The Crown Prince said, "This maid is quite spirited, evoking some pity from me. It's truly lamentable that she had to die like this. Since the maid has already paid with her life, and Young Master Xia is not entirely blameless, I, being soft-hearted, will not punish him severely given his young age. He is merely barred from entering official service for three years. I will report everything I saw and heard today verbatim to His Majesty the Emperor. Marquis Xia, you’d best tread carefully." With that, his expression shifted, shedding all traces of his earlier levity, and he swept out of the room in displeasure.
Ye Li paused briefly before following him out.
Yu Ya helped Xia Jun into the inner quarters, with Xia Cheng accompanying them. Jiang Susu and Xia Yan hurried after them as well. The maids and servants scattered, some leaving, others dispersing, until soon, not a soul remained in the hall.
Jiang Ruan walked over to the blood-soaked body of Shuxiang, gazing calmly at the wide-eyed, unseeing maid. She remarked coolly, "It's good that your eyes are open. On your journey to the underworld, should you become a vengeful ghost, don’t target the wrong person."
As she turned around, she found herself face-to-face with a strikingly handsome and imposing figure. Xiao Shao’s icy gaze settled on her, their proximity so close that she could hear his indifferent assessment: "Too much malice."
Jiang Ruan took a step back and smiled in return. "What concern is it of yours?"
Xiao Shao looked down at her. Though Jiang Ruan was tall for her age among young women, she barely reached his chest. Unfazed by her words, he merely offered a cold warning: "Xia Cheng won’t let you off."
"There are plenty in this world who won’t let me off," Jiang Ruan met his gaze squarely, "yet I’m still alive." She smiled faintly. "Your Highness has enough troubles of your own—why spare the effort to worry about others?"
Xiao Shao paused. In court, people revered him, feared him, flattered him—yet countless others sought to harm him. His circumstances bore an uncanny resemblance to those of the Jiang family’s legitimate daughter. But he had never feared, even when surrounded by danger, because... He gave a faint smile and said coolly, "This prince has the means to protect himself. Do you?"
"Your Highness need not trouble yourself over Jiang Ruan," she replied, maintaining a cautious distance. Once bitten, twice shy—he had once saved Jiang Susu. Who knew what his true intentions were? Anyone connected to Jiang Susu was, without hesitation, classified as an enemy—even the Jinying Wang. "As for whether I have the means to protect myself, didn’t Your Highness see it clearly enough?" After a moment’s thought, she added, "Though fence-sitters may thrive in this world, they are ultimately despised. Once you’ve chosen a side, don’t waver—lest you end up pleasing neither." With that, she strode past him without another glance.
Xiao Shao remained where he stood. Jiang Ruan’s words had been a warning against fence-sitting, and he understood that well. Ye Feng, standing nearby, remarked, "This Eldest Miss Jiang is truly insolent. Your Highness offered kindness, yet she responded with sarcasm."
"Ye Feng," Xiao Shao cut him off. "Return to the estate."
Inside the room, Yu Ya was silently wiping away tears while Xia Cheng’s expression darkened. After a glance at Xia Jun’s pallid face, Xia Cheng finally erupted in fury, pointing at Jiang Susu. "Wretched girl, kneel!"
Jiang Susu’s heart raced as she instinctively moved closer to Xia Yan, who shielded her protectively. "Father, what are you doing?" Xia Yan asked softly.
"Don’t think I don’t know! Why would Jun'er go to the ancestral hall for no reason last night? It was all this wretched girl’s doing! And now, look—Jiang Ruan is unscathed, while your cousin has fallen into someone else’s trap!"Xia Jun frowned, while Yu Ya let out a sharp scream, her gaze toward Jiang Susu instantly changing: "Is this true?"
Jiang Susu avoided her aunt's piercing stare and said, "This was something Cousin agreed to himself. Besides, I only asked him to comfort Da Jiejie. If Cousin hadn't harbored such thoughts, how could things have escalated to this point?"
Hearing this, Xia Jun's expression darkened, and he snorted coldly, "Comfort? You laced the incense burner with an aphrodisiac, did you really think no one would find out?" This was something he had pieced together afterward. At the time, the ancestral hall had been filled with smoke, and he had assumed it was just the usual incense. But later, when he lost control, he immediately realized something was amiss.
Yu Ya could no longer restrain herself. She rushed forward, pulled Xia Yan aside, and slapped Jiang Susu hard across the face. The force of the blow sent Jiang Susu stumbling, and the veil covering her face fell away, revealing half of her disfigured face. She shrieked, clutching her cheek, and cried out, "What are you doing?"
