“Who?” Xiao Yingtao asked in a low voice.

“Xingchen’s second aunt — that’s who gave me the herbs to bring back,” Tang Xiaohua said, the corner of her mouth lifting bitterly. “I was the fool — I knew full well she wasn’t a good person.”

“At the time, she told me to boil the herbs into water for soaking my feet — said it would be good for my health.”

“I brought it back without giving it much thought. How was I supposed to know whether it was good or not? I just didn’t want to refuse her outright. I never imagined it would end up as evidence that I’d harmed the old master.”

“And afterward, did she deny giving you the herbs?” Feng Jiu’er sighed quietly, feeling a touch of regret on her behalf.

Tang Xiaohua’s openhearted manner carried something of Qiao Mu’s spirit about it — she came from money, carried no airs, was good-looking, and clearly had a decent character.

And from what Tang Xiaohua had said about her relationship with Yue Jianfei, Feng Jiu’er could tell the two of them had always gotten along well.

Perhaps they’d even been the kind of couple others envied.

But the human heart could be treacherous, and so many things slipped past one’s guard. So many people’s hopes for a happy marriage were ruined by exactly this sort of thing.

And in an age where men of even modest means kept multiple wives, such situations were hardly rare.

Feng Jiu’er had always trusted her own instincts, and she didn’t sense Tang Xiaohua was lying at all — if anything, she found herself fully believing her account.

“She’ll never admit to it.” Tang Xiaohua shook her head. “Harming the old master is a serious crime.”

“The old master has three sons in total; my husband is the eldest. This matter has likely been suppressed by him.”

“If the other two sons found out I was accused of trying to harm their father, would I even be able to remain in this household?”

“My husband won’t let me go confront Xingchen’s second aunt, and he won’t let me make a scene over it — that’s hardly good news for me.”

“Even if the matter were investigated, there’s no guarantee the truth would come out — and besides, I’m not even allowed to investigate.”

Tang Xiaohua shook her head again, her face full of helplessness.

“This man — not letting me investigate, and not believing me either — I could just about beat him myself.”

“For the sake of this family’s peace, I’ve never felt so stifled in all my life.”

“These past few months, wherever I go, my husband has people watching me. I barely even get the chance to visit the old master — you saw that yourselves today.”

“As things stand now, neither of my sons nor my two daughters know anything about it. I haven’t told them, so they won’t suffer along with me.”

“Perhaps they can sense something about Yang Hong’s intentions, but they don’t know that the rift between their father and me isn’t only because of her arrival.”

Having laid the whole matter out, Tang Xiaohua seemed to relax somewhat.

She composed herself and smiled — a smile far more genuine than before.

“Miss Long, Miss Xiao, truly, thank you both for today. Being able to vent like this — these past months have nearly suffocated me.”

“Still, please just listen and let it stay between us — don’t repeat any of this to anyone else.”

“Sigh! To think I’ve lived forty years with my head held high, only to have to swallow my pride for my children’s sake, even in a place like this.”

“I won’t lie to you both — that I’ve managed to hold on this long even impresses myself.”

“If this had happened in the past, I’d have already grabbed a blade and gone to confront Xingchen’s second aunt myself — and that fox spirit of a woman, Yang Hong, too.”

Tang Xiaohua frowned slightly and continued. “You have no idea — that shameless woman truly knows how to put on a show.”

“She’s always playing the victim. I haven’t laid a finger on her, yet she’s already claimed several times to have been ‘bullied by me.’ Tell me, wouldn’t that infuriate anyone?”

“If the old master didn’t still depend on her, I’d have struck her down with a blade long ago.”

“What I can’t understand is — my husband used to be no fool. How can he not see through such a clumsy act from Yang Hong now?”

“I suppose men are all drawn to youth and beauty in the end. Tsk! Everyone grows old eventually — heaven will surely have its reckoning with women like Yang Hong!”

“Sigh! And yet every so often, I still can’t help wanting to strike her down myself.”

“Miss Long, do you have anything good for cooling down anger? Give me some — if this keeps up, I really won’t be able to hold back any longer.”

Feng Jiu’er and Xiao Yingtao, watching Tang Xiaohua’s endearing display, couldn’t help but laugh.

Tang Xiaohua looked at them and laughed too, with evident pleasure.

“The two of you wouldn’t be suggesting I go strike down Yang Hong, would you?” Tang Xiaohua said with a smile, raising an eyebrow.

“A woman who plays the kind of role Yang Hong does — it wouldn’t be a loss even if she were struck down.” Feng Jiu’er replied with a smile.

“Right.” Xiao Yingtao nodded as well. “The one who really needs medicine is Master Yue — believing some other woman over his own wife, of all things.”

Tang Xiaohua shrugged, looking entirely unbothered.

“What choice does he have? His mother died young, and his father raised them playing both mother and father at once. It’s only natural that he’s devoted to his own father.”

“Ah, I feel so much better now.” Tang Xiaohua leaned back against her chair and stretched.

“If I hadn’t run into you two, I’d have had no one to talk to — I’d have suffocated for sure.”

Feng Jiu’er looked at the ever-optimistic Madam Yue and pressed her lips together lightly. “So what’s your plan now? Is this man still worth fighting for?”

“Of course I intend to fight for him.” Tang Xiaohua lowered her hands and met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze. “I’ve been with him since I was sixteen. I’ve given so much for him.”

Tang Xiaohua narrowed her eyes halfway and clenched her fist. “Yue Jianfei is mine in life and mine in death — how could a creature like Yang Hong possibly steal him away?”

“Still, for now, the old master still depends on her, so let her enjoy her little moment of glory a while longer.”

“Miss Long, Miss Xiao, don’t worry about me — I won’t be easily knocked down. I just haven’t decided to make my move yet.”

A thought crossed Tang Xiaohua’s mind, and the corner of her rosy lips curved up.

“The Yue family didn’t reach where it is today without my effort — I’ve put in no less than Yue Jianfei has. Does Yang Hong really think she can just waltz in now and claim a share of it that easily?”

“My people tell me Yang Hong has feigned illness several times to get my husband to spend the night in her quarters. He’s gone, yes, but he’s never once actually stayed the night with her.”

“This man still has me in his heart, deep down. As long as he doesn’t do anything too far out of line, I can still bear it for now.”

The pride in Tang Xiaohua’s voice now stood in sharp contrast to the despondency from before — though, looking at her, this seemed to be the real her.

“I believe schemers never get what they’re after, in the end,” Feng Jiu’er said, studying her for a moment before giving a light nod.

“If the young master truly manages to draw the steward away and lets me see the old master, I’ll do everything I can — and clear your name in the process.”

“Really?” Tang Xiaohua grasped Feng Jiu’er’s hand in excitement. “I don’t know why, but I really do like you.”

“It’s a pity — my Xingchen could never be a match for someone like you, Miss Long. Truly a shame.”

“Nothing to be a shame about.” Xiao Yingtao shook her head with a smile. “Jiu’er may not become your daughter-in-law, but she can still be your friend.”

“Although, I think you’d get along even better with another young lady from our household — her temperament is quite similar to yours, Madam. The more I think about it, the more alike you two seem.”