After Saving The Disabled Villain, I Was Attacked In Return! - Chapter 59

“Gu Meng, I understand you’re shaken by the incident,” Madam Grand Secretary said, maintaining her kindly demeanor, “but you must never speak like that again.”

Gu Meng, oblivious to the unspoken implications, shook her head vigorously. “Maternal Grandmother! That vile Qi An pushed me into the lake! Think about it—how could someone my size possibly fall in by accident?”

Gu Meng’s pitiful tone struck a chord with Shen Xi, who detected a subtle hint in her words. Qi An certainly wouldn’t dare push her own daughter into the lake. But… given Gu Meng’s temperament, after the humiliation she suffered in the Main Hall, she would undoubtedly seek revenge.

Shen Xi frowned, remaining silent for now, observing her parents’ reactions.

Grand Secretary Shen couldn’t stand it any longer. His voice carried a hint of anger as he demanded, “Did anyone witness Qi An pushing Gu Meng into the lake?”

Although Grand Secretary Shen was advanced in years, he had few worries and enjoyed a comfortable retirement. This, in turn, kept him physically robust and his voice strong and resonant.

Jiang Yu, Qi An, and Liu Xueyun were all summoned before Grand Secretary Shen. Qi An’s handsome face wore the aggrieved expression of a fallen beauty, her slightly raised eyes pleading for protection.

Jiang Yu, looking utterly bewildered, spoke first. “Grandfather, Gu Meng and I were standing far apart. How could I possibly have pushed her down?” Her innocent demeanor seemed to further convince Grand Secretary Shen that Gu Meng was up to her tricks again.

Gu Meng felt a twinge of guilt at Jiang Yu’s words. After all, she had been gradually closing the distance to Jiang Yu in order to harm her first. From their original positions, it was true that she had been standing quite far from Jiang Yu.

Unbeknownst to Gu Meng, as she lowered her head to ponder this, Grand Secretary Shen clearly saw the flicker of guilt on her face. This only reinforced his growing certainty about what had truly happened.

“Qi An is her maid. Jiang Yu is bound to defend her!” Gu Meng exclaimed, her expression shifting from guilt to anxiety.

Grand Secretary Shen snorted coldly and turned to Liu Xueyun. “Liu Xueyun, tell us what exactly happened by the lake in the Back Garden.” His tone softened slightly when addressing Liu Xueyun, but the lack of familial bond with Shen Lian’s daughter still made his words somewhat reserved.

Liu Xueyun, usually hesitant and stammering, became even more tongue-tied under Grand Secretary Shen’s sudden questioning. Yet her eyes brimmed with self-doubt and timidity; even if given a hundred times her courage, she wouldn’t dare lie.

Compared to the mysterious Qi An, Grand Secretary Shen was more inclined to believe Liu Xueyun’s account.

“Sister Gu Meng… she… she slipped and fell by the lake… she was trying to pull me down with her…” Liu Xueyun choked back a sob, her timid nature making her words all the more pitiful.

Hearing this, Shen Lian felt even more ashamed that she couldn’t even protect her own daughter. She glared at Shen Xi, her usual demeanor of a kind and well-mannered elder sister abandoned as she demanded, “Second Sister, what are we going to do about this? You know my daughter’s character—she would never have any malicious intent to deceive anyone.”

Shen Xi had initially wanted to remain silent, but now that her elder sister had spoken so bluntly, she had no choice. Even though her heart ached for her daughter, she stepped forward to smooth things over. “Meng’er must have been frightened half out of her wits and said something incoherent. Don’t be angry, Sister. In the end, this is all my fault for failing to discipline her properly.”

Shen Xi’s concession left Gu Meng utterly bewildered. She opened her mouth to protest, but Shen Xi stopped her, sitting beside the bed and even covering her daughter’s mouth with a hand.

Grand Secretary Shen tacitly accepted this as Gu Meng’s own mischief, clasping his hands behind his back with a resigned expression. “I warned you how to raise children. Now this scandal will bring shame upon your father’s reputation.”

With nothing more to say, Grand Secretary Shen swept out of the Side Hall, returning to the Main Hall to resume his reading.

Madam Grand Secretary took charge of the situation, sitting there with her soft heart, listening to the girls talk.

“Second Sister… there’s no need to be so formal. Don’t take Father’s words to heart.”

When Shen Lian said this, Jiang Yu couldn’t help but think that some people were all talk and no action. They’d already reached this point, yet Shen Lian was still being overly kind.

“Sister Gu Meng… Ningning doesn’t understand what Qi An did to offend you, to make you target her so relentlessly…” Jiang Yu spoke with a hint of hurt, which tugged at Madam Grand Secretary’s heartstrings.

