Yu Tang had been kidnapped, and the person who rescued her was Pei Yan. Before coming here, Li Duan had already carefully discussed the matter with the household scholars his father had left at home. The kidnapping incident could not be erased, and it was easy for complications to arise. The most urgent priority was to deny the killing of Wei Xiaoshan no matter what. Otherwise, even though the Li family was an official household, they might still be required to pay with a life for a life. When that happened, who would take the blame?
Li Duan thought it over and felt that Yu Tang’s words were reasonable, so he smiled and said: “Miss Yu, this matter was indeed wrong on our family’s part. However, ‘there are no parents in the world who are not right.’ I ask that Miss Yu not hold it against my mother. If Miss Yu still feels her anger cannot be quelled, I am willing to represent my mother in compensating the Yu family and Miss Yu.”
Having reached this point in the conversation, Yu Tang could guess what he would say.
“Compensation is unnecessary,” she said coolly. “Our family merely refused your family’s marriage proposal, yet your mother was able to ruin my reputation. Previously, your mother repeatedly sent the wife of Scholar Tang’s household to our home as a matchmaker, but was repeatedly refused by my family. Your mother must have been quite angry about that. I just wonder what your mother thought when she learned our family intended to arrange a marriage with the Wei family? And what did she do?”
The conversation finally circled back to the matter of Wei Xiaoshan.
Everyone present stirred in their hearts, then began whispering among themselves in twos and threes.
Originally, they thought the Li family had no motive to kill Wei Xiaoshan at all, but now hearing Yu Tang put it this way, it really seemed possible that Lady Li had done it.
Before Yu Tang’s words had even finished falling, Li Duan’s heart sank with a thud, knowing that Yu Tang had caught him in a vulnerable spot this time. He glanced at the local gentry, whose faces all showed expressions of sudden realization, and hurriedly said: “Miss Yu’s words are mistaken. Although my mother has a somewhat quick temper, she could never do something like murder. Miss Yu must speak with evidence—don’t make reckless accusations.”
After speaking, he looked toward Pei Yan.
Earlier, Pei Yan had been sitting upright and proper, but at some unknown point had shifted to resting his left elbow on the armrest of the grand master’s chair, sitting there playing with a Hetian jade pixiu ornament in a rather leisurely manner, his expression revealing neither pleasure nor anger.
Li Duan felt somewhat anxious, but didn’t dare show it on his face.
Meanwhile, Yu Tang had already said coldly: “I’m afraid Young Master Li’s concern has clouded his judgment. How important is a young lady’s reputation—does Lady Li not know this? For her own selfish interests, she could have those ruffians kidnap me. How is this different from murder? How can Young Master Li guarantee that when your mother learned our family was preparing to take the Wei family’s second young master as a son-in-law, she wouldn’t become angry from humiliation and do something similar to kidnapping me?”
Li Duan argued: “How can murder and kidnapping be mentioned in the same breath?”
Yu Tang pressed aggressively: “What’s the difference? Both involve directing others, both involve using any means necessary to achieve one’s goals. For a woman who sits peacefully in the inner chambers, she might ordinarily hear others discuss a woman’s chastity, but may not necessarily witness murder with her own eyes. I’m afraid that for Lady Li, ruining someone’s chastity is more intimidating than killing, isn’t it? Am I wrong? Or does Lady Li think a woman’s chastity is unimportant?”
Her words were like water dropped into a hot oil pan, crackling and splattering explosively.
The gentry all began discussing: “A woman’s chastity is naturally more important than life and death!”
“Even if Lady Li was momentarily angry, she shouldn’t do such a thing!”
“Exactly, exactly. This matter went too far.”
Li Duan’s forehead broke out in sweat. He hurriedly said: “Miss Yu, my mother absolutely did not have this intention…”
“Did not have this intention?” Yu Tang pressed relentlessly. Since the Li family dared to do this, today she dared to place such a big hat on Lady Li’s head, letting everyone know that Lady Li was not a good person. “Without this intention, she dared to kidnap me. If she had the intention, wouldn’t she also commit murder?”
Li Duan was backed into a corner by Yu Tang and had no choice but to seek help from Pei Yan.
