San Qi had just stepped out of Baochun Tang when she was stopped.
The one blocking her way was Yu Tang’s maid, named Moxiang: “Third Miss, Fourth Miss requests you to come over for a word.”
Before San Qi could even speak, Nan Xun stood guard like a door god and sneered, “What nonsense! Who dares ask the Commandery Princess to go over herself? Oh, it’s Fourth Miss from the Yu Family, the one whose father is a mere registrar. What? Have you finally realized your mistake and come to kneel and beg for forgiveness from our Commandery Princess?”
“Or have you finally made up your mind to shave your head and become a nun?”
Nan Xun’s little mouth chattered away as if coated in honey.
Not to mention Moxiang, even Yu Tang in the carriage nearly fainted from anger.
She desperately wanted to hide back home, but she couldn’t!
For some reason, after Yuebai took those three pills back, the old Marchioness took them but they had no effect at all. It even caused Marchioness Boyuan to be punished with kneeling.
Yuebai came to her again, still asking for the medicine, and though his attitude remained the same as before, Yu Tang could sense a hint of resentment directed at her.
This made Yu Tang extremely anxious. She wanted to find San Qi, but the people she sent were chased away before they could even get close to the General’s residence.
Today, she finally managed to catch San Qi—how could she let her go?
As more and more onlookers gathered, San Qi unhurriedly boarded her carriage. Seeing this, Moxiang panicked: “Third Miss, Third Miss, please don’t leave!”
Yu Tang could no longer hold back. She hurriedly got down from her carriage, tears welling in her eyes, looking as fragile as a willow swaying in the wind, a sight that stirred pity.
“Third Sister, we are family after all. Must you be so heartless, unwilling to even see me?”
“I know you are now a noble Commandery Princess, and the Yu Family is unworthy of you. But… we are still sisters born of the same mother.”
The recent commotion involving the Yu Family had spread like wildfire throughout the capital. Now, seeing the parties involved, the commoners gathered around, eager to watch the spectacle.
San Qi lifted the carriage curtain and looked down at her: “Why are you crying? What? Did the Yu Family also throw you out onto the street like a corpse, just as they did to me?”
Yu Tang’s sobs choked in her throat.
The surrounding crowd erupted in jeers.
Exactly! When it came to heartlessness, who could compare to the Yu Family? Their own daughter, wrapped in a straw mat and tossed onto the street—what kind of people would do such a thing? And now this Fourth Miss of the Yu Family is crying as if she’s suffered some great injustice?
Isn’t this just the weasel paying respects to the chicken?
The jeers and mockery from the crowd made Yu Tang utterly humiliated. She hated San Qi to the core but forced herself to hold back, saying, “I have something I wish to discuss with Third Sister in private.”
“Either say it now, or get lost!”
Yu Tang’s face turned even paler.
San Qi clicked her tongue and signaled Nan Xun to drive the carriage away.
Yu Tang was so desperate she almost reached out to stop them, hurriedly saying, “I’ll speak! It’s about Yuebai!”
San Qi glanced at her sideways.
Yu Tang lowered her voice: “Third Sister, you know the old Marchioness’s asthma can’t go without the medicine. Please help Yuebai. No matter what, he was once your betrothed…”
As she spoke, her eyes reddened again. “I… I am willing to step aside for you.” The moment the words left her mouth, she suddenly clutched her throat.
It hurt so much!
For some reason, ever since she promised Chu Yuebai she would get the medicine again, her throat had started to ache.
Just now, it felt as if she had swallowed a needle, the pain so sharp she nearly cried out.
San Qi watched with great interest as Yu Tang struggled to hide her pain, then suddenly said, “Yu Tang, have you ever heard a saying?”
Her fingertips lightly tapped the carriage window, her clear black-and-white eyes reflecting the other’s guilt: “Liars must swallow a thousand needles.”
Yu Tang’s heart pounded wildly. “Swallow… swallow what needle?”
“I… I didn’t…” Meeting San Qi’s gaze, Yu Tang found herself unable to utter the words ‘I didn’t lie.’
Her throat began to ache again, sharp as if pierced by needles.
But San Qi smiled. Resting her head on her forearm, she looked at Yu Tang as if teasing a dog. “You spoke too softly just now; I didn’t quite catch it. What was it you wanted to see me about?”
Yu Tang’s face flushed red and pale by turns.
