After a deathly silence, the terrace erupted in uproar.
Yu Miaofu’s words struck like thunder. Jiang Peizhu was the first to cry out in disbelief: “Ah-Fu, you mean you and Young Master Xu…? But—but wasn’t he long betrothed to Yunci?” Her tongue ran faster than her mind, and only after speaking did she realize the gravity of her question.
Princess Qingyang, however, had already seen through everything. She demanded sternly: “Yu Miaofu, did you secretly pledge yourself to Xu Lingze? Is it because you carry his child that you framed Yunci with charges of illicit conduct?”
Yu Miaofu wept as though her tears were endless. From the crowd, Xu Lingze stepped forward and declared firmly: “No! That is not so! Cousin, though we are kin, you must speak clearly—do not let others mistake your meaning!”
His face darkened as he advanced two steps, forcing his tone into restraint: “Cousin, explain yourself at once. This is no place to linger after such scandal. I will escort you back to your uncle’s manor.”
Yu Miaofu fixed her gaze on him, tears flowing harder. “Cousin, are you denying me?”
Xu Lingze ground his teeth. “Deny what? Do you even know what you’re saying? You don’t even know with whom you committed such disgrace—how could I acknowledge it? Were it not for our kinship, I would…”
Yu Miaofu’s eyes widened, desperation breaking through. “Cousin! Must I lay bare everything between us? Before April, had you not wavered in desire and tempted me, how else would I have…”
Before the eyes of all, Xu Lingze’s face flushed red and pale by turns. Beside him, Fu Yunci listened in stunned silence, while Fu Yunheng was consumed with fury. He strode forward, seized Xu Lingze by the collar, and roared: “Xu Lingze! Well done! You are betrothed to my sister, yet you dared consort with another woman. No wonder your Xu family was so quick to break the engagement! It was you who were guilty, you who were unchaste! You shameless cur—”
His fist crashed down, sending Xu Lingze staggering, blood spurting from his nose. Still unsatisfied, Fu Yunheng grabbed him again: “Was it you?! Was it for Yu Miaofu’s child that you sought to force my sister aside, slandering her with vile rumors? How cruel your heart! Our families have been friends for generations, yet for this woman, you nearly drove my sister to her death!”
“I did not—I am not—I never spread such lies—”
Fu Yunheng’s blows were swift and merciless. Xu Lingze could have fought back, but under the eyes of the crowd, already guilty in appearance, he dared not. “How could I brand your sister with such infamy? It was she—she was the one with malice—”
But as he pointed at her, Yu Miaofu’s vision swam with rage. Seeing that matters had spun beyond repair, she staked everything on one last gamble: “Cousin, why wash your hands of it so cleanly? Did you not later learn the truth? Did you not also fear the authorities would trace it back to me? And now, at this hour, you abandon me—have you thought of the child in my womb?”
A sharp pain seized her belly; her skirt was already soaked in blood. Anger only worsened the flow. Cold sweat drenched her face, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Jiang Li’s voice cut through the chaos: “Does Young Master Xu mean to drive Miss Yu to her death, taking two lives at once? She shows signs of miscarriage. If treated immediately, there may yet be hope to save the child.”
Xu Lingze’s eyes widened like bells. Yet faced with Yu Miaofu’s failing form, he could not bring himself to sever ties before all.
Fu Yunheng glanced at her, then suddenly struck Xu Lingze again. With a groan, Xu Lingze collapsed, his nose broken askew.
Fu Yunheng clapped his hands and spat curses: “You heartless, corrupt wretch! To strike you soils my fists. From this day forth, our families are severed forever. Let us see when your Xu clan will take this woman—bearing your child—as its new bride. One venomous, one shameless—you are perfectly matched!”
From the crowd came a few low cries of approval. Jiang Li’s gaze was cold as she said, “Young Master Xu, the ground outside is frozen and the air bitterly cold. Please carry Miss Yu inside at once—any delay may cost her life.”
Though the strict separation of men and women was no longer as rigid as a century ago, Yu Miaofu’s entanglement with Xu Lingze meant that no one else dared so much as touch her, even if they wished to play the savior. Thus, the burden of rescue fell squarely upon Xu Lingze. Dozens of eyes bore down on him; he knew the matter was beyond repair. If he were branded as the man who let Yu Miaofu die, it would be ruin without end. So he clenched his teeth, wiped the blood from his nose, and shakily lifted her into his arms.