"What am I doing?" Yu Ya, now completely shedding her usual dignified and graceful noblewoman demeanor, looked as if she wanted to tear Jiang Susu apart. "You schemed against Jun'er and even used an aphrodisiac—do you have no shame at all?"
"Second Sister-in-law!" Xia Yan shielded Jiang Susu behind her. "You're going too far! Jun'er shares some responsibility in this too. How can you blame Su Su entirely?"
Shen Rou was at a loss, never expecting that Jiang Susu, a sheltered young lady, would resort to such underhanded methods. Nor had she imagined that Xia Yan, usually so gentle, would bare her claws like an enraged tigress.
"Enough!" Xia Cheng could no longer hold back. Pointing at Jiang Susu, he berated her, "You fool! You lack the skill but still try to harm others—your pathetic tricks are laughable! You can't match Jiang Ruan's cunning, yet you fell for her schemes. Fool!"
Though Xia Yan was displeased with Xia Cheng's words about Jiang Susu, she had always feared him and didn't dare speak up. But Xia Cheng's remark about "not matching Jiang Ruan" struck a nerve in Jiang Susu. Without thinking, she retorted, "Grandfather is right—I can't compare to Jiang Ruan, and I lack cunning. But what about Grandfather's own methods? The pastries? Weren't they exposed just the same, humiliated in front of the Crown Prince and the Eighth Prince? Is Grandfather not a fool too?"
Xia Yan gasped and quickly covered Jiang Susu's mouth, but Jiang Susu glared hatefully at Xia Cheng. Furious beyond measure, Xia Cheng kicked Jiang Susu aside, panting heavily. "You wretched girl, get out! First thing tomorrow, take your Jiang family and get out of my Xia residence! I disown you as my daughter and you as my granddaughter!"
"Grandfather!" Jiang Chao, who had been silently fuming, quickly interjected, "My sister spoke out of haste—she didn’t mean to offend you. I apologize on her behalf!"
Since inheriting his title, Xia Cheng had grown accustomed to flattery and had never been openly challenged. Jiang Susu's words had struck a raw nerve, and in his rage, he found the entire Jiang family intolerable. Without even glancing at Jiang Chao, he sneered, "I doubt she ever held me in any regard as her grandfather!" With that, he stormed off.Jiang Susu was kicked by Xia Cheng and fell to the ground, covering her face in silence, her gaze as venomous as a snake's. Yu Ya walked up to her and said coldly, "This matter is far from over. You harmed my Jun'er, ruining his chance to enter officialdom for three years. If you don’t give me a proper explanation, I’ll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life. Don’t say your aunt didn’t spare you any face!" With that, she supported Xia Jun and left without another glance at Jiang Susu or her mother.
At this point, Shen Rou found it awkward to stay any longer. She smiled and said, "I’ll go check on Jiaojiao," then departed as well. Had the two young masters of the Xia Family been present, who knew how the situation might have escalated.
Left alone in the room, Jiang Susu suddenly burst into loud sobs, covering her face. "Mother, Mother, how could they treat me like this!"
Though Xia Yan was also furious that Jiang Susu had acted recklessly and fallen into Jiang Ruan’s trap, she couldn’t help but feel heartache for her daughter’s pitiable state. She pulled Jiang Susu into her arms. "It’s my fault. I had hoped your grandfather would help frame Jiang Ruan, but I never expected her to be so cunning. Su Su, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let that wretch live in the first place. Six years ago, I should have sent her to join her short-lived mother in the underworld. Now, my poor Su Su has suffered for it."
"Jiang Ruan is no simple opponent," Jiang Chao interjected darkly. "Now Grandfather is displeased with Sister, and Second Uncle’s family holds a grudge against us. What should we do now?"
"Don’t worry, Chao’er, don’t worry," Xia Yan wiped Jiang Susu’s tears. "I still have a plan. I’ll make sure that wretch never rises again."
In another room, Jiang Ruan was drinking tea with Lianqiao. She had brought two maids with her, but now only one remained—a lamentable turn of events. Noticing Lianqiao’s unusual silence, Jiang Ruan asked, "Do you think I’m cruel?"
Lianqiao was taken aback. "Why would you say that, Miss?"
"Shuxiang died because of me. I had the chance to save her, yet I remained silent. Do you think I was too ruthless?" Jiang Ruan pressed.
