Old Madam Cheng was tugged on both sides and lost her balance. She fell heavily to the ground and was then crushed under Madam Song and her daughter. A sharp pain shot through her waist, and she couldn't help but let out a shrill scream!
Everyone stared at the farce in front of them in stunned silence. But Minister Song was the first to react. His face ashen, he roared:
"Get off my mother at once!"
As he spoke, Minister Song took large strides and reached the three of them in an instant. He grabbed one with each hand and pulled the mother - daughter pair aside.
"Mother, are you all right?"
Minister Song supported his mother with both hands. His siblings also reacted immediately and rushed forward to help.
Just as they were about to help Old Madam Cheng up, her face paled, and she cried out in pain:
"Don't move! I've hurt my waist!"
Hearing this, everyone immediately withdrew their hands. Without support, the old madam fell to the ground again. She almost lost her breath and then wailed angrily:
"Alas! What sin have I committed!"
Old Madam Cheng's children looked at each other, their faces full of worry. But no one dared to help the old madam again. They could only watch their mother lying on the cold floor.
"Go and fetch a doctor quickly!" Minister Song roared at the dazed servant. The servant then snapped out of it like a puppet coming to life and quickly rushed out of the mansion on his errand.
"What on earth is going on?"
Minister Song, who valued his reputation the most, glared angrily at his wife and daughter. His face was so cold that it seemed to freeze.
Since his mother couldn't move on the ground, Minister Song had to hold his mother's hand with one hand. Completely disregarding the guests present, he crouched beside his mother.
Meeting her father's cold gaze, Song Yulin couldn't help but shrink her shoulders. She was already pale with fright from what had just happened. Stuttering, she said aggrievedly:
"D - daughter doesn't know what's going on either..."
Who would have known that her mother would prepare such a birthday gift for Grandmother and even use her to present it? It really caught her off guard!
Song Yulin still had a bit of sense at the moment and didn't betray her mother. But seeing her try to evade the issue, Minister Song wasn't buying it. He immediately flew into a rage and slapped Song Yulin hard across the face!
"How dare you lie! If you hadn't brought out this thing, how could this farce have happened?!"
Relying on her status as the legitimate daughter and the old madam's favor, Song Yulin had always thrown her weight around in the minister's mansion! She not only bullied the concubine - born children of Minister Song but also helped her mother discipline Minister Song's concubines!
Although Minister Song knew about his daughter's behavior, he had turned a blind eye, thinking it was just petty mischief.
He never expected that one day his daughter would cause such a big disaster, completely disgracing their minister's mansion!
Song Yulin had never even been shouted at in her life. Now, with her father's slap, her head buzzed. She stood there stupidly, looking at her father with intense fear in her eyes!
"It's all Mother. Mother prepared the birthday gift!"
Then Song Yulin's gaze swept over her father's concubines. She said firmly:
"Mother must be jealous that Grandmother allowed Father to take in so many concubines. That's why she prepared this burial gown, just to embarrass Grandmother and Father in public!"
Song Yulin was babbling incoherently. Pointing at her mother, Madam Song, in public, she didn't care about anything just to clear herself!
Suddenly remembering something, Song Yulin quickly sat in front of Minister Song. Holding his arms with both hands, she tried her best to defend herself:
"Father, daughter really didn't know anything beforehand! Even the jade Avalokitesvara that daughter gave to Grandmother just now was prepared by Mother! You can go and ask if you don't believe me!"
Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but sigh. Even Old Madam Cheng's face turned extremely ugly.
It was not only because Song Yulin had been lying to please the old madam but also because when something happened, she tried to shift the blame onto her mother, which was despicable!
People also couldn't help but recall that at the beginning of the year, Madam Song had almost hanged herself because of a new concubine of Minister Song. Fortunately, she was discovered in time and saved!
Could it be that Madam Song really deliberately used the birthday gift to disgrace the minister's mansion?
Everyone stared at Madam Song with piercing looks. Madam Song had been heartbroken because her daughter was slapped. But hearing this, her face suddenly changed. She stared at her daughter in disbelief.
"Yulin, what are you talking nonsense about? Mother really has no idea about this dress!"
It was true that she had prepared the jade Avalokitesvara, but she didn't know about this burial gown!
"If it wasn't Mother, then who prepared it?"
Song Yulin clearly showed her suspicion. She was also angry because of her mother's "use" of her.
Being accused by her daughter in public, Madam Song was almost out of breath. But besides being anxious and sad, she couldn't go too far.
At the last moment, she still thought about how to protect her daughter.
"The person who carried the gift box up is the one!"
In this chaotic situation, Madam Song knew that it would be difficult to find out the truth immediately. So she decided to temporarily find someone to take the blame!
Receiving her mother's look, Song Yulin finally came to her senses and quickly said:
"It's my maid, Lian'er! She must have wanted to frame me!"
Song Yulin changed her story on the spot and looked so determined. But people's hearts were no longer moved.
Even if Song Yulin herself had forgotten, they still remembered that not long ago, this young lady had said that she had almost gone blind sewing this burial gown for the old madam...
Song Yulin's maid, Lian'er, was brought up. Without asking what had happened, Song Yulin stepped forward and slapped her several times.
"You slut! How dare you scheme against me! Do you want to die?!"
To make Lian'er admit, Song Yulin threatened harshly:
"If you admit it now, I'll spare your life. Otherwise, I'll have you beaten to death with clubs right away!"
Seeing Song Yulin's appearance, everyone couldn't help but shake their heads. The maid Lian'er was kneeling on the ground, shivering. She stammered "This slave" for a long time but couldn't say anything more.
Because she knew that whether she admitted it or not, she couldn't escape death!
"I told her to do it!"
Just then, a voice came from the door. A man in Taoist robes walked in.
The man was in his forties, with thick eyebrows and a very eye - catching goatee. As soon as he appeared, there was an uproar.
"Isn't this the itinerant sorcerer that the government and Princess Yongning have been offering a reward for? How could he appear in the minister's mansion?!"
Some people looked at the Taoist and then at Yun Xi not far away, as if they had seen 30,000 taels of golden reward!
Many people couldn't help but have the same thought:
I wonder if we can still get the reward if we tie up the Taoist now? Not to mention 30,000 taels of gold, half of it would be good!