Dressed and ready, Minglan did not go directly to meet the Wang family’s delegation but took a slight detour, intercepting Sheng Hong on the small path leading to his study — where he had slept alone the previous night. She paid no attention to her father’s expression, dark as the bottom of a pot, and walked alongside him with a smile as she spoke.

“Father, do you not find it curious? Kang Yiniang has been absent from home all night, yet the Kang family shows no urgency — and it is the Wang family that is alarmed?”

Sheng Hong walked with his head down, refusing to respond to her. Since the argument that day, the corners of his mouth and eyes had been in a perpetual state of downward-turned displeasure.

“In my view, this has to do with the old woman’s poisoning.” Minglan did not wait for her father to reply. “But Father sees things so clearly — I am sure he has already grasped the reasons behind this without my explaining.”

Sheng Hong let out a dismissive grunt. His youngest daughter’s smile was all composed charm; he couldn’t very well scold her publicly, though he was fuming inside. He thought to himself: just the other day you were near ready to bite Wang Shi in your fury — now you play the guileless innocent — if you can turn your expressions around this quickly, you are truly made of the right stuff for an official’s life.

Minglan said in a mild tone, “In my humble view, there are only two reasons why Kang Yiniang’s husband has not come along.”

Sheng Hong struggled with all his might to suppress his curiosity and stayed silent.

“Either Kang Yiniang’s husband knew of this matter but is indifferent and unwilling to speak up on his wife’s behalf — or he knows absolutely nothing, and the Wang family does not want him to know.” Their marital relationship was already so poor — there was no point in giving the Kang household yet more cause to resent Kang Wang Shi.

“When we meet with the Wang family, Father might ask why the Yiniang’s husband has not come. But I expect the young master Jin will give one of only two answers…” Minglan smiled with a knowing look. “Either his father is unwell and unable to come; or the Kang household has business, and his father cannot get away.”

Sheng Hong nearly smiled, then quickly pulled the corners of his mouth straight and resumed a solemn expression — an idled son-in-law of many years, what could possibly keep him so busy, unless perhaps he had taken two more beautiful young maidservants and worn himself out.

Minglan also allowed herself a small smile. “And as for the Wang family’s delegation today — it will be one of several scenarios…” Sheng Hong imperceptibly slowed his pace.

“In the first scenario, the Wang family knows nothing of Kang Yiniang’s wrongdoing, and this visit is simply out of concern for the old woman’s condition. In the second scenario, the Wang family knows the situation, and today’s visit is to negotiate with Father — to persuade him to let the Yiniang go free…”

Sheng Hong stroked the short beard beneath his chin, quietly nodding.

“In the third scenario…” Minglan said calmly, “someone has ill intentions and plans to lay the blame entirely on one person — putting it all on the Sheng household’s doorstep.”

Sheng Hong stopped in his tracks abruptly and looked directly at his daughter, his expression grave and measured.

Minglan said softly, “Which of these it is, Father will see for himself in a moment.”

Father and daughter delayed no further and walked briskly toward the main courtyard. Barely had they crossed the threshold of the reception hall when they saw Wang Shi weeping into the old matriarch’s lap; Wang Shu-fu and Wang Shu-mu stood to either side — one comforting, one sighing — while Jin, the young master of the Kang family, stood with a fretful expression behind the old matriarch, a sharp-featured, capable-looking older serving woman positioned beside him. Besides these, only Nanny Liu stood waiting in a corner of the room; all the other maidservants and serving women had been dismissed. The hall’s doors and windows were sealed beyond a five-foot perimeter where no one was permitted to peer in, and guards were posted at the courtyard gate.

Old Matriarch Wang saw Sheng Hong arrive and smiled with relief. “My dear son-in-law — you are finally here.”

Father and daughter entered one after the other and bowed their respects to their elders before standing. Sheng Hong looked at the young master Jin and could not help asking, “Where is your father?”

