Chapter Twenty-Five: Poisoned

Chunfen took the steamed bun, and as Nurse Zhao’s footsteps faded into the distance, silence soon returned.

Chunfen happily took out the bun and handed one to Dongzhi. "We can go back tomorrow!"

Dongzhi looked at the bun, her brow furrowed.

"What’s wrong?" Chunfen asked. "Why aren't you happy at all?"

"You heard Nurse Zhao tell us not to talk too much just now."

"Yes, so what?"

"If the young lady truly trusted us, why would Nurse Zhao say that?"

Chunfen hesitated. "It was probably just a passing remark."

"If she said it out loud, it means she must have thought about it... Is it possible that the young lady really doesn't trust us like she used to?"

Chunfen frowned. "How could that be? Nurse Zhao’s words might not have been instructed by the young lady."

"Don't forget, Nurse Zhao is the First Madam’s close attendant. Why did she come instead of the young lady’s own people?"

Chunfen froze, and the bun in her hand suddenly lost its appeal.

Dongzhi pulled a silver hairpin from her hair and pierced the bun. Moments later, the tip of the hairpin turned black.

The bun dropped from Chunfen’s hand with a thud. "How could this be..."

Before long, the servant watching the woodshed from the shadows reported to Jiang Yan’s room, and Jiang Yan threw a cloak over her shoulders and went out.

Seeing the two maids staring blankly at the bun rolling on the ground, she smiled. "Well? Do you still not believe what I said? Nurse Zhao is the most trusted person by my eldest aunt; surely she couldn't have been acting under my orders, could she?"

Dongzhi’s face was cold. "Even so, we have nothing to say."

Those who betray their masters never meet a good end. Since the Fourth Young Lady wanted them dead, they were even less likely to talk; otherwise, their families would surely lose their lives. She grabbed the fallen bun and was about to shove it into her mouth!

Jiang Yan was startled and kicked it away!

"Have you lost your mind?"

Dongzhi couldn't stop trembling, but her mind was clear. "Only if I die can my family live."

Jiang Yan laughed. "You are good maids, after all; I find I can’t bear to make things difficult for you. How about this: you two stage your deaths, and I will send you to a farm to hide. Once your families are out of the Fourth Sister’s control, we can discuss the future. How does that sound?"

If there was a chance to live, who would want to die?

Dongzhi gritted her teeth and pondered for a long while. "If the Fifth Young Lady can truly rescue my family, I will surely go through fire and water for you in the future. But as for the First Madam and the Fourth Young Lady, please forgive me for not revealing a single word."

Jiang Yan smiled. "Very well, let it be as you say."

Third Sister was right; who could say what the future holds? There is plenty of time ahead.

The next day, news spread that Chunfen and Dongzhi had died in the woodshed.

Jiang Yu appeared at the Third Branch first thing, intending to demand why Jiang Yan was so cruel as to force her own head maids to their deaths. Instead, she was told that Jiang Yan had left early that morning with Jiang Nian, and even the Third Madam had gone to her maiden home on business.

Jiang Yu stood with her mouth slightly agape for a long time before she could react. "And the bodies of Chunfen and Dongzhi?"

The maid replied, "The servant found them dead of suicide out of fear of punishment at dawn. She reported it to the Third Madam, who felt it was an unlucky omen to keep them in the manor, so she had them wrapped in straw mats and carried out."

Jiang Yu was so angry her fingertips trembled. They had definitely done this on purpose!

...

Yesterday, Jiang Nian’s mood had been spoiled by that jinx Qiao Mingqing, so Jiang Yan wanted to play host to make it up to her. Jiang Nian suggested going to the roast goose shop at the south bridge. To ensure Jiang Yu would have a wasted trip, the two left early in the morning.

Jiang Yan said excitedly, "When Fourth Sister hears the news this morning, she’ll likely rush to the Third Branch to cause trouble, but finding us all gone, she must be fuming!"

Jiang Nian curled her lips. She could almost imagine the scene: Jiang Yu crying over the two maids at the Third Branch, then accusing Jiang Yan of being cruel and heartless. Such mud-slinging tactics were something Jiang Yu had used on her often in her previous life.

Jiang Yan was in an excellent mood. "When we get back, I must have the maid tell me all about the expression on Fourth Sister's face when she found out I was gone, Mother wasn't there, and even the bodies had been moved—that look of having no room to play her part!"

"I hope the Fourth Sister keeps her word and releases the two maids' families."

