TFWYH – Chapter 468 The Truth Comes Out

“Mm, let’s go in together!” Ling Canghe forced a smile as he spoke, though deep down he knew it was most likely not a misunderstanding.

That wretched girl had always regarded Tang Wan as a thorn in her side. She never once stopped to think that even without Tang Wan, it would never have been her turn.

She and Ling Yu were cousins. She should never have harbored such thoughts in the first place.

He had assumed that after getting married she would behave herself, but who would have thought…

It seemed that from now on, he could only pretend he had no such daughter!

With that thought, Ling Canghe made up his mind and glanced at Madam Qian.

When Madam Qian caught his look, her eyelids twitched wildly.

She wanted to say a few words in Ling Xiaofang’s defense, but for a moment she didn’t know what she could possibly say.

Soon, the two families arrived at the prefectural office.

Su Yuan did not receive them in the main courtroom. Instead, he had them escorted to an inner chamber.

Family scandals should not be made public. Ling Xiaofang bringing ruin upon herself was one thing, but Tang Wan’s reputation must not be dragged down as well.

When the two families entered, Ling Xiaofang was already kneeling on the floor.

Hearing the commotion, she turned her head. Her gaze immediately fell on Ling Yu.

It had been a long time since she had seen him. He was still as refined and elegant as ever — like an immortal banished to the mortal world, untouchable and beyond profanation.

A trace of disgust flashed through Ling Yu’s eyes. He stepped closer to Tang Wan, blocking Ling Xiaofang’s line of sight.

When Ling Xiaofang saw Tang Wan, her eyes filled with venom. There was nothing of a fifteen-year-old girl in that expression.

“You’ve finally come,” Su Yuan said as he stood and walked over, though his expression was grim. “I’ve already questioned her. She’s confessed to everything.”

“Your Excellency, what exactly happened? The Tang family has suffered disaster — is it truly connected to my unfilial daughter?” Ling Canghe cupped his hands respectfully, his posture extremely humble.

Su Yuan sighed and cast a troubled glance at Ling Yu before speaking.

“After the Qin couple reported the case, I began investigating. Especially the constables on duty at the gates of Xiangxi Town and the boats docked at the pier. The clues indicated that unfamiliar faces had entered Xiangxi Town in recent days…”

Unfamiliar faces meant they were not locals.

Even merchants who frequently came to do business were mostly known faces.

But these individuals had never appeared before.

They had stayed in Xiangxi Town for quite some time.

During that period, they went out of the town several times, wandering around nearby villages.

That was what Su Yuan had discovered earlier.

After Tang Wan returned and listed the people she had offended, he ordered the constables to investigate them one by one.

Everyone else seemed normal.

Only Ling Xiaofang claimed illness and refused to see anyone.

Finding it suspicious, two constables made indirect inquiries with the servants in her household.

Although Ling Xiaofang had married a man nearly fifty years old as his second wife, that man was a landlord in Hu Family Village. His household had many servants — and where there were many people, there were many tongues.

Moreover, after marrying in, Ling Xiaofang had been anything but obedient. She showed her husband no respect and treated the servants with constant beatings and scolding.

There were plenty of servants in that landlord’s household who hated her.

As soon as they heard the constables were asking about Ling Xiaofang, the servants revealed everything — whether they should have or not.

Not only did Ling Xiaofang frequently curse Tang Wan in the landlord’s house, she also could not tolerate any maidservant prettier than herself. She was harsh toward the villagers, especially those surnamed Tang — she almost went so far as to drive them to ruin.

In Hu Family Village, there was also a woman surnamed Tang who had married into the village.

Just because of her surname, she had suffered plenty of Ling Xiaofang’s suppression.

Once, while collecting rent, Ling Xiaofang deliberately made things difficult for that Tang woman and even declared that no one surnamed Tang was any good.

By sheer coincidence, that remark happened to be overheard by those outsiders passing by.