Yun Chu had someone bring Concubine Jiang to the flower hall.
Besides Concubine Jiang, there were also two children—Xie Xian and Xu Ti—whom she had brought along.
Yun Chu had Tingxue take the children first, then offered Concubine Jiang a seat and ordered tea to be served.
Concubine Jiang appeared extremely uneasy.
She lowered her head. “This humble concubine has come because there’s a matter I must tell the Princess Consort.”
Yun Chu nodded.
Earlier, Qiutong had already informed her that yesterday Xie Shi’an had gone to Concubine Jiang’s residence. He’d entered alone, and Sanqiu hadn’t been able to follow, so they didn’t know what had transpired. From the looks of it, this was no small matter.
“Yesterday afternoon, Xie Shi’an… he came in holding a dagger and pressed it against Xian’er’s throat, demanding I give him silver.” Concubine Jiang was completely flustered and anxious, her hands still trembling. “He forced me to give him one hundred taels of silver… I gave it to him, and Xian’er was unharmed. But… what if he comes again in the future? What should this humble concubine do? Princess Consort, this humble concubine truly has no recourse, which is why I’ve come at this inappropriate time to beg the Princess Consort to save our lives!”
Her body went limp as she dropped to her knees.
Yun Chu’s face showed disbelief.
The Xie Shi’an she knew was a cautious and careful person. Whatever he did, he thought through thoroughly and proceeded methodically. How could he have burst into Concubine Jiang’s residence with a blade?
Could it be that a person crushed by life would ultimately become much like Xie Shiwei?
This matter didn’t add up.
Yun Chu helped Concubine Jiang to her feet. “Besides demanding silver, what else did he do?”
Concubine Jiang had truly been frightened to death.
After she and Xian’er had moved out to live on their own, she’d adopted Xu Ti as her son. She planned to send him to school after three months, while she would teach Xian’er embroidery at home to supplement their household income. Their days had been fairly comfortable.
Yesterday, when the Lady had married into the Prince’s residence, she’d gone to the street to watch the excitement, then brought the children home.
Just as they’d arrived home, someone knocked on the door. Thinking it was a peddler coming to collect embroidery, she’d opened the door only to see Xie Shi’an.
She’d instinctively tried to close the door, but Xie Shi’an had already thrust his foot inside. After Xie Shi’an entered, he turned and closed the courtyard gate.
Before she could react, Xian’er had been seized by the shoulder by Xie Shi’an, with a long, sharp dagger pressed against her throat.
Xu Ti had rushed forward and bitten Xie Shi’an, only to be kicked aside.
Xie Shi’an said he only wanted silver and demanded she hand it over. After some back and forth, he’d taken one hundred taels of silver.
Xie Shi’an hadn’t left directly. Instead, he’d gone to the kitchen and apparently carried away a sack of grain. If the Princess Consort hadn’t asked, she wouldn’t even have remembered this happened.
Yun Chu interrupted her. “What kind of grain was in that sack?”
“It was black beans I’d bought some days ago.” Concubine Jiang wiped away tears. “Ti’er will soon start school. Walking to the capital city every day would waste too much time, so I planned to buy a horse cart. Those black beans were to feed the horse.”
Yun Chu’s fingers paused.
She understood now.
She said slowly, “You need to make a trip to the Xie family now.”
Concubine Jiang shook her head violently. “No, I can’t go. Xie Shi’an is a wolf—he’ll take my life just as he caused Tingyu’s death.”
“If you don’t go, that’s what will truly cost you your life.” Yun Chu looked at her. “If you want to preserve your own life and Xian’er’s, listen to me.”
Concubine Jiang’s heart suddenly constricted.
She suddenly realized that this matter might not be as simple as it seemed.
She stood up trembling. “Yes, Princess Consort. This humble concubine understands.”
Leaving the Prince’s residence, Concubine Jiang passed by an embroidery shop. She entrusted a familiar auntie to help watch the children and gave Xu Ti a few instructions before heading alone to the Xie family.
Yuan Shi was holding Xie Shikang and feeding him rice porridge. Hearing the knock at the door, she quickly rose to answer it. Seeing Concubine Jiang, she froze. “You… why have you come back?”
