Spring Message in the Snow – CH 095

Chapter 95

Jiao Yue was quite frightened. She quickly told Nanny Yu to wait while she went to the inner room to inform her.

Because her voice had been loud, they had already heard her from inside. Halfway there, she saw the Heir Apparent and her mistress rushing out. Reaching the corridor, she asked Nanny Yu, “How is Qingrou? Is she alright?”

Nanny Yu replied, “Fortunately, Nanny Hua found her early. She’s not seriously injured, but her neck is badly swollen from being strangled, and she cannot even speak. This matter has alarmed the entire Li household. The Li family tried to cover it up, but Nanny Hua would not allow it and sent me to inform the Second Mistress. Several other maids went to the Zhang Mansion; they expect the Zhang family to arrive soon. Second Mistress, you’ve been through so much trouble. Please, Second Mistress, seek justice for our mistress.”

Surou agreed, then dismissed Nanny Yu and went inside to comb her hair and change her clothes. Once on the carriage, Helian Song, seeing her composed demeanor, understood and asked in a low voice, “Was this your idea?”

Surou glanced at him. “You saw through me?”

He said, “Of course. Otherwise, how could you be so calm? But it’s for the best. If she does not fight to the death, she will eventually lose her life to the Li family anyway. She should fight while she’s young; otherwise, in two or three years, she will resign herself to fate, and that will be her life.”

Surou said yes, “I only decided to give her this idea after seeing how haggard she was during the return on New Year’s. People are afraid of accepting their fate. Once she accepts her fate, the Li family will have her wrapped around their little finger and will even blame her for not having any children in the future. Actually, I’ve always known that my third sister isn’t a strong-willed person. I thought she wouldn’t have the courage, but I didn’t expect her to actually do it this time. I guess Li Shu’an is just too outrageous, and she has reached her breaking point.”

Helian Song stroked his knees, looking at the streetlights gradually coming on, and sighed, “This has started, but we still need to see what she chooses in the end. The Li family will definitely try their best to appease her. If she’s easily swayed, perhaps she will get a bunch of promises in return, and the matter will be settled.”

Surou could not help but feel disappointed. After all, no girl wanted to be divorced after only a month of marriage. No matter how justified one was, it was like porcelain with a crack; it was impossible to make it whole again.

However, right now, there was no time to worry about anything else; supporting Qingrou was the priority. When the carriage arrived at the Li family’s gate, a servant tried to stop them, but Helian Song kicked the door open.

Nanny Yu led the way, calling out, “Your Highness, Second Mistress, please follow me.”

The small courtyard where Qingrou lived was completely surrounded by the Li family. Before they even entered, they heard someone angrily accusing them, “What on earth happened that warrants this? Second Young Madam may have no shame, but the Li family does…”

Just as the words were finished, a long procession of soldiers in soft armor rushed in, clearing a path. Previously, the Li family members had been blaming Qingrou for causing trouble, but now they all fell silent, staring wide-eyed at the soldiers barging into their home.

The eldest son of the Li family, now in officialdom, naturally recognized the Heir Apparent. He hurriedly descended the steps to greet him, bowing and saying, “Your Highness, what brings you here…?”

Helian Song glanced at him, a cold smile playing on his lips. “I heard my sister-in-law encountered some trouble at your residence. I came to see if I could offer any assistance.” He then ignored him and strode into the main room.

At this moment, Qingrou had already been helped into a round-backed chair, leaning weakly against Nanny Hua. Seeing Helian Song and Surou enter, tears streamed down her face. She opened her mouth to call out to them, but no sound came out.

Surou felt a sudden pang of pain in her heart. She rushed forward to check on her and discovered bruises under her chin from the ligature. Shocked that she could be so cruel to herself, she suspected she was truly contemplating suicide. Enraged, she turned to the Li family and shouted, “My sister almost lost her life! What are you all talking about saving face? What have you done to her that drove her to suicide so soon after her marriage? If you do not give me a proper explanation today, I will strike the Dengwen Drum and demand justice for my sister from the Emperor!”

