Wish You All the Best - Chapter 116

Chapter 116

Madam Meng led her group, striding swiftly toward Madam Xin’s courtyard. The maids and servants in the yard, seeing her eyes burning red and her teeth gritted in a feral, man-eating expression, were all terrified. Not one dared to step forward to speak. In the end, it was the woman surnamed Ding, a servant by Madam Xin’s side, who mustered the courage to block her path. "The Mistress is ill. She was just frightened by the fire earlier and is lying down now. If the Second Mistress has matters to discuss, please tell me first, and I will report—"

Before she could finish, a resounding slap landed across her face, leaving a clear, five-fingered print on her cheek.

The woman was stunned—even though the two households rarely interacted anymore, this was the first time such violence had occurred. She clutched her face, watching helplessly as Madam Meng’s group surged forward and shoved the door open.

Madam Xin, her forehead wrapped in a cloth, sat on her bed in a state of extreme anxiety. She was tapping the edge of the bed, urging people to go back out and look for Quan-ge. Quan-ge was fourteen years old now. No one knew when he had been led astray, but he had developed a gambling addiction at such a young age. Previously, he had only gathered small servants in secret to play for pennies, but since last year, seeing his father drunk all day, and the death of the concubine Yun-niang and her stillborn child—not to mention the constant chaos in stepmother Zhou Shi’s quarters and his grandmother’s declining health—he had become bold. Feeling unconstrained, he had begun sneaking out to private underground dens to gamble. The people there, knowing he was the grandson of the Duke of Wei, treated him like a "fat fish" and plied him with praise. At first, they intentionally let him win, but once he tasted the sweetness, Quan-ge began sneaking out every few days, betting larger and larger sums. When the money ran out, he started stealing antiques from the house. He didn't even take conspicuous items; he had stolen a key to the storeroom and had a copy made, stealing things so stealthily that no one noticed. It wasn't until the end of last year, when Madam Xin needed certain items and found them missing, that she investigated and discovered the truth. She told Pei Xiuzhi, who gave Quan-ge a severe beating and locked him up, and then sent men to raid the gambling den. However, such places changed locations every three days, always in open areas with multiple paths, and they had scouts in all four directions with secret codes known only to themselves. Before the officials arrived, everyone had long since scattered.

Since the New Year, Quan-ge had been kept at home with no money, and he had seemed much more honest. Madam Xin thought he had turned over a new leaf, but she never expected that he would sneak out again the day before yesterday and not return. He had surely gone to gamble again. She had checked and found no new losses in the house, which was suspicious. Panicked, Madam Xin had sent every available person in the mansion to search every possible place, but he was nowhere to be found. Suddenly seeing Madam Meng lead a crowd in with such fury, she was startled. She had someone help her up and said coldly, "Second Sister-in-law, what is the meaning of this? I know a fire broke out in the storeroom and that Xiuluo was injured. But I also sent people to fight the fire just now. You storming in here—are you here to hold me accountable?"

Madam Meng’s eyes widened in rage, no longer showing her usual friendly demeanor. She gritted her teeth and said, "You wicked woman! In the past, I tolerated you for the sake of the Ancestors! You saw that my son had a future, and dissatisfied, you had someone lock him in the storeroom, hoping to burn him to death, didn't you? You are so malicious—are you not afraid of retribution falling upon your own children and grandchildren? Poor Luo-er, what has he done to deserve such cruel harm!"

Mother and son are of one heart; the Second Mistress thought of her son’s horrific, living-hell state, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

A servant had already rushed to Madam Xin’s ear, detailing what had happened. Madam Xin heard that Pei Xiuluo’s face had been thoroughly burned and the majority of his body was in a tragic state. According to the physician, his life hung in the balance. Only then did she realize the severity of the situation. She was greatly shocked and, for the moment, disregarded the disappearance of her grandson. She sternly ordered people to call Zhou Jiao'e and the maid. Unexpectedly, a desperate wail came from outside: "Mistress, something is wrong! The Second Young Mistress’s door was locked from the inside, and no one answered when we called. We just forced it open, and the Second Young Mistress... she has hanged herself from the rafters!"

Everyone was shocked and scrambled out. Madam Xin, supported by others, ran in one breath to her son’s room. She saw that Zhou Jiao'e had already been taken down and lay stiffly on the floor, her complexion dark blue, tongue protruding, toes extended straight, and a deep, purple bruise around her neck. It looked as if she had been dead for quite some time. Several maids and servants were running around like headless flies, and her daughter was huddled on the floor, trembling and crying incessantly.