Jin’s expression went rigid. He hesitated. “My father… he… he has been unwell recently.”

Sheng Hong suppressed the urge to look at his youngest daughter’s face, then turned to the old matriarch with a respectful greeting. “For Mother-in-law to make such a journey at her age — this is the fault of your son-in-law for not managing his household well.”

Old Matriarch Wang sighed in sorrow. “It is the Wang family that has produced this unfilial daughter — I have no face to show before you.” As she spoke, she cast a sharp, reproachful look at Wang Shi, who immediately knelt and wept. “Mother, your daughter knows her wrongdoing!”

The old matriarch pointed at her daughter and rebuked her. “Before you were married off, how did I instruct you? Filial piety is the very foundation of all conduct under heaven — as a daughter-in-law, managing the household, serving one’s husband, rearing children — all of it must yield to filial piety. And what have you done? You have committed an act not even fit for beasts. You have brought utter shame upon the Wang family!”

Wang Shi wept, “Mother, your daughter has truly gone terribly wrong! I have brought shame on Father and Mother and all the brothers and sisters-in-law. Mother — you may beat me, you may curse me — I only beg that you forgive me!”

The old matriarch’s heart ached terribly. She pulled her daughter into her arms and wept. “My child — how could you be so foolish! Forgiving you is easy for me — but what is there to say to your husband’s family?!” She then raised her head toward Sheng Hong. “Good son-in-law, she has harmed your household’s old lady — that is a great offense. How do you intend to handle this matter?”

Thanks to his youngest daughter’s reminder, Sheng Hong had kept an extra watch, and the more he heard, the more puzzled he became. “Mother-in-law… by the sound of it, it seems that all of it was Changbai’s mother…” He faltered, unsure how to proceed, and turned to look at Minglan.

Minglan inwardly cursed her good-for-nothing father for his fear of taking risks. She spoke plainly instead. “Old Matriarch, please be informed — a few days ago, my grandmother was well and in good health when she suddenly collapsed and failed to regain consciousness. We initially assumed it was only the heat that had brought on an acute illness. But upon careful examination by the physician, it was determined to be poisoning.”

She and the Wang family had no quarrel with each other — yet from the moment the old matriarch arrived, she had done nothing but speak of her own daughter’s failings, without a single word of inquiry about the old woman’s well-being. The purpose of this visit was plain enough; better to state it directly.

The old matriarch’s face showed a flicker of shame. “I have already been made aware. The Wang family is utterly without the face to meet your household.” As she spoke, she gave Wang Shi several heavy strikes on the back and scolded, “It is all because of you, you muddled fool — how could you be so reckless!”

Even Wang Shi heard that something was not right. Tears still hanging on her face, she looked at her mother in surprise. “Mother… you…?” The moment mother and daughter were reunited, they had both been overcome with emotion — one weeping, the other scolding — and then they had fallen into each other’s arms and wept together, without ever actually discussing the matter clearly.

Minglan let the faint smile remain at the corner of her lips. “It would seem that Old Matriarch has concluded that all of this is the Mistress’s doing?”

Matriarch Wang heard something off in these words, and looking at the expressions of her daughter and son-in-law — somewhere between shock and fury — doubt arose in her heart. She glanced sideways at the capable-looking older serving woman standing beside young master Jin.

At this, Sheng Hong and Minglan were already half-certain of the truth. Father and daughter exchanged a swift, silent look.

The older woman showed not the slightest unease. She gave a subtle nudge to young master Jin. The young man, who had been standing there in a daze, suddenly seemed to wake, and quickly cupped his hands toward Sheng Hong. “Uncle, with your permission — my mother has been gone one full day and night, and the Kang household is deeply anxious. Might we first ask that my mother be brought out so we may see her?”

Sheng Hong’s voice was cold with suppressed anger. “Minglan — bring the person out!”