Snow and mud already clung to him, his nose crooked and swollen, his face a mask of blood and humiliation. With Yu Miaofu’s stains mingling with his own disheveled state, he looked nothing like the young general of the patrol camp. Watching him stagger toward the side chamber, Fu Yunci, once she recovered from her shock, felt no bitterness or grief—only the relief of one who has survived calamity.
A familiar matron stepped forward to comfort her, while younger ladies voiced indignation on her behalf. Jiang Peizhu, realizing she had wrongly accused Fu Yunci, shrank guiltily to the back of the crowd.
Fu Yunci exhaled, thanked them, and said, “In the end, the child is innocent. Let us see whether Miss Yu can keep both herself and Young Master Xu’s flesh and blood.”
From her lips, the words dripped with irony. The company moved east to a side chamber near the Xi Pavilion. At the threshold, Yu Miaofu’s cries of pain rang out, while Xu Lingze stood outside, brows drooping, eyes hollow—like a beaten cur.
Under the eaves, Pei Yan commanded sternly: “This matter is grave. You there—go at once to Qing’an’s residence and to General Xu’s estate. And bring those two servants here—”
Inside, Yu Miaofu lay upon the couch by the window as Jiang Li took her pulse. Princess Qingyang, with her maids, tended the room. Seeing Jiang Li’s calm expression and deft hands, the princess asked with relief, “Miss Xue, how is she? Is there hope for the child?”
Jiang Li answered gravely, “Fortunately, Miss Yu is over three months pregnant. There is hope. I will first use acupuncture to stop the bleeding, then prescribe medicine to stabilize the pregnancy. If she remains well for three days, the child can be saved.”
Princess Qingyang nodded and stepped toward the window. Outside, the crowd had gathered, and the two servants were brought forward. Pei Yan’s voice was sharp as he questioned them, and trembling, they dared not lie.
The first said, “I am Li Qi. On the night of the eleventh of the twelfth month, when Miss returned from the Xu household, she summoned me. She ordered me to go to the East Market, to crowded taverns and teahouses, and spread word that the eldest daughter of Earl Shou’an had secretly met a man at Yuzhen Temple. I knew not whether it was true—I only did as she commanded. Later, I hired some street urchins, gave each a few coins, and told them to spread the tale as well. By dawn the next day, the rumor had swept through Chang’an. Six days ago, Miss said things had changed, and to be safe, she sent me and Wang Qun to hide at the estate outside the city…”
The second servant added, “I am Wang Qun. On the twelfth night, Miss ordered me to Yuzhen Temple to inquire about the eldest daughter of Earl Shou’an, who had supposedly been separated from her attendants. I asked around but learned nothing. When I reported back, Miss told us both to spread the rumor of her secret tryst. We went to the West Market and the busy streets south of the city. Later, we heard the Court of Judicial Review was investigating, and we grew fearful. We thought hiding at the estate would keep us safe.”
Their confessions left no doubt. All eyes turned toward Fu Yunci with sympathy. Xu Lingze, utterly broken, looked at her too—but Fu Yunci’s face was like ice, and she would not spare him a single glance.
Yu Zitong glared furiously toward the room. “What a venomous woman—killing without spilling blood. Now she has gotten her wish. But does she not know? A daughter of fortune cannot enter a house without fortune. Heaven itself knows who is best matched. Master Xu, you must be heartsick—this is your family’s flesh and blood…”
Xu Lingze hung his head, wishing he could sink into the earth. At that moment, Pei Yan waved his hand, and the two servants were led away. He turned back toward the room, where Yu Miaofu’s cries of pain were growing weaker.
Someone gasped, “She’s bleeding so much—could it be fatal?”
Another replied, “Impossible. The eldest Miss of the Xue family is a divine physician who can snatch life from death. The child may be uncertain, but she will never let the mother perish. We’ll know soon enough…”
Yet despite these words, all eyes remained fixed on the doorway, faces grave. Today had begun as a spectacle, but if death truly came of it, it would be an ominous sign. No one wished to see Yu Miaofu end with two lives lost.
