Song Yixiao sneered, “Whether she was rewarded with evil for evildoings or she died for her inexpiable sin, both have nothing to do with the Wei Family or you, right?”

It was generally believed that the Wei Family or Wei Mengying must be the ringleader for Madam Liu's wrongful death.

Even if Song Yixiao stepped up and confessed, people would maintain that belief. After all, she was only eight years old back then!

If others dared to blackmail her with this matter, it was still reasonable. Yet, since it was her mother, what did she fear?

“You have grown up indeed!” Wei Mengying stared at her with a complicated countenance, “I am sorry for you that you should have to play as an obedient girl before me for so many years!”

By “grown-up”, Wei Mengying actually meant that Song Yixiao got wildly out of wing. Song Yixiao got it and didn't deny at all. Her mother was best at making use of every single s.p.a.ce. If she appeared slightly feeble, Wei Mengying would find the loophole.

To put simply, one couldn't touch Wei Mengying with obedience; instead, she would be led by her nose. Only by capability and power could she be made to yield!

Therefore, Song Yixiao said calmly, “Mother, now you feel that I am not unfilial. Why don't you think about how Grandmother feels when she sees you deliberately plan to set against Chan? There are two reasons why I intercede for Chan. For one, she has suffered miserably; for another, Guanyun is fine anyway. Since you have your son and daughters as well as wealth and glory, why do you have to set against Chan? She is merely a poor kid!”

People followed the example of their superiors.

If Wei Mengying was not soft on the maiden family, Song Yixiao would follow her example and do the same thing in the future!

Wei Mengying recognized her words and laughed due to extreme anger, “It is negotiable if you want me to let go of Wei Chan. You know, I have done a lot of things for you—bringing you up, letting you go to the girl's school, dressing you up, teaching you how to be a good wife and offering you rich dowries on your wedding day. Tell me, what do I owe you as your mother?”

Song Yixiao remained silent, so she continued saying coldly, “Since I don't owe you anything…”

“Then even though you are my birth daughter, you cannot ask me to do as you wish at no cost!”

Wei Mengying said with disdain, “If you help your brother become the heir of the prince, I will not only let go of Wei Chan but also let her marry a good man. What do you think?”

“I cannot do it. Neither do I want to do it.” Song Yixiao shook her head, “Mother, you'd better put forward other conditions.”

“Other conditions?” Wei Mengying sneered, “I am a princess consort. I don't need money or manpower. What I need is something I can rely on when I get old. What else do I have to ask you for but that?

Song Yixiao said casually, “Mother, why do you have to say so? As you say, you've brought me up. Without you, I wouldn't be who I am today. Now only because I request you to raise your hand high in mercy, you a.s.sume this merciless posture as if you will break with me and take it as a transaction. Is the love between us over the past years so superficial?”

“Now you want to talk about love with me?” Wei Mengying said with disdain, “It is okay, but you shouldn't be a kind person with me as your stepping-stone!”

“Is it only for the sake of Chan that I ask you to spare her this time?” Song Yixiao looked at her and said, “We are not in touch for some days and you may not know about this. A few days ago, Madam Liu's incidence was brought up again, which resulted in Mr. You's being imprisoned by the Yamen of Jingzhao Munic.i.p.ality. Worse still, if the Mayor tries to create difficulties, I'm afraid I will be gossiped too!”

Wei Mengying sneered, “Mr. You was arrested by Yamen of the Jingzhao Munic.i.p.ality soon after you got married. How can I not know that? But why do you mention it to me now? Do you want to tell me that I conspired to kill Madam Liu or that you will turn me in if I don't do as per your request?”

“Back then, Liu Zhenxi asked the Mayor of the Jingzhao Munic.i.p.ality to transfer the case to the Ministry of Punishments but his request was declined.” Song Yixiao flipped her hair with calm eyes, “Then the Mayor closed the case within two or three days. By now, this incidence seems to be over.”

