TRBDM -Chapter 87 Lei Tieyun Blocks the Carriage

The carriage arrived at the Dali Temple, and Xie Wanrou had the attendant accompanying her deliver the items inside.

Delivering them personally was a gesture of sincerity; not showing her face was to avoid gossip.

After all, Jiang Yuelin was handling the case against Lei Lieshan, and although Xie Wanrou was the victim, she still needed to maintain a distance.

Once the items were delivered, Xie Wanrou didn’t linger.

“Let’s go back.”

The carriage turned around.

It was a bit hot today, so Xiaodie opened the carriage curtain. A gentle breeze drifted in, bringing comfort and ease.

Suddenly, someone pressed against the carriage, desperately banging on its frame.

“Wanrou! Wanrou—”

A coarse, squawky voice rang out outside.

“Wanrou, my dear Wanrou, save Lie’er! You’re the only one who can save him now!”

Xie Wanrou exchanged a glance with Xiaodie and knew immediately it was Lei Tieyun.

After knocking for a long while and receiving no response from Xie Wanrou, Lei Tieyun, disregarding the moving carriage, climbed onto it and yanked the curtain open.

Xie Wanrou and Xiaodie were both startled.

In just a few short days, Lei Tieyun seemed like a completely different person.

Her cheeks were hollow, her skin sallow, her hair loose and disheveled. The usually meticulous and poised matron of the General’s Mansion now looked like a rural peasant woman, so plain that she was almost unrecognizable.

The moment she saw Xie Wanrou, it was as if she had found a lifeline. She prostrated herself and grabbed Xie Wanrou’s feet.

“Rou’er, Rou’er, my dear Rou’er, you must save Lie’er, I beg you, please, I beg you!”

Lei Tieyun’s teeth, broken by Wei Zhaorong, had a noticeable black hole, causing air to leak when she spoke, yet she seemed completely unaware.

Her hands were like claws, gripping Xie Wanrou so tightly that she couldn’t pull away even an inch.

“Madam Lei, please speak calmly. You’re hurting our lady.” Xiaodie anxiously tried to push Lei Tieyun aside.

Lei Tieyun turned sharply, staring fiercely at Xiaodie.

“How dare you! You insolent maid, you dare try to touch me?!”

Having lived under the pressure of the Lei family for years, Xiaodie was immediately intimidated. She didn’t dare move another inch.

“Madam Lei, watch your words. Xiaodie is a first-rank maid of the Mingde Marquis Mansion. You have no right to slander her.”

Xie Wanrou straightened her back. Her voice was calm, not loud, but full of authority.

Lei Tieyun instinctively wanted to scold her. After all, Xie Wanrou had been married into the General’s Mansion for years and had never once opposed her.

And Lei Tieyun, in her usual way, loved to pick on others.

No matter how well Xie Wanrou and Xiaodie performed, she would never receive a word of praise from Lei Tieyun.

Lei Tieyun could yell at Xiaodie, but she no longer had the authority to reprimand Xie Wanrou.

The wheel of fortune turns, and even Lei Tieyun would one day have to humble herself before Xie Wanrou.

“Wanrou, for the sake of your marriage to Lie’er, can you persuade Lord Jiang to release him? Lie’er has been wronged. He’s a distinguished general with military merits—not some petty fraud claiming honors.”

Lei Tieyun’s voice shook with tears. In her eyes, Lei Lieshan was a flawless man of unmatched virtue, and any wrongdoing was only because of false accusations by others.

Xie Wanrou watched her performance calmly, subtly frowning.

It wasn’t anything personal—Lei Tieyun’s squawky voice was unbearable.

She had probably been crying so much over the past few days that her throat was hoarse, dry, and shrill, like someone sawing wood right beside Xie Wanrou’s ear.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Xie Wanrou interrupted.

“Madam Lei, I trust that the Dali Temple will handle this case fairly. If you believe Lei Lieshan has been wronged, go collect evidence yourself. There’s no point in asking me.”

