Ever since Jiang Tan’er poisoned Xie Yingyue, Xie Jiling had known that Jiang Tan’er was no simple person.
“I just can’t understand it. The Xie family is, after all, a marquis household. Why is Jiang Tan’er so determined to go against our Xie family? Miss Songyin, you were once by Jiang Tan’er’s side. I wonder if you could enlighten me?” Xie Jiling looked at her, probing.
“A soldier who wants merit and wants to become a general must first kill the enemy. Jiang Tan’er is the same. The Xie family is her target. If she doesn’t strike down each and every one of you, how can she demonstrate her capabilities? Moreover, although your Xie family is noble, it’s all show without substance—the perfect choice for establishing authority.”
What made Jiang Tan’er appealing was her attitude toward the powerful—neither subservient nor arrogant.
And toward seemingly ordinary people like Qu Zhongjie, she could also appear exceptionally friendly on the surface.
“Of course, within the Xie family, the easiest to provoke is none other than Xie Yingyue. A stepdaughter, in Jiang Tan’er’s eyes, should live cautiously and discreetly. Yet she dared to openly question her poetry in front of everyone. How could Jiang Tan’er be satisfied? Besides, now the Xie family has taken in a ‘traitor’ like me who ‘forgets loyalty for profit,’ so naturally, she would resent you.”
Hearing this reasoning, Xie Jiling was both shocked and furious.
But he did not trust the Songyin before him either.
This person’s origins were unclear, and the words she spoke were highly likely meant to sow discord between the two sides.
“All of this is merely your speculation. Our Xie family has never been one to stir up trouble. I believe if Miss Jiang knew our family harbored no ill intentions, she wouldn’t hold a grudge for long,” Xie Jiling said deliberately.
“Then you can try. Befriend Jiang Tan’er and experience a fresh way to die,” Songyin didn’t stop him.
Her appearance had altered the course of events. Xie Jiyan hadn’t run away, the Xie family hadn’t been punished, and the conflict with Jiang Tan’er naturally wasn’t as deep.
“Your temperament seems quite different from the rumors. Your words are too sharp,” Xie Jiling was even more surprised by this woman’s transformation. Before going out, he had specifically asked someone to inquire about this doctor’s character, only hearing that she was gentle, generous, and kind to others.
But the reality was, her words were reckless and full of malice.
Moreover, she had a terrible temper.
Although Xie Jiling was reluctant, since both the grandmother and granddaughter had been forcibly brought by his family, they had no choice but to find a suitable place to settle them. He could only grit his teeth and accept it. The Xie family had an estate bestowed by His Majesty; arranging for two people wasn’t difficult at all.
It was just that Songyin had gone out so ostentatiously, causing the entire Xie family great anxiety.
Seeing them return safely, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. But Xie Jiling’s grim expression made people feel that the matter wasn’t over and that there would be plenty of trouble ahead.
Sure enough, their worries were justified.
Songyin truly treated the Xie residence as her own home.
On the first day, she demanded servants to go out with her—that was one thing. But the next morning, she asked for money.
“Opening her mouth and asking for three thousand taels… Our family of five couldn’t spend that much in a year… I can see it now. This is her way of getting revenge, isn’t it? To starve all of us to death!” In the afternoon, upon receiving the news, Xie’s father was fuming, his face turning livid.
He had known hardship, so even after becoming the Marquis, he still lived frugally, always avoiding waste. Thus, Songyin’s money-grabbing behavior was like a fierce kick to his heart, hurting so much it made him twitch.
Madam Meng quickly tried to soothe her husband.
It pained her too, but what could be done?
“Where… where was it all spent?” Father Xie gritted his teeth and asked again.
“She went out with her entourage. First, she visited the Treasure Pavilion and the Tailor’s Workshop, selecting clothes and jewelry for all four seasons. Then she went to the apothecary, buying many medicinal herbs like ginseng and deer antlers, and had a medicine shelf custom-made. After that, she stopped by the bookstore. The remaining silver was donated to two impoverished scholars… not a single copper coin was left.” Madam Meng’s expression was also one of utter disbelief.
Three thousand taels—not three taels of silver.
The Xie family had imperial estates and shops bestowed by His Majesty, with considerable annual yields. They weren’t poor, but as a marquisate that had only existed for fifteen years, they naturally hadn’t accumulated excessive wealth.