Minglan walked to the doorway; seeing that Luzhi was already waiting at the courtyard gate, she waved her hand from a distance, then returned to her place inside.

Luzhi led the way, followed by two serving women flanking Kang Yiniang between them, and they moved quickly toward the hall. As they entered the room, everyone saw that Kang Yiniang was dressed in a thin summer gown of ginger-yellow silk — outwardly, nothing seemed amiss, except that her cheeks were flushed and reddened. Minglan knew it was because the cloth that had been stuffed in her mouth had only just been pulled free.

Wang Shi looked at her sister’s clothing — her own garment, lent out — and said nothing. She thought of what Nanny Liu had come to report: that Kang Yiniang had spent the entire day and night bound in place, fouling herself, unable to move, enduring real humiliation and suffering. The thought made her even more wary of Minglan.

Kang Yiniang had been through a great ordeal and was looking pale and listless — but the moment she caught sight of her mother, brother, and son, her spirit surged back with sudden force. She shook off the grip of the two serving women and stumbled forward, throwing herself before Old Matriarch Wang’s knees, sobbing with heartrending grief. “Mother — you’ve finally come! I have been tormented terribly — by the Sheng household — boo-hoo — they have bullied me beyond all endurance! I… I… if only I were dead!”

Young master Jin also knelt at his mother’s side; mother and son wept together. Minglan pulled at the corners of her lips, then waved for the two serving women to withdraw first.

Sheng Hong’s resentment of Kang Yiniang simply upon seeing her was immense — their household had been perfectly fine, with father, son, and daughter all moving together down the path toward the Sheng family’s prosperity. That things had degenerated into this irreconcilable disaster was entirely because of this vicious woman — and now she still had the audacity to weep before her mother and son. At the sight, he laughed coldly. “My mother remains locked in a desperate struggle on her sickbed — I do hope the eldest aunt-in-law takes good care of herself!”

Old Matriarch Wang slowly dried her tears. This mild and deferential son-in-law was speaking in an unusual tone today — perhaps there was more to this than met the eye. Before she could determine how to proceed, the older serving woman beside young master Jin let out a mournful sob. “My poor young lady — from childhood to adulthood, when has she ever suffered such grievance!”

Prompted by this, Old Matriarch Wang composed her expression into one of stern displeasure. “I do not understand what could possibly be wrong with my daughter. To have an elder sister-in-law detained — for no apparent reason — in her own younger sister’s husband’s home: truly, this is an event unheard of throughout the ages!”

Sheng Hong was being rebuked before he had even said a word, and just as he was about to defend himself, Minglan stepped forward first. She looked at the older serving woman and said with a smile, “This must be Nanny Qi. She is indeed the most capable and indispensable person by the Yiniang’s side. And not only is Nanny Qi herself capable — both of her sons are held in high regard by the Yiniang.”

The old matriarch’s expression darkened with displeasure. Kang Yiniang, her heart burning with hatred, immediately shouted, “Your elders are speaking — what business is it of yours?! Interrupting out of turn — you lowborn creature, you have truly no manners!”

Sheng Hong, at the words “lowborn creature,” felt fury flare up inside him. He said coldly, “Even an outsider’s servant dares to interrupt here, yet my own daughter is not permitted to speak in her own family home? And just whose rules might those be?!”

Old Matriarch Wang received this mild rebuke by extension and barely held herself together, while at the same time reaching out to restrain her eldest daughter from saying anything more.

Nanny Qi’s heart lurched — her sons had indeed been taken by the Sheng household. Matters had become very troublesome. She raised her head and looked at Minglan. “It appears that this old woman’s two worthless sons are also in the Sixth Young Mistress’s hands. Truly, I cannot understand — when there is something to discuss within the family, why must the Sixth Young Mistress resort to such underhanded means? Abducting people off the streets in broad daylight, confining your own maternal aunt — if word of this got out, no one would believe such behavior could come from the Sheng family, with its reputation as a household of scholars and letters.”

