“Matron Hong, who manages the small pharmacy at home, is excellent in every way, but she easily gets confused after drinking.”

“She’s always been very careful with the Young Madam’s medicinal ingredients, usually wrapping them herself. But that’s precisely what went wrong. On that day there was a happy occasion at home, and she drank a bit too much. When she came back dizzy and disoriented, while wrapping the medicinal ingredients, she accidentally included vaccaria seeds meant for the two wet nurses in First Young Madam’s household, along with a small pinch of saffron that the pharmacy kept in stock year-round.”

Madam Xu sent an old matron to personally explain to the Grand Madam.

The Grand Madam said not a word. She grabbed the teacup from the small table and hurled it at the old matron.

The old matron didn’t even dare dodge. Scalding tea splashed across her face, and immediately a large red patch appeared.

“Get out.” The Grand Madam’s voice was cold as ice. “Get out of here right now!”

Even the Grand Master was very dissatisfied. He set down his teacup heavily. “After investigating for days, Third Sister found this scapegoat? This story is far too contrived.”

His brow carried a trace of gloom. “Though I can sympathize with Third Sister’s difficulties, this really does bully our Yang family for not having many relatives in the capital.”

The old matron could remain composed facing the Grand Madam’s fury, but once the Grand Master spoke, she panicked.

“I dare not accept the Grand Secretary’s words!” The old matron kowtowed repeatedly. “It’s just that, it’s just that Madam also has difficulties. For over half a month she’s barely slept, examining everyone in the courtyard to the very bottom. Apart from Matron Hong, there’s not a single oversight. The midwife was sent by Madam Sun, the attending matrons were all dowry servants from the natal family, the maids and matrons who prepared and decocted medicine in the courtyard were all personally promoted by the Young Madam. Truly, truly only Matron Hong is the suspect…”

Seventh Miss suddenly interjected: “When was the medicine decocted?”

The old matron’s whole body trembled.

After only a moment’s hesitation, Seventh Miss said coldly: “Third Aunt investigated for so long—she couldn’t have failed to think of asking even this much, surely.”

The gazes of the two powerful figures in the room both concentrated on Seventh Miss.

The Grand Madam’s eyes held surprise, deep thought, and obvious gratitude. But the Grand Master showed countless wariness. Seventh Miss almost saw his brow furrow secretly then relax, the words “what are you trying to do now” already on his lips.

The old matron had no choice.

As long as Madam Xu had investigated diligently, this question was one she absolutely had to answer immediately.

“This medicine needs to be slowly decocted over low heat for over eight hours to be most effective. It was started around dusk the day before.”

Seventh Miss couldn’t help but frown.

Before she could speak, the Grand Madam continued questioning: “From when it was decocted until Little Fifth took, took the medicine—who entered and exited Mingde Hall?”

The old matron trembled again.

She raised her head and stared hard at Seventh Miss before answering: “First Young Madam, Fourth Young Madam, and Fifth Young Madam each came separately. The manor’s Second Miss and Third Miss came together. Fifth Miss came alone. Also, both Old Madam and Madam sent people into Mingde Hall to inquire after the Young Madam’s health. Before the natal family visits, all the in-laws must visit first, or it would be discourteous.”

In other words, all the ranked female relatives in the manor were suspects.

The Grand Madam’s gaze grew increasingly cold and hard.

But the Grand Master changed the subject: “How are the two little ones now?”

At the mention of the two little grandsons, the atmosphere in the room immediately warmed. The Grand Madam’s steel-forged face seemed to soften somewhat, and the old matron breathed a sigh of relief.

“They eat well and sleep well. In Qingping Courtyard, two wet nurses watch them in twelve-hour shifts. No one is allowed into the room. From purchasing to cooking, everyone has served for over thirty years—absolutely reliable.” She explained the two young masters’ daily routine in minute detail. “Every day they eat then sleep, sleep then eat. They’re in very good spirits and can sleep five or six hours a day.”