After a tense moment, the door opened halfway. From within, Princess Qingyang announced, “The bleeding has stopped. Yu Miaofu has awakened. Have her family arrived?”
Pei Yan answered, “Not yet.”
The princess frowned, then glanced at Xu Lingze with a sigh. “Lingze, you were once the pride of your generation. Why choose such a path? Now that things have come to this, you must think carefully of a proper course when you return.”
Xu Lingze’s head nearly touched the floor. “I… yes. Lingze obeys.”
The others held their tongues, but their eyes upon him brimmed with contempt. Just then, four or five figures hurried in. Jiu Si stepped forward to report, “Master, people from the Xu household have arrived. Their estate is close, so they came quickly.”
The crowd looked over. It was not General Xu Zhao, but an elderly matron leading three servants. When brought forward, the old woman bowed and said, “Greetings, Your Highness, greetings, my lord. The news reached our estate, but the General and Madam are away, and the Old Madam is gravely ill. We had no choice but to send servants to answer. Though Miss Yu is kin to our household, the elders knew nothing of her affair with the young master. If there is fault, we beg Your Highness and my lord to punish us instead.”
Her words were measured, yet they drew a laugh from Princess Qingyang. Ever forthright, she said sharply, “Yu Miaofu just claimed you knew the truth. And surely your elders must approve before breaking off the betrothal with the Fu family? To my eyes, your conduct is most dishonorable. Xu Zhao has risen swiftly these past two years, but perhaps he has put all his mind into officialdom and neglected the teaching of his son.”
Her rebuke was harsh. The old matron fell to her knees in fright. The princess waved her hand, “Enough. These matters are not mine to govern. Yet I once held some fondness for these two youths—now I am only disappointed.”
Inside, Yu Miaofu, now awake, heard the words spoken outside. She could only grit her teeth and weep. Then her gaze shifted to Jiang Li, who was washing her hands at the bedside. Remembering that Jiang Li had saved her life, she hesitated, then whispered, “I heard that Miss Xue often visits the Shou’an household to treat them. So your ties must be closer to that family. Why, then, did you help me just now?”
Jiang Li turned, drying her hands. “You think I was helping you?”
Yu Miaofu’s eyes reddened. “You said the Xu family could break off the Fu betrothal, yet would not allow my reputation to be utterly ruined. Was that not telling me tonight was my only chance—to seize my cousin’s heart?”
Jiang Li’s lips curved with a faint smile, though her eyes remained cold. “Then, young lady, take it as me lending you a hand.”
Yu Miaofu was somewhat bewildered. As Jiang Li pulled on her cloak, she added, “Miss, you’d best take care of yourself.”
With that, she stepped toward the door. Yu Miaofu watched her slender, upright back and suddenly felt a chill seep into her bones. A moment ago, in her panic, Jiang Li’s words had seemed her only hope. But now, with her mind clearing, she realized what a foolish thing she had done. Even if her pregnancy were exposed, her grandaunt had already acknowledged her; as long as she carried the Xu family’s child, her grandaunt would never abandon her. And the Xu family, favored at court, was a future her grandaunt valued above all else. Yet she had dragged this scandal into the open. If she ruined the prospects of Xu Lingze and his father, then even if she forced Xu Lingze to marry her, how would her grandaunt and the Xu family treat her afterward?
Yu Miaofu began to tremble uncontrollably. Seeing Jiang Li about to leave, she rasped, “Why… did you—did you mean to do this?”
Jiang Li paused, turned back, and said, “Have you forgotten it was I who saved your child just now?”
Her gaze was clear and cool, devoid of emotion, yet Yu Miaofu felt her chest tighten under it. Struggling for words, she stammered, “But… but if so, then my cousin will surely…”
Jiang Li smiled faintly. “You’ve been frightened and are thinking too much. Right now, your body is weak—every anxious thought endangers the child within you. Miss, you’d best take care of yourself.”
She left, leaving Yu Miaofu lying on the couch, shaken and afraid.
Outside, Jiang Li turned to Xu Lingze. “Young Master Xu, Miss Yu must rest and protect the pregnancy for half a month. I’ve already written the prescription. When the Earl Qing’an’s household arrives, whether you use it or not is up to you.”
