Chapter 103: Formidable Use of Poison
Comments:
Chau - Apologies for the delayed release! I’ve been down with an awful case of exam season :/
Notes:
[1] Old Eldest, in reference to Li Xiao Ran
[2] A sweet syrup made from fermented grains; thick consistency at room temperature, fluid when heated up
Jiu Yiniang did not seem to have heard anything Lao Furen said. She was resisting as if she had gone crazy, wanting to escape the crowd. She was completely different from before!
Li Xiao Ran stood up and coldly shouted: “Jiu Yiniang feigned innocence and ignorance, so what about the rest of you? If any of you dare to speak half a lie, no one is to escape punishment!”
The yatous by Jiu Yiniang’s side were so terrified that they continuously kowtowed.
Lao Furen blankly said: “They must know something. Drag them all out and beat them a hundred strokes until they are willing to confess, then we shall see!”
The yatous were trembling from fear. The guards outside came in to drag them out. Cries for mercy rang throughout the room! At this time, a pale-faced, petite yatou suddenly cried out and kowtowed, begging for forgiveness: “Nubi wishes to confess! Lao Furen have mercy, Laoye have mercy. Jiu Yiniang ordered Nubi to do so. Nubi truly had no choice but to obey. If Nubi did not follow Jiu Yiniang’s order, she will surely drive Nubi out!”
Li Xiao Ran waved his hand. The guards loosened their grips. The other yatous looked to her in disbelief.
Lao Furen looked at her and asked: “What did she have you do!”
Her face pale as a sheet, the yatou said: “Jiu Yiniang… Jiu Yiniang found an opportunity during the pilgrimage to take the gold collar out to a gold shop, melted the gold, and added some medicinal herbs inside. Nubi does not know which herbs were put inside! Nubi never thought that she wanted to harm Si Shaoye! At the time, she just said the gold collar was worth so much that she would not be discovered if she took a bit of gold. She even said that as long as Nubi followed the order, she would make Nubi a second-ranked yatou!”
After hearing these words, Tan shi was trembling out of anger. Cold waves washed over her heart as if she had fallen into a bottomless pit. She always thought that others had provoked Jiu Yiniang to do wrongful things, but who would have thought she herself had the intention to murder Tan shi’s son!
Jiang Yue Lan revealed an incredulous expression: “Jiu Yiniang, you must know that Min Zhi was in my care. If something happened to Min Zhi, I cannot escape punishment, so why would you do such a thing! You are clearly —— ” As she was speaking, she turned her tear-filled eyes towards Li Xiao Ran.
Li Wei Yang looked at Jiu Yiniang, whose face was solemn and unclear. Who knows what she was thinking?
Jiu Yiniang was still struggling fiercely and shouted: “You are framing me! All of you have framed me! You all colluded to frame me!”
Aside from Jiu Yiniang’s screaming, no one dared to utter a sound. The atmosphere in the room was almost suffocating. Li Xiao Ran slightly narrowed his eyes. He truly could not have imagined that Jiu Yiniang did this sort of thing!
Si Yiniang glanced at Li Xiao Ran and sighed: “Laoye, the one-sided truth from this yatou is not reliable. It is necessary to investigate much more carefully, so that Jiu Yiniang isn’t wrongly accused!”
Lao Furen resented not being able to publicly execute Jiu Yiniang. Hearing this, she sneered and said: “Wei Yang, what do you say?!”
Li Wei Yang felt that everything kept descending into chaos. There were many things she had to personally investigate, so for the time being, she only said: “Everything should be left to Lao Furen and Fuqin to decide, Wei Yang does not dare to intervene.”
Lao Furen nodded: “With a witness and a testimony, Lao Da1, what do you say should be done now!”
While Li Xiao Ran had feelings for Jiu Yiniang, harming a Li family heir was not something he could forgive. He looked at Jiu Yiniang and said: “I have always favored you, but was that still not enough for you. You would not even spare a child like Min Zhi!” His voice grew colder and colder: “Since it is that way, I cannot hold onto lingering feelings or it will go against the rules of the Li family! Starting from today, Jiu Yiniang is to be locked up and not allowed to leave. As for this yatou, lock her up in the woodshed first. Once the owner of the gold shop is found, confront them and ask to verify. If it is true, proceed to beat her to death!”
