Chapter 73: She Didn’t Push Him!
“Yu er doesn’t know how to swim! How could he have jumped in on his own!? Second Miss, you’re truly heartless! I won’t forgive you even if I die! Someone, please come and save Yu er!” During this entire time, Su Muzi was holding onto Yao Suluan tightly. At this time, Yao Mowan ran over with Ting Yue and Liu Xing.
“Shu mother? What happened?” Yao Mowan looked towards Su Muzi who was on the ground with a surprised and confused expression.
“Third Miss, you must get justice for this common woman! Second Miss, she… she pushed Yu er into the water. Yu er! Mother is coming to keep you company!”
“Oh no! Third Madam doesn’t know how to swim!” Upon seeing this, Liu Xing quickly walked up to pull Su Muzi back.
“You said that Yu er fell into the lake? How could that be? Second Older Sister, why did you push Yu er in? Someone, hurry and come! Save Yu er!” Yao Mowan ran towards the lake anxiously as tears fell from her eyes.
Soon after, the imperial guards arrived and jumped into the lake to search. However, even after searching for a long time, thye couldn’t find any trace of Yao Yu. The only trace left of him were the two purple boots next to the lake.
“What happened?” Ye Hongyi, who had heard the news, arrived at the lake.
“Your Majesty…”
“Your Majesty! Yu er fell into the lake! Wuuwuu… please save Yu er, please… Mowan only has this one younger brother. Father only this one son! Wuuwuu… Wan er doesn’t want anything to happen to Younger Brother!” Yao Suluan had just started to speak when Yao Mowan snatched the opportunity from her.
“Where is he? He still hasn’t been found?” Ye Hongyi pulled Yao Mowan into his arms as he glared at the leader of the guards.
“Replying Your Majesty, this subordinate has already sent people to search for him, but none of them were able to find the young sir. The water of Jade Lake is directly connected to the moat outside the city, and that is connected to the lake outside. This subordinate fears that the young sir’s corpse has already been swept out of Jade Lake,” reported the leading guard.
“No… no! My Yu er! You can’t leave Mother behind! Yu er…” Upon hearing this, Su Muzi abruptly gave an anguished wail before collapsing to the ground in despair.
“Yu er…” Right at this moment, Yao Mowan heard a call. She looked up right in time to see Yao Zhenting run over. As expected of the power of a ‘son,’ he was drawn over quite quick. However, from the looks of it, he was truly unnerved. Yao Suluan, you really shouldn’t bully me in this lifetime. There was a price even if you just bullied my cat!
A trace of a smile appeared on Yao Mowan’s lips for a brief instant before she leaned into Ye Hongyi’s chest with a sob in preparation to enjoy this show.
“Give me back my Yu er! Yao Suluan! Give my Yu er‘s life back!” Su Muzi was no longer as docile as she usually was. She abruptly struggled her way out of Liu Xing’s hold and pounced towards Yao Suluan, reaching for her neck.
“Ah… You crazy bitch! Let go of this consort! Hurry and let go! Someone stop her! Your Majesty!” Yao Suluan hadn’t expected Su Muzi to be so strong. She panicked, unable to breathe, and pushed at Su Muzi desperately.
“What exactly happened!? Where’s my Yu er!?” Yao Zhenting was so worried he completely forgot about court etiquette and rushed directly to Su Muzi to pull her away from Yao Suluan.
“Lord! You must get revenge for Yu er ah! It was Second Miss! Second Miss pushed Yu er into Jade Lake! This wife saw it with her own eyes!” Su Muzi’s voice was hoarse from shouting and her tears fell like a broken string of beads.
“I didn’t! He jumped in on his own! Father! Suluan really didn’t!” Yao Suluan covered her snow-white neck and grasped for breath as she shook her head while keeping her eyes fixed on Yao Zhenting.
“Where’s Yu er!? Has he been rescued!?” Yao Zhenting’s eyes abruptly filled with tears. He seemed to age ten years in an instant and his body trembled uncontrollable.
