Overnight, the Xie family’s joyous occasion had turned into a funeral. The Xie clan had lost their legitimate eldest son, and Grand Madam Xie, already advanced in years, collapsed at once, bedridden and in a daze.

In the afternoon, Grand Madam Xie finally regained consciousness for a while. Concubine Lu ordered the kitchen to prepare the finest medicinal cuisine and personally supervised the cooking.

But when it came time to serve the meal, Concubine Lu was nowhere to be found. Grand Madam Xie knew that Miss Lu was meticulous and cautious in her work—if she hadn’t come, something must have happened. But in her current state, she had no energy to inquire further. Wearily, she closed her eyes, preparing to rest.

Lu Jinxiu was at this moment pacing anxiously in the courtyard of Songhe Hall.

This morning had been truly strange. A maidservant from the Qin family’s dowry entourage had suddenly appeared with a bruised and swollen face, kneeling in her courtyard and revealing every detail about the Qin family’s illegitimate daughter being substituted in marriage.

The maidservant looked as if she had been coerced, but when asked who had beaten her like this, she refused to reveal a single word.

But there was no time to investigate these matters now. This was a grave affair, and with the master of the house away, having only managed household affairs for a few years, how could she dare make such a decision on her own?

The only person in the mansion who could make decisions was Grand Madam.

Thinking of this, Concubine Lu steeled her heart and prepared to push open the door to enter the room. But just as her hand touched the doorframe, she hesitated again. With Grand Madam’s health, what if she was shocked after hearing this…

Just as she wavered, someone passed by her and pushed open the door to Grand Madam’s room first.

She instinctively started to rebuke them, but seeing it was Xie Queshan, she swallowed the words at her lips.

Lu Jinxiu looked behind her and saw helpless maidservants and servants who couldn’t stop Xie Queshan and didn’t dare to, looking to Lu Jinxiu for help.

Lu Jinxiu was already considered a shrewd and capable woman of the inner quarters with decisive methods. In her youth, she had been rejected from an engagement and delayed until the age of twenty-two before marrying into the Xie family as a concubine. Lu Jinxiu knew her natural conditions were average, and her age was even more of a disadvantage. The path of serving through beauty wouldn’t work, so she was more diligent and hardworking than other women, serving her husband and in-laws, and wholeheartedly assisting the legitimate wife in managing the inner quarters.

She had a good temperament and worked efficiently. She understood how to read expressions and moods from above, and knew how to use both kindness and authority from below, earning considerable favor from everyone in the Xie family. After the legitimate wife’s death, Grandmother entrusted the entire Wangxue Manor to her management.

But she was ultimately a woman of the inner quarters, and would feel intimidated when facing a demon like Xie Queshan. She knew that Xie Queshan must harbor hatred for the Xie family.

More than ten years ago when Lanzhou fell, when the Xie family fled south in panic, they had actually forgotten to notify this somewhat unloved mother and son, abandoning them in the flames of war.

But the affairs of the inner quarters were complex and tangled. Whether they had truly forgotten or deliberately forgotten could never be investigated again.

It was from that time that Xie Queshan developed a rift with the Xie family, and seeds of hatred were planted in his heart.

If Xie Queshan wanted to see Grand Madam, Lu Jinxiu couldn’t stop him, but fearing something might happen, she could only carefully press her ear to the door to listen to the movements inside.

Xie Queshan entered Grandmother’s room carrying a gift box and respectfully performed a bow.

“Grandmother, your grandson has come to pay his respects.”

Grand Madam Xie sat half-upright with her eyes closed, resting, as if she hadn’t heard Xie Queshan’s words, not responding for a long time.

Xie Queshan presented the brocade box in his hands and continued: “Grandmother, elder brother has passed away. I hope you will restrain your grief and take care of your health. This box contains Siamese rhinoceros horn, a precious medicinal material worth a thousand gold pieces.”

Grand Madam Xie finally opened her eyes, but didn’t even glance at Xie Queshan.

“Take it away. I will not take medicine brought by Qi people.”

“Grandmother, you may look down on your grandson, but there’s no need to spite your own body. Siamese rhinoceros horn, when used in medicine and decoctions, can save from acute conditions instantly and rescue from the brink of death in moments.”

Xie Queshan took it upon himself to hand the brocade box to a nearby maidservant, who didn’t dare resist Xie Queshan and could only accept it.

