Chapter 5: How come you didn't freeze to death in the lake?
The incident happened so suddenly that Song Qinghan's courtyard was already in complete chaos.
The unconscious Song Qinghan lay in the inner room, amidst a chaotic scene: maids busily bringing hot water, servants rushing out to fetch a doctor, and Madam Song's trembling rebukes.
The moment Si Niannian appeared, all eyes turned to her.
There was excitement at watching a good show, and undisguised mockery.
More than anything, there was disdain and disgust for Si Niannian's self-destructive actions.
Even if Si Niannian is the biological daughter of the Song family, Madam Song will not forgive her for daring to harm Song Qinghan, who is the center of attention!
Song Qinghan's maid, Ling Shuang, who had been standing, immediately rushed over upon seeing Si Niannian, kneeling on the ground and crying, "Young lady, our young lady has no grudge against you, why do you want to take her life?"
No enmity or grudge?
Si Niannian found it amusing: "That's exactly what I was going to ask."
"I have no grudge against you and your servants, so why are you plotting against me?"
Upon their first meeting, he falsely accused her of being disobedient and unfilial, and threatened to beat her birth mother.
Then they tried to frame him by throwing him into the water, pressing him relentlessly.
What did she do wrong?
What could have possibly motivated this master and servant to go to such lengths?
Ling Shuang seemed not to understand human speech, and kowtowed repeatedly to Si Niannian, saying, "Our young lady is truly innocent."
"She knows she's not the Song family's biological daughter, and she doesn't dare compare herself to you. Please, be magnanimous and let our girl go. She's too weak to..."
"Enough!"
Madam Song, unable to bear it any longer, interrupted Ling Shuang, staring intently at Si Niannian: "It was my decision to send you to Ta Xue Tang. What did Han'er do wrong to deserve such a vicious scheme from you?!"
What did I ever scheme against her for?
Si Niannian glanced at Song Wen, whose face was dark, and said irritably, "So many people here saw it. I was the one who was pushed down!"
No one knows the details of her conversation with Song Qinghan, but that's the scene that comes to mind.
The servants' words have no effect; has Song Wen gone blind too?!
"Why did Han'er push you for no reason?" Song Wen said angrily. "Han'er wouldn't even hurt an ant, how could she possibly..."
"Then why did I push her for no reason?"
Si Niannian retorted sharply, "How long have I been back? I've never met Song Qinghan before, why would I..."
"Because you want to get revenge on our girl!"
Ling Shuang seized the opportunity to interject, crying to Madam Song, "The eldest young lady said that Taxue Hall is a doghouse, and that our young lady deliberately used a doghouse to humiliate her, and she's making a scene and threatening to leave..."
"She was yelling that she was going to jump into the lake. Our girl was only pulled in because she reached out to pull her back!"
Song Wen shuddered, then exclaimed in realization, "So that's how it is?!"
He said, "How could Song Qinghan possibly push someone?"
It turns out she was trying to stop Si Niannian!
"Madam..." Ling Shuang cried, "The eldest young lady clearly knows how to swim, but our young lady doesn't!"
"Second Miss really didn't push her. Our young lady was wrongly accused while trying to save her!"
This accusation is riddled with flaws and cannot withstand close scrutiny.
But Si Niannian only needed to glance at the Song family mother and son to know that they all believed it.
Si Niannian looked at the angry Song Wen with impatience: "Just because this maid said I was going to jump into the lake, does that mean Song Qinghan's reaching out wasn't pushing me?"
"You see things more clearly than this maid, so why don't you dare to speak out what you see, and instead use a maid's words as evidence? Could it be that the dignified Fourth Young Master of the Imperial Censor's Mansion has nothing to do with his ears and mouth, and only dares to use a maid as a scapegoat?"
"There are other people here too! Instead of interrogating me here, why don't you call everyone else here and ask them one by one if they're telling the truth?!"
No wonder Song Qinghan is so confident.
Whether Song Qinghan jumped voluntarily or was pulled down by her, the result made no difference.
Song Qinghan didn't need to say a word; countless people would prove her innocence.
Even if she had a mouth all over her body, she still couldn't explain it!
There's no need to investigate; she's the only one who's wrong!
Song Wen was so squeezed that he almost lost his footing.
Disturbed by the burning pain that felt like her skin was being torn apart, Si Niannian spoke with increasing sharpness: "We're both people who fell into the water, and you're all so busy calling three doctors for Song Qinghan, but no one thought to find me a dry set of clothes?"
It is said that the Song family is charitable and generous, and they even cherish their adopted daughter like a precious treasure.
Why do they all become so cold-hearted when it comes to their own daughters?
"Just because Song Qinghan was pulled out of the water, does that mean I'm not?"
"Did you freeze to death?"
Madam Song's cold words were like knives, leaving Si Niannian's heart feeling empty: "Why didn't you freeze to death in the lake?"
How come you didn't die in the fire...?
How come you didn't freeze to death in the lake...?
The combined effect of Song Qinghan's words and Madam Song's silence exuded an overwhelming sense of resentment and malice.
Si Niannian was stunned and bewildered: "What did you say?"
Is this something a mother can say to her daughter?
Was the original owner really her biological child?!
Song Wen also felt that these words were too much, and weakly opened his mouth.
Madam Song, however, coldly concluded: "Disrespectful to elders and cruel to sisters, such a vicious person deserves severe punishment to uphold the family rules!"
"Mama Qian!" Madam Song said, enunciating each word clearly, "Take her to the courtyard gate and make her kneel for the entire night as punishment!"
"She can only get up when Han'er wakes up!"
Si Niannian must personally apologize to Song Qinghan!
Ignoring the approaching Qian Mama, Si Niannian asked in a complicated tone, "Does Madam truly despise me to this extent?"
It was freezing cold, and she was soaking wet.
If you really knelt outside all night, even a living person would have frozen into an ice sculpture long ago!
This isn't just disliking her anymore, it's pure, unadulterated hatred!
But Madam Song's face was filled with icy disgust: "Take him out!"
Fearing that Si Niannian would struggle, Madam Qian whispered, "Young lady, you should not struggle, so as to avoid suffering physical pain."
Song Wen also jumped up and down, shouting, "Drag him out!"
"I don't have such a vicious sister!"
She dares to be so arrogant after harming others. Even if Si Niannian really freezes to death, she deserves it!
Si Niannian glanced at the sky, estimating that it was about time, then pushed past Qian Mama who was holding the strip of cloth and turned to walk into the yard: "I can walk by myself."
Si Niannian walked into the open space, standing upright in a defiant manner, as steadfast as a pine tree amidst the gently falling snowflakes.
Enraged, Madam Song slammed her hand on the table: "Make her kneel down!"
Si Niannian must kneel down and admit her mistake today!
As soon as Qian's mother reached out her hand, Si Niannian slapped her away, sending her flying: "Get out of the way!"
"I did nothing wrong, so why should I kneel?!"
None of these people present are worthy of making her kneel!
"Insolence!" Madam Song exclaimed angrily, clutching her chest. "Guards! Seize her!"
"She must..."
"lady!"
Before Madam Song could vent her anger, a servant rushed over and said urgently, "The master sent me to deliver a message that Master Xie Jiu from the Duke's mansion has arrived!"
"Tell Madam to hurry up and get ready to receive our guests!"
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