The Story of Ming Lan

That night, Minglan attended to the sickbed without hesitation—wiping the body, inducing vomiting, even handling the filth. Mama Fang watched with tearful eyes, and Doctor Lin was deeply moved. Such dedication from an Imperial Mandate Lady of her rank was truly rare—easing his anxious heart further.

The previous night, after Doctor Lin had finished inspecting the kitchen, he was startled to find two burly, fierce-looking men standing at the entrance of Longevity and Peace Hall to report. His old heart raced with fear. In his line of work, especially having reached the Imperial Hospital, one often encountered the dark secrets of powerful families. Thus, whenever he prayed to the Medicine Buddha, besides wishing for improved skills and effective treatments, he always reminded himself to refrain from excessive talk or curiosity, keep his mouth shut, and act cautiously—lest he suffer collateral damage.

After changing into clean clothes brought by a servant boy, Mama Fang politely invited Doctor Lin to rest in a side room. Minglan dozed off in a recliner in Old Madam’s room, still in her day clothes. Around the beginning of the Weishi hour (1–3 AM), while it was still dark, Minglan awoke leisurely to the sound of an argument outside.

"...What does the Sixth Young Lady mean by this? Not allowing anyone in or out, and even daring to hit people... The Master needs to attend court..."

Minglan smiled faintly, rose, and had Lüzhi help her change into fresh clothes and style her hair simply before calmly stepping out. The one arguing with Mama Fang was Mama Qian from Madam Wang’s side. Upon seeing Minglan, she immediately exclaimed, "...Oh, Sixth Young Lady, last night there were many frightening ruffians..."

Minglan gestured for her to lower her voice and said, "No need to say more. I will go with you to see Madam and the Master." With that, she strode out, followed closely by Lüzhi carrying a small bundle. Mama Qian stood dumbfounded for a moment before hurriedly catching up.

Along the way, Mama Qian chattered incessantly: "...Madam is furious. She originally intended to confront you herself, but I managed to dissuade her. The Master sent me to fetch you, saying to avoid disturbing Old Madam..." Minglan remained silent, walking straight ahead. Seeing the faint frosty aura on her face, Mama Qian awkwardly fell silent.

Upon reaching the main courtyard where Madam Wang resided, Minglan instructed Mama Qian to wait outside and entered alone. The moment Madam Wang saw her, she impatiently scolded, "You wretched girl! What madness has possessed you? How dare you have people surround the house, forbidding anyone from entering or leaving! And even resorting to violence against those who resist..."

Sheng Hong, dressed in his official robes, paced anxiously around the room. "What were you thinking? If this gets out, how will our family maintain face in society..." To have his own daughter besiege the residence was truly unprecedented.

Minglan found it somewhat amusing. No matter the situation, her father’s greatest concern was always this. She smiled slightly and said, "Don’t worry, Father. I had the guards barricade the gates from the inside. With the main gate tightly shut, how would outsiders know what’s happening inside?"

In his panic, Sheng Hong’s thoughts were momentarily diverted.

Minglan added, "Besides, didn’t Father say yesterday that taking one day off wouldn’t matter?"

Stumped by his own words, Sheng Hong forgot to ask anything else.

Madam Wang stood up angrily and said, "The Master still needs to attend court!"Minglan stepped forward. "Father need not worry. I have already sent someone to request leave on your behalf, stating that an elder in the family has fallen gravely ill and you are overwhelmed with concern, staying home to attend to Grandmother. Given your consistent diligence and never having taken a single day off, if this news spreads, people will only praise your exceptional filial piety and pure-heartedness, which will greatly enhance your official reputation."

Sheng Hong wiped the anxious sweat he had forced from his brow and found his daughter's reasoning quite sound. The Old Madam's illness was real, and there were no urgent matters recently—why not take this one leave and genuinely play the role of a devoted son?

Madam Wang, seeing that Minglan had ignored her all along, grew even more furious. "You've confined our entire family! What exactly are you trying to do?" Sheng Hong slowly removed his official hat and placed it properly on the table. "Explain yourself."

"It's nothing much, just preventing anyone from sending word out," Minglan replied, still smiling gracefully.

Sheng Hong frowned. "Sending word about what?"

"Poisoning." Minglan's smile vanished as she fixed her gaze directly on Madam Wang.

Madam Wang's heart skipped a beat. She leaned on the table edge and slowly sat down.

Sheng Hong, bewildered, hissed, "What nonsense are you spouting?" No sooner had he spoken than he suddenly understood, his face paling in horror. "You mean the Old Madam...?" Minglan nodded. Sheng Hong was deeply shaken, staggering back into his seat. Collecting himself, he exclaimed, "Don't speak recklessly! This household is all family—how could...?"

Minglan gestured toward the main table. Lüzhi immediately placed a small bundle on it and gently unwrapped it, revealing a blue-and-white porcelain lotus-shaped dish holding several golden, fragrant pastries.

At the sight of this, Madam Wang's face turned deathly pale. Sheng Hong pointed a trembling finger at the dish. "This is the Old Madam's... Could it be... arsenic?" It was the most commonly circulated poison on the market.

"Not arsenic," Minglan said.

Madam Wang patted her chest, wiping cold sweat from her forehead as she relaxed her shoulders and blurted out, "I knew it—it was clearly just..." She abruptly caught herself and fell silent.

Minglan said coldly, "Just what? Does Madam know something about this?"