She hedged and took a glance at Wei Mengying, “How dare Liu Zhenxi alone make trouble for Duke of Yan? It was in the guise of Director in the Ministry of Rituals, Qiu Shuxia that he went to the Yamen of the Jingzhao Munic.i.p.ality! Mother, do I need to tell you about Qiu Shuxia's personality?”

He was the only one male descendant of the maiden family of the Empress Dowager. As long as the Empress Dowager was alive, he would be fine.

However, Qiu Shuxia regarded rituals as important as his life obsessively, in order to uphold orthodoxy in his mind, he would balk at no sacrifice, even that of dying sonless!

He was so harsh on himself, let alone others.

For such a man, once he noticed the compet.i.tion over the heir of Prince of Hengshan, he would definitely take the side of Lu Guanlun!

Thinking of this, Wei Mengying became shocked, “You want to lead the trouble to other direction?”

“Mother, why do you always feel that I want to hurt you and Brother?” Song Yixiao heaved a sigh and said, “As far as I know, the reason why you have to distance from me is that the Dowager Consort talks of the parental guidance pa.s.sed down through generations that anyone in Prince of Hengshan's mansion should never interfere with the fight over the crown. Her a.s.sertion is also supported by Her Majesty the Empress Consort. Am I right?”

Wei Mengying was such an astute woman that she immediately understood what Song Yixiao meant, “That time, the reason why the Dowager Consort visited the Empress Dowager was that Daiguo Grand Princess wanted to rope Prince of Hengshan in for Prince of Wei. Since Daiguo Grand Princess, the mother-in-law of Prince of Wei, could help draw Prince of Hengshan over to Prince of Wei's side, how is it possible that Qiu Shuxia, who supported the legitimate grandson to inherit the throne whole-heartedly, doesn't pave way for Prince of Zhao?”

However, even so, Wei Mengying was not easily scared. She pondered and said, “As to Madam Liu's matter, to be blunt, the dead cannot give witness! Now I am a princess consort while you are a first-rank-t.i.tled-lady-to-be. No matter how tough Qiu Shuxia is, can he convict us of the murder by virtue of the Liu Family's side of story?”

“I don't worry about it at all.” Song Yixiao said with a spurious smile, “Qiu Shuxia sent Liu Zhenxi, a vice minister only to take up the matter and in the end, he just let the Yamen of the Jingzhao Munic.i.p.ality close the case without badgering much. Do you believe that they will let go of it so easily?”

Wei Mengying stayed silent for a while and said, “You mean Qiu Shuxia is still watching Duke of Yan?”

“Prince of Hengshan too!” Song Yixiao reminded, “When Madam Liu's matter happened, I was only eight years old. It is always believed that an 8-year-old girl cannot do anything. Qiu Shuxia and Liu Zhenxi chose this thing to fly the kite. How can their target be me?”

Then she added, “Qiu Shuxia holds no grudge against us. He doesn't have a reason to set against us. Yet, although Liu Zhenxi and we have personal enmity, he doesn't only mean to seek revenge. Over the recent years, I hear that the descendants' marriage is seriously affected! Of course Liu Zhenxi must want to redress the case of Madam Liu!”

She said so deliberately to compel Wei Mengying to submit but she didn't talk at random. After all, regarding You Hong's case, Qiu Shuxia's and Liu Zhenxi's performances were inevitably suspicious!

Based on the current situation, they were very likely to hold this intention!

Wei Mengying sneered, “Madam Liu maltreated you indeed. On what ground can he redress her case? Qiu Shuxia wants to help him invert justice? He just thinks that people are all blind?”

“But people don't know the story behind!” Song Yixiao said with a faint smile, “Recently, I have read some books about judicatory in Xubai's study. Mother, do you know about this? A lot of old case can't be solved at first. Afterwards, they can be solved only because a minority of them happen to be handled by experts and the rest just need to wait!”

Wei Mengying was slightly surprised, “To wait?”