“Third Master Pei,” he cupped his hands toward Pei Yan, “please help by saying a word. Kidnapping Miss Yu was wrong of our family, but today we came to discuss the matter of the Wei family’s second young master being murdered. If Miss Yu is unsatisfied, after this matter is concluded, I will personally go to the Yu household to apologize to Miss Yu.”
“A personal apology can be dispensed with,” Yu Tang didn’t wait for Pei Yan to speak before saying, “I didn’t expect Young Master Li of the Li family to have learned the art of sophistry so well. When we say east, you say west. Very well, we’ll discuss the matter of my kidnapping later. Now, let’s talk about the matter of the Wei family’s second young master being murdered.”
With that, she pointed at the two vagrants and said: “Our family produced human witnesses, and you said our family falsely accused your family, that your family had no need to kill the Wei family’s second young master. I pointed out your family’s reason for killing the Wei family’s second young master, and you demanded I produce evidence. Whether we argue left or right, your family is always in the right. I really want to ask—if someone caught you in the act of murder at the scene, would your family also argue that it had nothing to do with you? Young Master Li, I want to ask: in the eyes of you Li family people, what would count as human evidence recognized by your Li family? What would count as physical evidence recognized by your Li family? Our family can search according to Young Master Li’s specifications, so that Young Master Li won’t get too full of himself and refuse to acknowledge it no matter what.”
Pei Yan touched the pixiu he had just untied from his waist.
He knew that Miss Yu was sharp-tongued and eloquent, but he hadn’t expected her to be this articulate and this bold in speaking.
Wasn’t she afraid she wouldn’t be able to marry?
Pei Yan looked toward Li Duan.
Li Duan grew anxious and said: “Miss Yu, these two people will do anything as long as they receive money. How can they serve as witnesses…”
Yu Tang interrupted him, saying: “Has Young Master Li dealt with these two people before? Otherwise, how do you know they’ll do anything as long as they receive money? Didn’t Young Master Li just say that after these two escaped from the estate, they had no further connection with your family?”
Li Duan said: “Miss Yu, don’t make slanderous accusations. These two are clearly not good people—naturally what they say cannot serve as evidence. Miss Yu shouldn’t say just anything to make our Li family take the blame for this.”
Yu Tang said: “According to what you’re saying, this entire matter is something I fabricated from nothing? How strange—why wouldn’t I say the Wang family did it, or the Sun family did it, but specifically say your Li family did it?”
Li Duan said: “That’s because Miss Yu misunderstands that our Li family has a grudge with your Yu family…”
“Is there no grudge?” Yu Tang took a step forward, once again sharply interrogating: “Your Li family has constantly tried to control my marriage. The Wei family has never had any private enmity with anyone. Our family has been benevolent toward others in Lin’an all these years—whoever mentions our Yu family doesn’t praise us for being honorable people. How did we provoke such calamity? If it’s not your family, then whose family is it?”
Li Duan was somewhat overwhelmed by Yu Tang’s questioning and said: “Miss Yu cannot therefore determine that this matter was done by our Li family!”
Yu Tang said disdainfully: “I am determining it was done by your Li family. Since Young Master Li says it wasn’t done by your family, then please produce evidence. Surely this matter can’t just be settled based on your single statement? Where in the world is there such a thing—only demanding of others but not of oneself!”
Have the Li family produce evidence to prove their innocence?
Li Duan looked toward Pei Yan again.
At some point, Pei Yan had switched to supporting his elbow with his right arm.
He said in a low voice: “Very well! Since Young Master Li says this matter has nothing to do with your family, produce the evidence.”
Was Pei Yan going to side with the Yu family?
Li Duan’s heart sank, and he could only say: “Miss Yu, on the night Wei Xiaoshan had his accident, no one from the Li family went out, nor did anyone go to the estate. Especially my mother—the dowry shops are all managed by me, let alone the household affairs. Men and women are separate—she couldn’t possibly know these two vagrants.”
Yu Tang could no longer hold back. She couldn’t help but speak with sarcasm: “Of all virtues, filial piety is foremost. I didn’t know that in such a major matter, Young Master Li would actually implicate your mother. Isn’t it Young Master Li who manages the household affairs of the Li family?”
Li Duan’s face turned pale.
As a son, not to mention that this matter wasn’t done by Lady Lin—even if Lady Lin had done it, he should have taken responsibility for it.