Madam Xin’s face turned pale. Madam Meng’s eyes widened, her finger poking toward Madam Xin’s face, her expression growing increasingly agitated: "Just as I suspected! First you harmed my son, and now you have forced my daughter-in-law to her death. Do you think this way you can wash your hands of it? A-Fu! A-Fu!"

Madam Meng turned her head, crying while loudly calling out to Jiafu: "A-Fu, you have seen it all! When You'an returns, you must preside over justice and speak for your aunt. My poor Luo-er..."

She collapsed into a chair, covering her face and wailing. The servants who had come with her offered their condolences.

Jiafu arrived and took one look at the stiff body of Zhou Jiao'e, terrified. She hurriedly ordered the girl to be taken away and comforted, then summoned the imperial physician again.

The physician soon arrived, checked the eyelids, touched the side of Zhou Jiao'e’s neck, shook his head, and withdrew.

That Zhou Jiao'e had died like this was hard for Jiafu to believe. A servant used a cloth to cover the body, but a foul stench still permeated the room, making it difficult to breathe. Just as she turned to leave, she saw the servant named Ding, who worked for Madam Xin, dragging a young maid in by the arm and pushing her to Madam Meng’s feet.

Madam Xin followed her in and ordered all unnecessary servants to leave. Once only a few trusted confidants remained, the woman Ding pinched the maid on the floor hard. The maid was one of Zhou Jiao'e’s attendants—the one who had been seen visiting Pei Xiuluo in the evening. She dodged, crying, "The Second Young Mistress and the Third Young Master had been in a secret relationship for years. Since last year, the Third Young Master wanted to break it off. This evening, the Second Young Mistress told me to secretly send a message to the Third Young Master, saying that if he met her at the storeroom in the evening, she would return the gifts he had given her before, and that would be the end of it. I only delivered the message. As for how the Third Young Master was locked in later, or how the fire started in the storeroom, I don’t know. Eldest Young Mistress, Madam, Second Mistress, I beg you for mercy..."

The woman Ding stuffed a cloth into the maid’s mouth and used a rope to bind her.

Madam Xin’s face was still pale, but compared to a moment ago, she finally regained some vitality. She stared at the dumbfounded Second Mistress: "Madam Meng, you have heard it too. If you want to blame someone, blame your own son for seducing my daughter-in-law. Now, one wanted to get away, and the other refused to let go; dogs biting dogs—that is why it ended like this!"

She sneered. "If you want to make a scene, I am not afraid! If you want to keep some shred of dignity, I will swallow this misfortune here. You go back and discipline your son properly. His behavior is too unsightly."

Madam Meng’s face cycled through shades of red and white, changing several times.

Pei Xiuluo appeared to be a gentleman on the surface, but in private, he was lustful from a young age, especially towards women. Previously, a steward under Madam Meng had a wife who was somewhat attractive; after some coming and going, Pei Xiuluo ended up entangled with that woman. Fortunately, Madam Meng discovered it and sent that couple far away, and it ended there.

No one knows a son better than his mother. How could Madam Meng not know that Pei Xiuluo had this vice? She just never dreamed that her son would actually be involved with Zhou Jiao'e.

Madam Meng suddenly turned toward Jiafu: "A-Fu, you must not believe her! How could our Xiuluo do something like this? This madwoman, she is slandering him and trying to smear Luo-er!"

She looked back at Madam Xin and also sneered: "Zhou Jiao'e has hanged herself, so you can make up whatever you want. A few empty words from a maid—how can that count for anything? Not only do you want to kill my son, you are even destroying his reputation. How malicious your intentions are! I am keeping this within the family for the sake of You'an and A-Fu. If you dare say another half-word against him, I will tear my face off and fight you to the end!"

Madam Xin was so angry that her face turned pale again, her finger pointing at Madam Meng, trembling uncontrollably, unable to utter a word.

"Mistress, Mistress, the Young Master has been found!"

At this moment, a chaotic sound came from outside. Madam Xin hurried out and saw that Quan-ge had indeed returned, but he was brought back lying flat. Two servants were carrying him; his head was wrapped in blood-stained cloth, his face was the color of gold paper and stained with blood, and his body was covered in dried mud, as if he had been rolling in an irrigation ditch. His eyes were tightly closed, and he was unconscious.

Yang Yun followed behind.

Madam Xin was greatly shocked and rushed forward, calling "Quan-ge" and "Quan-ge" several times, screaming for the physician to be called again. The physician was still observing Pei Xiuluo’s burn condition and hadn't left; upon hearing the news, he hurried over, ordered people to carry Quan-ge into the room, and began treatment.

The physician dealt with Quan-ge’s injuries with an exceptionally grave expression.

