Xie Mingyue rubbed her temples and let out a soft sigh. This headache had plagued her since childhood, and it was still here.
She took a sip of hot tea to soothe the pain and looked back at Qi Jinshan. Once he had stepped in, things had become much simpler. She had previously assumed he had gotten where he was by relying on the Marquis Estate’s influence, but it now seemed that Qi Jinshan was a man of considerable capability in his own right.
The scent of tea wafted through the air. As she frowned slightly, Qi Jinshan noticed. He calmly picked up his tea bowl, sniffed it for a moment, and called for Yujiang.
"Bring the Taiping Houkui tea from my room to the Madam."
Xie Mingyue was stunned. This was her favorite tea, a precious imperial offering that the Shunqing Marquis Estate did not even possess. As a close official to the Emperor, Qi Jinshan naturally had access to some, but how did he know she loved it? She hadn't even realized she had revealed such a trivial detail herself.
The entire room watched as Qi Jinshan paid no mind to their presence, concerned only with Xie Mingyue’s tea. Once she began sipping the Taiping Houkui, Qi Jinshan resumed his interrogation. His investigation was swift and relentless; within moments, all testimony and evidence pointed directly at Xie Wanqing.
"May I ask the Marchioness, on what basis did you conclude that Mingyue was the one who poisoned her?"
Everyone could tell that Qi Jinshan was furious. Madam Luo, seeing her daughter-in-law’s shameful deeds exposed, twitched her lips in frustration and found herself unable to utter a word. The hall fell into a silence so deep a needle could be heard dropping.
Only Xie Mingyue, watching his grim brows, saw an opportunity. Hidden by her cloak and the tea table, she reached out under Qi Jinshan’s sleeve and gently scratched his palm. She didn't want him to make himself sick with rage; such an impressive husband needed to be well-preserved so he could keep earning his salary for her for many years to come.
Feeling the strange sensation in his palm, Qi Jinshan’s icy expression faltered. He cast a glance at her, his eyes carrying a fierce edge. Xie Mingyue quickly withdrew her hand and sat up with composure.
"Since..." she smiled lightly, and the invisible killing intent radiating from Qi Jinshan dissipated instantly. "My sister-in-law hates me so much, how about I return the favor in kind?"
Xie Mingyue spoke in a light, casual tone. Qi Jinshan picked up his teacup and set it back down. The sharp "clack" echoed through the hall, making Xie Wanqing shudder; she was suddenly too terrified to speak.
Madam Luo could no longer stand it. She was the Marchioness, after all, and even if that low-born Madam Yun had attained equal footing through her son, Luo was still the legal wife. How could a man like Qi Jinshan interfere in the affairs of the inner court? The inner court was her domain.
"Let’s just leave it at that," she said, trying to smooth things over. "Xiuyu will be back in the capital soon. If something were to happen to Wanqing now, what would he think? Should he come home after two years away only to see his wife suffering?"
She tried to play the peacemaker. "I will make the decision: let Wanqing turn the First Branch’s account books over to you. You can manage the First Branch’s household affairs from now on as an apology. How about that?"
She knew that whenever Qi Xiuyu was mentioned, Qi Jinshan and Xie Mingyue would argue. By adding the account books—which Xie Mingyue had never bothered with and surely couldn't manage well—she figured Xie Mingyue would be forced to swallow the bitter pill once again.
To her surprise, Xie Mingyue retorted immediately: "That’s an interesting thing for you to say, Marchioness. Does this mean the Heir Apparent's wife cannot be harmed, but your son's wife can?"
She glanced at Qi Jinshan. "Husband, it seems that being your wife means I am meant to be inferior to others."
Madam Luo’s face darkened instantly. "Don't talk nonsense!"
Qi Jinshan was a powerful official, while the Shunqing Marquis was merely a figurehead. Even his own father had to treat him with deference now, let alone anyone else. Xie Mingyue was clearly using Qi Jinshan’s influence to intimidate the Second Branch.
Xie Mingyue remained unmoved. Qi Jinshan looked at her slowly, catching a glimmer of mischief in her moist, almond-shaped eyes. Perhaps because the word "husband" sounded so pleasant, he found that he wasn't actually angry—not even when her name was mentioned alongside Qi Xiuyu's.
He curled his lip slightly and said in a low voice, "The state has its laws, and the family has its rules. Whether Xiuyu returns or not, if my sister-in-law has done wrong, she should face the family law. If she refuses, we will apply state law—I will take her to the Court of Judicial Review myself."
Xie Wanqing’s mouth hung open. She hadn't expected this couple to gang up on her, threatening to throw her in prison with just a few words. Realizing her plan to deal with Xie Mingyue had failed, she immediately humbled herself, kneeling before Qi Jinshan and exposing her slender white neck in a display of fragility.