Sheng Hong also stared at his wife in shock. Madam Wang stammered, "Clearly... clearly she was just ill."

Minglan gave a cold laugh. "What's inside these pastries may not be arsenic, but it is lethal." She turned to Sheng Hong. "Father, do you know that sprouted ginkgo nuts are poisonous?"

Sheng Hong nodded. "Of course. Everyone knows that. Only ignorant children, greedy for snacks, are prone to poisoning."

Minglan said, "Someone extracted a highly concentrated juice from ginkgo sprouts and injected it into the filling of these pastries. I asked Mama Fang—the Old Madam's habit is to always eat two pieces while they're hot. Doctor Lin said if she had truly eaten two pieces, she would already be in the underworld now. Thankfully, the weather has been hot lately, and the Old Madam couldn't bear anything too sweet, so she only ate one piece, sparing half her life."

Cold sweat soaked through Sheng Hong's undershirt, dampening the front of his robe.

"The most interesting part is that yesterday at noon, someone from Madam's side went to Longevity and Peace Hall to ask for the leftover pastries, claiming my eldest niece was clamoring to eat them. Fortunately, Mama Fang, seeing that the Old Madam hadn't eaten much and might want more later, saved some. Otherwise, the plan would have been seamless." Minglan watched Madam Wang closely, scrutinizing her changing expression. "The poisoner is truly meticulous."

Madam Wang's heart raced nervously. Seeing both father and daughter staring at her, she cried out, "Why are you looking at me?!"Minglan said, "Wasn't this pastry sent by Madam? A filial daughter-in-law buying pastries for her mother-in-law—so many people praised Madam for it back then."

Sheng Hong's anger flared, and without regard for his daughter's presence, he snapped, "Speak quickly! What exactly have you done?"

Madam Wang gritted her teeth and decided to brazen it out: "You can't convict me with just a few pieces of pastry! How do we know it wasn't some wicked servant around Old Madam scheming against her?"

Sheng Hong roared, "Fool, fool! The servants in Longevity and Peace Hall have been with Old Madam for decades—why would they harm her?"

Madam Wang lifted her chin defiantly: "Who knows if Old Madam is sweet-faced but bitter-hearted, mistreating her servants in secret! Or perhaps that Doctor Lin made a careless diagnosis, unable to properly identify the illness and just spouting nonsense?!"

Seeing her shameless denial, Sheng Hong was too furious to speak. Minglan, entirely unperturbed, smiled faintly and said, "That's no trouble. We can summon several more doctors to examine whether Old Madam was poisoned or fell ill."

"That won't do!" Sheng Hong exclaimed anxiously. "This is a family disgrace. Your questioning Doctor Lin last night was already too reckless. If word gets out, what face will our family have left? How can we let others know now?"

Minglan showed no surprise at her father's reaction: "Father need not worry. Doctor Lin is trusted by my marquis; he knows many secrets and keeps them confidential. As for inviting other doctors... well, isn't that because Madam doesn't trust Doctor Lin?"

She spread her hands slightly.

Sheng Hong was so enraged he nearly staggered, stamping his feet repeatedly at Madam Wang: "You... you still refuse to admit your fault?!"

Madam Wang, consumed by twisted fury, obstinately argued: "Old Madam is getting older and greedier—she ate sprouted ginkgo nuts, fell ill, and now blames me with a few pastries! I tell you, I'll only admit it over my dead body!" After a moment's thought, she added proudly, "Do you think my maternal family has no one left?!"

Remembering the Wang family's current proximity, Sheng Hong fell silent.

Minglan covered her mouth with her sleeve, laughing until tears welled in her eyes: "Madam probably doesn't know. A small amount of ginkgo sprout juice isn't harmful. To fall unconscious from eating sprouted ginkgo nuts, one would need to consume at least a sack or two! However..."

She wiped the tears gathering in her eyes, "Madam need not resort to life-and-death dramatics. If Madam feels Father and I are being unfair, we could simply go to court and let the magistrate decide, couldn't we?"

At these words, both Sheng Hong and Madam Wang were shocked. Madam Wang cursed, "You wretched girl! You may not care about face, but the Sheng family does!" Sheng Hong roared furiously, "How dare you!"

Standing between them, Minglan said indifferently, "If Father wishes to avoid a scandal, please persuade Madam properly. Otherwise, I'll submit a formal complaint to the authorities. Alternatively, Father could gather all the household servants and fight my guards fiercely, hiding the evidence and Old Madam so I have no grounds to accuse."

Sheng Hong stamped his feet in desperation—if a fight truly broke out at home and the neighbors found out, he would be too ashamed to show his face.

"Good child, I understand you want justice for Old Madam," he could only coax gently. "But we're all family—why push this to extremes? Let's investigate slowly behind closed doors.""One family, flesh and blood?" Minglan blinked. "If Father hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten. Everyone in this mansion is flesh and blood, the closest of kin." A drip—a tear had unknowingly fallen onto her sleeve. "You and I are father and daughter, flesh and blood. My brothers and sisters are my siblings, flesh and blood. Madam Wang and my sisters-in-law have borne the flesh and blood of the Sheng family. We are all one family of flesh and blood—except for Old Madam."

