Zhou Chujin laughed disdainfully and raised her eyelids, her gaze falling upon the doorway.

Ma Fushan’s wife stood guard outside the door.

Lanting’s heart tightened, and she said urgently, “Miss, I haven’t deceived you. The physician was an acquaintance of the Master’s and was most skilled in treating women’s ailments. Afterward, that physician found it very strange, saying his prescription was passed down through his family and had never failed before, nor had he ever encountered such a situation. He even summoned the midwife and the servants who had attended in the room to question them about what happened, but couldn’t figure out where things went wrong. When that physician left, he kept shaking his head, calling it ‘a strange affair.'”

Zhou Chujin said, “That still doesn’t prove there was something wrong with the pot of water Xinlan sent, does it?”

“But just a few days later, I encountered Xinlan!” Lanting said. “Madam was in poor health, and the Master devoted himself entirely to caring for her, barely managing household affairs. With New Year’s approaching, the household hadn’t finished procuring all the holiday goods. Several senior maids were taking turns serving in Madam’s room, and the experienced servants were either watching over the eldest miss or the second miss—especially the second miss.” As she spoke, she glanced at Zhou Shaojin. “Born as tiny as a kitten, only gaining the strength to nurse after two days. The Master had the second miss on one hand and Madam on the other, still having to make time to check on the eldest miss—he became so thin. The steward called on several of us junior maids to help inventory the New Year goods.

“I had learned to read and write from Madam and knew some arithmetic, so the steward had me check account ledgers with the clerks at the trading house.

“That clerk’s handwriting was extremely sloppy. Having only recently learned to read, I had to frequently ask the clerk what he’d written while checking the accounts.

“When I looked up, I saw Xinlan.

“She wore a silver-red brocade jacket, had kingfisher feather flowers adorning her hair, dangling red gold ginkgo leaf earrings hanging from her ears, and three or four gold stirrup rings on her hands—glittering with gold. She was dressed even more lavishly than the wives of ordinary families. Yet she hadn’t brought even a single maid or servant with her.

“I called out to her right then.

“She seemed not to hear and went straight into the silver shop next to the general store.

“I had wanted to go over and greet her, but the inventory was only half done. Afraid of making mistakes, I didn’t move. By the time I finished counting the goods and was waiting there for the steward to come load the cart, I saw Xinlan emerge from that silver shop.

“A man was following beside her. He wore a blue scholar’s robe and in the dead of winter, wore only a net cap. He looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, terribly thin, with a haggard expression.

“So I asked the clerk in the shop who that man was.

“The shop clerk told me it was Master Cheng Bai of Cunren Ward…”

Zhou Shaojin felt somewhat breathless.

She clutched at her own sleeve.

Zhou Chujin’s brows furrowed tightly. She said, “How did that clerk know Cheng Bai?”

Lanting said, “Cheng Bai had also opened a dry goods store in the Taiping Street area at that time, and had dealings in goods with the general store where we purchased things, so they knew each other.”

Zhou Chujin nodded slightly.

Lanting continued, “I was very curious at the time.

“Hadn’t Xinlan married someone who dealt in cotton? How had she gotten involved with Master Cheng of Cunren Ward? Then I thought about all those things she wore—worth at least twenty or thirty taels of silver at the minimum. Just then, a servant came over saying that boats had collided outside Jiangdong Gate and the fishing boats couldn’t enter the city for the time being. The steward wanted to go to Jiangdong Gate to check on things and told us to finish inventorying the goods and take them back first.

“So I made the excuse of wanting to go to the street to buy myself two new handkerchiefs for New Year’s, handed the goods over to the servant to load onto the cart, and quietly followed them.

“Xinlan and Cheng Bai twisted and turned through the streets, stopping in a small alley. I heard Xinlan say, ‘I’m a woman alone, living by myself in an inn. Respectable people take me for someone seeking relatives with nowhere to go, but those rakes think I’m a woman of pleasure. They come knocking at my door in the middle of the night, scaring me so much I can’t sleep all night. When can I finally go home with you? Doesn’t the saying go: “With money or without, taking a wife makes for a good New Year”? With New Year’s approaching, surely you won’t make me spend it alone in an inn?’

“Cheng Bai comforted her, saying soon, soon. Once he finished with his current busy period, he would bring her back. Then he took out an ingot of silver to give her, telling her to buy whatever she liked. He also said she shouldn’t run around during this time, lest someone observant notice something suspicious.

“At that time, I didn’t yet know that Madam had once been betrothed, nor did I know who this Cheng Bai was. I simply thought Xinlan wasn’t faithful to her marriage vows, having abandoned her husband to run off with this man. I was contemptuous of her behavior and turned and left.

“It was only later, when Madam was failing and Uncle Zhuang came to the house to make a scene, saying Master had caused Madam’s death and demanding compensation, that I learned Madam had been engaged to Cheng Bai.

“But even then, I didn’t think in that direction.

“I just felt Xinlan’s actions were inappropriate, that she’d brought shame to Madam.

