Second Madam Meng stormed toward Madam Xin’s courtyard with a group of servants in tow. The maids and serving women in the yard were terrified by her bloodshot eyes and gnashing teeth, which made her look like a beast ready to devour someone. None dared to approach her. Finally, an old servant woman surnamed Ding from Madam Xin’s household mustered the courage to block her path. “Madam is unwell and was just frightened by the fire. She’s resting now. If Second Madam has any business, you may tell me first, and I’ll—”
Before she could finish, a sharp slap landed on her face, leaving a vivid red handprint on her cheek.
The old woman was stunned—though the two households had long ceased to interact much, this was the first time physical violence had been involved. Clutching her face, she could only watch as Madam Meng and her entourage barged in and shoved the door open.
Madam Xin sat on the bed, a cloth wrapped around her forehead, her expression frantic as she slapped the edge of the bed, urging someone to go out again and search for Quan Ge. The boy was now fourteen, and at some point, he had been led astray, developing a gambling habit at a young age. At first, he had only secretly gathered servants to roll dice and bet small sums for fun. But last year, seeing his father perpetually drunk, his concubine Yun Niang giving birth to a stillborn before dying herself, his stepmother Zhou Shi constantly stirring up trouble, and his grandmother’s health deteriorating to the point she could no longer control him, he grew bold enough to sneak out to underground gambling dens. The people there, knowing he was the grandson of Duke Wei’s Mansion and recognizing him as a plump fish due to his youth, flattered him. At first, they let him win small sums to hook him. Once addicted, Quan Ge began sneaking out frequently, gambling larger and larger sums. When his money ran out, he started stealing antiques and valuables from home—avoiding conspicuous items—and even managed to copy a key to the storeroom, quietly pilfering from there. It wasn’t until the end of last year, when Madam Xin needed certain items and found them missing, that the theft was discovered. She informed Pei Xiuzhi, who beat Quan Ge severely, locked him up, and had the gambling den raided. But such places changed locations every few days, always set up in open areas with intricate escape routes, lookouts at every corner, and secret signals known only to insiders. By the time the authorities arrived, everyone had already scattered.
Since the New Year, Quan Ge had been confined at home with no money, appearing much more subdued. Madam Xin thought her grandson had reformed—until two days ago, when he slipped out again and hadn’t returned. She assumed he had gone back to gambling, but upon checking, no valuables were missing this time, which was odd. Frantic, she sent every available servant to search all possible places, yet there was no trace of him. When Madam Meng suddenly burst in with a furious crowd, Madam Xin was startled. She had someone help her up and said coldly, “Second Madam, what is the meaning of this? I know there was a fire in the public storeroom, and Xiuluo is unwell. But I already sent people to put out the fire. Have you barged in here to accuse me?”Second Madam's eyes blazed with fury, her usual gentle demeanor completely gone as she ground her teeth and spat, "You vile woman! In the past, I tolerated you out of respect for our ancestors! Now that my son has shown promise, you couldn't bear it—that's why you had him locked in the storeroom to burn him alive, isn't it? How could you be so cruel? Aren't you afraid this evil will befall your own descendants? My poor Luo'er, what did he ever do to deserve such brutality?"
A mother's heart aches for her child. As Second Madam imagined the unimaginable torment her son must have endured, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
Meanwhile, a servant had rushed to Madam Xin's side, whispering a detailed account of the events. Upon hearing that Pei Xiuluo's face was completely disfigured, most of his body horrifically burned, and the imperial physician hinting at life-threatening injuries, Madam Xin finally grasped the severity of the situation. Shocked, she momentarily forgot about her missing grandson and sharply ordered Zhou Jiao'e and the maid to be summoned. But then a hoarse cry came from outside: "Madam, it's terrible! Second Young Madam's door was bolted from inside with no response. When we forced it open, we found her... she'd hanged herself from the beam!"
The crowd gasped in unison, turning en masse toward the commotion. Supported by attendants, Madam Xin rushed to her son's quarters, where Zhou Jiao'e's body already lay stiff on the floor—her face purplish, tongue protruding, toes pointed straight, and a deep bruise circling her neck. The maids and servants scurried about like headless flies, while Zhou Jiao'e's daughter crouched trembling on the ground, weeping inconsolably.
Madam Xin paled at the sight, but Madam Meng's eyes widened as she jabbed a finger toward Madam Xin's face, her agitation mounting: "Just as I suspected! First you harm my son, then you drive your daughter-in-law to suicide—do you think this will absolve you? A'fu! A'fu!"