Seventh Miss’s gaze flashed. She looked at the Grand Master, then at the old matron, and slightly pursed her lips.

With this digression, the Grand Madam didn’t get angry again.

“I’ll give you ten more days.” When dismissing the old matron, her voice was sharp as a blade. “Whoever harmed my daughter, Third Sister must give me an explanation. If she’s reluctant to lose her reputation for virtue and unwilling to be the villain, fine—but she must give me a name. Whoever caused Little Fifth to die young, I’ll make them taste family ruin and death too!”

The old matron’s shoulders shrank. She assessed the Grand Madam and, seeing her expression calm as water, became even more frightened. She trembled as she withdrew from the room, without any trace of her usual dignity.

But the Grand Master’s mind was in chaos. He wanted to speak but held back, sighing several times at the Grand Madam, who ignored him completely.

He could only transfer his anger to Seventh Miss, glaring at her viciously before rising and striding out of the room.

Seventh Miss also quietly withdrew from the main courtyard.

Just from the old matron’s visit, one could see that several key parties actually each had their own agendas. If this continued, even if it wasn’t an unsolved case, it would become one.

The Grand Madam’s thoughts were simplest—already nearly mad, they needed no elaboration. But the Grand Master’s thoughts could only be fathomed by a favored daughter like Seventh Miss who had followed him for years.

This new Grand Secretary was certainly pained by his daughter’s death, but absolutely didn’t want to intensify the conflict between the Yang and Xu families. Yet he also didn’t want to let the matter slide lightly, lest the Xu family look down on him and the Yang family. He wanted an answer and didn’t wish to be placated by the Xu family, but immediately became concerned when the matter might implicate upper-level Xu family figures.

Purely from a rational standpoint, Seventh Miss could understand this mature politician. The Yang family was about to launch a new reform storm. At this time, the Grand Master wouldn’t pass up any assistance—let alone a major chess piece like the Xu family.

In the previous dynasty, Xu Jie, to eliminate Yan Song, hadn’t hesitated to marry his own granddaughter to Yan Shibi as a concubine… What was overlooking a daughter’s death? Whether you hated him or looked down on him, what a politician valued most was always his own political interests.

Madam Xu was probably the most difficult party among the three.

Seventh Miss didn’t doubt that she too desired to find the true culprit. Among the three concubine-born daughters-in-law and one mother-in-law, these four possible culprits—not one was her friend. She must be working very hard to pursue the truth. Seventh Miss only doubted whether Madam Xu’s health would allow her to make wise judgments and deductions, forcing this bold and cruel genius-type killer into the open.

Moreover, Madam Xu had her own difficulties. She was the Xu family’s mistress. If a Xu family daughter-in-law committed a scandal, it would lose face for the entire Xu family. Externally, she had to protect her daughters-in-law… She also had the Xu family’s dignity to uphold. Even if in the wrong, she couldn’t let the Yang family manipulate them at will. Thus she only worked on the servants, never mentioning the upper-level figures.

She shook her head and shifted her thoughts to the culprit.

She didn’t think this was premeditated, nor did she believe it was a servant’s doing. Madam Xu’s explanation had actually already revealed everything. Servants were just servants—as long as they did their duty, Fifth Lady wasn’t frightening to them.

But for the three sisters-in-law it was different. Fifth Lady’s rise directly harmed the interests of all three sisters-in-law to varying degrees. Everyone was a victim. The question was only who would kill to protect their interests—or rather, who had the personality to want to physically eliminate their rival.

She shook her head again.

Seventh Miss didn’t understand these three young madams. From just this impression alone, she couldn’t fathom the suspects. Women in great households all had two faces. The most gentle-seeming First Young Madam might privately be the most deranged.

She could only repeatedly sketch the killer’s personality in her mind.

This was very likely a bold and mad genius-type killer.

