Transmigrated as the Villainess, She Made the General Blush - Chapter 32

Seeing that Xu Tian was still unwilling to wake up, and with people around already beginning to question the Household Physician’s skills, the Household Physician had no choice but to prick her at the spot that hurt most.

“Ah!” Xu Tian screamed in pain, sharply sucking in a breath.

If she still didn’t wake up after that, it would be improper.

Xu Tian raised her hand to her forehead and came to, appearing even more frail than before, as if she could barely hold a brush.

Many of the young ladies from official families nearby covered their mouths and snickered.

Who among them hadn’t been pricked by the Household Physician before?

They had only ever heard of someone fainting and gently coming to after being pricked-never of anyone waking up with a scream.

“Since you’re awake now, let’s not delay any further. Let’s begin, Miss Xu. The sooner this is settled, the sooner you may rest.”

Xiao Wangshu spoke as she took the paper and brush handed over by a servant of Gu Mansion and began to write.

Yichun and Shuxia, three zhang away from her, also kept their heads down, writing rapidly.

Her maid was also brought to the side by Gu Mansion’s guards, holding the brush and hesitating for a long time, not knowing how to begin or what to write at all.

The young master of Gu Mansion also selected ten young ladies from those who had gathered to watch, handed them paper and brush, and asked them to assist in the investigation.

Among them was Fang Qiluo.

Xu Tian trembled all over as she took in the scene before her, her mind a muddle, and took the brush handed to her by the servant of Gu Mansion.

—

After everyone had been writing for half an hour, they gradually stopped.

A servant of Gu Mansion gathered up the xuan paper and respectfully presented it to Old Master Gu Cheng, inviting the assembled male officials to read first.

The more Gu Cheng and Fang Jingtai read, the darker their expressions became.

Gu Cheng shook his head as he read, while Fang Jingtai rebuked outright, “Such filthy and despicable tricks from a mere young lady!”

Xiao Hong finished reading the statements, his expression unchanged, and gestured to the servant. “Take them and let Xu Sichu see for himself.”

Xu Geng, as Xu Sichu, had really grown arrogant lately; just because he clung to the Mu Family, did he truly think he had some sort of immunity?

Gu Cheng sighed and spoke to Xu Geng and his family of three, “Xu Sichu, I sincerely invited you all to celebrate my wife’s birthday, but the young lady from your Xu Family disrupted the banquet, falsely accused others, and destroyed reputations.”

At this, Gu Cheng tiredly raised his hand and waved them off.

“That’s enough. Today is not a day for disputes in Gu Mansion. You should take your leave.”

To be turned away by the host after coming to the banquet was a true humiliation.

Xu Geng had never suffered such disgrace. In fury, he flung his sleeve and slapped Xu Tian hard, scolding, “You disgraceful daughter! Ruining our family’s good name!”

Xu Tian’s tears streamed down like broken pearls. Covering her face, she sobbed, “Caiqing said this would be nothing. I just wanted to teach Xiao Wangshu a lesson. The quarrels between us young ladies aren’t supposed to be a big deal-Xiao Wangshu almost drowned me too!”

Fang Qin’er and Old Lady Fang’s faces instantly darkened.

Old Lady Fang struck her cane on the ground several times and said angrily, “You girl, slandering others with your bare words and still claiming it’s nothing? Don’t you know the tongue is as sharp as a sword-it can kill without drawing blood!”

“Mother, calm down, calm down,” Fang Qin’er said as she soothed Old Lady Fang, helping her steady her breath.

Xiao Wangshu hurried forward to help support Old Lady Fang, comforting her while calling for the matron and maids nearby to assist Old Lady Fang to rest.

“No! This wasn’t what I wanted either! It’s just that Xiao Wangshu kept pestering Young Master Mu. Caiqing said we were just teaching her a lesson, to make her give up…”

“Slap!”

Seeing Xu Tian grow more reckless, her father Xu Geng slapped her again.

“Rebellious daughter!”

This fool! Offending the Xiao Family wasn’t enough-she even wanted to drag the Mu Family down too!