Turning away, Madam Meng called tearfully for Jiafu: "A'fu, you've seen it all! When You'an returns, you must ensure justice is served—speak for your aunt, for my poor Luo'er..."
She collapsed onto a chair, burying her face in her hands as her maids tried to comfort her.
Jiafu arrived and recoiled at the sight of Zhou Jiao'e's rigid corpse. After hurriedly directing someone to take the frightened girl away, she summoned the imperial physician.
The physician arrived promptly, lifting Zhou Jiao'e's eyelids and checking her pulse before shaking his head and withdrawing.
Stunned by Zhou Jiao'e's sudden death, Jiafu barely had time to process it when a servant covered the body with cloth. The stench in the room grew unbearable, forcing Jiafu outside—only to see Granny Ding dragging a maid by the arm toward Second Madam Meng and shoving the girl at her feet.Madam Xin followed them in and ordered all the idle maids and servants to leave. Once only a few trusted confidants remained, Granny Ding viciously pinched the maid on the floor—the one who had been seen meeting Pei Xiuluo that evening and who served Zhou Jiao'e. The maid dodged and cried, "Second Mistress and Third Master have been involved for years! Since last year, Third Master wanted to end it, but Second Mistress had me secretly deliver a message this evening, asking to meet him at the storeroom to return his gifts and settle things. I only passed the message—I don’t know how Third Master got locked in or how the fire started! First Mistress, Madam, Second Madam, please spare me—"
Granny Ding stuffed a cloth into the maid’s mouth and tied her up with a rope.
Madam Xin’s face was still deathly pale, but she had regained some composure compared to earlier. She glared at the stunned Second Madam. "Meng Shi, you heard it yourself. If anyone’s to blame, it’s your son for seducing my daughter-in-law! One wanted to break free, the other refused to let go—dogs biting dogs, and this is the result!"
She sneered, "If you want to make this public, I’ve got nothing to lose! But if we’d both rather save face, I’ll swallow this disgrace. You go home and discipline your son—his behavior is downright shameless."
Madam Meng’s face flushed and paled repeatedly.
Pei Xiuluo appeared upright but had harbored lecherous tendencies since childhood, particularly toward married women. Once, a steward under Madam Meng had a wife of some beauty, and Pei Xiuluo ended up entangled with her. Fortunately, Madam Meng found out and sent the couple far away to end the affair.
A mother knows her son best. How could Madam Meng be unaware of his vice? But she never dreamed he’d get involved with Zhou Jiao'e.
Madam Meng suddenly turned to Jiafu. "A'fu, don’t believe her! How could our Xiuluo do such a thing? This madwoman is slandering Luo'er with baseless accusations!"
She turned back to Madam Xin and sneered, "Zhou Jiao'e hanged herself—spin whatever tale you want. A maid’s empty words mean nothing! You not only want my son dead but also to ruin his name—how vicious! Only for You’an and A'fu’s sake have I kept this within the family. If you dare speak ill of him again, I won’t rest until I’ve torn you apart!"
Madam Xin’s face turned ashen again, her finger trembling as she pointed at Madam Meng, speechless with rage.
"Madam, Madam! The young master has been found!"
Just then, commotion erupted outside. Madam Xin rushed out and saw Quan Ge'er had indeed returned—but carried horizontally. Two servants bore him, his head wrapped in bloodied bandages, his face sallow and smeared with filth, his body caked in dried mud as if he’d rolled through a ditch. Unconscious, his eyes remained shut.
Yang Yun followed behind.Madam Xin was greatly shocked and rushed forward, calling out "Quan Ge'er" several times in a loud voice before urgently ordering someone to fetch the imperial physician again. The physician, who had been observing Pei Xiuluo's burn injuries and had not yet left, hurried over upon hearing the news. He instructed people to carry Quan Ge'er inside and lay him down, then began treating him.
As the physician attended to Quan Ge'er's injuries, his expression grew unusually grave.
