Volume One, Chapter Thirteen: Slander

Madam Qin took the letter, her brow furrowing deeply as she slowly unfolded the paper.

The atmosphere in the room instantly stiffened; every gaze fixed upon that letter.

Qingqian felt a slight tightening in her chest. She had no idea what scheme Qin Lang had employed this time, yet her expression remained calm and composed.

Madam Qin’s face gradually darkened as she read the contents. Her hand trembled slightly, as if the letter’s words had struck her with great force.

After a moment, she suddenly lifted her head, her eyes sharp as fire as she stared directly at Qingqian. “Qingqian, how do you explain this letter?”

With that, Madam Qin tossed the letter straight to Qingqian.

Qingqian caught it and quickly scanned its contents.

The handwriting was unmistakably that of the original owner’s. The original owner often wrote to Madam Qin to assist with her recuperation and sometimes penned medicinal recipes for her to take, so Madam Qin was familiar with Qingqian’s handwriting.

The letter read:

“To Li Langjun:

Lately, the household has been in endless turmoil. Qin Lang and the Lu family’s behavior grows ever more reckless. I find myself caught in the middle, struggling and trapped, treading on thin ice. Yet my heart remains steadfastly bound to you, unwavering in its devotion. I hope you will swiftly devise a plan to free me from this hardship, so that we may be together, fulfilling our vow to grow old side by side.

At dawn tomorrow, at the Qingfeng Pavilion, I will await you. Do not let me wait in vain. I long for you—please remember this.

Respectfully, Qingqian.”

Having finished reading, Qingqian’s eyes darkened with resolve.

No wonder Qin Lang had called upon the family elders to bear witness to these baseless accusations—it was all a ploy with a forged letter to further slander her.

Just then, Qin Lang snatched the letter from her hands and handed it to the Second Uncle.

“Uncles, take a look at this letter. It will show you just how disgraceful Qingqian’s conduct has been toward the Qin family. Such scandalous behavior cannot be tolerated,” Qin Lang declared righteously, a faint glint of triumph flickering in his eyes.

The Second Uncle took the letter and passed it carefully among the other uncles, their faces growing solemn.

“Qingqian! Is this your handwriting?” the Second Uncle asked coldly. Though unfamiliar with this niece-in-law’s writing, he could tell from Madam Qin’s expression that it was undoubtedly hers.

---

“It looks very much like it! Were it not for my knowing I never wrote such a thing, I might have believed this letter was penned by me,” Qingqian said calmly, neither humble nor arrogant.

“Grandmother, esteemed uncles, I have always been dutiful in the Qin household, respectful and filial, and have never overstepped boundaries with anyone here. Though the handwriting resembles mine, this letter is a malicious forgery by a villain seeking to destroy my reputation, drive a wedge between me and the heir, and disgrace the Qin family.”

Madam Qin’s anger slowly gave way to calmness upon hearing Qingqian’s words.

Having watched Qingqian grow up—always courteous, gentle, and virtuous—she found it hard to believe she would commit such a dishonorable act.

Could it be that someone was indeed forging Qingqian’s handwriting?

“Heh! Forging handwriting isn’t so simple! It takes years of practice to mimic someone well enough to fool others. Who would waste so much time copying the handwriting of a mere concubine in the rear chambers?” Fifth Uncle scoffed, clearly disbelieving Qingqian’s claim.

Qin Lang also snorted coldly. “Qingqian, don’t try to fool us. This handwriting is identical to the medicinal recipes you’ve written. Do you still dare deny it?”

Qingqian already knew who had written the letter. As Fifth Uncle said, mimicking handwriting is no easy feat—it takes years of practice.

And such a person had been close to her all along...

In childhood, the original owner’s handwriting was ugly, and she was often punished by her father to copy texts repeatedly. Someone, feeling pity for her youth, had helped by mimicking her handwriting to copy texts for her. Over time, this person had become intimately familiar with the characteristics of the original owner’s script.

Qingqian never imagined that what was once a kind gesture would now be used maliciously against her, becoming a weapon to frame her.

“Your Highness, don’t be so quick to condemn me! You accuse me of seducing other men, but everyone in the Marquis’s residence knows that in three years of marriage, I have dutifully cared for my in-laws and managed household affairs. Beyond attending required banquets, I seldom leave the house. Even compulsory social events are held in public view. I ask you, Your Highness, where would I have the chance to seduce an outsider?”

Qingqian no longer responded to the handwriting issue. Even if she revealed who had forged it, without that person’s confession or evidence, nothing could be done.

To prove her innocence, she had to take another approach—lure Qin Lang into revealing that her supposed lover was Li Si.

“Heh! You indeed have no chance to meet outsiders, but what about the men within the residence? Early this morning, the servants reported that the stablehand, Li Si, disappeared last night. One of the maids even saw you secretly meeting with Li Si! Thus, I suspect the ‘Li Lang’ mentioned in the letter is none other than the stablehand Li Si!”

Though Qin Lang did not know what had happened that night to foil his original plan, the disappearance of both Li Si and two guards pointed strongly to the Second Uncle’s men.

Those men would never allow anything to sully the reputation of the Marquis’s or the Northern Prince’s residences. They must have secretly eliminated all three.

So now, using Li Si as a scapegoat, Qin Lang had no evidence to contradict him...

---

“Heh! Last time it was a maid who saw it, now a nanny reports the same. I really must be unlucky!” Qingqian sneered. “If someone saw it, then let her come forward and confront me!”

“Confrontation it is! Nanny Zhao, come forth and tell us what you saw!” Qin Lang shouted triumphantly, his eyes gleaming with confidence as if victory was assured.

Nanny Zhao timidly stepped out from behind Qingqian, bowing her head and avoiding her gaze, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes.

Hongzhu’s eyes widened in disbelief as she watched Nanny Zhao. She had long suspected that Nanny Zhao was behind the forged letter.

Others might be unaware, but having served by the lady’s side since childhood, she knew Nanny Zhao was capable of imitating the lady’s handwriting.

Yet the current circumstances prevented her from asking for clarification.

Now, she was certain the letter was indeed Zhao’s doing to frame the lady, but why?

Though this lady was not technically theirs, she was the only hope for avenging their true mistress.

How could she do such a thing?

“Nanny Zhao, what are you doing? How could you slander the lady like this?” Hongzhu’s eyes reddened as she confronted Zhao in disbelief.

Zhao dared not look at Hongzhu and did not reply. Instead, she slowly knelt before Madam Qin, her voice trembling slightly:

“Grand... Grandmadam, esteemed masters, this humble servant did indeed see the young madam secretly meeting with Li Si in a secluded part of the residence. Though dusk was falling, I was certain of what I saw.”

“Qingqian, what do you have to say for yourself?” Madam Qin, who had suspected there was more to this, now found herself forced to believe the nanny’s accusation.

Her disappointment in Qingqian was palpable.

Qingqian did not respond immediately. She frowned, staring at the kneeling nanny for a long while before turning to Madam Qin and the other elders:

“Grandmother, esteemed uncles, I assure you I have never done anything to disgrace the Qin family! Whether you believe me or not, give me one day—I will return to you the truth!”