Chapter 54
Chapter 54
After Xie Yuheng left, Ji Hanyi remained in the room, staring blankly at the blot of ink on the Divorce Agreement.
She sat there in a daze, filled with regret.
For the next two days, Ji Hanyi did not see Xie Yuheng at all.
On the third day of her recovery, Ji Hanyi dressed and made herself presentable, then went to pay her respects to her mother-in-law.
Madam Lin was clearly in a foul mood that morning. Several times, she looked at Ji Hanyi as if she wanted to blurt something out, only to swallow the words back down.
In the end, perhaps remembering that Ji Hanyi had also suffered, she asked, “Have you recovered?”
Ji Hanyi kept her eyes lowered and answered meekly, “I’m feeling better.”
Madam Lin gave her an indifferent once-over before suddenly asking, “Are you happy now?”
Ji Hanyi thought of how she had served at Madam Lin’s side with the utmost care for three years, paying her respects every morning and evening. Although she did not help manage the household, neither had she been idle. She had kept her own courtyard in good order, and in all those three years, there had never been an incident, nor had she ever come into conflict with anyone from the other branches of the Xie Family.
Even if all of that could be ignored, surely her years of hard work ought to count for something, even if she had earned no particular merit.
Yet with that single question — “Are you happy now?” — Madam Lin had painted her as someone who gloated over others’ misfortunes and deliberately stirred up trouble.
Ji Hanyi had no intention of accepting such an accusation.
She looked at Madam Lin. “I am not happy, nor is there anything here worth celebrating.”
“At the Shen Family’s residence, my reputation was nearly destroyed, and I nearly lost my entire future. I do not find that cause for happiness.”
“If Mother believes it is something worth celebrating, then Mother may celebrate as she pleases. All I feel is lingering fear.”
Madam Lin stared at Ji Hanyi in disbelief, then gave a cold laugh and nodded. “So this is how you speak to your mother-in-law now? Without the slightest respect? Do you think that just because Old Madam supports you, you can do whatever you please without fear of consequences?”
Ji Hanyi shook her head. “I would not dare presume to know what Mother is thinking. But Mother just said I was happy, so I ask Mother to make it clear. What exactly am I supposed to be happy about?”
“Once I understand, I can better act according to Mother’s wishes.”
Madam Lin pointed at Ji Hanyi, so furious that her chest tightened and she could not get a single word out.
She had been so angered by Ji Hanyi that it was only after Ji Hanyi left that she remembered she had forgotten to ask whether Ji Hanyi had spoken to Old Madam about Li Mingrou’s situation. The realization made her pound her chest in renewed frustration.
When Ji Hanyi went to see Old Madam Xie, Old Madam Xie had just emerged from the Buddhist prayer hall.
For the past two days, Old Madam Xie had been concerned about her health. Every day, she sent a matron to ask after her and had nourishing items delivered as well. Ji Hanyi could not help feeling guilty whenever she received them.
In truth, there was nothing seriously wrong with her. The venom of the Red Poison Bug would not remain in her body for long. She had merely taken advantage of the incident as a pretext.
Over the past two days, Ji Hanyi had also heard some news about Li Mingrou.
Apparently, Li Mingrou had fainted after kneeling in the ancestral hall for barely a quarter of an hour. After she collapsed, Old Madam summoned a physician to examine her, but the physician said there was nothing wrong with her. Old Madam Xie then ordered the physician to remain nearby. Whenever Li Mingrou woke, she was to return to the ancestral hall and continue kneeling. No one was permitted to visit her either.
Not a single one of the twenty lashes had been spared.
It was said that Xie Yuheng had tried to force his way inside, but he had failed to get in.
Li Mingrou’s health was likely frail indeed. She kept fainting and kneeling, then kneeling and fainting again.
Surprisingly few people in the residence accused Old Madam Xie of being cruel. Even those who did not know the full story knew that Old Madam had always been lenient and kind. For her to go this far, she must have been truly enraged.