Lianqiao paused before understanding her meaning. She knelt before Jiang Ruan and bowed her head. "This servant has never thought that way. Though Shuxiang died tragically, she brought it upon herself. Had you not acted as you did last night, the one lying dead in the hall today might have been you, Miss. You are my mistress, and I serve you for life. If anything were to happen to you, I would never be happy again." Her tone was light, her words crisp and resolute. "You are not cruel, Miss, and please don’t ever think you are. I can see the true intentions of the Jiang and Xia Families. Surviving here is already difficult enough—why should you hesitate in your methods? It’s all self-preservation. They were the ones who acted without mercy first. How can they blame you for repaying them in kind?"
"Rise," Jiang Ruan sighed softly. "The waters here run too deep, and I never wished to drag you all into this. But after today’s events, you’ve seen for yourself—from now on, such things will happen often. Staying vigilant will do you good."Lianqiao's nose tingled with emotion as she responded softly and stood up. Since Jiang Ruan had returned to the Jiang residence, many tasks had been entrusted to Luzhu. It wasn't that Lianqiao didn't have her own thoughts—Luzhu was a second-rank maid, yet she seemed to enjoy Jiang Ruan's trust more than even the first-rank maids. But after experiencing the genuine danger at the Xia residence, those slight feelings of unease instantly dissipated. She raised her head to look at Jiang Ruan. Having grown up with her, they had accompanied Jiang Ruan since she was an innocent young lady of a noble family, through the pain of losing her mother, the bullying at the estate, the rejection by her birth father, and the separation from her elder brother. Scene after scene of the past flashed before her eyes. At some point, the timid and docile girl had vanished, replaced by a ruthless, beautiful, and decisive Jiang Ruan. Such a transformation was both gratifying and heartbreaking.
"Young Lady, there must be another purpose for this visit to the Xia residence," Lianqiao said. "Right now, you’ve likely become a thorn in the Xia family’s side."
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. "What other purpose could there be? With the Eighth Prince here, Xia Yan rushed over eagerly, no doubt hoping to ask him to mediate peace with the Li family."
"And now...?" Lianqiao asked.
"Second Sister has already angered the Xia family. For now, the Xias won’t step forward for the Jiangs. A married daughter is like spilled water—would the Marquis of Xia abandon his own grandson for the sake of an outsider? The Second Young Madam of the Xia family won’t swallow this insult either. Jiang Susu treated her son like a fool—how could she possibly accept that? Don’t worry, the Second Young Madam of the Xia family is no ordinary woman. There’s bound to be quite a spectacle."
Lianqiao pondered for a moment. "According to Fifth Concubine’s words, the Master intends to marry you into the Li family. You should prepare early."
"No need to fear," Jiang Ruan said coolly. "If the Xia family remains silent, the Eighth Prince won’t take the initiative to discuss this matter with the Li family. Even if Father personally seeks reconciliation with the Lis, Li Dong won’t be so easily appeased. Once we get through this period, I doubt Li Yang will even live long enough to take a wife."
Lianqiao was startled. Seeing Jiang Ruan’s icy expression, her heart skipped a beat, and she lowered her head in thought. Jiang Ruan chuckled. "The Xia family personally invited me to visit, but Mother prepared a gift for me. And I have a grand gift of my own to give them."
Lianqiao looked up at her. "Young Lady?"
"For Li Dong’s matter, we’ll need to trouble the First Young Madam of the Xia family," she said. With that, she took out a letter from her sleeve and handed it to Lianqiao. "Find an opportunity to deliver this to her."
Though she didn’t understand why, Lianqiao accepted it and agreed. Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. The Xia residence was a den of corruption—Shen Rou and Xia Tiancai had long been entangled. The beautiful and alluring First Young Madam of the Xia family, the endlessly flirtatious Second Young Master, a sister-in-law and her brother-in-law... She wondered if Shen Rou would be frightened out of her wits upon reading this letter.
Still, this move would be better saved for later. Jiang Ruan’s gaze held a trace of regret. "It’s still raining today."
"Yes," Lianqiao echoed. "It hasn’t stopped yet." Spring rain shouldn’t last this long.
The day the refugees entered the capital was drawing closer.
...Early the next morning, Xia Cheng indeed had a carriage prepared at the break of dawn, clearly displaying an attitude of driving them away. It was said that Xia Furen had "awoken" the previous night and pleaded with Xia Cheng for a long time, yet failed to change his mind. Perhaps out of sheer anger, Xia Cheng even took his frustration out on Xia Furen as well.
Thus, in stark contrast to their arrival, not a single member of the Xia Family came to see them off when they left. Jiang Li was naturally overjoyed, while Jiang Susu and the other two had faces ashen with rage. Jiang Dan remained silently huddled in a corner, seemingly unaffected by the tense atmosphere. The only one truly unbothered was Jiang Ruan.