“Whether I live or die has nothing to do with you. Since you have already surrendered to Great Qi, you are no longer a member of the Xie family.”

“Grandmother,” he paused, his expression still ordinary, “when you abandoned me and my mother in the flames of war in Lanzhou, did you consider us members of the Xie family?”

He spoke lightly, as if narrating some commonplace matter, but it sounded particularly grating to the listener’s ears.

“Regarding what happened back then, your father, your legitimate mother, your elder brother, and everyone in the entire Xie family have already apologized to you, yet you stubbornly chose to take the wrong path! cough cough…”

“Grandmother, since you’re so good at apologizing, then why didn’t you apologize to my mother?”

“She sought her own death and disgraced our family reputation. How could we apologize?”

“Family reputation?” Xie Queshan laughed with utmost coldness. “Since the Xie family’s reputation is so important, if you had even offered a false apology back then, it might not have given birth to such a treacherous minister as myself who completely ruined the Xie family’s name.”

“The grace of parents is as boundless as the sky. No matter what, you should not harbor resentment toward your family!”

“My mother said the same thing,” Xie Queshan stared into Grandmother’s eyes. “Women in aristocratic families are truly strange—willingly placing their lives in others’ hands to be slaughtered at will. Even when wronged, they still feel grateful, even guilty, afraid they might have troubled others.”

“This is the propriety passed down by our ancestors!”

“Such propriety doesn’t work in this world.”

For a moment, the room fell completely silent. Grand Madam Xie’s chest heaved, clearly choked with anger.

Lu Jinxiu, hearing that things were going wrong inside, hurriedly pushed open the door and entered.

“Mother, I have urgent matters to discuss with you.”

Lu Jinxiu walked in, interrupting the frozen atmosphere between Xie Queshan and Grandmother. Her gaze fell on Xie Queshan, and she performed a bow with a normal expression.

“Envoy Xie, pardon the interruption, but inner quarters affairs are somewhat urgent…”

The address “Envoy Xie” completely separated Xie Queshan’s identity from the Xie mansion, and was also an order to leave—the affairs of the Xie family’s inner quarters had nothing to do with you, an outside envoy.

Xie Queshan sensibly stepped back and performed a bow.

“Grandmother, now that elder brother has died, I am the eldest son of the Xie family and should rightfully return to fulfill filial duties. From now on, I will reside at Wangxue Manor. I hope you will take care of your health. Your grandson takes his leave now.”

“Unfilial son, you, you—”

Lu Jinxiu quickly stepped forward to comfort the old lady, helping her catch her breath.

“Mother, don’t argue with that unfilial son and harm your own body. Now that Master hasn’t returned home, we have no choice but to mind the Qi people’s expressions somewhat. When Master returns, there will naturally be ways to deal with this unfilial son.”

Lu Jinxiu spoke while gently patting Grand Madam Xie’s back to help her regulate her breathing.

With great difficulty, she caught her breath, and Grand Madam Xie’s face regained some color. She patted Lu Jinxiu’s hand and asked wearily: “Concubine Lu, what matter do you want to discuss with me?”

Lu Jinxiu steeled her heart and spoke out.

“Mother, it’s all due to my negligence and carelessness in not investigating clearly beforehand. Now a great mistake has been made. Please punish me, Mother…”

Grand Madam Xie was somewhat tired and didn’t want to beat around the bush: “Hasn’t the greatest mistake already been made? What storms and tribulations hasn’t this old body seen in the Xie family? Just speak directly.”

“The one who married Heng’er yesterday was actually the illegitimate daughter of the Qin family’s mistress. Logically, since Heng’er has already passed away, this matter need not be pursued further, but… originally, the one whose horoscope was matched with the eldest son was the Qin family’s legitimate daughter, and there were no problems. But this illegitimate daughter who married over has a horoscope that bears the lone star fate, extremely inauspicious. The coroner said the eldest son had no external injuries and died of illness. I can’t help but wonder if this woman caused Heng’er’s death.”

After hearing this entire speech, Grand Madam Xie’s complexion grew worse and worse. Before she could say a word, she spat out a mouthful of stagnant blood.

“Mother, Mother!” Lu Jinxiu panicked, frantically supporting the old lady’s body and offering her a cup of tea. “You absolutely must take care of your health.”

Grand Madam Xie drank the cup of hot tea before recovering her strength. Lu Jinxiu nervously watched the old lady, clearly knowing that the words the old lady spoke next would determine the fate of that illegitimate daughter.