When suddenly asked to withdraw such a large sum, she was unwilling, but she was afraid.
The other party’s attitude was too forceful. She feared that if the girl got angry, she might simply wave her hand and poison her to death…
Once her resolve weakened, the money was gone… What was worse, it had all been spent in just one day. She didn’t dare imagine what she would do if the girl asked for money again tomorrow.
“All gone?” Father Xie was stunned. Even Madam Meng’s gentle hand couldn’t soothe his raging temper.
Earning money wasn’t easy. None of their family members were capable of making money; they relied entirely on the title bestowed by His Majesty. With money coming so hard, how could that fake daughter just donate it?
“She’s my daughter now, can’t I just beat her to death?! This wasteful creature! Does she even know that three thousand taels could support a poor family for generations?! And she spent it all in one day—just one day! She might as well kill me outright, rather than rob our family’s silver!” Father Xie shouted at the top of his lungs, all the etiquette he had learned over the years completely forgotten.
As Songyin stepped through the door, she saw Xie Heng with reddened eyes, cursing furiously.
His angry gestures made it seem as if he wanted to roll up his sleeves, grab a hoe, and bury her on the spot.
When Madam Meng saw Songyin, she quickly yanked Father Xie back, restraining him.
“You… why are you here? You didn’t even have someone announce you…” Madam Meng was utterly embarrassed.
She had been gossiping and was caught red-handed—how could she not feel ashamed…
Fortunately, this girl was an impostor. If she were the legitimate daughter of the first wife, Madam Meng would have been seen as a two-faced, black-hearted villain.
“I came to ask if Father has any plans for tomorrow,” Songyin said, glancing at the furious Xie Heng.
Hearing this form of address, Xie Heng felt prickly all over.
“His Lordship has no official duties. He only attends the Academy every few days to study etiquette, so he has nothing else scheduled,” Madam Meng quickly explained.
Xie Heng didn’t understand the rules and was slow to learn in this regard. Of course, it wasn’t entirely his fault—the capital was filled with too many powerful nobles. Every so often, some families were purged while others were promoted. The Xie family had few relatives or friends and was largely unaware of current affairs, so Xie Heng needed to visit the Academy to gather information.
Generally, a few days of study would suffice, but Xie Heng was afraid of making mistakes. He attended classes periodically to ensure he didn’t forget what he had learned.
Of course, the bigger reason was that he had nothing else to do.
When His Majesty bestowed the title, seeing his honest and simple nature, he instructed him to study more at the Academy, intending for him to learn the capital’s customs. Unexpectedly, Xie Heng took this imperial decree to heart and persisted with it for fifteen years.
If the emperor ever found out, he’d probably scold him: “Stubborn fool.”
“I plan to finish making the pain relief pills for the Old Imperial Uncle tonight, and I’ll trouble you, Father, to deliver them personally first thing tomorrow morning.” Songyin had withdrawn all her sharp edges, appearing once again like a quiet, well-behaved young lady.
“To the Prince’s residence?” Xie Heng tensed up, somewhat resistant.
“Xie Jiyan made a mistake, delaying the Imperial Uncle’s treatment. If we send a servant to deliver them, it might seem we’re not taking it seriously enough,” Songyin reminded him.
Today, she had gone out with money to spend lavishly, buying many things. Rumors must have already spread in the city, and it was known that the Marquis of Xuansu’s residence had gained a new young lady—one who was “deeply” favored, with the Xie family intending to make amends.
If Xie Heng presented the pills made by his daughter to the Prince, it would be equivalent to acknowledging her identity before a public witness.
Thinking of curing the Old Imperial Uncle and then driving her out?
Inviting a deity is easy, but sending one away is difficult—it wouldn’t be that simple.
Of course, establishing her identity was merely a side benefit. Her main goal was to make the Old Imperial Uncle see clearly who was truly capable of curing his headaches.
Looking down on Xie Heng, the Marquis, or looking down on her would bring no benefit to the Old Imperial Uncle. After all, no law required a young lady of a marquis’s household to become a physician and treat illnesses.
What Jiang Tan’er had previously promised was already null and void.
Now, if they wanted her to take action? Then the smiling face her father offered must be accepted by the Old Imperial Uncle.