Unconsciously, scalding tears streamed from her eyes as Minglan repeated, "Except for Old Madam. She has no blood relatives—Father, Eldest Brother, Eldest Sister, and all of us—she hasn't left behind a single trace of her bloodline. The one who poisoned her must have counted on that. Madam Wang has her maternal family to stand up for her, but Old Madam long ago severed ties with hers! Yes, our family is thriving now, so why stir up trouble over such a trivial matter?!"

Sheng Hong noticed the clear mockery at the corner of his daughter's lips, and his temples twitched violently. He raised his hand and slapped her. Minglan took the blow squarely, her cheek burning with a stinging pain that made her gasp, yet she remained unyielding. She touched her face and sneered, "Father, last night I ordered the mansion sealed tight—do you know why?!"

Sheng Hong withdrew his hand and said coldly, "If you insist on having your way, consider the consequences!"

"I've long since made up my mind," Minglan replied, filled with grief and indignation. "Given Father's usual tendency to avoid trouble, for the sake of a few families' reputations, this matter would surely be downplayed and swept under the rug. In other matters, I might have deferred to you, but not this one—absolutely not!"

Sheng Hong laughed scornfully. "I never knew I had such a capable daughter, so defiant toward her own father. I no longer have a daughter like you!"

Minglan couldn't hold back her tears. "I know. After this, Father may never acknowledge me again. Eldest Brother will hold a grudge against me, Eldest Sister will ignore me, not to mention Eldest Sister-in-law and Fifth Sister. Even the Marquis will likely blame me for being unreasonable. I've offended everyone. In the future, I'll have no maternal family to rely on. Let me speak plainly today—"

Steeling her heart, she rasped, "To seek justice for Grandmother, I'm willing to give up my father, brothers, sisters, and even this comfortable, wealthy life of honor I have now!"

Having said this, she had thrown all caution to the wind. Minglan declared proudly, "There are only two paths here. Either Madam confesses everything, or I go to the Shuntian Prefecture to sound the drum and appeal for justice! The choice is yours, Father."

Sheng Hong trembled with rage, his hands and feet icy cold as he glared furiously at his daughter. But with things having reached this point, he had no choice but to compromise. He turned to glare at Madam Wang. "At this stage, I can't worry about face anymore. If you still refuse to admit it, I'll have no choice but to write a letter of divorce. At worst, I'll offend the Wang family and cut ties with them forever." If this matter could be contained, it might be manageable, but once it came to light, it would instantly become a major scandal—at the least, demotion; at worst, loss of office, or even a lawsuit.

Madam Wang was terrified.

In her memory of the past decade or so, Minglan had always been clever, obedient, tactful, knowing when to stop and never causing trouble for others. But today, she seemed to have gone mad, stubbornly refusing to let go, daring to oppose her own father and utter such outrageous words. Trembling, Madam Wang pointed a finger and said, "How dare you... how dare you defy your elders...""Once this matter is concluded, Madam may report me for disobedience," Minglan said calmly. "That is, if Madam remains unharmed by then."

Madam Wang choked on her words and turned to Sheng Hong, her eyes pleading, "Master..."

Sheng Hong ignored her and pointed to Lüzhi behind Minglan. "Fetch writing materials. I shall draft the letter of divorce at once."

Madam Wang stared blankly, then covered her face and wailed, "Why is my fate so bitter? After all these years of hardship in the Sheng household..."

Sheng Hong turned and sneered, "You foolish woman! Can't you see the situation clearly? With the physician's diagnosis of Old Madam's condition, this poisoned pastry, and the fact that you purchased it—with these three pieces of evidence, this girl already holds your life in her hands."

With both witnesses and material evidence present, plus the well-known discord between her and her mother-in-law, it formed a complete chain of evidence. If this were brought to court, Madam Wang would undoubtedly face the death penalty. His only sensible course was to sever ties with her immediately.

He added coldly, "You attempted to murder your mother-in-law. No matter how you justify it, I have every right to divorce you!"

Madam Wang froze, her crying momentarily ceasing. Just then, a soft cry came from the side—"Madam!"

Everyone turned to see Liu Kun's wife lifting the bamboo curtain of the side room. She entered with bowed head and knelt gently before Madam Wang. "Madam, given the circumstances, you must stop being stubborn. If you don't speak the truth now, Brother Bai and your two daughters will be implicated!"

She raised her head and stared at Madam Wang. "If anything happens to you, how will your daughters maintain their standing in their husbands' families? And the young master—his official career is just taking off!"

Madam Wang shuddered violently. If she were divorced, how would her daughters face society? And her son...

Minglan looked at Liu Kun's wife and gave a faint, cold smile. "I'd nearly forgotten you, Nurse Liu. How could such an important matter lack your involvement?"

Liu Kun's wife turned on her knees to face Minglan. "When Old Madam forbade the Kang Family's aunt from visiting again, though I dared not comment as a servant, I fully agreed. I originally came from the Wang family, but today I must say this: Aunt Kang has become increasingly improper. Unfortunately, our Madam is easily swayed and prone to making mistakes when persuaded. I've often advised Madam to cease contact with Aunt Kang, but Madam values sisterly bonds and never listens. Whenever she speaks with Aunt Kang, she always sends me away."

"So Nurse Liu knew nothing about this?" Minglan's legs felt weak from standing. She slowly walked to a chair and sat down.

Liu Kun's wife replied, "Though I didn't know the details, after hearing your words just now, Young Mistress, I can guess most of it." She looked up at Minglan. "Isn't it because you have doubts that you've been urging Madam to tell the truth? Otherwise, with the physician's testimony and this plate of pastries, you would have confronted her last night and already discussed with the Master how to punish Madam."

