Chapter 66 – Affirmation
Pei Yan was the one who saved Yu Tang from the kidnapping. Before Li Duan came, he had discussed this matter with his father’s advisors. They could not deny the kidnapping incident as there were too many loose ends. Therefore their top priority was to refute the murder charge of Wei Xiaoshan at all cost. Even if their Li family was a prominent official family, they might have to make recompense for the murder – who will they get to be the scapegoat then?
Li Duan thought for a while and felt that there shouldn’t be anything wrong with what Yu Tang said, so he smiled and replied, “Lady Yu, for this matter, the fault lies with our family. However, the love a mother has for her child know no bounds. I hope that Lady Yu would show mercy to my mother. If Lady Yu still feels upset, I am willing to compensate the Yu family and Lady Yu on behalf of my mother.”
Listening to his words, even Yu Tang could predict what he would say next.
“Compensation is not necessary.” She said coldly, “Just because our family did not agree to your family’s marriage proposal, you dared to ruin my reputation. Before this, your family had repeatedly asked the wife of Scholar Tang to visit my house to matchmake, but my family always refused. Once your family found out that my family was interested in marriage with the Wei family, what were your family’s thoughts? What would they do?”
It finally came to the topic of Wei Xiaoshan.
All the people present had some idea in their hearts, and discussed in hushed tones among themselves.
Originally, they thought that the Li family had no motive to kill Wei Xiaoshan, but now after hearing Yu Tang’s words, it was indeed possible for Madam Li to have done it.
As Li Duan listened to her words, his heart thudded. He knew that he was caught in Yu Tang’s trap. He casted a glance at the people around them and quickly responded. “Although my mother is a little hasty and quick-tempered, she would not have committed murder. Lady Yu has no evidence to support those statements, so please don’t wrongfully accuse us.”
After saying this, he looked towards Pei Yan.
Pei Yan, who had been sitting upright, was now in a relaxed position. He rested his left elbow on the armrest of the tai shi chair and leisurely played with a Hetian jade in his hand. Li Duan was unable to read his emotions.
Li Duan got anxious, but he did not dare to show it on his face.
Yu Tang retorted coolly, “I am afraid that Eldest Young Master is confused. Does Madam Li not know how important an unmarried lady’s reputation is? She would let those ruffians kidnap me for her own personal gain. How would you guarantee that if your mother knew that my family was planning to have Wei family’s second son as a son-in-law, in her anger, she would not have done something similar like kidnapping?”
Li Duan argued, “How can murder and kidnapping be the same?”
Yu Tang immediately responded, saying “What’s the difference? For both cases, she only needs to instruct someone to carry out her orders. For a woman who sits comfortably in her home, often times, she can hear people discussing about a woman’s purity, but she may not see a murder with her own eyes. Am I wrong? Or does Madam Li think that a woman’s chastity is not important?”
Her words were like droplets of water that crackled and splattered violently as it landed in boiling oil in a frying pan.
The people murmured, “A woman’s virtue is naturally more important than her life!”
“Even if Madam Li was angry and lost her senses for a moment, she can’t do such a thing!”
“That’s right. This matter has gone too far.”
Li Duan was sweating hard and he quickly said, “Lady Yu, my mother definitely did not have that intention……”
“She didn’t have that intention?” Yu Tang did not relent as she immediately retorted. If the Li family dared to do it, she would force Madam Li to admit to this murder. Everyone would know that Madam Li was not a good person. “She didn’t have that intention and still dared to kidnap me; if she had the intention, would she commit murder as well?”
Li Duan was cornered by Yu Tang’s words and had no choice but to turn to Pei Yan for help.
“Third Master Pei,” he turned towards Pei Yan and pleaded fervently “I ask for your help in my defense. It was wrong of our family to kidnap Lady Yu, but today we are here to talk about the murder of the Wei family’s second son. If Lady Yu is not satisfied, I will make amends to Lady Yu personally when this matter is over.”
