Chapter 27: Domestic Unrest
The Xue Mansion.
The Old Madam, overcome with anger, leaned weakly against the soft cushions of the low couch after taking her medicinal soup. Tears streamed down her face as she blamed herself for not disciplining her third son strictly enough, and then chided his wife for allowing him to go out late at night, which had led to this disaster.
Fu Shi and Xue Yueying attended to her, offering tea and water with great care.
The younger children huddled in the room, each with their heads bowed low, daring not to make a sound.
Qian Shi had already cried herself into a tearful mess, and for once, did not retort a single word.
Xue Qingzhi entered the room with a grim expression. He did not approach his weeping mother to comfort her, but walked directly towards Fu Shi, who had come to meet him, and without a word, raised his hand and delivered a heavy slap.
“You foolish woman, look at the mess you’ve made!”
Fu Shi was dazed by the sudden slap, standing frozen on the spot. It took her a while to recover. Covering her burning cheek, her anger erupted.
“Master, what have I done? Why are you making me look like a fool in front of so many servants, without even asking for the truth?”
Xue Qingzhi pointed at her fiercely, “Where is your coin purse?”
Everyone was momentarily confused.
Upon hearing Xue Qingzhi finish his sentence, Fu Shi’s heart tightened, and she shot a fierce glance at Xue Yueying.
This little slut had repeatedly vowed to get rid of Xue Liu for her, but unexpectedly, she was so venomous, trying to kill two birds with one stone and frame her…
“Master.” Fu Shi, having come from the Marquis Yongding’s Mansion, was well-versed in the schemes of the inner chambers and quickly regained her composure.
“I do have such a coin purse, but I accidentally lost it during the Lantern Festival and haven’t found it since… I truly don’t know how it ended up in the hands of a thief?”
Xue Qingzhi snorted coldly, his eyes seeming to want to devour her, “You’re asking me?”
Seeing his temper flare, Fu Shi thought for a moment and then looked at the weeping Qian Shi, “This coin purse originally came in a pair. One was given to me, and the other is with Third Sister-in-law. Who knows if it was you and Third Brother… had a disagreement?”
The implication was that the coin purse could be hers, or it could be Qian Shi’s.
Qian Shi, having lost her husband, was weeping inconsolably. Hearing this, her head buzzed with anger. She didn’t even bother to go back to her room to retrieve her coin purse as proof. Spitting with rage, she pointed at Fu Shi and cried out.
“Eldest Sister-in-law, don’t slander me! I and that scoundrel… Xiu Lang and I grew up together, our bond is not something you can defame…”
After speaking, seeing everyone staring at her, her face turned from pale green to white, and she slowly stood up.
“I understand now. Once Xiu Lang is gone, I become a thorn in the side of this mansion, a scapegoat… Being a widow isn’t much of a life anyway, I might as well join him.”
Qian Shi was naturally strong-willed. After saying this, she disregarded everything and lunged towards the thick pillar in the main hall.
“Xiu Lang, I’m coming to join you. Wait for me on the Yellow Springs Road…”
In her rage, Qian Shi exerted great force. The maids rushed forward but couldn’t stop her. With a dull thud, her head struck the pillar heavily, and she fainted on the spot.
Old Madam Cui cried out in anguish, “Quickly call a doctor! What a sin, what have we, the old Xue family, done to deserve this?”
In an instant, the room descended into chaos.
Xue Qingzhi was overwhelmed and quickly ordered someone to find a doctor.
At this moment, a person who looked like a servant peeked in from outside the door.
Nanny Liu, with sharp eyes, spotted him. She quietly went out for a moment and returned, whispering a few words into Fu Shi’s ear.
Fu Shi’s expression changed slightly. First, a hint of smugness appeared, then it turned to annoyance.
“Master, I… have found the real culprit.”
Xue Qingzhi was already agitated, and seeing this, he became even more impatient.
“At this critical juncture, you still want to cause trouble!”
Fu Shi quickly glanced at Old Madam Cui on the low couch and slowly said, “A servant from Li Xiang Courtyard reported that Sixth Miss followed her Third Uncle out of the mansion late at night…”
Seeing the curious gazes cast upon her, she appeared to hesitate, then beckoned to the servant.
“You, come and report everything you saw to Master.”
The servant lowered his head and spoke nervously, “Reporting to Master. First Madam was worried about Sixth Miss’s safety and specifically instructed me to protect her. I dared not slack off and saw Sixth Miss secretly leaving the mansion, so I hurried to follow. To my surprise, I discovered Sixth Miss following Third Master to Vermilion Bird Street…”
Xue Qingzhi raised his eyebrows high, “At this late hour, what was she doing on Vermilion Bird Street?”
The servant said, “She went to Qiong Tower. I also saw Sixth Miss interacting intimately with several young men… I was scared and quickly returned to the mansion to report…”
Sixth Miss had lived in Old Mausoleum Swamp for so many years, her character and virtue were already criticized.
As soon as the servant spoke, everyone believed him for the most part.
Seeing this, Xue Yueying wiped her eyes and said sadly, “Father, Sixth Sister’s return to the mansion was supposed to be a joyous occasion. But these days, our mansion has been anything but peaceful, and now, Third Uncle has also met with misfortune…”
Seeing no response, she bit her lower lip and looked at Fu Shi.
