Chapter 22: Scapegoat
Luo Sheng's response took Su Daguniang aback, and she froze on the spot momentarily. Su Erguniang, on the other hand, was furious and couldn't hold back her anger. "My sister has already shown you enough courtesy, and yet you still want more?" she retorted, her voice filled with indignation. How can there be such a rude person in this world?
Luo Sheng maintained her composed demeanor and met Su Erguniang's fury with a cold gaze. "Isn't it Su Erguniang who initially spoke impolitely? Your sister was humiliated because she apologized to me on your behalf. Still, instead of feeling remorse for your actions, you continue to be this arrogant towards me. Is that not unreasonable?" she replied, her voice firm and unwavering.
"You—" Su Erguniang's face flushed with anger as she retorted, "And what you did isn't arrogant? I've never seen anyone so unforgiving, even after receiving an apology!" Luo Sheng's laughter suddenly broke out, devoid of warmth.
"Why are you laughing?" Su Erguniang demanded. "I'm simply laughing at your shamelessness," Luo Sheng replied calmly. "You—" Su Erguniang's anger intensified, causing her chest to throb and her entire body to tremble.
Unhurriedly, Luo Sheng asked, "So according to Su Erguniang, if someone inflicts harm on others, all they have to do is apologize? And if the victim doesn't accept the apology, the victim is deemed unreasonable and unforgiving? I'm genuinely curious how someone from a noble family like Su Erguniang could entertain such an unreasonable notion."
There are actually a lot of people who think this way. Most people who listen to this idea tend to get wrapped up in it and become accomplices to those who selfishly disregard the feelings of others. But she won't. She is Princess Qingyang.
The truth of Luo Sheng's words left Su Erguniang speechless. Despite her lingering resentment, she couldn't deny the validity of Luo Sheng's words. However, it was humiliating to admit defeat so readily. Su Erguniang regained composure and sneered, "Your eloquent speech almost fooled me. You talk about the harmed person who has the right not to accept an apology, but who has harmed you? Everything I said just now was the truth."
"The truth?" Luo Sheng's eyes narrowed as she shifted her gaze toward Sheng Jiayu, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. Sheng Jiayu's eyes flickered, and her tone held a hint of pleading that she couldn't conceal. "Biaojie, we are standing at the mansion's gate with many onlookers. Let's go inside first."
Several young ladies resembling delicate flowers engaged in a heated argument. The escalating commotion had already attracted the attention of many bystanders. A crowd had gathered to witness their quarrel.
A chilling smile formed on Luo Sheng's lips. "It seems that Biaomei hasn't been entirely truthful with these two." "Biaojie!" Sheng Jiayu anxiously tugged at Luo Sheng's sleeve. "Let's enter the mansion first and discuss what happened. Making a scene here would only serve as fodder for gossip among others."
Luo Sheng shook her head: "Biaomei is wrong. I have long been a joke among you and even the people of Jinsha County. What jokes are there left for me to be afraid of?" Sheng Jiayu was about to cry, and she anxiously bit her lips. "Biaojie, I understand that you fear nothing, but please consider the reputation of the Sheng family."
"Jiayu jie, why are you so afraid of her? Let her lose face if she wants to. Everyone knows now that Jialan was not sent away for recuperation due to illness but because Luo Sheng couldn't tolerate her and drove her away!" Su Erguniang couldn't stand Sheng Jiayu's concessions to Luo Sheng.
The onlookers who had gathered began to buzz with discussions. Su Daguniang glared at Su Erguniang and pulled her aside. "Ermei, this is a matter concerning the Sheng family. Don't speak recklessly!"
Sheng Jiayu paid no heed to Su Erguniang's words and continued to urge Luo Sheng to enter the entrance of the Sheng mansion: "Biaojie, let's go in."
However, Luo Sheng stood rooted to the spot, refusing to budge. With a sarcastic curve on her lips, Luo Sheng looked at Sheng Jiayu. "Biaomei is mistaken once again. While I may not fear being ridiculed, it doesn't mean that I am willing to be ridiculed for something I didn't do."
