The teacup in Jiang Xiu’s hand landed heavily on the table.
“Enough!”
She walked in front of Xing’er, shielding her behind her, and cast a cold gaze on Wu Jiaojiao’s face.
“Since when is it your place to discipline my people?”
Wu Jiaojiao was taken aback for a moment, then angrily retorted, “Are you really going to turn against me over a lowly servant?”
Jiang Xiu’s expression darkened, her voice soft but firm.
“Xing’er is my dowry maid, not an object to be beaten or scolded at will.”
Xing’er’s eyes reddened instantly.
“Madam…”
Old Mrs. Wu’s face darkened. “She’s just a lowly servant. If Jiaojiao wants to hit her, so be it!”
“Xing’er is not a servant of the Marquis’s household.”
Jiang Xiu cut her off directly.
“Her deed of servitude is in my hands. She lives on my monthly allowance and follows my orders.”
“Even if she truly deserves punishment, it should be me, her mistress, who decides.”
She looked at Wu Jiaojiao, enunciating each word clearly.
“You, an unmarried young lady, barging into your elder sister-in-law’s courtyard, insulting the legitimate daughter of your elder sister-in-law, and slapping her dowry maid.”
“Whose family’s rules are these!”
“When you strike Xing’er’s face, you are striking my face, striking the Jiang family’s face.”
“What, has the Zhongbo Marquis’s household, after receiving a single reward from Her Majesty the Empress, now abandoned even the most basic principles of respect and propriety?”
At these words, Wu Jiaojiao’s expression changed drastically, and she immediately sneered.
“Don’t you dare use propriety to pressure me. So what if I hit her?”
Hearing this, Jiang Xiu suppressed her anger and was about to speak when Fu Fu, who had been napping on the small couch, was awakened by the commotion. She frowned, her little face scrunching up as she opened her eyes.
When she saw Xing’er’s swollen and reddened cheek, her dark, bright eyes instantly turned cold.
[Who hit her? Wu Jiaojiao?]
[Sigh, back when I was in the Mirror of the Mortal Realm, the people around Mother either ran away or betrayed her.]
[Only this silly girl Xing’er refused to leave, pleading for mercy everywhere on Mother’s behalf until her knees were worn raw.]
[Later, when Mother was dragged to the mass graves, she even tried to snatch the body. In the end, Wu Jiaojiao had her legs broken and sold her to a filthy place.]
[I like people like Wu Jiaojiao with such cheap claws the most.]
[First chop off the hands, then pull out the tendons, and finally hang them at the Ghost Gate to dry…]
Jiang Xiu’s fingertips trembled violently, her heart aching with sorrow, yet her gaze grew increasingly calm.
She turned to look at Wu Jiaojiao.
“Apologize to Xing’er.”
Wu Jiaojiao looked as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. She was stunned for a moment before letting out a scornful laugh.
“You want me to apologize to a lowly servant?”
“Being slapped by me is her good fortune.”
“Even if she were beaten to death today, it would still be considered a good fate for her! Dying by my hand is better than being an unwanted lowlife out there!”
Xing’er shuddered, tears nearly falling from her eyes.
Old Mrs. Wu frowned, not finding anything wrong with what Wu Jiaojiao had said. She only felt that Jiang Xiu was making too much of a fuss over a maid today.
Seeing that Old Mrs. Wu did not stop her, Wu Jiaojiao grew bolder.
“You’re just relying on being the legitimate wife? Relying on having given birth to the so-called legitimate daughter of the Marquis’s household?”
“But so what?”
“Ling’er saved the Eighteenth Prince today. The one who truly brings honor to the Marquis’s household is Ling’er.”
“As for your daughter…”
“Who knows, maybe those Malevolent Spirits were attracted by her!”
On the small couch, Fu Fu slowly turned her gaze toward Wu Jiaojiao.
[When did I ever attract Malevolent Spirits?]
[Those Malevolent Spirits would rather take a three-mile detour when they see me.]
[But that dead child Wu Ling… the stench on her is getting worse and worse.]
【An aura from another world… and a decaying scent crawling back from the edge of the Yellow Springs…】
Wu Jiaojiao, however, continued to sneer, growing more and more smug as she spoke.
“Sister-in-law, you should see clearly by now—Ling’er is the true lucky star of the Marquis’s household.”
“She has caught the eye of His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress, and in the future, she will inevitably be called to the palace.”
