Liu Jingyu and Qi Xiunan finally managed to persuade Madam Qi and Madam Liu to stop.
Because they needed to tidy up a little, the two were sent out again. Looking at the closed door of the main room behind them, they felt helpless. It was obvious that Madam Liu and Madam Qi did not want them to eavesdrop on them.
The two men did not dare to go far, so they just sat under the tree outside the courtyard gate, talking and waiting for the door of the main house to open.
Inside the house, Qi Xiejiao knelt down in front of Madam Qi again and looked up at her. She had been crying just now, and now her crying became weaker and she seemed to be having trouble coming back. She had vomited blood before, and although the blood had been wiped off, the panting made Madam Qi remember the incident clearly again.
For a moment I didn't know how to react and just stared at her blankly.
"Mother, I really didn't harm Yue. I was young and hot-tempered back then, and I did the wrong thing. I robbed her of her marriage, but I didn't know her at all when I did it. She grew up and was born in Jiangnan. How would I know that there was such a person like her? Why would I deliberately ruin my own happiness for her?"
Qi Xiejiao choked up again when she said this, and a bitter smile appeared on her face: "For so many years, my mother didn't know that I had been suffering. I... I actually suffered retribution. This... was what I deserved. I can't blame anyone. I can only blame myself for being deceived by Liu Lang. As soon as I saw him, I actually wanted to marry him, even though I knew he was going to discuss marriage at that time."
When Qi Xiejiao said this, her eyes drooped, with bitterness in them.
"Are you not good with...?" Madam Qi's hands trembled, and her heart softened. At that time, there was no way her daughter would know about Yue's child, right
She was just like those ordinary young ladies from aristocratic families in the capital, a little spoiled, and would want to snatch anything she saw, even if it already belonged to someone else.
Although this is not good, it does not mean that she really knew anything at the time
At that time, I knew nothing, didn't I? How old was she to know the truth
"Liu Lang and I have always been respectful to each other for so many years, but that's all. Since Jingyu was born, he... has almost never set foot in my yard. I... I have been living alone in the backyard of Liu Mansion for so many years, raising Jingyu wholeheartedly. It was originally my fault. This is what I deserve. I don't regret it!"
Qi Xiejiao burst into tears again, crying for the bitterness she had experienced over the years.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Mrs. Qi was furious. Did her daughter want to be a widow for so many years? She actually knew nothing about it and thought her son-in-law was very good to her daughter. It was her fault that she tried so hard to marry her son-in-law, but she didn't expect her daughter to be ignored until now.
"Mother, please don't blame Liu Lang. I was wrong at the beginning... I stole his marriage fate. I forced him to marry me. He married me reluctantly, but it was understandable. I was young and hot-tempered at the time, so I did such a thing. Since I did it myself, how dare I bring it up to make you sad? When you asked me about it, although your daughter was heartbroken, she always smiled and made it go away."
Qi Xiejiao just cried and told all the grievances, sadness and regrets she had experienced over the years.
The lady's eyes were filled with tears again. She reached out and hugged her, patted her back and cried, "My poor child, you...if you had said it earlier, it wouldn't have come to this. Even if we divorced, you can still remarry.
Why do you have to be like this now?"
"If we really get divorced, what will happen to Jingyu? Mother, Jingyu is my biological daughter, my only daughter. Her future will naturally be much better than that of a useless mother like me. For her, I can endure any hardship and any injustice. But... But now the matter of Yu's family... Not only did I get wronged, but it also implicated Jingyu. I don't know what will happen to the prince..."
"If anything happens to Jingyu, I... I really can only die to atone for my sin!" Qi Xiejiao covered her sleeves and cried again.
Mrs. Qi's heart was broken.
Unable to hold back her tears any longer, she reached out to pull her daughter up, "Get up first. We'll discuss Jingyu's matter. I'll go to the palace and tell the Queen. Even if you did something wrong, you've paid for it over the years. As for Jingyu, she's innocent. What has she done wrong? She's also a poor child."
"Mother!" Madam Liu cried and threw herself into Madam Qi's arms.
"Okay, stop crying. We have to think of a way now. I will talk to the Queen. Even if the Queen is considering my face, she will not change the marriage between the Crown Prince and Jingyu. Besides, the marriage ceremony has already taken place. If there is any change, it will not be so easy."
Mrs. Qi had been through a lot after all, so she pulled her daughter to sit aside and comforted her.
"Mother, then... then what should I do? Should I go to the Ministry of Justice to meet this Yu? I... should I ask her to explain clearly who wants to harm me?"
Qi Xiejiao asked while holding Madam Qi's hand in a panic, her face showing a look of confusion, one that had never experienced anything like this. Although she was fine in managing the household on weekdays, she would be like this when something really happened.
This reminded Madam Qi of the time when the entire Duke Qi's Mansion was in chaos. She was also at a loss at that time. Fortunately, the old Duke held up the Duke Qi's Mansion at that time.