“Why don’t you measure your own worth and see what you are? My daughter of the Xiao Family-when has it ever been your place to teach her a lesson? Are you even worthy?”
Fang Qin’er had always been dignified and gracious in public, rarely uttering such harsh words.

“And now you’re feeling wronged?

“Did my Wangshu beg you to wade into the pond and frame her? Did my Wangshu beg you to ruin her reputation?

“You tried to harm her and failed, only to be exposed, and now you act as if you’ve suffered some great injustice. How can you be so shameless at such a young age!”

Xiao Wangshu stood by, listening, and felt that Fang Qin’er must have saved up all the scolding words from the first half of her life just to use them today.

Old Lady Gu saw Xu Tian covering her face and crying, saw Lady Xu’s face flushed red with shame and anger, and then looked at Mu Caiqing, who had been dragged into the matter and looked equally upset. For a moment, she was moved to pity.

Thinking of how her own Old Master had always treated others kindly and left room for maneuver in everything, she carefully spoke up-

“Let it go, Fang Family girl. Today is my birthday, a day of great joy. Just give me some face. It is true that your Wangshu has been wronged, but Miss Xu and Miss Mu are still young…”

“Grandmother.”

Gu Yongjia pushed through the crowd and came to stand before Old Lady Gu.

Old Lady Gu’s train of thought was interrupted. She asked, “Why have you come here?”

Gu Yongjia said, “I just ran into a bad person who cut my hand, smashed my butterfly, and said he would strip off my clothes for others to see. It was that Fu Guang brother who chased the bad person away and saved me, and he even fixed my butterfly.”

As she spoke, Gu Yongjia held up the repaired pearl butterfly for Old Lady Gu to see.

“Grandmother, look, the butterfly is fixed.”

At this moment, Old Lady Gu had no mind to care about the butterfly. Her face turned red with anger, and her cane struck the ground even more forcefully than Old Lady Fang’s had earlier. She asked furiously, “Who? Which brazen thing dared to say such filthy words to you!”

Gu Yongjia raised her little hand, stained with blood, and pointed behind Mu Yunze, indicating Mu Chengyang as she said, “It was him.”

Then, she changed direction and pointed at Xiao Fuguang, saying, “Grandmother, it was that Fu Guang brother who chased away the bad person and helped me.”

The matter with Gu Yongjia had just been resolved by Old Master Gu and the others in the front courtyard, but Old Lady Gu here knew nothing about it.

Now, hearing this all of a sudden, Old Lady Gu was so angry that her blood rushed upward, and she pounded her cane on the ground as if she wanted to pound Mu Chengyang to death.

Now she understood why her Old Master, who was always so genial, had insisted on driving the Xu Family out today.

So this was what had happened!

Driving out the Xu Family was not just to stand up for the Xiao Family girl, but even more to warn the Mu Mansion!

“Old Lady!” Several of Old Lady Gu’s daughters-in-law hurried forward to support her.

Gu Yongjia was startled as well. She had only wanted to tell her grandmother that it was Fu Guang brother who saved her, so that her grandmother would not side with the wrong people and would help Fu Guang and the others more.

She hadn’t expected her grandmother to be so angry.

“Grandmother, don’t be angry, don’t scare Yongjia.” Gu Yongjia ran up, holding Old Lady Gu’s hands with both of hers.

Old Lady Gu took several deep breaths, then struck her cane heavily on the ground twice and said-

“It was my Gu Mansion’s poor hospitality and lack of discipline that caused Wangshu to be wronged. The Xiao Family may handle this matter as they see fit; there is no need to consider the birthday banquet. I will go back to rest first. Once you have finished dealing with this, the banquet can continue.”

This meant she was washing her hands of the matter entirely; the Xiao Family could do as they pleased, even if it disrupted the birthday banquet.

After Old Lady Gu finished speaking, her daughters-in-law hurried to help her back.

“Yongjia, come with me,” Old Lady Gu called as she walked.

“Alright!” Gu Yongjia quickly lifted her skirt and followed, holding Old Lady Gu’s hand, her voice soft and sweet as she tried to comfort her grandmother.