of pearls: “Grandmother… I don’t mind admitting fault, but if this gets out, I’m afraid my marriage prospects will be even worse. Grandmother, I’ve always served you with respect. You can’t treat me this way.” She couldn’t be treated like this; the mistake was Gu Lian’s, so why should she be blamed for it?
But Madam Feng replied: “How Grandmother has treated you, Lan, you know well. Are you suggesting that I, an old woman, have mistreated you? Don’t worry, I’ll speak properly with Yu Ming Ying. I guarantee this won’t spread. You just need to admit the fault, and Grandmother will naturally compensate you…”
Could it be so simple? If Yu Ming Ying were that easy to persuade, Madam Feng wouldn’t have sought someone to take the blame.