Chapter Twenty-Four: Swords Drawn

  Just as everyone thought Liu Rong was going to severely interrogate Liu Qi, Liu Rong instead smiled and squatted down in front of him: "Is your hand still hurting? Let me help you wipe it clean?"

  Liu Xuan's mouth curled up in a mocking smile, wanting to show kindness and soften Liu Jie'er. Is this what they mean by having evidence to prove that she didn't lay a hand on Liu? What a joke!

  The madam couldn't help but frown, and it seemed that Rong Jie had taken a wrong step. The more she showed kindness to Liu Jie, the more everyone would believe that Liu Rong had done something wrong. As the madam thought this, she glanced around at the others, only to see that Chang Gu Gu was already shaking her head, while Tai Fu Ren was watching with a cold smile.

  Liu Rong, however, seemed to be completely unaware of these things. She took out her own handkerchief and, without caring whether Liu Jie was willing or not, gently pulled out her small hand and wiped away the mud covering it. She carefully checked if there were any tiny cuts on it. In ancient times, in such a place, if children accidentally got hurt, they might be beyond rescue.

  Sixth sister stared blankly at Rong sister, who was diligently wiping her hands with a towel, her face full of confusion and helplessness. She even looked up to Mrs. Zeng, who had once given her delicious food, for rescue. Until Mrs. Zeng didn't help her, didn't say a word, she stiffly continued standing there, letting Liu Rong do as she pleased.

  Liu Rong slowly wiped, feeling that Liu Jie's hand slightly retracted, before softly speaking: "Don't worry, it will hurt a bit, but wiping clean can prevent infection. If there was hot water, it would be better."

  Liu Jie's maid didn't understand Liu Rong's meaning, but vaguely knew that Liu Rong was skilled in medicine and had saved the second lady. As soon as she heard Liu Rong's words, she hurriedly left to fetch water, and somehow managed to bring back a small basin of hot water in no time.

  In the icy and snowy land, emitting hot air.

  Liu Rong nodded and gestured slightly, using hot water to clean Sixi's hands before standing up.

  "This is what you call evidence?" Yu Xuan sneered, those waiting for Yu Rong to provide evidence were also impatient, and the lady's face was even more unpleasant, clearly unwilling to wait any longer.

  Liu Rong didn't wait for Madame Liu to speak, and had already turned her head towards Liu Xuan: "Ninth Aunt, why are you in such a hurry? When did I say that this was my evidence? It's just that Sixth Sister scraped her hand and needs to take care of it. The evidence will arrive soon."

  As she spoke, Liu Rong looked at the little maid who had brought water earlier and was now trying to warm up Liu Jie's hands: "Don't touch her hand, your hand hasn't been washed. Not to mention that it will hurt if you touch her wound, even if you accidentally touch her, there may be bacteria, and it will get red and swollen later."

  Liu Rong said with a slight pause: "Can I trouble you to go to Mei Garden and call Dong Er and Fourth Sister for me?"

  The little maid was stunned, when had she ever been spoken to like that before? She was flustered and at a loss for words, only managing a numb nod, repeating it several times before coming back to her senses. Remembering she needed to enter the plum garden, she hastily nodded once more before backing away and running into the garden.

  "What you call evidence is just calling Si Jie over now? That's a joke. What difference does it make to call her over in this situation compared to before?" Liu Xuan sneered at Liu Rong: "I think you'd better accept your punishment and stop dragging things out."

  "On a day like today, with so many people accompanying you in this cold courtyard, what evidence do you need? Don't make a joke that can't be taken back!" Yurou said, looking at the maids and mothers beside her, who also couldn't help but laugh along.

  Aunt Chang had already given up on continuing to watch, this was an ending without any suspense.

  Chen Mama, who was standing by and waiting on Madame Wang, also couldn't help but lower her head, unable to bear looking anymore.

  Everyone present didn't think highly of Liu Rong. Until now, Liu Rong still hadn't produced any substantial evidence to prove her innocence, and although Liu Jie had accepted Liu Rong's help, she hadn't said a word in defense of Liu Rong either.

  Everyone didn't think that Liu Rong really had any evidence, just like Liu Xuan said, everyone thought that Liu Rong was just delaying time.

  Liu Rong's expression remained calm and unchanged, so calm that those who noticed her couldn't help but think she had given up.

  At this moment, Xiaoyan led Dong'er and Sijie back.

  The fourth sister saw such a strange quietness in the courtyard and couldn't help but want to turn her head to look at Liu Xuan.

  "I'm going to ask you a few questions now, and you must answer me truthfully. Before this, I've already asked these questions to Liu Jie, and she's already answered me. So what you say is true or not, as long as it's the same as what Liu Jie said, we can tell." Yu Rong spoke up, facing Yu Fu, before her eyes shifted to Yu Xuan.

