As the Jiang grandmother and granddaughter walked around the large mother-of-pearl purple sandalwood screen, they saw Shuran, Xiaojuan, Lingqing, and Xuening – four maids standing at the bedroom door with their hands lowered. Huashan led them inside, where they found Xianglan sitting upright on the bed. Her phoenix hairpin was partially removed, with several longevity hairpins in her hair bun. She wore a lotus-colored gauze jacket with green-gold flashing four-sided Eight Treasures embroidery and a light gold cloud-patterned dark green skirt. She didn’t appear sickly or bedridden at all.
As soon as Jiang Xiyun entered, she smelled the strong medicinal scent in the room and couldn’t help but furrow her brows. When Xianglan saw them enter, she tried to stand, but Huashan quickly stepped forward to support her. Grandmother Jiang said, “Don’t trouble yourself, stay seated.”
Xianglan sat back down and ordered Xiaojuan to attend to the tea. A thin layer of sweat had appeared on her forehead. Huashan quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe it, but Xianglan stopped her, shaking her head and saying, “You may go. I need to speak with Elderly Lady Jiang and Fifth Young Lady Jiang.” Huashan withdrew with Xiaojuan.
The room fell silent. Xianglan first looked at Grandmother Jiang, then turned to look at Jiang Xiyun. She was indeed an extremely beautiful girl, with skin like white snow and cloud-black hair, a few strands scattered by her temples, and her face like a flower bud. Her eyes were still red from crying, which only added to her pitiful charm.
Jiang Xiyun also carefully observed Xianglan. She wore no powder or rouge, her face was haggard and pale, and her cheeks had a waxy yellow sickness to them with a hint of blue. However, her eyes seemed even more startlingly bright, and her lips, completely bloodless, were tightly pressed together. On either side of her were autumn-yellow decorative dragon-embroidered cushions, but she wasn’t leaning against them.
Grandmother Jiang sat with closed eyes, saying nothing. After watching Xianglan for a while, Jiang Xiyun said quietly, “Why has Sister Xianglan called us here? How is your health? Have you taken your medicine?”
Xianglan replied flatly, “Fifth Young Lady Jiang, please have some tea first. You must be thirsty after crying so long out there. Those tears that can start and stop at will – quite remarkable indeed.”
Grandmother Jiang’s eyes suddenly opened. Jiang Xiyun heard the mockery in those words but didn’t get angry. She picked up the tea bowl and took a sip, saying, “Pre-rain Dragon Well tea, not bad.”
Xianglan smiled slightly. After Jiang Xiyun put down her tea bowl, she slowly said, “The commotion outside was quite loud. As I sat here in this room, I couldn’t help but overhear some of it. I must say I rather admire Fifth Young Lady Jiang – you perform better than stage actors, understanding everything perfectly in your heart while playing the cute, innocent child. I can only admire such skill.”
Jiang Xiyun never expected Xianglan to speak like this. She was stunned, and her gaze became difficult to read. Chen Xianglan had always been like a deaf person, pretending not to hear anything, remaining silent even when bullied – as weak as tofu. Yet now every word carried a blade, each step pressing in on her. Usually, she would never accept such treatment from a mere concubine, but now in Lin Jinlou’s courtyard… Jiang Xiyun suppressed her anger, maintaining a confused, innocent expression as she asked Xianglan, “Sister Xianglan, what do you mean? I don’t understand.”
Xianglan sneered, giving Jiang Xiyun a look that contained three parts disdain, six parts pity, and one part indescribable meaning. She said calmly, “You don’t understand? Very well. Since Fifth Young Lady Jiang still refuses to be honest, I’ll have to bring someone out to explain things properly.” She turned her face aside and said, “Come out.”
The pearl curtain moved, and a girl of twelve or thirteen emerged. She was clever-looking, with her hair in double buns, wearing a half-new silver-red sleeveless jacket. She walked forward and knelt before Xianglan, calling out, “Concubine.”
When Jiang Xiyun looked closely, her face instantly turned white as snow. This was the same little maid who had been playing kickball while Chunling was brewing medicine! Jiang Xiyun’s eyes widened, her heart suddenly in her throat as if about to be vomited out, and a cold sweat broke out on her back.
Xianglan said, “Tell Elderly Lady Jiang and Young Lady Jiang what you saw with your own eyes.”
Zhaolu straightened up and said in a clear voice, “This servant was playing kickball outside the tea room while Sister Chunling was brewing medicine for the Concubine inside. Not long after she started brewing, Young Ladies Dan and Xi arrived and were very friendly with Sister Chunling. They went into the tea room to sit, and Sister Chunling served them tea. Young Lady Xi only drank a little before coming out, facing the tea room window and engaging Sister Chunling in conversation at the door, with Sister Chunling’s back to the door. At this time, Young Lady Dan stood up and went to the stove where the medicine was brewing, lifted the lid, and shook out several pills from her sleeve. I was standing at an angle where I could see everything. Young Lady Xi watched Young Lady Dan put the pills in but pretended not to see, chatting and laughing with Sister Chunling while quickly glancing into the room several times. I was worried, not knowing what had been added to the medicine, so I kicked the ball through the window, startling Young Lady Dan. One pill rolled from her sleeve under the chest of drawers. Later, Sister Shuran ordered me to find it and give it to the Imperial Doctor, who said it was a sterility pill that prevents childbearing.”
Xianglan’s face remained calm as she stared at Jiang Xiyun’s face, raising her eyebrow slightly, and asked, “And then?”