Upon returning to the Jiang residence, Jiang Quan had already learned the full story from the messenger Xia Yan had sent. He was furious at Jiang Susu for her incompetence in handling the situation and even more resentful of the Xia Family's lack of consideration. Back when Xia Cheng had yet to inherit his title, he had fawned over Jiang Quan, his son-in-law. But now, with the title in hand, he dared to put on airs before him. Moreover, news had reached him that Li Dong had been frantically seeking renowned physicians in the capital at exorbitant prices over the past few days. It seemed the life of the Li Family's heir had been spared, but this only made matters more complicated. Weighed down by these thoughts, Jiang Quan felt a throbbing headache.
A servant by his side, noticing his distress, offered comfort: "Master, you haven't slept all night. Perhaps you should rest?"
Jiang Quan waved his hand dismissively. Overwhelmed by his troubles, he was in no mood for rest.
The servant, observing this, muttered under his breath, "Come to think of it, ever since the eldest young lady returned to the household, there's been no peace." He spoke while stealing glances at Jiang Quan's expression. At these words, Jiang Quan stiffened, as if struck by a sudden thought. His brows gradually furrowed, and after a moment, he slammed the table viciously: "A jinx!"
The servant, startled, retreated to the side, not daring to speak. But Jiang Quan suddenly recalled that after Zhao Mei's death, a passing Wandering Taoist had once divined Jiang Ruan's fate, declaring her an ill-omened person, destined to bring misfortune to both husband and mother from birth. Jiang Quan was not a superstitious man and paid little heed to such supernatural claims. However, with Zhao Mei freshly dead and Xia Cheng having inherited his title, he had repeatedly urged Jiang Quan to elevate Xia Yan to the position of principal wife. At the time, Jiang Quan had been inclined to do so, and considering how Jiang Susu and Jiang Chao had unjustly suffered as illegitimate children for so many years, he had used the Taoist's words as justification to send Jiang Ruan away to a rural estate. This served two purposes: to ease Xia Yan's mind and to keep Jiang Ruan out of sight, so as not to be reminded of the detestable Zhao Mei.
Now, prompted by the servant's remark, Jiang Quan abruptly realized that since Jiang Ruan's return, the Jiang household had indeed been plagued by continuous turmoil. First, Jiang Susu inexplicably lost her reputation, then Jiang Chao failed the imperial examinations and had his fingers severed, and now they had incurred the enmity of the Li Family and created a rift with the Xia Family. Each of these incidents seemed subtly connected to Jiang Ruan, though it was impossible for her alone to orchestrate such events—she lacked both the cunning and the means. Yet the coincidences were too striking, and the only plausible explanation was that, just as the Taoist had foretold, she was indeed a true Star of calamity and solitude.
Jiang Quan clenched his fists. He had thought that gaining another daughter would provide more leverage for Xia Yan and the other two, but instead, she had turned out to be a malevolent spirit come to claim their lives. If that was the case, then she must be eliminated!
The servant, having served Jiang Quan for many years, recognized the look on his master's face and quietly slipped out of the room, leaving without a word.
...Jiang Ruan returned to the Ruan Residence, and the first thing she did was dismiss the maids Xia Yan had previously sent over. She said, "Mother has agreed to send you back. You may return to Delicate Splendor Courtyard on your own."
The maids exchanged uneasy glances. One of them gathered her courage and said, "Eldest Miss, the madam instructed us to serve you. We wish to stay by your side."
Jiang Ruan, however, acted as if she hadn't heard and turned to Lianqiao beside her. "By the way, find time to visit the Xia residence and retrieve Shu Xiang's body for burial. After all, she served me for a while. It wouldn't do for her to end up in a mass grave, left to feed the wolves."
The maids were stunned by her words, realizing Shu Xiang was indeed no longer by Jiang Ruan's side. Lianqiao replied, "This servant understands. Shu Xiang died so tragically, but Miss shouldn't take it to heart. She brought it upon herself."
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly and glanced at the maids. "What were you saying earlier?"
"Nothing!" the maid hastily answered, lowering her head and not daring to meet Jiang Ruan's gaze again.
Satisfied, Jiang Ruan left without another word.
...
In Delicate Splendor Courtyard, Xia Yan, still dust-covered from her journey, had just returned when Li Momo approached her. "Madam, Wan Cai from the master's side has something to report."
"Let him in," Xia Yan said, accepting the tea Lin Lang handed her and settling into the carved wooden chair in the room.
As soon as Wan Cai entered, he greeted her, "Madam."