“Making amends can be dispensed with.” Yu Tang didn’t wait for Pei Yan to speak before she interrupted, “I didn’t expect the Li family’s eldest son to have learnt the art of dodging so well. When we speak of one matter, you say another. It’s fine, we’ll talk about the kidnapping later, right now, let’s talk about the murder of the second son of the Wei family.”
Pointing at the two fugitives, she said scathingly, “Our family provided the witnesses, but you said that your family was falsely accused and there was no reason to kill the second son of the Wei family. I then provided the reason why your family would want to kill the second son of the Wei family, yet now you ask me to provide evidence. No matter how I argue, your family is always justified. I’m curious, even if we were to bring out all the evidence that pointed to your family’s guilt in this murder, would you still argue and plead innocence? Pray tell, Eldest young Master Li, in the eyes of the Li family, what then can be considered a proper witness? What then can be considered as physical evidence? This would give then us an accurate measure for us to follow, lest Eldest young master Li again dismisses our accusations.”
Pei Yan touched the jade he had just taken off his waist.
He knew that Lady Yu was eloquent, but he did not expect her to be this bold and cutting.
Wasn’t she afraid that she wouldn’t be able to get married after this?
Pei Yan looked at Li Duan.
Li Duan said hurriedly, “Lady Yu, these two fugitives are capable of doing anything as long as they are given some silver, so how can they be witnesses ……”
Yu Tang interrupted him and said mockingly, “Has Eldest Young Master Li dealt with these two people before? How else would you know that they are capable of doing anything as long as they were bribed? Why then did Eldest Young Master Li say that these two men had no more involvement with your family after they escaped from your family’s country estate?”
Li Duan said, “Lady Yu, please don’t make false accusations. From their appearance, it is clear that these two men are not decent people, and thus their words cannot be used as evidence. Don’t try to push the blame on the Li family for everything.”
Yu Tang responded, “According to your words, this matter was completely fabricated by me then? Why didn’t I say that the Wang family did it, or the Sun family did it, but instead say that it was your Li family who did it?”
Li Duan replied, “That is because Lady Yu misunderstood our Li family and felt that my Li family had some animosity with your Yu family ……”
“Hasn’t there been animosity between both families?” Yu Tang stepped forward and again questioned him sharply, “Your Li family has been trying to influence my marriage all this while. The Wei family never held any grudges with anyone and my family has also been good to people in Lin’an over the years. Whoever that mentions our Yu family, will they not commend us for our generosity? Why would such a thing happen? If it is not your family, then who else?”
Li Duan was overwhelmed with Yu Tang’s persistent questioning and finally said, “Lady Yu, you can’t just assume that the Li family did this!”
Yu Tang said disdainfully, “So what? I’m positive that your family did it. Since Eldest Young Master Li said that your family didn’t do it, then please show me the evidence that proves otherwise. We can’t let this matter end solely on the basis of your words, can we? How can there be such a thing under the heavens that you can make demands of others and yet not apply same standards to yourself!”
She wants the Li family to produce evidence to prove their innocence?
Li Duan once again looked towards Pei Yan.
Pei Yan did not know when he had switched to his right arm that was supporting his elbow.
He nodded and said. “That’s reasonable. Since Young Master Li said that this matter has nothing to do with your family, then please provide the evidence.”
Was Pei Yan siding with the Yu family?
Li Duan’s heart sank and he could only reply, “Lady Yu, on the night of Wei Xiaoshan’s accident, no one from the Li family went out of the residence, nor had they been to the country estate. Especially my mother, I’m the one managing those shops in her dowry, not mentioning the common household affairs. Men and women are separated, so there is no way she could have known these two fugitives.”
Yu Tang could not help but speak with sarcasm and said, “Filial piety is absolute. I didn’t know that in such a serious matter, Eldest Young Master Li would actually drag Madam Li into this. Is it not Eldest Young Master Li who is running the general affairs of the Li family?”
Li Duan’s face turned pale.
As a son, not mentioning if the culprit was Madam Li, even if it was, he should have been the one to take responsibility.
