Chapter 11
The Duke of Anguo immediately frowned. "What are you doing? In front of the child, get up quickly." As he spoke, he reached out to help Xie Shi up.
However, Xie Shi pulled away from the Duke and said, "Since my Lord insists on punishment, then punish me as well. Yu'er has committed a grave mistake, but it's my fault as her mother, who failed to teach her properly. I'm willing to kneel in the ancestral hall with Yu'er."
"What does this have to do with you? If we must speak of blame, then I, as her father, am surely the root cause? Moreover, Yan'er and Shu'er are also our children, have they ever behaved like Yu'er? This is entirely Yu'er's moral failing. Fortunately, we now know of it and can discipline her properly in the future..."
Unexpectedly, Xie Shi grew agitated upon hearing this. "My Lord, I cannot accept these words no matter what. Yu'er grew up before your eyes—since childhood, she has been obedient, sensible, pure-hearted, and gentle. If she came across an injured cat on the road, she would bring it home to tend its wounds and care for it day and night. Could all of that have been an act?"
"Her deeds are clearly written on these confessions, and she herself just admitted to them without coercion. Do you still believe I’ve wronged her?" The Duke of Anguo grew annoyed, seeing that Xie Shi still sought to absolve Yan Jingyu despite the irrefutable evidence.
Xie Shi knew Yan Jingyu couldn't escape blame today, but for her daughter’s future, she couldn't allow the Duke to send her to the ancestral hall without a fight. Yet, seeing the Duke’s cold expression, she understood that while he was usually amiable, he would never compromise on matters of principle. Thus, she changed her approach.
"My Lord, I didn't mean it that way. Yu'er has indeed done wrong, but it is only because her mind is too simple—she was momentarily led astray and deceived into committing this mistake. Otherwise, how would a sheltered girl like her, who has barely stepped beyond the gates of the Duke's residence, know of such vile things as aphrodisiacs? Moreover, Yu'er already regretted it yesterday and confessed everything to me. But at the time, out of consideration for my Lord’s feelings, I did not speak of it—only sent someone to deal with Li Wang and Qiulan to vent Shu'er’s anger..."
"Wait," the Duke of Anguo abruptly interrupted. "You’re saying you were the one who sent people to deal with Li Wang and Qiulan?"
"Indeed. If my Lord doesn't believe me, you may ask Yan Zhong. Didn’t Shu'er order Yan Zhong to watch Li Wang and Qiulan? He must have seen who took them away."
The Duke looked at Yan Zhong, who replied, "It was rather late at the time, but this old servant recognized one of them as Song Dajin from the stables."
Xie Shi added, "Song Dajin is the husband of my maid, Aunt Liu. Qiulan was personally taken away by Aunt Liu. If my Lord doesn't believe it, you may summon them for questioning."
Listening from the side, Yan Jingshu nearly applauded his mother. She had turned Yan Jingyu's malicious scheming into mere innocence and gullibility, and her cover-up and evidence destruction into consideration for his feelings and justice on his behalf. Such masterful distortion of the truth—truly, she had a silver tongue.
[A silver tongue: the ability to speak in a persuasive, eloquent, and charming manner, often convincing or influencing others through smooth and clever speech]
Yet he was not surprised. Had his mother not defended Yan Jingyu at all, that would have been the real shock. Some matters might be smoothed over with her eloquence, but others could never be justified no matter how much she talked.
Unaware of Yan Jingshu's thoughts, the Duke of Anguo, seeing Xie Shi's admission corroborated by Yan Zhong, naturally believed her. He sighed, "Why didn’t you say so earlier? I thought it was Yu'er..."
To be fair, when he learned that Yan Jingyu had even resorted to silencing witnesses, the Duke's shock and fury had been no less than when he discovered she had harmed Yan Jingshu. At the time, he could hardly believe the daughter he had doted on was capable of such ruthlessness. But now that Xie Shi admitted it was actually her doing, this sudden shift in understanding left him feeling like a condemned prisoner unexpectedly granted a reprieve—dazed and relieved.
Xie Shi smiled bitterly. "What difference would it have made whether I spoke or not? In the end, Yu'er has done wrong, and even if my Lord and Shu'er forgive her, I must still punish her. Originally, I intended to confine her to her chambers, making her copy scriptures and family rules daily to reflect on her mistakes. All her attendants would also be dismissed. But now that my Lord knows of this matter, naturally, it's for my Lord to decide the punishment. I only beg my Lord—could Yu'er be allowed to recover from her illness before being sent to the ancestral hall? At the very least... at least let her personally apologize to Shu'er in person..."
"...You are right. I was careless. Yu'er should indeed apologize to Shu'er in person first." This time, the Duke of Anguo agreed with Xie Shi. Had she not reminded him, he would have forgotten. Yet despite now knowing Yan Jingyu was not as wicked as he had feared, he had no intention of revising the punishment he had decided earlier.
