As these words were spoken, Jiang Qingyu felt as though her world had collapsed, her mind buzzing incessantly.
At this mont, the people around her seed to vanish, leaving only Tang Yuan and the words he had just uttered.
What does despair taste like?
She thought, this must be it.
Chen Prefect’s gavel snapped Jiang Qingyu back to reality.
"Tang Yuan, what nonsense are you talking about?"
Jiang Qingyu frowned deeply.
He shouldn’t be like this.
He liked her so much, he’d kept himself pure for her for years, never touching any of the maids in the mansion, just to wait for her to change her identity and beco his woman. But now that she was his, when everyone turned against her, saying she deserved to die, shouldn’t he have stood up to shield her, telling her not to be afraid? Why did he have to suddenly betray her?
Tang Yuan turned his head with a cold laugh, his eyes bloodshot, "Despicable woman! Did you really think I would care for you? Being nice to you, figuring out ways for you to change your identity and join the second family, it was all just to trick you into revealing your true colors and find out the real cause of my brother’s death. Otherwise, why do you think the bridal sedan was halted at the door by the governnt officials?"
Under Jiang Qingyu’s expression of falling into the abyss, he continued, "My great-grandfather and grandfather were renowned scholars worldwide, teaching countless students. As their descendant, and the next Family Head of the Tang Family, while I may not continue their brilliance, I have the duty and responsibility to pass down the teachings and protocols of the Tang Family.
Having a virtuous and compliant wife, how could I possibly take a murderer as a concubine under the scrutiny of society? Mrs. Jiang, when I initially wanted to marry you, you were unwilling, and you climbed into my brother’s bed. When you regretted it, you resorted to any ans to transform yourself into my woman. Don’t you find yourself filthy and disgusting?"
Whether Jiang Qingyu had willingly climbed into Tang Xiao’s bed, Tang Yuan did not have concrete evidence, but to protect himself, he had to pin this filth on her.
A despicable woman deserves no sympathy in death!
But he accidentally stumbled upon the truth.
Jiang Qingyu never expected Tang Yuan to have known everything from the start.
No wonder over these years, no matter how ambiguous the atmosphere, no matter how much she seduced him, apart from hugging her, he never took it further.
He was rely using the opportunity to get close to her, speaking of affection but internally despising her for being filthy and repulsive.
"Please, Lord Governor, investigate thoroughly," Tang Yuan looked towards the presiding officer’s seat, explaining to Chen Prefect that he never had an illicit affair with his sister-in-law and that everything was a carefully set trap to uncover the cause of his brother’s death.
After speaking, Tang Yuan specifically glanced at the nanny beside Jiang Qingyu.
The nanny’s lips moved slightly. She knew well that Tang Yuan was lying, but she couldn’t refuse this lie; all her hatred was directed solely at Jiang Qingyu.
The master was like her own son whom she nursed, and when Mrs. Jiang hard him, she had to avenge this grudge!
So, after a mont of silence, the nanny corroborated Tang Yuan’s words, stating that she had indeed secretly cooperated with the Second Master over the years, and today finally revealed Mrs. Jiang’s true nature.
The nanny had a vivid recollection of the events from that ti; she could specify the dicinal recipes Tang Xiao had that day, the various soups Mrs. Jiang brewed, even bringing the old doctor who prescribed the dicine as a witness.
With witness and material evidence, Jiang Qingyu’s preditated murder of Tang Xiao was irrefutable.
She didn’t utter a single word, rely collapsed onto the ground, staring at Tang Yuan with eyes that transitioned from struggling to despair, and finally settled into tranquility.
Upon hearing the guilty verdict, Tang Yuan knew he could extricate himself cleanly from this disaster. Afraid of any possible slip, he used the excuse of his severe illness to conveniently "faint."
Chen Prefect ordered Jiang Qingyu to be detained in prison awaiting judgnt.
When Jiang Qingyu was lifted by the governnt officials, she leaned over to whisper sothing into Tang Yuan’s ear.
At this mont, while Tang Yuan was "unconscious," he was gritting his teeth tightly, nearly unable to resist the urge to jump up and slap her, but he ultimately had to endure.
Tang Yuan and the nanny, being witnesses, were released imdiately after the case concluded.
Tang Yuan was carried to the back hall to rest and was only allowed to leave after he "regained consciousness."
As he exited the governnt office, the nanny looked at Tang Yuan, hesitating to speak.
Tang Yuan knew that his petty tricks were transparent to the nanny, so he whispered, "If you have sothing to say, just say it. I know I’ve done wrong today."
The nanny sighed, "I am no longer a mber of the Tang Family and have no right to criticize the Second Master. I just hope you will forever rember what you just said in court and pass down the teachings and protocols of the Tang Family. This isn’t just my wish; it’s the master’s dying wish. Also, take good care of Young Master Yong."
Tang Yuan didn’t expect the nanny to say this, and while surprised, he felt even more ashad, lowering his head, "I understand."
After the nanny left, Tang Yuan walked a few steps forward and soon saw a servant from his mansion driving a carriage towards him.
Shortly afterward, the carriage stopped beside him, and the curtain was lifted, revealing Mrs. Qiao’s face, pale with worry.
"Second son, how did it go? What about that despicable woman, Mrs. Jiang?"
"Murderer, naturally she’s been locked up in prison," Tang Yuan said calmly.
"So, are you saying your elder brother was really killed by her own hands?"
Tang Yuan pressed his lips together, "Mother, I’m very tired, may I rest for a bit?"
Only then did Mrs. Qiao notice her son’s injured face, and quickly went to help him up into the carriage.
Once Tang Yuan was seated, he closed his eyes, clearly not intending to speak further.
Mrs. Qiao glanced at him a few tis, seeing how exhausted he was, and swallowed the words she had ready, instead pulling the blanket over him.
When they arrived ho, the red silk carefully hung up yesterday had all been removed, casting a gray shroud over the Tang Mansion, with the expressions of the servants as if in mourning.
Not knowing what truly transpired in the courtroom, Mrs. Qiao, still confused, thought for a mont and then called Tang Yuan to her courtyard to explain everything.
As mother and son entered the main courtyard, a small figure ran over from a distance, crying out, "Second Uncle, Second Uncle..."
Tang Yuan stopped and turned to look at him, "What’s the matter?"
Tang Yong sobbed as he wiped his tears, "They all say mother is missing, where is mother?"
He finished speaking and began crying again.
Ultimately, at an age that couldn’t part from a mother, no matter how afraid he was of being mistreated by her, at that mont, he couldn’t let go of his mother.
Tang Yuan was silent for a mont before telling him, "Your mother has gone to your maternal grandparents’ ho. Before leaving, she said she’d return when you grow taller, so from now on Yongyong should eat and sleep well, strive to grow taller to bring your mother back sooner, okay?"
Tang Yong cried even harder, clutching his sleeve and refusing to let go, "I don’t want, I don’t want, I want my mother. Second Uncle, take to find her."
Tang Yuan closed his eyes, and it seed he could still hear Jiang Qingyu’s last words to him before being taken away—Do you really naively think that Tang Yong is your brother’s son? If I could climb into his bed, I could certainly climb into another’s.
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