“…You’re talking nonsense!”
Su Tanghuan looked shocked, her mind racing to think of a way out.
Ji Yan said coldly, “I can open the coffin and have the house physician examine it.”
Su Tanghuan’s face turned pale.
“The Shizi is already gone, and you still want to disturb him…”
Ji Yan grew impatient. He grabbed her wrist and lifted it high, pressing his elbow against her raised arm, forcing her to face him directly.
Su Tanghuan was forced to thrust her chest forward abruptly. The softness of her chest collided sharply with the hardness of his, and both of them stiffened, simultaneously pulling back.
Ji Yan was filled with pent-up rage, with nowhere to vent it.
Furious, he issued an ultimatum: “If you don’t tell the truth now, I’ll report this to the authorities immediately.”
Su Tanghuan pleaded urgently, “I’ll tell you, I’ll tell the truth.”
She racked her brains while stammering.
“The child… is from my childhood sweetheart. We grew up together, and he was supposed to be my future live-in husband. But my aunt forced me to marry my cousin. My cousin is impotent—if I married him, wouldn’t that expose everything? Coincidentally, I saved Ji Dalang…”
Ji Yan was so angry he felt his lungs might explode.
How shameless! To have an illicit affair with a childhood sweetheart without proper arrangements, then dare to pin the blame on his elder brother, and still have the audacity to cry!
This woman was utterly despicable!
Su Tanghuan could only try to salvage the situation: “I saved Ji Shizi. Otherwise, why would he give me his seal?”
Gathering her courage, she continued: “I was in an unfamiliar place and wanted to find out whose son he was, so I could send word for his family to rescue him. But my aunt discovered the seal and took it, then locked me up. I failed Ji Shizi. If it weren’t for my incompetence, the Shizi might have survived. He was my only hope.”
This part was true, and she spoke with genuine emotion.
Ji Yan scrutinized the woman.
This explanation did make sense.
Seeing his expression soften slightly, Su Tanghuan hurried to press her advantage.
“Everyone knows that Ji Shizi was a peerless hero, kind-hearted and virtuous. That’s why I boldly came looking for him. Who knew I’d arrive just as the Ji Residence was holding his funeral rites? I was heartbroken and desperate. If my aunt catches me and finds out I’m pregnant, both the child and I will die… Wuwuwu.”
She covered her face, sobbing, and stole a glance at Ji Yan.
He was frowning, lost in thought.
Su Tanghuan gritted her teeth and mustered her courage: “I thought of Ji Shizi, who died young without leaving a son, and how his mother must be grieving. So I boldly considered giving the child to Ji Shizi as his son. That way, his mother would have a grandson to bring her joy, and both the child and I would be saved.”
“I acted foolishly in the moment, but I truly meant no harm. I was only seeking a way to survive.”
She ventured cautiously: “I’m willing to serve the Shizi’s mother in his stead and bring her happiness. But if My Lord doesn’t approve and drives me away, I’ll accept it without complaint.”
“Where is your childhood sweetheart now?”
“He… was driven away by my aunt.”
Ji Yan studied her.
The young woman covered her face, weeping softly.
Regardless of the truth, his mother did seem to like her very much.
The house physician had also said that her and the child’s presence had indeed helped soothe his mother’s emotions.
If what she said was true, she had saved him once.
If she hadn’t bandaged him properly, stopped the bleeding, and left him some medicine and food, he might not have survived so easily.
“Where was my elder brother injured?”
“It was too dark, but I felt a wound on the left side of his head, near his hairline. Luckily, I always carry medicine for self-defense, so I treated his wound simply. Then I tied two of my handkerchiefs together and wrapped them around his head to bandage it. The corner of my handkerchief is embroidered with a begonia flower.”
Ji Yan frowned.
Indeed, the handkerchief used to bandage him had a begonia flower on it.
But he still refused to believe that the person who saved him was a woman of questionable character and a swindler.