Minglan felt a touch of admiration. "The Wang family matriarch sent you here with great foresight."

Liu Kun's wife kowtowed again and said respectfully, "I know nothing of what Young Mistress mentioned earlier—about ginkgo bud extract or concentrated refinement. I've served Madam since childhood and understand her temperament well. Though she can be impatient, she's fundamentally honest. How could she conceive of such sinister, calculating schemes?"Sheng Hong saw that his daughter's attitude had softened considerably and was no longer in a hurry to write the letter of divorce, so he sat down angrily. Hearing this, he couldn't help but nod. His wife didn't even know how to read, so even if she knew that ginkgo sprouts were poisonous, how could she know that the sprout juice could be refined into a concentrated liquid? This was advanced knowledge that only someone literate and well-read could conceive—his heart stirred, and connecting it with Liu Kun's wife's words, he had already thought of one person.

Liu Kun's wife turned back and took Madam Wang's hand, gently persuading her, "Madam, just say it. If not for others, do it for the sake of your sons and daughters."

Madam Wang finally couldn't hold back and cried, "It's... it's my sister... She said that I'm completely controlled by Old Madam, constantly scolded and punished, and now even my daughter-in-law can step all over me. I'm living a wretched life. But... but Old Madam is in such good health, I don't know how long I'll have to endure this, so... so..."

"So you and your sister conspired to poison Old Madam?!" Sheng Hong was also enraged.

"No, no!" Madam Wang quickly waved her hands, crying even louder. "...She said that as long as Old Madam's health weakened, making her frequently bedridden and too weak to manage everything, wouldn't I be in charge of the household then..."

"Foolish, foolish!" Sheng Hong scolded in frustration. Earlier, when he was arguing with his daughter, he was too enraged to think clearly, always assuming there was some other mystery. He never expected that Madam Wang had truly harbored such malicious intent.

Madam Wang cried even more bitterly, "My sister said the pastries weren't a big deal. Last night, the imperial physician also said Old Madam's condition had stabilized. How was I to know..."

Liu Kun's wife said, "Madam, how foolish you are! Didn't you consider that Quange is being raised by Old Madam? What if Old Madam, on a whim, broke off a piece of pastry for the child to taste? Wouldn't that be disastrous?!"

Madam Wang suddenly realized, her face streaked with tears and mucus, "...Heavens... How could she dare?"

"That's Madam's grandson, not the aunt's. Why would she care? Even if something happened to Quange, could Madam confront her about it? She would only have a hold over you." Liu Kun's wife shook her head repeatedly.

Sheng Hong thought even deeper—after Old Madam passed away, Madam Wang would take full control of the Sheng household's internal affairs, and Kang Yima, holding this leverage, would threaten her from time to time. Whether it was people or money, Madam Wang would likely have to agree to everything.

He gritted his teeth and said angrily, "That wretched woman! I've treated the Kang Family well, and she dares to scheme against my family like this!"

Madam Wang clung to Liu Kun's wife's arm, weeping loudly, while Sheng Hong slapped his thigh in fury. Lüzhi had already brought over ink, brushes, and a fresh pot of tea. Minglan stood up and slowly paced around the room, thinking: The Kang Family's illegitimate daughter had entered the Prince's mansion as a concubine, the Wang Family had returned, the upright and powerful eldest grandson Changbai hadn't returned yet, and she herself had quarreled with Gu Tingye (as Kang Yima believed)—was there a better time than this?

Ginkgo sprout juice wasn't a poison like arsenic, so it couldn't be detected by a silver needle. Once Old Madam passed away and her body stiffened, symptoms like convulsions, diarrhea, and vomiting would be untraceable. By then, she and Madam Wang would control everything, clean up the remaining evidence, and destroy it. Even if she still had suspicions, it would be a case of no evidence and a dead witness. If anything went wrong, all suspicion would fall on Madam Wang. Kang Yima only needed to firmly deny everything to keep herself clean. Minglan sneered inwardly: What a vicious and cold-hearted woman!After a moment, a commotion arose outside. Everyone turned to look and saw a fierce-looking man shove a disheveled old woman into the room before positioning himself in the doorway. Xiaotao followed closely behind, exclaiming as she entered, "Madam, Mama Qian was just secretly bribing a servant boy to sneak out through the dog hole!"

Minglan gave a slight nod to the burly man. "Master Tu the Second, thank you for your trouble."

Upon seeing Tu Hu's terrifying appearance, Madam Wang trembled violently; Sheng Hong remained relatively calm, knowing his son-in-law had many martial artists guarding his residence, with the Tu family brothers being two of the leaders.

He addressed Mama Qian kneeling on the ground: "What were you trying to go out for?"

Mama Qian, face streaked with mud, wailed dramatically: "Master, I'm wronged! There's an emergency at home, that's why I asked to go back!"

Sheng Hong asked: "What happened at your home?"

"...My eighty-year-old mother fell ill..." Mama Qian sobbed loudly.

Xiaotao immediately pointed out the discrepancy: "Didn't your mother pass away long ago? I even contributed to the funeral expenses that year."

"It's... it's my adoptive mother, she's unwell..." Mama Qian continued to make excuses.