Huai Xi handed over the prescription. Xu Lingze stared at the thin sheet of paper as though it were a burning coal, hesitating before finally taking it. Others stepped forward, marveling at Jiang Li’s skill.
“To think she lost so much blood, yet Miss Xue still managed to save her…”
“Miss Xue truly deserves her reputation as a famed healer of the jianghu. As for that Miss Yu—calling her conduct disgraceful is putting it kindly. Yet Miss Xue still extended her aid…”
Jiang Li replied calmly, “The authorities will judge the case, and you all have your own sense of right and wrong. As a physician, I must uphold medical ethics. Unless it is a condemned prisoner about to face execution, I cannot stand by and watch someone die.”
Her words were calm yet forceful, convincing everyone present. Princess Qingyang remarked, “A healer must have compassion. If Miss Xue had truly stood by and done nothing today, no one would dare seek her aid again.”
The crowd quickly echoed their agreement. Just then, another group hurried in. At the front was a kindly-faced middle-aged man, followed by four elderly matrons carrying brocade quilts. They rushed forward in haste.
“Your servant Yu Qing greets the Princess and Lord Pei. Our master and madam have recently taken ill with a chill and cannot leave the house. They are already aware of today’s events and feel deeply ashamed. They have sent us to bring the Fourth Miss home for treatment. Whatever judgment the authorities render tomorrow, our master and madam will not obstruct it. We beg Your Highness and Lord Pei for leniency.”
Princess Qingyang laughed lightly. “How convenient—almost as if your two households had arranged this together. Hechen—”
Since the Court of Judicial Review was attending the case, she looked to Pei Yan. He said, “The witnesses from your household have already been arrested and confessed to the crime. But Miss Yu’s condition is indeed precarious. You may take her home for now; tomorrow she will be summoned again.”
Yu Qing bowed in gratitude, then led the matrons inside. Soon, four of them emerged carrying Yu Miaofu wrapped in brocade, her head buried in the quilt, too ashamed to show her face.
Pei Yan turned to Xu Lingze. “Young Master Xu, you should go as well. Regarding the case of Earl Shou’an’s daughter, you will be summoned to testify tomorrow.”
Xu Lingze, wishing only to vanish, quickly agreed and followed the Yu household out.
Once both families had departed, the onlookers exchanged glances and began murmuring again. Tonight’s farce had ended for the moment, but it was clear that by tomorrow the sordid entanglements of the Yu and Xu families would spread across the city, providing ample scandal for Chang’an’s noble clans to gossip over.
“Lord! We’ve found the site of the dismemberment!”
Amid the whispers, Lu Zhuo suddenly rushed in from the front courtyard. At once, Pei Yan strode off to investigate. The others hesitated, glancing toward Princess Qingyang. She shook her head. “Let’s wait here for news. Best not to disturb their work. Tonight has already wearied us enough. But tell me, Miss Xue—how did you know so much about this case earlier?”
This question had lingered in everyone’s minds. Fu Yunci was about to answer when Jiang Li spoke first: “While treating Miss Fu at Earl Shou’an’s residence, I encountered Lord Pei. At that time, he faced a difficulty in the coroner’s work. I offered my assistance, and Lord Pei, trusting my medical skill, allowed me to participate. That is how I came to know the details.”
Princess Qingyang’s gaze deepened. “So Miss Xue is versed in such matters as well…”
Jiang Li affirmed it. The princess then turned to comfort Fu Yunci at her side.
Meanwhile, in the front courtyard, Pei Yan was following a hidden passage from the bedchamber into a cellar. In the bitter winter cold, the underground chamber was icy, yet the stench was overwhelming. The cellar, five zhang square, contained three worktables and five incense cabinets, each filled with spices and tools for making incense.
Lu Zhuo reported, “My lord, no wonder the Kang household showed no trace—he carried out the killings and dismemberments here. Though the place has been cleaned, on the southern side there are three wooden chests, stained with blood and crawling with corpse insects—surely where the remains were stored. On the western shelves, we found five or six incense knives, and beneath the cabinet, two axes and a saw, all with blunted edges, clearly used for dismemberment. In the eastern cabinet were several unusual porcelain jars, each with rotting residue. The newest still held a small amount of frozen, pulped matter—by my judgment, the victim’s ground-up heart.”
