"Who exactly have I offended?" Zhan Feiyu's voice was filled with gritted teeth.
If it were the old master sending assassins, whether it was a conspiracy or an open scheme, it would be a direct attempt on her life. But with wild boars and venomous snakes, Zhan Feiyu shivered at the thought.
He Sheng and He Nuan exchanged glances, then turned and entered the room.
"Miss," He Sheng bowed to Zhan Feiyu before reporting, "the person behind this is Madam Xiang. Madam Xiang hails from the Li family of Qianzhong Road, and this branch of the Li people are skilled in controlling poisonous insects and beasts."
The Xiang family were merchants, and their business had grown significantly over the years, largely due to Madam Xiang's clansmen. Although the methods of using poisons and蛊虫 were despicable, they were effective.
Perhaps it was because the Xiang family was so unscrupulous in their business dealings, but Lord Xiang and Madam Xiang now only had one son, Xiang Changshou, and he was a sickly child. Madam Xiang was overbearing and naturally forbade Lord Xiang from taking concubines.
However, while Lord Xiang outwardly appeared to be henpecked, he secretly kept several mistresses. Unfortunately, these beautiful concubines had only given Lord Xiang three illegitimate daughters, dooming the Xiang family to have no male heirs.
"Why would Madam Xiang send people to assassinate me?" Zhan Feiyu was full of surprise. While she wasn't a saint, she wasn't a wicked person either. She had only heard a few mentions of the Xiang family from Qiu Jingyuan before, and this enmity seemed inexplicable.
He Sheng had also interrogated the captured Li tribesmen to get the answer. He said grimly, "Madam Xiang wanted to bring good fortune to Xiang Changshou. When Qiu Jingyuan's uncle's wife, Madam Xu, accidentally learned of this news, she bribed the abbot of Changhua Temple..."
When the Xiang family's servants went to the temple to donate incense money, they learned from a young monk that Qiu Jingyuan's astrological chart was exceptionally good, indicating a destiny to bring prosperity to her husband.
Upon hearing this, Madam Xiang personally visited Changhua Temple. The abbot matched Qiu Jingyuan's and Xiang Changshou's birth charts, stating that Miss Qiu's destiny was noble, one of earthly nourishment and heavenly harmony, and a sign of wealth and status. However, her birth chart lacked metal, and she had a noble person who would help her leave her family and establish her own.
Zhan Feiyu had only a superficial understanding of astrological divination. After hearing He Sheng's explanation, she asked with confusion, "Does this mean Qiu Jingyuan has great fortune, but the third branch of the Qiu family cannot bear it, and she will only prosper herself and her husband by leaving the Qiu family?"
"Precisely. Madam Xiang then invited an official matchmaker to their home." He Sheng also didn't understand. Although Madam Xiang was a woman of the inner chambers, she also managed the Xiang family's business, and her clansmen only obeyed her commands.
Yet, despite her understanding, Madam Xiang still believed the abbot of Changhua Temple's prophecy. He Sheng glanced at Zhan Feiyu, who was listening with great interest, as if it were just a story.
"A few days ago, Madam Xu sent someone to the Xiang family to inform Madam Xiang that the marriage was called off, and Qiu Jingyuan had already agreed to marry Jiao Lianyu." He Sheng had not finished speaking when Zhan Feiyu was so shocked that she almost spat out her tea. He Nuan's hand, which was holding the teapot, also trembled twice. It was likely that no one had expected this turn of events.
Taking a handkerchief to wipe the tea from the corner of her mouth, Zhan Feiyu stared with wide, curious eyes, wishing she could know what had happened in the past two days immediately. "Qiu Jingyuan is the daughter of a criminal. How could Prefect Jiao agree to this marriage?"
Even setting aside her status as the daughter of a criminal, considering Qiu Jingyuan's actions before the decline of the third branch, even if Prefect Jiao were blind when choosing a wife for Jiao Lianyu, he would never have chosen Qiu Jingyuan.
This was a ruthless character. If she entered the Jiao residence, it would lead to unrest at best, and ruin and death at worst. Jiao Lianping's wife, Madam Chen, who appeared weepy and weak, devoted to her husband, was capable of arranging for Zhao Yuan to assassinate Jiao Lianyu.
Compared to Qiu Jingyuan, Madam Chen was a mere trifle. Madam Chen had only acted once, thinking to strike while the iron was hot and kill Jiao Lianyu, after which the Jiao family would belong to Jiao Lianping.
But if it were Qiu Jingyuan, Zhan Feiyu estimated that she wouldn't just send someone to assassinate Jiao Lianping; she would go all out and eliminate Madam Jiao, Madam Chen, and even Jiao Lianping's son, thus eliminating all future troubles.
"The abbot of Changhua Temple's prophecy for Qiu Jingyuan somehow spread, and many families were interested. After hearing this, Madam Jiao sent someone to arrange the marriage for Jiao Lianyu with an official matchmaker. The two families have already exchanged tokens and birth charts," He Sheng informed Zhan Feiyu of the news she had just gathered from the Jiao residence.
