Miss Truth-Chapter 501 - 331: Secret Love Affair_2

Chun Lai’s trembling body on the ground grew more violent, yet Xiao Song had no intention of letting her off, "Someone, go find a midwife to examine her!" Xiao Song looked indifferently at Chun Lai, "Don’t tell me that you were so eager that this is the first time you’ve committed adultery. I may not know about others, but Shilang isn’t the type to resist the flesh before his mouth."

Sweat poured down Chun Lai’s face, the bluestone floor in front of her already wet with perspiration, her disheveled hair soaked and sticking to her cheeks, presenting a sorry state.

The silence inside the room was terrifying. After what seemed like half a cup of tea’s time, a guard rushed in with a midwife, who appeared to be around forty years old.

"Jiulang, the midwife has been found," the guard reported.

Xiao Song nodded slightly and gestured to have the woman taken away for the examination.

Just as two guards had taken hold of Chun Lai’s arms, she suddenly said, "I am a virgin."

Xiao Shilang’s expression shifted subtly, though his gaze stayed fixed on Chun Lai, his eyes faintly bloodshot. Chun Lai had been with the family since birth; Xiao Shilang knew her since he was three years old. Everyone in the household knew what kind of person she was—if her father didn’t have some status among the servants of the Xiao household, her honest nature would have gotten her bullied to death long ago. Yet today, for reasons unknown, she was lying! Even now, at this juncture, she showed no sign of confession!

"You can choose to confess in private," Xiao Song said.

"This slave deserves death!" With that, Chun Lai shifted slightly and kowtowed in Xiao Shilang’s direction, her forehead striking the bluestone floor with force the second time she bowed.A thorough review of this translation reveals an error in the punctuation of the spoken dialogue. According to The Chicago Manual of Style, colons should be replaced with commas in the following spoken dialogue (within quotation marks):

"Someone, go find a midwife to examine her!"

and

"You can choose to confess in private,"

and

"This slave deserves death!"

Additionally, to maintain the historical drama’s atmosphere and seamlessly integrate the plot keywords, certain phrases and narrative choices require adjustments. Here is the re-evaluation for accuracy and consistency with the given guidelines:

Xiao Shilang tensed all over, his voice almost escaping but he suppressed it firmly. Fortunately, the guards were quick to react. Though they could not stop her action, they managed to lessen the force, resulting in just a scraped forehead.

"Clan Leader, Father, there are still many clues to investigate; it isn’t necessary to start with Chun Lai. I think she can be dealt with," Xiao Song straightened his posture, his tone devoid of any jest.

The Xiao Clan’s family discipline was strict; even the character of their servants had a trace of steadfastness. Since Chun Lai had resolved to die rather than speak, further torture would be futile. Xiao Song also had some understanding of her nature—stubborn to a fault, once she was set on something, not even ten oxen could pull her back.

However, Xiao Song was not without a means to deal with her; it was just too cunning, and if used, it might provoke another fallout with Duke Song. Therefore, he needed to lay some groundwork first.

Having convened the ancestral hall with such pomp and circumstance late at night, and all for the punishment of a mere maid?

Even several Ladies began to frown, let alone the Clan Leader and the rest.

Once Xiao Song sensed the mood of the crowd was ripe, he casually spoke of the punishment, "Even if Chun Lai were guilty of adultery, having the audacity to seduce a legitimate son of the Xiao during the mourning period of the Grand Lady is a grave offence. Not loyal, not righteous, and tarnishing the filial piety of the master—it is a capital crime. Her family, from the age of seventy down to one, will all be handed over to the Government to be executed publicly after being paraded."

Had this affair involved a commoner or a person of official status, the most they would face would be a lifetime of stigma, despised by the world, but never the confiscation of their property. However, a lowly maidservant was considered no different from livestock; even without a charge, executing one or two maids wouldn’t matter, much less when Xiao Song pinned such a serious crime on her.

Chun Lai’s body stiffened; her head, which she had just banged, was still buzzing, and it took her a while to process what Xiao Song had said. By then, the assembly had already decided.

Xiao Jing said, "Yuezhi speaks sensibly. Our Xiao Clan has flourished since the Southern Dynasty; every son of the Xiao Clan is loyal, just, righteous, and filial. This lowly maidservant dared to mislead a legitimate son of our clan. Even if the truth of this affair remains unclear, the fact that the maidservant Chun Lai has sought to ruin Shilang’s reputation is established. To prevent future occurrences of such scenarios, severe punishment is necessary."

Inwardly, Xiao Song praised the statement—老的辣 indeed. Xiao Jing, serving as the Clan Leader for more than a decade, couldn’t possibly be confused. Xiao Song had merely started the conversation, and Xiao Jing followed with just and impartial words, leaving no flaws to be found.

Duke Song’s face darkened, but he was helpless since it was a family affair with the Clan Leader in charge, and it wasn’t excessive. What could he say? Even if he knew this was merely a ruse to frighten Chun Lai, he could only glower in silence.

Chun Lai’s tears fell unrestrained, like a breached dam. Her eyes, usually as curved as a crescent moon when smiling, were now filled with utter despair. Even Ran Yan couldn’t bear the sight.

"Let’s disperse. Notify the Government to collect the person tomorrow morning," Xiao Jing announced, already rising from his seat.

Following suit, everyone else stood up, respectfully seeing off the elder before gradually dispersing.

Chun Lai was ordered to be confined in the ancestral hall by the housekeeper, and to prevent any further attempts at suicide, Xiao Song had her tied to one of the hall’s pillars and gagged.

After everyone left, the vast ancestral hall immediately felt eerily silent, with the wind blowing through the door cracks, whistling across the empty hall with a mournful cry.

Chun Lai trembled with fear, wanting to curl up into a ball, but she was bound so tightly that she couldn’t move at all.

As the moon sank to the west and midnight passed, it became the most grueling time. Despite the grandeur of the ancestral hall, its spaciousness made it cold all year round. Chun Lai, who had been sweating profusely before, now found herself in such conditions that by the latter part of the night, she had developed a fever.

With her eyes closed and her head groggy, she suddenly felt a cool hand on her forehead, startling her awake, only to find herself looking into a familiar, handsome face.

Unable to help herself, tears started to flow again.

The figure silently untied her bonds and produced a small medicine bottle from his sleeve. Taking some medicinal powder with a handkerchief, he applied it to her wound.

"Shilang..." Chun Lai dared not speak aloud, barely able to whisper.

Xiao Shilang remained silent, tossing his outer robe to her and turning to leave. (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, and your support is my greatest motivation.)

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