“Replying Your Majesty, replying Prime Minister… This subordinate has already sent people to search the entire Jade Lake but the young sir hasn’t been found. This subordinate fears that… he has already been washed out of Jade Lake,” replied the leading guard in a low voice.
“Continue searching!” commanded Ye Hongyi coldly. He tightened his arms around Yao Mowan as if he wanted comfort her with all that he had, but this motion just made Yao Mowan want to laugh. She probably wasn’t the one that needed comforting right now!
“Son! My precious son ah! Yao Suluan! Why!? Yu er was only four years old! How could you be so cruel!? Your Majesty, you must get justice for this old sir!” The leading guard’s words were already as clear as they could possibly be. There was no hope of saving Yao Yu at this point, and it was very likely that there wouldn’t even be an intact corpse. To Yao Zhenting who had finally managed to get a son in his middle age years, this was undoubtedly the harshest blow. It practically hurt more than his own death.
“Fa… Father! Why don’t you believe me? This consort didn’t push him! He truly did jump in himself! Moreover, I’m also your daughter! Yet you want me to pay for that bastard’s life with my own even though the matter hasn’t been thoroughly investigated yet?” Yao Suluan’s eyes were completely red as she stared hard at Yao Zhenting. At this instant, she suddenly questioned why she had struggled so hard to climb up to power!
“You’re the bastard! You lowly wretch! Give me back my son!” Yao Zhenting glared at Yao Suluan. Every single one of his words stabbed Yao Suluan’s heart like a sharp blade.
“If Consort Li has truly caused this incident, we will naturally give Yao Yu justice! However, this judgement must wait until the incident is fully investigated. Wan er, don’t be scared. No matter what happens, we will be with you.” After giving those instructions coldly, Ye Hongyi left Jade Lake while hugging Yao Mowan who was still sobbing softly.
“Your Majesty…” Yao Suluan staggered backwards when she saw Ye Hongyi leave indifferently. How did she fall to such grounds!? In her time of greatest need, her man didn’t show her a trace of concern and her father even wanted to kill her! But she hadn’t done anything! That bastard had jumped in himself! Why did no one believe her!? Who would listen to her?
“Lord… Our Yu er… this concubine has let you down… Yu er…” Su Muzi originally wanted to kneel down in front of Yao Zhenting but when she moved, her vision turned black and she fainted. Liu Xing hastily went over to catch her.
“Liu Xing, help Third Madam back to the residence!” Yao Zhenting suppressed his feelings of utter despair as he gazed at the calm lake with tears streaming down his face.
“Father…” Yao Suluan tried to speak but Yao Zhenting immediately cut her off.
“This old man doesn’t have a malicious daughter like you!” Yao Zhenting’s voice was chilling to the bone.
Yao Suluan’s heart seemed to crack in half. She stared blankly at the man in front of her, this man that she had called ‘father’ for over twenty years. Perhaps she, this daughter, had never existed ni his heart. If that was the case, then what point was there for her to keep caring about this father-daughter relationship?
“Yao Zhenting. No matter how many times this consort repeats herself, you guys don’t plan on believing this consort, isn’t that right?” Yao Suluan restrained the hurt in her eyes and walked calmly to Yao Zhenting’s side.
Yao Zhenting continued looking at the surface of the lake without a word.
“Forget it, this consort isn’t interested in what you guys think. However, you should keep this in mind: if something happens to this consort, you won’t be let off either! Mother had kept evidence of all those ‘great’ things that you’ve done so… Yao Zhenting, it’s best if you protect this consort until she lives to a hundred! Humph!” Yao Suluan gave a cold sneer, then turned and left. She had never imagined that there would be a day she and Father would come to this point, to this irretractable point.
After getting back to Guan Osprey Palace, Ye Hongyi spent a long time comforting Yao Mowan before leaving. After Ye Hongyi’s footsteps faded, Yao Mowan’s lips hooked in a cold smile.
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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira
[Chiyomira’s Corner]Enjoy~
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