While the physician was busy, Yang Yun came to see Jiafu, saying that Pei You’an knew that underground gambling in the capital was becoming rampant. From white-haired old men to ignorant youths, many people were losing their fortunes, and even noble children were involved. The consequences were endless. He had also mentioned Quan-ge to Yang Yun and ordered the Metropolitan Commandery to clear them out with all their strength, telling Yang Yun to join in and catch Quan-ge if he saw him. Yesterday, Yang Yun and the men from the Commandery received news and rushed to a mountain hollow a hundred miles west of the city, where they destroyed a large, well-established underground gambling den. They arrested hundreds of gamblers. While searching for those who had fled in the vicinity, they found Quan-ge thrown into a foul ditch.

Quan-ge’s head had been smashed by a large stone; the perpetrator not only used heavy force but also shoved him upside down into the ditch, clearly intending to murder him. Fortunately, he was found in time, and after initial treatment, his life was barely saved. Yang Yun had sent him back overnight.

The physician was busy re-bandaging Quan-ge’s wounds and blowing some medicinal powder into his nostrils. A moment later, Quan-ge finally regained consciousness, but his mouth and eyes were twisted, drool flowed from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes slanted toward Madam Meng, his mouth opening and closing as if trying hard to speak.

The physician said that his head had been severely injured, and regaining consciousness like this was already not easy. This facial expression was also a sequela of severe skull damage. Whether he could ever fully recover, let alone survive, was up to Heaven. He sighed and shook his head, then withdrew.

Madam Xin was heartbroken and hugged her grandson, but she heard Quan-ge struggle to speak, blurrily saying: "Third Uncle... was having an affair with my stepmother... I saw it before... I demanded some money from Third Uncle... but Third Uncle wanted to kill me..."

After Quan-ge finished, his eyes rolled back, and he lost consciousness again.

The room plunged into deathly silence, leaving only Madam Xin’s sorrowful wails.

Jiafu was stunned.

This night, one accident followed another, leaving one overwhelmed.

At this point, the threads of the matter finally became clear.

It appeared that Pei Xiuluo and Zhou Jiao'e had been having an affair for years. Quan-ge had discovered it, but instead of exposing them, he blackmailed Pei Xiuluo. Pei Xiuluo, unable to bear the harassment and fearing that his future would be ruined if the truth came out, arranged for people at the gambling den outside the city to find an opportunity to get rid of his nephew and eliminate the future threat.

At the same time, he was likely anxious to distance himself from Zhou Jiao'e, but she refused. Perhaps it was because her conditions were not met, or perhaps she truly loved this "Third Master." Driven to the brink, she had been unable to find another way out, leading to such a mutually destructive end.

Madam Meng had been concerned about her son’s condition and originally intended to leave, but suddenly hearing Quan-ge mention her son, she stopped and listened carefully. Once she understood, she flew into a rage, rushed forward, and roared: "You in the first branch, one by one, do you want to take turns putting my son to death? I tell you, my son is a dignified imperial scholar, upright and righteous. No matter how you bite at him, he is innocent. I stake my life on him!"

Madam Xin stared at her grandson, who had lost consciousness again, rolling his eyes with his hands and feet twitching constantly. Everything before her eyes turned black. She grabbed a servant nearby, steadied herself, slowly turned her head, and glared fiercely at Madam Meng for a moment, then suddenly turned to Jiafu: "Eldest Daughter-in-law! At this point, there is nothing I cannot say! That matter from twenty years ago, when You'an was sixteen—whether it was the Old Mistress or you and your husband, I fear you all have assumed it was my doing, and that it was I who harmed that concubine!"

"I am innocent! I didn’t know it at the time, but now I have finally figured it out. I was fooled and confused; not only was I caught in a plot to drive a wedge between you, but I was also used by someone else, foolishly taking the blame for murder!"

The events of twenty years ago surfaced in her mind, scene by scene.

At that time, Madam Xin had just lost her husband, but her grief could not suppress her hatred for that eldest son who had taken everything from her own son.

Just as that hatred was gnawing at her heart, one night in the middle of the night, she was woken by a servant who told her that when she had just come out, she saw the Duke’s concubine hanging dead in front of the eldest son’s courtyard.

Madam Xin was initially shocked and immediately wanted to inform the Old Mistress, but the servant said that the eldest son must have been overcome by lust and offended the concubine left by his late father during the mourning period; otherwise, why would she hang herself exactly in front of the eldest son’s gate? If this matter spread, the eldest son would surely be disgraced, and there would be no place for him in this Duke’s mansion.

Madam Xin was moved by these very words.

