TSWPF – Chapter 25 Confession

Madam Liu craned her neck, staring at Li Qingling. “I didn’t do it. Why should I swear?” Her tone still carried that venomous edge!

Li Qingling snorted, a cold smile playing on her lips as she looked at Madam Liu. “You don’t dare swear, which only proves that it was you who killed my mother.” In this era, swearing an oath was taken very seriously. Once someone swore falsely, it was believed that Heaven would punish them.

Li Qingling was fully aware of this and was using it to trap Madam Liu.

Madam Liu put her hands on her hips, glaring at Li Qingling in displeasure, clearly realizing she wasn’t going to get away easily.

“You won’t swear, so what oath am I supposed to take?”

“Fine. I swear that if even one word I just said is a lie, may Heaven strike me down with thunder and lightning, and may my descendants be wiped out.” Li Qingling raised three fingers without hesitation, making a deadly oath. “My oath is done. Now it’s your turn.”

She had nothing to hide, spoke the truth, and sat upright. Of course, she dared to swear. The question now was whether Madam Liu had the courage.

Seeing Li Qingling swear so decisively, Madam Liu’s face turned pale. Her eyes darted toward Old Li, silently pleading for rescue.

Even if Madam Liu hadn’t looked at him, Old Li would have intervened. After all, she was his daughter-in-law, and this deadly oath concerned his descendants. He had no choice but to act.

“Which granddaughter would be so cruel as to make her grandmother swear such a deadly oath? Li Qingling, don’t think just because you’ve split from the family, you can get arrogant.” Old Li’s voice was firm. “Remember, even if you’ve split off, we are still your elders. You must respect your elders.”

A mere junior member of the family—he refused to believe he couldn’t control her.

Madam Liu tried to shift the conversation again, but Li Qingling didn’t give her the chance. Her eyes stayed fixed on Madam Liu as she repeated her question: did she dare to swear?

Being blatantly ignored made Old Li unhappy.

“Li Qingling, don’t go too far. Your grandfather is still alive. You have no right to be so arrogant here.”

Li Qingling drew a calm breath and said coldly, “Going too far? I’m here to seek justice for my mother. Is that going too far? Grandfather, my grandmother and eldest aunt killed my mother. Aren’t they going too far?” Protecting one’s family isn’t about blind loyalty. If she were the old Li Qingling, she might have feared him—but she wasn’t. Her soul from the 21st century would not allow her to back down from her dignity and responsibilities.

Old Li was left speechless. After a moment, he finally replied firmly, claiming that Madam Zhao’s death had nothing to do with Madam Liu or Madam Lin, and that Li Qingling shouldn’t accuse anyone without evidence.

“Want evidence? Fine…” Li Qingling nodded and turned to ask Liu Zhimou to bring Li Qingfeng.

Liu Zhimou nodded and ran home immediately.

The people standing in the courtyard started whispering among themselves. Aunt Huang stepped forward. “I can testify. I saw Madam Liu and Madam Lin running out of the Li household in a panic. Then I heard Xiaofeng crying for help. When I ran over, I saw Huiniang lying on the ground, bleeding.” She believed Madam Liu and Madam Lin were ruthless, attacking even a pregnant woman.

“That day, I also saw Madam Liu and Madam Lin running frantically from the village entrance. I even asked where they were going. They ignored me and left.” Another aunt spoke up. Privately, she had doubted Huang Shi’s account—but seeing it unfold before her eyes was terrifying.

Hearing the gossip, Madam Liu’s face turned red and pale. She pointed at Huang Shi and others, cursing that they had been bribed by Li Qingling to slander her.

No one likes being falsely accused, especially someone straightforward like Aunt Huang. She yelled back at Madam Liu, “I swear by everything I just said. Do you dare to swear? Huh?”

Mentioning an oath left Madam Liu flustered—she didn’t dare swear at all.

It was all Madam Lin’s fault. If she hadn’t pushed Madam Zhao, none of this would have happened.

Seeing Madam Liu remain silent, Aunt Huang scoffed in contempt.

At that moment, Liu Zhimou returned with Li Qingfeng. Li Qingling patted his head, reassuring him that he could recount everything he had seen without fear.

Li Qingfeng stood close to Li Qingling and clearly recounted everything that had happened that day. Once done, his eyes reddened. Recalling that day always made him sad and guilty.

Madam Liu put her trembling hands behind her back, hiding them, but stubbornly said, “Li Qingfeng’s words aren’t trustworthy. Madam Zhao is his mother; of course he’s siding with her.”

