Who knew that Wei Tianze would be so audacious as to not only frame Fu Hui, but also implicate his wife?
Startled, she immediately asked, "How did she get involved?"
This is a complicated matter.
Seeing his father nod in acknowledgment, Fu Yu stood up and bowed slightly to his uncle, saying, "I learned this from the people involved, but it hasn't been verified yet. I'll leave the decision on how to handle this matter to you, Uncle." After saying this, he explained the whole story of yesterday, and then said, "Yesterday, You Tong's carriage had several accidents, which led to him being taken advantage of when he was alone. Liu Xiong admitted that these things were arranged by Qiu Niang and Cao Ying, who were by my aunt's side."
After the sound faded, the room fell silent.
Fu Zhang was shocked that his mother would be involved in such a matter, and could only secretly look at his father.
Fu Deming's face was already filled with anger, and his expression was stern.
Out of consideration for his elders, Fu Yu didn't investigate Qiu Niang and Cao Ying. However, he knew that Qiu Niang was an old confidante of his wife. Moreover, when Shen Shi went out to the banquet yesterday, she brought her younger relatives along. She should have taken good care of them, so how could Wei Shi have been left alone and almost been murdered?
If one truly harbors ulterior motives and is manipulated by outsiders, then that would be utterly foolish!
Chapter 74 Confession
It was already evening when Fu Deming left Xiyangzhai.
After the start of autumn, the heat subsides and coolness arrives. The leaves of the paulownia trees fall, and although the mornings and evenings gradually become cooler, unlike the sweltering heat of midsummer, the ground still gets scorching hot in the afternoon due to the lingering heat of late summer.
The heat lingered, and the evening breeze still carried the scent of summer.
Fu Hui was initially alarmed by Sun Meng's actions, then astonished by Wei Tianze's betrayal. Upon hearing the details of yesterday's events, he found himself sweating profusely. Turning to look at his father, Fu Deming, he saw him walking slowly with a cane. Despite the sweltering heat around him, his face was ashen, like the cold of winter—naturally, due to the assassination attempt on Wei's family yesterday.
He spent a long time on the frontier, his mind preoccupied with the war and border defense, and rarely concerned himself with matters of the household.
In my childhood memories, Madam Shen was always gentle, kind, and understanding. She served her mother-in-law with utmost respect and diligence, and rarely disciplined her sons harshly, unlike my father, whose stern words commanded respect. In the years since she joined the army, her visits home had become increasingly shorter. Each time she did return, Madam Shen remained a kind and gentle mother, never mistreating her daughters-in-law or grandsons. Even though she had gradually gained some authority in recent years, it was only for the sake of managing the inner quarters.
Fu Hui could not imagine that his mother would lay a hand on his nephew's wife.
How is that possible?
Looking at his father's gloomy profile, he figured his father probably believed the second branch of the family. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Father, although what Second Uncle and the others said is credible, it's not a done deal yet. Please don't be angry. We should ask Mother about this first; perhaps there's a misunderstanding?"
Whether there's a misunderstanding or not, Fu Deming can't say for now.
However, it was undeniable that Shen was being manipulated—the two brothers had followed their grandfather to the battlefield in their youth, and over the years, Fu Deqing, as the elder brother, knew his character and actions perfectly well. On the other hand, his wife had harbored malicious intentions for power within the household, and his nephew's wife had secretly sabotaged him. Although he hadn't noticed it at the time, he later vaguely sensed something amiss. However, by then, Han had already moved out of the mansion, and Fu Deqing didn't want to cause discord between the two families, so he simply let it go.
Now that Shen is setting her sights on her second nephew's wife, it's possible that she's repeating her old habits.
In front of his son, he didn't speak ill of his mother, but said in a deep voice, "I know what I'm doing. Your second uncle wouldn't have brought this up if he wasn't sure. Now that there are doubts, I have to give him an explanation. I'll handle this matter; don't interfere. I'll go to the prison later to see those people's statements first, and then interrogate Qiu Niang. Don't spread this around."
This means that they need to keep it from the Shen family and first clarify the clues.
Fu Hui hesitated, "After all, this involves my mother. If we keep it from her, wouldn't that be..."
Fu Deming glanced at him, stopped, put his hand on his son's shoulder, and said solemnly, "Since this case involves both the East and West Courtyards, it would be unfair to judge based on kinship. If your mother is upright, I will certainly clear her name. If she really did something foolish, do you want the second branch of the family to suffer injustice?"
Seeing that Fu Hui was still hesitant, he continued, "Our Fu family is where it is today because of the unity between your uncle and me. Since someone is deliberately trying to sow discord, we must be even more careful and treat everyone fairly. Remember, your second uncle is also your blood relative—he almost lost his life because of Sun Meng, but he didn't doubt or blame you at all."
Fu Hui was taken aback, and after a moment he said, "Son understands."
