6. Delivering the Child by Cesarean Section VI

Li Hualin had intended to strike first, but once his thoughts were laid bare, he no longer dared.

The other side had already grown suspicious. If he did not move, nothing would happen; but the moment he did, father and daughter would seize his weakness at once, and then, once they reached the magistrate’s court, they would have the perfect grounds to accuse him.

Li Hualin was in a panic. He forced himself to stay calm. Violence was out of the question, so he began searching for another way. At this point, the best course would be to make father and daughter drop the matter of the abdominal cutting altogether... But even he knew that would be terribly difficult.

Still, no matter how difficult, he had to try.

His eyes flickered, and a new scheme came to mind. He called over one of his attendants and gave him a few low instructions.

Although Father Luo had recovered somewhat, he was still rather weak, and every trip outside required careful preparation. For that reason, father and daughter moved slowly on their way home.

Not long after they arrived, they heard that the magistrate had returned early, and the pair were making ready to go to the yamen again.

Before they could even leave, a visitor arrived at the door, and not just any visitor, but an important one.

For an ordinary household, the in-laws were the most important guests of all. No matter the time or place, no matter how busy one might be, everything else had to be set aside to entertain them properly.

That had once been the Luo family’s attitude toward the Li family. Now, though... though they had not yet gone to court, one look at Li Hualin’s expression made it clear that the matter of the cutting was inseparable from him. The sight of him filled Father Luo with irritation; he deeply regretted that his eyes had not been sharper, and as a result he could not help resenting the Li family as well.

Both of the elder Li couple had come, and even Li Hualin’s elder brother, Li Huaping, had rushed over in haste.

Li’s father had two sons in this life. He had sent his younger son out to live as a bridegroom in the Luo household, and though he was unhappy about it and feared the gossip of outsiders, the fact that his two sons had never quarreled over the family business was his proudest achievement. He often boasted of it outside. He had always had much to complain about regarding Luo Meiniang, but since they were not living under one roof, he had more or less managed to bear it.

Now was different. Li’s father hurried forward. "In-laws, where are you going?"

"Unluckily, we have no time today to receive guests," Father Luo said bluntly. "We are not outsiders. I have urgent business here. You should go back first, and when I have time, I will pay a visit."

The words were nothing less than a firm dismissal, and not a polite one.

The elder Li couple’s hearts sank.

They had heard all about what had happened in the Luo household. At first they had even suspected their son, but they had not come openly to the house; instead, they had found a private chance to meet him. At the time, Li Hualin had sworn to heaven and earth that the abdominal cutting had nothing to do with him.

Naturally, his parents believed their own child. Seeing him speak so firmly, and asking a few more questions only made him angry, they had at once trusted their son. If he had not meddled, that was for the best. The Luo family had few members; though their son might suffer a little there in ordinary times, his life was otherwise easy enough.

But just moments ago, an attendant had come home to say that Father and Daughter Luo had already reported the matter to the authorities and urged them to come at once to dissuade them. He had also said the matter was urgent beyond measure and bound up with life and death.

No matter how unwilling the Li couple were to believe that their son was a vicious man who would murder his wife, they were now forced to accept the truth. They had had no time to think it through and rushed straight here. So long as father and daughter Luo did not press charges, and their son could be made to confess and apologize properly, then all would still be well. Their son would be safe, and life could go on as before.

Yet the moment they arrived, they saw the father and daughter trying to leave... Had they not said the magistrate was not there?

"In-laws, I have come precisely for this," Li’s father said, too pressed to care about Father Luo’s rudeness. He forced out a smile. "This is no small matter. Let us go inside and talk."

As he spoke, he reached out to pull Father Luo inward.

Father Luo did not want to turn back, but he was not strong enough to resist. He was nearly staggered by the pull, practically dragged inside.

"I’m not going back. I have urgent matters—"

Seeing this, Chu Yunli’s temper flared. She turned her head and ordered, "Throw the Li family out."

The attendants nearby moved at once and surrounded the Li couple.

The Li family had come precisely to stop them from going to the yamen. Seeing this, Li’s mother immediately found a pretext to make a scene. She widened her eyes in outrage, her face full of disbelief. "I am your mother! Even if my son has married into your family, I am still your elder by marriage. After all this trouble to come to your door, and you cannot even receive us properly—how can you..."

Li Huaping also wore an expression of disapproval. "The last time your sister-in-law came to visit, you spoke harshly to her. That, fine, the two of you do not see much of each other, and both your sister-in-law and I are broad-minded people; we did not take it to heart. But now you treat even your own parents like this, younger sister-in-law. That simply does not stand to reason. Hurry and apologize to Father and Mother. Be sincere about it. We are family, after all; they will not hold it against you."

Chu Yunli almost laughed in anger. Having rested for so many days, her body still felt somewhat weak, but her speech was clear enough. She said at once, "Your Li family has tried to take my life, and I must still be polite to you? Do you truly think my Luo family is easy to bully? Just from what Li Hualin has done, this marriage should never have been made. In the past I was blind and could not see clearly, taking a pack of wolves for kin. Now... get lost. From this day on, we are no longer related."

Li Hualin’s expression changed drastically.