Perhaps she’d just come to fulfill a duty, visiting the triumphant Fifth Lady. Stimulated by the pride revealed in Fifth Lady’s words, she ground her teeth in secret fury.

When leaving, she suddenly saw the old matron decocting medicine in the side room clutch her stomach and leave…

Slipping in and out took less than a minute. The small medicine pouch that had never left Fifth Lady’s side since she gave birth vanished… Looking left and right, she supported herself on her personal maid’s hand and left the courtyard with a smile.

Whether death resulted or not, it would at least add some postpartum ailment. Death was best, but if not—after massive hemorrhaging and severely depleted vitality, Fifth Lady would be too busy with herself to have leisure for stirring up trouble in the manor.

This was entirely possible. Though many people entered and exited Mingde Hall, there were empty moments. Besides, precisely because Fifth Lady was demanding, often the servants in Mingde Hall were sent out on errands for this and that, leaving fewer people in the courtyard.

Seventh Miss propped her face and mentally substituted the three young madams’ faces onto her imagined killer.

None felt out of place.

She sighed: Finding the true culprit—how easy was that to say?

#

Another half month passed. Fifth Lady’s seventh day memorial was over, but Madam Xu still couldn’t produce an explanation. Every time someone came to pay respects, it ended unpleasantly.

Uncle Qin, Duke Pingguo, and Madam Xu took turns visiting the Grand Madam. The Grand Madam always kept her doors tightly locked, returning a refusal to see them. Finally, she extended the deadline to within one hundred days, declaring that if Madam Xu couldn’t provide an answer within that time, she would go to Shuntian Prefecture to accuse Old Madam Ni, Madam Xu, and the three young madams of conspiring to murder Fifth Lady, making a public scandal of it.

Though crude, this was an extremely effective threat. Reportedly, when word reached the Duke’s manor, it so enraged Old Madam Ni that she vomited blood.

What the capital’s great households valued most was face. What could be more face-losing than a lawsuit? Especially such a clear-cut, well-evidenced case, with Divine Physician Quan Zhongbai’s testimony… When the Shuntian Prefect came to arrest people, would the Xu family’s female relatives truly be detained in jail, appearing in court for public ridicule?

If it came to that step, the Xu and Yang families would be completely severed.

But producing a culprit satisfactory to the Grand Madam wasn’t so easy either. Without solid evidence, who would be this scapegoat knowing death was certain?

The Grand Master frowned all day, twisting off several beard hairs. He looked at Seventh Miss as if at a toad.

Seventh Miss ignored him. Eventually she simply shut herself in, spending days in the back courtyard reading and writing, no longer going to the Grand Madam either—seeing her now made the Grand Madam think of Fifth Lady, and thinking of Fifth Lady brought grief welling up.

Right at this time, the Miao people in Guangxi and Yunnan rose in rebellion. These chieftains had been somewhat restless since the Northern Rong’s destruction, and this year they finally couldn’t contain themselves and caused trouble. Xu Fengjia’s request for leave to return home for the funeral had just reached the capital when the new emperor’s edict arrived appointing him General for Quelling Rebellion to suppress the uprising en route.

National affairs naturally outweighed family matters. Xu Fengjia could only send personal guards home with the message before leading troops to Guangxi. The mountain roads were difficult—soon both troops and general had no news.

By late April, the capital was lush with spring growth, showing summer’s appearance. Southern winds blew past the White Pagoda, stirring ripples across Taiye Pool. Xiaoshi Yongfang was right beside Taiye Pool—several young maids had climbed trees to view the pool’s scenery.

The Grand Master unusually summoned Seventh Miss to attend him in the outer study.

Since she’d overstepped at the Xu household and put the fact of Fifth Lady being murdered on the table, Seventh Miss had long lost favor with the Grand Master. Today’s sudden summons definitely wasn’t to relieve his boredom. Though puzzled, Seventh Miss wasn’t flustered.