Fu Shi glanced at her expressionlessly.
Nanny Liu understood and said, “Master, allow this old servant to say a word. When Sixth Miss was born, Daoist Master Lingxu had already predicted her fate, saying that Sixth Miss had an overabundance of the seven malevolent stars and was destined to bring disaster… Third Master returned to the mansion yesterday, and only had a brief encounter with Sixth Miss in Shou An Courtyard, and then he met with misfortune after leaving.”
The implication was that even if Xue Liu didn’t kill Xue Qingxiu, she had cursed him to death.
That Mister Lingxu was a renowned old Daoist priest under heaven.
He had personally said back then, “Events are man-made, fate is determined by heaven. Your Sixth Miss is born inauspicious; even if she doesn’t kill Bo Ren, Bo Ren will be burdened by her. This fate will bring ruin to the entire clan!”
Everyone looked at him.
Xue Qingzhi looked extremely weary.
In fact, although he disliked Fu Shi, he did not believe she would hire assassins to kill Xue Qingxiu.
If he were to say Xue Liu killed him, he believed it even less…
However, Jingzhao Prefecture needed an explanation. Ever since this disaster-bringing star returned, so many misfortunes had occurred. He decided he could no longer keep her.
“This wicked creature,” Xue Qingzhi cursed under his breath, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes, “If she dares to be so audacious, then I will not spare her.”
He stared at the servant, “Did you truly see Sixth Miss follow Third Master to Qiong Tower?”
“First Master, it is absolutely true…” The servant was a little nervous under Xue Qingzhi’s stern gaze, and then swallowed.
“If First Master doesn’t believe me, you can go to Li Xiang Courtyard and see if Sixth Miss is there.”
He had seen Sixth Miss and rushed back to report, so it was impossible for Sixth Miss to be faster than him.
Fu Shi said, “Yes, let’s go to Li Xiang Courtyard and see. Don’t let this dog slave spout nonsense and ruin Sixth Miss’s reputation.”
Xue Qingzhi remained silent, put his hands behind his back, turned, and strode out of the room.
Fu Shi signaled to the others, “Let’s go and see too.”
–
A large group of people stood imposingly at the entrance of Li Xiang Courtyard.
Xue Qingzhi’s expression was stern, and he remained silent.
Fu Shi instructed Nanny Liu to step forward and knock.
“Sixth Miss, Sixth Miss, are you asleep?”
It was late at night, but the lights were still on inside.
Ru Yi’s voice came from within, “Who is it?”
Nanny Liu turned and exchanged a look with Fu Shi, then replied, “First Master and First Madam have come to see Sixth Miss…”
Ru Yi yawned and said through the door, “Nanny, don’t lie to me. At this late hour, why would First Madam and First Master come to Li Xiang Courtyard?”
Fu Shi was impatient to argue with a mere maid and, with a stern face, stepped forward and knocked on the door.
“Open the door quickly! Third Master has met with an accident, the entire mansion is in a frenzy, and Sixth Miss is still asleep?”
Ru Yi fell silent.
After knocking heavily for a while, she slowly opened the door and poked her head out.
She seemed surprised by the large crowd outside. Seeing the dark mass of people, she was startled.
“First Master, First Madam, what has happened?”
Xue Qingzhi glanced at her and, with a dark expression, strode inside.
Ru Yi was stunned, “First Master, you can’t go in…”
She reached out to stop him, but Nanny Liu grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
“You wretched girl, you dare to stop First Master!”
Ru Yi shouted and pushed her away, then blocked Xue Qingzhi’s path again.
“First Master, you cannot enter the young lady’s private chambers…”
Xue Qingzhi’s face turned ashen, and he was furious, “Get out of the way!”
Nanny Liu spat and scolded, “What a disloyal wretch. Whose food do you eat? Helping that little slut deceive the masters, have you grown a bear’s heart and leopard’s guts?”
She then pointed at the servants in a shrill voice and ordered, “Drag her away and give her twenty lashes.”
Ru Yi struggled desperately, regretting her lack of strength, tears almost welling up…
Just then, the door to the inner room creaked open.
Xiao Zhao, holding a lamp, walked out slowly.
Behind her, in the hazy light, stood Xue Sui, dressed in a robe, with a faint, indifferent smile.
“Father, what are you doing?”
To everyone’s astonishment, Sixth Miss Xue slowly stepped over the threshold, her gaze sweeping over everyone before finally landing on Nanny Liu, who was holding Ru Yi.
“Who is the ‘little slut’ that Nanny is referring to?”
“What offense has my maid committed that Nanny wants her to receive twenty lashes?”
Her tone carried no anger, even a hint of a smile, yet it inexplicably sent chills down people’s spines.
The crowd stirred.
Especially the servant who had delivered the message, his mouth agape, utterly terrified…
Sixth Miss could come and go as she pleased, was she a ghost?
Ru Yi’s suspended heart finally settled. The cold sweat on her body was blown by the breeze, and she felt completely relieved.
Miss was back!
With Miss here, there would be a solution, and she was no longer afraid.