“To wait for the criminal to commit a crime again!” Song Yixiao sneered, “After the criminal is arrested, the police will follow the vine to get the melon so that the acc.u.mulated old cases done by the criminal can be solved!”

When she saw Wei Mengying's changed countenance, she smiled and said, “For example, what if Liu Zhenxi finds the proof that you framed Lu Guanlun and demands to redress his sister's case. Now that it has been six years by far, how many of the people who are grateful to us and would like to justify that Madam Liu did maltreat me are still alive? Even if they are, will they be okay to do that again?”

By then, with the help of negative public opinions and his power, Liu Zhenxi had a chance of turning Madam Liu into an innocent woman who was gentle and virtuous and yet framed to death by Wei Mengying and Song Yixiao!

Back then, the Wei Family and Wei Mengying could hound Madam Liu to death on the ground of Song Yixiao's miserable sufferings.

“It is only your speculation.” Wei Mengying remained silent for a while and said, “According to the parental guidance pa.s.sed down from the foundation of the country, Prince of Hengshan will never interfere in the compet.i.tion for the throne. Since the guidance can be stuck until now, we are somewhat confident. Even Daiguo Grand Princess only rope in Prince of Hengshan instead of adopting a coercive way, let alone Qiu Shuxia? He has the backing of the Empress Dowager, but he can still be the director after setting against my son-in-law for such a long time. Evidently, he must be really capable!”

“Therefore, if he is not too stupid, he shouldn't oppose me! Otherwise, he will offend Prince of Hengshan somehow.”

Song Yixiao smiled and said, “You make a good point, but since this is only between us, I will talk bluntly. It is well known that Qiu Shuxia dares to act recklessly only because of the backing of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager! Yet, Her Majesty's eldest great-grandson, Commandery Prince Zhongling is seven years old now!”

How long could the n.o.blest woman in the world live?

While she was alive, no matter what Qiu Shuxia did, given that he was only descendent of the Empress Dowager's maiden family, Emperor Xianjia would not be too harsh on him!

However, once the Empress Dowager pa.s.sed away, Emperor Xianjia would still give consideration to the blood bonding, but things would still be different. As a saying went, the tea cooled down as soon as the person was gone!

However, Xu Xis.h.i.+, aka, the Empress Dowager's legitimate grandson, Emperor Xianjia's legitimate nephew and Luguo Grand Princess's only son, was obviously low-key than Jian Xubai, Ji Zifu and other cousins. Even though he was unhappy with working in the Ministry of Personnel, he couldn't do anything about it anyway. Indisputably, he was a stark example!

Therefore, “How can Qiu Shuxia not feel anxious?”

His greatest advantage was the Empress Dowager but she was old now!

Hence, Qiu Shuxia must settle the overall situation before the Empress Dowager pa.s.sed away!

Under the circ.u.mstance, “He has no patience to act slowly! Moreover, as long as he acquires enough proofs, why will he dare to offend you?”

By then, perhaps Wei Mengying would have to beg him for mercy!

It was like that Wei Chan wished Wei Mengying to show mercy for her!

Wei Mengying stayed silent for a while and said, “Even if he doesn't have the proof, you can disclose it to him as you are determined to protect Wei Chan, right?”

“How dare I?” Song Yixiao felt a bit guilty but upon thinking of her mother's ability of scheming, she still forced herself to make up her mind, saying with a faint smile, “You are my birth mother. Guanyun is my half-brother. No matter how I am in favor of Chan, I can never expose you two to mortal danger!”

Her att.i.tude finally made Wei Mengying surrender with a sigh, “You've grown up. Since you have your own proposition, what else can I say?”

She stood up, “You tell Wei Chan to go back home. Although she is not as beautiful as you and she is not a virgin anymore, she is still young! Man sometimes likes romantic adventure. If she stays in the duke's mansion and has a thing with your husband, it will be too late for you to regret!”

She didn't say until she got out of the door, “I'll send people to discuss with the Wei Family to deal with the matter well. And so much for it now!”