Chapter 20 Misconduct: Mo Lian Accuses Li Yang of Infidelity
When Li Yang and Zhao Di returned from the street laden with their purchases, it was nearly dusk.
Now that June is approaching, the weather has warmed up considerably, and the sun is shining even longer. The lights in Lanxin Pavilion haven't been changed yet, and with Young Master Chen not home, the house remains as quiet as ever.
Today, having received the first settlement from the banquet hall, Li Yang was overjoyed. He took Xiao Lu to buy two sets of clothes and dressed her up beautifully before he was satisfied.
She herself had also taken a fancy to a short-sleeved shirt with an orange background and gold brocade, embroidered with persimmon hoof patterns. Now, back in the main house, she paired it with a mud-gold horse-face skirt and held it up against herself, feeling incredibly happy.
The bright orange color was dazzling and made her look pretty and delicate, like a pampered young lady from a wealthy family. She had loved bright clothes since she was a child, just like her mother. When they were little, the two of them would wear red and green clothes in the back mountains, and she would always walk with her head held high.
Little Deer happily chimed in, "Young Madam, this orange color makes you look so radiant and beautiful. It's a good thing we didn't buy that lake blue set; the lotus pattern one looks a bit old-fashioned in comparison."
These words were like a spoonful of sugar fed to Li Yang's heart. She looked at her clothes with delight, unable to suppress her smile.
creak—
"Madam, please." Granny Sun stood by the door to clear the way for Madam Chen.
Li Yang unconsciously put down the clothes in his hands and stood up, his mind racing: What is he going to do today? Could it be because the news of him buying the fawn has already reached his mother-in-law?
Thinking this, she involuntarily took half a step forward, pulled the deer behind her, and stared intently at the person who had come.
As soon as Chen Zhangshi stepped inside, she was followed by a large group of maids, making quite a scene. Immediately, someone swept the clothes on her table onto the floor and made way for Chen Zhangshi to sit down.
Perhaps because of her previous experience, Li Yang was much calmer today. Anyway, Chen Junbo would probably save her after returning to the manor.
The host remained silent, and everyone in the room was completely still.
After a while, Chen Zhangshi coughed lightly and said, "Li Shi, last time it was Bai'er who helped you out of a predicament. I'm letting it go because fifty-odd taels of silver is nothing."
Upon hearing this, Li Yang's heart skipped a beat: Why bring this up again!
She gathered around Zhao Di behind her and slowly took a few steps back.
"Who knew you would go even further! My Chen family is one of the most prestigious families in this town, and we have always had an impeccable reputation. Now that you've married into the Chen family, you should naturally abide by your duties. But you have no self-respect whatsoever. How can you be worthy of being the young mistress of the Chen family!"
Hearing her words, Li Yang bit her lower lip tightly and remained silent.
"Honest and clean background," "lacking self-respect"—this mother-in-law immediately slapped a heavy label on her, but she didn't know when she had lost her self-respect or how her background had become unclean.
Seeing her defiant expression, Madam Chen sneered, "What, do you think you can let this matter pass by by remaining silent today?!"
Caiqing, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but speak up: "Young Madam, Madam already knows about your improper behavior with that shopkeeper."
"What shopkeeper?!"
Suddenly, Li Yang vaguely understood the newcomers' intentions, and her heart burned with anger: These people are too shameless, actually spreading rumors that she had an affair!
The woman is innocent and has a clear conscience. What grudge does this Chen Zhangshi hold against her that she would spread such rumors?
“Young Madam, you stayed at the banquet hall until late at night before returning home that day. Today, you went to the banquet hall again, and you were behaving intimately with the manager.” Caiqing straightened her back. “You even took the manager’s arm that day, and it took you a long time to leave the banquet hall. Moreover, he gives you a large sum of money every time.”
Banquet hall? Manager?
Is Caiqing referring to her intimate behavior with Manager Zhou?
They actually falsely accused themselves of working with Manager Zhou!
Amidst her anger, Li Yang also felt a strange sense of relief: thankfully, these people weren't talking about Zhou Chengli, otherwise she really wouldn't have been able to explain, and she might have even implicated Fang Yuan.
"You saw it with your own eyes?" Despite his extreme anger, Li Yang remained calm, his face as hard as iron.
"Mo Lian saw it all."
As she spoke, Caiqing pulled Molian from behind and pushed her in front of Liyang, urging her to speak quickly.