“If she continues to bear the status of a concubine-born daughter, wouldn’t it be a laughingstock if word got out?”
Old Mrs. Wu, fingering her prayer beads, finally chimed in unhurriedly.
“Jiaojiao’s words are not entirely wrong.”
“Since Ling’er has such fortune, the Marquis’s household must naturally make more plans for her.”
She looked at Jiang Xiu, her tone carrying a hint of arrogance.
“You are the mistress of the Marquis’s household. Although you have children of your own, your three children—one is mad, another crippled.”
“If Ling’er is registered under your name and becomes the legitimate daughter of the Marquis’s household, you too will share the glory when she enters the palace to pay her respects.”
Wu Jiaojiao immediately added, “Exactly!”
“Sister-in-law, having Ling’er as your daughter is a blessing for you.”
Jiang Xiu slowly raised her eyes.
“Have you finished speaking, Mother?”
“The legitimate daughter of the Marquis’s household will only be my Fu’er.”
Wu Jiaojiao’s expression darkened. “Think carefully! Ling’er is now an Auspicious Omen. Registering her under your name is an honor bestowed upon you!”
Jiang Xiu looked at her.
“My honor, Jiang Xiu’s honor, does not need to rely on Concubine Lin’s daughter to bestow.”
Old Mrs. Wu was so furious she nearly snapped her prayer beads.
Yet Jiang Xiu did not retreat half a step.
“Moreover, I will remember the slap Xing’er received today.”
The room fell abruptly silent.
Old Mrs. Wu and Wu Jiaojiao were livid, their faces turning ashen, but ultimately, out of consideration for the Jiang family, they did not make another scene.
“Xing’er, see our guests out.”
…
No sooner had they left than Jiang Xiu helped Xing’er sit down and personally applied medicine to her.
“Madam…”
Xing’er choked back tears, wanting to say something more.
Jiang Xiu said softly, “The slap you received today will not be in vain.”
Xing’er stared at her in a daze.
Jiang Xiu withdrew her hand and turned to give instructions.
“Take inventory of everything that can still be moved from the side courtyard.”
“Including the valuable plants in the garden.”
“Send them all to my private residence. Leave nothing behind.”
Xing’er hurriedly acknowledged the order and busied herself with a few trusted maids.
Outside, the front courtyard was bustling with excitement over Wu Ling’s rewards, and no one noticed items being quietly transported out through the back gate of the side courtyard.
By evening,
Seeing that the move was nearly complete, Jiang Xiu left the mansion with Xing’er and Fu Fu.
The carriage wound through two streets before finally stopping in front of a somewhat worn-out pharmacy in the western part of the city.
Xing’er whispered, “Madam, this is the shop.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a middle-aged man emerged from behind the counter.
He walked with a slight limp in his left leg, and his clothes were faded from washing.
Seeing Jiang Xiu enter, he asked no questions but respectfully bowed.
“This humble commoner, Qian Ji’an, greets the Madam.”
“Miss Xing’er said that the Madam is willing to purchase Ji’an Hall and allow this humble commoner to continue managing it.”
“However, this humble commoner is disabled in the leg and not particularly likable in temperament…”
Jiang Xiu interrupted him, her tone indifferent. “I already know your mother is gravely ill.”
Jiang Xiu glanced around. Although the medicine drawers behind the counter were old, they were cleanly polished, and the medicinal herbs were neatly categorized and arranged.
“I will advance the money for the medicine you owe.”
Qian Ji’an suddenly looked up, a flicker of emotion finally stirring in his eyes.
Hearing Qian Ji’an’s name, Fu Fu stared at his face for a moment before slowly recalling.
【So it’s him, that unfortunate medicine jar from the Mirror of the Mortal Realm.】
【He saved half the city’s people injured by Malevolent Spirits with a single prescription, only to have the credit stolen by Wu Ling.】
【The Wu family, fearing he would speak out and ruin Wu Ling’s reputation, first smashed his pharmacy, then broke his hands.】
【A healer’s hands are the most precious thing of all.】
【Yet they were not satisfied—after crushing his hands, they drove his entire family to the brink of ruin.】
After speaking, Jiang Xiu looked at Qian Ji’an again, her eyes now carrying a touch of respect.
She pushed the contract forward, her voice gentle yet solemn.
“Shopkeeper Qian, I am buying Jī’ān Hall not to take away your life’s work.”
“The shop will still be managed by you.”
“I only ask that you remember one thing—”