Fu Deming did not linger any longer. He took a carriage out of the mansion and headed straight for the Qizhou prison. Yesterday, Fu Yu had finished interrogating the local thugs he had captured. After Liu Xiong identified Chen San, he transferred them to the prison in the city.
The thug and Liu Xiong had no idea that this deal would end up in jail, and they were both dejected. When Fu Deming interrogated them, they confessed truthfully.
Then, Chuncao, Uncle Liu, and the accompanying maidservant also testified and recounted what had happened.
Upon hearing this, Fu Deming could not help but sense something amiss. His face darkened, and he immediately returned to his residence, heading straight for the East Courtyard.
...
In the east courtyard, Madam Shen had already prepared dinner and was waiting for Fu Deming to return for the meal.
The couple had been together for over twenty years and their relationship was fairly good. In their younger years, Fu Deming was on the battlefield, and they rarely saw each other. Since he became disabled, he rarely went out. If he had social engagements in the evening and didn't come home for dinner, he would usually send someone to inform Madam Shen.
Since no one delivered the letter tonight, Madam Shen warmed up the food and waited patiently.
The moon had risen in the east, and the servants lit lanterns. Taking advantage of the free time, Madam Shen dealt with some trivial matters, occasionally glancing outside.
When she saw the figure approaching under the moonlight, she waved for the stewardesses to go out, then ordered the meal to be served, and greeted him with a smile. Seeing Fu Deming's sullen face, she said, "I've been waiting for so long, the food is almost cold. What's wrong, is something else happening outside?" As she spoke words of concern, she suddenly paused when she met Fu Deming's gaze.
His gaze wasn't sharp, but it felt like a heavy, blunt knife pressing down on her, making her flinch slightly.
"This is..." She began, but was interrupted by Fu Deming—
"Yesterday you went out of the city to a banquet, and Wei from the South Tower also went?"
He was in charge of the administration of several prefectures under Yongning's jurisdiction and rarely concerned himself with the inner quarters. The sudden mention of his nephew's wife made Shen's heart clench slightly.
Shen tried to remain calm, saying, "She had a little mishap on the way; she twisted her ankle and didn't go."
How did you sprain your ankle?
"It must have been a slip of the hand. There's a mountain path leading to Shili Peak that's not easy to walk on."
"Is that so?" Fu Deming pondered for a moment. Seeing the maid bring in the dishes, he waved her away and said, "You were with her, yet you didn't know how Madam Wei sprained her ankle?"
"I wasn't with her at the time."
Why?
There was clearly a reason for such probing. Feeling guilty, Madam Shen didn't meet his gaze and said slowly, "There was a slight problem with her carriage. I saw that she enjoyed the scenery on both sides, so I didn't rush her and let her take her time to repair the carriage and relax. It wouldn't be good to be late for the banquet, so I left without waiting for her."
"The rented carriage doesn't bear the Fu family insignia, and there are no guards around. Are you really at ease with it?"
Fu Deming's voice was low and questioning, with a hint of displeasure, yet it resonated like thunder in my ears.
Shen's heart skipped a beat, and when she looked up in surprise, she met Fu Deming's gaze. Even though he had retired from the military and was no longer on the battlefield, he still possessed the calm and dignified demeanor, as well as the sharp insight, honed by half a lifetime of military campaigns.
The fact that he mentioned the Wei family without any reason and knew so much about them clearly meant that the second wife had complained to him.
Shen Shi figured that Liu Xiong had already fled, and even if the second branch of the family suspected something, they had no concrete evidence. So she just smiled lightly and said, "She's not a child. When she went out before, she only took maids and servants with her. How could we not feel at ease? What, she sprained her ankle, and you're blaming me?"
"It wasn't just a sprained ankle; it was an assassination attempt."
"Assassinate—" Madam Shen was stunned, her face showing astonishment, "Assassination?"
"First there were disrespectful thugs, then assassins plotting to kill her. If Xiuping hadn't arrived in time, she would probably be dead there." Fu Deming sat down at the table, looking at his wife's astonished face, his brows furrowing slightly. "You, as an elder, took her out, yet such a mishap occurred. You're quite careless! What's the reason for the Wei family's carriage repeatedly having problems?"
By the end, the tone had become accusatory.
Shen was taken aback, and couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat looking at Fu Deming's dark face.
"I really didn't expect this to happen." She carefully chose her words, just as she was about to make an excuse, when she suddenly saw Fu Deming's eyebrows furrow and he slam his hand heavily on the table. The rosewood table made a dull thud, and a clear sound of wood cracking came from it. The tea tray on it trembled, and the porcelain cups rang crisply.
Madam Shen rarely saw him so angry, and she was greatly alarmed.
Then Fu Deming shouted in a deep voice, "Don't try to fool me, what exactly happened with that carriage!"