Chunfen and Dongzhi had bitten their tongues and said nothing, but it didn't matter to Jiang Nian. She didn't need them to say anything; she only needed them to stand up at a critical moment to testify to the truth. People were meant to be used at critical junctures.

Jiang Yan said, "She surely will. Showing pity for the families of loyal servants to gain the loyalty of others is a standard tactic of Fourth Sister’s. Since she didn't get the chance to make a scene at the Third Branch today, she will definitely make a show of this to highlight her own benevolence."

Jiang Nian smiled without a word. There was a grander performance coming soon; she wondered if Jiang Yu and her mother could handle it!

"We're here!"

In front of the roast goose shop, the sisters stepped off the carriage one after the other.

Jiang Nian said to Qing’er, "You don’t like this, so go wander around and find something else to eat; come back for us later."

Qing’er replied happily, "Yes, Young Lady."

The others entered the shop. Once they had finished eating, Qing’er returned and gave Jiang Nian a subtle nod.

Jiang Nian dabbed her lips with a handkerchief. "Let’s buy some pastries to bring back to the manor for Grandmother."

Mentioning the grandmother, Jiang Yan’s brow furrowed immediately.

Jiang Nian laughed. "Grandmother is currently furious with the Fourth Sister."

Jiang Yan’s eyes lit up. Without comparison, there is no pain; if they took the opportunity to show their filial piety, Grandmother would only despise Jiang Yu even more!

The pastry shop was on the next street. As they walked, Jiang Yan suddenly stopped, turned, and pulled Jiang Nian into a corner.

"Third Sister, look ahead—is that... the Eldest Uncle?"

Jiang Nian looked. A man in a long gown, with a mustache and goatee, was walking in front, holding a two- or three-year-old boy in his arms.

"Father?" Jiang Nian feigned surprise. "Why would my father be here, and who is that little boy?"

The two quietly followed them and heard the boy call out in a milky voice, "Daddy."

Jiang Yan stared in shock at the figures of the man and the child, as if she had uncovered some earth-shattering secret.

"Third Sister, Eldest Uncle... he has a son!"

"Indeed. My father actually has a son. If Grandmother knew, she would be overjoyed!"

Jiang Yan’s eyes filled with wild delight. "I just want to see the Eldest Aunt and Jiang Yu driven mad!"

Jiang Nian curled her lips. If she were the one to bring this to light, it would surely infuriate her father, Jiang Ping, which would be of no benefit to her. Since the Qiao woman had just schemed against Jiang Yan, the Third Madam would be more than happy to cause trouble for her. It would be best to let her be the one to speak.

"Such an illegitimate child is the easiest way to stir up unrest in the household. It’s better to tell Mother early—whether to keep the child and cast off the mother, or bring them into the manor as a concubine—it should all be planned out, shouldn't it?"

"Third Sister is right; that is exactly the logic."

Jiang Yan was very clear on Jiang Nian’s stance and nodded solemnly, though her eyes were full of the excitement of a play about to begin.

"You, go follow them and see if you can find out where the child’s mother is. See if she is an outside mistress kept by the Eldest Uncle. Be careful not to be discovered."

"Yes, I understand."

Jiang Yan was intentionally avoiding Jiang Yu today to prevent her from making a scene, so they didn't plan to return early. They shopped until the afternoon before returning to the Jiang residence, feeling thoroughly satisfied.

Jiang Yan was eager to tell the Third Madam about the Eldest Uncle’s mistress, so she said to Jiang Nian, "Third Sister, let’s meet at the Pine and Crane Hall later."

Jiang Nian smiled and agreed. Back at Jade Pavilion, she called Lianqiao over to inquire.

"What has Jiang Yu been doing since I left with the Fourth Sister?"

"When the Fourth Young Lady heard that Chunfen and Dongzhi had died, she went to the Old Madam and wept quite sadly, clearly intending to complain about the Third Branch and have the Old Madam punish the Fifth Young Lady. To her surprise, the Old Madam’s logic was quite eccentric; she said that when weeds grow in a maid’s heart, they will just grow back even after being pulled, so if they are dead, they are dead—one just needs to pick two better ones."

Qing’er let out a scoff of laughter. "The Fourth Young Lady will be angered to death sooner or later."

Lianqiao also laughed. "Afterward, the First Madam took charge and released the families of Chunfen and Dongzhi, gave them their contracts of servitude, and provided some silver so they could return home to settle down."

Everything was exactly as Jiang Nian had anticipated.