Lüzhi quickly added: "When I went to fetch writing materials earlier, I saw her constantly peeking into the room and eavesdropping." In truth, most maids and matrons in Madam Wang's quarters had this habit, so she hadn't paid much mind initially, but none of the others had attempted to leave and report information.

Sheng Hong grew furious: "You wretched slave! Still not telling the truth!"

Mama Qian lay prostrate on the floor, weeping and wailing about being wronged.

Unable to extract information and fearing the matter might leak, Sheng Hong hesitated to summon servants for corporal punishment.

Minglan frowned: "I don't have time for this." She gave a slight nod toward the door, "Master Tu the Second, if you would."

Tu Hu laughed heartily: "Nothing easier."

Striding into the room, he tore a cloth from his waist, gripped Mama Qian's jaw to stuff it into her mouth, then pressed his left knee against her spine while securing her shoulder with his left hand. With his right hand, he manipulated her palm—through some unknown technique—until a dull bone-cracking sound was heard. Mama Qian emitted a pig-slaughter-like scream, muffled by the gag.

Everyone looked to see her right pinky finger bent grotesquely: the base pressed backward almost against her hand, while the tip curved outward at over ninety degrees. Madam Wang stared fixedly at the finger, trembling uncontrollably as if possessed; Liu Kun's wife also turned pale, while Sheng Hong remained sternly silent.

Mama Qian's face turned purplish-red from pain, her eyes rolling back as she half-fainted. Xiaotao quickly poured tea from the pot Lüzhi had brought and splashed it on Mama Qian's face—while television often shows using cold or ice water to revive prisoners, practice proves hot tea works equally well. Mama Qian gradually regained consciousness to find Tu Hu's fearsome face before her.

The man spoke grimly: "One more false word, and we'll repeat this. You have ten fingers after all." Terrified nearly to death, Mama Qian nodded frantically.

Tu Hu released her, removed the cloth, and withdrew to stand outside under the corridor again—out of respect for the Marquis of Gu's wife's family, he had shown restraint without drawing blood, otherwise more might have fainted.

Minglan gazed coldly at Mama Qian: "Speak."

This time Mama Qian confessed everything like pouring beans from a bamboo tube. Clutching her injured finger, she trembled: "...Aunt Kang gave me silver to report household affairs to her. Yesterday she gave more, ordering me to watch closely... to inform her immediately of any movement after Old Madam fell ill..."

Minglan smiled slightly, turning to her father: "Now you understand why I ordered the residence sealed."Sheng Hong was seething with anger. If Minglan hadn't feigned composure last night, first sending everyone away before conducting a thorough investigation, but had instead made a scene on the spot, then the internal traitor would have already colluded with external conspirators.

Minglan ordered Tu Hu to drag Mother Qian away. Gazing at the gradually brightening blue sky, she murmured to herself, "Let Kang Yima believe everything is calm in the household." — This timing was perfect.

She turned to Liu Kun's wife and said, "Mother Liu, please rise quickly. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you this time."

Liu Kun's wife stood up, steeling herself as she replied, "Please give your orders, Sixth Young Lady."

Minglan spoke with exceptional gentleness: "Over all these years, you've often advised Madam not to act foolishly. I've long known you to be a sensible one. Now that such a major incident has occurred, and Madam has been gravely implicated, I must trouble you to go to the Kang Family and invite Aunt Kang over. When we all sit down to discuss matters properly, perhaps the truth will become clear."

Liu Kun's wife was confused: "Invite Aunt Kang?" At this moment, the Sixth Young Lady probably wanted to skin Kang Yima alive—why invite her?

Minglan nodded: "You must act flustered and panicked. Just say that Old Madam struggled through the night and is now in critical condition. Madam is timid and has been terrified all night, so as soon as day broke, she sent you to fetch Aunt Kang. Ask her to lend courage to her younger sister, offer advice, or lend a hand."

Liu Kun's wife understood, feeling a chill in her heart: "But... will Aunt Kang agree to come...?"

Minglan smiled meaningfully: "Why wouldn't she? If she asks whether Madam has notified the married young ladies, tell her you informed her first. The married young ladies have their own households to consider—we'll send for them after daybreak."

After pondering carefully, Liu Kun's wife understood—Aunt Kang would indeed come.

Since Mother Qian hadn't gone to report, it indicated everything was normal. By putting on an act, Kang Yima would naturally assume that Madam Wang was terrified after causing a death and desperately needed her. She would also need to come gather information and dispose of any evidence.

Liu Kun's wife sighed inwardly at how formidable this Sixth Young Lady was, but could only respond in a low voice.

"Mother Liu," Minglan said slowly, "you know how I feel about Old Madam. If I cannot seek justice from the true culprit this time, then I'll have no choice but to vent my anger on others. I've heard Jiuer married quite well, and your sons have promising futures. So..." She smiled while smoothing her hair, "Make it convincing. Don't reveal any flaws."

A bone-chilling cold swept through Liu Kun's wife. She knelt and kowtowed, saying, "This servant will definitely bring Aunt Kang here!"

After Liu Kun's wife left, Lüzhi helped the half-dead-with-fear Madam Wang back to the inner room. Only then did Sheng Hong frown and ask, "Why deceive people? Why not directly confront the Kang Family?"

"If the allegations prove true and all evidence is confirmed, would the Kang Family—no, the Wang Family—be willing to hand over Kang Yima for us to deal with as we please? Would we then lead our servants to storm their gates, or actually file a lawsuit seeking official punishment?"

