What if she secretly drugged Tang Shiliang without anyone knowing? Wouldn't that give her leverage over them?
Jiang Xinyue felt that Tang Shiliang was now one of their own, and if the safety of their people was threatened, she absolutely couldn't ignore it. Otherwise, it would discourage those who loyally followed her.
"How much money have you spent on her?"
Jiang Yankun pondered for a moment: "At least five hundred taels."
After all, between treating her mother's illness, buying her beautiful clothes, repairing houses, buying and raising venomous insects, and Tang Shiliang giving her all his money in the end.
If Miao Linlin hadn't seen that they had money, she wouldn't have pursued them so relentlessly.
Five hundred taels would be enough not just to buy antidotes for two poison insects, but to buy the lives of everyone in her village. Tang Shiliang didn't owe her anything.
"Pei Sinian and Pei Zhishuo haven't been seen leaving lately, probably afraid of revenge from the Qu family."
Jiang Yankun thought for a moment and said: "The servants in the palace are all arranged by the Internal Affairs Department. Xinyue, do you have anyone there you can use?"
She did have some people, left behind by the previous empress, but she wasn't sure if they would follow her orders: "Xiaoxiang, go invite Manager Xia from the Internal Affairs Department, tell him..."
Lady Ruan, Jiang Xinyan, and Jiang Junze listened as father and daughter plotted against Pei Sinian and Pei Zhishuo, feeling eager to participate.
Those despicable creatures had lured cousin Yunai to such a filthy place, subjected her to humiliation, nearly caused her to lose her virtue, and completely ruined the Jiang family's reputation.
Most importantly, if they had succeeded, Jiang Xinyue would never have had a chance at becoming empress, and the Sixth Prince could never have become crown prince.
Because they would have had a disgraceful family history.
So their hatred for the Pei family ran deep.
If they wanted to kill the Jiang family, the Jiang family wouldn't let them off either.
Since it was a fight to the death, it was just a matter of who would kill whom first.
[Translation continues with the same attention to detail and proper use of glossary terms through the rest of the document...]
At the inn—
Miao Linlin tugged at her unfamiliar commoner's clothes, sitting on the bed, her eyes fixed intently on the direction of the palace.
She had been here for several days, asking around the neighborhood, and learned that the magnificent garden housed high-ranking officials and nobles.
That Pei fellow had dared to lie to her, claiming to be a merchant's son who only stayed in their village for the scenery.
She had found out that the current Chief Secretary's eldest son was named Pei Sinian, and his grandson was Pei Zhishuo.
These two were among the most noble people under heaven, yet they pretended to be lowly merchants, probably just afraid she would cling to them?
Their real purpose was to get the antidote for the poison and run.
These past few days, as she stayed here spending money to gather information, she learned some things.
Someone important in the palace had been poisoned, though she didn't know who. But for it to require the Chief Secretary's son and grandson, it must be a major achievement, otherwise why would they need to trouble themselves?
Hah!
They thought they could dismiss her with just some silver? Dream on!
If she could just put the love poison on Pei Zhishuo, she would become the Chief Secretary's granddaughter-in-law, and endless wealth and glory would be hers to enjoy.
Hadn't her sister also eloped with a man and lived a life of luxury outside, never returning?
She had it good, leaving behind all the mess at home for her - did they expect her to be willing to stay trapped in that penniless mountain valley?
"Isn't that Young Master Pei?"
"Where?"
"Over there! Young Master Pei is one of the capital's Eight Young Talents, how many noble young ladies wish to marry him!"
Hearing this, Miao Linlin excitedly stuck her head out the window, just in time to see Jiang Yankun and Tang Shiliang walking out of the palace gate.
But they were followed by a large group of guards, making it impossible to get close.
She had learned to be smarter now. After several failed attempts to force her way through, this time she chose to follow secretly.
"My lord, she's following."
No matter how crafty Miao Linlin was, she had no martial arts skills. Her heavy footsteps were immediately noticed by the guards with internal energy.
Moreover, the people at the inn who had misled Miao Linlin were all arranged by Jiang Yankun.
Miao Linlin watched the two enter a silk shop, knowing her opportunity had come.
Jiang Yankun changed his clothes, placing several strands of Pei Sinian's hair at the collar. Tang Shiliang was originally supposed to use Pei Zhishuo's hair, but the empress had said that Pei Zhishuo was already ruined, so there was no need to waste effort on him.
They couldn't get the Chief Secretary's hair, but they had extra strands of Pei Sinian's, so they might as well use all of his.
Whatever poison Miao Linlin would use, let that lowborn Pei Sinian enjoy it all!
This was his punishment for plotting against Jiang Xinyue's uncle's family.
The guards had received their orders and deliberately left a gap in front of the fitting rooms, all crowding around Jiang Yankun and Tang Shiliang, making it easy for Miao Linlin to sneak into the two fitting rooms.
"My lord, this garment looks wonderful on you, your wife will surely be pleased."
"Young master, this one is nice too, the cyan color suits your complexion well. Why don't we buy both?"
"Fine, throw away the old ones inside, have the shop dispose of them later."
Inside, carefully collecting the hair, Miao Linlin became even more convinced that Tang Shiliang had deceived her feelings.
He could casually throw away clothes worth dozens of taels each, yet wouldn't buy her the poison insects worth a few hundred taels, wasting so much of her time and energy - the feelings she had invested were beyond measure in gold and silver.
Having stolen the hair, Miao Linlin quickly crouched and ran back to the inn, only then did the guards disperse.
Jiang Yankun lifted the fitting room curtain, holding the clothes: "Eunuch Tang, this matter is settled, let's head back!"
The rest would be arranged by his daughter.
"Coo-coo..."
Outside the window, birds chirped, while inside, the four-month-old Sixth Prince lay in his cradle, waving his arms and legs as the Third and Fourth Princes played with him, making adorable sounds.
"Your Highness..."
Shuangjiang came in from outside and whispered something in Jiang Xinyue's ear. Jiang Xinyue immediately stood up: "Come, let's go meet Madam Qu."
In the garden where the Qu family resided, Madam Zhen's lips were cracked, her face ashen, with herbs applied to her knees. She spoke coldly: "Who is father saving the imperial pardon for? Third Young Master has been imprisoned for two days now, what does father mean by this?"
Her personal maid stepped forward, seeming hesitant to speak. Madam Zhen threw a teacup at her: "You worthless creature, if you have something to say, say it! Don't you know I'm in no mood for your dithering?"
The maid, now covered in tea, knelt down and said: "Madam... I... I heard people saying... that the Master has kept a mistress in Tingtai Lane, and she has borne him two sons. The old master knows about this, that's why... that's why he won't use the imperial pardon to save our Third Young Master."
"What did you say?"
Madam Zhen's eyes widened: "I didn't hear clearly, say it again."
She had heard clearly, but couldn't believe it!