Ji Hanyi had also heard others say that when Xie Yuheng failed to see Li Mingrou, he went to Old Madam Xie and knelt outside Old Madam’s door to plead for mercy. Old Madam would not even open the door. She was determined to send Li Mingrou away.
Ji Hanyi had come specifically to see Old Madam Xie today. Old Madam suffered from headaches during the winter, so Ji Hanyi had personally made her a pair of rabbit-fur earmuffs. She had even embroidered them entirely by hand.
Old Madam Xie was delighted to see Ji Hanyi and immediately pulled her over to sit beside her.
She studied Ji Hanyi carefully. Ji Hanyi wore a water-green, high-collared gown with wide sleeves, embroidered from the shoulders to the chest with a phoenix amid peonies. Around her neck was a red-gold jeweled collar with a coiled dragon design. Her attire was proper and dignified, yet her complexion glowed, lending her a subtle, alluring charm.
Old Madam Xie was very pleased with what she saw. Smiling, she said, “Now that you look recovered, I can finally stop worrying.”
She added, “Two days ago, I sent a calling card to Shen Residence, saying that once you had recovered, we would visit together to express our gratitude. But Old Madam Shen replied that she was busy with year-end matters, so I let the matter drop.”
When Ji Hanyi heard that Old Madam had sent a calling card to Old Madam Shen, her heart tightened. Only when she heard that they no longer needed to visit did she relax again.
She knew Shen Si always made meticulous arrangements.
Ji Hanyi lowered her eyes with a smile and presented the earmuffs to Old Madam Xie. “I had nothing to do while recuperating these past two days, so I made these for you myself, Old Madam. Please try them on and see if they are comfortable.”
Ji Hanyi’s embroidery was superb, and the auspicious coin-and-ruyi motifs were especially beautiful. Old Madam Xie was delighted with them. The moment she put the earmuffs on, warmth enveloped her ears, and she praised Ji Hanyi again and again.
After taking them off, she asked Ji Hanyi, “Has Heng’er come to make things difficult for you these past two days?”
Hearing this, Ji Hanyi answered honestly with a shake of her head. “Eldest Master did not make things difficult for me. Eldest Master only wanted me to come to Old Madam and plead for Mingrou.”
Old Madam Xie sighed in disappointment. “Heng’er has truly lost his head this time. Li Mingrou harmed you, and he is your husband, yet instead of standing by you, he pleaded on someone else’s behalf.”
As she spoke, Old Madam Xie tightened her grip on Ji Hanyi’s hand and said softly, “Don’t be upset. I will see justice done for you.”
“The Xie Residence didn’t support her all these years just so she could repay our kindness with betrayal and throw this entire family into turmoil.”
“She’ll remain confined to her courtyard for now. After the New Year, we’ll send her away.”
Ji Hanyi looked up and said quietly, “I understand that you’re looking out for me, Old Madam, but I want to let Eldest Master have what he wishes.”
“Even after everything that happened, Eldest Master still has Li Mingrou in his heart, so…”
Before she could finish, Old Madam Xie cut her off. “Don’t say such disheartening things. Heng’er cares about you. He simply hasn’t come to his senses yet.”
Ji Hanyi’s fingers stiffened.
She wanted to say that Xie Yuheng understood his own heart better than anyone. He knew perfectly well who mattered more to him. But before she could speak, a matron came in from the outer room to report that Li Mingqing had somehow heard the news and run back from the academy.
Songyang Academy was in neighboring Yunjian County, and the journey was by no means short. For him to have made it back by now, he must have set out for the Xie Residence on horseback before dawn.
The matron said Li Mingqing had not even requested an audience. He had simply dropped to his knees outside and begun crying out for Old Madam to spare his sister’s life.
The implication was obvious.