Pei Yan inspected each item and ordered, “Take them all.”
Leaving the cellar, Lu Zhuo added, “In the west wing of the front courtyard, we discovered many women’s belongings—likely Kang Yun’s possessions that he moved here. Our men are counting them now—”
Pei Yan nodded. “Return to the hall for interrogation.”
Back in the hall, Lu Zhuo reset Kang Jingming’s dislocated jaw. After a moment’s respite, Pei Yan stood before him. “Speak. How did your sister and Cuizhu die?”
Knowing escape was impossible, Kang Jingming only stared blankly at the red candles and bridal drapery, as if still savoring his ghostly wedding with his sister.
Pei Yan’s voice hardened: “Your sister was last seen by the servants on the first day of the sixth month. From the second day onward, she spoke through the window, claiming she was secluding herself to refine incense. She never appeared again until the morning of the second day of the seventh month, when someone saw her dressed neatly, leaving by the side gate, saying she was delivering incense to a close friend. Cuizhu was last seen on the second day of the sixth month. You told others she was attending your sister, until late in the month when you claimed she was expelled for theft—after which she vanished completely…”
Pei Yan’s words carried a pressing weight, but Kang Jingming remained unresponsive, hollow-eyed.
Pei Yan continued: “Based on testimony from the capital prefecture, your sister was likely killed on the first day of the sixth month. On the second, Cuizhu discovered your crime and you silenced her. You murdered two people in succession—even your own sister, who raised you—and your nature changed thereafter. First, obsessed with incense yet lacking talent, you turned to twisted methods to prove yourself. Second, you needed to cover up the murders. So you devised a chain of killings. Wang Yan, being acquainted with your sister, was the easiest bride to approach. Thus, on the seventh day of the sixth month, she became your first victim—”
His reasoning was clear, and those outside listened intently. But Kang Jingming refused to speak, heightening the tension.
Pei Yan’s brows knit, and he pressed: “Cuizhu aside—but why murder the sister who gave you everything? The only explanation is that you harbored forbidden desire. She abhorred it, and when she was about to marry, you turned love into hatred. You killed her so she would remain by your side as a corpse. You are vicious—you never loved her. You only feared abandonment—”
Kang Jingming trembled. At those final words, he suddenly raised his eyes like struck by a needle. “I didn’t love her?! Do you know what we endured together? When I met her, she was seven, I was four. Servants cursed and beat me—she fought for me. Later, when the elders tried to seize Ningxiang Pavilion, they nearly burned us alive—it was I who carried her from the flames. When she was poisoned while refining incense, I bled myself to save her. She gave me everything, and I would give my life for her. But she should never have set her marriage so soon! We promised to stay together forever—how could she break her word?!”
His face twisted with madness. “We are bound by blood more closely than anyone. No one could separate us. No one else would risk their life for me, nor would I for another. She swore never to abandon me—I remember every word she said. Yet she was to marry into Guangling, to leave me! I could not bear to imagine her bridal procession, her bearing children for another. She was my dearest sister—why should I watch her belong to someone else? If she stayed, I would devote my life to her, to her happiness. Why should she betray me?!”
As if finding justification, Kang Jingming laughed wildly. “The world seeks eternal fidelity, everlasting bonds. I only wish she would never leave me. I only wanted to be with her forever. What crime is that? I loved her, cherished her—what crime is that?!”
His deranged cries echoed through the hall, chilling all who heard. At that moment, Lu Zhuo rushed in from the courtyard. “My lord, we found this hidden in her dressing case!”
He handed over an unfinished letter, its ink uneven from hesitation. The body was complete, lacking only signature and date. Pei Yan scanned it swiftly, and even his stern face betrayed shock.
Seeing Kang Jingming still unrepentant, Pei Yan declared, “You believed your sister abandoned you. But what if, at the final moment, she chose you above all else?”
He spread the letter before him. Though restrained, Kang Jingming instantly recognized Kang Yun’s handwriting. His expression froze, madness draining away. Soon his eyes widened in disbelief, terror and grief flooding them.
He gasped and shook uncontrollably, then wailed like a trapped beast in despair: “No… no, it’s not true! She couldn’t have broken off her betrothal for me—!”