Previously, he had only thought of ways to remove the Li family from this issue, but had forgotten the most basic principle of filial piety.
Li Duan regretted this very much and darted a quick glance at his surroundings.
The people were looking at him strangely.
Li Duan secretly cursed in his heart.
Everyone present in this hall were all prominent and well-respected men in the upper echelon of society. Therefore, if he made a faux pas today, his reputation would be adversely hit, and it would be difficult for him to live in Lin’an, let alone fulfilling his ambition of becoming a court official.
“Lady Yu,” he said with deliberation, “You mustn’t try to find loopholes in my words. I am merely replying your questions. Previously, you mentioned that this matter involves my mother, so if I were to remain silent, wouldn’t I be allowing you to slander my mother’s reputation? Speaking of evidence, since Lady Yu believes these two men to be witnesses, I too would like to ask, if these men can pinpoint the exact person from my family who instructed them.”
In committing murder, who would take the risk and give instructions in person?
Yu Tang knew things would progress in this direction, which was why she was reluctant to report it to the authorities.
She swept a glance at the surrounding observers.
Although not one word was spoken, but they all looked at Li Duan with a little suspicion in their eyes.
The seeds of doubt had been planted.
That would be enough.
As for revenge, it would be much too easy to let the Li family off the hook like this.
Yu Tang laughed derisively in her heart.
The two fugitives were full of anger and immediately wanted to identify Li Duan as the one who gave the instructions, but when they looked up, they saw Yu Tang’s cold gaze and shivered internally.
Before coming here, Yu Tang repeatedly told them to speak the truth and nothing else, not to exaggerate and not to be presumptuous. If they were honest, the Yu family would save both of them from death.
When they first heard her words, both of them were skeptical. However as they stood in the hall, and saw how Yu Tang fought against Li Duan in a war of words and cornered him, they gained confidence in Yu Tang and decided to trust her.
The two men exchanged glances and confessed that the person who gave the order to kill was the Li family’s chief steward.
Li Duan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt somewhat disappointed.
It would have been better if the two men said that he was the one who instructed them.
He could then question the two men until they were at a loss for words, thereby making it seem as though they were hired by the Yu family just to frame the Li family.
Alas, such a pity.
These two people looked tough, but yet acted in such a foolish and brash manner.
“Lady Yu.” Li Duan waited for both men to finish speaking before showing a face full of remorse, “This is the first time I’ve heard of this matter, I’ll call the chief steward to ask for clarifications.”
In a family like the Li family, the head steward was usually a servant or a son born from a servant who had lived in the Li family for many generations and had all his children and in-laws living in the same residence. Therefore, considering his family’s safety and future wellbeing, even if they were called in, it would be impossible for the head steward of the Li family to speak the truth and identify the true culprit.
Everyone knew of this fact in their hearts.
Wei Xiaoshan was indeed killed by the Li family.
Although the real culprit could not be punished, the truth was revealed.
Master Wei was in tears.
As the people looked on, they only felt pity and sadness for the family.
The son who was raised up so lovingly, and was so close to starting a family of his own, was lost just like this, and there was no way to seek justice.
Master Wu got up and patted Master Wei’s shoulder, saying “My condolences.”
Others also came forward to comfort Master Wei.
With reddening eyes, Master Wei thanked them all, “Thank you for coming today.”
Master Wu had been looking for a chance to strike up a conversation with Pei Yan, and immediately said, “We are all insignificant here. We still have to thank Third Master Pei, if it wasn’t for his esteemed presence, we wouldn’t have been able to hold a case like this.”
His esteemed presence ……
The corners of Yu Tang’s mouth flicked upwards as she tried to hold back her laughter .
Pei Yan gave Yu Tang a sidelong glance.
What did she mean by that?
Shouldn’t she be thanking him for this?
If he hadn’t stepped in, would their Yu family have had the opportunity to air their grievances like this?
Thinking of this, Pei Yan nodded curtly at the twelfth uncle of the Li family who was the Li Family’s patriarch who was silent all this while. “Since things have progressed to this point, is there anything you wish to say?”