What a sharp tongue — with two moves she had deflected five questions away at once, redirecting the focus to the question of methods rather than the root cause of events.

Minglan was not the least bit ruffled. She smiled and said, “These methods of mine, compared with whoever administered the poison, are truly the small trick before the great one. Moreover, resorting to extraordinary measures was precisely for the sake of preserving all our families’ reputations. If we were to do as Nanny Qi suggests and lay everything out openly — I fear that the Wang, Kang, and Sheng families would all lose the face to step outside in public ever again. The Wang family most of all.”

Wang Shu-fu had been frowning throughout. At these words, he spoke up: “What do you mean by that?”

Minglan laughed softly a couple of times, then withdrew from her sleeve a thick stack of papers. She selected the top two sheets and had Nanny Liu bring them to Old Matriarch Wang, while she explained in a measured, unhurried tone: “Roughly two months ago, the Kang household’s Second Steward Qi, through a broker named You Da, made the acquaintance of an elderly Daoist living in a secluded temple in the west of the city. This Daoist was most skilled at concocting various disreputable pills and tonics — in ordinary times, he supplied the brothels and houses of pleasure.”

His inventory was comprehensive and varied — aphrodisiacs, hallucinogens, contraceptives, abortifacients, and even a special powder formulated to restore the appearance of virginity. The goods were plentiful and diverse, the service attentive, the quality consistently high — business was brisk.

Minglan pointed to the papers in Old Matriarch Wang’s hands. “These are the signed confessions of the broker You Da and of Second Steward Qi.”

The old matriarch, though advanced in years, still had sharp eyes and ears; the confessions were written with great clarity and detail. Wang Shu-fu and Wang Shu-mu both craned forward to read as well. Wang Shu-mu cast a sidelong glance at Nanny Qi, and the contempt in her expression was unconcealed.

Nanny Qi’s face was a picture of discomfort. She struggled to maintain her ground and muttered, “That useless wretch…”

Wang Shi let out a sharp exclamation and rebuked her, “You hold your tongue! How does a servant conduct herself — let your mistress finish speaking!” Muddled as she was, she understood perfectly at this point: she desperately needed Minglan to drive the final nail into Kang Yiniang’s guilt. Otherwise she herself would remain the scapegoat.

She scolded while shooting glances at her sister. Kang Yiniang turned her face away and refused to meet her eyes.

Minglan continued: “For the better part of half a month after that, Second Steward Qi frequented the Daoist, drinking with him and working to build a rapport. Then, one day, First Steward Qi personally made a visit and asked the Daoist to prepare a certain kind of poison — one that could not be detected by a silver needle, and that worked quickly. At first the Daoist refused, but after a number of days of persuasion he finally agreed, and offered a folk remedy: distilling the sap from more than a jin of sprouted ginkgo nuts into a concentrated form. Just a small amount taken internally, and death would follow within moments.”

She took the next two sheets from the papers in her hand and had Nanny Liu bring them over. “These are the Daoist’s signed confessions.”

Old Matriarch Wang’s hands began to tremble slightly as she read the confessions. Wang Shu-fu looked at only a few lines before he felt compelled to look away and shake his head in repeated distress. Young master Jin stared at his mother, unable to believe what he saw.

“First Steward Qi paid two taels of silver as a deposit, and the Daoist immediately set to work. Because a large quantity of sprouted ginkgo nuts was needed, individual farmers could not supply enough. So the Daoist sought out four remote, small herbal medicine shops, purchasing all the aged, long-unsold stock they had put away. In a matter of only seven or eight days, the Daoist purchased a total of twelve jin of sprouted ginkgo nuts.”

“The Daoist worked day and night, and in the end produced one vial of poison. First Steward Qi paid a further eight taels, the Daoist handed over two vials, and kept one for himself.” Minglan made a gesture toward Luzhi, who carefully brought out a small white porcelain bottle and presented it — this time to Sheng Hong. “I have had the physician examine it. The poison in this vial is identical to what was found in the old woman’s pastries.”