Minglan personally poured a bowl of tea and presented it to her father. "With the person in our grasp, whether to execute, torture, offer poisoned wine or white silk—we decide. The Wang Family wouldn't dare protest." She lowered her voice, "Father, if possible, I wouldn't want to ruin Elder Brother's future or the Sheng Family's reputation."

Sheng Hong was horrified: "You want Kang Wangshi's life?!"Minglan said, "Father, rest assured, I won't cause you any trouble. I'll take the person outside to be executed."

Sheng Hong held his teacup, unable to react for a long time.

How had his sweet, adorable youngest daughter of over a decade suddenly turned into a she-devil? Not only had she defied her birth father and threatened her legal mother, but she had also administered punishments and deceived others without batting an eye. Now she was even talking about killing people!

He murmured, "Your birth mother passed away early, Molan tried to scar your face, your marriage prospects have been fraught with difficulties... You've endured so much hardship, always putting the greater good first and never complaining. Why now...?"

Minglan gave a low, bitter laugh. "Yes. Why indeed?"

After saying this, she turned and left. "...Father, rest for a while. I'll go check on Old Madam again."

Watching his youngest daughter's slender retreating figure, Sheng Hong suddenly realized he had never truly known this child.

...

Xiaotao supported Minglan, her voice thick with tears. "Madam, can we really avenge Old Madam?"

Minglan replied wearily, "Remember this: in this world, it often comes down to who is willing to sacrifice more. Father, Mother, the Wang Family, the Kang Family—none of them dare to truly sacrifice everything. But I do!"

After a pause, she said softly, "Sometimes, failing to avenge those dearest to you isn't about inability, but unwillingness. All those fears and hesitations are just too many considerations—unwilling to give up this, unable to let go of that."

Xiaotao looked up. "Madam, have you given up everything then?"

Minglan's expression turned peculiar as she responded, "If I didn't have Grandmother, what would I even have to give up?" This body wasn't originally hers anyway, so perhaps she didn't need to feel grateful to Sheng Hong and Consort Wei for giving her life.

Entering the inner room, Minglan said, "I'd like to speak with Grandmother for a while."

Mama Fang glanced at the red swelling on Minglan's cheek, tears in her eyes as she led the others out.

In just half a day, Old Mrs. Sheng had visibly wasted away, her skin dry, wrinkled, sallow and emaciated. Though still unconscious, her vomiting and diarrhea had stopped. Minglan sat by the bed and slowly rested her head against the old woman's arm, just as she had done as a child.

Silently, she thought—Thank you. For raising me, protecting me, and teaching me to grow up when I was most lost and helpless. For giving me the courage to face this detestable place.

She had always been good at pretending.

Pretending not to care, pretending to be completely fearless. But deep down, she was terrified. In this completely unfamiliar world, what would she have become without this old woman's care and warmth? Old Mrs. Sheng had been like a solid rock standing firmly behind her, someone to rely on. No matter when or where, no matter what happened, she would always remember that when she turned around, there was a safe harbor waiting.

"I will never let them get away with this," she whispered. "You shouldn't die like this." The old woman should have lived to over a hundred, surrounded by filial grandchildren who loved and cherished her, before passing away peacefully in her sleep.

"You've been lonely most of your life, without flesh and blood, without a real family. That's why they bully you. Don't worry, you still have me." Suddenly she began to weep mournfully. "Even if everyone turns against me, so be it. Consider my coming to this world all for nothing."

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[Author's Note:]First, to summarize, some readers have expressed slight dissatisfaction with the plot in Chapter 193. The general opinion is: Filial piety was a moral standard in ancient times and ranked among the gravest offenses. No matter how deranged or foolish Madam Wang might be, it is impossible for her to commit such an act. Therefore, this plot feels highly incongruous and somewhat forced, seemingly designed to elevate the protagonist at the expense of Madam Wang and Sheng Hong's character integrity.

Is that about right? Thank you to the readers who shared their opinions. Now, I will present my perspective.

When I was writing this plot, I deliberated for a long time. However, I recall reading a case in either Yuewei Cottage Notes or Annotations to the Washing Away of Wrongs—a story about a mother-in-law who was extremely cruel and abusive, frequently mistreating her daughter-in-law and even inciting her son to divorce his wife. Eventually, the daughter-in-law could endure no more and, in a fit of rage, killed (or poisoned—I can’t recall exactly) the mother-in-law.

Regardless of who was right or wrong, the fact remains that the daughter-in-law killed her mother-in-law. This illustrates that even when filial piety is universally promoted and upheld as a societal norm, it is not an absolute guarantee. There will always be individuals who, for various reasons, take desperate risks. Therefore, it is not entirely impossible for a daughter-in-law to harm her mother-in-law.

Readers dissatisfied with this plot have cited Dream of the Red Chamber as an example, pointing out that despite the chaos in the Jia household, no one ever considered poisoning Grandmother Jia. I believe this comparison is fundamentally flawed.

From the novel, Grandmother Jia is the biological mother of Jia She and Jia Zheng. Jia Zheng serves his mother with utmost filial piety, bordering on blind devotion, and his actions stem from genuine sincerity. Moreover, Grandmother Jia’s maiden family, the Shi family, was still influential at the time. Which daughter-in-law would dare to even think of such a treacherous act?

