The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity

Chapter 863 - 818: Just a Joke

Aunt Xie couldn’t stand Song Erlang’s rudeness any longer and shouted angrily when the door was kicked open, "If you want to fight or kill, go home and do it, don’t disgrace us here!"

She was clearly provoked into this outburst.

Obviously, Song Erlang snuck here by himself, otherwise, if Third Son knew, how could he allow such reckless behavior?

Song Erlang’s chest was still burning with rage, and he couldn’t hear Aunt Xie’s words at all. He rushed into the room, pulled Song Qi out from the quilt, and without a word, slapped her twice.

His strikes were strong, making Song Qi see stars, and her mouth filled with the taste of blood. She fell to the ground wailing loudly.

Xie Feng felt uncomfortable hearing this and wanted to intervene.

Aunt Xie said coldly, "Do you want more chaos in the house?"

"Grandmother..." Xie Feng’s voice was pleading, "Second Uncle is in a rage, I’m afraid he’ll lose control and cause a fatal accident, especially since this is happening in our mansion."

Aunt Xie clearly understood how serious it would be if someone died, but she didn’t want her grandson involved. She even hoped Xie Feng could use this incident to see Song Qi’s true nature and stop foolishly getting close to her.

"With all the servants from the Song Mansion here, do you really need to intervene?" Aunt Xie’s face darkened, "Go back to your room!"

Being called out, the servants from the Song Mansion swarmed into the room, grabbing Song Erlang in a jumble of hands and feet.

Song Qi, after receiving two slaps, was swiftly kicked harshly, leaving her face swollen and unable to get up from the ground.

The servants, seeing this, turned pale with fright, "Second Master, Old Madam is waiting to see Second Miss. That’s enough; if a death really occurs, not only will the Xie Family get involved in a lawsuit, but there will also be no way to explain it to Old Master and Old Madam."

The more Song Erlang looked at Song Qi in this state, the angrier he became, his eyes bulging as if they would pop out. He cursed angrily, "How could the Song family have produced such a despicable creature! During the earthquake in Ningzhou, I should never have saved you; I should have let you die there!"

Song Qi was sobbing uncontrollably, looking fearfully at Song Erlang, afraid of being hit again. The intense pain and fear made her body tremble uncontrollably, unable to say a word.

"Alright, Second Master, let’s take Second Miss back!" a servant advised.

Aunt Xie came in, glanced at Song Qi lying helplessly on the ground, fearful inside, then looked at the still furious Song Erlang, "After all, she’s your own flesh and blood. If you’re going to hit or scold, there should be a limit. That’s enough, take her back quickly; I heard your Old Madam is sick, I’ll go visit her."

Thinking of his sickly old mother at home, Song Erlang finally calmed down, shrugged off the servants’ hands, and pointed at Song Qi on the ground, "Don’t pull me! Grab her and tie her up completely. If she tries to escape again, break her legs!"

Song Qi tried her best to lift her head and cast a pleading look at Aunt Xie.

Aunt Xie replied coldly, "If you’d known this would happen, why did you behave so foolishly?"

The Xie family had no concrete evidence of Song Jiao’s death, so they dared not speak much, but they were sure Song Qi was involved. Otherwise, why would she hide at the Xie family if she had done nothing wrong?

...

Half an hour later, Song Mansion.

Yun Xia came in and reported, "Madam, Old Madam, Second Master and the others have returned."

Old Mrs. Liang was still sitting in Granny Song’s room and looked up upon hearing the news.

Wen Wan asked, "Did Second Miss come back?"

"She did come back," Yun Xia frowned, "I heard she was beaten by Second Master and is now tied up tightly, unable to walk steadily. Madam, should we have the household doctor take a look at her first?"

"What’s there to see? Can’t you see we’re waiting here? Bring her in immediately!" Granny Song shouted in frustration.

Yun Xia could only look towards Wen Wan.

Wen Wan said, "Bring her in, and be careful with her."

Yun Xia responded and went out.

Currently, only Granny Song, Old Mrs. Liang, and Wen Wan were in the room. Ye Ling had already been instructed by Wen Wan to return to Harmony Pavilion. The mother-in-law was bound to lose her temper today, and it was unclear how Song Qi would be dealt with, making it inappropriate for Ye Ling, as the new daughter-in-law, to witness these events.

Song Qi was brought in, followed by Aunt Xie and Yang.

With guests present today, Song Erlang was not in a position to enter the inner courtyard and had been escorted by the servants to meet Old Song and Song Wei in the front hall.

Song Qi was still tied up, cried all the way, his cheeks and eyes were swollen.

Seeing Yun Xia come in, Granny Song knew the person had arrived, she struggled to say, "Help me up."

