“No need.” Zhao E refused decisively. “It’s not convenient for me to act when you’re here.”
Zhou Yu pressed his lips together and looked at her.
Zhao E raised her eyes to him. “You don’t trust me?”
Zhou Yu met her gaze. “I can help you.”
“I can do it myself.” Zhao E lowered her eyes, staring at the movements of her hands.
Revenge, after all, was something that had to be done with one’s own hands to be satisfying.
Besides, she didn’t want to owe Zhou Yu anything.
Zhou Yu said nothing more.
The next night, Jiang Wang-shi indeed came to Zhaoyang Yuan.
“Why didn’t you send word that you were coming, Mother-in-law? I would have had someone prepare some dishes,” Zhao E said upon hearing the news, greeting her at the doorway with a smile.
“No need. I’ve brought you dinner.” Jiang Wang-shi wore a kind and gentle smile on her face.
She unobtrusively sized up Zhao E. The little wretch certainly talked a good game—she hadn’t even stepped over the threshold to welcome her.
There would be a reckoning for this little wretch later.
As she spoke, she called to the servants: “Set out the food.”
She then smiled at Zhao E. “It’s all dishes from Huixian Jiulou. You haven’t been in this household long, and I don’t know what you like to eat, so I bought one of each of their signature dishes.”
“It’s not a holiday or festival—why has Mother-in-law bought me so many dishes?” Zhao E glanced over the food and smiled with curved eyes. “I’m quite overwhelmed by the favor.”
“Sit down. We can talk while we eat.” Jiang Wang-shi gestured for her to sit.
Zhao E sat down accordingly.
“I also had them bring a jar of fruit wine.” As Jiang Wang-shi spoke, she took the wine cup in front of Zhao E and wiped it with a handkerchief. “Let me fill it for you.”
Zhao E noticed that the handkerchief in her hand was somewhat unusual—the part pinched between her fingertips was wet.
Moreover, when Jiang Wang-shi wiped her own wine cup, she avoided the wet part of the handkerchief.
She knew what was going on.
“Tonight, let the two of us, mother and daughter-in-law, share a cup and speak honestly from the heart.” Jiang Wang-shi raised her wine cup to toast her.
Zhao E smiled at her. “Mother-in-law, I’ve never been one to beat around the bush. Whatever you want to say, just say it directly.”
She wanted to see what excuse Jiang Wang-shi had prepared.
Jiang Wang-shi stiffened for a moment, then spoke: “Since you came here, many things have happened in this household. I admit I’ve been at fault—too impatient, not good enough to you.”
“So Mother-in-law has come to apologize to me?” There was a hint of surprise in Zhao E’s almond eyes, which then gave way to relief. “Before I married in, I heard people say that Mother-in-law was a daughter of a great noble family and had been the mistress of the household for many years. They said you were the most principled and fair-minded in your dealings.
Seeing it today, the reputation is well deserved.”
Jiang Wang-shi took two sharp breaths to suppress her anger before managing a smile. “Yes, I’ve come to apologize. These days there have been many matters at home, and I couldn’t help but be short-tempered. I’ve wronged you—don’t take it to heart.
Let the two of us drink this cup, and let bygones be bygones. How about that?”
Her original intent was merely to brush him off with a few perfunctory words, coax Zhao E into drinking this cup of fruit wine, and consider the matter done.
She hadn’t expected Zhao E to turn the tables and place such a large hat on her head, forcing her to apologize.
At any other time, she would never have admitted fault and apologized to Zhao E.
But now the arrow was already on the string and had to be released. Fine—let her suffer the indignity of these few words. Once she had this little wretch under her thumb in the future, she would recoup it from her.
“Since Mother-in-law has so sincerely admitted her fault, it would be too much for me, as a junior, to be overly stubborn.” Zhao E smiled as she raised her wine cup and clinked it with hers. “I forgive you, Mother-in-law.”
Jiang Wang-shi watched as she half-covered her sleeve and drank down the cup of fruit wine, and the stone in her heart finally settled.
