TRBDM -Chapter 128 Jumping into the Well

After reading the letter, Wei Zhaorong folded it and set it aflame with the candlelight.

Such confidential information must not be leaked even a fraction.

From what she could see now, with Xie Yu acting as a guide, the Tenth Prince and the Marquis’s household were subtly aligning on the same front.

She truly hadn’t expected that, back when she had only admired Xie Yu’s talent and thought that having one more capable child was just another path—after all, sending one more child to study in the Marquis household made no real difference.

Later, upon noticing how strikingly similar Xie Yu’s eyes were to the Princess’s, suspicion arose in her mind.

It made perfect sense to formally accept Xie Yu as her adopted son—reasonable, and yet also part of a calculated strategy.

After being reborn, Wei Zhaorong had devoted herself to revitalizing the Marquis household and bringing glory to its name.

Internal and external troubles abounded; once the internal problems were mostly resolved, the external threats would become the main focus.

The situation was unstable, changing by the hour.

Wei Zhaorong had to tread carefully, step by step.

At Linshui Pavilion, Xie Wanyi was throwing a massive tantrum.

“You wretched servants! Open your dog eyes and look properly! I am the legitimate daughter of the Marquis household! Disrespect me and don’t think I won’t chop off your hands!”

Nanny Qi exchanged a glance with Nanny Zhang. Nanny Zhang immediately understood, stepped forward, and while Xie Wanyi opened her mouth to shout, quickly, decisively, and accurately stuffed a cloth into it.

“Mmm! Mmm! Mmm!” Xie Wanyi’s curses were effectively muffled.

“Second Miss, save your strength. The matriarch has instructed us to help you move. Just cooperate and get moved quietly. Once you reach the other residence, you’ll be the sole mistress there, and all the servants will obey you. As for us old maids, we won’t get in your way.”

Nanny Qi waved at the others below. “Hurry and move everything. Even if we have to work until midnight, it must all be done today.”

“Yes.”

Most of the Marquis household’s servants had been assigned to Linshui Pavilion, creating a massive operation.

With so many hands, moving things went quickly.

Xie Wanyi’s mouth was blocked, and her body restrained by Nanny Zhang—there was nothing she could do except stomp her feet.

After a long struggle, she finally exhausted herself completely.

Her hairpins were disheveled, stars danced before her eyes, and the lump on her forehead had been soaked with sweat, aching intensely.

Seeing that she had calmed down, Nanny Zhang released her grip.

The delicate young lady had struggled long enough.

Moving house was a lot of work. Nanny Zhang had only gone to lend a hand briefly, and when she returned, Xie Wanyi was nowhere to be seen.

“Nanny Qi, the Second Miss is gone!”

Nanny Qi, busy and sweating, didn’t pay much attention. “Go look for her; she’s just somewhere in the Linshui Pavilion courtyard. She can’t have gone far.”

“Yes.”

After a while, Nanny Zhang came running back in a panic. “Bad news, Nanny Qi! The Second Miss is about to jump into the well!”

Nanny Qi immediately dropped what she was doing.

“What? Where is she?”

“In the back courtyard.”

“Quick, inform the matriarch. Hurry!”

By the time they arrived at the back courtyard, they saw Xie Wanyi sitting at the edge of the well, both legs dangling over the opening.

Hearing the hurried footsteps, she turned and shouted loudly, “Don’t come closer! All of you, stay back! If anyone comes closer, I’ll jump!”

“Waaaahhh—you’re all bullying me! What’s the point of me living? I don’t want to live anymore!”

Wei Zhaorong furrowed her brows tightly.

Xie Wanrou was shocked by the scene before her. She steadied her wildly beating heart and carefully coaxed, “Wanyi, don’t act impulsively. You can’t treat your life as a game. Come up, alright?”

“Xie Wanrou, don’t put on that fake virtuous act—it’s disgusting to look at. I bet in your heart, you’re just wishing I’d die sooner. Spare me your saintly act.”

