Chapter 108: Chapter 108 Framing and Entrapment
The First Madam, Mrs. Dong, quietly made up her mind.
He Song was right; God helps those who help themselves.
She had been weak for too many years, and it was time to start fighting for her own interests.
No longer should the servants of the Prime Minister’s Mansion find amusement in them daily, nor should the people of the West Wing ride roughshod over them and humiliate them.
Having bid farewell to her parents and her brother and sister-in-law at home, First Madam Mrs. Dong turned and boarded the carriage.
It was a long time after the carriage left that the Dong Family reluctantly turned back.
Old Master Dong said nothing the whole time, but beside him, Mrs. Dong sighed repeatedly.
Suddenly, he spoke to his second son, Dong Weicun.
"Go and bring all those life-saving pills here. Divide each type in half, and let Qin Zhen take them all into the palace this time."
Life-saving pills?!
Old Master Dong’s words shocked everyone present.
But on second thought, it made sense.
Since the poisoning incident had arisen, it was naturally necessary to save lives.
Fortunately, the Dong Family was originally known for its medicinal herbs, so they had all sorts of precious herbs.
Therefore, many of these life-saving pills were brought out in one go.
Among them, the most were detoxification pills.
There were as many as thirteen pills.
Each one was worth a fortune, especially the one known as the Yunjian Grass pill, which was incredibly rare.
Just that one pill would be more than enough to buy all the properties on Dengwen Street.
Similarly, it was also the Dong Family’s treasured heirloom.
After all, the medicinal herb used to make this pill had long since become extinct.
So this medicine could essentially be considered a heavenly rarity on earth.
Old Master Dong glanced at it without any sign of reluctance and immediately added that pill to the list to be sent into the palace.
No one in the Dong Family standing by uttered a word.
They didn’t feel there was anything wrong with Old Master Dong doing so.
The Dong Family was busy with the pill matter, everyone doing their bit to help.
Meanwhile, First Madam Mrs. Dong returned home, and she hadn’t taken more than a couple of steps before the originally house-sitting Nanny Dong came rushing over, worried.
Her eyes were red, and she was breathlessly saying, "Madam, you’re finally back. Go and have a look, the Second Madam says our Third Young Master has stolen something and now they want to invoke family law!"
"What! What’s going on?"
"About half an hour after you left home, I saw Third Young Master’s page, Zhang Qing, rushing over saying the Second Madam came in a rage, claiming Third Young Master was using a fine Hu Bi brush, which apparently was missing from Second Young Master’s room, creating quite a scene."
"Nonsense! My family has sent us plenty of fine items, hasn’t the West Wing coveting everything? Merely a Hu Bi brush, and they dare accuse my son of theft! Truly pushing it to the heavens, thinking that both the master and He Song are not home, wanting me and Third Young Master dead!"
First Madam Mrs. Dong was filled with rage, and if sister-in-law Mrs. Wang were right there, a fight would probably break out.
She was usually polite and courteous.
But when it came to the children, she became relentless like a mother wolf protecting her cubs.
Especially after having just realized many things at the Dong Family, she naturally understood.
Constantly yielding would only let people act even more recklessly.
So this time, the main house would not let the second house bully them.
Thus, she sternly ordered Nanny Dong,
"Go, call all the servants from our East Cross Courtyard. Those who have wooden sticks bring them, and surround Yuxin Hall for me!"
Nanny Dong had never seen her mistress so stern before.
She was momentarily stunned.
"Madam... do we really want to clash with the second house?"
Nanny Dong originally had a fierce personality but had been oppressed in the Prime Minister’s Mansion for many years.
Even the sharpest stone is worn smooth like an egg.
So, she didn’t have much confidence in her voice.
This time, however, First Madam Mrs. Dong was extremely resolute.
"With He Song in the army and Qianqian sent to the palace, now I only have this one son. If the second house continues this uproar, then let it be! At worst, we’ll split the family!"
The word ’split the family’ burst out, not just surprising Nanny Dong.
Everyone present was shocked.
In Da Wei, when brothers wanted to split the family, there were basically two reasons.
Either the parents had passed away or things had gotten excessively ugly.
With Prime Minister Lin still alive, the first reason didn’t apply, so the second reason must be...
Nanny Dong looked at the girl she had nursed from childhood, shedding her timidness, finally standing firm.
Naturally, she had to support her!
Tears welled up in her eyes, and her voice became much firmer!
"Alright, then I, this old servant, will risk my life to ensure Madam and Third Young Master achieve their desires!"
The servants in the East Cross Courtyard, none of them cowards.
They had endured oppression to let their master live a more comfortable life.
But if they don’t bother us, we won’t bother them.
Since they were being pushed to the brink, naturally they would be fearless of anything.
Thus, everyone united their efforts and headed towards Yuxin Hall.
Yuxin Hall was where Lin Muzhi studied.
At his age, he should have been attending the Imperial College, but the main house had no connections, so they couldn’t fulfill his wish.
So they had to invite a scholar to teach at home.
He was diligent, never missing a day, come rain or shine, always arriving on time here.
First Madam Mrs. Dong, walking ahead, pondered how to respond.
Her face determined as never before.
Yuxin Hall was near the East Cross Courtyard side, so a few quick steps helped them catch up in time.
Just as they entered, they saw Lin Muzhi already pinned on a bench by a few woman servants from the West Wing, ready for family law to be imposed.
His small face was filled with anger and redness, yet there was a cloth stuffed in his mouth,
not allowing him to say a word!
Seeing her son treated so brutally, the flame of fury in Mrs. Dong’s heart completely ignited.
Abandoning her usual demeanor, she immediately shouted.
"Stop!"
During the twenty-some years Mrs. Dong had been married into the Lin Family, it was the first time she had spoken so loudly!
Nanny Dong feared her mistress might suffer, so she called all the ladies, maids, and servants from the East Cross Courtyard.
A large group of over twenty people surrounded Yuxin Hall in a circle.
The people from the West Wing were few, only about seven or eight.
Faced with such a scene, they wavered slightly.
But on second thought, after over twenty years, they had never seen the main house stand firm even once.
So, they straightened their backs again, putting on an arrogant expression.
Right in the middle of the porch of Yuxin Hall, Second Madam Mrs. Wang sat majestically.
While the scholar who was supposed to be teaching Lin Muzhi hid in the corner, not daring to speak.
After all, this was the Prime Minister’s Mansion, filled with noble figures he dared not provoke.
Teaching here was merely a means to make a living.