Indeed, the handwriting on the letter was as ugly as a ghost's claws, and it was really hard to read. Ling Qingwan was a country girl who had been fostered in a farmer's home since she was a child and was raised as a child bride. Naturally, she had never been to school, so it was reasonable for her to write such words.
It was not difficult to see that the person who framed her behind her back had put in a lot of effort. But it was precisely because of his excessive effort that Ling Qingwan didn't even have to think about it and caught the flaw.
"When did I tell you that I can't write? Where have you seen my handwriting before? How can you be so sure that this letter was written by me?" Ling Qingwan asked two questions in succession.
Madam Ling frowned and turned to look at Ling Chuchu.
She was also a smart person, and she knew that if she took over the matter, Ling Qingwan would turn the tables and she would be labeled as unfair. In order to protect herself, Madam Ling pushed all the responsibility onto Ling Chuchu.
"Everyone in the mansion, even the servants, has read some books. Not everyone can write very well, but at least their handwriting is better than that on this letter. Anyone with a discerning eye can tell at a glance that the handwriting on this letter could only have been written by someone who doesn't have a single drop of ink in his stomach." Ling Chuchu straightened her back and refuted Ling Qingwan's words.
"It's true that I have never been to school, but I forgot to tell you that after I came back, my mother asked a teacher to teach me how to read and write in order to make me look like a lady from a noble family. Madam Pu knows this." Ling Qingwan was calm and began to respond to Ling Chuchu's questions one by one.
"Old Madam, you are wise. The First Madam knows that the Second Miss has just returned home. As the legitimate daughter, her every move concerns the reputation of the family. She did ask a teacher to teach the Second Miss to read." Nanny Park stepped forward and respectfully reported to Old Madam Ling.
"So what if you've read a few days' worth of books? It's not like you can write just by knowing a few words." Ling Chuchu retorted immediately, and was determined to throw the dirty water on Ling Qingwan.
"Grandma, you questioned me at first, and I said there was no evidence, so my sister brought me the evidence. But now I doubt the evidence, and my sister doesn't listen to me. So, please tell me how this matter should be decided." Ling Qingwan knew that Ling Chuchu was being unreasonable, so she turned around and discussed with Old Madam Ling.
Although Madam Ling sided with Ling Chuchu, she was the eldest lady of the Ling family after all, and she couldn't do things as abruptly as Ling Chuchu.
This happened to force Madam Ling to ask her for further evidence, and Ling Chuchu had no way to stop her.
As expected, Madam Ling asked someone to bring paper and pen, and asked Ling Qingwan to write on the spot to compare the handwriting on the letter. Ling Qingwan calmly wrote a line of poetry according to the content of the letter.
Ling Qingwan's handwriting was smooth and vigorous, and it was like heaven and earth compared to the one on the letter paper. Ling Chuchu looked flustered, and she glared at Qingming. Qingming was terrified and lowered his head, not daring to look at Ling Chuchu.
"Seeing my red turn into green, my thoughts are filled with anxiety. I become haggard and emaciated because I miss you. If you don't believe me, I will cry for a long time. Open the box and take out the pomegranate skirt." Ling Qingwan read the contents on the paper aloud.
Old Madam Ling's cheeks flushed and she waved her hand quickly. Nanny Li signaled Ling Qingwan to stop.
Although this was just an ordinary love poem, Ling Qingwan was a girl who had not yet married. If she wrote it to another man, she would be ridiculed if she told others about it. Old Madam Ling was an elder, so it was even more inappropriate for Ling Qingwan to read a love poem in front of her.
"I also want to ask you, sister. You just said that I have never been to school and cannot read a single word. Even if I wrote this letter to the prince, how could I write such a flowery love poem?"
Ling Qingwan's tone seemed gentle, but in fact her aura was extremely strong. Ling Chuchu was already feeling guilty, so being questioned like this, she was naturally at a loss and didn't know how to respond for a moment.
"I must have wronged you."
After waiting for a long while, Ling Qingwan finally heard Ling Chuchu say that she was wrong.
Madam Ling's face was gloomy and not looking good. To do this in the middle of the night was just to tease her.
"Someone come here!" Old Madam Ling ordered loudly.
Then, two guards came in from outside and waited quietly for Madam Ling's instructions.
"Drag her away and give her thirty lashes with a stick!" Old Madam Ling pointed at Qing Ming and spoke in a firm tone, not allowing for any rebuttal.
The guards received the order and dragged Qing Ming out.
"No! No! Old Madam! Miss! Please say something for me!" Qing Ming completely collapsed and cried for mercy.
Ling Chuchu was afraid that Qingming would say something unfavorable to her, so she urged the guards to move faster. Two grown men were stronger than a little girl, and before Qingming could say a few more words, the guards dragged her away.
After the misunderstanding was explained and Mo Lanxuan no longer had Ling Qingwan, she just said a few words casually and turned away.
Along the way, Qiao'er couldn't help but stand up for Ling Qingwan.
"Second Miss, why aren't you angry? Qing Ming has really gone too far!" Qiao'er talked for a long while, but Ling Qingwan was still calm, as if nothing had happened just now.
Qiao'er wondered, her young lady wouldn't be angry.
"She was originally arranged by the old lady, and I didn't expect her to be loyal to me." Ling Qingwan chuckled.
"Didn't you notice? The young lady practices calligraphy in her room whenever she has time. Qingming couldn't have failed to see it. So why did Meiyuan think that the young lady couldn't write?" Nanny Park couldn't stand it any longer. She thought Qiao'er was too naive, so she gave her some pointers.
Qiao'er thought for a moment, and suddenly her eyes lit up.
"The young lady has been on guard against Qing Ming for a long time!" She suddenly understood.
Ling Qingwan's smile grew even wider.
Not to mention that she deliberately wrote her words in the shape of a chicken crawling, even her deliberate attempt to distance herself from Wei Xun in front of Qiao'er and Mingyue was all planned in advance and she had it in mind.
Ling Qingwan began to suspect that there was a traitor around her as soon as she discovered that she could not hide her whereabouts from the people in the mansion.
She can't be called a traitor, Qing Ming has never stood on her side.
"Then what does Miss plan to do with Qing Ming next?" Qiao'er asked again.
"If Qing Ming had only messed up Ling Chuchu's plan, she would have been beaten physically. But I didn't expose her for what happened today. Qing Ming is one of the few people who knows that she was plotting against me. Do you think, based on her style of doing things, she would keep Qing Ming in her house?" Ling Qingwan raised the corners of her mouth.
Since Qingming was not hers, and with Madam Ling standing in the way, she couldn't punish Qingming. So Ling Qingwan simply left the task of teaching Qingming a lesson to Ling Chuchu.
As a maid, she was disloyal to her master and should be expelled from the Ling Mansion. Ling Qingwan was merciful.
Two days had passed since this incident, and there was still no news from the Ministry of Justice that Shen Chengzhou had been released. Ling Qingwan was extremely anxious, and her heart felt like it was on fire.
It's been six days, and there's only one day left before the deadline Wei Xun promised her. Ling Qingwan doesn't know whether she should believe Wei Xun.