"I failed to discipline my servants, leading them to poison my sister-in-law. I am willing to accept the family law. I beg you, Elder Brother, for the sake of not airing our dirty laundry, please give me a chance."
A cold, ruthless look flashed across Qi Jinshan's eyes.
"Jinshan, if the family law is applied, will your sister-in-law even survive? She was wrong, yes, but you are always so strict with your cases; why be like this with family?" Madam Yun, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up.
Xie Mingyue knew that Xie Wanqing was adept at wheedling the elders. She hadn't expected her to have successfully turned Madam Yun against the First Branch to defend the Second Branch. She was quite talented indeed.
As soon as Madam Yun spoke, Xie Mingyue went silent. It was said that Madam Yun and Qi Jinshan had struggled on their own for years, doing all manner of menial labor before they were finally found by the Marquis. Their bond was deep. Xie Mingyue didn't dare cross Madam Yun until she had a better grasp of the situation.
With his mother speaking, Qi Jinshan’s gaze shifted. "Then how do you think it should be handled, Mother?"
"The Heir Apparent is about to return. You must prioritize brotherly harmony. In my opinion, let Wanqing experience the same feeling as Mingyue when she was poisoned, and then have her apologize to Mingyue. As for the family law, it’s too bloody—let's skip it."
Madam Yun was not yet fifty, but her eyes held the weariness of the hardships she had endured. Compared to the well-preserved Madam Luo, she had the air of a truly compassionate mother. "Mingyue, you have been wronged today. I will give you a box of my own private funds as compensation. A harmonious family is a prosperous one; for the sake of this household, let this matter end here."
Her words left no room for argument. To push further would make Qi Jinshan seem unbrotherly and Xie Mingyue seem unaccommodating.
Xie Mingyue thought it over. Xie Wanqing was the Heir Apparent's wife; nothing truly severe could happen to her anyway. Getting back the management of the household, gaining a box of private funds, and seeing Xie Wanqing punished was already a good outcome. Most importantly, after today’s events, the entire estate would know that she was no longer the shrinking violet she once was. If anyone wanted to move against her again, they would have to think twice.
She, Xie Mingyue, knew how to play a good hand beautifully.
Under Qi Jinshan’s nod, a servant quickly brought a bowl of Throat-Breaking Powder. Its toxicity was mild—enough to make one vomit blood, but not fatal. In front of everyone, Xie Wanqing drank the powder with red eyes. Her throat immediately felt as if it were being seared by a hot blade.
"Ah..."
She let out a sharp cry and collapsed, vomiting blood and breaking into a cold sweat. Watching her, Qi Jinshan couldn't help but wonder how much pain Xie Mingyue must have been in.
Xie Mingyue, meanwhile, touched her own throat, feeling surprised. After Xie Wanqing finished vomiting, she couldn't even speak, yet Xie Mingyue’s own throat felt perfectly fine.
Wutong noticed and leaned into her ear, whispering, "Madam, when you were poisoned, the Eldest Young Master specifically used the imperial-gifted Lirong Dew to wash it out. That is why you felt no discomfort when you woke up."
Xie Mingyue realized the truth then, and her gaze toward Qi Jinshan warmed significantly.
After Xie Wanqing finished vomiting, she unwillingly knelt before Xie Mingyue to apologize. "Sister-in-law, today’s matter was due to my poor management of my servants. I hope you can forgive me."
Xie Mingyue smiled. "I don't think I need to tell you how to deal with such disloyal servants, do I?"
The two who had been exposed were Xie Wanqing’s trusted maid and a manservant she had brought from her own family—her right and left hands. The thought of losing them made Xie Wanqing’s heart bleed.
She knelt in agony before Xie Mingyue and forced herself to say, "Take them away, give them twenty lashes each, and sell them off."
Twenty lashes would likely leave nothing but skin and bone; that was a death sentence. The maid and servant began to wail, but Xie Wanqing turned her head away and fainted.
Qi Jinshan ignored the scene and rose to leave. Xie Mingyue couldn't be bothered with Xie Wanqing either. She wanted to return to her quarters, but seeing Qi Jinshan’s back, she felt she should thank him. But a simple "thank you" felt too thin—what else could she do? She didn't understand the ways of a married couple and felt at a loss.
Wutong noticed and quietly offered a suggestion: "Madam, why not invite the Eldest Young Master to dine in your quarters? He has been so busy with your affairs today that he hasn't even had lunch."
Dine together? Xie Mingyue was reluctant. Being in front of Qi Jinshan always kept her on edge, for fear of saying something that might provoke him. But then she thought: they weren't close, yet he had worked so hard for her. She should try to overcome her discomfort.
Xie Mingyue caught up to Qi Jinshan.
"Husband," she said, looking at his large, articulate hands. Recalling how he had gripped her hands when she first woke up, she suddenly asked, on a whim, "Why did you marry me in the first place?"
At those words, Qi Jinshan stopped in his tracks.