Chapter 176 I will definitely get justice for my mother.
"I've already sent my secret guards to investigate the Su family's past, and we'll have evidence soon."
Ye Wanning hummed in agreement, feeling a little more at ease.
Ye Wanning stood outside the Su residence gate, only to be turned away by the servants for the third time.
"Miss Ye, the master said that the medical manual was a gift from your mother and there is no reason for it to be returned. Please don't come again!"
The servant looked impatient, his eyes filled with disdain.
Ye Wanning clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white.
Her mother's letter and Mr. Su's "evidence" completely contradicted each other. She knew there must be something hidden, but she couldn't find a way to break through.
I felt anxious and depressed; it was incredibly difficult.
Pei Zhi stood beside her and patted her shoulder: "Don't rush, think of another way. Master Su is up to something, he'll slip up sooner or later."
Ye Wanning nodded, but didn't say anything.
She knew Pei Zhi was trying to comfort her, but her mother's medical manual was a family heirloom of the Lin family and the culmination of her life's work; she had to get it back no matter what.
The two turned to leave when a withered, aged voice suddenly came from behind them: "Miss Ye, wait a moment!"
Ye Wanning turned around and saw Su Bo, the old steward of the Su family.
His hair was gray, his back was hunched, his face was full of wrinkles, and his eyes held a complex expression as he secretly gave them meaningful glances.
He gestured for them to follow him into a secluded alleyway at the street corner.
"Uncle Su, what do you need us for?" Ye Wanning asked in a low voice.
Uncle Su looked around to make sure no one was following him, then took out a small item wrapped in brocade from his pocket and handed it to her.
“Miss Ye, this was left to you by your mother. She asked me to give it to you at the right time.”
Ye Wanning took the brocade cloth and opened it, revealing a warm and lustrous mutton fat jade pendant inside.
The jade pendant has a pale blue flower engraved on the front, exactly the same as the pattern on the mother's brocade bag, and two small characters engraved on the back—"forced."
"Forced?" Ye Wanning's heart skipped a beat. "Uncle Su, what exactly happened?"
Did my mother really donate the medical text voluntarily back then?
Su Bo sighed deeply, his eyes reddening: "Miss Ye, your mother did not do this willingly at all!"
"It was the master who put her under house arrest, forced her to write a letter gifting the book, otherwise he wouldn't let her leave, and even threatened to harm you!"
Ye Wanning trembled, and tears welled up instantly.
Sure enough, she knew her mother wouldn't give away the family medical manual so easily!
"But why didn't my mother resist? Why didn't she tell me?" Ye Wanning asked, sobbing.
“Your mother did it to protect you!” Uncle Su wiped away his tears. “You were still young back then, and she was afraid that Master Su would really harm you.”
"I can only humble myself and pretend to donate the medical manual voluntarily, just to ask Master Su to let her go and let you stay away from Jiangnan."
He paused, then said, "This jade pendant was given to me by your mother on the day she wrote the book as a gift. She said that if you came looking for the medical encyclopedia in the future, she would give it to you so that you would know the truth."
"I've carried it with me all these years, and I just couldn't stand watching the old man use your mother's medical book to seek fame and fortune!"
Ye Wanning gripped the jade pendant tightly in her hand. The warm, smooth touch and the words "forced" felt like a knife stabbing into her heart.
Her mother suffered such a great injustice in order to protect her!
"Thank you, Uncle Su." Ye Wanning took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and her eyes suddenly became firm. "I will definitely get justice for my mother!"
Pei Zhi looked at her with heartache and reached out to help her arm, but she avoided him.
Ye Wanning turned and walked towards the Su residence: "Let's go find Master Su and settle accounts now!"
Uncle Su quickly grabbed her: "Miss Ye, no! The master is now all-powerful. He won't admit it based on just a jade pendant!"
“I have other evidence!” Pei Zhi said. “Master Su’s confinement of your mother must have left traces.”
"For example, the food records and the expenses of the guards. I will have my secret guards investigate the old accounts of the Su family. They will definitely find evidence."
After speaking, Pei Zhi gestured to the air beside him, and the hidden guards immediately appeared and left.
Ye Wanning looked at Pei Zhi, her heart filled with gratitude.
Pei Zhi always gave her support whenever she was most helpless.
"Let's go back to the inn and wait for news," Pei Zhi said. "The secret guards acted swiftly, and we'll have results soon."
Ye Wanning and Pei Zhi returned to the inn, and the wait seemed to last a very long time.
Time passed slowly, second by second, and Ye Wanning paced back and forth in the room like an ant on a hot pan.
Clutching the jade pendant tightly in her hand, she felt both angry and pained as she thought of the time her mother was imprisoned.
Pei Zhi sat down beside her and poured her a cup of hot water: "Have some water, don't be too anxious, things will work out."
“I just feel that my mother has been wronged too much.” Ye Wanning’s voice was choked with sobs. “She was kind all her life and never made enemies with anyone.”
"But Master Su forced us to this point, and even our family's medical classics were taken away."
Pei Zhi gently patted her back, his movements tender: "It's all in the past. We will make Master Su pay the price."
"Get the medical text back and give your mother justice."
Ye Wanning leaned on his shoulder, feeling the warmth and sense of security emanating from him, and her heart gradually calmed down.
Not long after, the guard returned, carrying a stack of account books, and handed them to Pei Zhi.
“Lord Pei, these are old accounts from twenty years ago belonging to the Su family. They record the provision of food and guards to Ms. Lin, as well as a sum of ‘hush money’ for the guards!”
Pei Zhi took the ledger and opened it. Sure enough, it recorded: "On the third day of the second month, three meals were delivered to Lin Shi, and two people were guarded."
"On the fifteenth of March, fifty taels of silver were distributed to the guards as hush money"...
Looking at the records in the ledger, Ye Wanning burst into tears again.
This is irrefutable evidence that my mother is under house arrest!
“We’ll go find Master Su right now!” Ye Wanning stood up and said with a determined look in her eyes.
The two, carrying the jade pendant and the account book, returned to the Su residence.
This time, the servants dared not stop them and ran inside to report.
Upon seeing the evidence, Master Su's face turned deathly pale: "This...this is all forged!"
"Forgery?" Pei Zhi stood in front of Ye Wanning, his eyes as cold as ice. "The old accounts of the Su family have your family seal and the handwriting of the steward from back then. How can it be a forgery?"
“Uncle Su is right outside. He can testify how you forced my mother-in-law to write the gift book!”
Master Su trembled slightly. He hadn't expected Ye Wanning to be able to gather so much evidence and even persuade Uncle Su.
“Master Su,” Ye Wanning said coldly, “the evidence is now conclusive. You either return the medical book to me or…”
"Either I release this evidence to the public and let the people of Jiangnan see what kind of people your so-called prestigious families really are!"
"Look how you forced a weak woman to steal her family's medical manual!"
Old Master Su's lips moved, but he couldn't utter a single word.
He knew that if this evidence were exposed, the Su family's reputation would be completely ruined, and he would become a despised villain among the people of Jiangnan.
"Alright, I'll return it!" Old Master Su gritted his teeth and finally relented. "I'll go get the medical book for you right now!"
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