"I had no idea," Madam Shen insisted, adopting her usual cautious demeanor. "Madam Wei loves to have fun. I left her here to enjoy the scenery and relax, which was originally a kind gesture on my part. Since this has happened, I admit my fault for not considering things carefully and for being too lenient with her. But how could I know why her carriage malfunctioned?"
This is simply refusing to admit it and stubbornly denying it.
Fu Deming's face darkened further, and he snorted heavily through his nostrils, saying in a deep voice, "Come with me!"
After saying that, he got up, picked up his cane, and walked outside.
Although he was injured in the legs, he has been able to walk quite nimbly with the help of crutches for the past few years. When he was furious, he walked like the wind and his imposing manner was intimidating.
Madam Shen dared not delay and hurriedly followed. Seeing her trusted servant waiting in the courtyard with a worried look on her face, she simply waved her hand and then forced herself to maintain the demeanor of the mistress of the house, quickly following after her.
The lanterns outside were dimly lit, and the night breeze was getting cooler.
Fu Deming walked furiously until he stopped in an empty room outside his study.
Two guards stood watch at the door, but when they saw him arrive, they consciously retreated to a distance.
Fu Deming's face was as dark as the night. He forcefully opened the door and went in first.
Shen didn't know what was locked inside. She had run all the way here, and her husband's rage had left her drenched in sweat, her heart pounding like a drum. With her heart pounding, she forced herself to remain calm and followed him inside, but her expression changed slightly when she saw what was inside—the empty room was lit with candles, and Qiu Niang and Cao Ying were bound hand and foot, their mouths gagged with cotton cloth, huddled in a corner. Beside them was a strange man, not a servant of the Fu family.
Upon seeing her enter the room, Qiu Niang began to plead with a "woo-woo" sound, but because she was tied up tightly, she could not move.
Fu Deming frowned and glared angrily, slamming his cane down hard, causing the blue bricks on the ground to shatter.
The noise inside the house also subsided in that instant.
He turned around, his eyes like daggers, and stared at his wife's shoulder. "Do you recognize this person next to you?"
Shen was taken aback, then heard him say, "His name is Liu Xiong."
The name struck Shen like a thunderbolt. She didn't know the man, but she knew Liu Xiong. She had even secretly arranged for someone to leave Qizhou and kill him to silence him once he was far away. Who knew he would return?
Shocked, she looked at her husband; it was clear that he wasn't just making things up as a test.
The sweat on her body, when blown by the night wind, suddenly turned into a chilling coldness that seeped into her spine and quickly spread to every part of her body. Even with her deepest composure, Shen was caught off guard by this scene and panicked. She struggled to calm herself down and, clinging to her last glimmer of hope, said, "I don't know her."
Liu Xiong had never met her; all the arrangements were made through Qiu Niang and Cao Ying.
Qiu Niang came with her when she married far away. After decades of being mistress and servant, their bond was extraordinary.
As long as Qiu Niang denies it to the death, she can still clear her name—at least, there won't be any irrefutable evidence.
Upon hearing this, Fu Deming's eyes revealed deep disappointment.
He glanced at his wife, raised his cane, and removed the burlap from Liu Xiong's mouth.
Having suffered greatly in prison, Liu Xiong was terrified. Seeing Fu Deming's two sharp gazes upon him, he immediately said, "My lord, spare my life! It was those two who instructed me to do the deed, to tamper with the carriage, and to have local thugs ambush us. The time, place, and code word were all given by her, it's absolutely true!"
"You scoundrel!" Madam Shen rebuked sharply, turning to Qiu Niang with a look that was both pleading and threatening. "I have always treated you well, even taking care of your son. How could you collude with outsiders and use me to harm others!"
How could Fu Deming not understand the meaning behind those words?
"You didn't order it?" he asked.
With no way out, Shen gritted her teeth and said, "No."
Fu Deming snorted coldly, removed the burlap from Qiu Niang's mouth, and said in a deep voice, "Speak in front of her!"
Qiu Niang, a mere servant, was no match for Fu Deming's imposing presence. If she were a loyal servant, mindful of the years of affection she had for Shen Shi, she might have gritted her teeth and admitted it. Alas, kindness is often met with resentment, and the bond between master and servant was no longer what it once was. Now that things had come to this, and the conspiracy exposed, she had already witnessed the tortures in prison before being bound here, leaving her trembling with fear. She no longer possessed the courage or ability to deny or lie.
In front of Fu Deming, he was filled with fear and trepidation as he explained everything clearly.
Shen tried to interrupt several times, but Fu Deming stopped her each time.
In the empty room, only Qiu Niang slowly confessed her sins and pleaded, each word like a sharp knife piercing Shen's heart.
Her expression shifted from initial threats and pleas to reproach and anger, and finally to pale panic.
Her face drained of color, and her back was covered in cold sweat. She clenched her hands tightly and, with great effort, looked at her husband.