Chapter 66 – Affirmation
Pei Yan was the one who saved Yu Tang from the kidnapping. Before Li Duan came, he had discussed this matter with his father’s advisors. They could not deny the kidnapping incident as there were too many loose ends. Therefore their top priority was to refute the murder charge of Wei Xiaoshan at all cost. Even if their Li family was a prominent official family, they might have to make recompense for the murder – who will they get to be the scapegoat then?
Li Duan thought for a while and felt that there shouldn’t be anything wrong with what Yu Tang said, so he smiled and replied, “Lady Yu, for this matter, the fault lies with our family. However, the love a mother has for her child know no bounds. I hope that Lady Yu would show mercy to my mother. If Lady Yu still feels upset, I am willing to compensate the Yu family and Lady Yu on behalf of my mother.”
Listening to his words, even Yu Tang could predict what he would say next.
“Compensation is not necessary.” She said coldly, “Just because our family did not agree to your family’s marriage proposal, you dared to ruin my reputation. Before this, your family had repeatedly asked the wife of Scholar Tang to visit my house to matchmake, but my family always refused. Once your family found out that my family was interested in marriage with the Wei family, what were your family’s thoughts? What would they do?”
It finally came to the topic of Wei Xiaoshan.
All the people present had some idea in their hearts, and discussed in hushed tones among themselves.
Originally, they thought that the Li family had no motive to kill Wei Xiaoshan, but now after hearing Yu Tang’s words, it was indeed possible for Madam Li to have done it.
As Li Duan listened to her words, his heart thudded. He knew that he was caught in Yu Tang’s trap. He casted a glance at the people around them and quickly responded. “Although my mother is a little hasty and quick-tempered, she would not have committed murder. Lady Yu has no evidence to support those statements, so please don’t wrongfully accuse us.”
After saying this, he looked towards Pei Yan.
Pei Yan, who had been sitting upright, was now in a relaxed position. He rested his left elbow on the armrest of the tai shi chair and leisurely played with a Hetian jade in his hand. Li Duan was unable to read his emotions.
Li Duan got anxious, but he did not dare to show it on his face.
Yu Tang retorted coolly, “I am afraid that Eldest Young Master is confused. Does Madam Li not know how important an unmarried lady’s reputation is? She would let those ruffians kidnap me for her own personal gain. How would you guarantee that if your mother knew that my family was planning to have Wei family’s second son as a son-in-law, in her anger, she would not have done something similar like kidnapping?”
Li Duan argued, “How can murder and kidnapping be the same?”
Yu Tang immediately responded, saying “What’s the difference? For both cases, she only needs to instruct someone to carry out her orders. For a woman who sits comfortably in her home, often times, she can hear people discussing about a woman’s purity, but she may not see a murder with her own eyes. Am I wrong? Or does Madam Li think that a woman’s chastity is not important?”
Her words were like droplets of water that crackled and splattered violently as it landed in boiling oil in a frying pan.
The people murmured, “A woman’s virtue is naturally more important than her life!”
“Even if Madam Li was angry and lost her senses for a moment, she can’t do such a thing!”
“That’s right. This matter has gone too far.”
Li Duan was sweating hard and he quickly said, “Lady Yu, my mother definitely did not have that intention……”
“She didn’t have that intention?” Yu Tang did not relent as she immediately retorted. If the Li family dared to do it, she would force Madam Li to admit to this murder. Everyone would know that Madam Li was not a good person. “She didn’t have that intention and still dared to kidnap me; if she had the intention, would she commit murder as well?”
Li Duan was cornered by Yu Tang’s words and had no choice but to turn to Pei Yan for help.
“Third Master Pei,” he turned towards Pei Yan and pleaded fervently “I ask for your help in my defense. It was wrong of our family to kidnap Lady Yu, but today we are here to talk about the murder of the Wei family’s second son. If Lady Yu is not satisfied, I will make amends to Lady Yu personally when this matter is over.”