Sheng Hong looked at the small bottle, his face iron-grey.

“Kang Yiniang received the two vials of poison, and let some time pass — until two days ago in the early morning. Rather than sending someone as usual to purchase the pastries the old woman enjoyed, it was instead a young manservant from the Kang household by the name of Jin Liu who went to the Jufang confectionery to buy the first batch to come out of the oven — a lotus blossom pastry filled with hibiscus paste. About an hour later, First Steward Qi personally escorted the serving woman known as ‘Shanquan’s wife’ to deliver the pastries to the Sheng household, and they were placed directly into the Mistress’s hands.”

Minglan passed the last few remaining sheets of paper over. “These are the signed confessions of First Steward Qi and that serving woman.” As the Wang family members read, she added, “That serving woman known as ‘Shanquan’s wife’ was originally the Yiniang’s personal senior maidservant.”

At this point, the account was clear and complete.

Kang Yiniang’s complexion had gone a ghastly white tinged with grey-green; she did not dare look at her mother’s or brother’s or son’s expressions. She half-leaned into her sleeve and quietly wept. Sheng Hong glared furiously at his wife. Wang Shi bowed her head in shame and wept, murmuring over and over, “I truly did not know it was poison…”

Minglan whispered a few words to Luzhi, who promptly hurried out the door. Within moments, two escorts came in pushing a man whose entire body was covered in injuries. The moment Kang Yiniang saw him, she nearly fainted dead away.

The man fell to his knees on the ground, crying out to the heavens, and turned to Nanny Qi with a wail: “Mother! Mother — please save me! We can’t hold on anymore — I don’t know if my brother is even still alive — please save this life of mine!”

Nanny Qi looked at her younger son — mouth split, teeth knocked out, half his clothing soaked in blood — and the pain in her heart was as though she were being cut apart. Yet she clenched her jaw and turned her head away.

The two escorts dragged Second Steward Qi out. Minglan gave Nanny Qi a smile. “Nanny Qi, do not worry — First Steward Qi is fine. They are all superficial wounds. Half a month’s rest and he will recover completely.” In truth, Tuhu had indicated that before he had even had time to demonstrate his real skills, everyone had already confessed. First Steward Qi was simply the sort whose nature inclined toward quiet, whimpering surrender — his screaming and wailing effects were not nearly as impressive as Second Steward Qi’s.

She then turned to Old Matriarch Wang. “Should you have any remaining doubts, you are welcome to personally question any of these people — the Daoist is also being held.”

That Daoist, who had so enthusiastically pursued the art of pill-making, had been merrily engaged in his dual cultivation within the temple when, in the middle of the night, a group of masked figures descended upon him and pulled a burlap sack over his head. Frightened half to death, and before a single blow was even struck, he cooperated with utter willingness — spilling everything — and on his own initiative provided the names of witnesses who had seen him drinking and socializing with the two Stewards Qi, along with several banknotes.

The room returned to silence. The Wang family members looked at one another, at a complete loss. Kang Yiniang was in a panic, her gaze moving back and forth between her mother and her brother in desperate pleading.

Sheng Hong’s anger had been gradually building, and he said in a cold, flat voice, “May I ask Old Matriarch and Elder Brother — how do you think this matter ought to be resolved?”

Faced with his own wife and child, his first instinct had been to bury the affair. But once it spread to his in-laws, he had no choice but to put on a display of aggrieved filial fury. And if it involved complete outsiders, he would have needed to be even more righteously anguished and grief-stricken — beating his chest and wailing outright.

Wang Shu-mu suddenly spoke up, with a mild and pleasant smile. “The chief parties in this matter are the Kang and Sheng households — Mother is of such advanced years, how could she withstand this? Please don’t direct this at us, Brother-in-law.”

