Chapter 73
Justice

Jiang Xingjian was busy, so he entrusted Jiang Yan with the task of arranging the white wedding for Jiang Jing and the Chen family.

No one knew what methods Jiang Yan used, but the Chen family, who had initially refused, reluctantly began preparing for the wedding the next day. They hung white cloth all over the courtyard and even had white candles made. However, everyone in the Chen household looked somber, as if they were mourning the deceased Jiang Jing.

On the day of Jiang Jing’s wedding, Song Wan leaned against a jade-beaded cushion, lost in thought. She felt unwell and lacked energy, worrying Heng Zhi and Heng Wu.

“Miss, please eat something.”

“I can’t eat.”

She had no appetite and just wanted to be alone for a while. But as soon as she closed her eyes, someone hurriedly ran into the garden. It was Yun Que, the head maid from Mother Jiang’s side.

“Young Madam, Madam wants you to go to Fuhe Hall quickly.”

“What happened?” Song Wan got up, and Heng Wu knelt to help her put on her shoes.

“It’s Madam Zhou. She took advantage of the maids’ inattention in Yu’an Courtyard and ran out. Now, she’s heading to Fuhe Hall. The Old Madam is still ill and knows nothing about the recent events in the mansion. Madam Zhou’s current state is very unsettling, and Madam is afraid she can’t persuade her, so she sent me to find you.”

Yun Que looked panicked, fearing something might happen to the Old Madam.

Song Wan pressed her lips together, changed her clothes, and followed Yun Que out.

When they arrived at Fuhe Hall, Mother Jiang was directing the maids to restrain Madam Zhou.

Madam Zhou, who had been gentle and timid all her life, was now like a raging beast, attacking anyone who came near.

“Why won’t you let me see the Old Madam? I want to tell her about the chaos in the mansion and how you all caused my Jing’er’s death.”

“You, as the mistress of the Marquis Mansion, are incompetent and foolish, never treating my Jing’er as a person.”

Madam Zhou pointed at Mother Jiang, crying bitterly, “If it weren’t for your poor leadership and neglect of the illegitimate children in the mansion, would my Jing’er have ended up like this?”

“You!” Madam Zhou then pointed at Song Wan, who had just arrived, and cursed, “I know my Jing’er made mistakes, listening to that despicable person’s instigations, but why did you use her as a pawn in your fight?”

“You couldn’t defeat that flaunting, withered flower, so you used my Jing’er as a scapegoat, blocking her marriage with the Lan family. Are you even human?”

“A lowly woman of ill repute is ruining the Marquis Mansion. Does the Old Madam care or not?”

“If the Old Madam doesn’t give me an explanation today, I’ll smash my head against the main gate of the mansion, making sure the Marquis Mansion never has peace again and everyone meets a terrible end!”

Madam Zhou bit down on the maid’s finger, causing her to scream in pain and retreat several steps.

No one dared to approach, and Madam Zhou charged toward Fuhe Hall like a madwoman.

From a distance, a woman in a plain robe and silver hairpin ran over. Seeing Madam Zhou rampaging among the maids, she rushed forward and tightly embraced her.

Madam Zheng cried, “Are you crazy? Do you know what Fuhe Hall is? How dare you act so recklessly here?”

She held Madam Zhou tightly, preventing her from struggling and keeping the maids at bay.

“Have you lost your mind? Do you want to die? If you want to die, go back to your own courtyard. Why cause trouble here?”

Madam Zhou was stunned, not expecting the person stopping her to be the woman who had fought and trampled on her all her life. But seeing Madam Zheng’s tears, Madam Zhou could no longer hold back her grievances and began to wail. She slapped her thigh and cried out in pain, “My Jing’er, my Jing’er is gone.”

“My Jing’er is gone…”

With tears streaming down her face, Madam Zheng said, “That unfilial child is gone, so be it. In the future, I’ll have Jiang Ang take care of you. After all, he’s the old Marquis’s child. What’s wrong with him calling you Aunt?”

The old Marquis wasn’t particularly lustful. Although he took a few concubines in his younger days, he lost interest quickly. When he passed away, the Old Madam granted them freedom and allowed them to leave.

The only ones who stayed after giving birth to illegitimate children were Madam Zheng, Madam Zhou, and Jiang Yan and Jiang Xing’s mother, Madam Liu.

Madam Liu was beautiful and had a fiery personality. Being born in the mansion, she had a much higher status than the other two. In their younger days, Madam Zheng and Madam Liu often bullied Madam Zhou, who had the softest personality. But as they grew older and the old Marquis passed away, they all became more peaceful.

Although they had fought and argued all their lives, in the Marquis Mansion, apart from the maids and servants, they were the only ones who could prove each other’s existence.

Madam Zheng didn’t like Madam Zhou, and she didn’t even like Jiang Jing. But when she saw the maids trying to tie up Madam Zhou, she rushed forward. She held Madam Zhou tightly and cried, “Listen to me, live well, and don’t cause trouble for Madam and the Old Madam.”

“My Jing’er is gone. What’s the point of living?”

“I only had this one child, and now Jing’er is gone!”

Madam Zhou bit Madam Zheng’s arm, but not with the same force as before.

“What’s all this commotion?”

The Old Madam, supported by Bao Zhu and Fei Cui, trembled as she walked out. Mother Jiang was so frightened that her legs went weak.

“Quickly, help the Old Madam back inside. Be careful not to let her catch a chill and worsen her condition.”

The Old Madam glared at Mother Jiang and then looked at the servants in the courtyard with a frown. “All of you, leave. Let Madam Zhou speak to me.”

“Old Madam, you must seek justice for Jing’er!”

Shaking off Madam Zheng, Madam Zhou knelt on the ground and recounted everything Lin Jiayue had done recently. When the Old Madam heard that Jiang Xingjian had been appointed as the head of Shanglin Garden and that the servants of the Marquis Mansion had been sold, she clutched her chest in pain and leaned back.

“Old Madam, my Jing’er, you must stand up for her.”

Seeing Mada Zhou still entangled, Mother Jiang stepped forward and kicked her shoulder.

“Are you trying to kill the Old Madam? You keep saying I neglect the illegitimate children, but what about the kindness I’ve shown? I let you raise the young masters and young ladies yourselves, and now you blame me when something goes wrong? You should blame yourself for raising an unchaste daughter who has brought disgrace to all the girls in the Marquis Mansion.”

Madam Zhou was kicked down the steps and rolled far away. In a daze, she heard Mother Jiang insulting Jiang Jing. Her face twisted with rage, and she got up and charged again.

The Old Madam was so angry that she started to convulse while Madam Zhou continued to struggle with the maids.

Song Wan watched the chaos, her lips pressed together, lost in thought.

As the scene grew more chaotic, Lin Jiayue, looking ill, walked in from the courtyard gate. She looked at Madam Zhou and suddenly cried, “It’s my fault. If you have any grievances, come to me.”

Song Wan glanced at Lin Jiayue, who had lost weight in just a few days and sighed deeply.