Yingshuang acknowledged the order and stepped forward, slapping Xianglan twice across the face. Zhao Yuechan, her brows furrowed in anger, snapped, "Fool! Who told you to use your hand? Fetch the bamboo paddle and strike her with that!"
Yingshuang promptly retrieved the bamboo paddle and delivered two sharp blows—smack! smack!—causing Xianglan’s cheeks to swell instantly. With further strikes, blood trickled from her nose and lips. Xianglan felt a searing pain across her face; tears and blood mingled as she suffered, nearly fainting from the agony. Overwhelmed by a sense of injustice and resentment, she thought bitterly, Zhao Yuechan is determined to use this baseless charge to kill me. If I confess, she’ll claim I’m wicked at heart and have me dragged out and beaten to death. If I don’t confess, she’ll say I’m stubborn and beat me even more harshly. I might as well grit my teeth and deny it to the end.
After more than a dozen strikes, Zhao Yuechan commanded, "Stop."
Yingshuang withdrew the paddle. Xianglan’s face was swollen beyond recognition, numb from the pain, tears and mucus streaming down. Unable to speak clearly, she kowtowed repeatedly and managed to choke out, "Please see clearly, Da Nǎinai, I truly know nothing. Even if I had a hundred times the courage, I wouldn’t dare take anything belonging to my masters."
Zhao Yuechan said coldly, "I ask you: what did Concubine Lan say to Huamei before she died? Did you hear it?"
Xianglan’s heart sank. She lifted her tear-filled eyes to look at Zhao Yuechan and thought, Zhao Yuechan is so fixated on this—it seems Concubine Lan’s death is deeply entangled in some major affair. But I already lied to Yindie, saying I heard Concubine Lan wanted to see the Eldest Master. Who knows what Yindie has been gossiping behind my back? I can’t change my story now. Bearing the pain, she mumbled indistinctly, "I didn’t hear it clearly. Concubine Lan only said she missed her parents and the Eldest Master, and regretted not being able to see them one last time before she died."
Zhao Yuechan snarled, "Still trying to deceive me! The paddle hasn’t done its job well enough!"
Xianglan kowtowed again, thump, thump, and wept, "I beg Da Nǎinai to spare me! Even if you beat me to death, I still know nothing. Someone must have been spreading lies about me to you—I want to confront them!" As she spoke, she glanced upward, her eyes seeking out Yindie.
Yindie, already terrified by Zhao Yuechan’s methods, shrank back, waving her hands frantically. "Why—why are you looking at me? You and Huamei were the only ones beside Concubine Lan when she passed… She spoke with Huamei for a long time—you must have heard!"
Xianglan, being clever, quickly pieced things together. It seems Concubine Lan had some leverage over Zhao Yuechan—probably related to that indigo-blue ledger… When Yingshuang and Chunling collided in the garden and fell, they must have grabbed the wrong books in the chaos. The ledger Zhao Yuechan lost must contain something deadly. Concubine Lan got hold of Zhao Yuechan’s secret and was driven to her death. Now Zhao Yuechan is searching for that ledger and taking the chance to eliminate me as well. Her mind racing, she pointed at Yindie and retorted, "You’re lying! You were the one standing right beside Concubine Lan, even closer than I was! I was far away and only caught vague murmurs—you should have heard everything clearly!" The words were painfully difficult to articulate due to her injuries, and tears of pain streamed down her face.
Yindie was instantly terrified, her hair standing on end. She dropped to her knees with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly. "This little wretch is talking nonsense! Da Nǎinai, I was standing far away—the maids and matrons in the room can all vouch for me… I…" She trailed off, noticing Zhao Yuechan’s darkening expression, and fell silent.Zhao Yuechan watched the two of them accusing each other, merely letting out a cold sneer. Her charming peach-blossom eyes now held only icy disdain as she said indifferently, "Keep going, you dogs biting each other—worthless slaves, all trying to deceive me. You've got some nerve. If you don't spill the beans today, neither of you will get off easy. If you provoke me, don't blame me for being ruthless—I'll sell all of you to the brothel!"
Yindie was terrified, shrinking on the ground and trembling uncontrollably.
Xianglan sobbed and choked out, "I'm truly wronged... I really didn't hear what Concubine Lan said before she passed... and I wouldn't dare steal from my mistress... If I speak a single lie, you can beat me to death, Madam..." She then burst into loud wails, hoping to attract someone to rescue her.
Zhao Yuechan pointed and scolded, "Stop howling like you're at a funeral! Gag her! You little seductress who lures men, you deserve to be beaten to death. You think the Eldest Master has plenty to offer, so you want to sneak a taste, don't you? Pah! I'll break your dog legs!" Yingshuang took a cloth and stuffed it into Xianglan's mouth. Zhao Yuechan said loudly, "Take her to the small room in the backyard and keep a close watch on her. I'll decide what to do later."
Yingshuang then called in two sturdy maids, who dragged Xianglan away. After the commotion had lasted half the day, Zhao Yuechan felt somewhat weary and was troubled that the ledger was still missing. She waved her hand at Yindie and said, "Get out. Let me rest."
Yindie kowtowed before scrambling to her feet to leave, but Zhao Yuechan shouted, "Come back!"
Yindie quickly turned around and stood with her hands at her sides, listening. Zhao Yuechan glared at her and said, "If a single word of this leaks out, it'll be on you. Remember this well: search Concubine Lan's room inside and out. If you can't find that ledger, watch out for your skin!"
Yindie shuddered in fear and hurriedly agreed before scurrying off.
