Liang Yuan angrily rebuked: “What nonsense are you spouting! He’s pleased…”

Immediately, Liang Yuan’s eyes went straight, and he stood there in a daze.

Liang Yuan usually frequented those pleasure quarters—what didn’t he know? Now, seeing Liang Jie with his robes lifted up, his undergarments stained with blood spots, what was there not to understand?

Liang Yuan himself had these unspeakable preferences, but Liang Jie didn’t.

Liang Jie had always been clever, vowing to make something of himself in his official career. Now he had actually been ruined by such filthy means. What future could he speak of now? What aspirations!

Before Liang Yuan could say anything, he heard Luo Meixiang shriek: “Jie’er, who beat you like this?”

Before her words finished, Luo Meixiang rushed forward but didn’t dare touch Liang Jie, just stood there trembling all over in panic, turning in circles.

Liang Jie had been tormented for most of the day and had originally passed out from pain. But those people had given him medicine afterward—medicine that was quite effective. During the time from leaving that place to returning to the back gate, the pain was still bearable.

Just now, when Zhao Jiyuan’s men roughly carried him around, they touched his wounds, causing him to cry out in unbearable pain. At this moment, he had barely managed to forcibly endure the pain, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

Luo Meixiang’s maternal love was urgent, but she couldn’t examine his wounds in front of so many people. After panicking for a while, she remembered something and scolded Zhao Jiyuan: “Steward Zhao, what are you standing there for?! Why don’t you quickly go fetch a physician!”

Zhao Jiyuan looked at Luo Meixiang with cold eyes: “Old Madam, are you certain you want to fetch a physician?!”

Liang Yuan hurriedly stopped her: “Mother, you can’t!”

Liang Jie, even in his pain, took the effort to say weakly: “Can’t go…”

Luo Meixiang didn’t understand why her sons were stopping her: “What kind of talk is this? If you’re injured, shouldn’t you quickly call a physician to look? Zhao Jiyuan, have someone go quickly!”

Zhao Jiyuan suddenly smiled and said to the steward: “Go to Tongren Hall and ask a physician to come examine Third Master’s injuries.”

The steward agreed and was about to leave when Liang Yuan quickly blocked him: “You can’t go! All of you, get out!”

Zhao Jiyuan asked: “Second Master, so should we fetch a physician or not?”

“Don’t fetch one! Get out of my sight!”

Zhao Jiyuan smiled, showing no anger, and immediately dispersed with all the servants, leaving cleanly.

Luo Meixiang watched in bewilderment: “Yuan’er, your third brother is injured, why won’t you let us call a physician? Has your third brother caused trouble?”

Liang Yuan looked at Luo Meixiang, wanting to speak but hesitating.

How could such a matter be explained to mother, a mere woman?

Luo Meixiang was already very anxious. Liang Jie had always been brave and clever—if he was in such pain, how serious must his wounds be!

During Liang Yuan’s moment of hesitation, Luo Meixiang had already moved past him to stand beside Liang Jie: “Jie’er, I’m your mother. Even though you’ve grown up, it’s fine for mother to look at your wounds. Let mother see—you’re all hiding this from me, how can I be at ease…”

She was about to lift Liang Jie’s undergarments.

“Second Brother!”

Liang Jie shouted desperately, then the pain made everything go black before his eyes, and his head drooped powerlessly.

Liang Yuan startled and immediately stepped forward to grasp Luo Meixiang’s wrist: “Mother, sit down. I, I’ll tell you…”

Luo Meixiang’s eyes filled with tears as Liang Yuan helped her to sit in a chair: “Then speak quickly!”

Liang Yuan hesitated repeatedly, then gritted his teeth: “Third brother, this is, this is he was… violated…”

Luo Meixiang didn’t quite understand: “What, what violated?”

In just the blink of an eye, she immediately understood!

Luo Meixiang trembled all over, pointing at Liang Jie with shaking fingers: “You, you, you mean… he, he…”

After saying two sentences, her vision went black and she collapsed in the chair. The chair lost its balance and toppled over with her.

With no servants around, Liang Yuan had to help Luo Meixiang up, pressing her philtrum and shouting: “Someone, someone…”

Soon, the sound of chaotic footsteps entered the room.

Liang Jie thought it was servants and maids from outside coming in. Without turning his head, he ordered: “Quick, quickly help the old madam lie down, and have someone fetch a physician.”

Unexpectedly, a woman’s voice came from behind: “Isn’t the old madam resting in her courtyard due to poor health? Who let the old madam come to the outer courtyard?”

Liang Yuan suddenly turned his head and saw Qin Shuying with an icy expression, accompanied by Hui Yun, Bai Yun, and a group of maids and women standing at the doorway.

Liang Jie had just collapsed weakly on the bed, but his mind was very clear. Hearing Qin Shuying’s words and connecting them with everything that had happened, as well as the fact that Luo Meixiang could somehow freely enter the outer courtyard, he immediately understood all of Qin Shuying’s schemes.

Ignoring his pain, Liang Jie turned over and cursed: “Qin Shuying, may you and your husband die horrible deaths!”

Luo Meixiang had just been revived by Liang Yuan pressing her philtrum. Her gaze was dazed for a moment, and hearing Liang Jie’s words, something seemed to flash through her mind.

Then she heard Qin Shuying’s unhurried voice: “Third brother, what do you mean by this? I came to visit you with good intentions—how can you be so ungrateful?”

Liang Jie gritted his teeth and angrily questioned: “Do you dare say that today’s people weren’t arranged by you husband and wife? You’re truly audacious, actually arranging for people to… to… to me… I’ll report this to His Majesty! I want to see what future Liang Zhe will have when His Majesty learns how filthy you couple are, actually scheming against your own brother!”

Qin Shuying smiled leisurely: “I don’t understand what third brother is saying. You’re injured and I came to see you, yet you’re turning it around on me. Where’s your evidence? Your witnesses? Do you think His Majesty is like Uncle, believing whatever you say? You said eldest sister eloped with that man, so she eloped? You say we husband and wife schemed against you, so we schemed against you?”

Bringing up Liang Zhen’s matter for comparison out of nowhere was like trying to cover up while revealing everything.

Hearing this, Luo Meixiang finally understood that both her sons had problems with this matter—this was revenge for her scheme against Liang Zhen years ago!

Naturally, Liang Yuan and Liang Jie understood too.

Liang Jie was so angry his teeth chattered: “Liang Zhen was unchaste, shameless! So many people saw it with their own eyes—even if you want to clear her name, you can’t!”

Qin Shuying smiled lightly: “Today outside, the neighbors all saw with their own eyes third brother throwing himself at that man, kissing him, and going off with him. Wasn’t this also in broad daylight, before everyone’s eyes, seen by all? How can you turn around and say we husband and wife schemed against you?”

“You…”

Liang Jie was already dying from pain, and being provoked by Qin Shuying made him feel even more exquisitely tormented.

Luo Meixiang finally came back to her senses from her stupor and screamed as she lunged forward: “Qin Shuying, I’ll fight you to the death!”