“Liu Chunhua, stop denying it. Children don’t lie. One plus one is two.” Aunt Huang couldn’t hold back.

“Li Qingfeng is lying.”

Li Qingling’s lips curled coldly. She knew Madam Liu wouldn’t admit anything, so she stopped wasting words and turned to the village chief.

“Village Chief, if the clan cannot give me justice for my mother, I will drum for justice myself and ask Heaven to intervene.” Barefoot yet fearless, she was determined to seek justice for Madam Zhao. She would not let Madam Liu and Madam Lin go unpunished.

The village chief patted Li Qingling’s shoulder in comfort and glared at Madam Liu, urging her to confess before it escalated to the authorities.

Ordinary villagers feared entering the yamen (official court). Madam Liu’s legs trembled. She glanced at Old Li, but he ignored her.

Her fear deepened. Her legs went weak, and she fell to the ground, pointing at Madam Lin, claiming it was all Madam Lin’s doing.

Madam Lin, hiding behind Li Laifu, went pale at Madam Liu’s accusation.

“Clearly, it’s your fault. Don’t drag me into it.” She refused to admit to murder, which carries the death penalty.

Madam Liu grew angry as Madam Lin shifted the blame. She stood up, pointed at Madam Lin, and yelled, “You pushed Madam Zhao! Don’t deny it!” She hadn’t even touched Madam Zhao, yet Li Qingfeng dared to slander her. How infuriating.

Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law accused each other back and forth.

Old Li felt ashamed and shouted, “Enough!” Arguing only made the Li family more disgraceful.

His shout startled everyone. Madam Liu and Madam Lin, watching Old Li’s chest heave with anger, fell silent.

Seeing the chaos in the Li household, the village chief thought to himself that a virtuous wife is essential; otherwise, future generations suffer.

“This matter is serious. I’ll have to open the ancestral hall.” The ancestral hall was only opened for major events.

Old Li kicked Madam Lin, sending her sprawling. “Madam Zhao’s death was solely Madam Lin’s doing. Let her enter the ancestral hall!” Though Old Li had been with his wife for decades, he could not let her take the blame. He had no choice but to sacrifice Madam Lin.

Li Qingling’s lowered eyelids flickered with mockery, silently grateful her family had split. Otherwise, with such a selfish patriarch, she and her siblings wouldn’t have fared well.

Madam Lin, in disbelief, ignored the pain on her forehead, shouting that she was being wronged and refusing to enter the ancestral hall.

Old Li remained unmoved, so she begged Li Laifu, “Laifu, for Qingfu’s sake, help me!” She finally saw the true selfishness of Old Li and Madam Liu.

“Mother… I want mother…” Li Qingfu, who had been hiding in the room, ran out upon hearing Madam Lin’s cries, clutching Li Laifu’s leg and crying, “Father, save mother!”

Seeing his son-in-law crying and clinging desperately, Li Laifu felt distressed and called out to Old Li, “Father!”

Old Li closed his eyes briefly, then said softly to Li Laifu, “That is your mother. She’s elderly. Can you let her suffer? Moreover, this is Madam Lin’s fault, not your mother’s. Do you want your mother to take the blame?” Though Madam Liu instigated Madam Zhao, Madam Lin was the one who pushed her. Having lived with them for decades, he knew their natures.

Hearing this, Li Laifu hesitated. Between his mother and his wife, both were precious. He struggled.

“After so many years of marriage, I bore your children and thought of everything for you. You can’t be so heartless!”

Madam Lin clung tightly to Li Laifu’s leg, fearing he’d side with his mother.

Li Laifu looked at Madam Lin, then Madam Liu, closed his eyes, and reluctantly declared that Madam Lin was the one who harmed Madam Zhao.

Upon hearing this, Madam Lin collapsed to the ground, full of despair, unable to believe it was her husband.

Old Li breathed a sigh of relief, nodding to the village chief to take Madam Lin away.

The village chief sighed and had a strong woman drag Madam Lin to the ancestral hall.

Li Qingling held Li Qingfeng’s hand and followed, with villagers trailing behind.

At the ancestral hall, the chief had Madam Lin kneel. Holding a whip, he asked again, “Did Madam Zhao’s death involve you?”

Madam Lin trembled upon seeing the whip but admitted she pushed her, though she claimed Madam Liu had instigated it.

Her confession was swift, and the chief didn’t punish her further. He turned to Li Qingling, asking for her decision.

Li Qingling replied calmly, “Divorce her, then.”