Chapter Forty-One: The Curtain Falls

Jing City could confirm that the old lady’s name on this paper was written by her own hand.

The reason was that Old Madam Yan’s calligraphy was quite good, so much so that the elderly ladies in the capital often tried to copy her style. Even Old Madam Jing herself had a sample. Because of this, Jing City had seen Old Madam Yan’s handwriting long ago and could recognize it now.

So, seeing this slip of paper, he immediately turned his suspicions toward the old lady.

Upon seeing the note’s contents, the old lady nearly fainted on the spot, but given her present circumstances, if she really lost consciousness now, it would be tantamount to an admission of guilt.

“This could have been forged by someone else! Why would an old woman like me do something to slander my own family? I’m already so close to the grave, what reason would I have to do this sort of thing?!” As she spoke, she angrily struck her cane against the ground.

Jing City, however, cared nothing for the old lady’s attitude; now that he held evidence in his hand, he felt it only right to have her detained. If not for the old lady’s insistence on dragging him here tonight, he would never have been so humiliated, so he decided to seize the opportunity to have her locked up.

“Old Madam, the proof is here in black and white. There’s no way for you to deny it. Though the evidence may not yet be complete, I still must trouble you to accompany me to the jail for a few days,” Jing City said with a smile.

At his words, the old lady’s face went deathly pale. At that moment, Nanny Wang stepped forward and said, “Our old madam is frail. If she is sent to the dungeon, I fear she will not last even a single night—her life would be at risk!”

Madam Lin, seeing this, quickly stepped forward to plead, “Sir, my mother’s health is truly poor. If something were to happen to her in your dungeon, then…”

Hearing Madam Lin’s words, Yan Heru couldn’t help but look at her with rare approval. Those words had been exquisitely chosen.

If Jing City took the old lady to jail and anything happened to her for any reason, rumors about him would soon sweep through the capital.

Jing City was a clever man. He instantly understood the implications, yet the words had already been spoken. Was he supposed to backtrack now? That would be far too undignified.

Yan Heqi saw Jing City’s hesitation and immediately stepped forward. “Sir, you have been busy all night. Since the evidence is insufficient, why not let my grandmother remain under house arrest? At her age, she could hardly hope to run away or do anything else.”

Jing City raised his chin slightly and nodded. Now that he had been offered a way out, naturally he would take it; otherwise, he himself would end up in trouble.

“In that case, let the old madam remain in the residence for now. We’ll revisit this in the morning. Return to the yamen!”

Jing City led his constables out of the Yan residence. Once he had left, the old lady seemed to lose all her strength and collapsed to the floor, unable to support herself any longer.

“Mother!!”

“Grandmother!”

“Old madam!”

Everyone present, except for Yan Heru, was deeply concerned about the old lady’s fainting spell.

Yan Heru, on the other hand, was secretly delighted by her collapse—how could she possibly go forward to show concern?

She did not consider herself heartless, but what Old Madam Yan had done was simply unforgivable.

They were both children of the same family, so why was there such blatant favoritism?

“You! You’re the one who made Grandmother faint! I’m going to tell Father!” Yan Hemiao stood up, pointing an accusing finger at Yan Heru.

Yan Heru had planned to return to her room to sleep, content with the outcome of tonight’s events. Although things hadn’t ended perfectly, one shouldn’t be too greedy; after all, you can’t become fat in one bite.

To break free of the Yan family and get her revenge would never be accomplished overnight.

But Yan Hemiao suddenly blocked her path, souring her good mood.

Yan Heru turned and walked toward Yan Hemiao. For reasons she couldn’t explain, Yan Hemiao actually retreated two steps in fear.

“Wh-what are you doing? Don’t come any closer! I’m… I’m not afraid of you!”

Yan Hemiao stammered, her earlier arrogance gone. Yan Heru stopped in front of her, smiled, and seized the finger pointed at her, bending it back just enough to hurt.

Yan Hemiao twisted away in pain. “Ow! Ow! Yan Heru, let go of me!”

“If you dare to point at me like that again, I won’t be so gentle next time. I’ll break it clean off and make sure it can never be set again. Remember what I’ve said to you today. Don’t forget it.” With that, Yan Heru flung her hand aside and strode back to her room without a backward glance.

Madam Lin glared hatefully at Yan Heru’s departing figure, but at this moment, no matter how much anger she harbored, she dared not utter a word.

She might be rash and not very clever, but she wasn’t a fool.

The sense of danger Yan Heru now exuded was overwhelming—Madam Lin was sure that if she said even a word too many or made a single wrong move, Yan Heru would treat her even more harshly than she had treated Yan Hemiao.

How could this be? When had Yan Heru become like this? Hadn’t she always been the obedient, easily bullied Sixth Miss?

Did marrying the Ninth Prince really give her so much confidence? Even the old lady who always treated her well was now receiving such treatment from her—why?

Confusion clouded Madam Lin’s eyes. She had many questions she could not answer, and she knew no one would enlighten her.

Nanny Wang helped the old lady back to her quarters. Madam Lin and Yan Heqi also retired to their own courtyard. Seeing everyone had dispersed, Yan Hemiao glanced around and slipped quietly out of the Yan residence.

She sneaked out through a side gate and ran all the way, catching up to Jing City just as he was about to enter his own residence.

“Brother Jing! Huff… huff…”

Yan Hemiao stopped, gasping for breath, hands on her knees. Jing City turned at the sound, saw it was her, and immediately frowned with displeasure.

Whenever he saw anyone from the Yan household now, he found himself filled with annoyance and discomfort.

However…

His eyes flickered with a thought, and he quickly composed his expression, walking toward the panting Yan Hemiao.

Yan Hemiao was already exhausted and couldn’t run another step. Otherwise, she would never have stopped here but would have caught up to him completely.

Seeing Jing City approach, her heart brimmed with delight.