Xie Shi's expression stiffened. She was about to say more when Yan Jingyu finally awoke.
"Yu'er, how are you feeling?" Xie Shi, being closest to her, was the first to notice.
"Mother—" Yan Jingyu blinked, her face blank with confusion upon waking.
"Since you're awake, properly apologize to your elder brother, then go to the ancestral hall to reflect on your mistakes." The Duke of Anguo's voice was stern, his anger still simmering. Even seeing Yan Jingyu just regaining consciousness, he couldn't soften his expression.
"My Lord, Yu'er is still ill. If she enters the ancestral hall now, she may lose half her life in there. She is your own flesh and blood, have mercy on her, grant her a few days' leniency..." The Duke's unrelenting harshness stoked Xie Shi's resentment, but for her daughter's sake, she suppressed it and pleaded tearfully.
She had already formed a plan, if she could just persuade the Duke to delay sending Yan Jingyu to the ancestral hall now, she could buy more time later. Once the Duke's anger subsided, her daughter might escape the punishment altogether.
Yet before the Duke could respond, Yan Jingyu, hearing that she was to be sent to the ancestral hall, froze for a moment. Then, the trauma of being accidentally locked inside the ancestral hall alone as a child during a heavy rainstorm, left terrified for hours, came flooding back. She screamed in terror, "I won't go to the ancestral hall! I won't go! Mother, save me! I won't go, there are ghosts in the ancestral hall, there really are! Save me—!"
Seeing Yan Jingyu so frightened, Xie Shi was heartbroken, but the Duke of Anguo's fury only deepened. "Nonsense! The ancestral hall houses the ancestors of the Yan family, what ghosts or monsters? Don't disrespect your elders!"
Yan Jingyu shrank back, but she still struggled out of bed to kneel before the Duke, weeping. "Father, I was wrong, I truly know I was wrong! Punish me any other way, but don't send me to the ancestral hall. I beg you!"
After all, she was the daughter he had cherished for over a decade. No matter how enraged he was, seeing Yan Jingyu so pitiful inevitably softened the Duke's heart. Yet glancing at Yan Jingshu, he couldn't relent. "What you did to your elder brother cannot be lightly forgiven. Stop crying and apologize to him properly."
This only deepened Yan Jingyu's terror, even bringing her to the brink of despair. In her overwhelming fear, she forgot all her past resentment and jealousy toward Yan Jingshu. Clutching at him like a lifeline, she grabbed his sleeve. "Elder brother, I'm sorry, I apologize, I know I was wrong, I truly do! Forgive me, as long as you're appeased, as long as you forgive me, I'll endure any beating or scolding! Truly, punish me however you wish, just don't let Father send me to the ancestral hall. I beg you, elder brother!"
Even in her extreme panic, Yan Jingyu still chose the most advantageous course—she knew the key lay not with her father but with Yan Jingshu. If he relented, the Duke would naturally follow.
All eyes turned to Yan Jingshu. As the true victim, it was only right that he decide Yan Jingyu's punishment. Yet what choice did he really have?
He was not one to repay cruelty with kindness. Letting Yan Jingyu off lightly was something he couldn't bring himself to do, nor would it satisfy him. But if he upheld the Duke's decision or punished her even more severely, he risked being labeled heartless and merciless. Worse, it might even stir the Duke's pity for Yan Jingyu and breed resentment toward him.
Yan Jingshu knew all too well that while the Duke now seemed unyielding, it was only due to the shock of recent revelations. Yan Jingyu was still the daughter he had adored for years, and since no irreversible harm had been done, once his anger faded, his affection for her would surely return.
Take now, for instance—why had the Duke fallen silent, leaving the decision to him? Aside from the fact that Yan Jingshu was the victim, was it not also because he couldn't bear to be harsh on Yan Jingyu himself? Yet whether the Duke realized it or chose to ignore it, this placed the burden on the most innocent party—Yan Jingshu.
Yan Jingyu continued to beg desperately, her tears falling like rain, her frail body swaying weakly. Her wretched, haggard appearance would move anyone to pity—yet Yan Jingshu remained silent and expressionless, utterly unmoved.
Since this was a matter between Yan Jingshu and Yan Jingyu, with their parents present, the Dowager Lady had refrained from intervening after learning of it. But her presence alone ensured that even if the Duke and his wife favored Yan Jingyu, they could not easily bully Yan Jingshu.
Now, seeing Xie Shi and the Duke remain silent, waiting for Yan Jingshu's decision, the Dowager Lady grew displeased, convinced they were pressuring him. Just as she prepared to intervene and play the villain herself, Yan Jingshu moved.
Slowly pulling his sleeve from Yan Jingyu's grasp, he lowered his gaze and said calmly to the Duke, "Let Father decide. This son has no objections."
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