Luo Meiniang had never hidden her temper from him, but when faced with his family, that is, with the entire Li household, she had always been especially courteous for fear of being rude. Even toward the Li children she had been considerate in every way; so long as they came asking for help, she had never refused. No matter how bad her mood might be, when she saw his parents she would always swallow her temper and entertain them properly.

For her to flare up like this in front of them now... it seemed she truly would no longer tolerate him.

The more Li Hualin thought about it, the more frightened he became. "Meiniang, those words are too hurtful."

"Hurtful?" Chu Yunli said mockingly. "No matter how much I hurt you, it will never compare to how deeply you have hurt me. I risked my life to bear your child, and you secretly had the midwife take my life. Your Li family has come here because you wanted to stop us from lodging a complaint."

She paused there.

The Li family said nothing, which was as good as admitting it.

There was no helping it. Luo Meiniang’s words made it plain that she already knew the truth, and she was now in a fury. If they refused to admit it and still tried to wriggle out of it, they would only make her angrier.

Chu Yunli’s gaze swept over them one by one, and she guessed their thoughts with near-perfect accuracy. "If I choose not to report you, even to remain married to Li Hualin, that can be discussed."

Li’s mother, frantic to protect her son, immediately asked, "What do you want?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she had already made up her mind: if the Luo father and daughter wanted silver, then even if they had to sell house and shop, they would first settle this matter. So long as the money never left the family and the two remained husband and wife, in three or five years their son could find a way to bring it all back.

Before that thought had even finished turning, she saw the brow of her daughter-in-law lift, and her heart gave a hard jolt of unease.

Chu Yunli said, "We are husband and wife. Since I nearly died giving birth to our child because he cut open my belly, let the same thing be done to the midwife, and I will forgive him."

The Li family: "..."

Li Hualin was startled.

Everyone knew that cutting a woman open to take the child was a matter of one life exchanged for another. In ordinary families, it had scarcely happened even twice in the past several decades. But among wealthy households, such a thing was not unusual, for they lacked nothing but heirs, not women. At any rate, Li’s father had never heard of a woman surviving after her belly was cut open.

Yet Luo Meiniang had lived... it was a miracle.

He did not think his son had such good fortune.

Li Hualin understood that as well. Besides, after Luo Meiniang’s operation, the stench of blood in the room had lingered for days. The mere memory of it made him want to retch. As for the wound in the belly... just imagining himself being cut open made him shudder violently.

"No!"

His answer was sharp and absolute.

Chu Yunli nodded. "Then there is nothing more to say. Move aside at once. The magistrate will not wrong you. If you can free yourself once you reach the court, that will be your own ability."

Li Hualin: "..."

But the midwife was still there. He had nearly beaten her to death; by now she probably wanted nothing more than to bite chunks of flesh from him. She would never help conceal anything.

And Father and Daughter Luo were full of resentment; they could not possibly forgive him.

The instant he set foot in court, he would be branded a wife-killer and child-destroyer. His name would be ruined, and even if his life were spared, he would be bound to lifelong imprisonment.

But if he did not go, then the Luo family’s condition was to have him cut open.

That too was a death sentence.

For a moment, Li Hualin felt utterly unable to decide.

To the left lay ruined reputation, the scorn of the world, and a lifetime in prison. Perhaps... Luo Meiniang would soon poison him in the cell and take his life after all. To the right lay an even more certain death.

The more he thought, the more panicked he became. He wanted to plead again, but before the words could leave his mouth, he saw the father and daughter already supporting one another as they prepared to get into the carriage.

"Meiniang, I was wrong."

Grinding his teeth, Li Hualin simply confessed. Even so, after a moment’s hesitation, he knelt down before the carriage.

Chu Yunli looked down at him from above. "Why did you try to have me killed?"

Li Hualin moved his lips, but the truth was too disgraceful. Even after doing such a thing, he could not bring himself to say it. Of course, he also dared not say it. If the Luo father and daughter learned the truth, they would only grow even angrier.

Chu Yunli gave a cold laugh. "Then say it in court."

Then, thinking of something, she raised her voice to order, "And do not forget to bring Zhang Yingying."

At those words, Li Hualin only felt his scalp tighten.

Zhang Yingying was merely a wet nurse in the household. Luo Meiniang had previously suspected there was something between them, and he had done everything in his power to explain it away. Now that she insisted on bringing Zhang Yingying along... it was clear she had not believed a word he said.

Seeing the coachman leap up and take the reins, Li Hualin knew that if he did not speak now, he would not have another chance to talk to Luo Meiniang until they stood before the magistrate. He hurriedly said, "Meiniang, I was wrong. I should not have harbored thoughts I should never have had. Forgive me this once."

He was nearly in tears. "I thought wrong for a moment and did something foolish. Do not hold it against me..."

Chu Yunli looked at him with utter indifference. "Are you willing to be cut open?"

Li Hualin: "..."

Of course he was not willing.

As before, Luo Meiniang had survived only because she was lucky. If it had been him... he likely would have lost his life that very day.

"Meiniang, I was wrong."

Over and over, he could only repeat those words. Chu Yunli felt nothing at all. She said coldly, "That apology is utterly insincere. It is no more than lip service. You should go and argue your case before the magistrate."

Li Hualin stared in astonishment. Why was he still being sent to court?

Could it be that only by agreeing to be cut open would this be settled?