Sheng Hong thought of the many ways Old Matriarch Wang and Wang Shu-fu had supported him over the years and felt his heart soften.

Minglan caught this and laughed softly. “Shu-mu is right. Unfortunately… from the very beginning, Kang Yiniang had already made up her mind to drag the Wang family in.”

Wang Shu-mu frowned. “Why would you say that, niece?”

Minglan glanced at Kang Yiniang, who was attempting to disappear into a corner. “Second Steward Qi began cultivating contacts who could supply poisons precisely at the time when the Wang family sent word that the whole household would be returning to the capital. First Steward Qi made the initial payment to the Daoist exactly when the Old Matriarch and Shu-mu first arrived back in the capital. Kang Yiniang settled on the day to administer the poison on the very day after Shu-fu returned — the day the Jufang confectionery’s master baker fired up the oven for the very first time personally.”

As for when Kang Yiniang had first conceived the idea — most likely around the time a concubine-born daughter of the Kang household became a favored consort in the old prince’s mansion.

Old Matriarch Wang clutched her chest, looking at her eldest daughter with eyes filled with heartbreak and grief.

“Excellent! Excellent!” Sheng Hong thought it through in an instant, immediately grasped the significance of Kang Yiniang’s chosen timing, and brought his palm down hard on the table. He let out a string of cold laughs. “The Wang family is a powerful and prestigious clan; the Sheng family is an obscure and lowly one. So even though my own mother has been subject to a secret attack, I must still be wary of the Wang family and dare not make a sound in pursuit of the matter?!”

Wang Shu-fu quickly said, “Brother-in-law, please don’t speak like this — we are all one family, looking out for each other’s reputation, not wishing to cause friction between us. There is no question of ‘being wary’ of anyone.” He waved his hands repeatedly. “Your household’s old lady is seriously ill and bedridden — I too am deeply concerned. Mother has specially brought some aged ginseng of the highest quality today, hoping the old lady may recover from her critical condition and regain her health. If that should not come to pass, the Wang family…” His voice actually cracked with emotion. He said the whole of it with visible shame, speaking sincerely, and not a single word was spent pleading on behalf of his sister. Minglan quietly acknowledged — this one at least had some measure of conscience.

Seeing the situation turn against them, Nanny Qi hastily stepped forward to support Kang Yiniang and argued: “These confessions are not necessarily reliable — evidence extracted under torture, under forced confession, is well-known to occur. How can such confessions be trusted?”

Kang Yiniang, spurred on by this reminder, rallied her spirits, stood up straight, and cried loudly, “Exactly! Brother — the Sheng family wants to clear their daughter-in-law’s name, so they have been slandering me without end! They seized my attendants, subjected them to torture, and under such circumstances, how can these confessions be trusted?” She turned and threw herself again at her mother’s feet, weeping desperately and imploring. “Mother — you must stand up for me!”

Wang Shi jumped to her feet in fury, her eyes red with anger, and shoved her sister. “What do you mean by that?! What do you mean, ‘clear my name’?! Are you saying you want to put it all on me?!”

Old Matriarch Wang’s expression became deeply conflicted.

Minglan had been waiting for precisely this moment. She clapped lightly and smiled. “I anticipated the Yiniang would say this. But then — you are right, in a sense. Who’s to know whether those petty people may have falsely accused the Yiniang in order to escape punishment themselves?”

At these words, everyone in the room was taken aback. From start to finish, Minglan had been pressing Kang Wang Shi harder with every step, hammering each nail of guilt into place — yet now she had reversed course entirely.

“However…” Minglan’s expression shifted and became grave. “My grandmother being poisoned is a fact. The pastries containing poison are a fact. That the pastries were intended for my grandmother is a fact. And that the Daoist formulated the same poison is a fact.” With each line she spoke, the complexions of all the Wang and Kang family members in the room grew one shade more wretched.

