Chapter 7

Chapter 7

However, although Mengyu and Qianfan appeared weak, they showed no signs of actually dying.

Madam Liang’s laughter faltered as she suddenly sensed something was wrong. Arsenic was a deadly poison; how could they still have a breath of life left in them?

Just as the realization hit her, she saw Mengyu lightly lick a drop of “blood” from the corner of her lips and say with a smile, “It’s quite sweet.”

While the mother and son were paralyzed with shock, the courtyard gate was pushed open. Xiaowu entered, followed by the village head and a physician.

Seeing Xiaowu rush straight for the kitchen without even glancing at Mengyu, Xinyu understood in an instant: Mengyu had known all along that she had bought arsenic.

A moment later, the physician walked up to the village head holding a blackened silver needle. “The chicken soup is poisoned!”

With both witnesses and physical evidence present, Madam Liang saw there was no way to deny it. She decisively pushed Xinyu forward, claiming that everything had been the work of this venomous concubine.

What she didn’t know was that the village head and the physician had been eavesdropping with Xiaowu and had already heard her entire plan to commit murder for money.

Furthermore, she failed to understand that a mere juren candidate with an uncertain future was nothing compared to high-ranking officials in the Capital.

The village head was about to order his men to seize the members of the Liang Family when Mengyu spoke up. “May I say a few words?”

Hearing Mengyu’s voice, Madam Liang regained her spirit. “She’s alive! We aren’t guilty of anything!”

The village head roared in anger, “Administering poison is a crime! You’re just an uneducated old woman, so I’ll overlook your ignorance, but Liang Baishan is a scholar who passed the provincial examinations! To knowingly break the law-what should his punishment be?”

Madam Liang seemed possessed. She shrieked, “That’s right! My son is a juren! I dare any of you to touch him!”

Mengyu coughed, interrupting Madam Liang’s tantrum.

She looked at Liang Baishan with a gaze full of resentment. “Since marrying into the Liang Family, I have provided both money and labor. I even arranged for you to take a concubine. I have never done anything to wrong you. Why would you treat me like this?”

The neighboring onlookers began to chime in:

“It’s true. Madam Gu is not only good to the Liang Family, but she’s also kind to us neighbors. Whenever anyone has trouble and asks for help, she never refuses!”

“The Liang Family are monsters. I heard that on their wedding day, this old woman was egging her son on to beat his new wife!”

“Oh, how black-hearted!”

“…”

Listening to the overwhelming tide of public opinion, Liang Baishan no longer looked as arrogant as he had when he was forcing the medicine down Qianfan’s throat.

His knees buckled, and he knelt before Mengyu. “Wife, save me!”

A single tear fell from the corner of Mengyu’s eye, a sight that tugged at everyone’s heartstrings.

She said:

“We were husband and wife once; I do not wish to drive you to a dead end. However, I no longer dare to continue living my life with you.

“Write me a letter of divorce by mutual petition, and we shall consider this matter settled. Let us… each go our own way.”

Having escaped certain death, Liang Baishan hurried to agree, terrified that Mengyu might change her mind.

Only Xinyu saw the truth. It turned out that when Mengyu had looked for someone to be Liang Baishan’s concubine, it wasn’t to bear a child for the family-it was to get a divorce from Liang Baishan!

Back then, Mengyu had told Xinyu that her health was poor and she couldn’t conceive. She had said her in-laws didn’t know yet and she didn’t want them to find out, but since she couldn’t hide it forever, it was better to find a woman to seduce her husband. This would hide her infertility and make her husband feel guilty toward her.

And the reason Xinyu had taken such a risk was that she had accidentally overheard Mengyu saying she would “keep the child and discard the mother.”

Thinking back now, Mengyu had let her overhear that on purpose!

Everything had been part of Mengyu’s calculations!

Xinyu saw through the truth, but she didn’t dare speak it aloud.

If Liang Baishan found out she had plotted against him alongside Mengyu, she would certainly meet a bitter end.