Jiang Xiyun supported Grandmother Jiang as they arrived at Chang Chun Hall. They found Madam Qin and Lin Jinlou present, their faces dark as water. Chunling was prostrated on the ground, her face pale as gold leaf, moaning incessantly, and barely able to maintain her kneeling position. Shuran stood to the side serving tea.
Grandmother Jiang glanced at Chunling and asked in surprise, “What’s happening here? Is this some kind of tribunal?” She sat down with Jiang Xiyun’s assistance.
Lin Jinlou didn’t rise to greet them. Instead, he spoke with a sinister tone, “Today, an evil wind has blown through our household. Someone dared to play tricks right under my nose. Elderly Aunt, wouldn’t you say they must have eaten a bear’s heart and leopard’s gall to be so bold? If I don’t properly deal with this, people will think Lin Jinlou is a coward. How could I show my face?” As he spoke, there was a sharp crack as he snapped his folding fan.
Jiang Xiyun lifted her head slightly and saw Lin Jinlou’s face filled with a cold smile. She couldn’t help but shudder. Although Lin Jinlou had always been imposing and proud, he had consistently treated the Jiang family with warmth and courtesy. This was the first time she had seen him show such anger, and it was terrifying – like a man-eating beast, completely different from any man she had ever encountered. Fear began to grow in Jiang Xiyun’s heart.
Grandmother Jiang maintained a calm expression and said, “Young Master Lin, have some tea and calm yourself. Be careful not to let your anger affect your health.” She turned to address only Madam Qin, “Why did my niece-in-law summon my two granddaughters? Dan has been unwell, and now she’s fallen ill and is bedridden.” She let out a long sigh. “Ah, Young Master Lin called so urgently, it must be something important, so I came along.”
Hearing Grandmother Jiang change the subject, Madam Qin secretly breathed a sigh of relief and asked, “What illness does Sister Dan have? Is it serious?”
Grandmother Jiang’s face showed concern as she replied, “She just fainted earlier. We had to revive her by pressing her philtrum. She complained of chest pain, and we’ve already called for a doctor.”
Madam Qin asked, “How did someone so young develop a chest ailment?”
Grandmother Jiang just shook her head and sighed, “This child has always been delicate. Perhaps she ate something too cold last night that her body couldn’t process, and when the wind struck today, it triggered the illness.”
Madam Qin joined in sighing.
Lin Jinlou tossed aside his broken fan and merely gave a cold laugh without speaking.
Jiang Xiyun’s heart began to panic, but she quickly steadied herself. Chen Xianglan had a delicate appearance and was known for her crying abilities, and being clever, she might have figured out the connection and complained to Lin Jinlou… Fortunately, she had never quarreled with Chen Xianglan, especially in front of Lin Jinlou, always maintaining an appearance of harmony. In this matter, she had merely gone along with the flow and done things cleanly. Even if discovered, she would be able to extricate herself, but she wondered what would happen to Jiang Danyun. She turned to look at the trembling Chunling and let out a small sigh, then softly comforted Grandmother Jiang, “Grandmother, don’t worry about Fourth Sister…” She then took out a pair of shoe insoles and presented them to Lin Jinlou, her face wearing an adorable, pleasing smile. “Uncle, as the weather is getting colder, I made these thick fleecy insoles. They’ll keep your feet warm in your shoes.” Her bright eyes blinked as she watched Madam Qin’s face. Seeing her cold expression, she slightly pouted and said coquettishly, “It’s just that the fleece is so thick, every time I push the needle through, it hurts my fingers.” She opened her hands to show Madam Qin.
Madam Qin looked down and saw red marks on those fair fingers, clearly from the thimble while sewing. She couldn’t help but take those hands and caress them repeatedly. Earlier, when Lin Jinlou had asked her to come to the main hall, he had instructed her not to intervene in anything and had repeatedly urged people to summon the Jiang sisters. Madam Qin felt uneasy, vaguely guessing something but not daring to confirm it. She feared Lin Jinlou would make things irreparable, but thinking this matter involved the Jiang sisters, she also felt uncomfortable, which was why she had been cold toward Jiang Xiyun earlier.
However, Madam Qin had always been fond of Jiang Xiyun’s ability to act cute and endearing. Now, seeing that beautiful face full of innocence, and thinking of how this child was usually obedient, observant, and genuinely likable, she felt she must have guessed wrong. She said, “Good child, you’ve worked hard.” She then glared at Lin Jinlou and said, “Dan is ill, yet the Elderly Aunt and Xiyun still came all this way. What could be so important that you must discuss it now?”
Lin Jinlou smiled and said, “Today, an interesting piece of news has emerged in our household. I specially invited Elderly Aunt and Cousin to hear it.” He lifted his chin, pointing at Chunling, and said, “Speak.”
Jiang Xiyun’s heart sank. She thought to herself, “Here it comes!”
Chunling immediately broke down, crying loudly, “Master! Everything I said earlier was the truth! I didn’t put the sterility pills in Concubine’s medicine! If I speak even half a false word, may Heaven take my life right now! I’m the one who brews the medicine – if anything happened to Concubine, I wouldn’t survive either. How could I betray such a trust? The only people who entered the tea room while I was brewing the medicine were the two Young Ladies from the Jiang family…”
Lin Jinlou spoke slowly, “Oh, so you’re implying these two wish harm upon your mistress? The maids say you had a quarrel with your mistress and are quite close to the Jiang Fifth Young Lady.” After speaking, he raised his head and gave Grandmother Jiang and Jiang Xiyun a meaningful look.