This terrified the Li family. Their eldest son, Li Shuping, had just been promoted to Vice Minister of Ceremonies, and Li Shu’an was about to take the imperial examination. If this matter reached the Emperor now, their entire family’s future would be in jeopardy.

Madam Li hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over, “Your Highness…Your Highness, please do not be angry, calm down, let’s talk things out…”

Surou flung her hand, sending Madam Li staggering. “Talk things out? If we had not come, would you have planned to talk things out? Each of you is accusing her; you will not stop until you drive her to her death!”

The women of the Li family rushed to help Madam Li up, the two sisters-in-law complaining, “Why does Your Highness blame people without even asking what happened…”

Surou said, “My sister almost died in your house… So, it was me who did not ask for the facts?” Her eyes glared at the two girls of the Li family, then she sneered, “Do not be so hasty. You will regret this. Do not think you can walk away just because something like this happened in your family. The news that the Li family almost drove their bride to her death will spread throughout the capital tomorrow. I will see what kind of good marriage you will have in the future!”

People in this world never knew the pain until they’d been stabbed themselves. Hearing this, the two muttering sisters immediately lost their arrogance, shrinking behind Madam Li, no longer daring to speak.

Li Shuping stepped forward again, bowing respectfully, “Your Highnesses, let’s discuss this matter carefully…”

Helian Song’s gaze swept across his face, looking him over, and he asked in surprise, “The wife hanged herself, but the husband is not home. Where is the real wife?”

Cold sweat beaded on Li Shuping’s temples. He stammered, “I’ve…I’ve already sent someone to deliver the message.”

Helian Song’s gaze shifted slightly. He said to Li Shuping, “Yesterday was just the Lantern Festival. We should have been happy. How did this turmoil happen today? Vice Minister Li, this should not be happening.”

His slightly raised tone, though lacking the force of thunder, still conveyed a sense of reproach and intimidation.

Li Shuping stammered, trying to defend his brother, when the maidservant in front of Qingrou burst into loud sobs: “Madam! Madam, you’ve been wronged! Others may not know, but we see it all clearly!”

Surou, wanting to use them to spread the word, said, “Nanny Hua, you are Third Sister’s wet nurse, and you’ve taken care of her in every way. You must explain the whole story clearly today, without missing a single detail. Even if we end up at the Imperial Guards, we can plead our case to the Imperial Guards.”

Nanny Hua quickly agreed, wiping away her tears, and said, “Our mistress has been troubled for quite some time. Today, she said she wanted to go to bed early and sent everyone out of her room. I noticed something was off about her, so I kept an eye on her and didn’t go far. Later, when the lamps were lit in the corridor and the inner room darkened, I wondered if I should go in and light a candle. Then I heard a loud bang as a stool was kicked over inside. I called out to my mistress, but she did not answer. The door would not open, so I had someone inform the head of the household while several servants broke down the door. When I looked up, I saw my mistress hanging from the rafters, her face pale…”

Nanny Hua wailed again, “Heavens, how frightening! I was terrified! We quickly put her down! Thank goodness she was still alive; if it had been any later, my heart would have turned to ice… My mistress! My beloved mistress, cherished at home, was driven to her death in this family!”

“Since the wedding, Young Master Li has not even stepped into the inner chambers. Our mistress has been living like a widow until now. Is there no justice in this world?! The Li family is going too far! Young Master Li is still hung up on the Fourth Young Lady of the Yu family. Yesterday, on the Lantern Festival, he went out in the middle of the night to pay respects at her grave. This was confirmed by the servant in the study. Our mistress could not bear this humiliation any longer, which is why she took this step… Li Shu’an, that damned scoundrel! If anything happens to my mistress, I will risk my life to seek justice from him!”

Then came a chaotic chorus of agreement. Pipa, Gao Gao, and Nanny Yu all burst into tears.

