The letter quickly spread throughout the academy, moving everyone who read it. Seeing the unconscious Lin Wanqing only intensified their pity. Suddenly, all the blame was directed at Qi Mingyue.
"What a cruel heart! To drive someone to this point!" "She always acted so aloof, I never imagined she could be so mean!" "I heard even the Duke of England's heir doesn't want her anymore, no wonder she's so twisted..."
Rumors are like knives, each word drawing blood. As Qi Mingyue walked through the academy, she saw disdainful glances everywhere and heard whispers all around. Some even openly spitted at her, calling her "heartless and venomous."
Upon seeing the suicide note, Xie Ansu rushed into Tingxuezhai immediately. His face was ashen, and he clutched the letter in his hand, his fingertips turning white from the force.
"Mingyue, what exactly happened?" His voice trembled. "Wanqing... she really chose death to prove her innocence!"
Qi Mingyue was organizing the manuscript, not even looking up: "Did An Suxin?"
Xie Ansu slammed the letter on the table: "It's written in black and white, how could it be fake? She said she offended you without realizing it, that you despise her... Mingyue, even if you don't like her, why would you drive someone to death?"
Qi Mingyue finally raised her eyes, her gaze calm as still water: "If I say that I have never disliked her, nor forced her, would An Su believe me?"
Xie Ansu was taken aback, then smiled bitterly: "Then how do you explain this letter? Why would Wanqing risk her life to frame you?"
"Then you'll have to ask Miss Lin herself," Qi Mingyue said indifferently. "Or ask her if the handkerchief embroidered with lotus patterns in her sleeve was made by the same person as Bai Lian'er's."
Xie Ansu frowned: "What lotus-patterned handkerchief? Mingyue, don't change the subject!"
Qi Mingyue said no more, but pushed a stack of papers in front of him: "This is what I found out recently. Lin Wanqing is not the daughter of a prefect. Her father is just a ninth-rank clerk who is a distant relative of the Marquis of Yongchang. Three months ago, her family suddenly received a large sum of money, which allowed her to come to Yingzhou to study."
Xie Ansu glanced at the evidence, his expression gradually changing: "What... what does this prove?"
"This means she has someone behind her." Qi Mingyue's eyes were sharp. "Does An Su still remember Bai Lian'er? They used the same handkerchiefs and the same methods. One pretended to be sick, and the other pretended to be dead, both to ruin my reputation."
Xie Ansu retreated repeatedly: "Mingyue, how...how can you make such assumptions about others? Wanqing's life is hanging in the balance, yet you say she's faking it?" His eyes were filled with disappointment. "I thought you were just a bit cold-hearted, but I never expected...I never expected you to be so cold-blooded!"
Qi Mingyue looked at him quietly for a long time, then said softly, "Since An Su has already made up his mind, why ask any more questions?"
Just then, a commotion arose outside. A group of students rushed to the outside of Tingxue Zhai, filled with righteous indignation: "Qi Mingyue, come out! Give Miss Lin an explanation!" "You drove someone to suicide and expect to get away with it?" "Get out of Yingzhou! The academy will not tolerate a vicious woman like you!"
Xie Ansu's expression changed, and he hurriedly went out to calm everyone down: "Everyone, calm down! The matter has not yet been investigated..."
"What else is there to investigate?" a student shouted angrily. "It's all written in black and white! Young Master Xie, are you still going to protect this wicked woman?"
The crowd was agitated and tried to rush into Tingxue Studio. Zhishu hurriedly stood in front of the door but was pushed to the ground. Qi Mingyue helped Zhishu up and coldly looked at the crowd: "What do you all want?"
A female student sobbed, "Sister Lin is on her deathbed, but you are unharmed... Qi Mingyue, is your heart made of stone?"
Suddenly, someone exclaimed, "The headmaster is here!"
Headmaster Zhou rushed over and, seeing the scene, exclaimed gravely, "What kind of behavior is this! Disperse!"
The crowd retreated slightly, but remained surrounding Qi Mingyue, glaring angrily. The headmaster sighed, "Miss Qi, given the current situation... perhaps you should seek refuge for a few days?"
Before Qi Mingyue could answer, a servant came running up: "It's terrible! Miss Lin has woken up, but she's lost her mind and keeps repeating 'Sister Qi, spare my life'..."
The crowd erupted in uproar, their gazes toward Qi Mingyue becoming sharp and piercing.
The headmaster said helplessly, "Miss Qi, look at this..."
Qi Mingyue closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, her mind was clear: "Mingyue understands. We will move out of the school today."
"Miss!" Zhishu exclaimed anxiously, "It's not our fault, why are you leaving?"
Qi Mingyue gently shook her head: "Public opinion can melt metal, and accumulated slander can destroy bones. Since you can no longer tolerate me, why force me to stay?"
She turned and went inside to pack her things. Her movements were calm and composed, as if she were simply about to embark on a long journey, rather than facing public condemnation.
Xie Ansu followed in, his face contorted with struggle: "Mingyue, I... I didn't mean to force you..."
Qi Mingyue remained silent, but handed him a book: "An Su once lent me the Zhuangzi, and today I return it to you intact."
Xie Ansu took the book, feeling its weight as if it weighed a ton: "Mingyue, if you were willing to apologize to Wanqing, perhaps..."
Qi Mingyue finally looked up at him, her gaze as cold as ice: "I did nothing wrong, why should I apologize?" Her lips curled slightly, but her smile was icy. "An Su, you have studied the classics since childhood, do you know what comes after 'Many voices can melt metal'?"
Xie Ansu was stunned.
“It is ‘accumulated slander can destroy a person’,” Qi Mingyue said softly. “Only today do I realize that the ancients were right.”
The luggage was quickly packed. It consisted of only a few boxes of books and a guqin (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument), very simple indeed. Qi Mingyue looked around Tingxue Zhai, where she had lived for several months. The pear tree in front of the window had already borne fruit, and the lotus flowers in the pond had all withered.
"Let's go," she said calmly.
As the master and servant walked out of Tingxue Studio, the students watching outside made way for them, their eyes filled with disdain as if they were looking at a snake or a scorpion. Some whispered curses, some made sarcastic remarks, and some even shouted, "You poisonous woman, get out of Yingzhou!"
Qi Mingyue seemed not to hear, her steps unhurried. Only her clenched fists betrayed the turmoil in her heart.
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