Jiang Xiyun was truly extraordinary, with hidden depths that set her apart from ordinary people. She lowered her head to smooth the creases in her skirt as if trying to iron out the anxiety and confusion in her heart. When she looked up again, her face was calm and serene as she let out several cold laughs and said, “If that’s the case, anything I say is pointless now. You’ve already decided we’re responsible for this?”

Xiang Lan sat down on the carved sandalwood lotus-patterned couch, her face growing increasingly pale, cold sweat nearly soaking through her undergarments. Yet she smiled faintly and said, “As expected, Fifth Miss Jiang refuses to admit responsibility.”

The room fell silent for a moment until several coughs broke through. Grandmother Jiang pulled out a handkerchief from her sleeve to wipe her mouth and said, “Xiyun, come, help me. Let’s go home. When someone is determined to place blame, they’ll find no excuse. There’s no point in arguing further with her.” As she spoke, Grandmother Jiang shakily stood up using her walking stick, and Jiang Xiyun hurried forward to support her. Grandmother Jiang lifted her chin slightly, maintaining an elegant and dignified expression, gave Xiang Lan a slight glance, then turned to Jiang Xiyun and said, “She’s merely a concubine. How dare she question you? You’re being foolish engaging with her.”

Jiang Xiyun maintained a submissive posture and lowered her head, saying, “Grandmother’s guidance is correct.” As they walked toward the exit, Xiang Lan called out loudly: “Since the Jiang family refuses to acknowledge this, it’s no great matter. As they say, courtesy before force – I was merely informing Fifth Miss Jiang. When I later repay today’s actions of the Jiang family with some favors of my own, I hope Madam Jiang and Fifth Miss Jiang will graciously accept them.”

Grandmother Jiang’s steps faltered, and Jiang Xiyun turned back, her face showing traces of fear. Grandmother Jiang coughed once and continued walking without looking back. Xiang Lan lowered her head slightly, idly playing with a multicolored porcelain cup decorated with flowering crabapple branches on the small table, and said, “If Madam Jiang steps out of this room, within an hour, all the noble houses and common folk in the capital will be buzzing with rumors about how the Jiang sisters, wanting to marry into the Lin family, poisoned the Lin family’s concubine to prevent her from having children. As they say, ‘good news stays at home while bad news travels a thousand miles.’ If such news spreads across the country, becoming more distorted with each telling, what form will it eventually take?”

The Jiang grandmother and granddaughter were greatly alarmed and turned around. They saw Xiang Lan raise her head, her face pale as jade, looking weak but wearing a faint smile as she said, “I have no other talents except for painting. If I were to paint this story’s causes and consequences and compile them into a book, it would make quite an extraordinary tale when circulated. Perhaps some storyteller or actor might even turn it into a play, or some court official might submit a memorial about it to the emperor, providing entertainment for casual conversation. Let’s call it ‘Hatred and Poison: How Miss Jiang Persecuted the Lin Family’s Concubine’ – Madam Jiang, Fifth Miss Jiang, how do you like my title?”

The Jiang grandmother and granddaughter felt their hearts trembling. Grandmother Jiang stepped forward quickly with her walking stick, pointing at Xiang Lan and shouting, “You… you… how dare you! If you dare do this, even the Lin family won’t spare you!”

Xiang Lan’s expression suddenly darkened: “Why wouldn’t I dare? What reason do I have not to dare? My heart is filled with countless grievances! I’m tired of living cautiously, always holding myself back! Your Jiang family is so vicious, using such medicine to destroy my hopes for the future and my foundation for survival! You’ve pushed me to this point – what joy is there left in living? Now it’s either both of us die or both of us fall! Even if the Lin family drives me out or strangles me with a rope, I don’t care!”

Jiang Xiyun felt anxious and frightened in her heart. Rumors were sharper than knives and fiercer than tigers – if this matter spread, even if she and Jiang Danyun didn’t hang themselves, they would have to spend the rest of their lives in isolation with only Buddhist scriptures for company. Cold sweat poured down her face as she stared at Xiang Lan. If it were an ordinary concubine making such threats, she could have dismissed them, but Chen Xiang Lan was the renowned Lanxiang Scholar, especially since Lin Jinlou had just recently gifted her paintings to noble officials and talented scholars who were now flocking to her door seeking paintings… Jiang Xiyun’s eyes widened as she saw Xiang Lan’s cold smile and heard her slowly nod and say, “I’m just a concubine, my life is worthless, but I can take down the reputation of two officials’ daughters and the prestige of the entire Jiang clan. Thinking about it, it’s quite a fair trade.”

These words hit like a heavy hammer, leaving Grandmother Jiang exhausted and dejected. She nearly collapsed, and Jiang Xiyun quickly helped her to a chair. Looking up with angry eyes at Xiang Lan, she demanded, “What exactly do you want!”

Xiang Lan stood up and looked at Jiang Xiyun, saying, “I don’t want much. I’m giving you two choices: either I destroy both of us, ruining the Jiang family’s reputation and leaving Fifth Miss Jiang with no place in society; or…” She lifted the multicolored porcelain cup decorated with flowering crabapple branches from the small table and held it before Jiang Xiyun, “you drink this cup of medicine.”

