The Lucky Heiress

Wei Qingwan’s knees softened at Wei Yichen’s words, her face pale.

“What do you mean by that, Yichen?” Madam Yun asked nervously.

“What I mean is that what Ruoruo said is true. Our younger sister indeed had a clandestine meeting with a man and consequently got entangled in a dispute. I ended up in the thieves’ den while rescuing her.” Wei Yichen responded.

These few words made Madam Yun’s head spin and her vision blur.

“This… this…” Madam Yun gazed at Wei Yichen, then at Wei Qingwan, unable to digest the reality.

“Impossible. Wanwan wouldn’t do such a thing!” Madam Yun denied impulsively.

“I saw it with my own eyes and there isn’t a shred of falsehood. Or does Mother think I am lying about wronging my younger sister?”

Wei Yichen’s face was calm, his eyes devoid of ripples as he calmly refuted the panicked Madam Yun.

“Yichen…” Madam Yun was at a loss for words. If someone like her eldest daughter had said these things, she would have doubted it. But these words came from her legitimate eldest son.

Wanwan wouldn’t lie to her, and Yichen certainly wouldn’t lie to her!

After pondering for a while, Madam Yun asked, “But…if that’s the case, why did Wanwan return long before you, and you were only rescued yesterday?”

Wei Yichen showed no emotion, “Because that night, my sister’s beau was saved and they both fled together. She feared that if I were to get out, I would expose their affair and so she chose to abandon me.”

Wei Yichen said this very calmly, his expression devoid of any emotion, as if stating someone else’s business.

This calmness surprised even Wei Ruo, as it was not the Wei Yichen she knew.

Wei Yichen’s words were another blow to Madam Yun.

Her sweet and sensible daughter, not only secretly met a man but also left her brother’s life hanging in the balance?

It was more than just failing to uphold female virtues, it was downright inhuman!

Madam Yun looked at Wei Qingwan in disbelief.

Wei Qingwan had collapsed on the ground sobbing, “Mother, elder brother, that’s not the case. It really isn’t. I was scared out of my wits that day and was taken away in a daze. I didn’t mean to hurt my elder brother!”

“So…you indeed met a man in secret and got your elder brother caught by bandits while rescuing you? You managed to escape but left your elder brother in that dangerous place?”

Madam Yun stumbled a couple of steps, nearly falling, but was supported by Wei Mingting.

“Cuiping, help Madam back to her room to rest.” said Wei Mingting.

“My lord…” Madam Yun looked at Wei Mingting in surprise.

“Madam, you’ve tired yourself today. Let me handle the rest.” said Wei Mingting.

Madam Yun shook her head. She did not want to just walk away like this. She needed to clarify what had happened!

Madam Yun asked Wei Mingting, “My lord, what do you intend to do?”

Wei Mingting glanced at Wei Qingwan, the cold gaze made her shudder.

Unable to help herself, she curled up and pleaded, “Father, believe me. I truly didn’t do it on purpose! I’ve been timid since childhood and never dared to harm anyone. How could I harm my elder brother?”

With that, Wei Qingwan turned to Wei Yichen, gripped the hem of his clothing, crying, “Elder brother, you know what that dungeon was like. I was really scared that day. I’ve never had such experiences before. Later, when young master Qi pulled me away, my mind was totally blank…I genuinely didn’t mean to abandon you…”

At this moment, Wei Ruo coldly interrupted Wei Qingwan’s plea, “And yet you didn’t report it to the authorities for three days after returning home? Knowing that your elder brother was in that terrifying dungeon, you could still wait calmly at home for three days?”

Wei Ruo’s words confronted Wei Qingwan’s defense.

Wei Qingwan was at a loss of words, “No, I didn’t report it because I didn’t know how to say it… I also didn’t know where the bandits were…”

“After we returned home, you didn’t mention anything when we asked you then.” Wei Ruo further confronted her.

Wei Qingwan had many opportunities to show “regret”, but she didn’t seize any of them.

Until this moment, when the truth was laid bare, she thought of “regret”. But wasn’t it a bit too late?

Wei Qingwan bit her lip, shaking her head, tears continuing to fall.

Wei Mingting walked over to Wei Qingwan and said, “Although you’re not our biological daughter, I always considered that the Wei family never treated you unfairly. Why have you harbored such a damaging intent towards your siblings?”

“That’s not it, it’s not like that…” Wei Qingwan shook her head vigorously, “It’s true that I had a few private meetings with young master Qi, but apart from that, I never intended to harm anyone, especially not my elder brother! Everything after that was because of my fear. I made a mistake, but I would never harm my elder brother!”

At this point, Wei Qingwan had no choice but to admit some of the truth, but she maintained that she had not intentionally harmed Wei Yichen.

However, Wei Mingting’s face remained cold. Her explanation was feeble and powerless in his eyes.

To Wei Mingting, Wei Qingwan’s misconduct of seeing a man in private was not an unforgivable crime. But abandoning her elder brother was a different matter.

No matter what the reason, harm to one’s siblings was inexcusable.

That was something Wei Mingting could not tolerate. How could his children of the Wei Family be so cruel?

Wei Qingwan could feel the chill emanating from Wei Mingting. She was extremely terrified.

Wei Qingwan crawled towards Madam Yun, held on to her legs, and sobbed, “Mother, please believe me. I was just confused for a moment, I didn’t think it through, I never intended to harm elder brother.”

She knew that if anyone at home would still believe her, it would only be her mother.

“Wanwan, you’ve disappointed me greatly!” Madam Yun had to face reality.

Her daughter, whom she had raised since a child, had changed unrecognizably, not only brazenly meeting a man privately but also disregarding her brother’s life.

“Mother, I’ve realized my mistake. I truly have!” Wei Qingwan sobbed and admitted her mistake.

Overcome with grief, Madam Yun turned to her husband again, “My lord…”

Wei Yichen interrupted, “Father, younger sister has violated the sixth family rule — siblings should respect, love, and help one another. If anyone hurts a sibling, they should be whipped thirty times before the ancestral tablet as punishment. If the consequences are serious, they should receive a hundred lashes..”