Thinking of that time, and then looking at her daughter in front of her, Mrs. Qi felt sad and angry, and painful. She felt all kinds of emotions, and for a moment she didn't know what to say.
"Mother... I... what should I do?" Qi Xiejiao pulled Madam Qi weakly.
Seeing her daughter's wholehearted reliance on her, Madam Qi sighed heavily, "Don't go to the Ministry of Justice. I'll ask your brother to ask. It's useless for you to go. Even if... you go, others will only think you are guilty. Let your eldest brother ask and check. He is a man, so it will be more convenient. When you go back, let Liu Borui check it out as well. He is the Minister of Works, so he has to consider our daughter..."
Madam Qi spoke earnestly and analyzed the pros and cons to her daughter. Seeing her daughter's wholehearted trust in her eyes, her heart felt sour again, and she inexplicably had an urge to know what she was doing and what she wanted to do.
The words came to his lips, but he suddenly stopped and then looked at Qi Xiejiao in a daze.
"Thank you, mother. Thank you for your trouble. After this matter is settled, I am willing to go to the nunnery to eat vegetarian food to comfort the spirit of the Yue family in heaven... My daughter owes her a lot, and she is the one I owe the most in this matter."
Qi Xiejiao sobbed softly and nodded, as if she didn't notice the momentary bitterness and regret in Madam Qi's eyes just now.
"It's best if you think this way... Yue... she... Mother will be with you then... you too." Madam Qi couldn't control her tears again.
That was her daughter, her biological daughter. She owed her something and should make up for it in the years to come. Qi Xiejiao could think like this now.
it's the best.
The mother and daughter worked together to make up for the guilt they felt back then.
The two of them discussed and wiped their tears. Then the door opened and Liu Jingyu and Qi Xiu'nan hurried over to greet them.
Mrs. Qi asked Qi Xiunan to invite his father over.
Afterwards, he sent the two younger ones away, and the three of them discussed the matter in detail in the room.
After everything was discussed, Mrs. Liu took Liu Jingyu on the carriage and returned to the Liu Mansion.
As soon as the mother and daughter got off the carriage, they saw Minister Liu rushing towards them angrily.
"Father!" Liu Jingyu hurriedly saluted.
Minister Liu didn't even look at her. He raised his eyes to look at Qi Xiejiao who was coming towards him. His face was as gloomy as water. He suddenly raised his hand and slapped Qi Xiejiao hard in front of everyone. Qi Xiejiao took two steps back and almost fell down.
"Father!" Liu Jingyu screamed anxiously and reached out to help Xie Jiao.
"You... take care of yourself!" Minister Liu said sternly, and then he flicked his sleeves, ignored the mother and daughter, and turned away.
"Mother, are you...are you okay?" Liu Jingyu wanted to call Minister Liu, but she didn't dare to, so she could only turn around and look at Madam Liu.
"I'm fine, let's go back!" Madam Liu lowered her head, held her hand and went back, looking very timid.
When they arrived at Madam Liu's yard, she sent Liu Jingyu away and sat down on the chair in the middle. The sadness on her face was gone, replaced by a deep gloom and coldness.
"Madam, what should we do?" a maid asked in a low voice, "Should we notify them?"
"No need! Things haven't come to that point yet!" Madam Liu smiled coldly. Her eyes were swollen, and her face was also swollen. The slap marks were still on her face, but she didn't look weak at all. "Find out who the bitch Yu has met recently. After meeting who, such rumors started."
"Yes, ma'am, I'll check it out right away. But recently our people... don't dare to act rashly, so we're not that well-informed." The old woman nodded and said respectfully.
"It's OK. It should be easy to investigate. Didn't my elder brother say he would help? I will ask his people to investigate first, and our people will follow up secretly. It will be simpler this way." Madam Liu said coldly, and took the handkerchief handed over by another maid, and covered the slap mark on her face with the hot handkerchief.
"Yes, ma'am!" The old woman responded and retreated.
"Miss, someone is investigating the person behind Yu!" Yu Dong hurried in to report. He had been keeping an eye on the Ministry of Justice. Now someone is investigating, and it's not someone from the Ministry of Justice. He got the news right away, "It's someone from the Duke of Qi's Mansion. I heard that the Duke of Qi is investigating whether there is someone behind Yu."
"Miss, the Duke of Qi's Mansion is really going too far. Not only do they not help you, but now they are helping that mother and daughter again and again." Nanny Miao said angrily. She had finished her business, but she couldn't leave the mansion at will. Even if the people in the Northern Frontier had nothing to do, their activities were restricted recently.
"The attitude of Duke Qi's Mansion is the same as always. I have no expectations, and I don't have any thoughts. Let them be. They are strangers. They are Liu Jingyu's relatives, not mine." Qu Moying said, raising his eyes with cold sarcasm, "Don't worry about their attitude. Let that steward Xiao look for Yu Fengyong more recently."
Since they are investigating, they have to find out something, otherwise Ji Youran’s life won’t be too easy, right