Chapter 46: Pearl, I Did Not Know You Were Wronged

At that moment, all his certainty shattered.

Jiang Xiuyuan could hardly believe that Jiang Lingyao would leave him no room for compromise, nor had he ever imagined she would bring up this matter again.

It was clearly her who owed Lian’er; she should have taken the blame for her!

He wore a hint of exasperation on his face, a feeling even he barely understood, glaring at Jiang Lingyao as he accused, “This is exactly what you should do! Jiang Lingyao, you owe Lian’er your life—so what if you took the blame for her?”

Nearby, Pei Xingzhi listened in near shock, his fingertips trembling slightly.

The Buddha statue wasn’t broken by Jiang Lingyao—she took the blame for Song Lian’er?

Then why hadn’t she told him sooner?

He stood frozen, his heart suddenly pierced sharply, his face paling.

Jiang Lingyao’s gaze grew colder, her tone laced with sarcasm: “Yes, I never denied that. But over all these years, how much have I done for her?”

“Not to mention she used this to climb the social ladder, transforming from a gatekeeper’s daughter to a lady of the official residence, enjoying wealth and honor. When I was stricken with illness, I gave her the last medicine; when she got entangled with rakes, I almost lost my own virtue trying to protect her. Isn’t that enough?”

“You say I owe her, but have I ever treated her unfairly? Even if she brought me so much trouble, I never uttered a word against her. Even if she stole the attention of everyone around you, I never complained—because I know I owe her my life!”

Every word Jiang Lingyao spoke was resolute and forceful, her voice tinged with anger, yet her face was calm as if she had completely given up, accusing him with finality.

Jiang Xiuyuan was momentarily stunned, a sudden pain stabbing his heart, his brow furrowing.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Lingyao continued, “Was I wrong? No, the ones at fault are you all. Your constant accusations have left me nowhere to retreat. Am I truly not your enemy?”

“Mingzhu.”

The matriarch could bear no more. Choking back her tears, she took Jiang Lingyao’s hand in hers, “Child, why must you be so foolish?”

Jiang Lingyao silently wept, feeling the warmth from her grandmother’s large hand enclosing hers, a heat that made her nose sting more fiercely. All her grievances spilled out along with the tears.

Raising her eyes, the matriarch spoke each word deliberately: “Jiang Xiuyuan, you’ve truly stuffed all your teachings into a dog’s belly!”

“Mingzhu is your own sister. If she errs, you shouldn’t have pushed her this far, constantly harsh and demanding! Besides, when Mingzhu got into trouble, who was she doing it for? She personally went to the outskirts to gather herbs for your cough treatment and accidentally fell into the pond. Was that her fault?”

Jiang Xiuyuan flinched as memories surfaced. He instinctively turned his head away, unable to meet Jiang Lingyao’s gaze, his heart in turmoil.

This was an irrefutable truth.

Back then, when Jiang Lingyao was rescued, she returned gravely ill, barely clinging to life.

And yet...

Before Jiang Xiuyuan could collect himself, the matriarch continued, “Moreover, Song Lian’er’s father was a servant of the Song family, responsible for serving his master. He saved Mingzhu, and we never mistreated him. We gave him a grand burial with an epitaph and sent substantial wealth to his remaining family. Just the gold given to his mother and brothers amounted to hundreds of taels—a fortune no commoner could earn in ten lifetimes.”

“The Song family never neglects its meritorious servants. I have always done my utmost, and Mingzhu even took his own daughter in as her sister, repeatedly saving her from trouble. How has Mingzhu ever wronged anyone?”

“It is you who cannot distinguish right from wrong, wielding trivial matters like a decree, deliberately tormenting your own sister!”

The matriarch grew angrier, pointing a finger at him, “Go kneel at the ancestral hall. When you’ve come to understand, then come out!”

Jiang Xiuyuan suddenly lifted his head, but his gaze instinctively fell upon Jiang Lingyao.

Mingzhu knew he was in poor health; if he knelt in the ancestral hall, his body surely wouldn’t withstand it.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Lingyao curled her lips into a cold smile, “Go. When you realize your mistakes, I will come personally to bring you back.”

Those words—those very words!

Jiang Xiuyuan’s vision darkened as he suddenly recalled how, when he left the temple with Song Lian’er, he had left Jiang Lingyao with the same icy words—

“Jiang Lingyao, this is what you owe Lian’er. When the year is up, I will come personally to bring you back.”

But he had completely forgotten this, never coming to fetch her, forcing her to return on her own.

He stared at her blankly, bitterly realizing that Jiang Lingyao would never come for her. She was blaming him; she had never truly swallowed this matter.

She hated him.

His throat dry, Jiang Xiuyuan nodded after a long silence, “Yes, grandson understands.”

Seeing his sudden look of guilt, Jiang Lingyao felt no ripple within, only a deep, biting sarcasm.

She only regretted that she could not return all the suffering she had endured onto him in full.

Pei Xingzhi opened his mouth but found himself speechless.

His mind went blank.

After a long moment, he looked up at Jiang Lingyao, his voice trembling, “Mingzhu, I didn’t know about this.”