That yatou began to scream and cry as she was dragged out; Li Wei Yang looked at this scene and felt that this matter was even more strange.
Jiang Yue Lan sighed: “I truly did not expect someone as weak as Jiu Yiniang would do such a thing! Fortunately, it was quickly discovered, otherwise it would have compromised Min Zhi’s life!” Then, she knelt down and said to Li Xiao Ran, “Laoye, I didn’t take good care of Si Shaoye. I will not lament no matter how you wish to punish me.”
Li Xiao Ran glanced over at Lao Furen and lifted her up to her feet. Jiang Yue Lan refused to stand, her tears still falling. Lao Furen said: “Forget it, this has nothing to do with you. Get up.”
Jiang Yue Lan only stood up once she heard this and tearfully said: “Then I will bring Min Zhi back and take good care of him.”
Lao Furen frowned, watching Jiang Yue Lan walk over and take Min Zhi into her arms under Tan shi’s reluctant eyes. She had just taken two steps when Min Zhi suddenly opened his eyes and began to shriek and cry.
“Look, you see! What else can you do! You can’t even take care of a child!” Lao Furen was angered by this. Jiang Yue Lan felt genuinely wronged. How would she know this child would be awoken so easily!
Tan shi hurriedly took Min Zhi into her arms. He suddenly stopped crying and immediately fell against his birth mother’s chest, bright-eyed as if his tantrum had never happened. His little hands were grabbing at air, appearing very lively.
In the end, it seemed like his birth mother still had a way. Lao Furen felt reassured, but then painstakingly said: “He’s been at Fu Rui Courtyard for less than ten days. Look at the child, he has no life in him anymore and this can’t go on like this!”
Li Wei Yang glanced over at her little brother. Aside from the red dots on his arm, he was still fair-skinned and chubby and the obnoxiousness of his crying was unrivaled. There was no sign that his liveliness had been affected at all.
Jiang Yue Lan did not want to let go of Min Zhi so easily and continued to say: “Let me give it another try! Perhaps my actions just now were a bit rough, but I can be gentler!” She extended her hands to take Min Zhi from Tan shi’s arms, but the moment he was in her arms, Min Zhi’s tears ran like a faucet, and he returned to a state of crying in earthshaking terror.
Everyone’s suspicious eyes fell on Jiang Yue Lan. Li Xiao Ran frowned: “Why does the child keep crying the moment he touches you?”
Even Lao Furen was helpless about it too, Jiang Yue Lan thought to herself. However, she did not dare to utter these words in front of everyone, so she reluctantly smiled: “In the end, he’s still closer to Qi Yiniang!” Her pained, heartbreaking look made Li Xiao Ran feel his words had been a bit harsh.
“Qi Yiniang, you should still hold him.” Li Xiao Ran slowly said.
It was rather strange. Once Tan shi took Min Zhi, the child’s loud crying immediately quieted down. Moments later, he was no longer crying at all and happily resting against Tan shi, sniffing around her. Tan shi caressed Min Zhi’s little face. Min Zhi stopped crying, laughed, and grabbed Tan shi’s finger and stuck it in his mouth and started sucking on it.
“Muqin, Si Di is still young and does not understand. Children are like that. They must cry and throw a tantrum for a while. They’ll forget it once they get used to it!” Li Chang Le gently said as she rubbed her face, where she had applied medicinal balm.
Lao Furen frowned as if thinking about something.
Jiang Yue Lan heard Li Chang Le’s words and immediately added: “Indeed, I will bring Min Zhi back first. If I truly cannot manage it, I will let Qi Yiniang come to my place for two days until Min Zhi is accustomed to me.” She glanced over at the wet nurse accompanying her. The wet nurse immediately understood and stepped forward to take Min Zhi.
Li Wei Yang blankly looked on as a cold smile appeared on her lips.