Xia Yan waved her hand dismissively. "Speak plainly. How did the task I assigned you go?"
Wan Cai nodded. "It's done. The master now believes Eldest Miss is the Star of Calamity and Solitude, though he's unsure what to do about it yet."
A cold smile curled at the corners of Xia Yan's lips. "In that case, tell the master that a highly effective Wandering Taoist will be arriving in the capital in a few days. With all the recent disturbances in the Jiang residence, I intend to invite this esteemed master to perform a ritual to dispel the ill fortune plaguing our household."
Wan Cai's eyes flickered with understanding. "This servant understands."
"Dismissed," Xia Yan said wearily, waving him away.
After Wan Cai left, Li Momo stepped forward to gently massage Xia Yan's shoulders. "Madam, are we using the same method as before?"
"We must find a suitable pretext," Xia Yan murmured, narrowing her eyes. "With all the recent troubles in the Jiang residence, if we can pin everything on Jiang Ruan, everyone's attention will shift away from Su Su and Chao'er. On the contrary, Jiang Ruan's reputation will be ruined forever. This is the best way to clear Su Su and Chao'er's names."
Li Momo chuckled in agreement. "Madam is truly brilliant. No matter how clever Eldest Miss is, she can't withstand public opinion. Besides, the master already suspects her. We can proceed boldly with this plan."
"To lend credibility to this claim, Mother's birthday celebration is in a few days. We'll arrange it for that day. The Taoist can also offer blessings for Mother. With so many witnesses proving Jiang Ruan is a harbinger of misfortune, she'll never recover from this," Xia Yan said slowly.
"Madam, shall we contact the same Taoist from six years ago?" Li Momo asked.
Xia Yan paused, her fingers pressing against her temple, then smiled viciously. "Naturally. The words of an old acquaintance carry the most weight. Six years ago, I sent her to the countryside, and six years later, I can do the same. Only this time, the master allowed me to keep it quiet back then, but now I want the whole world to know—Jiang Ruan is the Star of Calamity and Solitude, destined to bring death to her husband and mother!"Six years ago, in order to find the perfect excuse to send Jiang Ruan to the manor, she had bribed a Taoist priest to brand Jiang Ruan as an ill-omened star with inauspicious Eight Characters. Originally intending for Jiang Ruan to perish in the manor, she never expected Jiang Ruan to survive and return to the capital ahead of time. She had already prepared a backup plan when Jiang Ruan returned to the Xia residence—if things didn’t go as planned, she would ruin Jiang Ruan. In any case, since Jiang Ruan had caused Jiang Susu suffering, Jiang Ruan shouldn’t expect to escape unscathed. Wan Cai had been working for her for years, so whispering in Jiang Quan’s ear was an effortless task. Moreover, Jiang Quan already disliked Jiang Ruan immensely; at the slightest sign of trouble, the first person he would suspect was Jiang Ruan.
No matter how much Jiang Ruan schemed, it wouldn’t change a thing. Simply because she lacked Jiang Quan’s favor, she was destined never to have a chance at victory in this struggle!
...
Old Madam Jiang had only regained consciousness a few days prior. Though her health had improved somewhat with recuperation, the toll of old age was undeniable—illness struck like a collapsing mountain, leaving her visibly haggard and aged in just a few short days.
Du Juan entered carrying a bowl of medicine and exchanged a glance with Cai Que, who was keeping watch by Old Madam Jiang’s side. Cai Que quickly stood and said with a smile to the old madam, who was staring absently out the window, "Madam, please drink the medicine while it’s still warm."
Old Madam Jiang withdrew her gaze and looked coldly at the bowl in Du Juan’s hands. "What’s the use of more medicine?" she said sharply. "It seems everyone in this household can’t wait for me to die!"
Cai Que was startled and hurriedly replied, "Madam, how could you say such a thing? Everyone wishes for your long life! If not for anything else, think of Second Young Master—you must stay healthy for his sake."
"Chao’er," Old Madam Jiang’s gaze darkened. "He takes after his mother’s temperament. I once thought him promising, but now he’s grown arrogant and conceited. Just like his sister—both of them are short-sighted."
Cai Que’s heart skipped a beat. For Old Madam Jiang to criticize Jiang Chao and Jiang Susu so bluntly in front of them left her at a loss for words.
Old Madam Jiang glanced at Cai Que, then reached out and took the medicine bowl from Du Juan’s tray. Tipping her head back, she drained it in one go. The bitterness of the brew was overwhelming—she shut her eyes, her face contorted in a tight grimace. Only after a long moment did her expression gradually ease.
(End of Chapter)
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