“Likely?”

“Likely.” Weiwei lifted her head. Her expression hovered somewhere between the urge to cry and a bitter smile. “Ever since I fell ill, Qi Qiu has used the excuse of worrying about me catching my father’s illness to bar me from visiting him. This is my home, yet I cannot even see my own father. I know full well his intentions are foul, yet I dare not make a single move. My father is here. My mother is here. The Zeng family, whom I once relied upon — they are the very ones who lit the fire in my own house. I see it all clearly, yet there is nothing I can do.”

Hua Zhi tightened her hold on her hands. She understood that feeling of utter isolation. Hadn’t she lived through it in her past life as well? If anything, her own situation then had been worse. Her own birth mother, her younger sister, her uncle — all of them had wanted her dead because she stood in the way of their money. When she had first learned the truth, she couldn’t make sense of it. The company belonged to everyone. The better she ran it, the more they all benefited. Why would they sabotage it? Why resort to such a foolish way of profiting?

Later she had worked it out. Because they were foolish, they could only think of foolish methods. She had grown tired of playing games with a pack of fools, so she had sent everything crashing down around them, taking one life to pull them all to ruin. Not a bad deal. Consider it: she had come back with an extra life, a rather decent family to boot, and now a lover as well. She was coming out ahead by a considerable measure.

She couldn’t help it — at her core, she was a merchant. Everything came down to profit and loss.

“That cousin of mine is a physician.”

Shaoye stepped forward without ceremony and took Weiwei’s wrist, checking her pulse. Weiwei startled, then let her proceed, looking at Hua Zhi. “Cousin?”

“Consider her as such.”

Then she wasn’t. Weiwei wasn’t the least bit surprised. If she still couldn’t see that Hua Ling was no ordinary person at this point, she’d have to count herself thoroughly blind — blind in the eyes and blind in the heart.

A flicker of hope kindled in Weiwei. Whatever Hua Ling’s purpose might be, as long as she could help, Weiwei was willing to do whatever was asked. The way things were going, she was headed for death regardless — and everything in the Yu household would end up in her elder male cousin’s hands. Better to take the chance and fight. At worst, she would go down and take Qi Qiu with her. There was death either way — she would rather it be swift.

“It’s poisoning. Not advanced. It won’t be hard to treat.”

“Don’t treat it.” There was an unmistakable resolution in Weiwei’s voice. “My father has been poisoned far longer and he hasn’t died yet. I can hold out a while longer too. Treating it now would only tip our hand. Ling Niang — if the poison has been in the body a long time, can it still be cured?”

She was asking on behalf of her father. Everyone in the room understood that. Shaoye, who considered herself a master of all things related to poisons, was not about to be stumped by this. She lifted her chin with a touch of confidence. “It can. It’ll just be more difficult, and there will be some lasting damage to the body.”

Weiwei’s face lit up. It was the best news she had heard in a long time.

“Tell me. What do I need to do?”

Hua Zhi smiled. She genuinely liked Weiwei’s straightforward, clear-cut nature. She asked no questions about their purpose — only what she was needed for. Whether right or wrong didn’t matter to her. When Zeng Xianglin had poisoned her and her father, he had placed himself on the opposite side. What this side stood for, good or bad — she didn’t care. The people who wanted her dead were her enemies. That was all she recognized.

“Have you noticed anything unusual about Qi Qiu recently?”

“We’ve only been married a little over twenty days. I have no way to tell what’s normal from what isn’t.” Weiwei shared what she knew of Qi Qiu. “He once mentioned he intended to continue pursuing the imperial examinations. A few days ago, I overheard him say that my elder male cousin was pulling strings for him — hoping to place him under the tutelage of Elder Panˈs instruction. So these past few days, he’s been away from home most of the afternoon. Even when he is home, he’s shut himself in the study, saying he needs quiet time to prepare for Elder Pan’s entrance assessment.”

“Was his timing today a coincidence?”

“Not at all. Your calling card was passed to me through him. He knew you were coming today, which is why he didn’t go out.”

Hua Zhi told her, “This afternoon, while we were talking, he stood outside and listened for a while before coming in.”

“As I suspected.” Weiwei’s laugh was cold. “If my father’s poisoning was done by Zeng Xianglin, then for mine — only Qi Qiu had the opportunity. In the days just after the wedding, I was in contact with no one else. Since falling ill, I haven’t stepped outside the door once. Someone who can poison me and still claim innocence — how is that possible?”

“Think again — is there anything else about Qi Qiu that seemed out of place?”

Weiwei thought for a moment, then shook her head. “I have no reason to keep him confined to the inner courtyard, and most of the time we don’t see each other. As for the inner courtyard itself — I no longer dare trust even my own personal maids anymore. In truth, I know very little about what he gets up to.”

Seeing that there was nothing more to press for, Hua Zhi let it go. Instead, she turned her attention to the current state of the Yu household and offered a word of counsel. “This won’t do, Weiwei. You don’t have to be so compliant. Even if they have your father in their grip, you are Yu Weiwei. When have you ever been a docile, obedient girl? Just be yourself. A man who married into your household — on what grounds does he have the right to keep you from going out? On what justification can he refuse to let you see your own father? You say you don’t know who in the household can still be trusted. Then find out. The ones who can’t be trusted — send them away. The ones you’re unsure of — keep them close and contained. This is your home. If things go on as they are, the Yu household will truly become the Qi household. And in everyone else’s eyes, it will seem as though you allowed it to happen.”

Weiwei felt a jolt run through her. She had been losing herself. She hadn’t even thought of this.

Hua Ling was right. A man who had married into the family — even if she had him thrown out the front gates, he would have to accept it. This was her home. Her ground.

Everyone knew this marriage had been brokered by her elder male cousin. If she died right after the wedding, her cousin would never be able to walk away clean. That was why they were using a slow poison — wearing her down little by little. Which meant that no matter how difficult she made herself to manage, Qi Qiu would have to endure it.

“I know what to do now. Keep Qi Qiu in check — leave that to me.” The sharpness in Weiwei’s eyes was unmistakable. She had been afraid only because she didn’t know. Now that she knew — even if it killed her, she would take Qi Qiu down with her.

How dare they. She was so innocent in all of this. The Yu household was so innocent in all of this.

The Weiwei who had been restrained and suffocated earlier in the day was nowhere to be seen. The young woman before her now, eyes bright and fierce, was the true Yu Weiwei, daughter of the Yu household. Hua Zhi took her hand and drew her to her feet. “Be careful. Don’t let anyone see what you’re planning.”

“Don’t worry. I will.” Weiwei looked at this young woman who had come from far away and — in effect — saved her life. “Perhaps even your name is false. Even so — thank you. Hua Ling.”

Thank you for pulling me out of the abyss. Thank you for waking me up and showing me what to do. Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts. I, Yu Weiwei, know the difference between good and bad.

“Once this matter is settled, I’ll tell you the truth. If you don’t mind by then, I’d like to invite you to visit my home.”

Weiwei held out her hand. “That’s a promise.”

Hua Zhi met her palm lightly with her own. “That’s a promise.”

A warmth rose in Weiwei’s eyes. She looked up at the ceiling, pressing it back down. Then, with long strides, she crossed out of the side chamber. This was her home. No chance — they would get no foothold here.

Shaoye saw her back to her room. Hua Zhi quietly restored anything in the side chamber that had been disturbed, then slipped out with Yan Xi and waited in the shadows.

Before long, Shaoye and Jia Yang both withdrew. The four of them departed as silently as they had arrived.

The Yu household lay wrapped in darkness, as though a black veil had been drawn over it. Yet no veil, however dark, can shut out light.