Mother Jiang flew into a rage, pointing at Jiang Xi Yun and saying harshly, “When you marry into the Lin family, you’ll be the mistress of the house. No matter how favored a concubine she might be, she must remain quiet and well-behaved before you, following rules and accepting criticism! Letting her live well would be your mercy! Now Chen Xiang Lan is so prominent, winning hearts above and below, getting everyone’s protection. If you can’t subdue her, how will you manage the household and handle family affairs? You weak-hearted, spineless thing! In the future, if she learns even half a word that you had a hand in her infertility, do you think she’ll continue playing the saint?”

Jiang Xi Yun couldn’t help but shudder.

Mother Jiang coughed forcefully several times, nearly losing her breath. Jiang Xi Yun hurriedly moved forward to massage her chest and help her breathe, but Mother Jiang pushed her away, saying disappointedly, “You’ve been clever since childhood, always knowing how to weigh advantages and disadvantages, how to please people, how to advance by retreating, planning each step carefully. Among all our family’s girls, you’re the sharpest in wit. But now you’re so hesitant, shrinking back even when people bully you to your face – where’s your spirit? You’re nothing like the person I trained! All my efforts wasted!” With that, she began coughing violently again.

Jiang Xi Yun quickly took a small bottle from the bedside, poured out a pill, and put it in Mother Jiang’s mouth. After a moment, Mother Jiang groaned and finally calmed down.

Jiang Xi Yun knelt on the ground with tears in her eyes, holding Mother Jiang’s hand and saying, “Grandmother, please don’t be angry. Your granddaughter understands her mistake!” Looking into her heart, she felt she hadn’t done wrong – it was merely self-defense. But once this matter came out, her peace of mind would never be the same as before. From now on, she would have to engage in schemes and plotting within the inner quarters, making people dislike her for no apparent reason.

Mother Jiang stroked Jiang Xi Yun’s head and after a long while said, “Good child, get up. You have a kind nature and you’re clever – great fortune awaits you in the future.”

Jiang Xi Yun blushed, twisting her fingers as she asked, “Grandmother truly doesn’t blame me for such scheming?”

Mother Jiang leaned back against the flowered cushion on the kang, letting out a long breath. With half-closed eyes, she said flatly, “Scheming? Do you call this scheming? There are plenty of filthy, dirty schemes out there. I suspect the Lin household isn’t clean either – otherwise, why would Lin Jin Lou be childless at his age?”

Jiang Xi Yun was exhausted, her thoughts dark as she said dejectedly, “Yes, it seems I’ll never find lasting peace in my lifetime. A woman’s life is always bitter… Being an unmarried girl was happier.”

A slight smile appeared on Mother Jiang’s lips. “Lasting peace? Isn’t what you’re doing now precisely for lasting peace?”

Jiang Xi Yun looked up at Mother Jiang, confused.

Mother Jiang continued, “Since Lin Jin Lou loves Chen Xiang Lan, let him dote on her. She won’t be able to bear children anyway. For a married woman, offspring is the foundation of security. Once you’ve established your position in the Lin family, if you’re still not secure, you can buy another woman who understands romance and is accomplished in the four arts. Just make sure she doesn’t bear children, and she’ll split Chen Xiang Lan’s favor. When Chen Xiang Lan can’t bear children and fears losing favor, making her future difficult, she’ll naturally try to please you. Then you’ll benefit from both sides.”

After a long silence, Jiang Xi Yun said, “Following Grandmother’s idea, before we’ve eliminated the tiger, we’re introducing a wolf – it’s like cutting into our own heart with a knife.”

Mother Jiang sneered, “For women, who doesn’t spend their whole life enduring? We endure temporarily for future prominence, lifelong peace, wealth, and joy.”

Jiang Xi Yun let out a small sigh – better others than oneself; sometimes one had to be cruel to others.

