Now in the Autumn-Clipping Pavilion, Qin Shi was enjoying herself with laughter and wine when Hongjian quietly entered and whispered a few words in her ear. Qin Shi’s expression immediately changed, and she promptly sent for two pills of medicine. She called Lin Dongqi into the inner room and, without any explanation, forced her to swallow them. Before long, Lin Dongqi indeed broke out in red itchy welts all over her body, painful and itchy, with her eyelids swelling as well. Qin Shi was heartbroken, holding her daughter in her arms and rubbing her repeatedly, clasping her hands together and saying, "Amitabha, thank goodness she took the medicine in advance. Otherwise, if her throat had swollen and she couldn’t breathe, what would we have done?" Then, gritting her teeth in fury, she added, "That wretched Cao Lihuan actually used such a vicious method to harm my daughter. And to think I once showed her mercy..."
Lin Dongqi sobbed and cried, "I’ve never had any grudge against her. Even when Third Sister and Fourth Sister deliberately targeted her, I mediated and helped her out. How could she harbor such malicious intent to harm me?"
Qin Shi narrowed her eyes. Cao Lihuan was nothing but an ungrateful wolf. She had taken her in out of pity, and Cao Lihuan, knowing how to ingratiate herself, had won the favor of the Old Madam and Madam. Now that she had harmed Qi, even with a maid as a witness, Cao Lihuan was always skilled at making excuses. If not handled carefully, they might end up with the blame themselves. Qin Shi was now determined to rid the household of this troublemaker, but she needed to plan meticulously.
Fortunately, the earlier drinking and merriment had already concluded. As Qin Shi was seeing off the guests, Lulan approached and whispered, "It seems something has happened in Miss Huan’s courtyard... I heard from the Eldest Master... that Miss Huan has been having an affair with one of the servants. That servant took advantage of the commotion in the mansion today to sneak in and, after drinking, mistook a maid for the young lady and tried to assault her. Luckily, the Eldest Master happened upon the scene and stopped it. The Eldest Master said he has already broken both of the servant’s legs, and he’s lying in the courtyard now. He’s come to seek Madam’s instructions."
Upon hearing this, Qin Shi’s eyes gleamed with excitement. It was as if a pillow had been delivered just as she was about to sleep. She hurriedly asked, "What about the maid who was assaulted?" Seeing Lulan hesitate and falter in her reply, Qin Shi hastily summoned Lin Jinlou. As soon as she saw him, she said sternly, "You little rascal, don’t try to fool your mother. What exactly is going on?"
Lin Jinlou chuckled lightly, "I was strolling around the west side of the mansion today when I heard someone shouting for help. I went to check and saw a servant dragging a young maid by the leg into a room, clearly intending to assault her. In broad daylight, it was a disgrace to the Lin family, so of course I had to intervene. Upon questioning, I found out the servant was Cao Lihuan’s, and the maid was one assigned to Cao Lihuan by our Lin family. It turns out the despicable servant had taken a liking to the maid but feared he couldn’t have her, so Cao Lihuan gave him the idea to force himself on her first."
Qin Shi was furious, her eyes blazing. She slammed the table with a "smack" and exclaimed, "Outrageous! To think of such a vile, despicable method—she has no sense of propriety, shame, or morality! That black-hearted, lowly creature! What does she take the Lin family for?"
Lin Jinlou sneered, "Exactly. Since she wants to be despicable, we’ll let her have her fill of it. I’ve told Shuangxier to spread the word that the servant was Cao Lihuan’s lover, who, after drinking too much, mistakenly harassed the maid."
Qin Shi was taken aback. Her eldest son was exceptionally clever, cunning, and ruthless, not hesitating to dump such a large bucket of filth on Cao Lihuan. Though she found it satisfying, she also felt it was rather merciless.Lin Jinlou seemed to read Qin Shi’s thoughts, his lips curling into a mocking smile. "She’s just an orphan girl who came seeking refuge, yet she dares to scheme against us, acting as if the Lin family belongs to her. She’s stirred up chaos in the inner household. As a man, I don’t like meddling in women’s affairs, but even I feel that Mother has grown too soft-hearted—where is the decisiveness she once had? If we don’t use harsh measures to teach her a lesson, she’ll think she’s someone important, capable of manipulating our entire family at will… Don’t worry, Mother. Someone like her, even if her reputation is ruined, would never seek death. In a couple of years, when the gossip dies down, she’ll strut about and stir up trouble again. And even if she threatens suicide over this and can’t marry, so what? Kicking her out would be letting her off too lightly."