Jiang Xiyun looked down and saw amber-colored liquid in the round porcelain cup, emanating a medicinal smell. She suddenly understood and said tremblingly, “This is… this is…”

Xiang Lan smiled coldly and said, “That’s right, this is the same medicine you gave me to prevent childbearing. Fortunately, some pills hadn’t dissolved. I brewed a cup for Fifth Miss Jiang to taste.”

Jiang Xiyun’s beautiful face, which resembled a flowering crabapple, instantly turned paper-white. Her eyes widened, showing fear and horror for the first time.

Grandmother Jiang glared hatefully at Xiang Lan, wanting to raise her walking stick to strike but lacking the strength. She lowered her arm and said through gritted teeth, “You… you! How vicious of you!”

Xiang Lan replied calmly, “I’m merely returning the favor in kind. If I’m to spend the rest of my life alone and helpless, why should Fifth Miss Jiang enjoy wealth and prosperity, surrounded by children and grandchildren? Here’s the medicine,” she extended her hand forward, her expression unchanging, “Miss Jiang, make your choice.”

Sweat poured down Jiang Xiyun’s face. Her throat felt dry, and she could barely feel her pulse as she stared at the cup of medicine as if it were a fierce beast. She didn’t want to choose either option! One was her reputation, the other her future security! She looked up blankly at Xiang Lan’s delicate, fair face, and suddenly, hatred welled up in her chest. Unaware that her eyes had turned red, she laughed coldly and loudly: “Choose? Why should I choose? Hah! I never wanted this marriage, and someone else administered the poison – what does it have to do with me? I merely watched from the sidelines! Why should I be held accountable? Everyone in this world must accept their fate, but you refuse to accept yours, forcefully raising your head. What household could tolerate such a precious concubine? Bearing the title of concubine while enjoying favors and wielding the authority of the primary wife – even the future proper mistress might have to watch your expression! Just from my short stay here, during the Lin family’s banquets, the servants all say ‘First seek Aunt Madam’s approval’; when new silks and satins arrive at the shop, the external manager says ‘save the best for Aunt Madam to choose’; I don’t like needlework, but I stayed up late making knee warmers, my fingers all pricked with wounds, yet Elder Cousin immediately tossed them aside and went out wearing the unfinished pair you made! I only know that now the marriage between the Lin and Jiang families is settled, waiting only for the final step, and while the Lin family servants are attentive to me, as soon as you appear, they treat you like a proper lady, eager to please you, showing ten or a hundred times more warmth. You! Tell me! Who! Could! Tolerate! You?!”

Jiang Xiyun’s eyes seemed to shoot fire as she trembled, breaking out in a cold sweat, whether from anger or fear was unclear. Her fingers dug deep into her palms, and words choked in her throat as if she wanted to scream. Her eyes widened as tears rolled down: “I didn’t want this either, but I’ve grown to hate it thoroughly, yet I must act lovely and obedient in public, pretending to be stupid about any grievances, pretending to be happy!”

Xiang Lan showed no anger; instead, her expression remained calm and detached, her eyes showing what seemed to be both pity and coldness as she stared at Jiang Xiyun and quietly asked, “Are you finished?”

“No!” Jiang Xiyun wiped away her tears with her hand and laughed coldly, “Chen Xiang Lan, you are truly foolish. Since you’re a concubine, you should act like one – serving with your beauty, pleasing the master, and being respectful to the primary wife. Even if you’re as beautiful as a celestial maiden, even if you’re skilled in the four arts, even if you’re the most talented woman in the world, what of it? You come from a servant background, that’s your status. No matter how virtuous the proper mistress is, unless she’s dead – as they say, ‘better a friend die than me’ – who has the time to pity you? When you overstep your masters, you deserve death!”

Xiang Lan stepped forward and sneered, “Your petty grievances are nothing in my eyes. There are countless pitiful people in this world, thousands of times more miserable than you, yet none would resort to such vicious methods. And because of these minor feelings, you say I’m foolish, I’m overstepping, I deserve death, and you can dispose of me? By giving me medicine to prevent childbearing?”

“I didn’t administer the medicine. I didn’t harm you.”

“But you’re not innocent in this!” Xiang Lan glared proudly at Jiang Xiyun. “‘Better a friend die than myself’? Such words coming from the supposedly ‘pure-hearted’ Fifth Miss Jiang! I originally thought you were merely pragmatic and diplomatic, one who ‘speaks only three parts of what they know, never revealing their whole heart’ – at worst lacking sincerity. Now I realize you’re completely unworthy of the phrase ‘pure-hearted.’ For your benefit, you stirred up trouble, facilitated from behind the scenes, allowed your sister to poison me, and then afterward acted innocent and pitiful – your behavior is even more disgusting than Fourth Miss Jiang’s. Kindness? Pah! You orchestrated such a vicious, underhanded plot without any guilt, self-righteously finding numerous excuses to trample on others’ blood and tears, all for your selfish interests! Yet you still consider yourself innocent, thinking that leaving me alive shows your benevolence and kindness so that even after harming someone today, you can still stamp ‘pure-hearted’ and ‘noble character’ on your forehead!”