“You are all flesh and blood of the Wang family — and who knows a daughter better than her own mother? The confessions are on this table, and all the people involved are being held in the back courtyard.” Minglan let her gaze sweep slowly across all their faces, then said in a quiet, flat tone, “My grandmother’s life hangs in the balance — someone must give an account. Please, Old Matriarch — offer your judgment. Father, what do you say?”

Sheng Hong said in a heavy voice, “To plot against one’s own elder is something heaven and earth will not tolerate! In my own Sheng household, someone dared to make an attempt on my mother’s life — this is an outrage of the most extreme kind! It must be made clear!”

Get this settled quickly, keep the scandal buried between the Sheng and Wang families — that was not yet entirely disastrous, and it allowed him to deflect some responsibility as well. He cupped his hands toward Old Matriarch Wang: “I leave it entirely to Mother-in-law to make the decision.”

Old Matriarch Wang had suddenly become the pivotal person in the room. Both Kang Yiniang and Wang Shi reached out to grab their mother’s arm at the same time —

“Mother! You must save me! All these years, how much I have suffered — you know it better than anyone. No one could ever understand the bitterness in my heart. Mother, you must save me, you must!”

“It was my sister who said it was only a medicine to make someone fall ill — how could I have known it was poison? Mother, would I have the gall — would it even occur to me — to harm someone like that?!”

Old Matriarch Wang could not make a choice — she was pulled in both directions, aching for both daughters. She looked at Sheng Hong in silent appeal. Sheng Hong averted his eyes. She understood — with a crime of this magnitude, to attempt the murder of a mother-in-law, how could a son-in-law ever let it rest? Unable to contain herself any longer, tears poured in streams down her aged face; she shook her head and wept in deep anguish.

Wang Shu-fu was equally pained and equally powerless. He could only kneel at his mother’s feet, his own tears falling silently.

Wang Shu-mu quietly stepped back a few paces and, without drawing attention, gave Minglan a sidelong look. This young woman is extraordinarily calculating, she thought.

She clearly hates Kang Wang Shi to the bone — and she loathes Wang Shi as well, and bears some resentment toward the Wang family too. Yet she has not acted with haste. She has been patient as a drawn-out knife, and delivered the final blow slowly. In the end, whichever of the two sisters bears the guilt — Old Matriarch Wang, who must make the choice, will have her heart broken and live in pain for the rest of her days. The elder brother’s heart will also be wounded to the core. As for the two sisters themselves — whichever one is condemned will be left with deep, consuming hatred for her family. And whichever one escapes — from this point forward, neither will ever be able to return to the closeness they once had with their mother.

One stone, two birds — no, many more than two. She seeks not only to punish the one who did evil, but to make those who indulged her suffer as well.

Kang Yiniang’s complexion had flushed to an alarming scarlet. Suddenly she seized Old Matriarch Wang by both arms, her gaze wild and unfocused, panting harshly. “Mother! The Sheng family won’t do anything too severe to my younger sister — her son is capable and her daughters have all married well. She might suffer a bit, but nothing serious will happen to her! But I am different — that heartless man stopped caring for me long ago. His rooms are full of foxes who would love nothing more than to see me dead! If I am cast out, what becomes of my children?! This match was arranged by Father — Mother, you cannot abandon me! You cannot let them do with me as they please!”

Young master Jin threw himself down beside his mother, weeping openly.

Wang Shi erupted in fury, her eyes reddening. She pointed at her sister. “You—!”

Watching her own flesh and blood turn against each other, Old Matriarch Wang felt as though her heart were being sliced open. Her vision blurred; her lungs burned as though scorched. Her eldest daughter was still clinging to her, shaking her, wailing over and over — save me, save me.

Slowly her gaze came into focus. Before her she saw her eldest daughter’s face — so like her own — and then she looked at her youngest daughter, frantic and furious. She made her decision. She raised her arm with the last of her strength and brought it down in one hard, heavy slap.