CHAPTER 43: CHAPTER 43: IT WAS HER—SHE AND THE PRIME MINISTER DESTROYED OUR FAMILY!

The old madam cried with tears and snot flowing, holding him and sobbing: "Oh, my son!! You have suffered so much, your elder brother, he, he..."

Unexpectedly, Li Ming suddenly looked at Ruan Mian, his eyes bloodshot with accusation.

"It was her, it was she who conspired with the Prime Minister to bring down our house!!"

"What??"

Old Madam Li looked over in shock, and Li Ming roared.

"This vile woman colluded with the Prime Minister, put all the blame on my brother, caused our house to be confiscated! My brother was even... even beheaded..."

As soon as these words were spoken, the old madam fainted on the spot, and the other women, too overwhelmed with grief, collapsed to the ground.

The death of the Eldest Prince was a severe blow to Uncle’s Mansion.

Li Ming wished to tear Ruan Mian apart on the spot!

Ruan Qingsong, seeing this, immediately came over from the crowd, stood in front of his sister, and said calmly but firmly.

"Mr. Li, how can you throw dirt on my sister? If your brother truly didn’t do those things, why would he be executed? If you don’t want anyone to know, don’t do it yourself!"

"Bah! It’s clearly this vile woman who whispered in the Prime Minister’s ear, and on the day your brother met with the Prime Minister, you were there beside him, do you dare say you weren’t conspiring with him?"

"What exactly did our Uncle’s Mansion do to offend you? To make you hate us so much! Or is it... you just want to protect your husband’s family, to help your husband Qi Nanfeng be absolved of guilt, and let my brother take all the blame?"

Faced with his every accusation, Aunt Chen from Uncle’s Mansion cried out sorrowfully.

"Oh, Ruan Mian, I thought you had been looking out for our mansion along the way, now it seems, it’s because you have a guilty conscience! Without the Young Master, how are we supposed to live in the future?"

"Our entire family has been harmed by you to this state! Today, I’m going to fight you to the death!"

With that, she looked around, picked up a large stone, and rushed toward Ruan Mian.

Ruan Mian pushed her brother aside, easily snatched the stone from her hand, and without hesitation, smashed it onto her forehead.

"If you can’t think straight, then reflect well in your dreams!"

With that, she fixed her burning gaze on Li Ming, advancing on him.

"Li Ming, you say over and over that I harmed you, just with that foul mouth of yours? If you have the ability, bring out evidence that I wronged you."

"But in the eyes of shallow and despicable people like you, a meeting between a man and a woman is nothing more than shameful bedding matters, more profound matters, you cannot perceive."

"You... you dare speak so recklessly about me..."

Li Ming grabbed a spade and charged toward her, Ruan Qingsong immediately grabbed his arm, and the two started grappling.

Ruan Mian, in anger, went forward and kicked his knee, snatched the spade, and smashed it hard on his head.

With a crisp sound, Li Ming fainted right on the spot.

The old madam and others were shocked beyond belief, crying out and calling for the government officers to uphold justice for them: "Lord, look at what’s happening!! She’s trying to commit murder! We’re exiled, not sentenced to death!"

Ruan Mian threw down the spade, looked at the group from Uncle’s Mansion, and said sternly.

"In the past, I looked after you for some days, if you listen to slander and want to oppose me, I will certainly not be lenient! But remember this well in your hearts, your current downfall can only be blamed on Li Shen because his mind was twisted, he committed heinous crimes."

The government officer still wanted to step forward and say a few words, facing Ruan Mian’s cold eyes, his back felt as though pierced by a cold wind, held back those words, and first sent the people from Uncle’s Mansion away.

Once the road cleared, a team moved towards Jixian County with shouts, led by armored soldiers.

Li Ming was doused awake with cold water by the government officer, to not delay the journey by his unconsciousness.

Old Madam Li and others looked after him closely.

Aunt Chen followed from a distance, both angry and anxious.

She was deeply concerned about Li Ming’s injuries, but her status was as it was, going to check would not be appropriate, so she could only worry helplessly.

But thinking of Ruan Mian, she vented her anger on Ruan Jiao.

She kicked Ruan Jiao hard on the back of her leg, shouting furiously.

"Just now your family was so rampant, you didn’t even stand up, wouldn’t even help your brother-in-law! Letting your family bully us, say, are you in cahoots with them?"

Ruan Jiao bit her lip hard and glared at her, Aunt Chen grabbed her hair.

"A lowly concubine, what right do you have to look at me like this? Ruan Jiao, don’t forget you are already a person of Uncle’s Mansion, dare to take sides outside, just try it!"

"If you want to show your loyalty, then do something right now! Come here!" She dragged Ruan Jiao to the back of the procession, whispered something, Ruan Jiao’s eyes opened wide, instinctively wanting to refuse.

But stared at her viciously, that feeling of grievance could only be swallowed inside.

She took a deep breath, Aunt Chen seeing she had nowhere else to retreat, let go of her this time.

Then she clapped her hands, chuckling lightly.

"Now can you see the situation clearly, why we have fallen to this state, all thanks to your elder sister! Besides you’ve already left your family home, no one from there will cover for you."

Aunt Chen revealed a sly smile: "If you dare to complain, tonight you’ll die without a whole corpse!! Armored soldiers are all soldiers from the barracks, they kill without a blink, you’ll get what’s coming!"

Ruan Jiao clenched her palms, shaking with anger.

Now, she was like a weak chicken whose life was held in someone’s hands, Aunt Chen being so rampant, with such knowledge of Li Ming’s movements, must have colluded with Li Ming even before the exile.

She looked at the front of the procession, at the comfortable Ruan Family in the carriage, Ruan Jiao only felt her head filled with blood, and all the blood in her body boiling.

Back then she clearly married high, even as a concubine, but at least it was the Earl Mansion, their Ruan Family merely a merchant family, low in status!

She thought she had secured a good marriage, and expected her father and others to look up to her, at least provide some dowry for her to rely on.

But they not only didn’t look up, but also accused her of being shameless, using disgraceful means to become someone’s concubine!

Tarnished the family name, let alone a dowry, not even a farewell meal at home.

In contrast, the legitimate daughter Ruan Mian, merely married into a ninth-rank official’s family, yet received such a grand dowry, married splendidly!

Even though she’s now repudiated, a widow for three years, Ruan Mansion still accepts her.

But what about herself?

Just because her biological mother was not presentable, being a concubine, she got nothing?!

Back then she did use disgraceful means to entice the Eldest Prince of Uncle’s Mansion, but also fought for a status, what was wrong with that?

Now still have to be despised and used because of Ruan Mian, this anger, she couldn’t swallow it even in death!!

In thought, she moved her foot in the direction of the armored soldiers.

At the same time, inside the carriage, Ruan Mian and her family were having a heartfelt conversation.

Rui had already woken up, other than a bit of coughing, he was fine.

Little Bun knew his aunt saved him, clinging to Ruan Mian, refusing to get down.

He had the scent of medicine, his body soft and warm, his small talk sweet as honey, Ruan Mian adored him.

She wrapped him in her arms for warmth, her parents relieved to know the child was safe.

Amidst the chat, Ruan Mian noticed that Mr. Ruan seemed preoccupied with something, she asked: "Father, is there something else troubling you?"

He shook his head, without speaking, Mrs. Zhang beside him could only sigh, looking at Rui in Ruan Mian’s arms, worriedly.

"Mianmian, your sister-in-law and Rui shouldn’t be suffering with us, perhaps... we should find a way to send the mother and child away?"