While the physician was busy, Yang Yun came to see Jiafu. He said that Lord Pei was aware of the rampant underground gambling in the capital, which had ensnared everyone from white-haired elders to ignorant youths, causing many to lose their family fortunes. Even the children of powerful nobles were involved, spreading endless harm. Lord Pei had also mentioned Quan Ge'er to Yang Yun, ordering the Five Armies to crack down on the gambling dens and instructing Yang Yun to participate as well. If they encountered Quan Ge, they were to apprehend him. The previous day, Yang Yun and the Five Armies had received a tip and raided a large, long-established underground gambling den hidden in a mountain valley about a hundred li west of the city. They arrested over a hundred gamblers. While searching the area for escapees, they found Quan Ge'er discarded in a foul ditch.
Quan Ge's head had been smashed open by a large rock. The assailant had not only struck with extreme force but had also thrown him headfirst into the ditch, clearly intending to kill him. Fortunately, he was discovered in time and given emergency treatment, barely saving his life. Yang Yun had rushed him back overnight.
The physician worked diligently, re-dressing Quan Ge's wounds and blowing medicinal powder into his nostrils. After a while, Quan Ge slowly regained consciousness, but his face was twisted, drool dribbling from his mouth. His eyes fixed crookedly on Madam Meng nearby, and his lips moved incessantly as if struggling to speak.
The physician explained that Quan Ge had suffered severe head trauma and that regaining consciousness at all was already a miracle. His current state was a symptom of the grave damage to his brain. Whether he would ever recover—or even survive—was now up to fate. With a sigh, the physician shook his head and left.
Madam Xin, heartbroken, embraced her grandson. Then, with great effort, Quan Ge'er mumbled incoherently: "Third Uncle and stepmother were having an affair... I saw them before... I just asked Third Uncle for some money... but he wanted to kill me..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Quan Ge's eyes rolled back, and he fell unconscious again.
The room fell into dead silence, broken only by Madam Xin's mournful sobs.
Jiafu was stunned.
That night, one shocking event had followed another, leaving no time to process them all.
Now, at last, the threads of the story had become clear.
It seemed that Pei Xiuluo and Zhou Jiao'e had been carrying on an affair for years, which Quan Ge had discovered. Instead of exposing them, he had blackmailed Pei Xiuluo for money. Unable to bear the harassment and fearing exposure would ruin his future, Pei Xiuluo had arranged for someone to attack his nephew at the gambling den outside the city, eliminating the threat.
At the same time, Pei Xiuluo must have been desperate to cut ties with Zhou Jiao'e, but she had refused—perhaps because her demands weren't met, or perhaps because she had genuinely fallen for the third master. Driven to desperation, she had resorted to this mutually destructive act.Madam Meng had been worried about her son's injuries and had initially intended to leave earlier. But upon hearing Quan Ge mention her son, she halted her steps and listened carefully. When she fully grasped the implication, she flew into a rage, charging forward and shouting furiously, "You people from the main branch—one after another—are you all taking turns trying to kill my son? Let me tell you this: my son is a dignified scholar, upright in conduct and beyond reproach. No matter how much you slander him, he remains blameless! I’ll stake my life on his innocence!"
Madam Xin, her vision darkening as she watched her grandson convulse with his eyes rolled back, clutched a nearby maidservant to steady herself. Slowly, she turned her head and glared venomously at Madam Meng for a long moment before suddenly shifting her gaze to Jiafu. "Eldest daughter-in-law! At this point, there’s nothing I can’t say! That incident involving You’an when he was sixteen—whether it was Old Madam or you and your husband, you all must have believed it was my doing. That concubine’s death, you thought I caused it too!"
"I was wronged! Back then, I didn’t realize it, but now I understand—I was a fool, caught in a scheme to sow discord. I was used, left to bear the blame for murder!"
Memories from twenty years ago flooded her mind.
At that time, Madam Xin had just lost her husband, but even grief couldn’t suppress her hatred for the eldest son, who had taken everything from her own child.
Just as that resentment gnawed at her heart, one midnight, a maidservant woke her, claiming she had seen the Duke’s concubine hanging dead outside the eldest son’s courtyard.
Madam Xin was initially shocked and prepared to report it to Old Madam Pei. But the maidservant insisted that the eldest son must have assaulted the concubine during the mourning period—why else would she hang herself at his gate? If this got out, the eldest son’s reputation would be ruined, and he’d have no place left in the Duke’s household.
Those words swayed her.
Deep down, she couldn’t believe that the solitary sixteen-year-old boy would do such a thing. The concubine’s death and the hanging at his door must have had another cause. Yet another voice in her mind urged her to believe the story, so she stayed silent, feigning ignorance. By the next day, the vile rumor had spread throughout the household. Before Old Madam Pei could silence the servants, the news had already reached the censors’ office.