“Making amends can be dispensed with.” Yu Tang didn’t wait for Pei Yan to speak before she interrupted, “I didn’t expect the Li family’s eldest son to have learnt the art of dodging so well. When we speak of one matter, you say another. It’s fine, we’ll talk about the kidnapping later, right now, let’s talk about the murder of the second son of the Wei family.”
Pointing at the two fugitives, she said scathingly, “Our family provided the witnesses, but you said that your family was falsely accused and there was no reason to kill the second son of the Wei family. I then provided the reason why your family would want to kill the second son of the Wei family, yet now you ask me to provide evidence. No matter how I argue, your family is always justified. I’m curious, even if we were to bring out all the evidence that pointed to your family’s guilt in this murder, would you still argue and plead innocence? Pray tell, Eldest young Master Li, in the eyes of the Li family, what then can be considered a proper witness? What then can be considered as physical evidence? This would give then us an accurate measure for us to follow, lest Eldest young master Li again dismisses our accusations.”
Pei Yan touched the jade he had just taken off his waist.
He knew that Lady Yu was eloquent, but he did not expect her to be this bold and cutting.
Wasn’t she afraid that she wouldn’t be able to get married after this?
Pei Yan looked at Li Duan.
Li Duan said hurriedly, “Lady Yu, these two fugitives are capable of doing anything as long as they are given some silver, so how can they be witnesses ……”
Yu Tang interrupted him and said mockingly, “Has Eldest Young Master Li dealt with these two people before? How else would you know that they are capable of doing anything as long as they were bribed? Why then did Eldest Young Master Li say that these two men had no more involvement with your family after they escaped from your family’s country estate?”
Li Duan said, “Lady Yu, please don’t make false accusations. From their appearance, it is clear that these two men are not decent people, and thus their words cannot be used as evidence. Don’t try to push the blame on the Li family for everything.”
Yu Tang responded, “According to your words, this matter was completely fabricated by me then? Why didn’t I say that the Wang family did it, or the Sun family did it, but instead say that it was your Li family who did it?”
Li Duan replied, “That is because Lady Yu misunderstood our Li family and felt that my Li family had some animosity with your Yu family ……”
“Hasn’t there been animosity between both families?” Yu Tang stepped forward and again questioned him sharply, “Your Li family has been trying to influence my marriage all this while. The Wei family never held any grudges with anyone and my family has also been good to people in Lin’an over the years. Whoever that mentions our Yu family, will they not commend us for our generosity? Why would such a thing happen? If it is not your family, then who else?”
Li Duan was overwhelmed with Yu Tang’s persistent questioning and finally said, “Lady Yu, you can’t just assume that the Li family did this!”
Yu Tang said disdainfully, “So what? I’m positive that your family did it. Since Eldest Young Master Li said that your family didn’t do it, then please show me the evidence that proves otherwise. We can’t let this matter end solely on the basis of your words, can we? How can there be such a thing under the heavens that you can make demands of others and yet not apply same standards to yourself!”
She wants the Li family to produce evidence to prove their innocence?
Li Duan once again looked towards Pei Yan.
Pei Yan did not know when he had switched to his right arm that was supporting his elbow.
He nodded and said. “That’s reasonable. Since Young Master Li said that this matter has nothing to do with your family, then please provide the evidence.”
Was Pei Yan siding with the Yu family?
Li Duan’s heart sank and he could only reply, “Lady Yu, on the night of Wei Xiaoshan’s accident, no one from the Li family went out of the residence, nor had they been to the country estate. Especially my mother, I’m the one managing those shops in her dowry, not mentioning the common household affairs. Men and women are separated, so there is no way she could have known these two fugitives.”
Yu Tang could not help but speak with sarcasm and said, “Filial piety is absolute. I didn’t know that in such a serious matter, Eldest Young Master Li would actually drag Madam Li into this. Is it not Eldest Young Master Li who is running the general affairs of the Li family?”
Li Duan’s face turned pale.
As a son, not mentioning if the culprit was Madam Li, even if it was, he should have been the one to take responsibility.