At that moment, Li Mingqing’s voice carried in from outside. Old Madam Xie was furious. She turned to a matron beside her and snapped, “Instead of doing a good deed, the Xie Family raised two ingrates, and now one of them has come here to make a scene.”
“What does he take this old woman for? Some wicked old witch who has committed every evil imaginable? He comes here and immediately kneels outside, wailing for everyone to see. Just who is he putting on this performance for? Who is he trying to force into submission?”
“If we’re being honest, I’ve already shown her mercy by not turning her over to the authorities.”
Old Madam Xie rarely lost her temper, but when she did, everyone in the room grew flustered. Several of her personal matrons hurried over to soothe her, but not one of them spoke up for Li Mingqing.
Li Mingqing had rushed over without first coming in to pay his respects to Old Madam. Instead, he had knelt outside the courtyard gate and started crying where everyone could see him, as though he had suffered some monumental injustice or intolerable cruelty. With defiance written all over his face, the very sight of him was enough to leave anyone incensed.
The siblings were not even members of the Xie Family. At most, they were relatives of the Madam of the First Branch. Even if they had been juniors of the Xie Family, who among them would dare show Old Madam such disrespect?
All that studying had only made him pedantic and unruly.
He was already so proud and arrogant at such a young age.
Ji Hanyi turned to look out the window. In the distance, she could just make out a figure kneeling ramrod straight by the courtyard gate. She silently withdrew her gaze.
Old Madam Xie said to her, “Pay no attention to that boy. If he wants to kneel, let him kneel. At my age, what do I have left to fear? If he truly angers me, I’ll send both of them away!”
She then addressed the matron beside the curtain. “Go out and repeat my words to him exactly. Let’s see whether he leaves.”
The matron dared not delay and hurried out to deliver the message.
What Ji Hanyi had not expected was that, despite the bitter cold, the ramrod-straight figure remained kneeling by the courtyard gate even after she had finished the midday meal with Old Madam.
Li Mingqing was not yet thirteen, still only a half-grown boy, but he seemed to possess an innate streak of defiance. After kneeling all morning, his back had never once bent.
As Ji Hanyi passed him, he looked up at her, making no attempt to conceal the hatred in his eyes.
It was the first time Ji Hanyi had ever seen such dark, brooding eyes.
She paused, then continued past Li Mingqing.
The moment she lifted her head, she saw Xie Yuheng hurrying toward them from the other end of the path.
He faltered when he saw Ji Hanyi come out, then strode over.
Xie Yuheng’s expression was icy, his brows tightly drawn together. He stopped in front of Ji Hanyi, seized her wrist, and demanded with barely suppressed anger, “What did you say to Grandmother this time?”
“Ji Hanyi, haven’t you done enough? Now you won’t even spare Mingrou’s younger brother?”
Ji Hanyi quietly watched Xie Yuheng rage. It felt as though she had never truly known the man standing before her.
As though their three years as husband and wife had been nothing more than a reflection on the surface of wine, insubstantial and unreal.
At that moment, she truly felt cold.
The man she had once relied on so completely, the man she had believed she could depend on for the rest of her life, had thought so little of her all along.
Ji Hanyi pulled her wrist from Xie Yuheng’s grip. Her voice was cool and distant. “Eldest Master, do you truly believe I wield that much power in the Xie Residence?”
Xie Yuheng’s gaze froze.
Ji Hanyi walked past him and said quietly, “Eldest Master, you’ve always treated your word as law. You make a sweeping judgment, decide what crime you think I’ve committed, and refuse to let me defend myself. You think that because you’re a Court Director of the Court of Judicial Review, you can judge cases, determine truth from falsehood, and decide right from wrong.”
“But even a court verdict must be based on evidence. I am not guilty simply because you believe I am.”
“You cannot take one cursory look at a situation and decide I was at fault.”
“You are not a good husband. And if this is how you judge your cases, then you are not a good official either.”
“Nor am I a criminal before your court, obliged to kneel before you and await your judgment and punishment.”