How could she dare speak the truth in front of such a crowd? It would surely reach Boyuan Houfu’s ears in no time.
She had always told Chu Yuebai that the medicine was a dowry recipe passed down from her late grandmother. Because of this, the Hou Furen had been particularly grateful and fond of her. Even that haughty old lady treated her with a measure of kindness.
San Qi was forcing her to reveal the truth in front of everyone!
No! She couldn’t say it!
“Third Sister, I’m sorry, I was wrong.”
“Please forgive me. Come back home, and from now on, I’ll let you have your way in everything… Agh—”
With a flick of San Qi’s finger, Gui Qi condensed into a needle as thick as a thumb, piercing straight through Yu Tang’s throat.
Yu Tang’s “performance” was abruptly cut short. The excruciating pain in her throat made her yelp like a dog. The pain came and went swiftly, but her cry was sharp and piercing. She herself was startled by it, let alone the people around her, who covered their ears.
San Qi also rubbed her ear, hissing as if startled. “Has Fourth Sister fallen ill again? This madness must be treated promptly! Baochun Tang is right next door. I won’t delay your treatment any longer.”
“Nan Xun, let’s go.”
“Right away!”
Nan Xun cracked the whip, and the carriage clattered into motion.
Yu Tang stood rooted to the spot, pointed at and whispered about by the surrounding crowd. Humiliated and furious, she tearfully defended herself. “I’m not sick! I don’t have madness!”
Moxiang also hurriedly explained, “My Fourth Young Miss is perfectly fine! She truly isn’t ill!”
Just then, a clerk from Baochun Tang rushed out and thrust a packet of medicine into Moxiang’s hands, saying, “This medicine is Baochun Tang’s secret formula, specially for treating madness. Fourth Young Miss Yu, don’t stand on ceremony. You’re the Commandery Princess’s own sister. The shopkeeper says this medicine is a gift for you.”
Yu Tang nearly fainted from rage.
What grudge did Baochun Tang have against her, to add fuel to the fire?!
Wait, Baochun Tang? Yu Tang remembered now. Back then, it was when Yu Sanqi came to this very Baochun Tang to sell medicine that she discovered Yu Sanqi still held such a precious prescription. Yu Sanqi had come here again today. Could it be she was here to sell medicine once more?
Yu Tang immediately stopped Moxiang, who was about to retaliate. Suppressing her anger, she asked the clerk, “Young man, may I ask what my Third Sister came to Baochun Tang for?”
The clerk snorted. “The Commandery Princess’s affairs—are they something just any stray cat or dog can meddle in?”
With that, the clerk went back inside. Yu Tang was so enraged she nearly went mad on the spot. Unable to bear it any longer, she fled in disgrace under the pointing fingers and mocking stares of the onlookers.
The clerk returned to report. Shopkeeper Zhou rewarded him and instructed, “If anyone comes inquiring about the Chang’an Pill in the next few days, spread the Commandery Princess’s message.”
The clerk gasped. “Even if someone from Boyuan Houfu comes, should we say the same?”
Shopkeeper Zhou chuckled. “What of Boyuan Houfu?”
Their backing was Dingbei Houfu. Who in the capital didn’t know that Dingbei Houfu and Boyuan Houfu were enemies?
Shopkeeper Zhou was a clever man. He understood the purpose of San Qi’s visit and was more than happy to do her this favor.
This newly enfeoffed Minghua Junzhu by His Majesty is truly a remarkable person—she saved the Empress Dowager, publicly severed family ties, and I hear she’s now staying at Young General Yan’s residence.
With that miraculous medicine in her possession, her future is bound to be limitless!
Forming a good relationship with her is the wise choice!
Shopkeeper Zhou’s eyes darted around, his smile deepening. “Send a message to the main family. Say we’ve found the medicine for the Old Madam, and by the way, there’s an amusing story that will surely delight her.”
…
General’s Residence, inner study.
As soon as Nan Xun returned, he rushed to report to Yan Du.
“That Fourth Miss of the Yu Family is truly something. I’ve never heard of a wife’s younger sister going to her own sister to plead for medicine for her future brother-in-law, even saying she’s willing to step aside…”
“It was the Commandery Princess who had the childhood engagement with the heir of Boyuan Hou, not her. What right does she have to step aside?”
Yan Du set the medicine bowl down on the table with a sharp crack—it shattered.