Just now, he had only thought about deflecting blame from the Li family, forgetting the most basic principle of filial piety.
Li Duan greatly regretted it and quickly glanced left and right.
Indeed, everyone’s gazes toward him carried several parts strangeness.
Li Duan cursed silently in his heart.
Today, most of the prominent people of Lin’an city were here. If he performed poorly, his reputation would be completely ruined. Forget about becoming an official—even living respectably in Lin’an city would be difficult.
“Miss Yu,” he said carefully, “don’t twist words unreasonably. I was merely answering your question. You kept saying this matter was related to my mother. If I just remained silent about it, wouldn’t I be allowing you to slander my mother’s reputation? Speaking of evidence, since Miss Yu considers these two vagrants as witnesses, I want to ask—these two vagrants say they were directed by my family, so have these two people point out who directed them.”
Who would personally direct someone to commit murder?
Yu Tang knew it would be like this, which is why she was unwilling to report to the authorities.
She swept her gaze over the gentry sitting around.
Although everyone remained silent, they all looked at Li Duan with somewhat scrutinizing eyes.
The seed of doubt had been planted.
That was enough.
As for revenge—letting the Li family off this easily would be too much of a bargain for them.
Yu Tang sneered inwardly.
The two vagrants had fierce temperaments. After being brought out, they stubbornly wanted to directly accuse Li Duan, but when the two raised their heads and saw Yu Tang’s icy gaze, they shuddered.
Before coming, Yu Tang had repeatedly instructed them to tell the truth about everything, not to exaggerate or be presumptuous. If their testimony was found to have any inconsistencies under Li Duan’s questioning, when the Li family made them take the blame, the Yu family would definitely stand by and not intervene. But if they could honestly confess everything, the Yu family would naturally save their lives.
When the brothers stood in the hall, they were still dismissive, but after watching Yu Tang verbally battle Li Duan and trap him in a corner, they couldn’t help but gain great confidence in Yu Tang and decided to stand on her side after all.
The two exchanged a glance and confessed that the person who directed them was the Li family’s head steward.
Li Duan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, yet felt vaguely disappointed.
If only these two had confessed that he had directed them.
He could have questioned the two until they couldn’t speak, making everyone suspect that these two were hired by the Yu family to frame the Li family.
What a pity.
Looking at these two fierce-looking men, their actions were so straightforward and simple.
“Miss Yu,” Li Duan said, immediately putting on an expression of remorse after the two finished speaking, “this is the first time I’m hearing about this matter. I’ll immediately summon the head steward to question him clearly.”
For families like the Li family, the head steward was usually a household-born servant or hereditary servant—several generations living in the Li family, with children and marriage connections all in one residence. It was impossible for such a person to act on his own initiative. Moreover, even if the person was summoned, the Li family’s head steward could never betray the Li family’s masters.
Everyone had their own calculations in their hearts.
Wei Xiaoshan was killed by the Li family.
Although the true culprit couldn’t be punished right now, the truth had come to light.
Old Master Wei’s tears fell like rain.
Watching this, not one of the gentry felt comfortable in their hearts.
Raising a son to such an age, just when he was about to establish himself with a family and career, he was gone just like that, with no way to seek justice—no one could bear this.
Old Master Wu stood up and patted Old Master Wei on the shoulder, saying “accept this grief and adapt.”
The other gentry also came forward to comfort Old Master Wei.
Old Master Wei, red-eyed, thanked everyone: “Thank you all so much for coming today!”
Old Master Wu had been looking for an opportunity to strike up a conversation with Pei Yan. Hearing this, he immediately said: “We’re nothing—we should really thank Third Master Pei. Without this venerable gentleman, we couldn’t have gathered together.”
Venerable gentleman…
Yu Tang couldn’t help but let the corners of her mouth twitch slightly.
Pei Yan glanced sideways at Yu Tang.
What did she mean by that?
Shouldn’t she be grateful to him for this matter?
If he hadn’t stepped forward, could her Yu family have made their case clear?
Thinking of this, Pei Yan simply pointed to the Li family’s clan elder, the Twelfth Grand-Uncle, who hadn’t made a sound this whole time: “Since matters have reached this point, do you have anything to say?”