As she spoke, Luo Sheng slowly withdrew her sleeves from Sheng Jiayu's grasp, fixing her calm gaze on Su Erguniang. Su Erguniang's heart skipped a beat as if realizing something.
Luo Sheng's smile turned faint. "Since Sheng Jiayu failed to enlighten you with the truth, allow me to reveal it. The truth is that Sheng Jialan wasn't sent away to the countryside for recuperation; she was actually driven out of the Sheng family!"
"Why?" Su Erguniang blurted out, her voice filled with surprise. "Because she pushed me into the lake in the garden of Sheng mansion that day. And prior to that, she hung me on a beam after making me unconscious to make it appear as if I had taken my own life!"
As Luo Sheng uttered those words, a wave of astonishment swept over not only Su Daguniang and Su Erguniang but also the gathered onlookers. What?! Didn't the rumor say that Miss Luo cried, made trouble, and hanged herself in order to marry Su Er Gongzi? How come now it became that Sheng Erguniang harmed Miss Luo?
"Impossible!" Su Erguniang vehemently shook her head, desperately searching for an explanation from Sheng Jiayu. "Jiayu Jie, she's distorting the truth here. You must clarify this immediately!"
At that moment, Sheng Jiayu felt like a bolt of lightning had struck her, and a sense of impending doom washed over her. The realization dawned upon her—Sheng Mansion would become a laughingstock in Jinsha County.
Sensing that Sheng Jiayu's response was off, Su Daguniang's heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly pulled Su Erguniang to the side, her voice filled with concern. "Ermei, let's leave now." It seemed that what Luo Sheng had revealed might be true. Otherwise, why would Sheng Jiayu react this way?
The reputation of the Sheng Mansion would undoubtedly suffer greatly once news of this incident spread. What benefit was there for them to be entangled in such a situation? They would inevitably face reprimands from their elders upon returning home.
Su Erguniang also regained her composure, although disbelief still lingered in her heart. She dared not dwell on it any longer and bit her lip, saying, "Jiayu Jie, then, we will go back first..."
"Wait a minute." The voice that broke the silence did not belong to the bewildered Sheng Jiayu but to Luo Sheng. Su Daguniang and Su Erguniang exchanged uneasy glances, a growing sense of unease settling upon them as they anticipated what Luo Sheng had to say.
Luo Sheng smiled slightly: "You don't need to hurry off yet. I haven't finished speaking." Su Daguniang forced a smile, attempting to dismiss the matter, "These are private affairs of the Sheng family. There's no need for Miss Luo to tell us."
Luo Sheng glanced at Su Daguniang with a half-smile, "But I do need to continue. After all, this matter has something to do with the Su family." Su Erguniang's anger flared, "Luo Sheng, it's enough that you've exposed the scandal of the Sheng family. Now you want to drag my family into it?"
"There's no need to drag anyone into it. I simply want to inform both of you that Sheng Jialan's repeated acts of harm toward me were because of your brother, Su Yao."
Is Su Yao completely innocent?
As Luo Sheng thought about Miss Luo's supposed "suicide" and the recent case of Miss Qian taking her own life, doubts started to form in her mind. However, these doubts alone weren't enough to compel her to take action.
After Luo Sheng finished speaking, she observed the frozen expressions of Su Daguniang, Su Erguniang, and even Sheng Jiayu. Facing such inept opponents, she couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness.
With a soft sigh, Luo Sheng gracefully lifted her skirt and made her way toward the mansion's entrance. "Hongdou, let's go." "Yes," Hongdou responded resolutely, briskly following her master. As the little maid hurried after her master, she turned her head and spat on the ground in disdain. "Bah, you want my Miss to shoulder the blame for the Sheng family's scandal? You wish!"
Were they expecting her Miss to become a scapegoat? These ignorant fools!
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