From a historical perspective, Cao Xueqin’s ancestor was Sun Shi, Kangxi’s wet nurse. This makes the idea even more absurd. Kangxi grew up without parents and held deep affection for his wet nurse. Half of the Cao family’s glory was derived from this ancestor. Even though Cao Xueqin’s father was not Sun Shi’s biological son, he served her with the utmost respect, treating her like a deity.

This is entirely incomparable to Old Mrs. Sheng in this story.

First, Old Mrs. Sheng’s maiden family had long severed ties with her. Second, she was widowed at a young age and thus did not receive an Imperial Mandate from her husband. To this day, Sheng Hong is only a mid-level civil official and has not been able to secure an Imperial Mandate for her. Third, Sheng Hong is not Old Mrs. Sheng’s biological son, and his filial piety is mostly superficial, not genuinely heartfelt—a fact well known to Madam Wang.

Now, let’s talk about Madam Wang.

Although she lacks favor with her husband, she has a powerful maternal family. Her brother holds an official position similar to her husband’s, her mother is an Imperial Mandate Lady, and her sister’s illegitimate daughter is a concubine to a prince (a source of confidence instilled in her by Kang Yima). Most importantly, her son Changbai is now rising like the morning sun, with a future of limitless prospects. Her eldest daughter Hualan is also thriving in the Yuan family, and her son-in-law Yuanwenshao is becoming increasingly accomplished.

As a result, she deeply believes that she should live a comfortable and prestigious life, and within the household, she should be the one in charge.

But reality is far from it. Old Mrs. Sheng continuously suppresses her, and in every major decision, Sheng Hong invariably sides with his adoptive mother, causing the authority of managing the household to fall into the hands of the eldest grandson’s wife. Madam Wang is left as a figurehead, a "doorway Bodhisattva."

The gap between her expectations and reality fuels Madam Wang’s growing resentment. Coupled with Kang Yima’s instigations, she becomes increasingly enraged.Here, some readers have forgotten one fact. Madam Wang never intended for Old Madam to die—she lacked both the courage and cunning for that. She merely wanted Old Madam to fall ill so she could reclaim authority and restore her dignity.

For clear-thinking individuals, such as our astute readers, it’s natural not to easily believe others’ words and to weigh the pros and cons carefully. But Madam Wang was muddle-headed—more precisely, she was prone to agitation and rage, which is why she completely lost her husband’s heart under Consort Lin’s delicate tearful assaults.

Aren’t there such muddle-headed people in reality? Among certain relatives, there are those who forget everything in a fit of anger, uttering harsh words and committing foolish acts without a second thought.

Thus, when Kang Yima skillfully incited her with sweet talk, the menopausal Madam Wang became reckless. In her view, wasn’t it just a matter of administering something like croton seeds? Besides, she didn’t believe she would be caught (every offender thinks this way).

Kang Yima, however, had sinister intentions, planning that even if the scheme were exposed, she could wash her hands of it entirely and let Madam Wang take the blame.

As for Sheng Hong, he wasn’t entirely indifferent to his mother’s life—there was some mother-son affection, after all. But he was more passionate about his own career and reputation. His idea was to suppress the matter first and resolve it behind closed doors. Of course, as Madam Wang thought, given the Wang family and their children, how severely could Sheng Hong punish his wife?

As for Kang Yima, if the Wang family refused to hand her over, Sheng Hong wouldn’t dare make a fuss and probably couldn’t even lay a finger on her.

In summary, it wasn’t that Sheng Hong didn’t want to punish Madam Wang, but his methods and severity clearly didn’t satisfy Minglan. Moreover, she had anticipated this from the start, which is why she arranged in advance to escalate the situation and seek justice.

Let me add one more point.

I’ll say it again: ancient times were not a society governed by the rule of law. Please don’t romanticize ancient legal systems.

Even if a wife poisoned her mother-in-law, a son and husband who failed to report it afterward would typically be charged with “negligence,” more seriously with “concealment,” and even more gravely with “disloyalty and unfilial conduct.” As long as he wasn’t involved in the poisoning, he wouldn’t face execution or confiscation of property, but he might be dismissed from office or stripped of honors, or even face harsh legal penalties.

As for Minglan holding a private court—readers who criticize this plot point leave me speechless.

Have you ever seen Raise the Red Lantern? That film was adapted from the famous novel Wives and Concubines. Even by the Republican era, how did the adulterous third concubine die? She was a lawful concubine, not bound by a contract—what right did that family have to kill her?

Since ancient times, clan power has been a formidable force. In some isolated or remote areas, ancestral halls could directly adjudicate certain offenses, such as disobedience or adultery. Practices like drowning in a pig cage and private punishments were largely tacitly accepted by the authorities to some extent.

Ancient society emphasized reason, sentiment, and law—three in one—with law coming last. This isn’t to say law was the least important, but rather that legal recourse was the last resort for resolving issues. Ancient people believed that, if possible, it was best to avoid the courts—especially in family matters, as going to court would inevitably lead to scandal.Of course, Minglan's private courtroom was still illegal. She knew this perfectly well, but she had no other choice. She needed to seize the initiative with lightning speed to confront the Kang Family, the Wang Family, and her wavering father Sheng Hong.

Minglan knew it was wrong, but so what? As long as she could avenge Old Madam.

The above is my thought process when writing this plot.

