Chapter 09: Real Lies

County Magistrate Hu, Madam Yang, the thin Chief Steward San Shou, and all the guests who had come to pay their respects listened in a daze as Ye Xiaotian spoke rapidly, his small mouth moving at an astonishing speed, leaving them no opportunity to interject. Ye Xiaotian was like the most dedicated actor, fully immersed in his performance

The little girl had a thin white ribbon tied around her forehead and another white ribbon around her waist, indicating that she was in mourning. She timidly looked at the crowd in the courtyard, and suddenly, upon seeing the woman who was bound with ropes and as gentle as water, she immediately burst into tears.

... ...

Ye Xiaotian said: "That day, the court issued an edict that Lord Yang was to be executed the next day. I prepared a few cups of wine for Lord Yang and ordered some side dishes to accompany it. At that time, the prison was very dark, and it was raining outside. I lit a candle, and under the candlelight, Lord Yang was in tears..."

Yang Lin has always had a discordant relationship with his wife, and he is well aware of her disdain for their beloved daughter. He knows that as soon as he passes away, his wife will undoubtedly mistreat their daughter. As for Ye Xiaotian, Yang Lin holds him in high regard.

A girl of about three or four years old wobbled into the yard, her round, rosy little face resembling a lovely red apple. Her small hand was held tightly by a stern-looking old woman, and she timidly took her steps.

Upon hearing "Three years in prison, old friends are all gone, and relatives are also nowhere to be found," Lady Yang's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her head in shame. However, just as her head had barely lowered, upon hearing the next line, she suddenly raised it again. The movement was so swift that it seemed to cause a crack in the joints of her neck.

In fact, in various regions across the north and south, it is quite common for daughters to be married off at the age of thirteen or fourteen, with such occurrences being particularly prevalent in the south. Moreover, the practice of taking concubines, especially taking a girl who has just reached the age of maturity as a concubine, is something that the gentry are particularly enthusiastic about. Ye Xiaotian is not entirely ignorant of this matter.

Ye Xiaotian added this sentence, merely thinking that if he were to leave with that charming young lady alone, she would worry about her mother and inevitably spend her days in tears, perhaps even harboring resentment towards herself. It would be better to take her mother along as well; even if the family is poor, it would not make much difference to have one more mouth to feed.

Ye Xiaotian felt a wave of confusion in his heart: "What... what on earth is going on?"

She broke free from the old woman's grasp, staggered over, and hugged the woman's thigh, crying out loudly: "Mom, Mom, you big bad guys, let go of my mom quickly!"

Ye Xiaotian's eyes widened larger than a cow's: "The young lady of the Yang family... the young lady of the Yang family... is actually this small? That old fool Yang Lin, buried up to his neck in dirt, has a daughter who is still just a little brat!"

Nowadays, Ye Xiaotian has provided him with a convenient opportunity; why not take advantage of it and step down? Must one force this young man named Ye into a corner, compelling him to publicly reveal the truth of the will, thereby embarrassing everyone? Women are truly unreasonable

Some say that prison guards and inmates are like wolves and sheep, and that they can never form a friendship. Nonsense! As human beings, we all have emotions. What is wrong with prison guards? They are also human, with their own desires and feelings, and they have family and friends too

Madam Yang rarely witnessed her elder brother being so stern and severe towards her. Although she was filled with reluctance and unwillingness, after receiving his reprimand, she felt a chill in her heart and for a moment did not dare to speak further.

... ...

Ye Xiaotian seemed to have returned to the prison of the Ministry of Justice, earnestly brainwashing the officials and justifying the actions of the jailers: "Lord Yang was imprisoned three years ago, and I, Xiaotian, also became a jailer three years ago. Since then, Lord Yang has often taught me how to interpret the divination and the principles of being a person.

Denying what he said and casually tearing up this letter? It is not impossible, but doing so would inevitably arouse suspicion among others, leading them to believe Ye Xiaotian's words, which would be greatly detrimental to my reputation.

"The eyes are the master of the household, their palace is clear and distinct. If the yin and yang are withered and the bones are exposed, the wealth of the parents will ultimately be empty." This is a verse from the "Ma Yi Xiang Shu" that Lord Yang taught me to recite. Let us not dwell on this for now. In any case, Lord Yang holds me in high regard; he also mentioned that I possess an extraordinary appearance and will lead a life of wealth and nobility.

A suona suddenly bounced a few times on the ground, having fallen from the hands of the musician playing it in the corner. A monk, reciting scriptures, lifted a brass gong and rubbed it against his bald head, glancing around. The exceptionally beautiful woman, who had been weeping uncontrollably, now widened her tear-filled eyes, staring at Ye Xiaotian in astonishment

Ye Xiaotian has shown kindness to Yang Lin, who is obsessed with fortune-telling and believes that Ye Xiaotian will enjoy a life of peace and wealth. Therefore, at the end of his life, considering the circumstances at home, it is reasonable for Yang Lin to make such a decision that may seem somewhat peculiar to others

The girl has her hair tied into two bunches, styled into little braids that point upwards, looking quite adorable. She is wearing a patchwork outfit made of various colorful fabrics, resembling a vividly colored robe, which further accentuates her innocence and playfulness

If he had known that the water dance girl, who looked like an unmarried young woman, was actually Lord Yang's concubine, then his earlier words would surely have suggested that Yang Lin, in gratitude, intended to send the concubine to him as a gift.

If it involves the division of inheritance, one might go so far as to destroy their reputation and commit murder, disregarding the gossip of others. However, now Ye Xiaotian wants nothing at all and has even conveniently resolved the thorn in his side. What reason is there not to agree

County Magistrate Hu pondered the contents of the letter, recalled what Ye Xiaotian had said, and looked at Ye Xiaotian's calm expression, feeling an overwhelming sense of absurdity. His thoughts became somewhat chaotic; how could this young man fabricate such nonsense with a straight face and speak so sincerely?