“Then, thinking the medicine had just been brewed and wouldn’t be served to Concubine immediately, I hurriedly went to find Sister Shuran. But when we returned, Concubine had already taken the medicine…” She prostrated herself and kowtowed, saying, “Before Heaven and Earth, ghosts and gods, in broad daylight, if I speak even half a false word or makeup anything, may my throat grow sores and may I never die a good death through countless calamities!”
As Jiang Xiyun listened, her heart pounded like a drum, and her legs grew weak. She had always been exceptionally clever, leaving no loose ends in her plans, never imagining there could be an oversight. She couldn’t help but panic. Suddenly, she heard violent coughing – Grandmother Jiang’s face had turned red as she coughed incessantly. Jiang Xiyun quickly went to help her grandmother catch her breath, thinking to herself, “Grandmother is old and weak. I cannot let her worry about me like this. This matter must be resolved smoothly no matter what.” She regained her composure, murmuring comforting words while helping Grandmother Jiang drink some tea, then turned to look at Xianglan.
Xianglan’s face remained calm as she said to Zhaolu, “I understand. You may withdraw.”
Zhaolu kowtowed once more before rising and leaving.
Tear tracks still marked Jiang Xiyun’s face, and her bright eyes filled with tears again. Her voice was sorrowful, but her expression now showed wariness as she said to Xianglan, “Sister Xianglan, what do you mean by this? I never conspired with Fourth Sister to harm you. Do you want me to cut open my heart to prove it? I…”
Before she could finish, Xianglan had stood up, swaying slightly. She felt an unspeakable pain in her lower abdomen, and it seemed fresh blood was flowing again. She forced herself to endure, though fine sweat had appeared on her forehead. She walked forward step by step, her back straight as a board, the large phoenix hairpin with its dangling pearls swaying, the gold thread embroidery on her clothes faintly gleaming. Her usually cautious demeanor had completely vanished, replaced by an imposing dignity that seemed entirely natural rather than affected.
Jiang Xiyun felt her heart might leap out of her chest.
“Even now, Fifth Young Lady Jiang still wants to play the wronged Dou E?” Xianglan’s voice was cold as she looked down at Jiang Xiyun. “I know what Fifth Young Lady Jiang was thinking. It was simply using another’s knife to kill… Indeed, you didn’t conspire with Fourth Young Lady Jiang. Let me guess… You knew she had this medicine and knew she was often jealous of you and wished you ill. So you crafted a plan, subtly provoking her until her jealousy grew stronger, making her want to poison me and frame you. Then you went along with Fourth Young Lady Jiang to Chang Chun Hall, deliberately engaging Chunling in conversation so Fourth Young Lady Jiang could add the medicine. Just now in the hall, when Fourth Young Lady Jiang’s words implied you were responsible, it conveniently cleared both of you of conspiracy charges, isn’t that right?”
Jiang Xiyun’s face turned snow-white. She suddenly stood up and moved her lips, but before she could speak, Xianglan had stepped forward. Being slightly taller, she looked down into Jiang Xiyun’s eyes: “Fifth Young Lady Jiang, what a clever scheme you devised. Today, the Master and your brother personally visited to request the Marquis’s matchmaking. Once the official matchmaker sets the date, the marriage will be as good as settled. Unless the Lin family wanted to completely break with the Jiang family, there would be no possibility of canceling the wedding. Fifth Young Lady Jiang believes in her unmatched beauty and ability to please others, thinking that after marriage, she would have countless ways to win her husband’s heart back. Moreover, you had already figured out my personality, believing me to be weak and prone to compromise. Now you’ve taken advantage of the situation to end my ability to bear children, making me dependent on your good graces in the future, having to curry favor with you in everything, unable to rise in anger, with no support to confront you, only able to swallow my pride and live a life of compromise?”
At this point, Xianglan stopped speaking. She suddenly couldn’t help but start laughing, laughing until her lower abdomen ached, cold sweat and tears rolling down her face.
Jiang Xiyun was dumbfounded. She never expected Xianglan to understand her motives so precisely. Still trying to maintain her composure, she said, “I didn’t, I didn’t… This isn’t how it happened…” She felt her sleeve move and turned to see Grandmother Jiang breathing more heavily, looking at her and shaking her head almost imperceptibly.
Jiang Xiyun immediately collected herself, took a deep breath, and said coldly, “Nonsense, you’ve gone mad.” But she saw that Xianglan had stopped laughing, her peach-blossom face now expressionless, those bright eyes narrowed as they stared at her!
Jiang Xiyun suddenly realized how terrifying those eyes were, like an unsheathed sword with its killing intent already visible! She was startled and couldn’t help taking half a step back.
Xianglan stepped forward, bringing their faces almost nose to nose. She reached out a hand and slowly tucked Jiang Xiyun’s loose hair behind her ear as Jiang Xiyun shrank back involuntarily. “Fifth Young Lady Jiang, your calculations were clever, almost accounting for everything – eliminating a troublesome rival while maintaining your good reputation, letting Chunling and Young Lady Dan take the blame. As for me, after being manipulated by you, even if I knew the truth, I would have to be grateful to you for life, thankful for your magnanimous acceptance of me, allowing me a place in the Lin family… Such a young age yet harboring ten thousand schemes, with such vicious methods – in two lifetimes, I’ve never seen another woman in the inner quarters who could surpass you. Tsk, tsk, what a pity, what a pity – you missed one crucial calculation.”
Jiang Xiyun suddenly raised her head. Xianglan took a step back, with a hint of satisfaction in her slight smile: “Your miscalculation was this – you planned to marry into the Lin family and assumed I would value the favors you’d bestow as the First Madam. I! Don’t! Care! About! That! At! All!”
Jiang Xiyun stared at Xianglan in complete shock, as if looking at a madwoman.