Reborn Lady

Chapter 116

Upon hearing Liao Qiuniang’s words, Yin Hui fell into silence.

She was eager to see Yin Wen face the consequences of his actions, but she couldn’t disregard Liao Qiuniang’s situation. As Liao Qiuniang had mentioned, even if she reported the incident to the authorities, they might not be able to bring Yin Wen to justice, and she would have to bear overwhelming criticism from the people of Pingcheng.

Liao Qiuniang was only fourteen years old.

“Are you planning to endure this like it never happened?” Yin Hui asked with reluctance.

Liao Qiuniang said, “No, I will seek justice from the master. The master is the finest person in the world, and my father and I trust him.”

Yin Hui fell into silence once more.

Indeed, her grandfather was a remarkable man. When people around him faced injustice, he ensured that it was dealt with fairly. He was also very compassionate. The Liao family had faced financial difficulties due to the mother’s medical treatment, and her grandfather had always been there to help.

However, Yin Wen was her grandfather’s eldest and most beloved grandson. Her grandfather had already designated Yin Wen as the heir to the Yin family’s wealth. Would he truly go against Yin Wen and report the matter to the authorities on behalf of Liao Qiuniang?

Yin Hui didn’t conceal her concerns from Liao Qiuniang.

Liao Qiuniang responded, “I don’t want him to be punished. I just want Mr. Yin to understand what he did, for the young master to realize that I am not someone to be bullied, and to make him think twice…”

At this point, Liao Qiuniang broke down in tears. She had been afraid, whether it was under Yin Wen’s coercion in the kitchen or facing the discussions of Mrs. Wang and others.

Yin Hui embraced her, and once Liao Qiuniang had regained her composure, she spoke in a hushed tone, “Grandpa should be returning soon. Wait for me at Jinxiu Building on that day. I’ll be there to accompany you.”

Shortly thereafter Yin Hui left the house, a man in plain clothes, hidden in a corner of the alley, hurriedly left and ran all the way back to a house Yin Wen had purchased in the western part of the city.

Yin Wen was examining his reflection in the mirror. Liao Qiuniang had left a one-inch scar on his face. It wasn’t very deep, but he wondered if it would leave a permanent mark.

When the old man returned, he would explain that he had accidentally bumped into the corner of a table while socializing with others, leading to the scratch.

“Young master, the third lady went to visit Liao Qiuniang. She stayed for two or three quarters of an hour and has now returned home,” the short man followed Aji inside and whispered.

Yin Wen’s expression darkened. That woman who didn’t know how to flatter him had dared to seek out Yin Hui?

So what?! Yin Wen didn’t believe that Yin Hui would make a decision in Liao Qiuniang’s favor. If the matter escalated, it wouldn’t benefit her in any way. It might even make King Yan and the third master dislike her even more.

“Continue to monitor Liao Qiuniang’s every move, and keep an eye on the government’s activities. Be cautious,” Yin Wen ordered.

“Yes.”

Yin Wen stayed in the private house until night fell. When he learned that Liao Qiuniang had closed her store and had not reported the incident to the authorities, he became even more convinced of his suspicions. In the darkness, he went to see Wang Yunshi once more and instructed him to keep their secret safe.

“Brother Yin, don’t worry. I’ve made all the necessary arrangements, and my grandmother has no suspicions at all,” Wang Yunshi assured him with a mature smile.

Yin Wen smiled and watched Wang Yunshi leave, thinking that there might be more trouble ahead in Pingcheng, but no matter how much the boy stirred up trouble, he couldn’t surpass him.

In King Yan’s Palace, Chengxin Hall.

After Wei Luo changed into his regular clothes, he headed to the backyard. He saw the wet nurse playing with Xiao Heng, while Madam Yin was seated on the couch, her brow furrowed as she focused on something.

At first, Wei Luo assumed she was looking at account books and engaged with Xiao Heng for a while. Upon approaching her, she happened to turn the page of a book to reveal its cover, which seemed to be a storybook.

Xiao Heng was becoming more articulate, and Wei Luo didn’t want to discuss such an unsophisticated book in front of his son, so he didn’t inquire further.

After bathing and entering their chamber, Wei Luo inquired, “What book were you reading just now?”

“It’s merely some light reading for leisure. I don’t think it would hold your interest, so let’s not dwell on it,” Yin Hui replied.

Wei Luo remembered her furrowed brow and asked, “What is it about?”

Yin Hui had no choice but to answer, “It’s the type of story about a talented scholar and a beautiful woman.”

Wei Luo pursed his lips. He had never read such a book, and he didn’t know what would happen between a talented scholar and a beautiful woman.

Based on his subtly altered expression, Yin Hui began to speculate about various possibilities. She decided to provide a more detailed explanation, saying, “Typically, the individuals portrayed in such books come from humble backgrounds. A young lady becomes enamored by their talents and is willing to forsake her own upbringing, which she has known since childhood, to spend her life with them.”

Wei Luo furrowed his brow and advised, “You should refrain from reading such books in the future. It would be best to dispose of them.”

Yin Hui responded obediently, “I understand. Actually, I used to enjoy reading them. Most of the gifted scholars in those stories are well-mannered. I’m not sure what has happened to the bookstore in the past two years. The content in the books has become increasingly outrageous. For instance, I recently read a story about a scholar and a young lady. He disregarded his parents’ warnings, and intentionally arranged for the young lady to visit his friend’s house through his friend’s sister, all while he concealed himself in the study and tried to court the young lady…”

By this point, Wei Luo’s brows had already knitted in disapproval.

Yin Hui continued, “I felt quite indignant about it. If I were in her place, I would have reported him to the authorities for attempting to seduce a woman from a respectable family. I would report everyone involved, including his friends, siblings, and anyone else.”

Wei Luo glared at her and declared, “That’s absurd.”

Yin Hui leaned into his arms, offering an apology with a smile. She mused, “I was just making a casual remark. However, if the lady in the book had genuinely reported the incident to the authorities, do you believe they would have delivered justice for her?”

Wei Luo pondered for a moment and replied, “It depends on whether the young man confessed to the wrongdoing. If he admitted guilt, the government would naturally convict him. But if he denied the accusations and insisted that the young lady had seduced him, it would be a complex matter. As for his friends, siblings, and their involvement, it might have been mere attempts to converse with the lady.”

Yin Hui suddenly grasped the situation, saying, “No wonder the lady eventually agreed after shedding tears. She must have been afraid of false accusations if she failed to report the incident to the authorities, so she chose the lesser of two evils.”

Wei Luo grunted and issued a warning, “Burn those books. Xiao Heng is growing up, and we must not corrupt his mind.”

There should never be such books in the palace.

Yin Hui obediently nodded, resting her head on his shoulder, her brows furrowing in thought.

Yin Wen’s situation was similar to that of the scholar in the book. Fortunately, Liao Qiuniang had not let him succeed. Yin Hui, not well-versed in the government’s handling of such cases, inquired about it from Wei Luo as planned. However, upon hearing the explanation, she realized that Liao Qiuniang’s concerns were justified. In such cases, it was indeed challenging for the government to clear a woman’s name.

If their grandfather was willing to severely punish Yin Wen, it could serve as an acknowledgment of Liao Qiuniang’s ordeal.