Yun Xia said, "Old lady, you are still sick, if you have something to say, just speak lying down."

"I can’t speak lying down." Granny Song gasped for a breath.

Wen Wan could feel that even her breathing carried a fiery edge.

The death of Song Jiao and her son indeed dealt a considerable blow to her mother-in-law, seeing this stance, her mentality was likely already shattered.

Wen Wan thought of her premonition, growing increasingly fearful, she went outside and quietly instructed Linglong, "Hurry to Marquis Changning’s mansion, and invite my mother over."

In this state, only her mother could probably suppress it, otherwise with her mother-in-law’s nature, once her fury rose and she acted, injuring the young girl resulting in a fatality was one thing, but her energy might be completely exhausted.

Linglong quietly left Rong’an Hall while everyone was unprepared, just planning to ask a youngster to prepare a carriage when she saw a maid from the second gate running over, saying the Eldest Princess had arrived.

Linglong was delighted, "Quickly invite her in."

Zhao Xunyin had intended to come early, but unfortunately, Lu Yanli had stomach discomfort and cried persistently, she fed him medicine and coaxed him to sleep before rushing over, upon arrival she realized, Old Mrs. Liang had already come.

Meeting Linglong outside the Hanging Flower Gate, Zhao Xunyin asked, "Has that old lady from the Liang family made things difficult for Wanwan?"

Linglong said, "The person is ours, died at their mansion, if anyone should be troubled, it’s them troubling us. Old Mrs. Liang seems difficult to deal with, yet she hasn’t said anything excessive, only wants us to bring Second Miss back for questioning."

As she walked, Zhao Xunyin sighed, "That girl has been raised under Wanwan’s knee for a few years, I heard she’s of a composed nature. Liang Jun is a Hanlin Official; their family isn’t so poor that they can’t afford a midwife. Moreover, she was already eight months pregnant, the midwife should’ve been invited long ago, but with everything prepared, yet resulted in two deaths, surely there’s something suspicious about it, Second Miss might just be a lead, the true situation remains unresolved, investigation is needed. A girl married off and died, the Song Mansion can’t just let it go without clarity."

Listening to this, Linglong silently sighed, indeed, the Eldest Princess views things from a different perspective.

Indeed, Second Miss merely played an inductive role, causing the eldest’s early birth, but the subsequent difficult labor wasn’t caused by Second Miss. In such cases, whether to save the mother or the child, surely one could be saved, yet the outcome was two deaths. At the end of the day, both the midwife and the Liang family can’t evade responsibility.

Thinking of this, Linglong couldn’t help but feel suspicious.

It’s said that Old Mrs. Liang lost several children when she was younger, could it be that when the midwife asked whether to save the mother or the child, she chose to save the child to make up for her own regrets, resulting in saving neither?

The more Linglong thought, the more her hair stood on end with fright.

When the two reached Rong’an Hall, upon entering the courtyard, they saw Song Qi’s hands tied behind his back, kneeling outside the main room door, trembling uncontrollably.

And Granny Song, had already been assisted out by Yun Xia and Wen Wan, seated on the Taishi Chair, staring coldly at Song Qi.

Old Mrs. Liang and Aunt Xie Yang stood silently to the side.

Seeing Zhao Xunyin, everyone wanted to come over for greetings.

Zhao Xunyin hurriedly said, "The matter at hand is important, no need for formalities."

Her words made it clear, she was here for Song Jiao’s death today.

Wen Wan let Yun Xia go inside to bring Zhao Xunyin a chair, and also brought one over for Old Mrs. Liang and Aunt Xie.

Once everyone was seated, Granny Song spoke, "Old in-law just said on the day of the incident our second girl went to Liang’s mansion, so I had someone bring her back, the Eldest Princess has the most esteemed and authoritative status, why not ask you to help investigate this case?"

Zhao Xunyin smiled, "Logically, I could investigate, but practically, I’m still an outsider, not convenient to interfere in your family’s affairs, though I can listen in, and see if anything is overlooked."

Granny Song originally didn’t want outsiders to manage this matter, the remark was made out of respect for Zhao Xunyin’s esteemed position.

Hearing Zhao Xunyin say she wouldn’t interfere, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then looked again at Song Qi, starting to question him, "Did you go to Liang’s mansion on the day Jiaojiao got into trouble?"

Song Qi bit her lip, sobbing, nodded. She went there by carriage, so many people saw it, almost impossible to deny.

"Then what did you say to her?"

"I... I just made a joke."

Old Mrs. Liang suddenly sneered, "Your joke could make my daughter-in-law give birth prematurely, that’s some skill. Why not tell everyone here, how did you joke?"