  Everyone was stunned, because they were present and naturally understood the whole situation. Liu Rong didn't ask Liu Jie any questions at all, and even Chang Gugu, who had just wanted to leave, couldn't help but look up at Liu Rong, wondering what she would do next.

  She didn't think there was any way to salvage the situation, but this turn of events was indeed beyond her expectation!

  Liu Fu couldn't help but feel a tightness in her chest, and her face also became tense. She wanted to turn around and ask Liu Xuan, but she was worried that looking now would be too obvious, so she looked at others instead, only to find that everyone's gaze was strange. When she saw Liu Jie'er also had an unusual expression, just staring blankly at Liu Rong, her heart skipped a beat.

  "Liu Fu, did you see me hit him with your own eyes?" Liu Rong asked the first question, looking at Liu Fu.

  Liu Fu's eyes slightly turned, confirming that there was no problem with this question, before cautiously answering: "Yes."

  Liu Rong smiled slightly: "Okay, that is to say, when this thing happened, you were present from beginning to end and saw everything, right?"

  When she saw Liu Rong's smile, Liu Fu's heart couldn't help but feel a little confused. Clearly, there shouldn't be any problems, yet somehow many issues seemed to exist. At this moment, the question Liu Rong asked was almost identical to before, leaving her no room for rebuttal. She could only stiffen her scalp and nod: "Yes."

  "Alright, I want to know, when I hit your daughter in front of you, which part of her body did I hit? You were there from start to finish, so I believe you must have seen everything. It's impossible that you didn't see where I hit her." Liu Rong looked at Liu Fu with a steady gaze.

  Liu Fu was stunned and didn't expect Liu Rong to ask this question in front of everyone.

  The others present also stared blankly, and Mrs. Yu even re-examined Liu Rong carefully.

  "You'd better make sure your answer is clear, to know beforehand, the child has already answered this question, and everyone has already heard the child's answer." Liu Rong emphasized her tone, speaking word by word to Liu Fu.

  Liu Fu was only sweating profusely, Liu Rong had never fought with Liu Sixiang before, so how could she have an answer? She hadn't even made detailed arrangements with Liu Sixiang about this matter beforehand. Earlier, she had said that just to please Ninth Aunt, it was a momentary inspiration. How could she possibly know what Liu Sixiang's answer would be?!

  "Liufu, if you keep not answering like this, I'm afraid everyone will think that what you said before was fake and that you have a guilty conscience, which is why you can't answer!" Liurong continued to add fuel to the fire.

  Liu Fu finally couldn't help but look at Liu Xuan, who was frowning and looking at Liu Fu, wanting to remind her that Liu Rong had never asked Liu Jie'er any questions, but unfortunately, she couldn't do so at this time and could only feel anxious.

  Xian Yue did not give any instructions, and Liu Fu finally could not help but turn pale.

  "Willow F, I'm asking you something, why aren't you answering?" Willow Rong calmly reminded: "Could it be that there was no such thing in the first place, and everything was just your own fabrication to frame me?"

  Liu Fu's heart skipped a beat: "No, you...you're hitting, you're hitting..."

  His hair is not disheveled, so he can't have been fighting; his face isn't red, so he can't have been fighting...

  "Where did you hit? Don't be slow to answer!" Liu Rong said quickly.

  "It's the arm that was pinched! That's right, it's the arm that was pinched!" Liu Fu seemed to come back to life and quickly said to Liu Jing.

  Liu Xuan couldn't help but burst out laughing at this answer, it was too good! How could they possibly fight anywhere else? Only here can they fight as they please. Can't you see that already? Liu Rong, you're done for this time!

  Liu Rong, however, was watching Liu Fu with a smile, which made Liu Fu's heart skip a beat. Then she saw Liu Rong's mouth open again: "What a pity, your answer is different from that of ? Er. ? Er answered in front of everyone that I kicked her directly!"

  Liu Fu couldn't help but feel her body go weak.

  "You're saying this is why? Why are your and ?'s answers different? Or perhaps... you've remembered incorrectly?" Liu Rong slowly guided.

  Liu Fu's eyes lit up: "Yes, that's right, I remembered it wrong, you kicked first, then pinched my arm, that's how it was..."

  "Alright! That's enough!" The old lady finally couldn't bear it and spoke up, unwilling to continue watching her usually beloved granddaughter make a fool of herself: "Rong Jie, your punishment for facing the wall is over, but no matter what, you still need to understand filial piety and respect for elders. It's not just about being sharp-tongued and quick-witted. I'll have you copy out the Classic of Filial Piety three times, so you can learn how to be obedient to your parents and elders."

  Old Lady Tai paused for a moment before looking at Liu Fu, who still had a bewildered expression and didn't know how much of a fool she had made of herself: "Fu, you have slandered your relatives and don't know the meaning of love. From today on, go to the Buddhist hall and face the wall for three months. Without my permission, you are not allowed to take half a step out!"