The faint morning sunlight filtered through the latticed window, illuminating the room brightly.
Shuyu shyly lowered her watery eyes, allowing Young Madam Song to examine her.
Had the date already been set?
The young master was refined and elegant, both gentle and considerate. He had been the object of her affection and longing for years. If she could be with him, even as a concubine, she would be willing.
Unexpectedly, Young Madam Song suddenly changed her mind.
"Shuyu, I asked my husband yesterday, and he said he doesn't want to take a concubine. The matter we discussed before will be dropped. My husband also said that Steward Song's nephew is quite good, from a well-off family, and honest. He would make a suitable match..."
Understanding her meaning, the joy that had just blossomed on Shuyu's brow quickly faded, her expression suddenly freezing and then starting to contort.
She involuntarily clenched her fists, her uncut nails digging deeply into her palms.
The pain in her hands was nothing compared to the pain in her heart.
Her lips quivered, and it took a long time before she found her voice, murmuring, "Is this truly the young master's wish?"
She couldn't believe it.
It must be that Young Madam Song feared she would take away the young master's affection, and was making up excuses!
She even wanted to marry her off to a mere steward.
With a jewel before her, how could she settle for a pebble?
Shuyu fell into a trance, momentarily unable to conceal the resentment and desolation in her eyes.
The emotions in her gaze were so intense that in a flash, Young Madam Song had an inkling.
"Shuyu, do you truly wish to be my husband's concubine? It's not because of what Nanny said about helping me, but because you like him too, isn't it?"
Shuyu's heart trembled, unable to say no, and she finally gave a slight nod.
"Oh, but my husband says he doesn't like you."
Young Madam Song didn't mean to be harsh; she was simply stating the truth.
She picked up a piece of pastry from the plate, using it as a metaphor:
"If I could see my favorite snack every day but couldn't eat it, I would be very sad. In that case, it would be better not to see it at all."
"Shuyu, I'll give you and Nanny your contracts of indenture. I'll have Steward Song take you to cancel your registrations and set you free. How does that sound?"
Previously, after hearing Nanny Xu's suggestion, she had brought up the idea of taking a concubine. Now she suddenly changed her mind, which seemed a bit capricious.
Moreover, Shuyu shared a special bond with her, and Young Madam Song felt uncomfortable about it. She wanted to compensate Shuyu as much as possible.
She was genuinely considering Shuyu's perspective, but to Shuyu, it appeared as if she couldn't wait to get rid of her.
Shuyu suppressed her various emotions and began lamenting her reluctance to leave, reminiscing about their shared moments growing up.
The sound carried outside the room, alarming Nanny Xu, who had been eavesdropping. She seized the opportunity to change the tea and entered to lend her support.
"Madam, did you suddenly change your mind after hearing what the young miss said yesterday?"
"Forgive this slave for speaking out of turn, but what does an unmarried young lady know? It's easy for her to pontificate when it doesn't concern her, without considering your interests at all..."
Realizing she was speaking ill of her cousin, Young Madam Song irritably interrupted her, "Nanny, you're right. You indeed shouldn't be saying such things."
"..."
The conversation had reached an impasse.
Nanny Xu changed tack, trying a different approach.
"Madam, men often say one thing and mean another. He might tell you he won't take a concubine to your face to make you happy. But as time goes by, who knows if he might not indulge in secret? Rather than waiting for the master to find someone else, wouldn't it be better for you to choose someone you know well..."
Young Madam Song, who had just taken a sip of warm water, was so angered by her sudden criticism of Song Jingcheng that she set down her cup with a heavy thud.
"What's gotten into you today, Nanny? First, you speak ill of my cousin, and now my husband, when they are both so good to me!"
Hearing the anger in her voice, Nanny Xu realized she had been too hasty and quickly fanned her sagging cheeks lightly.
"It's all because this slave is getting old and has seen too much. I couldn't help but offer some advice to Madam. Since Madam doesn't like to hear it, this slave will never mention it again."
"Oh, since you're getting old, Nanny, I should return the contracts to you and Shuyu, release you from the household to enjoy your retirement. That way, you won't have to worry about me at your advanced age."
"..."
Nanny Xu, hearing her bring this up again, realized that she truly intended to send her and Shuyu away.
"Madam, that's absolutely out of the question. You're with child now, and this is when you need people the most. How can this slave leave you? How can Qingyang Court function without an experienced nanny?"