Qin Shi sighed, acknowledging that her son made sense. Over the years, she had cultivated virtue and accumulated good deeds, and with children by her side, her heart had softened. She often left room for compromise and had mostly issued warnings to Cao Lihuan, unwilling to resort to severe measures. Now, however, she had nurtured a tiger that threatened to devour her. If not for the little maid’s tip-off and her decision to have Qi take medicine in advance, an outbreak of illness might have cost her daughter’s life. Resolving herself, her expression turned stern as she asked, "You said that maid is from our household? Is her name Xianglan?"
Lin Jinlou was slightly surprised. "How did you know, Mother?"
Qin Shi breathed a sigh of relief. "So it’s true. Where is she?"
Lin Jinlou ordered someone to summon Xianglan. Xianglan had been standing outside Qin Shi’s main room, clutching a small bundle, her heart filled with anxiety. Hearing the summons, she hurried inside, careful not to let her eyes wander, and promptly knelt to kowtow. "Greetings to Madam."
Qin Shi studied her intently. She was a pretty young maid who seemed terrified—her face pale, eyes swollen and red, her body trembling slightly, evoking a sense of pity. Yet Qin Shi disliked such delicate-looking girls, as they often schemed to climb into men’s beds.
Already somewhat displeased, Qin Shi still spoke gently, "Your name is Xianglan, isn’t it? Poor child, you look so frail. Rise quickly."
Xianglan kowtowed once more before standing up.
Qin Shi said kindly, "We owe today’s outcome to you—not just this matter, but also the earlier incident with Brother Ting. I must reward you generously." She glanced at Hongjian, who immediately took out a small pouch and pressed it into Xianglan’s hand.
Xianglan felt its weight—it was heavy and hard, likely filled with silver or gold. Yet she felt no joy, only tears as she pleaded, "This servant seeks no reward. I only beg not to serve Miss Huan anymore. I’d rather work like an ox or a horse."
Qin Shi nodded slightly, picked up the peony-patterned porcelain cup from the plum-blossom side table, and gently blew on the tea leaves, speaking with deliberate slowness, "I’ve heard that Miss Huan often calls a young servant boy to her courtyard. Is that true?"Xianglan's heart skipped a beat. She looked up and met Qin Shi's ambiguous smile, her mind racing. Reading between the lines of Qin Shi's question, she understood the implication. Though she loathed Cao Lihuan to the core, her upright nature prevented her from framing anyone. With Qin Shi having steered the conversation this far, Xianglan hesitated for a long moment before finally saying, "Miss Huan often calls Si Shunr into the courtyard, sometimes even closing the door to talk privately. As for what they discuss, I truly don't know."
This statement was factual, but Qin Shi felt that "often coming to the courtyard" and "closing the door to talk privately" alone weren't sufficient. She added, "I've heard some unsavory rumors about Miss Huan. The servants gossip that she and Si Shunr have some improper relationship. This matter..."
Xianglan understood perfectly—this was baseless, and Qin Shi wanted her to serve as a witness. However, she couldn't bring herself to fabricate accusations. Moreover, her previous reports to the masters were for self-preservation and conscience; this time, she refused to be the one to step forward. Adopting a meek demeanor, she bowed her head and said dutifully, "Si Shunr has a bad reputation. I've heard from Huier and others that he indulges in drinking, eating, and visiting brothels—hardly a decent man. When he comes to the estate, he often leers at the maids. As for him and Miss Huan... I only work on embroidery and cleaning in the back, never venturing to the front, so I'm unaware."
Qin Shi remained silent for a while, but Lin Jinlou suddenly laughed and said, "That's fine. Going too far is as bad as not going far enough."
Exchanging a glance with Lin Jinlou and nodding slightly, Qin Shi stood and said to Xianglan, "Come with me to see Old Madam. Repeat what you just said to her, and you'll be rewarded upon return."
Xianglan repeatedly agreed.
Qin Shi then went in to check on Lin Dongqi, who had taken medicine and was already asleep. Coming out, she didn't change her clothes but tousled her hair slightly to make it disheveled. She sprinkled some osmanthus oil on a handkerchief and dabbed it around her eyes, instantly making them tear up. With her chief maid Hongjian and Xianglan following behind, she hurried urgently to Old Madam Lin's main quarters.
Old Madam Lin had just woken from her nap. Earlier, Qin Shi had sent word that Lin Dongqi had broken out in red rashes all over her body. Worried, Old Madam Lin had dispatched several maids and matrons to check and even wanted to go herself but was persuaded by Xuezhan and others. Hearing that Qin Shi had arrived, she quickly had her brought in. At the sight of Qin Shi, she asked immediately, "How is the second girl?" Noticing Qin Shi's disheveled hair, red and swollen eyes, and frequent wiping of tears, she exclaimed in alarm, "What exactly has happened to the second girl?"
Qin Shi rushed to Old Madam Lin's side and knelt with a thud, clutching the old woman's legs as she wept, "I beg you, Old Madam, to uphold justice for your daughter-in-law."
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