Chunling felt bitter hatred in her heart. Earlier, she had been beaten nearly to death when Shuran had hurriedly come to whisper something to Lin Jinlou. Lin Jinlou had immediately gone to the bedroom, and then Shuran had leisurely approached her, sneering, “What’s the use? Clearly, the Jiang sisters disliked the Concubine and worked together to set up a trap – one distracted you with conversation while the other added the medicine, then blamed you for it. Yet you still treated that viper like a Buddha.” Chunling wasn’t completely foolish. After considering the sequence of events, she felt Shuran’s words were exactly right. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and so she gritted her teeth and said, “I may have had grievances with Concubine, but I would never dare use such medicine that prevents childbearing! Only these two Young Ladies came during the medicine preparation – the medicine must have been added by them!”
Grandmother Jiang flew into a rage, hitting the armrest and pointing as she scolded, “Nonsense!” After speaking, she began coughing violently.
While helping Grandmother Jiang catch her breath, Jiang Xiyun raised her head, opened her bewildered eyes wide, looked at Madam Qin, then at Lin Jinlou, and finally at Chunling. She said blankly, “Chunling… I have no grudge against you, how can you say such things?”
Chunling wept bitterly, “I foolishly thought you were a good person, never imagining you were so devious. You and your sister – one deliberately drew me to the door to talk while the other put medicine in the room. I curse my blind eyes forever considering you a friend!” Her voice grew increasingly shrill as she glared at Jiang Xiyun, her eyes nearly bleeding with anger.
Jiang Xiyun looked bewilderedly at Lin Jinlou and Madam Qin, tears suddenly welling up in her eyes and falling like drops of melon. Biting her lip silently, she only choked out, “Do Uncle and Aunt truly believe I am the kind of person who would harm others?”
Thinking of Jiang Xiyun’s steady behavior, cleverness, and wisdom, Madam Qin found it hard to believe she would do such a thing. She said to Lin Jinlou, “Could there be some misunderstanding?”
Chunling painfully crawled forward on her knees, crying, “I beg the Madam and Master to summon Fourth Young Lady Jiang. She must be pretending to be ill because she has a guilty conscience!”
Liusu stepped forward, pointing and scolding, “Nonsense! Our Fourth Young Lady is unconscious in bed, yet you dare spout such nonsense and slander our Young Lady’s reputation!”
Chunling’s teeth chattered audibly as she shouted, “I didn’t! I didn’t! I didn’t!” She repeatedly kowtowed to Madam Qin and Lin Jinlou, crying until her voice was hoarse, “Madam, Master if I did this thing, I would willingly accept being cut into a thousand pieces… I, I am truly wronged!” Her head struck the ground with loud thuds until blood appeared.
Jiang Xiyun’s hands slowly clenched inside her sleeves. If the Lin family ignored this matter and let Chunling take the blame, it would be like a stone thrown into a lake – a few ripples and then silence. However, Lin Jinlou’s current behavior, wanting to investigate the matter openly and seemingly ready to destroy relationships, was truly beyond her expectations. Jiang Danyun was now frightened out of her wits, and if she came, other complications might arise. Chen Xianglan was just a concubine of servant origins…
She bit her lip and looked up at Madam Qin with a childlike expression, saying, “Aunt, you have always been wise. Fourth Sister is truly ill…”
Madam Qin sighed and stroked Jiang Xiyun’s hair. Just as she was about to speak, Lin Jinlou ordered Shuran, “Go see how ill Jiang Fourth Young Lady is. If she still has breath, carry her here on a sedan chair if you must!”
Grandmother Jiang’s face instantly turned red with anger. She stood up, hitting the table and pointing at Lin Jinlou in rage, “You! You dare!” Then she laughed coldly, “Good, good, good, good! General Lin Jinlou, now you’re investigating your relatives, threatening a family with weapons. You’ve made something of yourself, daring to act wild in front of your elders. The fourth girl is from our Jiang family – I’d like to see who dares lay a finger on her today!” She then said to Jiang Xiyun, “Fifth girl, we’re not staying here anymore. Go home and pack your things – we’re leaving with your eldest brother!”
Seeing the situation deteriorating, Madam Qin hurried forward to mediate. Grandmother Jiang coughed heavily and swayed, nearly fainting. Madam Qin quickly helped her sit down while Jiang Xiyun, tears in her eyes, hugged Grandmother Jiang’s arm and sobbed repeatedly.
Lin Jinlou stood quietly to the side, steady as a rock, his face expressionless. He spoke, “This case today, I will get to the bottom of it. If I have truly wronged anyone, I will apologize with thorns on my back and accept my Elderly Aunt’s punishment. But if anyone dares play tricks in my household…” As he finished speaking, he drew the precious sword at his waist with a ring and threw it. The sword stuck firmly in a nearby tree, its cold light flashing, striking fear into everyone’s hearts.
Everyone was shocked into silence, no longer daring to cry or speak. Lin Jinlou coldly surveyed the room and said, “No matter who they are, even if the Emperor himself came today, it wouldn’t matter!” He shouted sternly, “Shuran!”
Shuran hurriedly came forward.
Lin Jinlou commanded, “Go bring Fourth Young Lady Jiang here!” Shuran acknowledged and withdrew.
Madam Qin, her eyes red with anxiety, feared Grandmother Jiang would be made ill. She grabbed Lin Jinlou’s arm and said quietly, “Young Master, why… why are you doing this? No matter who did it, things have already reached this point. Why must you offend the Jiang family? You…”
Lin Jinlou looked at Madam Qin and suddenly said, “Their Jiang family’s young lady is human, but my Lin family’s concubine is also human – and she saved both you and your sister!” Just these words left Madam Qin stunned.
Lin Jinlou turned back to sit down, picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, and then said, “The tea has gone cold. Someone, bring fresh tea for the masters.”