He would wait until he found the woman who had saved him, then take out the handkerchief to confirm.
Ji Yan had no patience to drag things out with her, so he simply said, “Let’s make a deal.”
“Hmm?”
Su Tanghuan noticed his tone had softened and was overjoyed inside.
Not daring to show the slightest hint on her face, she wiped her tears and said, “This humble girl will listen to My Lord.”
Ji Yan leaned in, staring into her eyes.
“I don’t care what your purpose is for coming to the Ji Residence. You only need to comfort my mother well. Once her condition stabilizes, find an appropriate reason to leave, and I will let bygones be bygones. But if you dare to harbor any other delusions, we will proceed according to the contract.”
Ah, such good fortune!
She was so excited that her eyelashes trembled, and she let two tears fall at just the right moment.
With a pitiful tone, she asked, “Then… what about the child…”
Ji Yan’s temples throbbed with anger.
“My elder brother’s reputation must not be tarnished. Find a way to deal with it yourself as soon as possible. Otherwise, leave before the child is born.”
Ha, just what she wanted.
Su Tanghuan looked up. “Alright, I’ll listen to My Lord.”
“Sign!”
Ji Yan stood up, jabbing his finger fiercely at the contract.
Su Tanghuan scrambled to her feet, her small hands trembling as she shakily signed her name.
Just as she was about to dip her finger in vermilion ink to press her fingerprint, hurried footsteps sounded from outside.
“Second Young Master, it’s terrible! Madam has fainted from anger!”
Both were startled and rushed toward the door, colliding abruptly. The petite Su Tanghuan staggered from the impact.
Ji Yan instinctively reached out to steady her, but her momentum carried her stumbling into his arms.
The door swung open.
The servant froze, his mind failing to keep up with his actions, and he hastily retreated outside.
Flushing red, he shouted toward the door, “Second Young Master, Taikang Junzhu has arrived and angered Madam into fainting.”
Taikang Junzhu?
Who was that?
Su Tanghuan was bewildered, but Ji Yan had already strode out the door.
Yuzhi poked her head in from outside the doorframe. Seeing Su Tanghuan’s red and swollen eyes, she hurried over to support her.
“Did Second Young Master scold you? The servant wouldn’t let me get close, so I couldn’t hear what was happening inside.”
Su Tanghuan snapped back to attention. “It’s nothing. Let’s hurry to the mourning hall.”
As she walked briskly outside, she asked, “Who is Taikang Junzhu? Why did she anger Mother into fainting? Do they have some grudge?”
Yuzhi supported her but remained silent. Su Tanghuan turned to look at her. “What’s wrong? Can’t you say?”
Yuzhi sighed. “This matter is a taboo in our residence. Things had been peaceful between the two sides for years. Who would have thought she’d choose the time of the Shizi’s funeral rites to stir up trouble?”
Su Tanghuan knew nothing about the intricate affairs of the capital’s noble families and grew anxious at Yuzhi’s hesitation.
“Ah, we’re all family here. Tell me the truth so I can comfort Mother and ease her mood later.”
Yuzhi thought it made sense.
Lowering her voice, she said, “Taikang Junzhu is the Marquis’s lawful wife.”
“What!”
Su Tanghuan was stunned. “What do you mean?”
Yuzhi nervously glanced around. “Actually, our Madam is the Marquis’s original wife. When Madam was just pregnant, that shameless Taikang Junzhu took a liking to our Marquis. And the Late Emperor doted on her, so he forcibly issued an edict for their marriage. At the time, the Old Madam was still alive. Worried about harming the child in Madam’s womb and unable to defy the imperial decree, she had no choice but to force the Marquis to comply.”
Su Tanghuan was furious. “What nonsense is this forced marriage? Can the Emperor force a wife to step down? How utterly unreasonable!”
“Who says it isn’t so? But the Late Emperor said that if she refused, he would throw all of her maternal family into prison.”
Su Tanghuan sneered coldly.
Can imperial power and noble families bully people like this?