Qiao Nian's words were like a thunderclap, leaving Lin Ye stunned for quite a while.
All that remained in his mind was the image of Qiao Nian struggling and thrashing in the water while a group of palace maids laughed and jeered by the laundry pool.
The dull pain in his chest grew stronger. He clearly wanted to say something, but his throat felt as if it was locked. It was not until Qiao Nian's figure was blocked from his sight by the wooden door that he finally seemed to come to his senses.
"Miss, wuwuwu..." Xiaocui's sobbing rang in his ears, making him extremely annoyed.
Lin Yuan shot Xiaocui a glare. "All you know is how to cry. Hurry up and summon the mansion doctor!"
Only then did Xiaocui come to her senses and scurried off in a rush.
Lin Ye accompanied Lin Yuan back to Plum - Fall Courtyard. The mansion doctor arrived with Lady Lin.
While the mansion doctor was inside taking Lin Yuan's pulse and making a diagnosis, Lady Lin pulled Lin Ye into the outer room. "What happened? How could your sister have fallen into the water all of a sudden? Is... is it Nian Nian who..."
"Mother!" Lin Ye furrowed his brows tightly and interrupted Lady Lin's words in a deep voice. "It was Nian Nian who saved Yuan'er."
As he spoke, he seemed to think of something and looked at Xiaocui beside him. "Come here."
The left side of Xiaocui's face was clearly swollen and red, indicating that Ningshuang had really put some force into that slap.
She lowered her head and came forward, kneeling on the ground. Whether it was intentional or not, the swollen side of her face was turned towards Lady Lin.
Seeing this, Lady Lin was startled. "Oh! What happened to your face, girl?"
Xiaocui didn't say anything, just glanced at Lin Ye timidly.
Lin Ye scrutinized Xiaocui carefully before speaking. "Do you have a feud with Nian Nian?"
Xiaocui was taken aback and hurriedly shook her head. "No, no! How could this servant have a feud with the eldest young lady?"
"Since you don't, why do you keep falsely accusing her?" Lin Ye's voice was extremely cold.
Earlier in Plum - Fall Courtyard, he had been blinded by anger. But this matter didn't require much thought to figure out.
Nian Nian wasn't stupid. How could she possibly harm someone in her own courtyard, right under everyone's eyes?
This maid had entered Fanghe Courtyard just moments after him. By then, both Nian Nian and Yuan'er had already come ashore, yet she was so certain that it was Nian Nian who had pushed Yuan'er!
Thinking of what had happened three years ago, when this maid had also spoken with such certainty, a chill ran down Lin Ye's spine.
Xiaocui naturally felt the oppressive atmosphere around Lin Ye at this moment.
She knew that if she said one wrong word today, she might be dragged out and beaten to death.
Her eyes darted around quickly, and finally, she came up with an excuse. "This... this servant was just too worried about the young lady. I was afraid that she might be bullied. I did it all for my young lady!"
"For your young lady?" Lin Ye sneered. "Could it be that your young lady told you to do it?"
"No, no!" Xiaocui shook her head vigorously, not daring to say another word.
She had originally thought that her words would arouse Lin Ye's pity, but she never expected that she might implicate her young lady.
Just then, Lin Yuan's weak voice came from the inner room. "Xiaocui... Xiaocui..."
The voice was so feeble yet filled with such despair that it was truly heart - rending.
Lin Ye furrowed his brows tightly. The blazing anger in his heart was finally suppressed by Lin Yuan's weak calls.
He stared coldly at Xiaocui and warned in a low voice, "If there's a next time, I won't need Ningshuang to do it. I'll cut out your tongue and feed it to the dogs! Go and attend to your young lady!"
"Yes, yes!" Xiaocui quickly got up and scurried into the inner room.
Lady Lin let out a sigh of relief. Looking at Lin Ye, she showed a hint of dissatisfaction. "How could you say such things about your sister? Don't you know Yuan'er's character?"
Lin Ye glanced at Lady Lin, a hint of disappointment flickering in his eyes. "Mother, do you know that Nian Nian can swim?"
How could Lady Lin possibly know?
She was taken aback before replying. "Can swim? Didn't she not know how before?"
Yes, someone who didn't know how to swim before was pushed into the water by a group of people.
They held long laundry sticks to poke at her, not allowing her to come ashore.
How desperate must she have felt at that time?
And where was he, her elder brother, at that time?
Lin Ye didn't say anything more. He turned and walked out.
Lady Lin chased after him, shouting, "Where are you going?"
"To the palace." These two simple words carried an endless chill.
A shiver ran down Lady Lin's spine. As if thinking of something, she quickly summoned a nanny. "Hurry, send a message to Noble Consort De!"
"Yes!"
Moments later.
When Lin Ye kicked open the door of the laundry bureau with great force, he saw a group of palace maids dragging a small and thin palace maid towards the laundry pool.
Obviously, they intended to throw that young maid into the pool.
This scene pierced Lin Ye's eyes like a sharp blade. At this moment, in his eyes, that young maid seemed to become Qiao Nian three years ago.
Was this how they had bullied his sister back then?
A nanny recognized Lin Ye. She immediately led the others to pay their respects. "This servant greets the Young Marquis! What brings you here, Young Marquis?"
Lin Ye didn't even look at her. He strode towards the group of kneeling palace maids. Then, without hesitation, he grabbed one by the hand and threw her into the pool.
All this happened so suddenly that it was not until the screams of two palace maids rang out that the nanny jumped up. "Oh, Young Marquis! What are you doing?"
Before she could finish speaking, the nanny was also lifted into the air. The next moment, the cold water rushed into her nose and mouth.
Lin Ye remained silent. He continued to throw one person after another into the pool.
The first few palace maids who were thrown in tried to climb out. Lin Ye picked up a laundry stick and lashed out at them.
He had been practicing martial arts since childhood, and his strength was great. With just one strike, the palace maid felt as if her leg was broken. She let out a scream and fainted.
Seeing this, no one dared to move. They all stood in the laundry pool like drenched chickens.
They sobbed softly, afraid that making a louder sound would invite Lin Ye's stick.
They looked extremely pitiful.
But wasn't his sister pitiful too?
When his sister was crying in the pool back then, did these people show her any mercy?
The more Lin Ye thought about it, the angrier he became. The anger in his eyes seemed as if it could incinerate these palace maids.
The palace maids were so scared that they didn't even dare to plead for mercy. Only the senior - most nanny dared to offer some earnest advice. "Young Marquis, this servant knows that you must be here to avenge Miss Lin. But, but even when beating a dog, one has to consider its master! We are all working for the Emperor. If the Emperor finds out about this..."
Lin Ye lashed out with the stick, almost hitting the nanny in the face.
He let out a cold laugh, his eyes filled with frost. "What? Trying to use the Emperor to pressure me?"
"Young Marquis, you are so imposing."
A gentle yet noble voice came from behind Lin Ye. "Could it be that even the Emperor can't hold you in check anymore?"