Madam Xin turned to Madam Meng, whose face had paled, her eyes bloodshot as she advanced on her with a venomous glare.
"You vile woman! That wasn’t my doing—in this Pei family, who else but you could have done it? All these years, I couldn’t understand why you’d force that concubine to her death. Back then, to be certain, I even had someone examine her body—the Duke of Wei had never touched her, yet she’d been defiled. Now I finally see the truth! It must have been your damned son who violated her—maybe even strangled her! You feared it would ruin his future, so you devised this vicious plot to frame both me and You’an, driving a wedge between us mother and son until we became strangers!"Madam Xin turned to Jiafu, tears of remorse streaming down her face.
"Eldest daughter-in-law, I know I’ve wronged You’an. I have no right to ask for forgiveness from you and your husband now. I only hate myself for being so foolish back then, letting others see through my thoughts and setting up this vicious scheme to trap me. That old woman has long been dead, and now I realize she must have been behind it all. To protect her own son, she not only harmed me but also You’an, who had nothing to do with her! You should now understand just how venomous your aunt’s heart is. Every word I’ve just spoken is the truth—if there’s even a single falsehood, may I die a wretched death!"
Jiafu was utterly stunned.
She had always believed that Madam Xin was the one who had driven the Duke of Wei’s concubine to her death and framed Pei You’an. Never had she imagined there was such a twist in the story.
She looked at Second Madam Meng.
In her memory, her mother had often spoken of how gentle and kind her elder sister—the one who had married into the capital’s ducal household—had been in their youth, and how close the two sisters had been. Even years later, her mother still recalled those times with fondness.
What had happened to turn a sister her mother remembered so warmly into a woman so consumed by greed, utterly selfish, and indifferent to the lives of others?
Second Madam Meng suddenly let out a shrill cry and lunged viciously at Madam Xin, clawing and screaming at her, her face flushed and hair disheveled, devoid of any dignity befitting a noblewoman.
"Enough!"
Jiafu could bear it no longer and snapped sharply.
Second Madam Meng shuddered and stopped, slowly turning to face Jiafu. After a long moment of silence, her face gradually paled, and she began shaking her hands frantically. "A’fu, you mustn’t listen to her! She’s spouting nonsense—she’s lost her mind! She hates me, and she hates you and You’an! Even now, she’s trying to sow discord between us!"
Jiafu ignored her, stepping back and sweeping her gaze over the trusted servants of the two madams. Seeing their expressions as if mourning their own parents, she said coldly, "What happened tonight stays within these walls. When the master returns, I will explain everything to him, and he will decide how to proceed. If even a single word of this leaks out, every one of you here—regardless of right or wrong—will be beaten to death!"
The maids and servants hastily knelt, swearing they wouldn’t dare.
Second Madam Meng collapsed to the floor, her gaze vacant and unmoving.
"Second Madam—Third Young Master is unwell—!"
A panicked cry suddenly came from outside. Second Madam Meng jolted as if pricked by a needle, scrambling to her feet while muttering, "Luo’er, Mother’s coming, Mother’s coming—" She shoved aside those in her way and stumbled out in a frenzy.
Jiafu turned and left the room. As she passed the pathway, she saw Pei Xiuzhi still sprawled drunkenly on the ground, a servant boy calling desperately in his ear while he lay with his eyes tightly shut, snoring loudly. She paused and ordered a basin of cold water to be brought, then poured it over his head.
Pei Xiuzhi yelped, his eyes flying open as he jerked upright. When he looked up and saw Jiafu standing before him, frowning down at him with icy clarity—her gaze filled with seven parts disgust and three parts contempt—he was overcome with shame and couldn’t meet her eyes, slowly lowering his head instead."Pei Xiuzhi, you disgrace the name of a Duke's son! Had you even an ounce of your father's manliness, you wouldn't have become such a worthless wretch, harming both yourself and others! The hardships my husband endured since childhood far surpass anything you've suffered. Let me give you some advice—instead of wallowing in self-pity and cursing the unfairness of fate, reflect on the valor of your Pei ancestors. As their descendant, you should strive to emulate them. Otherwise, your death would be no loss, but tell me—how could you face your ancestors in the afterlife with such shame?"
With those words, Jiafu turned and walked away.
Pei Xiuzhi sat motionless, drenched and dripping, staring blankly at her retreating figure.
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