With each sentence, Xiang Lan stepped closer. Hearing these words, Jiang Xiyun, through tear-filled eyes, became flustered and kept backing away.

Then Grandmother Jiang’s hoarse voice rang out sharply: “What wrong has my granddaughter done?” Xiang Lan turned to see Grandmother Jiang trembling all over in her chair. “If she doesn’t use forceful methods, should she let you climb over her head and boss her around? How would she command respect in the future!”

Xiang Lan’s eyes swept toward Grandmother Jiang: “There are thousands of ways to establish authority, yet she chose the most vicious one.” She smiled coldly, walked in front of Grandmother Jiang, and looked down at her, bending slightly to say slowly: “Years ago, there was an official in the Ministry of Personnel who had several subordinates who were unruly and well-connected. Instead of managing them with upright methods, this person maintained a friendly facade while secretly encouraging their misconduct until it drew the fury of superiors. Those subordinates were demoted and ruined, with one dying two months later en route to exile. The official acted devastated about failing to properly supervise them and escaped with only minor punishment, maintaining his reputation as a ‘distinguished gentleman’ and ‘benevolent soul.’ These tactics mirror Fifth Miss Jiang’s exactly. Later, when Chief Minister Shen learned the truth, he sighed deeply saying ‘Talented but lacking virtue, this person is insincere and not worth associating with.’ Thus this official wasn’t promoted for five years, until after Minister Shen’s death, when he schemed his way to success… This person was your eldest son, Jiang Xuefan.”

Grandmother Jiang was shocked, staring straight at Xiang Lan.

Xiang Lan straightened up and said: “As they say, ‘as the wind blows, so grass bends – subordinates follow their superiors’ example.’ So this is how your eldest son and granddaughter turned out – all taught by you, Madam Jiang. Everyone says you’re cold-faced but kind-hearted, devoted to Buddhism, always conducting yourself with integrity, highly respected among noble ladies, freely discussing other young ladies’ character, yet when it comes to your own family, you hope your granddaughter will be ruthless and calculating, disregarding conscience just to avoid any loss, being selfish and comfortable while stepping on others’ blood and tears – is this the family education of the Jiang clan?” Xiang Lan looked at the wrinkled, dejected old woman and suddenly felt pity and sorrow. She reached out to touch the string of beautifully carved arhat prayer beads on Grandmother Jiang’s collar and said, “What a pity, what a pity – you’ve believed in Buddhism for decades yet don’t understand compassion.”

After saying this, Xiang Lan straightened up and met Jiang Xiyun’s eyes. Suddenly, she raised the cup of medicine and drank it all at once. Jiang Xiyun was dumbfounded. Xiang Lan wiped her mouth with her sleeve, stared into her eyes, and sighed softly: “This was merely a nourishing tonic. I wouldn’t stoop to such vicious acts. But look – a cup of fake medicine brought out so many true words.”

Jiang Xiyun froze, her gaze becoming dazed and confused.

Xiang Lan was soaked in sweat, and using all her strength, said: “I’ve said my piece. Madam, Young Master, please come out.” After speaking, she could no longer maintain her composure and collapsed onto the couch.

Lin Jinlou rushed out from the small room behind the bedchamber, pulled Xiang Lan into his arms, and carried her to the bed. Seeing her drenched in sweat with an increasingly poor complexion, he shouted anxiously: “Quickly call the Imperial Physician! Get the Imperial Physician here!”

The Jiang grandmother and granddaughter were greatly shocked to see Madam Qin emerge from the side room with another young man – it was Jiang Shangxian!

Madam Qin’s eyes were red as if she had been crying, but her expression was ice-cold as she said: “Earlier, Xiang Lan sent her maid to invite me, saying Young Master was questioning her outside but couldn’t continue, and she wanted to speak privately with the Elder Madam and Miss Xiyun. She asked me and Jinlou to listen secretly from the side room. Later when your eldest brother tried to force his way in, we had him brought in as a witness too. I never expected to hear such things.”

Jiang Shangxian’s face alternated between red and white. In the side room, he had been bound hand and foot by servants with his mouth gagged, unable to make a sound. He looked up at his grandmother and sister, his gaze flickering with complex emotions, before lowering his head again.

From the bed, Xiang Lan called out: “Madam! Madam!”

Madam Qin went closer and asked: “What is it?”

Lin Jinlou also held Xiang Lan’s hand and asked: “Where are you feeling unwell?”

Xiang Lan didn’t look at Lin Jinlou, only at Madam Qin, and said: “Madam, Madam, I speak with complete sincerity – today I invited everyone to witness my confrontation with Fifth Miss Jiang, our irreconcilable conflict, because I am just a minor concubine, and the Lin and Jiang families have already engaged official matchmakers, the marriage is inevitable. If Madam remembers any of my past good deeds, to prevent me from having no place to stand in the future, please let me leave…”