Chapter 277: Chapter 277: Accountability (3)
"Master!" Manager Lai spoke softly through the curtain, "Mr. Zhang passed away last month!" The First Master was startled, realizing that Mr. Zhang had indeed aged. He clasped his hands behind him and walked out, speaking to Manager Lai in the courtyard, "Then invite his heirs; surely someone from the Zhang Family will inherit his legacy."
"Yes!" Manager Lai nodded and bowed, and the First Master continued, "Send someone to the temple to investigate. Look closely at the courtyard where the Sixth Miss stayed earlier... see why it caught fire and if there are any clues." Manager Lai complied, and the First Master returned to the house. However, instead of entering the bedroom, he sat in the main hall, looking at Chunliu and Chunyan, and asked, "Were you two the ones who accompanied the Sixth Miss to the temple? Tell me what really happened."
Chunliu and Chunyan both knelt in front of the First Master, "Master!" Chunyan, as if desperate, said, "I’ve always been afraid to speak up, but even if you expel me today, I must be bold and say it." The First Master’s eyes moved slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "Speak!"
"That night, Chunliu and I were sleeping in the outer room, knowing nothing. When we woke up, Miss had already rescued us, and the room was already ablaze. I was so frightened at the time that I couldn’t think straight. But over the days, the more I thought about it, the more wrong it seemed. Chunliu and I are always light sleepers, even the slightest movement can wake us, so how could we not wake up with such a commotion and only wake when Miss saved us? And the injury on Miss’s neck and her declining health day by day, I believe someone snuck into our room that night, intending to kill Miss, but for some reason failed, and then started the fire!" She said, tears streaming down, choking through her words, "Miss refused to speak, and I don’t know what happened that night. I’ve been holding this suspicion in my heart, afraid to speak. But now that you’ve asked, I dare to say it, Master, please stand up for Miss." As she spoke, she and Chunliu repeatedly kowtowed on the ground.
The First Master’s face became thoroughly gloomy. At this point, Lady walked out. He looked at her and said, "I’m going out for a bit." With that, he flicked his sleeve and left without looking back.
"Where is Master going?" But the First Master had already walked out, leaving Lady staring in shock after him. Her gaze then fell on Chunyan and Chunliu, filled with cold sternness. She said, "What nonsense are you spouting? Puji Temple is a century-old monastery with strict guards; how could anyone freely enter at will!" She paused briefly, then added, "If I hear more of your idle talk and spreading rumors, don’t blame me for throwing you all out of the mansion!"
Chunyan and Chunliu stopped crying, knelt silently on the ground, and Lady snorted coldly, following the First Master’s steps out the door.
The First Master did not head to the main courtyard but went directly to the stables. He took a horse and left the city with Manager Lai, not returning to the mansion the entire night. It was only the next morning that he returned with a sullen face and wordlessly went to Zhiqu Courtyard.
Upon entering, he saw Madam Xia leaning against the bed, her eyes swollen from crying, as if she had just fallen asleep. Tong Minzhi lay napping with his small head bobbing on the footstool at the bedside of Xiqiu, who still lay quietly as she did yesterday. It seemed the night’s efforts had somewhat dissipated, and he suddenly felt fulfiled inside. He thought about Madam Xia traveling a long distance to find him, the uncontainable joy in her eyes upon seeing him, and their well-behaved, understanding children. He abruptly realized the gravity of his mistake, how he had wasted seven years and missed countless warm moments and beautiful times.
A smile crept onto his lips, temporarily setting aside the discomfort in his heart. He sat quietly on a chair, watching the mother and her two children.
After a moment, he turned around to Manager Lai outside the door and instructed, "Invite Lady here!"
The First Master had returned to the mansion yesterday, then left again in a rush and didn’t return all night. Several children hadn’t seen him yet. Now that he was back, Tong Xiyan, Tong Xiyu, and Tong Xiyang, who had returned from Wujin Bo Mansion, along with Lady and Madam Mei, all hurried over without needing Manager Lai to summon them.
For a moment, the small Zhiqu Courtyard was livelier than ever, with people sitting all over the room. The First Master sat in the main seat. Tong Xiyan, seeing his father and thinking of his marriage, had reddened eyes. Tong Xiyang went up to greet the First Master, as he hadn’t been back when she wed. Seeing her now, the First Master’s expression had softened compared to before. He looked at Tong Xiyang and said, "Now that you’ve married and belong to another family, you can’t act thoughtlessly as you did in our house. You must always consider your husband’s family, serve your parents-in-law and husband, and do not act impulsively, understand?!"
Tong Xiyang bowed her head. She wore a red overcoat with golden rimmed motifs of intertwined Chinese crabapple branches, her head adorned with red hairpins and tinkling hairpins, yet her face appeared particularly haggard. She bowed to the First Master and said quietly, "Your daughter will remember Father’s teachings." The First Master nodded slightly.
Engaging in conversation with Tong Xiyan and Tong Xiyu, Lady smiled and said, "Old Master was not in the mansion for the wedding of the third girl. May is the time for the fourth girl, so Old Master should stay longer this time." She finished speaking and looked toward the First Master, who then glanced at Tong Xiyan and nodded, "Very well!"
Yet, there was no happiness in Tong Xiyan’s eyes.
Just then, Madam Xia and Tong Minzhi came out from the bedroom. Tong Minzhi, darker and much thinner than half a year ago, had grown significantly taller, his skinny frame bearing an uncanny resemblance to the First Master.
"Mother!" Tong Minzhi clasped his hands in greeting. Lady’s gaze flickered, and she nodded, "It’s good you’re back!" Tong Minzhi then greeted his sisters. The First Master asked, "Did you give your Sixth Sister the medicine?" Tong Minzhi nodded, "I fed her some, but it mostly flowed out, so she didn’t get much!"
The First Master’s face darkened slightly, looking at his children, "I have something to discuss with your mother. You all may go back for now!" Tong Xiyang and the others exchanged glances but rose and, following Madam Mei, left the room. Tong Minzhi also followed them out, while Madam Xia was about to leave, the First Master waved his hand, "Peirong, you stay!"
Madam Mei stood at the door, casting a deep look at Madam Xia, reluctantly leaving.
Only Madam Xia, Lady, and the First Master remained in the room. The First Master instructed Manager Lai, "Go invite Madam Liu." Lady narrowed her eyes, not understanding why he kept Madam Xia and wanted Madam Liu too when he clearly had something to discuss.
Manager Lai complied and soon brought Madam Liu over. After greeting everyone, she timidly stood to the side. Lady looked on in confusion, just as she heard the First Master speak, "Feifeng!" Lady was startled since the First Master hadn’t called her by her name in over a decade. She covered her sleeve and smiled, "Master, there are others present."