Qu Jinshu tried hard to recall where she might have lost the pendant, but no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t remember.
“Miss, let me go look for it. If we retrace all the places we’ve been, we might find it.”
After saying that, Yunshui was about to rush outside.
But Qu Jinshu stopped her. “It’s fine. If I’ve lost it, then perhaps our fate with one another has simply come to an end.”
Having been reborn, Qu Jinshu had become more open minded than ever before.
“Alright, don’t worry yourself over this anymore. I have something else I need you to do,” Qu Jinshu said softly to Yunshui.
…
“Eldest Brother, you must avenge us!”
After He Yuexin and Madam He were carried back, they supported each other as they made their way to He Xiujun’s room to complain.
Due to improper treatment, He Xiujun’s wound had become infected and begun to fester. He was now suffering so much pain that his head was spinning.
Hearing their cries, he could only ask weakly, “What happened?”
When he looked up and saw that his mother and younger sister were both bruised and battered, he flew into a rage.
“Why are you injured? Who did this to you? How dare they!”
Feeling that they finally had someone to back them up, He Yuexin hurried to He Xiujun’s bedside and burst into tears.
“Eldest Brother, Qu Jinshu is so vicious! She was the one who beat us up like this. You must avenge us!”
Madam He chimed in angrily as well. “That’s right! We almost didn’t make it back to see you, Jun’er. I remember Qu Jinshu being so gentle and well behaved the last time I saw her. I never imagined she’d reveal her true colors this time. She’s so unruly and vicious. How could a woman like that ever hope to get married?”
“Eldest Brother, you absolutely must cut off all ties with that poisonous woman. No, that’s not enough. You must first make her apologize to us before severing all ties with her!”
He Xiujun felt as though his head were about to explode. He couldn’t understand what had happened.
“How did you provoke her?”
At his question, both He Yuexin and Madam He looked guilty.
In the end, He Yuexin suppressed her guilt and shouted loudly, “I heard from Luo Xing that Qu Jinshu disguised herself as Qu Zhao and testified against you, making your punishment even harsher. Mother and I were so angry that we went to confront her.”
“Who knew that not only did she show no remorse, but she also humiliated and bullied Mother and me? Eldest Brother, I’m your only younger sister. You must kill that wretched woman for me!”
Seeing how heartbroken He Yuexin looked as she cried, He Xiujun’s face darkened with anger.
He clenched his fists and said through gritted teeth, “Qu Jinshu, you’re as vicious as ever!”
In his previous life, when she managed the inner household of the General’s residence, she had turned the place upside down. His mother and younger sister had constantly complained about her and disliked her immensely.
Only later did things gradually improve.
And in this life, she could still be so ruthless toward her former mother-in-law and sister-in-law?
He should have killed that poisonous woman in the forest when he had the chance, before she could become a source of trouble.
“Stop crying. I will avenge you. In a few days, it will be Old Madam Qu’s birthday banquet. On that day, I’ll make Qu Jinshu kneel before you and apologize in front of the entire Qu family and all the guests!”
He Xiujun declared fiercely.
His anger made his entire body tense up, causing his wound to split open again and stain the bedding red.
His voice gradually weakened. “Mother, my wound has opened again. Could you take my token to the palace and ask the imperial physician to come?”
Luo Xing, who was standing not far away, spoke in a low voice. “Young Master, I wanted to do that this morning. But when I reached the palace gates, Commander Lin and the Imperial Guards stopped me. They said you are no longer a general of Xiling, so you no longer have the privilege of entering and leaving the palace freely or summoning imperial physicians.”
“Heh.” He Xiujun was so furious that he laughed. “Those despicable people who look down on others when they’re down! Sooner or later, I’ll make them regret this.”
“And that Lin Zhong! Could Qu Jinshu have bribed him? Why else would he keep going against me? Isn’t he afraid that I’ll make a comeback one day and deal with him?”
“Ugh…”
He Xiujun’s wound hurt again. He clenched his fists, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
“Forget it. There’s no need for an imperial physician. Just find an ordinary doctor. Yuexin, hurry and send someone to bring one here.”
“Also, we mustn’t be discourteous at Old Madam Qu’s birthday banquet. Prepare a birthday gift in advance. I can’t personally handle the arrangements, so I’ll have to trouble you two. Remember, it must be the most expensive gift we can afford.”
Seriously?
The General’s residence was already almost out of money, yet he still wanted them to prepare the most expensive gift possible.
And for the Qu family, of all people!
Madam He and He Yuexin were so furious that their hearts ached.
He Yuexin nearly twisted her fingers into knots. Feeling utterly frustrated, she replied, “I understand!”
Soon, she pulled her mother outside.
Covering her swollen, reddened face, she complained bitterly, “Has Eldest Brother gone mad? Just because of Qu Ya, he’s so concerned about Old Madam Qu. Where are we supposed to get an expensive gift?”
“Forget about gifts. I’m already worried we won’t even be able to afford a doctor soon.”
“Is the household really struggling financially?” Madam He frowned so deeply that she could have crushed a fly between her brows.
“Mother, how can you even ask that? If you hadn’t insisted on investing money in other people’s businesses and pawned all your jewelry, would we be in this mess?”
Madam He was displeased. “You’re blaming me? Didn’t I do all that business for your sake? Are you completely blameless? The family had no money left, yet you still went out to have fun and ran up debts at so many shops. In the end, I had to empty my private savings to bail you out!”
“And your brother, too! He was about to receive his salary, but then this whole mess happened at the worst possible time…”
“Enough, Mother! Keep your voice down. If the servants find out that we might not even be able to pay their wages next month, the entire household will descend into chaos.” He Yuexin hurriedly covered her mother’s mouth.
“Otherwise, should we tell to Eldest Brother and Father?” she suggested.
Madam He shook her head frantically. “Absolutely not! Your father already thinks I’m incapable of managing the household. If he finds out I’ve squandered all the money, he’d strangle me even from his sickbed.”
“And what about your brother? Surely you wouldn’t want to see your own mother being reprimanded by your brother?”
“Enough. There are still a few things left in the residence. Take them to the pawnshop so we can get through this difficult time first.” Madam He waved her hand, feeling very annoyed.