Chapter 1654: There Are Two Versions of the Story

Marchioness Zhang took a deep breath, took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, and closed her eyes to seek comfort for herself.

A moment later, she opened her eyes and said in a deep voice: "The people who appeared at Baoguo Temple that day were not just the Mei family and the Marquis's Mansion; there was also a noble person."

"Go on!" Chen Guanlou reminded her.

Marchioness Zhang suppressed her anger and recalled the events of that day. "The Third Girl was good-looking, talented, and had high aspirations; she didn't look at ordinary people at all. Wanting to marry into the Marquis's Mansion was because the Marquis's Mansion was the best family she could hook onto at the time, bar none. It wasn't because she liked the Marquis's Mansion's son that much. But after that day, her goal changed.

At first, I didn't realize it; my daughter was pitted by her and lost face in front of several cousins, and I thought she was competing for the marriage with the Marquis's Mansion. It wasn't until the New Year period, when she didn't rack her brains to ask to go to the Marquis's Mansion for New Year's greetings, that I vaguely realized this dead girl had new ideas.

In previous years, as soon as New Year arrived, she would perform in front of me, hoping I would take her to the Marquis's Mansion. But this year, she changed her nature. Hmph, dead girl, thinking quite beautifully."

"What happened later, and why did you bring her to the Marquis's Mansion for the banquet?"

Marchioness Zhang brushed the stray hair at her temple. "The invitation for the banquet at the Marquis's Mansion was delivered to my hand. At first, the dead girl didn't move, seemingly not wanting to go. Two days before the banquet, this girl suddenly changed her mind and ran to me to work hard, expressing that she wanted to attend the banquet.

At first, I didn't agree. I didn't expect the dead girl to actually persuade the old lady. You only think I am tyrannical in the Mei family, but you don't know that I also have difficulties in the Mei family. The old lady spoke, and I couldn't refuse, so I could only reluctantly bring the dead girl to the Marquis's Mansion for the banquet.

On the way, I even warned her to know etiquette and understand when to advance and retreat; if she dared to mess around in the Marquis's Mansion and do something shameful, I would tear her apart. She agreed perfectly. I even let my own daughter help keep an eye on her.

When we arrived at the Marquis's Mansion, I was busy socializing and greeting guests, so I didn't pay attention to them. Later, I met my daughter and asked her where the dead girl had gone. My daughter said the dead girl used the excuse of being dizzy and went to the side room to rest. I was worried, so I arranged for a maid to find her. Heh..."

"Didn't find her?"

"Found her, but I would rather have known nothing."

Marchioness Zhang sighed deeply, her mood very depressed, her heart filled with anger and disgust.

"Only then did I confirm that the dead girl had already changed her target on the day at Baoguo Temple. I only confirmed that the reason the dead girl came to the Marquis's Mansion for the banquet was not for the Marquis's Mansion's son, but for the new target. To this day, I still don't know where she got the news that the noble person would attend the Marquis's Mansion's banquet. After all, that gentleman's name was not on the guest list of the Marquis's Mansion."

"So who exactly is that noble person?" Chen Guanlou pursued.

Marchioness Zhang refused to say the other party's name, sneering, seemingly gloating.

"You are curious about what exactly happened to the dead girl and how she died, right? Then I will tell you how she died: she took the initiative to seduce the other party and took the initiative to climb into bed. She thought that having the reality of husband and wife would allow her to marry in. But she didn't know that the noble person wore the skin of a humble gentleman on the surface, but was actually a person who ate people without spitting out the bones. Someone like her who took the initiative to deliver herself basically had no good end. Of course, I only knew about these things afterward. Until she died, I was completely clueless."

"You portray yourself as so innocent; do you think I believe you?"

"Whether you believe it or not is unimportant; anyway, I never thought of harming her. I just wanted her to be sensible and not dwell on the Marquis's Mansion's son; she is not worthy!" Marchioness Zhang said angrily with a stiff face.

Her eyes even looked a bit aggrieved, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

Chen Guanlou raised an eyebrow slightly. "Why let Zhu San take the blame?"

Marchioness Zhang took out a handkerchief and wiped her cheeks. "This matter was decided by my eldest brother. Zhu San was the guest with the lowest status and position that day, and with the right time, place, and people, he could only be the scapegoat. It can only be blamed on him for not appearing at the Marquis's Mansion's banquet."

The last sentence was the truest!

Zhu San indeed shouldn't have appeared at the Marquis's Mansion's banquet; he deserved his bad luck.

"That noble person, is his surname Song!"

Song was the imperial surname!

A person who could make Marchioness Zhang avoid him as if fearing disaster, not even daring to mention his name, besides those imperial relatives, Chen Guanlou couldn't think of anyone else.

"Don't ask me; I don't know anything. I have said everything I know; remember your promise, don't let the Mei family know."

"Since the cause of the matter was Third Miss Mei wanting to climb high, what does it matter if the Mei family knows? Why are you so guilty and so afraid? You didn't tell the truth."

Chen Guanlou directly exposed the other party.

Marchioness Zhang was furious. "I am already like this, and you still want to force me. Don't tell me you want to force me to admit things I haven't done. It wasn't me who forced her to attend the banquet at the Marquis's Mansion, nor was it me who forced her to climb into bed, and it certainly wasn't me who forced her to be unchaste!"

"Enough!"

Chen Guanlou said with a dark face, "I have a similar story here; do you want to hear it?"

"What?" Marchioness Zhang was a bit confused.

Chen Guanlou said coldly: "Third Miss Mei was introverted, talented, and had high moral character. She went to burn incense with her elders and was taken a fancy to by a certain noble person. The noble person asked the Marquis's Mansion to act as an intermediary to provide the venue, and thus the banquet was held. You also received the task, which was to be responsible for bringing Third Miss Mei to the Marquis's Mansion. Afterward, you personally sent Third Miss Mei to the noble person's bed, allowing the noble person to bully her until she died!"

"Nonsense! Don't you try to frame me! Don't you try to ruin my reputation! I am innocent. It was she who was unchaste, it was she who single-mindedly wanted to climb high, and it was she who brought it upon herself. I was used by her!"

Marchioness Zhang waved her hands, denying it desperately. She cried aggrievedly, telling of her own injustice.

She was like a frenzied performer, staging a play called 'Injustice'.

Chen Guanlou watched her go crazy coldly, hitting the core problem:

"Since it was all her fault, why are you restless, why are you guilty and panicked, and why did you come to burn incense to the Bodhisattva? Why are you afraid of the Mei family knowing the truth? Because you are the accomplice; it was you who personally pushed Third Miss Mei into the fire pit. You and the Marquis's Mansion knew exactly what kind of person that noble person was, yet you still pushed Third Miss Mei into the fire pit without hesitation. You even found a scapegoat in advance. The son-in-law talk was all an excuse. Zhu San was the best scapegoat you found in advance—from out of town, a merchant, a widower, and having requests of the Marquis's Mansion... why are you panicking? I guessed right, didn't I!"

Chen Guanlou stepped forward, pinching Marchioness Zhang's chin, forcing the other party to look up and face the judgment.

"You are also afraid? You vicious woman, just because you were jealous that the Mei family's second branch's children were smart and surpassed your own son, you harmed their daughter. So vicious, does Master Mei the Eldest know? If I tell Master Mei the Eldest again that his childhood sweetheart died because of you, guess what he will do?"

"No, no, no... you are spouting nonsense! You have no evidence; you cannot slander me! Let go of me... you will die a horrible death..." ===== CHAPTER 1655 =====