In fact, it was more than that. Madam Jiao was a woman of decisive action. Besides the public birth charts and tokens, Jiao Lianyu's room also contained a sachet embroidered by Qiu Jingyuan herself, two handkerchiefs, and a pair of shoes.
The third branch of the Qiu family received a jade pendant that Jiao Lianyu always wore, along with several poems and a painting. If the marriage were to succeed, it would be fine. But if it failed, this would be considered a private arrangement, and Qiu Jingyuan would lose her reputation, as would Jiao Lianyu, the scholar. His future prospects in the imperial examinations would likely be difficult.
He Sheng spoke for nearly fifteen minutes before finishing the story. Seeing this, He Nuan poured a cup of tea and handed it over, saying coldly, "Madam Xiang blames Miss for the failed marriage?"
Zhan Feiyu smiled playfully. It was likely that as soon as Qiu Jingyuan left the villa, Madam Xu sent someone to the Xiang family to report the failed marriage. Madam Xiang, capable of sending assassins, was probably impulsive and easily angered, likely believing that Zhan Feiyu had interfered with the marriage.
...
What He Sheng could investigate, the government and the families of Qianzhong Prefecture could also investigate. In the end, Madam Xiang's actions were full of flaws, and even a single constable from the yamen could have clarified the entire affair.
Early in the morning, Zhan Feiyu, with dark circles under her eyes, had a puffed-up face. Her black hair was let down, making her appear childish.
Worried about the coolness of the morning, He Nuan moved the ice basin to a corner. "Miss, do you want to sleep a little longer?"
Shaking her head like a rattle drum, Zhan Feiyu rubbed her temples with a look of despair. As expected, all the venomous snakes, pythons, and water snakes from last night had entered her dreams. The thought of falling into a snake pit in her dream made Zhan Feiyu's head ache even more. "A Nuan, I'll have snake soup today."
He Nuan, who was pouring water into the basin, trembled, and the bronze basin fell to the ground with a clang, spilling water everywhere.
Almost simultaneously, a voice sounded from outside the window, "Miss?"
Zhan Feiyu chuckled heartily and called out to the outside, "It's fine, A Nuan accidentally dropped the basin."
He Nuan looked helplessly at the smiling Zhan Feiyu. She had lit a calming incense last night, but He Nuan, who was on watch, had also noticed that Zhan Feiyu had not slept soundly, which was why she had slept until the end of the Mao hour.
"This is fighting poison with poison!" Zhan Feiyu giggled. In reality, the dreams last night were too real and terrifying. Now that she was awake, recalling the events of the day made them less frightening. After all, she had even entered a snake pit, so why should she be afraid of small snakes that might appear from a corner at any time?
An hour later.
He Sheng, after killing the snakes and skinning them, looked back at He Nuan. "Miss really wants to eat snake soup?"
It wasn't that He Sheng was questioning her; the young lady had been terrified yesterday, even doing her studies and writing while squatting on a chair. A Nuan had sprinkled medicinal powder all over and around the villa, and snake repellent sachets were hung everywhere in Miss's bedroom and study. Yet, after a whole night, Miss was so fierce that she wanted to eat snake soup.
He Nuan looked expressionlessly at the bloody snakes hanging from the branches. She dared to kill snakes herself, but eating snake soup still felt a bit unsettling.
...
Jiao Lianping and Qiu Huaixin were both well-known young gentlemen from official families in Qianzhong Prefecture, but the two had rarely interacted.
Jiao Lianping was merely the eldest son of a fourth-rank prefect, and he was not good at studying and had no great achievements. Therefore, Jiao Lianping's associates were the equally untalented sons of officials from the prefectural yamen.
Qiu Huaixin's status was much more noble; he was the youngest son of Prefect Qiu, the Provincial Administration Commissioner. Although Qiu Huaixin also lacked talent in his studies, he was a full brother to Qiu Bingde. When Qiu Bingde inherited the family business, Qiu Huaixin's status and position would remain unchanged.
Furthermore, Qiu Huaixin was good friends with Jiao Lianyu, so he naturally looked down on the arrogant and conceited Jiao Lianping. However, neither of them expected to meet at the entrance of the villa today.
"Tsk tsk, Prefect Jiao, traveling with injuries. Aren't you afraid of leaving scars on your face and having no future in officialdom?" Qiu Huaixin, seated on his horse, taunted Jiao Lianping, who had dismounted from his carriage.
Jiao Lianping cupped his hands in a greeting, but his attitude was perfunctory. He held his head high, showing no intention of flattering Qiu Huaixin. "Thank you for your concern, Third Young Master. It's just a flesh wound. Miss Zhan gave me excellent medicine, making it difficult to even leave a scar. You must be disappointed!"
"Are you using Zhan Feiyu to suppress me?" Qiu Huaixin, looking down from his superior position, scoffed. He looked at Jiao Lianping with disdain and mockery. "I thought Prefect Jiao was a proud and arrogant person, but I didn't expect him to be just a sycophant."
Jiao Lianping had always looked down on his half-brother Jiao Lianyu, and when he occasionally mentioned him, it was with disdain and contempt, as if mentioning a concubine's son lowered his own status. Yet today, he had come to the villa to curry favor with a young girl like Zhan Feiyu.