Not long after, Yingshuang returned and saw Zhao Yuechan sitting on the kang, massaging her temples. She tiptoed over, poured a cup of tea, and placed it on the kang table, saying softly, "Madam, you've said such harsh things and even beat her severely, yet Xianglan still won't talk. It seems she really doesn't know what Concubine Lan said before she died..."
Zhao Yuechan frowned slightly and said, "What if she really doesn't know? That maid can't stay anyway."
Yingshuang said, "Does Madam really plan to sell her to... to..." The words "the brothel" lingered on her tongue, but she couldn't bring herself to say them.
Zhao Yuechan sneered, "The brothel? I'd like to, but that old hag is in charge now. Every move I make is being watched—it's not so easy to do as I please. In a few days, when things have settled down, while we're arranging that little wretch's funeral, I'll quietly summon a slave dealer and sell that maid to a brothel, far away. Only then will I have peace."
Yingshuang didn't dare speak, only forcing a smile. Zhao Yuechan said, "Qinglan and that bastard died just in time—not only is there no one to testify against us, but a major threat has been removed. It saves me trouble. But until that ledger is found, I can't rest easy." She leaned back on the kang, lost in thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "Go fetch paper and a brush. I need to write a letter to my cousin. Tell him to wait for me tonight or tomorrow night, at exactly hai hour, in the small passage room at the west gate of the estate."
Yingshuang wanted to advise against it, her lips twitching, but she didn't dare utter a word.
Zhao Yuechan remained lost in thought for a while, then added, "Has that little wench Huamei been up to anything?"Yingshuang promptly replied, "Bailu is keeping watch every moment—not even a fly could slip out."
Zhao Yuechan nodded and said, "In a little while, announce that some jewelry has gone missing from my room and that we need to search every chamber. Take some people and thoroughly ransack her quarters."
Yingshuang quickly assured her, "Rest assured, Madam, we will search every nook and cranny."
Setting aside the scheming between mistress and maid for now, let us turn to Huamei. While helping with the funeral arrangements in the eastern wing, she quietly retrieved the booklet from beneath the bed plank. Returning to her room, she opened it and was startled. After bolting the door, she flipped through it page by page and couldn't help but sneer repeatedly: "No wonder Qinglan sacrificed her life—it was for this thing. She was delusional to hope for such a fortune, but now it falls into my lap."
Sitting in her room, she pondered the situation from all angles, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and applied an extra layer of powder before the mirror to make her complexion appear even more haggard and pale. Concealing the booklet against her body, she summoned Xique and gave her some instructions. The two then headed toward Qin Shi's quarters.
Qiangwei happened to be standing at the doorway hanging a talisman for warding off illness from a brocade pouch. Seeing Huamei approach, she stopped her and asked, "What brings you here, miss? Madam is unwell and has just taken medicine to rest."
Huamei put on a tearful expression: "I know Madam must be heartbroken since Concubine Lan's passing and isn't feeling well, but... but I..."
Qiangwei inquired, "What troubles you, miss?"
Huamei pulled a handkerchief from her collar to dab the corners of her eyes: "I just received word from home that my father took a fall and his condition is worsening. They want me to return for a visit..." As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, and she began to sob uncontrollably.
Xique patted Huamei's back to comfort her: "Don't cry, miss, you'll make yourself ill." Then, looking up at Qiangwei, she explained, "Miss wishes to visit her family, but with Concubine Lan's recent passing, the household is in disarray, and Da Nǎinai is too unwell to receive anyone. So, miss has come to seek Madam's permission for leave."
Qiangwei replied, "This is a serious matter. Wait here a moment." She turned and went inside to find Hongjian, relaying the situation. Hongjian frowned in thought and said, "Madam has just fallen asleep, so we shouldn't disturb her over such a minor issue. If Huamei's father is in critical condition, it would be heartless to deny her visit. Let her go. According to custom, withdraw twenty taels of silver from the accounts for her to take home for medical expenses. I will inform Madam about this later."
Qiangwei received the instruction and went out to deliver the reply to Huamei.
Naturally, Huamei and her maid expressed profuse gratitude. With tears streaming, Huamei said, "My dear Madam is truly like a bodhisattva—she even provided silver. There is no one in the world more compassionate than her." After speaking, she knelt directly on the steps and kowtowed three times toward the room in reverence to Qin Shi.
Qiangwei thought to herself, "No wonder they say Huamei, the maid from the Eldest Master's quarters, is the most eloquent and capable. Seeing her today, she truly lives up to her reputation—a clever one indeed." She hurriedly helped Huamei up, saying, "The ground is cold—get up quickly."
Huamei grasped Qiangwei's hand and said, "Dear sister, Concubine Lan's death was so tragic. She and I were like sisters, and we had an indescribable bond. This feels worse than having my heart torn out. And now, hearing about my father's misfortune, my legs are trembling so much I can barely stand. I shamelessly beg you to support me for a stretch."
Qiangwei, a second-tier maid in Qin Shi's household, was inherently kind-hearted and soft-natured. Seeing Huamei in such a state, she and Xique supported her on either side, accompanying her all the way to the second gate and watching as the mistress and maid boarded the carriage before turning back.As soon as Huamei got into the carriage, her expression of sorrow and delicate fragility vanished completely. She lifted the curtain and said to the coachman, "Go quickly, and I'll double your reward."
Xique took a handkerchief and gently wiped the fragrant sweat from Huamei's temple, whispering, "Will Da Nǎinai and the others come after us?"
Leaning against the carriage compartment, Huamei took out the booklet and softly stroked it, replying calmly, "Not that fast. We’re taking advantage of her unpreparedness to slip away in the chaos. We’ll hide at home for a couple of days and return after Eldest Master comes back."
Xique hummed in agreement and picked up a fan to cool Huamei.
Huamei closed her eyes slightly.
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