“Our mistress is suffering! We beg Your Highness and the Second Mistress to do justice for our mistress!”

The Li family members immediately looked embarrassed. Madam Li tried to cover for her son, hurriedly saying, “That’s not how it is. Qingrou must have misunderstood. The Second Young Master has not been feeling well lately, and the physician advised him to abstain from sexual relations for now. He absolutely has no intention of thinking about Fourth Sister Yu.”

Surou sneered, “Madam, do not speak up for him. We are all experienced; who’s deaf and blind? Our Zhang family is an official family. Not to mention generations of high-ranking officials, we’ve produced several civil and military officials. If a family like ours is still bullied by you, what would happen to ordinary people if they entered your house? Now, as the head of the family, Madam, please give us a clear answer.”

Just as she finished speaking, Li Shu’an entered from outside. Seeing the scene, he was clearly bewildered and hurriedly called out, “Sister-in-law, brother-in-law.”

Helian Song waved his hand. “Our kinship comes from Third Sister-in-law. Since things have turned out this way, Young Master Li does not need to acknowledge our kinship.”

Li Shu’an’s face turned ashen. He never expected the cowardly Zhang Qingrou to have the audacity to attempt suicide.

“Wife, what are you doing? Why are you doing this?” He turned to Qingrou and questioned her, his tone harsh.

Surou, standing nearby, chuckled, “Your wife hanged herself, and instead of checking on her injuries, you come to question her about why she tried to kill herself. If you had treated her well, she would not have done this. I see now, Nanny Hua’s words were not unjust at all. Young Master Li has indeed always treated my third sister this way.”

Madam Li glared at Li Shu’an, signaling him to make amends. Li Shu’an had no choice but to go forward to check on Qingrou, but Qingrou immediately hid in Nanny Hua’s arms, frantically pushing Li Shu’an away.

Li Shu’an was somewhat annoyed, naturally resenting her meddling and also disgusted by these so-called family members supporting her. He immediately bowed to Helian Song and Surou, saying, “This is a matter for our Li family; please do not interfere.”

Surou retorted with a harsh “Pah!” and said, “Qingrou married you, not sold to you. You do not care about her life, but we, her own flesh and blood, do.”

Helian Song was also surprised. “According to you, the deaths of members of the Zhang family in the Li family are also a matter for your Li family and have nothing to do with the Zhang family… no connection whatsoever? You are a learned scholar, destined to meet the Emperor in the imperial court. How can you utter such disregard for human life?”

Seeing the weight of the accusation looming, Madam Li hurriedly tried to smooth things over, saying to Surou, “We understand the Princess’s anxiety, but both families have elders. It would be best if the elders sat down and discussed this matter…”

At this moment, someone outside interjected, “Since the madam says the elders should discuss it, then very well, now that the elders are here, let the madam speak. How should we handle this?”

Everyone looked outside and saw the Grand Madam arriving with Zhang Zhi and his wife. Her face was filled with anger, but she maintained her composure, adhering to her dignity. Upon entering, she first checked Qingrou’s injuries. When Li Shu’an stepped forward to pay her respects, she ignored him, continuing to say to Madam Li, “My good granddaughter married into your Li family because both families held official positions, and we thought she would not be mistreated, that you would treat her like your own daughter. That’s why we agreed to the marriage. Now, less than two months after the wedding, a murder has occurred. Today, all the bride’s family members who were supposed to come have arrived. Please tell me, Madam, how this marriage should end.”

Madam Zhang was an old noblewoman, and because her son was honored with a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, her status was naturally extraordinary. Madam Li dared not show any authority in front of her and reluctantly replied, “The child’s matter has alarmed the Grand Madam; it’s truly inappropriate. Please, Grand Madam, have a seat; let’s talk after we sit down.” She then gestured to Zhang Zhi and his wife and to Helian Song and his wife, “Please, everyone, have a seat…”

But the Grand Madam was unmoved, coldly saying, “We are not here to rest today, but for my granddaughter’s life. My dear in-law, please speak freely. Since things have come to this, let’s break it down and discuss it thoroughly.”