The smile on her face gained a hint of genuine warmth. “Come, have some food.”
Zhao E took note—whatever dishes Jiang Wang-shi ate from, she would pick a few strands to taste.
Whatever dishes Jiang Wang-shi avoided, she avoided as well.
After about a quarter of an hour, she noticed Jiang Wang-shi across from her beginning to steal frequent glances at her, and she knew it was time for the “medicine’s effect” to take hold.
Her delicate brows furrowed slightly. She set down her chopsticks, propped her forehead with one hand, and put on an air of discomfort.
Jiang Wang-shi rejoiced inwardly, but her face showed only concern: “Zhao E, what’s wrong? Your complexion looks so poorly?”
“Mother-in-law…” Zhao E held her head, drooping little by little. “My head is spinning, and I feel so drowsy…”
“Are you tired?” Jiang Wang-shi rose with “great kindness” to support her. “If you’re sleepy, go rest.”
Zhao E let herself be helped up, one hand shielding her front to hide the wine that had spilled on her earlier. “But that won’t do… Mother-in-law hasn’t eaten much yet… I, I…”
“What of it?” Jiang Wang-shi said magnanimously. “We’re all family—won’t there be plenty of chances for you to dine with me later? Your health matters most. I’ll escort you back to your room to rest.”
As she spoke, she helped Zhao E into the inner chamber.
Zhao E reached up to lift the bed curtain—then instantly let it fall.
That beast Zhou Yu—when had he slipped in again?
Seeing Jiang Wang-shi reach out to part the bed curtain, Zhao E thought fast and threw herself “collapsing” onto the bed, yanking the brocade quilt up with lightning speed to cover Zhou Yu completely, head and all.
“Are you alright?” Jiang Wang-shi feigned concern.
“Blow out… blow out the candle…” Zhao E’s speech was slurred.
“Alright, alright.” Jiang Wang-shi removed her shoes, pushed her legs onto the bed, turned to the table to extinguish the candle, and walked out.
A moment later, her voice came from outside: “Your Da Shao Furen is already asleep. No one is to enter and disturb her before dawn, understood?”
The maids answered in unison.
Then came the sound of the door closing and locking.
“Zhou Yu.” Zhao E sat up and called out, her tone not its usual soft sweetness, but carrying a cold hardness.
Zhou Yu sat up as well, but did not answer.
“If you do this again, our deal ends here.”
In the darkness, Zhao E spoke.
She was alone and weak—plotting against an entire Fuguo Duke’s Residence was no easy feat, and she could not afford a single misstep.
If Jiang Wang-shi had seen Zhou Yu just now, all her schemes would have collapsed, and she might never have had a chance to start over.
She lived for one purpose: revenge.
Anyone or anything that threatened her revenge, she would distance herself from.
Even if Zhou Yu was her greatest pillar of support, he was no exception.
From the rear window came a faint sound.
“Never again.” Zhao E whispered those four words, then lay down on her side.
Zhou Yu pulled her into his arms from behind, his grip tighter than ever before.
Zhao E struggled uncomfortably.
Zhou Yu loosened his hold and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
“Thud—”
A dull sound, and someone jumped in through the rear window.
Zhao E did not struggle again.
“Sister-in-law…” Jiang Cheng called out softly.
Zhao E said nothing.
“Sister-in-law, please answer me.”
Jiang Cheng’s footsteps approached the bed.
“Cough…” Zhao E let out a cough.
Jiang Cheng’s heart stirred with excitement. He stepped onto the footrest and reached out to draw open the bed curtain: “Sister-in-law, I’m here to…”
“Bang!”
Ling Feng, hidden in the shadows, struck Jiang Cheng on the back of the head with a club.
Poor Jiang Cheng didn’t even have time to let out a scream before he swayed and collapsed to the ground.
Then, a shrill cry rang out from the room: “Someone! Help! Assault!”
A moment later, the entire Zhaoyang Yuan was ablaze with lights, servants scurried about in a flurry of commotion.