Just then, footsteps were heard outside. Jiang Xi Yun quickly stood up as Liu Su ran in, catching her breath before saying, “Old Madam, there’s chaos at Chang Chun Hall. They say Chen Xiang Lan suddenly developed stomach pains and is bleeding. The maids have hurriedly gone to fetch a doctor.”

Upon hearing this, Mother Jiang sat up and adjusted her hair, saying calmly, “Call the Fourth Miss here.”

Moments later, Jiang Dan Yun arrived, her entire face red from crying. Mother Jiang barked, “You wicked creature! Kneel!”

Jiang Xi Yun trembled and her legs weakened as she knelt. Mother Jiang said coldly, “I know everything you’ve done. Now it’s come out – Chen Xiang Lan has severe abdominal pain and is bleeding.”

It was as if lightning struck Jiang Dan Yun’s head. Her face drained of color, and she lost all composure, stammering, “I… I…” Suddenly she began kowtowing desperately, “Grandmother, save me! Grandmother, save me!”

Mother Jiang’s clouded eyes suddenly brightened as she said, “Saving you now isn’t difficult.”

Jiang Dan Yun jerked her head up, staring intently as Mother Jiang spoke deliberately, “Remember this – you know nothing about the poisoning. It must have been that maid Chun Ling who turned traitor and deliberately poisoned her mistress. Do you understand?”

Jiang Dan Yun’s body swayed as she collapsed to the ground.

The clear, thin sunlight suddenly gave way to wind, and in an instant, dark clouds gathered. Chang Chun Hall was in chaos. Earlier, while Xiang Lan was talking with Young Master De, she suddenly felt sharp pains in her lower abdomen. Just then, Shu Ran had hurried over with her maid Zhao Lu, and seeing Xiang Lan’s face as pale as gold leaf, was greatly alarmed. She quickly sent people to fetch a doctor and wanted to inform Lin Jin Lou in the front hall. Xiang Lan grabbed Shu Ran’s sleeve to stop her, saying through her pain, “The Young Master is meeting with Master Jiang in the front hall, and you know why. If you rashly call him back, the Jiang family will surely resent it, making my future days even harder, and you’ll offend the Jiang family too – what’s the use of that…”

Looking at Xiang Lan’s beautiful, delicate face, Shu Ran felt full of pity. She was usually a shrewd person who avoided trouble. If it were anyone else, she certainly wouldn’t have stepped forward, at most reporting to Madam and being done with it. But thinking of how kind and warm Xiang Lan had always been, and seeing her current state, her heart ached. She held Xiang Lan’s hand and said, “Concubine, please don’t worry. The Young Master must stand up for you in this matter!” With that, she went to the front corridor and called Gui Yuan over, saying, “Go fetch the Young Master back. Tell him I said the Concubine is very ill – critically ill! Critically ill!”

Gui Yuan was startled, and seeing Shu Ran’s severe expression, didn’t dare ask more questions, running off like the wind. He soon returned saying, “The Young Master was having an engaging conversation with Master Jiang, and they’ve gone out together to visit friends.”

Hearing this, Shu Ran stamped her feet in anxiety. Returning to check on Xiang Lan, she saw her face had turned snow-white, with large beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. For the first time, Shu Ran felt at a complete loss. Young Master De lay at the head of the bed, his round little dark face full of worry, occasionally using a handkerchief to wipe Xiang Lan’s sweat.

Shu Ran gritted her teeth and said to Xiang Lan, “Concubine, I’ve always seen your good character. There’s something important I must tell you.”

Xiang Lan looked puzzled. Seeing Shu Ran glance at Young Master De, she understood and forced a smile, coaxing him: “Go play outside. I’m fine, just a bit tired. I’ll be better after some rest.” She signaled with her eyes for Xiao Juan to take him out. Young Master De initially refused but finally left, looking back every few steps.

