Chapter 69 It's time for you to wake up!
Soon, the brother and sister arrived at Yilan Garden and, in accordance with etiquette, paid their respects to Madam Liu, who was seated at the head of the table.
"Son/daughter greets mother."
This time, however, Madam Liu did not immediately tell them to get up. Instead, she slowly picked up her teacup, gently stirred it with the lid, took a small sip, and did not look up at the brother and sister below.
The room was so quiet that only the soft clinking of porcelain could be heard, and the atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment.
Xiao Lingxi looked up to observe her mother's expression. Her mother's face was calm, revealing no emotion.
But the more she thought about it, the more nervous she became, and cold sweat broke out on her palms.
Finally, Liu gently placed the teacup on the small table beside her, making a soft "thump" sound.
Immediately, her mother's stern voice rang out above Xiao Lingxi's head:
"Lingxi, do you know your mistake?"
Xiao Lingxi's heart skipped a beat, her legs went weak, and she instinctively knelt down.
"Mother...I...I..."
She was flustered and confused, wondering if her mother already knew about her relationship with Shen Moyan. She looked to her older brother for help.
"Why are you looking at your older brother?"
Liu interrupted her: "I only ask you, do you know your mistake?"
Xiao Lingxi was intimidated by Liu's imposing manner, her mental defenses on the verge of collapse, her lips trembling as she was about to admit her mistake...
But at that moment, Xiao Jingheng's voice rang out first:
"Mother!"
He stepped forward, blocking Xiao Lingxi's path by half a step, and bowed to Madam Liu: "It was my negligence that caused my sister to be frightened. If Mother is angry, please punish me."
Xiao Lingxi looked at her older brother's back and was immediately moved.
When my older brother isn't fierce, he's actually quite nice.
Liu glared at Xiao Jingheng and said in an unfriendly tone, "I'll settle your score with you later."
Her gaze returned to Xiao Lingxi, her tone growing increasingly stern: "I ask you, what's going on between you and Shen Moyan from Jiangnan? You've repeatedly gone out on your own to meet with him, is that true?!"
These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Xiao Lingxi's ears!
Mother found out after all!
She trembled with fear, her face turning deathly pale, unable to utter a word of explanation. Only instinctive terror remained.
Seeing her like this, Madam Liu was even more furious, and her voice was cold:
"How have I always taught you? As the legitimate daughter of a marquis's family, you should be careful with your words and actions, and have self-respect and self-love! But you, you were fooled by a few sweet words from a poor scholar, and you even secretly exchanged gifts with him, putting yourself in danger!"
"Do you know what would have happened to you if your elder brother hadn't arrived in time?!"
"Where do you place the dignity of the Marquis's mansion?"
A barrage of questions lashed at Xiao Lingxi's heart like whips, and she collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face.
"Mother, I...I know I was wrong..."
"I was momentarily blinded by greed and failed to see through Shen Moyan's true colors..."
"I swear I'll never do it again, sob sob..."
Xiao Lingxi burst into tears, crying bitterly. The tension that had been building up for days seemed to finally ease, and her long-suppressed emotions were finally put to the test.
She truly knows she was wrong.
Seeing Xiao Lingxi crying so sadly, Madam Liu also felt bad, after all, she was her own flesh and blood.
But you must never be vague about what needs to be clarified.
Her tone softened slightly, and she pressed on in a deep voice, "Since you know you're wrong, let me ask you, during your relationship with him, did you give him any gifts? Did you leave any evidence or incriminating evidence?"
This was also what Liu was most worried about. If any of her personal belongings fell into the other party's hands, the consequences would be dire.
Xiao Lingxi was sobbing that she was hiccuping. Upon hearing her mother's words, she quickly shook her head and tearfully explained.
"Replying to Mother, what I gave you... were just ordinary writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, as well as the book on current affairs annotated by Grand Tutor Lin that Sister Lin gave me before. I thought it was precious and that it would be beneficial to him, so... I gave it to him..."
Madam Liu frowned: "Is there nothing else?"
"There's...there's more..."
At this point, Xiao Lingxi's voice trailed off, and she glanced somewhat guiltily at her silent elder brother beside her, adding:
"And there's also a bottle of top-quality wound medicine, which was just delivered today..."
Fearing her mother would lash out again, she quickly added, "Mother, please understand! I know what's important. I would never dare to give away those private items like jade pendants, sachets, and handkerchiefs. I really don't have any more!"
As Liu listened attentively, her tense nerves relaxed somewhat. Although the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were precious, they could be interpreted as an appreciation of her talent, a common gift.
Wound medicine is a more recent development, and there is a lot of room for maneuver.
But thinking of the books Lin Wan'er had given her, Liu frowned again.
"So, Miss Lin knew about your affair all along? And she even sent you books to curry favor with Shen Moyan?"
Upon hearing this, a dark glint flashed across Xiao Jingheng's eyes.
Xiao Lingxi admitted in a low voice, "It was...it was because my daughter was accidentally seen by her before, and she noticed something was wrong. My daughter begged her to keep it a secret..."
"...I only accepted the book because I saw that Shen Moyan needed it; Sister Lin meant well."
Hearing her call her "Sister Lin" repeatedly, Madam Liu looked at her with a face full of disappointment and frustration.
"Hmph! How old are you! Still so naive! You'll be sold out and still help count the money."
"As the daughter of the Grand Tutor, Lin Wan'er received a proper upbringing from a young age. Naturally, she knows what a young lady should value most. If she truly cares about you, she should advise you to turn back, instead of stirring things up behind your back and even sending you books to support you."
"This isn't helping you at all; it's clearly leading you further down the wrong path!"
Liu's incisive analysis left Xiao Lingxi completely stunned!
In a flash, she seemed to understand something, staring blankly at Liu Shi, tears still clinging to her eyelashes.
"Mother...you mean...Sister Lin...did it on purpose?"
Liu turned her head away, no longer concealing her displeasure.
"I was wondering how she could have run into me at Fahua Temple so coincidentally yesterday. And how she was so worried about the rumors in the capital, saying that your elder brother had risked everything for a maid, secretly mobilized troops, and was punished by His Majesty. Now that I think about it, she probably had her eye on our Marquis's mansion all along."
Xiao Lingxi was stunned, and her face turned deathly pale instantly!
She never imagined that Lin Wan'er would harm her!
She turned her head to look at her older brother, her voice carrying a final confirmation: "Big brother, do you think so too?"
Xiao Jingheng met his sister's pleading gaze and, without hesitation, shattered her last shred of hope.
"She used you to get close to the Marquis's mansion with unclear intentions, and she condoned your association with Shen Moyan. Her heart is despicable. Spreading rumors in front of Mother is even more sinister."
"Lingxi, it's time for you to wake up!"
The last sentence was like a bucket of ice water poured over Xiao Lingxi, making her shiver involuntarily.
It turns out that Lin Wan'er had been using and deceiving her from beginning to end!
Seeing her daughter's distraught appearance, Madam Liu felt a pang of pain in her heart, but she knew that this drastic measure had to be taken.
She didn't comfort Xiao Lingxi; some lessons need to be learned by her own experience in order to truly remember them.
Immediately afterwards, Madam Liu's gaze shifted to Xiao Jingheng, her tone also carrying a hint of anger:
"You've finished talking about your sister. Now it's your turn!"
Liu's gaze was like a knife, piercing directly at Xiao Jingheng:
"What exactly is going on between you and that Su Xiaoyu?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Lingxi forgot all about being sad and looked at her older brother nervously, even holding her breath involuntarily!
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