Subconsciously, she did not believe that the sixteen-year-old, lonely, and upright boy would do such a thing. The concubine’s death and her hanging outside his gate must have had another reason, but another voice in her heart kept urging her to believe this narrative. So she defaulted to it and acted as if she didn't know. The next day, terrifying rumors spread throughout the mansion. Pei the Old Mistress hadn't even had time to suppress the servants’ tongues before the news reached the Censorate.

Madam Xin turned to Madam Meng, whose face had changed, eyes turning blood-red. She glared at her fiercely and pushed toward her.

"You bitch! I didn’t do that! In this Pei family, besides you, who else could it be? For so many years, I have been unable to understand why you would want to force that concubine to death. To ensure everything was foolproof, I once had someone check that concubine's private parts; the Duke of Wei clearly hadn't touched her, yet she had lost her virginity. Now I finally understand! It must have been that damned son of yours who moved on that concubine. Maybe he even strangled her. You were afraid that people would find out and ruin your son’s future, so you came up with this poisonous scheme—not only framing me, but also framing You'an, causing me and him to become mother and son at odds, behaving like strangers to this day!"

Madam Xin looked at Jiafu, two lines of remorseful tears streaming down.

"Eldest daughter-in-law, I know I have failed You'an. Now I have no face to ask for your understanding. I only hate myself for being too stupid back then, letting someone see through my thoughts and set this poisonous trap, luring me to jump in. That servant has long since passed away, but thinking about it now, it was hers from the beginning. To protect her own son, she didn't just harm me; she also harmed You'an, who had nothing to do with her! You should know by now how malicious your aunt’s heart is. Every word I just said is the truth. If there is a single lie, may I suffer a terrible death!"

Jiafu was completely shocked.

She had always believed that the person who forced the Duke of Wei’s concubine to death and set the trap to frame Pei You’an was Madam Xin. She never expected that there was such a convoluted twist in the middle.

She looked at Madam Meng.

In her memory, when she was little, her mother had mentioned more than once that her older sister, who had married into the capital’s Duke’s mansion, had been so gentle and meticulous when she was a maiden; the two sisters were very close, and she still missed her later.

What had happened to turn a maiden her mother had reminisced about for years into such a profit-driven, extremely selfish, and cold-blooded woman?

Madam Meng suddenly let out a strange cry and rushed fiercely toward Madam Xin. She began to fight and curse, her face flushed red, hair disheveled. Where was there any sign of a noblewoman of the court?

"All of you, stop!"

Jiafu could bear it no longer and shouted sternly.

Madam Meng shivered and stopped, slowly turning her face to look at Jiafu for a moment. Her face gradually turned pale, and she kept waving her hands: "A-Fu, you must not listen to her! She is rambling nonsense, she has lost her mind! She hates me, and she hates you and You'an. Even now, she is still trying to drive a wedge between us!"

Jiafu ignored her, stepped back, and scanned the confidants of the two mistresses. Seeing them all looking utterly dejected, she said coldly: "Tonight’s events are confined to this room. When the eldest master returns, I will explain it to him, and he will decide what to do. If one word of this spreads, all of you present—regardless of right or wrong—will be beaten to death!"

The servants hurried to their knees, saying they dared not.

Madam Meng slumped to the ground, her eyes blank, motionless.

"Second Mistress, Third Young Master is not well—"

A panicked shout came from outside. Madam Meng was as if pricked by a needle; she struggled and crawled up from the ground, muttering, "Luo-er, Mother is coming, Mother is coming—" She shoved those blocking her way and ran out staggeringly.

Jiafu turned and left the room. Passing by the hallway, she saw Pei Xiuzhi still lying on the ground, drunk. A servant kept calling to him, but he kept his eyes tightly shut, snoring loudly. She stopped, ordered someone to bring a basin of cold water, and splashed it directly onto his face.

Pei Xiuzhi screamed, opened his eyes, and sat up with a start. When he looked up and saw Jiafu standing in front of him with furrowed brows, looking down at him with icy eyes—seven parts disgust, three parts contempt—he felt ashamed and did not dare to meet her gaze, slowly lowering his head.

"Pei Xiuzhi, you are unworthy of being a son of the Duke! If you had even a shred of your father’s manliness, you wouldn’t have lived to be such a piece of waste, harming others and yourself! The pain my husband has experienced, from childhood to adulthood, is only more than yours! I advise you: instead of complaining to Heaven and others all day, hating the unfairness, think more about the heroism of your Pei ancestors back then. As a descendant, how should you emulate them? Otherwise, your death is not to be regretted, but I ask you: what face do you have to see your Pei ancestors in the underworld?"

Jiafu finished speaking and turned to leave.

Pei Xiuzhi stared blankly at her back, his whole body dripping with water, sitting there motionless.