Only after crossing the threshold did Concubine Jiang speak. “Is the eldest young master here?”
“He is.” Yuan Shi said. “He’s not feeling well and is sleeping in his room.”
“Please trouble the lady to go tell the eldest young master that he forcibly entered a private residence and seized one hundred taels of silver from me. If he doesn’t return it, I will report him to the authorities.” Concubine Jiang mustered her courage. “The Princess Consort said this is bandit behavior, no different from highway robbery. Once convicted, he’ll be sentenced to exile.”
“You went to Prince Pingxi’s residence?”
Xie Shi’an’s voice came from far to near, his expression somewhat sinister.
Concubine Jiang was so frightened she couldn’t help but step back. But thinking of her daughter, she knew she couldn’t retreat, so she stepped forward instead. “The Princess Consort said to give you one more chance. If you don’t return the silver, the Princess Consort will seek justice for me.”
Yuan Shi said urgently, “An’er, did you really do such a thing? How foolish of you…”
Xie Shi’an ignored Yuan Shi, staring coldly at Concubine Jiang. “What else did you tell Mother?”
Concubine Jiang said coldly, “If the eldest young master does anything else, I will definitely go find the Princess Consort again.”
Xie Shi’an enunciated each word. “I took a jar of salt from Concubine Jiang’s kitchen. Does Concubine Jiang not know this?”
Concubine Jiang said incredulously, “You won’t even leave salt for us orphans and widows? Xie Shi’an, don’t go too far!”
“It was me—I complained daily to An’er that salt had become too expensive, that we couldn’t afford it.” Yuan Shi began crying. “An’er is the eldest son in the family, bearing a heavy burden, which is why he did such a thing. Concubine Jiang, you’ve always been magnanimous—please don’t report this to the authorities. I have some savings. I’ll repay you on An’er’s behalf.”
Concubine Jiang nodded. “As long as the silver is fully repaid, this matter will be settled.”
Xie Shi’an stared at Concubine Jiang’s face.
Seizing the silver was a ruse—taking the black beans was his true purpose.
He’d planned to make Concubine Jiang “commit suicide out of guilt” tonight.
It wasn’t that he was heartless.
Rather, Concubine Jiang had abandoned the Xie family for money.
Why should the Xie family still be mired in the mud while Concubine Jiang was already living comfortably?
But Concubine Jiang had completely forgotten he’d taken the black beans. There seemed to be no need to act now, since this fire wouldn’t burn back to him.
Yuan Shi retrieved one hundred taels of silver and handed it to Concubine Jiang. Concubine Jiang counted it, then turned and left.
Yuan Shi couldn’t help but slap her thigh. “The family has less than one hundred taels of silver left. Living off our savings like this, what are we to do…”
Just then, someone knocked on the door again. Yuan Shi was somewhat startled.
Xie Shi’an walked over and pulled open the door. It was a young servant, bowing as he said, “Young Master Xie, our Prince requests your presence.”
Xie Shi’an straightened his clothing and followed him to Prince Gongxi’s residence.
After their last conversation, Prince Gongxi had accepted his pledge of allegiance, but had never assigned him any tasks.
As the days dragged on, he feared Prince Gongxi would completely forget about him.
Therefore, he could only take the initiative.
The Sixth Prince was his demonstration of sincerity.
After dealing with the Sixth Prince, he’d sent a letter to the Prince’s residence.
He’d known Prince Gongxi would certainly see him.
Xie Shi’an was led to Prince Gongxi’s study.
Prince Gongxi threw the letter before him and said with a cold laugh, “This was clearly your premeditated revenge, yet you claim it was to eliminate a political rival for me. Xie Shi’an, you truly have some audacity.”
Xie Shi’an lowered his head. “This commoner has long suffered at the hands of the Sixth Prince, but never dared take any action until the Sixth Prince was enfeoffed as Prince Cheng. He would soon marry and have children, gradually becoming Your Highness’s rival. Eliminating this obstacle in advance for Your Highness is this commoner’s sincere offering of loyalty.”