Earlier, when everyone entered the house, she hid behind Caiqing, and Liyang didn't notice that this maid was also there. At the time, Chen Junbai had asked her to go to the tea house with him, and he thought she was a good person, but now it seems that she is just like him.
Inside the room, several gazes turned to Mo Lian. She remained calm, curtsied gracefully, and then said, "Young Madam, just as you said, the Chen family upholds integrity. Therefore, with you as the leader, everyone in the Chen household speaks and acts prudently, and adheres to their duties."
Her words were perfectly reasonable; she truly lived up to her reputation as someone close to Chen Junbai. If Li Yang hadn't been the one who was wrongly accused, he would have almost cheered for her.
She paused for a moment, then continued, "However, young mistress, since you married into the Chen family, you have acted recklessly and caused trouble frequently. Today, for the peace of the Chen residence, for the reputation of the Chen family, and even more so for the future of the young master, Mo Lian has no choice but to defy her superiors."
Li Yang thought to himself: Heh, how grand and dignified! This skill is far superior to Cai Qing's.
Suppressing her anger, she said coldly, "Is that so? Mo Lian, you do know you're being disrespectful. Even if I weren't the young mistress of the Chen family, I wouldn't tolerate your baseless accusations. Explain clearly how I 'acted recklessly' and what trouble I caused!"
"Young Madam!" It was unclear which of Li Yang's words struck a nerve with Mo Lian, but she suddenly raised her voice and said, "The most valuable thing about a person is self-awareness! Cai Qing and I have always served by the young master's side, working hard and without complaint for many years. We dare not say we have made any great contributions, but we have certainly put in a lot of hard work."
But you, as the young mistress of the Chen family, have no tolerance for others, instigating the young master to order Caiqing's confinement. She has served in the young master's study since childhood; what can she do if she can't enter Lanxin Pavilion? Just because you can't tolerate her, you can ruin her life?"
Mo Lian spoke these words with a firm and powerful tone.
The night before she left for the tea plantation, Granny Sun and Caiqing told her that the madam wanted her to pay close attention to the young mistress's every move. She had no desire to get involved in the household's secrets and only wanted to serve her master diligently.
But when she heard that Caiqing had been confined to Lanxin Pavilion by the young master and was no longer allowed to enter, her heart began to soften. The two had served the same master for many years, and seeing Caiqing crying with snot and tears in front of her, she was somewhat moved. Today, her words came from the bottom of her heart.
Hearing her so confidently utter nonsense, Li Yang almost laughed in anger: "You're saying I wouldn't let Caiqing into Lanxin Pavilion? Did she tell you that? Did she tell you what she did to make Chen Junbo give this order?!"
Hearing her say this, Mo Lian frowned slightly and glanced back at Cai Qing.
Then, the maid immediately added, "Leaving aside the matter of Caiqing, you, young mistress, spend your days in comfort and idleness at home. Yet, the young master works hard all day, and you show no consideration for your husband."
Putting everything else aside, you always make street food to entice the young master to skip dinner. Do you know that the young master has always had a light diet and eats three meals a day in moderation? Making these kinds of frivolous things will only harm his health.
Furthermore, when you went to the estate, you took it upon yourself to buy that girl, forcing the young master to personally handle the situation. Did you consider the consequences of your actions?
You act willfully and recklessly just because the young master listens to you, don't you? Do you deserve the title of the young mistress of the Chen family?
Don't blame me for what happened today; it's your own fault for being dishonest and immoral. It was you who, upon returning to Songshan Town, went to the Tongyan Restaurant and caused trouble for them, and it was you who accepted money from the manager. I swear to God, I witnessed everything myself, not a single word is false!
A barrage of accusations came crashing down on him, and Li Yang couldn't help but sneer: "Mo Lian, you just said that the most valuable thing about a person is self-awareness! The Chen family hired you to take care of Chen Junbai's daily needs. What does my business with Chen Junbai have to do with you?!"
"As a maid in the Chen household, you secretly followed your master and spread rumors without knowing the reason. Aren't you just causing trouble?"
Mo Lian was stunned by her words, "The most valuable thing a person can do is to know themselves," and a sense of unease crept into her heart. Every word the young mistress had said made sense. Had she really done something wrong? No! She hadn't done anything wrong. She had reported the young mistress today for the sake of the young master and the Chen family. She hadn't done anything wrong!
That's right! She didn't do anything wrong; everything she did wasn't for herself!
With her mind calmed down, Mo Lian raised her eyes to look at the young mistress, her gaze steady and undisturbed.
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