325 Where’s Your Face?
Seeing her sour expression, Yu Zongzheng couldn’t help but flare up. “Yang Shuwan, where’s your face? As a mother, you didn’t keep an eye on Brother Si, causing him to drown. If this isn’t your fault, then whose fault is it? You still have the cheek to blame Yao Yao. You keep saying that it’s her fault. Do you know that if Yao Yao hadn’t saved Brother Si’s life, if anything had happened to him, you would have already received the divorce letter and returned to the Yang family.”
He shouldn’t have married Yang Shuwan, the daughter of a concubine.
If it weren’t for Si’er, he would have written a divorce letter and asked Madam Yang to leave.
“M-Master, you…” Yang Shuwan’s body went limp and she fell to the ground. She looked at the servants in the courtyard and her hands and feet turned cold. Her mind was in a mess.
When Yu Youyao saw this, she quickly said, “Father, Mother is worried about her younger brother and is a kind mother. You can’t blame Mother for Fourth Brother’s drowning. As the eldest sister, it’s my duty to help Mother raise her younger brother.”
Yu Zongzheng’s expression darkened. “Your mother treats you with malicious intent and doesn’t have the slightest heart of a loving mother. Yet, you still want to speak up for her!”
Yu Youyao lowered her head, feeling a little sad. “Father, it’s also my fault as an eldest sister that Fourth Brother fell into the water today. I didn’t teach him the principle that a gentleman shouldn’t stand under a dangerous wall. That’s why he didn’t know about the danger and went to the lake. It’s my third mistake.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Old Madam Yu couldn’t take it anymore. “You, you unlucky child. You admit all your mistakes. Could it be that your mother had scolded you silly just now? Your mother said that you harmed Brother Si. Do you really think that you’re in the wrong?”
Yu Youyao was stunned by the scolding. “It’s my fault. Mother was worried about Fourth Brother…”
Old Madam Yu was about to die of anger. “Don’t you think about it? Your mother treats Brother Si like her own. She doesn’t even come to my courtyard often. Even I, her grandmother, don’t see her often. As her eldest sister, how can you get close to her?”
Yu Youyao bit her lip. “But…”
Old Madam Yu interrupted her. “What does Brother Si’s drowning have to do with you? Kneel down and apologize. You saved Brother Si’s life today. How can there be a better sister than you…”
When Yang Shuwan heard this, she trembled and did not dare to speak anymore.
Yu Youyao was indeed a monster.
Yu Zongzheng was confused. He was determined that Yu Youyao was a good person. Whatever Yu Youyao said was right, and everything she said was wrong.
Seeing his daughter kneeling on the ground with a guilty expression, Yu Zongzheng also said, “Your grandmother is right. Although you were the one who advocated the renovation of the Songtao Courtyard, Zhao Da also helped. You reported everything that happened inside to me, and you did your best. Father knows that you’ve worked hard.”
Yu Youyao looked guilty and lowered her head without saying anything.
Yu Zongzheng took a step forward and bent down to help his eldest daughter up. He patted her shoulder and said gently, “I know that you’re a good sister. Brother Si drowned, and his fate was unknown. It was you, as his eldest sister, who stepped forward and saved Brother Si’s life. You cared about the close relationship with your brother, and I’m proud of you.”
“Your grandmother’s health isn’t good, and you’re the one who stood up to help manage the family matters and share the burdens of the elders. You’re pure and filial, showing the demeanor of our Yu Zong.”
Yu Zongzheng looked at his daughter and said word by word, “Yao Yao, not only are you not in the wrong, but you’ve also contributed.”
At this point, Yu Zongzheng’s admiration for his eldest daughter deepened. At such a young age, she was responsible. She was a person with morals, and she did things in a methodical manner.
As a woman, she wanted to stabilize the family.
If he was a man, he would also be a great talent in ruling the country and bringing peace to the world.
Yu Zongzheng’s voice was filled with warmth. Yu Youyao’s eyes welled up with tears, but she still lowered her head. “Thank you for your praise, Father!”
With that, Yu Youyao turned around and wiped the tears from her eyes.
These tears were for Yu Youyao, who had been ignorantly anticipating her father’s love, for her dead mother, and for older Yu Youyao, who had died tragically in her nightmare.
As for her—
Father, do you know that the human heart can’t be hurt?
Yu Zongzheng changed the topic. “What did you ask just now? Why did your fourth brother suddenly drown? I remember that a fence was built by the lake.”
Yu Youyao was a little hesitant, so Old Madam Yu pulled her granddaughter to sit beside her and continued, “I’ll handle it. After all, it’s a matter of the main courtyard. Otherwise, others will think that Yao Yao, a stepdaughter, is in charge of her Mother’s affairs.”
Yu Zongzheng’s face darkened, and he could tell that something was amiss with Yang Shuwan.
Yang Shuwan’s eyes widened in shock as she screamed, “Old Madam, what do you mean? Brother Si drowned in Songtao Courtyard. How did it involve the main courtyard? I’m Brother Si’s mother. How could I harm him…”
Yu Zongzheng’s expression darkened. “Shut up! I’m afraid Mother usually indulges you too much, so much so that you don’t know the rules. How can you interrupt when the elders are talking!”
Yang Shuwan’s face fell.
Old Madam Yu did not even look at her. She said to Yu Zongzheng, “After Brother Si drowned, Yao Yao ordered someone to invite Carpenter Zhao to take a look. Listen to what he has to say.”
At this moment, Carpenter Zhao walked out of the crowd and knelt on the ground. “The wooden railing is also new. It will take a day or two to be fixed. Eldest Miss has repeatedly instructed me to be more careful. Therefore, early this morning, I went to check again and even asked First Madam about this matter. She asked Fourth Young Master to try his best not to go to the lake to play. Even if he does, he has to follow a servant who knows how to swim.”
Actually, the truth was that a part of the wooden fence in Songtao Courtyard had loosened. He guessed that it was made for someone, so he looked for Eldest Miss to make a decision.
When Eldest Miss heard this, she instructed him to keep this matter a secret and pretend that he did not know anything.
Moreover, she instructed him to avoid the main point and not say much about the wooden railing being loose. He was instructed to say that the wooden railing was newly repaired.
As a result, he no longer had anything to do with this matter. It was Eldest Madam Yang’s fault for not taking care of it well.
However, this was also the truth.
Eldest Madam Yang should have detained Fourth Young Master and not let him go to the lake.
Yu Youyao’s expression was extremely cold. She gently lifted the lid of the tea and brought it to her lips. The tea was still hot for her tongue, so she was not as prepared as her cousin.
Yu Shansi’s drowning was directed at her.
The wooden railing was loosened. Carpenter Zhao was involved here, so wasn’t it also because she wasn’t doing her job well? It wouldn’t do her any good to expose it. After all, the servants in the residence wouldn’t dare to do anything to harm their master.
In this way, she was the biggest suspect.
She was confident that she could escape unscathed, but if that happened, Yu Shansi would be harmed. Someone would definitely have to step in to take the blame. Only then would this matter be over, and she would also harm Carpenter Zhao and his son.
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