"Madam, please don't be childish. Everything must be done with the unborn child in mind."
Just as Young Madam Song was wavering, Elder Madam Song sent over an experienced old nanny.
Yesterday, after Qi Huan left Qingyang Court, she had casually relayed the incident with the tea to Elder Madam Song.
Early this morning, Elder Madam Song had swiftly dispatched an experienced nanny.
Previously, she hadn't rashly sent anyone to Qingyang Court, fearing Young Madam Song would feel uncomfortable.
Now that Young Madam Song was with child, they couldn't be careless. It was necessary to send a reliable person to put their minds at ease.
Young Madam Song accepted Nanny Chen and then instructed Shuxiang to find Steward Song to arrange for Nanny Xu and Shuyu's release from the household.
When the news reached Qinghuan Court, Qi Huan immediately brought Song You'an to visit her, occupying her time and not giving Nanny Xu another chance to influence her.
In desperation, Shuyu took out the aphrodisiac she had been keeping for a long time, deciding to make one last attempt that night.
However, Song Jingcheng did not, as usual, stay up late reading by lamplight.
Instead, he went to bed early to warm the bed for Young Madam Song, giving Shuyu no opportunity to administer the drug.
An overwhelming sense of frustration engulfed Shuyu.
It was all Young Madam Song's fault!
First, she went back on her word and wouldn't allow the young master to take a concubine, then she pretended to be kind by releasing her from the household, separating her from the young master and cutting off her last thread of hope.
The flames of jealousy burned fiercely, consuming her reason.
A night of seething resentment led her to concoct a simple and brutal plan for revenge.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to serve the meal, she secretly slipped the aphrodisiac into the breakfast.
She had heard that intimate relations during early pregnancy were bad for the fetus.
And she had bought a potent drug.
If something went wrong with the child because of this, Young Madam Song would never be able to hold her head up in the Song Mansion again.
Everyone would say that Young Madam Song had seduced the young master into intimate relations during the day, disregarding the welfare of their offspring, behaving frivolously and wantonly.
Thinking of this, Shuyu finally felt some satisfaction.
Little did she know that her covert actions were fully observed by Zhu Yan.
Zhu Yan yawned and casually tossed a small pebble, hitting the back of her knee.
Shuyu stumbled, watching helplessly as the soup bowl crashed to the ground.
Crack—
This was the sound of her heart breaking.
Her misfortune didn't end there.
After Steward Song escorted her out of the mansion, Zhu Yan secretly retrieved the broken bowl fragments with soup residue from the slop bucket and took them to the poison master at the Misty Rain Pavilion, having him concoct the same drug to slip into Shuyu's lunch.
After completing everything, Zhu Yan, concealing his actions and motives, returned to report with a spring in his step.
"The young miss was right; keeping that Shuyu around even for one more night would have been a hidden danger."
"Fortunately, there's me – clever, resourceful, skilled in martial arts, expert in lightness skill, and adaptable!"
"Last night, the young miss instructed that if Shuyu really made a move, we should give her a taste of her own medicine. I've perfectly returned the favor. I must tell Xiaotaozi so she can inform the young miss!"
And if Xiaotaozi could admire him for it, that would be even better!
Zhu Yan, his face animated, was about to leave after finishing his report when Ximen Ye called him back.
"Kill her."
"To eliminate future trouble."
Ximen Ye's phoenix eyes were dark and inscrutable, a mocking smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
His little cousin believed in repaying grudges in equal measure. She was still too merciful.
He had clawed his way up from the darkness, witnessing the worst of human nature, his hands long stained with indelible blood.
For him, rather than being on guard every day, it was better to eliminate the hidden danger directly.
Shuyu hadn't completely fallen out with Young Madam Song. If she were to return to the Song Mansion, Young Madam Song might still be in danger.
Young Madam Song was not only his brother's sister-in-law, but she also carried his brother's unborn nephew in her belly.
The little nephew would bear the Song surname and was also someone he needed to protect.
Since Shuyu dared to harbor ill intentions, she couldn't blame him for being ruthless.
*
A few days later, Qi Huan heard from Xiaotaozi that Nanny Xu and Shuyu had died in a fire.
Although she had her suspicions, she didn't investigate further.
On one hand, it was because she had a poor impression of Shuyu.
On the other hand, it was because on the day after Shuyu's incident, which was the thirteenth day of the first month in the 17th year of the Longshun Era, shocking news suddenly arrived from the border that rocked the entire court and country.