“Ningning, don’t blame yourself. Neither of you is wrong. Perhaps Meng’er simply doesn’t like Qi An very much…” Madam Grand Secretary walked over and held Jiang Yu’s hand, stroking it affectionately.

Gu Meng watched the scene unfold, feeling utterly despondent. She was the one who had fallen into the lake and was now being wronged, yet everyone was fawning over Jiang Yu.

Just moments ago, Madam Grand Secretary and the others had been clustered around her. The sudden shift in attention left Gu Meng feeling utterly abandoned. She curled up on the bed, retreating into herself.

Jiang Yu discreetly observed Gu Meng’s dejected mood. She knew she couldn’t show any mercy toward someone like this, but neither could she push things too far. What if she accidentally drove several people to turn bitter?

Finally, the three Madams and Madam Grand Secretary put their minds at ease. After instructing the doctor to carefully treat Gu Meng, they returned to the Main Hall to discuss the General’s Residence banquet the next day.

This matter wasn’t just about the General’s Residence’s reputation; it also touched upon the Shen Residence’s reputation for discipline. Everyone was unusually concerned. The Side Hall emptied quickly, leaving only Jiang Yu, Qi An, and Liu Xueyun behind.

Gu Meng sat up again, glaring fiercely at Qi An as if she wanted to say something. But Qi An seemed uninterested in acknowledging her. Turning away, Qi An left the room.

Jiang Yu quickly noticed something was wrong with Qi An’s expression. Without paying further attention to Gu Meng and Liu Xueyun, she lifted her skirt and hurried after her.

Gu Meng had intended to protest, but the speed at which the two fled left her stunned. Now alone with the timid Liu Xueyun, her anger boiled over.

“You bitch! You haven’t even won his favor yet, and you’re already wagging your tail like mad? You’ll never escape your lowborn fate!” Gu Meng’s insults grew increasingly shrill, but Liu Xueyun remained focused on her own world, her head bowed as she examined the simple embroidery on her shoe.

Almost none of Gu Meng’s words registered. After a while, even she grew weary of shouting.

Slumping onto the bed, she glared venomously at Liu Xueyun, her mind consumed by visions of the girl’s innocent-looking face betraying her with slander.

The doctor, having just finished writing the prescription, had been listening to Gu Meng’s rant for some time. He was surprised to find that these seemingly refined young ladies could spew such venom.

Shaking his head, he stepped out of the Shen Residence, handed the prescription to a servant girl, and headed back to his clinic to prepare the medicine. Lost in thought, he didn’t notice the man who had sidled up beside him.

The man looked like a peddler, carrying a pole slung across his shoulder, though the pole was empty. When the doctor looked up, the man was staring at him with a lecherous grin, clearly ready to pester him with questions.

“Isn’t Grand Secretary Shen usually so robust? How did he end up needing to see you?” The man’s accent didn’t sound like someone who did manual labor. The doctor simply repeated what Gu Meng had just told him, adding a few grumbles.

“I really didn’t expect young ladies these days to curse so…” The doctor trailed off, shaking his head and turning away with his hands clasped behind his back. The man carrying the pole immediately darted off in the opposite direction.

At the Dowager Consort’s Residence, Zhao Hanxue sat in his side courtyard, sipping his tea as his subordinate reported on the day’s events at the Shen Residence.

Zhao Hanxue had originally been keeping an eye on Jiang Yu’s movements to appear at opportune moments and leave a favorable impression on her. He never imagined he’d stumble upon such crucial information.

“So… the Second Madam’s daughter is feuding with Jiang Yu? And Qi An tricked her into this, now causing a scene at the Shen Residence?” As Zhao Hanxue heard this, his eyes lit up. Tomorrow was the General’s Residence’s grand banquet, and Dowager Consort Zhang had given him a direct order last night: to embarrass Shen Yun at the banquet.

After obtaining this crucial information, Zhao Hanxue devised his own scheme to disrupt the event. He rewarded his subordinates with some silver and sent them away.

Alone, he stood up and went to find Dowager Consort Zhang to discuss the matter.

“Qi An… could you walk a little slower? I can’t keep up…” Jiang Yu thought this body was truly pampered and spoiled. Though slender, just a few steps left her gasping for breath. In this feudal era, women were probably expected to move slowly.

Qi An walked straight ahead, but when she spoke, she unconsciously slowed her pace, though she still didn’t turn to look at Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu was puzzled. She stopped in place and resorted to acting petulant. “Qi An! If you don’t turn around and look at me, I’m going to jump into the lake!”

Qi An didn’t turn around.

“I really will jump!” Jiang Yu’s voice trembled.

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