Madam Li was increasingly embarrassed. She glanced at Li Shu’an and helplessly said to the Grand Madam, “Grand Madam, I already told the Princess Consort that because Second Young Master has not been feeling well lately, the physician advised him to postpone marital relations. That’s why Qingrou has been neglected. There’s absolutely no other reason. The servants serving her are truly inappropriate; instead of comforting their mistress, they’ve added fuel to the fire, saying Second Young Master is still thinking about his former fiancée—is that not utter nonsense?!”

These blatant lies enraged Nanny Hua and the others, but because the Grand Madam was present, they could not confront Madam Li, though they harbored deep resentment.

Fortunately, Grand Madam Zhang was not easily fooled. She said calmly, “They are all maids of the Third Mistress. It is their duty to protect their master. My dear in-laws, you need not take offense at their behavior. But I believe my granddaughters are all well-mannered and virtuous. Ask around the capital; their character and conduct are impeccable. If the young master is truly unwell, as long as you explain things clearly to her, she will not cause trouble. On the contrary, she will take good care of him. I guarantee that.”

She paused, glancing at Li Shu’an. “But if the young master deliberately distances himself from her, treating her like a stranger after marriage, even speaking coldly and disregarding her, then I ask my dear in-laws to consider things from her perspective. Your family also has daughters. If your daughter suffers such neglect from the young master after marriage, what will you, my dear in-laws, plan to do?”

Madam Li’s face flushed red and then paled, finding it difficult to respond.

But admitting that her son still harbored feelings for the deceased was absolutely unacceptable. So she repeatedly pleaded, asking the Grand Madam to investigate, “Although Second Young Master and Fourth Young Lady Yu were indeed engaged, they are now separated by death. To bring up the deceased again is extremely disrespectful to the departed…”

These words ignited Lady Ling’s anger. Before Madam Li could finish speaking, she shouted, “What are you saying, my dear in-law? After all this fuss, it turns out you cannot say what you did. It’s clearly you who are so reluctant to part, yet we’ve been accused of using Young Lady Yu as a pretext. What? Are you trying to shift the blame, saying Third Mistress is jealous of a dead person? My dear in-law, do not treat people like fools.”

“I’ve already found out that your Second Young Master has recognized the Yu family as his godparents and even swore never to marry. Is this something someone fabricated to frame you? Now it’s the living clinging to the dead. If this continues, Fourth Madam Yu’s spirit in the underworld won’t find peace either.”

She then turned to Li Shu’an, saying, “Young Master Li, you’ve given all your affection to the dead. How can you show no regard for the living? Are you perhaps trying to force my daughter to her death? Do you love the dead more than the living? Do your teachers and classmates know about this madness?”

Lady Ling’s distorted interpretation completely embarrassed Li Shu’an. He blushed and said, “Mother-in-law, do not make false accusations! When did I ever try to force Third Mistress to her death?!”

Lady Ling said, “You did not try to force her to her death! You have not spent a night in her room for over a month since the wedding, and you did not even come to pay your respects to your in-laws during the New Year! What a proud person you are! Now that things have come to this, and she almost died in your house, what do you have to say for yourself?!”

She then glanced at Madam Li and sneered, “Truly a bizarre tale! The younger generation is ignorant, and the older generation is pretending to be confused. I just want to ask you, in-law, since the wedding night was not consummated, why did you not, as the mother-in-law, check? Letting this drag on until today, aren’t you afraid of slighting our Zhang family? So it turns out that the old and young of your Li family conspired to lure her into a trap. You probably knew that Third Sister was born of a concubine and were deliberately trying to humiliate her. Let me tell you, my Zhang family treats all daughters equally, regardless of whether they are legitimate or illegitimate. If you dare bully people like this, I will tear down your Li family’s roof and bring Vice Magistrate Li back so we can all have a proper discussion!”