I welcome corrections, but please refrain from arguments like "Filial piety was the foremost virtue in ancient times, so Madam Wang wouldn't do such things" or "Harming one's mother-in-law is such a grave crime, why would Madam Wang be so reckless." I've already stated that whether in recorded classical novels or orally transmitted stories, descendants harming their elders has always existed.

Who doesn't know rebellion warrants extermination of one's clan? Yet haven't ambitious schemers existed throughout every dynasty? Who doesn't know abandoning one's wife to remarry is taboo? Yet haven't countless Chen Shimeis emerged generation after generation over thousands of years? Harming one's mother-in-law is as unforgivable as murdering one's husband - need I remind you there've been plenty of courageous Pan Jinlians too.

Regardless of how these people were eventually punished, at least someone dared to do it.

Is there anything more important than one's martial arts sect in the martial world? Unworthy disciples are everywhere.

The brothers Wu Hua and Nan Gong Ling, raised with love and orthodox education, poisoned their master and adoptive father with Heavenly One Divine Water without hesitation. In truth, Tian Feng Shislang didn't want to live anymore - he wasn't murdered. The old Shaolin monk and Beggar Sect Leader were the truly unlucky ones - attending a duel in good faith, fighting honorably with everything aboveboard, accepting life or death outcomes. Yet they were betrayed by villains, only to be defeated years later by children they themselves raised. Wu Hua and Nan Gong Ling claimed to be avenging their father, but I suspect ambitions to dominate the martial world were their true motivation.

Then there's Zhang Zhaozhong who betrayed his master and ancestors, Huo Du who abandoned his master Golden Wheel Monk in times of crisis, all of Unfeeling Master's disciples except Cheng Lingsu - throughout "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer" and "A Deadly Secret", it's a den of monsters.

Every established social norm has its betrayers - this isn't surprising.

Where interests lie, human nature follows. Are these depictions really so unreliable? Especially when from Madam Wang's foolish perspective, she merely tossed some horse beans.

For a competent novel, plot development must balance being reasonable yet unexpected - a delicate equilibrium to maintain.

Take Guo Jing - even if his early experiences were inevitable, conveniently meeting the only daughter of Huang Yaoshi, having Huang Rong fall madly in love with him, encountering Hong Qigong by chance, experiencing repeated miraculous encounters throughout his life - when written by Master Jin, it feels natural. Had I written it, I'd have been accused of "the dead author randomly granting golden fingers." The same applies to Wei Xiaobao, Zhang Wuji and others.

As for Ying Gu being an imperial consort yet committing adultery - by our understanding, after discovery she should have been either expelled from the palace or confined to the cold palace. Yet the emperor permitted her to give birth to an illegitimate child within the palace. When Prince Duan refused to save this cuckoo's child, Ying Gu actually held grudges for decades (as if her cuckolding the emperor was nothing) - following the logic of slice-of-life societal norms, isn't this woman utterly shameless?In real life, there are already all sorts of peculiar individuals—those with incredibly good luck, muddle-headed thinkers, highly impulsive souls, loyal and kind-hearted people, selfish hypocrites... So why couldn't Madam Wang give her mother-in-law croton seeds while failing to consider her grandson?

Foolish, gullible, unfilial—she was neither the first nor likely the last.

...

Regarding this part of the novel's plot, I'll add a few extra words here.

Ancient China was never a society governed by the rule of law (and even now it is not entirely so). As some readers have pointed out, Sheng Hong must severely punish and properly handle this matter, or else it would lead to disastrous consequences—but all of this is predicated on one condition: that the incident involving Old Mrs. Sheng is exposed.

If it remains undisclosed, it can be swept under the rug.

In Dream of the Red Chamber, when Xue Pan beat that young master Feng to death—and the Feng family was a moderately well-off household with property—they pursued legal action all the way, but what was the outcome...?

Some readers have even speculated that this was a scheme of Old Baihua, deliberately luring Minglan out to harm Little Tuanzi. Honestly, I think that’s overthinking it.

Everything depends on power. At that time, Old Baihua had already moved out after the family division, and Weige was not particularly accomplished. How could they compare to Gu Tingye, who held significant authority? Who would help her? Moreover, as long as Nanny Cui, who was watching the child, refused, Old Baihua wouldn’t even be able to see Tuanzi. Could she possibly gather people to start a fight?

Not to mention, Gongsun Xiansheng was also at home.

In writing about this incident involving Old Mrs. Sheng, I have tried to approach it from each character’s perspective.

First, if a wife attempts to poison her mother-in-law, regardless of whether the matter is perfectly resolved, as long as it becomes public, it becomes a scandal that would significantly impact Sheng Hong and his sons’ official careers.

So, what would Sheng Hong think? Naturally, he would hope to keep the matter confined within the family, with no one outside learning about it.

Second, why is Madam Wang so arrogant? She is also leveraging this point. As the saying goes, "family shame should not be publicized." She knows Sheng Hong does not want to make it public, and if handled internally, she has the backing of her maternal family.

Third, what is Minglan using as leverage?

Among this father, daughter, and wife, a delicate relationship of mutual compromise has essentially formed.

Let me reiterate: in ancient times, it was always emphasized that family shame should not be publicized. Any family scandal was best kept under wraps and not brought to light, let alone taken to court.

In wealthy households, as depicted in Dream of the Red Chamber, things may be utterly rotten inside, but on the surface, everything appears splendid and undisturbed. Minglan’s role, however, is precisely to stir things up.