Chapter Sixty-Eight: The First Encounter

The show was about to begin!

Having thrown out a bombshell, no matter how displeased Madam Xing might feel, she had to face this awkward matter now. Whether she chose to make a scene or try to cover things up, she had no choice but to get to the bottom of it. Of course, it was impossible to openly disgrace the Zhen family in front of all the guests gathered for the birthday celebration. At this moment, she almost hoped that Zhen Qian was simply making mischief, but she was well aware that there was an eighty to ninety percent chance his accusations were true. The matter of the brocade feather fan had already slipped her mind.

Madam Xing resided in the Cool Pavilion, which had an ice storage space built into the walls. Cool air flowed through pipes set between the walls, lowering the temperature inside. As soon as Zhen Qian stepped inside, he felt the welcome chill—a stark contrast to the stifling heat outside. No wonder Madam Xing was dressed so magnificently today.

As soon as they entered the room, Madam Xing took her seat at the place of honor. She had no intention of inviting either of them to sit and speak, and instead got straight to the point: “Eldest son, you claim that Steward Xing accepted bribes, kept a mistress, and deceived the family. Did you witness these things with your own eyes?”

What did it mean to witness something with one’s own eyes? In this era, there was no such thing as forensic science, and how often were judgments passed on mere words? Madam Xing hadn’t asked whether Steward Xing was truly guilty, nor demanded evidence—was this not blatant favoritism?

Since the masks had already come off, there was no need for Zhen Qian to pretend with Madam Xing or the steward. He simply spoke plainly. “Mother, do you trust Steward Xing, or do you trust your own son?” he pressed.

Madam Xing had expected Zhen Qian to present a pile of baseless accusations and flimsy evidence, but she hadn’t thought he would turn the question back on her—did she trust her son or the steward? She knew better than to answer; whichever side she chose, she would be wrong. She immediately retorted with a sneer, “I judge by the facts and side with no one. How can I believe your words with nothing to back them up?”

Zhen Qian did not answer her, but instead turned his gaze, cold as frost, toward Steward Xing, who now stood at Madam Xing’s side. “Steward Xing, you have been in charge of the inner household for six or seven years now. There must be records for all manner of affairs, great and small. Might I see the account books?”

Despite standing in the Cool Pavilion, Steward Xing felt a cold sweat break out all over him, as if he’d been plunged into icy water. Gritting his teeth, he replied, “What account books? I cannot read—how could there be any?”

“Oh?” Zhen Qian let out a cold laugh, then turned again to Madam Xing. “May I ask, Mother, are there account books kept for the inner household?”

Of course there were account books. But now that Steward Xing had flatly denied everything, Madam Xing felt a jolt of alarm. The truth was all too obvious—the books were problematic, and she herself had failed to see it. Zhen Qian was certain to seize upon this as leverage. With no other choice, she decided to deny it as well: “They were just running accounts. The other day when Steward Xing brought them to me, I accidentally spilled water on them. Now they’re nothing but a pile of useless paper!”

At this point, Madam Xing could no longer avoid responsibility. The steward’s acceptance of bribes was a minor issue; deceiving the family was a major one. Coupled with her own failures in discipline and judgment, her authority would be thoroughly undermined. How could she continue to manage the household?

“Is that so?” Zhen Qian regarded Steward Xing with a faint, mocking smile. “There is still time to confess. This is, after all, a family scandal. If the account books were to find their way to the county yamen, you know what the consequences would be.”

“Insolence!” Madam Xing was the first to flare up. “Eldest son, are you trying to drive the Zhen family into ruin? What do you think you’re doing?”

Whether it was the Tang dynasty or later times, there were always those who delighted in gossip and scandal, especially when it came to the affairs of great families. If such an unsavory story spread, the reputation of the entire Zhen clan in Zhendian would suffer a severe blow, and she herself would not escape the fallout.

Of course, Zhen Qian had no intention of blowing up the matter. Wang Qun had already warned him that if the situation escalated, his own plans would likely fall apart, and as the instigator, his reputation would be ruined as well. He quickly said, “Mother, this trouble started with Steward Xing—I had no choice. Things have come this far; is it all my fault?”

Wang Qun had explained: even if they caught Steward Xing red-handed, with Madam Xing’s protection, it would be impossible to make a public scandal of it. That was why Zhen Qian had only touched lightly on the matter of bribery, never intending to make it a sensation.

Madam Xing glanced at Steward Xing, who instantly realized that if he continued to deny everything, even Madam Xing might not be able to save him. His eyes darted, and with a loud thump, he dropped to his knees before her, kowtowing and pleading, “I am wronged! I have always been loyal to the Zhen family. I admit my abilities are limited and I may have made mistakes, but it must have been those merchants who deliberately deceived me, allowing the villains to exploit loopholes. I deserve punishment. Tomorrow—no, I will immediately cut off all dealings with those unscrupulous merchants...”

Steward Xing had tried to shift most of the blame onto the merchants, claiming he had simply been misled by his ignorance of business. Even if Zhen Qian produced the account books, what would it prove?

It was exactly as Zhen Qian had anticipated—sharp-tongued, the steward attempted to exonerate himself completely. But Zhen Qian was not about to let him off so easily. He pressed on, “Mother, I heard Steward Xing gave you a pair of budgerigars that can mimic human speech, which you were particularly fond of. I wonder, Steward Xing, what price did you pay for those birds? Care to enlighten me?”

Steward Xing’s heart skipped a beat. He knew things were about to turn for the worse. He looked at Madam Xing with pleading eyes, hoping she would speak up for him.

But Madam Xing saw all too clearly that this was yet another handle Zhen Qian had seized. Seeing the steward’s beseeching gaze, she was filled with the urge to kick him aside. People spoke of “teammates as useless as pigs,” but now it seemed Steward Xing was even worse than that.

She had never imagined Zhen Qian would strike so fiercely at her steward, blow after blow, leaving him utterly defenseless.

Madam Xing knew full well how things stood between Zhen Qian and Steward Xing, but what could be done? Could she really sacrifice her pawn to save herself? That was not impossible, but without Steward Xing to act as her vanguard, others would only pity his fate, and who would be willing to fight for her in the future? Though she knew full well the steward’s hands were not clean, she was forced to defend him, and it left a taste in her mouth as bitter as swallowing a fly.

Today, Zhen Qian had come fully prepared. He had intended to use the birthday banquet as an opportunity to put Zhen Qian in his place, perhaps even to shame him publicly or brand him as unfilial, or at least to shift the family’s attitude toward him. But now, events had spiraled out of her control. Zhen Qian had turned the tables, pressing her relentlessly; though his words seemed aimed at the steward, every sentence was laced with criticism of Madam Xing’s poor judgment and indulgence of her servants. She could only seethe in silence. Now, forced to the edge of a precipice, was she truly ready to risk everything in an all-out confrontation?