She followed the leading Matron Tai—who had replaced Matron Dong in the work of relaying messages between inner and outer courtyards—all the way into the small study. Just entering the inner chamber, she came face to face with an unfamiliar middle-aged man. Before she could withdraw, the Grand Master introduced: “This is your Xu family uncle by marriage. Come pay your respects quickly.”

He hadn’t shown Seventh Miss such a pleasant expression in a long time.

Seventh Miss’s curiosity deepened, but her manner remained naturally proper. She respectfully greeted the Grand Master and Duke Pingguo Xu Heng. Duke Pingguo examined her up and down before smiling faintly and raising his hand to take leave of the Grand Master. The Grand Master hurriedly led Seventh Miss in seeing Duke Pingguo down the steps. Watching him go into the distance, he withdrew his smile and brought Seventh Miss into the study.

His attitude toward Seventh Miss changed again, as if all discord had never occurred, returning to when he’d first discovered Seventh Miss’s merits. His gaze held not just smiles but, more than that, satisfaction.

“The Xu family came in person today to discuss two matters.” After changing tea and sitting facing each other, the Grand Master began discussing the Xu family’s business. “Silang developed a high fever yesterday. Though it broke today, everyone was terrified. On another front, your Third Aunt has labored continuously and finally couldn’t hold on—she collapsed unconscious today. They invited Quan Ziyin to take her pulse. Reportedly… she may not survive this crisis.”

Mentioning the Xu family naturally brought some sorrow to his expression. Seventh Miss observed this but found it somewhat laughable. She nodded, her expression composed.

“It’s about time.” Her tone couldn’t help but carry slight sarcasm.

The old matron had indeed understood the Grand Master’s hint then.

The Grand Madam had developed an almost mad obsession over Fifth Lady’s death, like a starving hunting dog that absolutely had to find prey to vent its endless bloodlust.

To awaken her from this “abnormal” state and make the Grand Madam once again become someone who could calculate, understand trade-offs, and cut losses like a warrior—only extreme measures would work.

When the Grand Master asked about the little grandson, it couldn’t not be a hint. As long as Madam Xu wasn’t stupid, she’d naturally think to use the little grandson’s safety to remind the Grand Madam: the deceased were gone, but more living people needed the Grand Madam’s care.

Though crude, this tactic struck at the heart. Even though Seventh Miss had long anticipated this, she had no way to respond. After all, Silang and Wulang were in Xu family hands—whether they were well or ill, wasn’t that just the Xu family’s word?

“When your mother heard, she fainted again immediately. Now that she’s awake, her state of mind has calmed considerably.” The Grand Master continued smoothly.

Clearly, he was in a good mood.

Seventh Miss couldn’t help but touch the mourning clothes she wore. With Fifth Lady’s death, she had to observe nine months of second-degree mourning—currently still wearing coarse hemp cloth.

“In a while, go to the main courtyard to keep your mother company and comfort her.”

The Grand Master gave a few more instructions about trivial matters before taking a deep breath, assuming a solemn expression, and looking into Seventh Miss’s eyes as he continued.

“The Xu family also conveyed another meaning—seeing that it’s uncertain whether your Third Aunt can survive this time, and even if she does, she’ll probably barely hang on, unable to handle household affairs. Old Madam is advanced in years and shouldn’t be troubled. Duke Pingguo’s meaning is that the Duke’s manor must have a Heir Apparent’s wife to manage the household. She should take charge immediately upon entering, lest internal and external imbalance in the manor discourage Fengjia. Once Fengjia completes his year of mourning, he wishes to take you as his second wife. During this year, the two little grandsons will temporarily be sent to Uncle Qin’s household for care. Of course, there are some high-sounding excuses, but you understand the real meaning.”

“Setting aside what your mother thinks, I’ve already agreed to this marriage. A year from now when Fengjia leaves mourning, you’ll marry immediately. Whether your sister’s two sons can grow up safely depends on your capabilities. I know Little Seven and her sister were very close. You even didn’t hesitate to hold the two families’ relationship hostage to find the true culprit. I trust you certainly won’t refuse.”