The wet nurse had not even touched Min Zhi, but he loudly burst into tears, refusing to leave Tan shi’s arms as if it were life and death. He was crying and writhing, trying to escape the wet nurse’s hands. His dark eyes were bright like crystal orbs, reflecting back the light and blocking out the darkness. He smiled a lot on a daily basis, but now he tearfully leaned against Tan shi, a sight of longingness that left Lao Furen distressed.
“Yue Lan, you see… This child only wants to be with his birth mother. In any case, in the future, you will also have your own child. I still think you should let Qi Yiniang take him home.” Lao Furen was hesitant.
Li Xiao Ran nodded. He still felt distressed for his son: “That’s right. Yue Lan, you are still young and not used to taking care of children. Let Min Zhi stay with Qi Yiniang.”
Li Wei Yang looked at Jiang Yue Lan with a hint of smugness in her smile.
Jiang Yue Lan’s smile was a little stiff, but she quickly recollected herself. Her eyes became a bit damp as she looked at Min Zhi.
Li Chang Le clenched her hand but kept the cheerful smile on her face: “Lao Furen is always kind, doting on Si Di in such a way. It is truly a blessing of the heavens. But Muqin put in so much effort, if she were to give up now, wouldn’t it all go to waste? Hope Fuqin and Lao Furen will give her another chance! Children always need time to adjust and will be fine after a few more days!”
Li Xiao Ran frowned and could not bear to see his beloved wife look so pitiful and said, “Why not try again and see?”
Jiang Yue Lan eagerly nodded and immediately went to hold Min Zhi: “I will wholeheartedly do my best.”
Li Wei Yang coldly looked on but didn’t say anything. Qi Yiniang could not bear the separation, but remembering her daughter’s words, she had no choice but to let go of Min Zhi and stand off to the side.
However, Jiang Yue Lan’s final attempt resulted in failure. Two days later, she personally brought the child back to Qi Yiniang. She spoke emotionally: “Nothing can be compared to his birth mother. He cries day and night when he is with me that everyone feels sorry for him.”
Li Wei Yang blankly eyed Jiang Yue Lan’s dark eye circles and pale complexion and thought to herself: Your heart isn’t hurting for Min Zhi. It’s only because Fuqin would rather go to Si Yiniang to rest instead of Fu Rui Courtyard because of Min Zhi’s crying, causing you to lose favor. Outsiders also spread rumors that the new Furen did not check in on Si Shaoye at night but rather secretly pricked his feet with needles, which is why he cries more fiercely every time he sees the new Furen. Once those vicious rumors spread, Jiang Yue Lan’s efforts turned to dust. Li Xiao Ran repeatedly advised that she must be more generous with concubine-born children. Jiang Yue Lan suffered, unable to say a word in defense. After thinking it through, she was finally forced to return the child. Like Li Wei Yang said, within ten days, Li Min Zhi returned to his birth mother’s side.
When Jiang Yue Lan left, she saw Min Zhi happily smiling and felt it was strange and suspicious. Although she could not overturn things that happened before, she truly had no other way. When she left, everyone breathed out in relief.
Min Zhi’s bright eyes were fixed on Tan shi. He reached out with his chubby, lotus root-like hand with a smile on his little mouth. There were tears on Tan shi’s face. She could not help it anymore. She rushed over and took the child from yatou’s arms and tightly embraced him. She held her child tightly in her arms and kissed his little face and then from his tiny hands to neck to hair, crying and smiling at the same time.
Li Wei Yang couldn’t describe the warmth emitted from the sight with words and quietly asked: “Has poison in Si Shaoye’s body been treated?”
Bai Zhi replied in low voice: “The Imperial physician prescribed some medicine, and the rash on Si Shaoye has disappeared.”
Li Wei Yang nodded, her eyes returning to the smiling Min Zhi.
Tan shi was afraid of involving her daughter, so she suppressed her feelings, but now that her precious child had returned to her, she put her face against his little face and felt his small hand and heard his soft heartbeat. Her heart trembled with happiness and joy as each one of her tears fell onto Min Zhi’s face. Once she was calm again, she saw everyone looking at her and realized. She reluctantly placed Min Zhi in the cradle and smiled: “Wei Yang, it was indeed as you said, but how did you do it?”
