For Jiang Si, it wasn’t surprising that Princess Rongyang was the true culprit behind her mother’s death. The only unexpected aspect was that Princess Rongyang had used Madam You to carry out the deed.
In the oppressive silence, Madam You’s voice echoed in everyone’s ears: “That year, Yi’er was barely one year old. One day, Princess Rongyang approached me and handed over a small box. Inside the box was that insect. No, it shouldn’t be called an insect, but rather a gu poison. She told me that this gu responds to blood. As long as the third finger of the left hand is cut, it can burrow in and parasitize the person’s heart chamber. Before long, the person would show symptoms of heart failure and die, without anyone knowing…”
“Enough! Just tell us why Princess Rongyang did this!” Old Marquis Yining bellowed.
“Why did she do this?” Madam You’s lips twitched, looking at Jiang Si with a sardonic gaze. “Wasn’t it because Su Ke went to offer incense, but was meeting secretly with General Cui?”
“Nonsense!” Jiang Zhan was so angry that the veins on his temples throbbed, and he smashed his fist on the table in front of Madam You.
The rosewood table instantly fell apart.
Insulting their late mother was something no child could remain indifferent to. Even Jiang Yi’s eyebrows furrowed, her face filled with anger.
“Are you saying my mother was meeting secretly with General Cui based on your speculation, or did Princess Rongyang say this herself?”
“Princess Rongyang stated it.” Perhaps the secret had been suppressed in her heart for too long; at this moment, Madam You suddenly felt the urge to confess.
“That’s why she approached me, wanting Su Ke to die, to prevent General Cui from constantly thinking about her…”
Su Dajiu was so angry that he slapped Madam You twice, shouting, “She told you to harm Ah Ke, and you just did it? If she told you to die, would you do that too?”
“What choice did I have?” Madam You retorted shrilly, her cheeks swollen red. “Princess Rongyang threatened me with the children’s lives, saying if I didn’t do her bidding, she would find a way to kill the children! Su Shan, I am the children’s mother! If I didn’t follow Princess Rongyang’s orders, was I supposed to watch helplessly as something happened to the children?”
As she spoke, her emotions became more intense. She grabbed Su Dajiu’s hand forcefully, asking in a hoarse voice, “Tell me, what could I have done? What could I have done?”
At this point, Madam You completely broke down, sobbing loudly.
She had once had a smooth marriage, clean and untainted. If it weren’t for Su Ke’s impropriety, why would she have dirtied her hands and been unable to sleep soundly ever since, burdened by this secret?
“It’s all because your sister and General Cui couldn’t let go of each other, forcing me to become what I am now—”
“Silence!” The door was suddenly pushed open, and the Old Madam entered, supported by her trusted maid.
Everyone’s expressions changed.
“Why have you come?”
The Old Madam slowly walked to Madam You. Although her lips were dark, her complexion had improved compared to before.
“Who told you that Ah Ke and General Cui couldn’t let go of each other?” she asked.
Madam You sneered, “Isn’t it true? Who in the capital doesn’t know that Su Ke had long been intimate with General Cui, losing her purity? That’s why after her marriage to General Cui fell through, no one was willing to marry her. She stayed at home for years before finally marrying into the East Peace Earl’s family…”
“Bullshit!” the Old Madam roared, startling everyone except the Old Marquis Yining.
Madam You was also stunned.
In her impression, her mother-in-law was a composed and steady old lady, not much different from many other matriarchs in noble houses.
The Old Madam didn’t care what others thought and cursed freely: “To think you came from a noble family, yet your mouth spews filth. I must have been blind to let my eldest son marry you!”
Jiang Yi stepped forward to support the Old Madam, softly advising, “Grandmother, please calm down. Don’t harm your health with anger.”
Though the Old Madam’s spirit was weak, her back remained straight as a ramrod. She waved her hand, saying, “One can only harm their health by holding it in, not by venting it. Today, I’m going to scold you to my heart’s content!”
The old lady scolded for a full quarter of an hour, then pointed at Madam You’s nose, saying, “Our marquis’s family is not one to deceive in marriage. Back then, I had Maid Liu carefully examine Ah Ke. She was pure and untainted, which is why I agreed to the marriage with the East Peace Earl’s family. Ah Ke and Cui Xu indeed grew up together, but even so, she always maintained propriety. How could she, as a mother of three children, have an affair with Cui Xu?”
“My sister wasn’t that kind of person,” Su Erjiu couldn’t help but interject.
Jiang Yi also couldn’t resist saying, “My mother and father had a good relationship. I remember clearly before my mother passed away, she told my father that she never regretted marrying him and that he was the most important person in her heart.”
She had never forgotten how her father had wailed like a child upon hearing those words.
Then, her mother closed her eyes with infinite affection for her husband and children.
Madam You fell silent.
But the Old Madam couldn’t calm her anger. She said hatefully, “Ah Ke was the most innocent. Just because Princess Rongyang set her sights on her fiancé, she lost her good marriage, her reputation, and in the end, even her life. You poisonous woman, instead of blaming Princess Rongyang for being cruel and shameless, instead of blaming yourself for being stupid, you blame Ah Ke. What does this prove other than your stupidity?”
“I had no choice—” Madam You mumbled.
The Old Madam sneered, “Don’t use Princess Rongyang’s threats as an excuse! If she could threaten you like that, if it were me, I would have spread the news immediately. Then Princess Rongyang wouldn’t dare harm Xun’er and the others; she’d be praying that nothing happens to them. Madam You, do you think a princess can do whatever she wants? She may have no shame, but the Emperor still cares about face!”
Madam You were completely dumbfounded.
The Old Madam couldn’t be bothered to look at Madam You again. She turned to Su Dajiu and said, “Although she is your wife and the mother of Xun’er and the others, I’m putting this out there: a life for a life, paying debts is heaven’s law. You decide whether to send Madam You to the officials or let her end things herself.”
With that, the Old Madam extended her hand to Jiang Si: “Si’er, help your great-grandmother back to her room.”
Jiang Si supported the Old Madam’s other hand but said, “I still have one question to ask.”
Madam You rolled her eyes towards her and suddenly smiled: “The Old Madam has already said that threats won’t work.”
Since death was inevitable, why should she satisfy others’ curiosity?
Jiang Si sneered: “Everyone knows that Princess Rongyang stole my mother’s fiancé, so such rumors wouldn’t seem strange. But what if news spread that the Yan King’s consort intended to harm the Marquis Yining’s heir? How do you think people would react? Would they guess that the heir’s mother is a venomous woman who first harmed her sister-in-law and then her mother-in-law? If that happens, I won’t need to do anything. Having you as a mother would be unfortunate enough for my elder cousin and cousin sister…”
Madam You instantly turned pale.
Jiang Si was threatening her again!
Would these people not intervene when they heard Jiang Si talk about harming Xun’er?
Madam You looked at everyone, gradually losing hope.
After much internal struggle, she finally compromised for the sake of her children’s future. Resigned, she said, “Ask your question.”
“How did you obtain the gu worm you used to harm my grandmother?”