Ci Jinzhi

  Chapter 23 Self-help

  Duan Yunwan hugged the old lady's leg, as if grabbing at straws, she had already thrown her gentleness aside.

   "Grandmother, save your granddaughter, mother is going to kill me!" Before the old lady had time to react, Duan Yunwan told her about the eldest wife Qiao's ordering her to push Kou Qingqing down.

  The fear of nearly dying made her careless of anything else, and there was only one thought in her mind: Cousin Qing was right, the aunt would not let her go, and being punished was better than losing her life!

   "My mother was afraid that I would leak the news, so she just sent someone to kill me to silence me! Grandma, please make the decision for my granddaughter!"

  Duan Yunwan's cry echoed in the room, and the old lady's forehead was throbbing with veins, and she slowly glanced at Xin You.

  Xin You pursed her lips tightly, her eyes flashed with astonishment, horror and anger.

  The old lady's lips moved, she didn't know what to say for a while, her gaze swept across her face and landed on Duan Yunling.

  Duan Yunling's face was pale, and there was no trace of blood on her trembling lips.

  The old lady looked at Mrs. Zhao: "She is—"

   After all, she is a rough envoy, and the old lady only feels a little familiar.

   "She is Zhao's mother in the mother's courtyard!" Duan Yunwan looked at Mrs. Zhao's face, and remembered the pair of big hands in the pool that pushed her head down again and again.

  The feeling of suffocation surged, making her face even paler, and her whole body trembled: "Grandmother, it wasn't enough for her to push her granddaughter into the pool, and she pressed my head into the water with her hands..."

  In the room, besides those who were close to the old lady, they were Xin You and Xiao Lian, Duan Yunling and her personal maid Ning Cui, and Mrs. Zhao who was kneeling on the ground.

   Except for Mrs. Zhao, the assailant, everyone else showed fear when they heard Duan Yunwan's words. Especially those who witnessed the murder scene with their own eyes, their faces were even more ugly.

  The old lady's face sank like water and swept across the people in the house, and told the maid: "Go to Yaxin Garden and call the eldest lady."

"yes."

  The old lady ordered her confidant woman to go to the Yamen to report to Duan Shaoqing.

  Originally, the matter in the inner house was handled by either the old lady or the Qiao family, so it would not easily disturb the man on duty outside, but today's matter is different.

  Involving the head mother murdering the concubine daughter, it was even revealed that the aunt murdered the niece for money. The matter was so serious that the head of the family had to be called back.

  The eldest wife, Mrs. Qiao, already knew about the situation in the garden. When the maid from Ruyi Hall came over, no matter what she was thinking, her face had already calmed down.

   "It's all because the daughter-in-law didn't discipline her well enough that the evil slave murdered her master." As soon as Qiao came in, she pleaded guilty and glared at Mrs. Zhao, "Please explain clearly to me, why did you hurt the eldest girl?"

  So many people saw Mrs. Zhao committing murder, Qiao knew that this argument was undeniable, so she could only push Mrs. Zhao out.

  She knew very well that Mrs. Zhao didn't dare to confess her. After all, Mrs. Zhao had a whole family in her hands.

   "Yes... It's the old slave who hated the big girl who once scolded me. Today, seeing the big girl alone by the pool, she became impulsively murderous..." Mrs. Zhao lay on the ground, crying bitterly.

"You're talking nonsense, why have I ever reprimanded you—" After a moment of anger, Duan Yunwan looked at Qiao Shi, "Mother Zhao made up such a reason, mother doesn't think it's ridiculous? You must have ordered me to push my cousin to fall off the cliff. Will I be forced to say that I am jealous of Cousin Qing like Mother Zhao?"

   Qiao's face sank: "What about your rules? Talk to me like this!"

Under fear and despair, Duan Yunwan's rationality was on the verge of collapse, and instead she went all out: "Mother forced me to become a murderer, and ordered Mother Zhao to kill me to silence me. I just told the truth, so there are no rules? Mother , I am also a person, the same person as the second sister!"

  Hearing Duan Yunwan mention Duan Yunhua, Qiao's face changed greatly: "Shut up! Why did I let you hurt my cousin girl? Old madam, I think the eldest girl is hysterical. I'd better invite a familiar doctor to come and take a look."

   "Ma'am." Xin You spoke.

   Only then did Mrs. Qiao realize that the cousin girl had been silent since she came in and had a fight with the concubine.

   "Qingqing, don't listen to your cousin's nonsense. In my aunt's heart, you are the same as the girls in the house." Qiao forced a smile.

  Xin You stared at Qiao's opening and closing mouth, only to find it funny.

   Turning black and white, calling a deer a horse, she has seen it today.

   "Is it the same as the girl in the house?" Xin You chuckled, "But Cousin Wan almost died in the pool just now. I also almost died not long ago. If you look at it this way, then we are indeed the same."

  As soon as these words came out, Mrs. Qiao and the old lady all changed their expressions. Standing in the corner, Duan Yunling's expression changed even more, his eyes were full of struggle.

   "Qingqing, what do you mean? Do you doubt your aunt?" Qiao's expression was disappointment and disbelief.

  Disappointment is fake, disbelief is real.

  Is this still the very thin-skinned cousin girl who would rather suffer a loss than lose face?

  Xin You smiled: "Compared to Zhao's mother killing the master because of being reprimanded by Cousin Wan, Cousin Wan's words are more reasonable. What does the eldest lady say?"

   Qiao's face turned blue and then pale, and a stern flash flashed in his eyes.

   "Qingqing, what you said made my aunt very sad—"

   "Then report to the officials." Xin You didn't bother to watch Qiao's pretend anymore, and said calmly.

   "What report to the official?" Duan Shaoqing, who hurried home, stepped in, and his expression changed suddenly after hearing this.

Xin You bowed to Duan Shaoqing, and said concisely: "Today, Mother Zhao in the aunt's courtyard pushed Cousin Wan into the garden pool. Cousin Wan said that it was my aunt who killed me, because my aunt ordered her to push me off the cliff. Mrs. Aunt said that this is all Cousin Wan's one-sided opinion, and that Mother Zhao harmed Eldest Cousin because she had scolded her. Which one do you think is credible?"

   "This—" Duan Shaoqing's expression was a little stiff. Obviously, he didn't expect the obedient and docile niece in his impression to ask such a straightforward question. He forced a smile to comfort him, "Qingqing, the matter is very important, and we still need to find out."

   "Master, the big girl is talking nonsense, are you letting her mess around and insult me ​​as a mother?" Qiao looked fixedly at Duan Shaoqing.

  Duan Shaoqing gritted his teeth and forcibly suppressed the fire.

  He is not stupid, the truth is self-evident, but no matter how angry Mr. Qiao is, he will not allow his wife, the mother of his children, and the head mistress of the Shaoqing Mansion to be charged with murder.

   Qiao Shi saw Duan Shaoqing's subtle reaction, and glanced at Duan Yunwan and Xin You.

   What two stupid girls, after this hurdle, you guys feel better!

   At this moment, her eyes were so cold and poisonous, Duan Yunling felt his blood rushing up, and blurted out: "I heard it!"

  Multiple gazes cast their gazes over, pushing this little girl who always wanted to protect herself wisely but had a disturbed conscience to the cusp of the storm.

  She was very scared, but knowing that there was no way out, she shouted again: "I heard it!"

  (end of this chapter)