Seeing Xie Wanrou dismiss everything so cleanly, Lei Tieyun became furious.

“Why were you useless when I needed you! If it weren’t for you, would he have been captured by the Dali Temple? Every one of you in the Hou Mansion is cruel, sending Lie’er straight to his doom.”

“Madam Lei, don’t speak falsely. It was Lei Lieshan who tried to harm me first. If Mother hadn’t arrived in time, he would have strangled me to death.”

“Impossible!” Lei Tieyun immediately denied it. “In the General’s Mansion, Lie’er often hit you, yet you lived just fine. How come once you came to the Hou Mansion, you’re at death’s door? Xie Wanrou, I know your nature better than anyone—you’re tough. You don’t die easily.”

Xie Wanrou’s chest tightened as old wounds were exposed. “Fine, you finally admit it. Every time Lei Lieshan hit me before, you knew. As my mother-in-law, did you ever care for me even a little?”

“You didn’t die, you lived just fine. Why would I care? Why would I feel sorry?” Lei Tieyun’s small green eyes were filled with malice.

“In that case, Madam Lei, let me say this: whether Lei Lieshan lives or dies is none of my concern. I will not save him, and I cannot save him.”

Seeing Lei Tieyun opening her mouth to say something, Xie Wanrou added, “By the way, the Emperor’s edict is still in the Hou Mansion. Do you want me to have it presented again?”

Using the edict as leverage, Xie Wanrou left Lei Tieyun speechless.

“You really won’t help Lie’er?”

“I won’t!”

“You—” Lei Tieyun suddenly erupted. “You venomous woman, so cold-hearted. Since Lie’er couldn’t strangle you, maybe I’ll finish what he couldn’t.”

With lightning speed, Lei Tieyun’s five fingers shot toward Xie Wanrou’s neck.

“Someone, help!” Xiao Die quickly stepped in front of Xie Wanrou and shouted.

The coachman, hearing the cry, immediately dropped the reins and grabbed Lei Tieyun by the legs, pulling her out.

Lei Tieyun, after all, was older, and these past few days of poor food and sleep had left her weakened. Dragged by the coachman, she collapsed into the carriage, blood spilling from her mouth.

Her already shaky teeth became even looser.

After much struggle, the coachman and the attendant finally pulled Lei Tieyun out of the carriage.

Exhausted, she collapsed to the ground like a stray dog, her robes covered in dust.

Through the opened carriage curtain, Xie Wanrou saw Lei Tieyun’s mouth dripping blood, glaring at her with pure resentment in her eyes.

Their gazes met in midair—one calm, the other consumed with rage.

Xie Wanrou’s heart, stirred by Lei Tieyun, had already returned to normal.

She was still the legitimate eldest daughter of the Mingde Hou Mansion, living in silk and jade, while Lei Tieyun’s remaining years would be full of anxiety and fear.

A villain like her doesn’t even deserve mercy.

Xiao Die closed the curtain, blocking their view.

“Miss, next time you go out, you should bring an attendant. Being blocked like this every day is too dangerous.”

First came Luo Feiyang, and now Lei Tieyun—who knows who will appear next.

Xie Wanrou found her words reasonable. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

Back at the Hou Mansion, news of Lei Tieyun blocking the carriage quickly reached Wei Zhaorong.

Within an hour, Nanny Qi brought two sword-bearing attendants.

“Miss, the Old Madam said these two attendants will protect you closely from now on.”

“Please thank Mother for me.”

That evening, when Xie Lan returned, he noticed the two armed attendants in Moyun Courtyard. His heart tightened, thinking Xie Wanrou had gotten into trouble again.

Xie Wanrou didn’t tell him what had happened during the day, only saying it was arranged by Mother.

“Lan’er, Yu’er, come try the ice-cold yuanzi I made.”

At the mention of food, both of them ran over immediately.

After a bowl of the cold yuanzi, Xie Lan sighed in satisfaction:

“Big sister, you made this so delicious! It’s a shame we’re about to go study at the Guozi Jian for ten days and won’t get to eat your pastries.”