"Suspected Old Acquaintance"
The facts were already clear.
Lian Heng stared at the normally gentle and virtuous Second Madame in utter shock. He was not only surprised by the selfishness of human nature but also grieved by the petty and meaningless conflicts among women.
If this strife was over "love," then it was all for a man—and therefore all the man's fault. Why harm one's own kind for such a reason?
If it was over "wealth," it was even more senseless. The Lian family's fortune was immeasurable, and as a daughter, how much could she take? Even in the worst-case scenario, if she didn't get a share of the inheritance, the monthly stipend of thirty taels was enough to sustain her old age. Why go to such lengths, spending a fortune to stir up this bloodshed?
"Bang!"
Han Wenqing slammed the table heavily, shattering the silence of the courtroom.
"Madame Su, speak! Besides being from the same hometown, what other ties do you have with Mo Xiaotian? Why is he so eager to help you?"
Su Caiyun suddenly looked up, gritting her teeth. "My lord, don't slander me! Mo Xiaotian and I are nothing more than old acquaintances. He used to live next door to my family, and we met a few times. He's a man of loyalty, nothing more. You can investigate this in Chizhou!"
"I will send someone to investigate. Madame Su, you've done all this for status and wealth, but do you think it's worth it to commit such heinous acts?"
"Yes! I admit I am ruthless! I'm not a good person! I refuse to live my life as a redundant figure in the Lian family! But the master dotes on the Third Branch and respects the First Branch the most. What am I in between? My age is advancing, and I have no chance of bearing a son or daughter. What will happen to me in the future? Should I wait to be despised and cast out when I grow old? At this point, I no longer care about the master's affection. I just want to become the official wife and control all the family's finances. Only then can I feel secure and content!"
"Second Madame..." Lian Heng, overcome with sorrow, couldn't help but speak.
Su Caiyun fixed her gaze on him, her expression gradually softening. She let out a quiet sigh. "Ah Heng, I know you're a good girl. I also know you won't mistreat me in the future. But the Third Branch is expecting a child now. Who knows what it will turn out to be? How can I not be afraid? Whether you believe it or not, I must explain: the incident where you were pushed into the river wasn't my idea. It was that incompetent fool, Yuzhong, acting on her own, trying to harm you and frame the Third Branch. The one I truly can't stand is the child in her belly!"
"Second Madame, the Third Madame isn't bad..." Lian Heng looked at the once-kind Su Caiyun with sorrowful eyes, his heart aching.
Su Caiyun's expression suddenly changed, her large, round eyes filled with venom. "Hmph! That vixen, with her sharp tongue, always targets me! Coming from a brothel—how many good ones are there?"
Di Yun pressed his lips tightly together and clenched his fists, clearly struggling to suppress his anger.
Su Caiyun then walked over to Yu Luoying and laughed hysterically. "Yu Luoying, did you think I wanted to be your lackey for life? Once, I was the daughter of a wealthy family too. If my father hadn't failed in business and squandered the family fortune, why would I have come to this house as a concubine? You've been kind to me, but I've always been your shadow. I didn't like it! Haha! If it were you, would you like it?"
Seeing Yu Luoying's face turn pale as snow, her lips trembling, Su Caiyun laughed even harder.
After laughing, she shook her head and turned to look at the man who had ruined her life, her gaze full of resentment.
"Lian Zheng! You married me just to bear you a son, didn't you? You never truly cared for me! But do you know what I recently discovered about how my father lost his fortune? You and your friends had a hand in it! You pushed my family business to collapse! So I have every reason to control the Lian family's wealth—it should have been mine to begin with!"
Lian Zheng, who had been standing aside in shock, watching Su Caiyun pour out her heart, was startled when she finally turned her fury on him. He hurriedly tried to explain, "Caiyun, you've misunderstood! Business always comes with risks and competition. How can you believe I sabotaged your father? At that time, your father lacked the funds and strength to take on that deal. My friends and I were simply engaging in fair competition. Where are you hearing these rumors?"
"Hahaha! Of course, you'd deny it!" Su Caiyun, convinced of her own narrative, ignored his explanation and turned step by step toward Di Yun.
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been caught and brought here!" She scrutinized Di Yun from head to toe, then asked through gritted teeth, "Why did the Third Branch suddenly produce a nephew like you? Where did you come from? Are you really... her nephew?"
"Absolutely," Di Yun said, staring at the frenzied woman with a mix of hatred and pity.