“That said, I was still curious whether Xinlan had ultimately entered the Cheng family gates. If she truly became Cheng Bai’s concubine, if Madam knew about it, would she feel ashamed? So I tried to find out news about Cheng Bai. That’s when I learned that Cheng Bai had also fallen ill, and the Cheng family had no idea someone like Lanting even existed. Before long, Cheng Bai also died, and even fewer people knew about this matter.

“I could only speculate in my heart but didn’t dare tell the Master.

“All these years, it’s been like a heart disease. Whenever I think of it, I can’t sleep or eat. If I hadn’t encountered Miss this time, I would have planned to take this matter to my grave. Who knew I would ultimately speak of it after all. This must be Madam’s spirit in heaven protecting Miss and Second Miss, ensuring you both wouldn’t remain ignorant, allowing her to be vindicated.”

This didn’t happen in the previous life!

Was what Lanting said true or false?

Zhou Shaojin carefully pondered what Lanting had said.

Zhou Chujin sneered, “I see that unless I teach you a lesson, you won’t tell the truth. Ma Fushan’s wife, have those two rough servant women come in!”

Lanting’s expression changed dramatically, and she pleaded, “Miss, I’ve told you everything I know—not a single lie. If you don’t believe me, I can swear on my life!”

Ma Fushan’s wife poked her head in, saw the scene inside the room, and quickly withdrew again.

“Good!” Zhou Chujin stared at her with knife-like eyes and said, “Swear now that if you’ve concealed anything, may your sons be slaves for generations and your daughters prostitutes for generations.”

Lanting stared at Zhou Shaojin in shock, her lips opening and closing, but as if her throat were blocked, she ultimately made no sound.

“What? You don’t dare!” Zhou Shaojin sneered and said, “Let me ask you—when you entered the household, Xinlan should have already married out, correct?”

“Yes!” Lanting nodded, her expression showing some uncertain hesitation and carefulness.

“If that’s the case, when you saw Lanting walk out of the silver shop with a strange man, why did you ask the general store clerk who that man was? Wouldn’t ordinary people seeing such a scene assume that man was Xinlan’s husband?”

“I, I forgot to tell you.” Lanting looked at Zhou Chujin, her expression tense. “When she came to see Madam, she mentioned she had come alone…”

“Is that so?” Zhou Chujin said. “She came alone—wouldn’t Mother naturally be curious why she came alone? Even if you were just a junior maid who didn’t know what Mother and Xinlan discussed, after so much time had passed, wouldn’t it be perfectly normal for Xinlan’s husband to come looking for her?”

“She said at the time that her relationship with her husband wasn’t good, so I…” Lanting hastily added.

“Lanting.” Zhou Chujin coldly interrupted her. “You’re not tired, but I am. You’re withholding information simply because you want to negotiate terms with me, wanting me to let you return to Baoding and stay by Father’s side. You’ve served Father for so many years—you should understand his temperament best. The person Father respects most is Mother. Do you know what you’ve been saying before us today?”

Lanting’s gaze shifted slightly, her face ashen as she collapsed dejectedly to the ground.

“No, no, no…” she shrieked. “I didn’t say anything, I didn’t say anything at all…”

Zhou Chujin had never intended to let her off and continued, “I need only write Father a letter detailing everything you said today. If what you said is true and you maliciously concealed it, what do you think Father will think of you? How will he deal with you? If you’re spreading rumors, using Mother’s life and death to spread rumors, do you think Father will still keep you by his side? Will he still treat you as he did before?”

That last sentence was like the final straw that broke the camel’s back. Lanting could no longer calculate or scheme about anything. She murmured, “He won’t, he won’t. Master won’t treat me that way… Master is the most honorable and righteous person in this world…”

Both Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin found it nauseating to listen to. Zhou Chujin simply called Ma Fushan’s wife in and said, “Fetch two buckets of river water and douse her awake.”

It was already mid-autumn, and while well water was warm, river water was cold. Being drenched in it brought a chill.

Ma Fushan’s wife acknowledged the order and soon brought in two rough servant women carrying water. She pointed at Lanting and said, “Drench her!”

The two women rolled up their sleeves and poured the water over Lanting.

Lanting shivered violently and came to her senses.

Ma Fushan’s wife immediately led the two rough servant women out, thoughtfully closing the door behind them.

“Speak!” Zhou Chujin looked at Lanting, who was drenched like a drowned rat yet couldn’t even wipe the water from her face because she was bound, and said, “If you tell me, I might be in a good mood and spare your life. But if you don’t speak, I’ll write Father a letter about this matter and let him deal with you.” Having said this, she smiled and added, “However, I think Madam Li would be even more interested in you than Father. Perhaps I should write Madam Li first, then write Father…”

“No, you can’t do this!” Lanting shrieked.

Zhou Chujin stood up and said, “Then watch and see if I can do this!”

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk!” Lanting completely crumbled, crying out, “Miss, please spare me! I’ll tell you where Xinlan is!”

So this was Lanting’s trump card?

Zhou Shaojin thought to herself.