Young Master De thought to himself, “The maids said Uncle Lin can’t come back, but Aunt Lan is sick. I should tell my father so he can call for a good doctor.” With this thought, he ran off to find Yuan Shao Ren. After hearing Young Master De’s explanation, mixed with gestures, Yuan Shao Ren immediately understood that Xiang Lan had fallen seriously ill. He thought to himself, “If Ying Yang went out with Jiang Shang Xian, they must have gone to visit the Duke of Zhenguo. I recall Ying Yang mentioning that the Duke was his respected teacher and also on good terms with the Jiang family – they probably want to ask him to be a matchmaker.” With this in mind, he instructed the wet nurse to look after Young Master De and immediately set out for the Duke’s residence.

Lin Jin Lou came galloping back, dust flying. As soon as he entered the gate, he leaped down from his horse. Gui Yuan hurried forward to take the horse while Lin Jin Lou tossed his riding crop to Shuang Xi, who caught it with both hands and trotted behind his master. Lin Jin Lou asked anxiously, “She was fine when I left – what happened? Has a doctor seen her?”

Shuang Xi bent slightly, not daring to breathe loudly, choosing his words carefully: “Young Master, Imperial Physician Zhang just came by and hasn’t left yet. I heard that Sister Shu Ran personally brewed the medicine and helped the Concubine take it.”

Lin Jin Lou cursed, tugged at his collar, and strode quickly into the inner quarters. Entering Chang Chun Hall, he found it eerily quiet. A small red clay stove stood at the entrance, with a palm-leaf fan thrown on the ground, showing medicine had just been brewed. He went straight to the bedroom where Hua Shan and Shu Ran were keeping watch by the bed. They quickly stood up and respectfully stepped aside.

Only a layer of soft gauze hung down over the bed, through which he could faintly see someone lying inside. Lin Jin Lou reached out to lift it, revealing Xiang Lan’s face, deathly pale with illness in her cheeks. Her appearance was unlike her usual self, showing signs of haggardness as she lay quietly with closed eyes, seemingly asleep. Lin Jin Lou felt his head spin. He reached out to stroke Xiang Lan’s face, then let the curtain fall back down, asking Shu Ran, “What happened?”

Shu Ran said softly, “She was fine until she took today’s medicine, and then this happened. Imperial Physician Zhang just wrote a prescription, and the Concubine has just taken the medicine and fallen asleep.”

Lin Jin Lou asked through gritted teeth, “Where is Imperial Physician Zhang?”

Shu Ran replied, “He’s in the east side room reporting to Madam.” She seemed about to say more but glanced at Xiang Lan and finally held her tongue.

Lin Jin Lou turned and left, entering the side room where he found Madam Qin asking questions from behind a screen. Seeing Lin Jin Lou, Zhang Shi You quickly stood up and bowed. Lin Jin Lou said, “Thank you for your trouble, sir. Please tell me how my concubine is doing. Is it serious?”

Zhang Shi, You clicked his tongue and said, “General Lin, the Concubine’s condition is truly dangerous. I was just explaining this to your mother. Please look.” He opened the cloth package before him, which contained medicine dregs. Using silver chopsticks, the Imperial Physician picked out four or five black pills of varying sizes and said, “I heard the Concubine fell ill after taking medicine. Upon careful examination of the dregs, I discovered these undissolved pills. However, being soaked in the decoction, their properties cannot be identified.” He then opened a handkerchief on the table, revealing another black pill, larger than those found in the dregs, and continued, “Fortunately, your maids searched the tea room carefully and found another pill under a cabinet. This is known in common parlance as a ‘sterility pill,’ sweet and sour, made from persimmon calyx, musk, and nux vomica. It’s commonly given by brothel madams to their courtesans to prevent pregnancy permanently.” Having spoken, he lowered his head, not daring to look at Lin Jin Lou’s expression. As a specialist in women’s ailments who had long served noble families, he had seen plenty of such vicious schemes. Upon seeing these pills, he understood immediately, but after stating what he knew, he pretended to be deaf and dumb.