“……”

Xie Wanrou was left speechless. Her genuine concern instantly diminished by more than half.

Even at this point, Xie Wanyi didn’t understand the need to grow. The kind-hearted Xie Wanrou, for the first time, reflected on herself and wondered if she had been too soft-hearted.

She shouldn’t have spoken up.

Originally, Dou Shuyao also wanted to say something, but after seeing how Xie Wanyi treated Xie Wanrou, she remained silent.

Xie Wanyi squeezed out two tears.

“Mother, this is the last time I’ll call you mother. Today you’ve driven me out of the mansion, forcing me to this point of jumping into the well to end my life… don’t you have anything to say to me?”

Wei Zhaorong said coldly, “If you want to jump, then jump. No one’s stopping you.”

“Ah?”

The servants waiting behind to rescue her all gasped.

She’s really not being saved?

What if Second Miss really jumps? What will we do then?

Xie Wanyi stood frozen for a long moment before coming to her senses. Fighting back her tears, she said,

“You… you think using reverse psychology will make me come out? Dream on. I absolutely won’t come out.”

Wei Zhaorong remained unmoved and said, “Xie Wanyi, if you’re putting on this suicide act to achieve some goal, you might as well just say it outright. Everyone’s busy—don’t waste our time.”

This was exactly what Xie Wanyi had been waiting to hear.

She wiped her tears and said aggrievedly, “I won’t go to the other courtyard. I want to live in Linshui Pavilion. Linshui Pavilion is my courtyard. On what grounds should I move?”

Confident, Xie Wanyi believed that threatening with her life would force Wei Zhaorong to agree to her demand.

“No.”

“?” Xie Wanyi thought she’d heard wrong. “No?”

“If you say no, I’ll jump right now.”

“Jump. I’ll watch you.”

Wei Zhaorong’s ruthless words completely shattered Xie Wanyi’s last illusions.

She had never imagined that, in her mother’s eyes, her life was worth nothing at all.

But the well beneath her feet was so dark, so deep. She was afraid.

Time ticked by slowly as everyone remained locked in a standoff with Xie Wanyi.

“Second Miss, you should come out yourself. This farce should end,” Nanny Qi said.

“A farce? You think I’m putting on a show?” Xie Wanyi fumed. “Hmph, I’m not pretending! I really don’t want to live. If I die in this well, I’ll become a restless spirit and come after you all.”

“If you’ve done nothing wrong, there’s no need to fear ghosts knocking at night. Second Miss, we’re not afraid.”

All eyes were on Xie Wanyi. She had never felt so humiliated— even the servants of the mansion were trampling over her pride.

If this standoff continued, she would truly be looked down upon by everyone.

“Second Miss, come out quickly.”

“Exactly, stop being willful and come out.”

“Second Miss, if you keep this up, it’ll really be meaningless. You should listen to the Old Madam.”

The servants urged her in all directions, which only stirred Xie Wanyi’s rebelliousness.

“You all look down on me, so I refuse to do as you wish.”

Summoning all her courage, Xie Wanyi shut her eyes and jumped.

“Second Miss—”

“Second Miss—”

Just as everyone was about to rush forward, Wei Zhaorong stopped them all.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

A scream came from the well.

“It’s so dark in here! Quick, someone help me up!”

The servants looked at each other in confusion. Second Miss’s voice was so loud… could she really be okay?

Wei Zhaorong had long anticipated everything.

The well in the servants’ courtyard had long since dried up.

In the previous life, Wei Zhaorong had stayed in the servants’ quarters for quite some time. This dry well had been abandoned many years ago; there wasn’t a single drop of water inside.

However, the bottom of the well was dim, filled with decayed branches, rotting leaves, and a stench so foul it was unbearable. Various insects crawled about down there.

This was far more tormenting than killing Xie Wanyi outright.

“Help! Help! Quick, pull me up! Ahhh! Something’s crawling—bugs! So many bugs! Mother, I beg you, I admit my mistake! I’ll obediently go to the other courtyard! Please, save me!”