Previously, he had only thought of ways to remove the Li family from this issue, but had forgotten the most basic principle of filial piety.
Li Duan regretted this very much and darted a quick glance at his surroundings.
The people were looking at him strangely.
Li Duan secretly cursed in his heart.
Everyone present in this hall were all prominent and well-respected men in the upper echelon of society. Therefore, if he made a faux pas today, his reputation would be adversely hit, and it would be difficult for him to live in Lin’an, let alone fulfilling his ambition of becoming a court official.
“Lady Yu,” he said with deliberation, “You mustn’t try to find loopholes in my words. I am merely replying your questions. Previously, you mentioned that this matter involves my mother, so if I were to remain silent, wouldn’t I be allowing you to slander my mother’s reputation? Speaking of evidence, since Lady Yu believes these two men to be witnesses, I too would like to ask, if these men can pinpoint the exact person from my family who instructed them.”
In committing murder, who would take the risk and give instructions in person?
Yu Tang knew things would progress in this direction, which was why she was reluctant to report it to the authorities.
She swept a glance at the surrounding observers.
Although not one word was spoken, but they all looked at Li Duan with a little suspicion in their eyes.
The seeds of doubt had been planted.
That would be enough.
As for revenge, it would be much too easy to let the Li family off the hook like this.
Yu Tang laughed derisively in her heart.
The two fugitives were full of anger and immediately wanted to identify Li Duan as the one who gave the instructions, but when they looked up, they saw Yu Tang’s cold gaze and shivered internally.
Before coming here, Yu Tang repeatedly told them to speak the truth and nothing else, not to exaggerate and not to be presumptuous. If they were honest, the Yu family would save both of them from death.
When they first heard her words, both of them were skeptical. However as they stood in the hall, and saw how Yu Tang fought against Li Duan in a war of words and cornered him, they gained confidence in Yu Tang and decided to trust her.
The two men exchanged glances and confessed that the person who gave the order to kill was the Li family’s chief steward.
Li Duan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt somewhat disappointed.
It would have been better if the two men said that he was the one who instructed them.
He could then question the two men until they were at a loss for words, thereby making it seem as though they were hired by the Yu family just to frame the Li family.
Alas, such a pity.
These two people looked tough, but yet acted in such a foolish and brash manner.
“Lady Yu.” Li Duan waited for both men to finish speaking before showing a face full of remorse, “This is the first time I’ve heard of this matter, I’ll call the chief steward to ask for clarifications.”
In a family like the Li family, the head steward was usually a servant or a son born from a servant who had lived in the Li family for many generations and had all his children and in-laws living in the same residence. Therefore, considering his family’s safety and future wellbeing, even if they were called in, it would be impossible for the head steward of the Li family to speak the truth and identify the true culprit.
Everyone knew of this fact in their hearts.
Wei Xiaoshan was indeed killed by the Li family.
Although the real culprit could not be punished, the truth was revealed.
Master Wei was in tears.
As the people looked on, they only felt pity and sadness for the family.
The son who was raised up so lovingly, and was so close to starting a family of his own, was lost just like this, and there was no way to seek justice.
Master Wu got up and patted Master Wei’s shoulder, saying “My condolences.”
Others also came forward to comfort Master Wei.
With reddening eyes, Master Wei thanked them all, “Thank you for coming today.”
Master Wu had been looking for a chance to strike up a conversation with Pei Yan, and immediately said, “We are all insignificant here. We still have to thank Third Master Pei, if it wasn’t for his esteemed presence, we wouldn’t have been able to hold a case like this.”
His esteemed presence ……
The corners of Yu Tang’s mouth flicked upwards as she tried to hold back her laughter .
Pei Yan gave Yu Tang a sidelong glance.
What did she mean by that?
Shouldn’t she be thanking him for this?
If he hadn’t stepped in, would their Yu family have had the opportunity to air their grievances like this?
Thinking of this, Pei Yan nodded curtly at the twelfth uncle of the Li family who was the Li Family’s patriarch who was silent all this while. “Since things have progressed to this point, is there anything you wish to say?”