Upon witnessing this scene, Ye Xiaotian felt like crying without tears: "Heaven, strike me with a thunderbolt, do not torment me like this!"

The little girl was extremely frightened. Ever since she and her mother were driven out of the Yang residence, they had relied on each other in the desolate little courtyard at the corner of the alley, never separating again. Who would have thought that yesterday, two fierce-looking old women from the Yang residence suddenly came and forcibly took her back to the Yang residence.

Madam Yang, upon hearing such a peculiar will, immediately responded with anger: "Brother, this matter is indeed inappropriate; he must have been confused in his old age to have made such a testament. I, however, have a different perspective on this..."

Ye Xiaotian hurriedly turned his head to look at the charming woman who was tightly bound. She was also staring at him with her beautiful big eyes, filled with astonishment. However, her features were too delicate, and even with a shocked expression, she still exuded a pitiful charm.

In the hall, there was a moment of complete silence.

The eyes of County Magistrate Hu flickered for a moment, and he suddenly burst into laughter

Ye Xiaotian's face showed a look of sorrow as he said gloomily: "Lord Yang said: 'Xiaotian, I have been imprisoned for three years, and I have not seen any old friends, nor have I had any news of my family. Only you can be considered my friend across the generations. As I approach the end of my life, there is only one person I cannot let go of, and that is my daughter. I entrust her to you, is that acceptable?'"

Ye Xiaotian looked at the little girl with yellow hair, who was crying and clinging to her mother's leg, her nose running and tears streaming down her face, and couldn't help but feel a bit like crying himself. He was conflicted, thinking that even if this little girl were to be betrothed to him as a child bride, it would at least take ten years of raising her, which immediately shattered his hopes.

They said her grandfather had died, and they tied a white belt around her waist for mourning. They also said her mother was a lowly concubine, unworthy of mourning for the master. She was all alone in the Yang family's mansion, feeling very scared, but now she has finally seen her mother.

County Magistrate Hu's expression darkened as he exclaimed: "I am not only your elder brother, but also the County Magistrate of Jingzhou! At this moment, I am not intervening in your family matters as your elder brother, but rather adjudicating a public case in my capacity as the County Magistrate of Jingzhou. There is no need for you to say more!"

County Magistrate Hu lowered his head to glance at the will, then raised it to look at Ye Xiaotian, speechless and dumbfounded, with only the beard under his chin trembling slightly.

When ... ... when when when when ... ...

Ye Xiaotian thought to himself: "Old fellow, I have made a concession, I have indeed made a concession. I do not even want the five hundred taels of silver, and I still want to take away the thorn in your eyes. Do not go too far, killing is merely a matter of a head's nod, one should spare those who can be spared!"

Ye Xiaotian let out a long sigh and raised his head, saying: "I, Xiaotian, was born of humble origins and come from a poor family, so I am naturally unworthy of the noble daughter of the Yang family. However, Lord Yang said that after this ordeal, he has seen through the affairs of the world and believes that no wealthy family is better than being a peaceful commoner..."

Distant, distant... ...

Ye Xiaotian looked towards County Magistrate Hu and said in a deep voice: "Lord Yang... ah no! My father-in-law mentioned in the letter that I should bring my wife and mother-in-law back to the capital to serve them with utmost sincerity. At the end of his life, my father-in-law was most worried about family discord, which would bring shame upon us!"

It is quite common for the gentry to exchange concubines with one another, and this is regarded as a refined practice. ... Based on this custom, if it is said that Yang Lin is concerned about his beloved concubine suffering after his death, and in order to repay the kindness he has received, he thus gifts his beloved concubine, it is far more reasonable than taking a four-year-old girl as a wife, yet now ...

Ye Xiaotian became increasingly emotional as he spoke, and when he lowered his head again, his eyes were already glistening with tears; he was moved by the nonsense he had fabricated himself

Ye Xiaotian's lips had just curled into a faint smile, only to be instantly frozen like the frost flowers on the windowpane: "Miss? Is the Miss not right in front of us? Where else do we need to go to invite the Miss?"

However, Yang Lin is indeed quite old, and he has been imprisoned for three years. Therefore, Ye Xiaotian's thinking fell into a misunderstanding, believing that Yang Lin must have taken this concubine at least over ten years ago. When he saw the still youthful Shui Wu, he naturally assumed she was Yang Lin's daughter

When Shuiwu saw her daughter, tears immediately streamed down her face like rain. With her arms bound, she could only crouch down and gently rub her cheek against her daughter's small face. As her daughter cried, she too shed tears, and their tears mingled on each other's cheeks. Many of the mourners present could not bear to watch and turned their heads away.

He smiled as he tucked the letter into his sleeve and said calmly, "The letter indeed says so. In my opinion, this action is quite absurd. However, my brother-in-law has always been impulsive, so it is not surprising that he would make such a decision. Since it is at my brother-in-law's last moments, how can I go against it? San Shou, please invite the young lady here."

County Magistrate Hu felt somewhat displeased; isn't this handling of the matter rather unsatisfactory? This young lady seems to be quite unaware of her own limitations. Yang Lin's will clearly states that his beloved daughter is to receive a house, fifty acres of prime rice paddy, and a shop located in the southern part of the city. Hmph, this Yang Lin still thinks that after three years in prison, he still holds significant sway in this family

Ye Xiaotian's mouth twitched violently for a moment, and he silently shouted in indignation: "How could I have thought that the precious daughter of a white-haired old man was only three or four years old? Calculating back, when he was imprisoned, this girl was at most just one year old. Clever and smart, my foot; pretty and adorable, my foot!"