Lady Ling was furious this time. She had readily agreed to Qingrou’s marriage, but now Qingrou was acting recklessly, and the Grand Madam was giving her the cold shoulder. She had just been pounding on the table and throwing a tantrum, leaving her with a bellyful of pent-up anger. Naturally, she wanted to vent her frustration on the Li family.

Madam Li, meanwhile, had been thinking that since Qingrou was not Lady Ling’s biological daughter, she could use Lady Ling to suppress the matter. Now, it was clear that it would not work. So, she looked at Li Shuping with a troubled expression. As the eldest son, he could still act as the head of the family and express his opinion.

Before Li Shuping could speak, Helian Song cut him off, saying quietly, “The Vice Minister is also a man of official rank. You should know that if this fire starts, it will not just destroy one Second Young Master Li. I think the Vice Minister would be wise to reconsider.”

Li Shuping was immediately taken aback and could only turn to urge his brother, “What are you still standing here for? Go and apologize to Sister-in-law!”

Madam Li also pleaded with the Grand Madam, saying in a low voice, “The Grand Madam is a truly wise and virtuous person. We are indeed lacking. We’ve wronged Third Sister; it’s all our fault. But Grand Madam, both the Zhang and Li families were respectable; if this got out, it would not be good for anyone. We hope Grand Madam would consider the bigger picture. Even if there were some disagreements between the young couple, it’s not irreparable. If Grand Madam is willing to give Second Young Master another chance, our whole family would treat Qingrou even better in the future.”

“I still have a few shops; I originally planned to give them to the younger ones in a couple of years, but now it seems there’s no need to wait. I would send the property deeds to Qingrou as soon as possible so she could have more money. A personal gift. Grand Madam, you see, before, this matter was kept hidden, making it difficult for everyone to handle. Today, we’ve brought it up openly. Without destruction, there can be no construction; a bad thing has actually started a good thing. What do you think, Grand Madam?”

The Grand Madam sighed after hearing this. “I know my daughter-in-law’s sincerity, but this matter cannot be covered up with a few properties or shops. This concerns my granddaughter’s entire life. If I make this decision for her today, and she does not live well in the future, she will resent me, her grandmother, for the rest of her life. Therefore, I will absolutely not make this decision for her. Please forgive me, my in-laws.”

Madam Li was disappointed. She looked at Zhang Zhi, who had been silent for half a day, and said in a mournful voice, “In-laws, please say something.”

Zhang Zhi glanced at Qingrou. “This matter is for my daughter to decide. Before, when she was of marriageable age, we chose a husband for her, which almost cost her her life. This time, we will not force her. Ultimately, my daughter’s life is more important than reputation. Whether she stays or leaves today is up to my daughter.”

Surou, standing to the side, breathed a sigh of relief. She had expected her uncle to seek reconciliation, but this unexpected gesture was a pleasant surprise.

Madam Li, hearing Zhang Zhi’s words, could only place her last hope on Qingrou, gently comforting her, “Good child, Mother knows you’ve been wronged. If Second Young Master treats you badly in the future, just tell me, and I will definitely give him a good beating to vent your anger. Forgive him this time, and see how he behaves in the future…”

She then forcefully tugged at Li Shu’an, “Your own actions are your own responsibility; go and apologize!”

Li Shu’an, helpless, felt a genuine fear from the Zhang family’s demeanor today. He could only step forward, bow deeply to Qingrou, and said with lowered eyes, “My Lady, I know I was wrong. I was too cold to you before; that was simply my nature. Because of our estrangement, I never expected it would cause you to misunderstand. It’s all my fault. Your behavior today has taught me a great lesson. I will definitely learn from this and never hurt you again. Our marriage is a destiny from a past life, and I do not want to break it. So I beg you, my wife, to give me another chance to make up for the mistakes I made. From now on, we can be of one heart and mind, and never have any more misunderstandings…” He looked at her sorrowfully, “Please, my wife, for the sake of our shared marriage, grant my request!”