Seventh Miss’s mind exploded with a roar. She stared woodenly at the Grand Master, momentarily unable to make any response.

The Grand Master’s words held no trace of consultation. His tone was certain—this was notification rather than discussion. His words even carried faint mockery, as if laughing that Seventh Miss had picked up a rock only to drop it on her own foot.

“I didn’t expect that when I asked your Third Uncle to wait and personally went in to discuss with your mother, she agreed wholeheartedly. When you go in, she surely has much to instruct you.” Though the Grand Master’s tone was warm, what lay behind his voice was cold and sharp as ice. “Tomorrow I must submit memorials requesting implementation of the single-whip tax system. I have much to do. Little Seven, you may withdraw.”

Seventh Miss took a long time to come to her senses.

She stared blankly at the Grand Master’s face, as if never having known this strange politician. After a long while, she forced out a dry smile.

“You truly trust Yang Qi.” She slowly stood, her gaze at the Grand Master like two heart-piercing arrows. “Or should I say, in your heart, I Yang Qi am just an obedient chess piece who absolutely cannot bite back? Aren’t you afraid… I’ll marry harboring resentment and instead, cause, trouble?!”

These words were asked with extreme sharpness by Seventh Miss, as if containing several small knives, stabbing straight into the Grand Master’s ears.

But the Grand Master remained neither arrogant nor anxious, merely leisurely sipping tea and smiling faintly. “How could Little Seven be impulsive? If Ninth Brother made such threats, perhaps I’d believe them. But you—even if you killed Father, Father wouldn’t believe it.”

Yes, she still had Ninth Brother! She couldn’t place Ninth Brother between herself and her parents’ struggle, putting Ninth Brother in a difficult position!

Seventh Miss, attacked by urgent fury internally and externally, felt as if thousands of knives stabbed her heart. For a long time she couldn’t speak.

When she reluctantly opened her mouth to say some perfunctory words, her throat sweetened and hot liquid sprayed out. Suddenly there was a mouthful of bright red blood on the table.

She was so frightened she covered her mouth.

Even the Grand Master’s expression changed.

He seemed instead to fly into a rage over this mouthful of blood. Standing up, he raised his hand and slapped Seventh Miss. “Didn’t you care about your Fifth Sister’s death more than the entire Yang family’s future? Since you dared put the Yang-Xu families’ relationship on the scales, don’t complain about becoming a bargaining chip. Even if you die, you must die in the Xu household! What use is spitting blood before me? If you’re capable, go back and swallow everything you’ve said and done! Unfilial daughter—Yang Qi, don’t think yourself clever. You’re the Yang family’s most unfilial daughter!”

The instant Seventh Miss covered her face, she surprisingly didn’t think of herself.

She remembered how Fifth Lady had reacted when the Grand Master slapped her.

Before being struck, she’d still had many grievances. But after that slap, only stubbornness remained in Fifth Lady’s eyes.

Because she’d become completely, thoroughly cold-hearted.

Fifth Lady might have been confused about many things compared to her, but in understanding the Grand Master, she’d reached thoroughness far earlier than Seventh Miss.

At this moment, she refused to let any trace of her defeat show, revealing it to the Grand Master.

She raised her head, calmly wiped the blood from her lips, straightened her spine, and gave the Grand Master a faint smile.

“Little Seven was never clever to begin with.”

Her tone was softer than spring wind, but her gaze was hard as steel, as iron. “Father’s lesson is correct. Little Seven still has Ninth Brother, still has Cousin Zixiu, still has Uncle Lian whom I’ve never met but am eager to meet. In this world, I am not without support! There are still one or two people who pity my circumstances and care about my joys and sorrows!”

The Grand Master’s expression suddenly shifted.

Just as he was about to question closely, Seventh Miss had already turned her head and left the small study without looking back.