The Slender Waist-Chapter 524 - 376: The Small Knife Scrapes the Bone
The last sentence struck Mrs. He right in the heart.
How could she tolerate her own grandson being left to fend for himself outside?
Yet, she still had doubts about Yang Lingxiang’s words.
She knew her son well enough.
She could believe he was kind-hearted enough to take in Yang Sanniang, but she found it hard to believe he would impregnate a woman and refuse to acknowledge it, let alone take another as his wife.
Her son was not that kind of heartless man.
Daring to do, but not daring to admit...
Glancing at He Chuandong’s angry expression, Mrs. He frowned and calmed herself, then whispered to Yang Lingxiang:
"Before the faces of so many ladies of high birth, swear a deadly oath."
Yang Lingxiang bowed her forehead to the ground.
"I dare not deceive my aunt. Every word I have spoken is true, and if a single one is a lie, may thunder strike my entire family, leaving none to die a good death."
Mrs. He fell silent for a moment.
Accursing one’s entire family, that oath was sworn with deadly seriousness.
But aside from her deceased parents, she might not care whether the rest of her family lived or died.
Mrs. He furrowed her brow, "A single person’s testimony is insufficient to be believed. Do you have any evidence?"
"The child in my womb is the evidence."
Mrs. He furrowed her brow again. Though it was hard to bear, she still spoke the harsh truth.
"That does not count as evidence..."
Who knows whether the child is her son’s seed?
Even if she liked Yang Lingxiang and was willing to welcome her into the He Family, she certainly wouldn’t be taken for a fool.
Yang Lingxiang gave a bitter smile and looked back at He Chuandong.
"Cousin, do not blame me. I really did not want to make this ugly scene..."
As her voice fell, Yang Lingxiang took out a jade pendant and a piece of paper from her bosom, under the scrutiny of all present.
The jade pendant belonged to He Chuandong.
Mrs. He recognized it.
The writing on the paper appeared to be hastily written, much more careless than He Chuandong’s usual script, yet was still recognizable.
"After drunken misconduct, I have wronged Sanniang. Today, I use this jade pendant as proof that I will report to my parents and welcome you into our home tomorrow, and dare not mistreat you."
Mrs. He’s face changed color.
Looking at He Chuandong, she said with a stern face:
"Scoundrel, what else do you have to say?"
He Chuandong felt his blood run cold.
It should have been a day of great joy when he happily married the woman he loved, but who could have expected such an unlucky incident to befall him and be falsely accused.
The worst part was that he had a mouth but couldn’t clear himself.
The jade pendant was his.
It had been lost for several months, and after an exhaustive search, it now appeared in Yang Lingxiang’s hands.
Then there was that paper with the handwriting clearly imitated to resemble his own, plainly showing that she came prepared...
"Mother..."
"Everyone..."
"Wen Hui..."
He bowed deeply to Mrs. He, to all the guests, and to Wen Hui.
"He Chuandong here also makes a deadly oath, if I have ever touched even a finger of Yang Sanniang in my life, may my entire family not die good deaths!"
"Shut your mouth!" Mrs. He’s face darkened, "Can deadly oaths be sworn so carelessly? If not you, how do you explain this jade pendant, this piece of paper? How do you explain your daily visits to Hongmu Alley?"
He Chuandong: "I..."
Going to Yutangchun always required passing through Hongmu Alley.
His visits to Hongmu Alley were merely to see Wen Hui.
But if he admitted it publicly, it would inevitably tarnish Wen Hui’s reputation, leading people to suspect that they were involved before their marriage...
He pursed his lips.
"In any case, I have not done it, and I will never admit it, even if it kills me..."
Mrs. He looked at Yang Sanniang, who was sobbing pitifully, and was about to send for her husband when she saw the bride on the bed move.
Wen Hui stood up.
Before everyone’s eyes, she lifted her veil.
"To discern the truth is actually not difficult."
Her voice was gentle. Having received guests at Yutangchun over the years, she had developed a good temperament, dealing with significant matters softly without showing the slightest bit of rigidity, yet her words carried decisiveness.
"First, we summon a doctor to see if Sanniang is indeed pregnant. Second, we call for witnesses. Young Master He always had servants accompanying his outings, and if there had been any dealings with Sanniang, the servants would surely know."
After speaking, she looked faintly at Yang Lingxiang.
"I wonder in which household does Yang Sanniang reside in Hongmu Alley? Yutangchun is just one street away from the Alley. I run a shop there, and I am familiar with the neighbors. Could we possibly find one or two witnesses to seek justice for Sanniang?"
Yang Lingxiang, seeing her serene gaze, suddenly felt a chill rising from her feet and an unsettling anxiety.
That look was all too familiar to her.
Earlier at the banquet, the Princess of Yonghuai had given her the same look.
It contained some pity, yet also a mocking smile.
- 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢
The domestic affairs in the back house soon spread to the outside.
He Qia was entertaining guests with wine when he was stunned with sweat beading on his forehead after hearing the servant’s "whisper."
What on earth was this?
He had not believed a single word of what He Chuandong said that day.