Li Wei Yang smiled: “Everyone else, go outside.”
The yatous heard and quietly withdrew.
Li Wei Yang walked over to the cradle and held out a rattle to Min Zhi. Min Zhi happily reached up, wanting a bite. Li Wei Yang gently pulled the rattle away and slowly said: “Min Zhi has always liked maltose2, but he was too young and could not eat it. So, every time, I had yatou put a bit on a spoon or on the wet nurse’s body, so Min Zhi could at least have a taste.
Eventually, Min Zhi expects to have maltose every day, a desire stronger than wanting milk.” While she was saying this, Min Zhi laughed and smiled widely. Li Wei Yang pinked his chubby cheek and continued: “Later, when Jiang Yue Lan took him with her, this privilege no longer existed. This greedy, little kitten will try to find maltose in four hours alone. Without it, he will keep crying.”
Tan shi was in disbelief: “It’s that simple?”
Li Wei Yang laughed aloud: “How complicated could it be?” Alright, so maybe she didn’t mention everything, but Min Zhi would cry without maltose. No matter who held him, he refused to stop crying. That day Tan shi did as Li Wei Yang said and smeared maltose on her hands, so when Min Zhi recognized the smell, he was immediately happy again. Of course, that alone was not enough. This child Min Zhi was a bit naive, happily smiling at everyone, even Jiang Yue Lan, so the moment Jiang Yue Lan was married into the household, Li Wei Yang began to prepare for when a day like this would come.
Jiang Yue Lan liked using agarwood incense, which had a long-lasting and delicate fragrance. Every time the wet nurse breastfed Min Zhi, half-way through, Li Wei Yang would have Bai Zhi bring an incense burner with agarwood near Min Zhi and ordered the wet nurse to stop breastfeeding.
Eventually, Min Zhi began to understand that if anyone with that smell appeared, he would not be able to drink milk anymore. Many habits are difficult to change once they have developed. A child is like a puppy in regard to food, if that food is taken away, it is only natural to have a strong feeling against those with that fragrance. Even if Jiang Yue Lan looked after him with great care, she could not change the habit Li Wei Yang had started a while back. That is why on the second day after the wedding, Min Zhi was still smiling when Jiang Yue Lan held him but later on, he bursted into tears when she touched him.
Li Wei Yang would not reveal this secret to Tan shi because as a mother, she certainly would be very distressed, but Li Wei Yang thought that the child Min Zhi needed to be disciplined a bit. Otherwise, he will see everyone as his mother and becoming naively obedient was not a good thing. Perhaps there was no better method than to allow him to return to his birth mother.
Min Zhi opened his eyes wide, his dark eyes focused on his cunning jiejie, completely unaware that she had sold him out like that and continued to smile happily.
“Min Zhi escaped this time, but what are we to do in future? When we can’t use crying tactics when he’s three or four years old?” Tan shi was worried.
Li Wei Yang smiled: “In the future? Jiang Yue Lan will soon have a child of her own. Even if she doesn’t, she won’t have the mind to pay attention to Min Zhi.”
At the moment, they should not worry about the future but rather what happened two days ago. The thought that someone used Min Zhi to provoke her infuriated Li Wei Yang. She stared intently at his chubby arm, free of any marks, and contemplated about what the next step would be now.
To find the truth, it is often not found by looking at the surface but rather by examining who has the most to gain. With Jiu Yiniang’s misfortune, the person with the most to gain was naturally Jiang Yue Lan, but Jiang Yue Lan was not such a short-sighted individual and would not do so. The next most suspicious person was not Si Yiniang but Li Chang Le.
Afterwards, Li Wei Yang arranged for people to investigate the shop where Lao Furen had the gold collar made. Unfortunately, the store had changed ownership. The owner of the shop that melted the gold for Jiu Yiniang suddenly died of illness. This matter became even more uncertain. If one said it concerned a Furen of a household, would the owner of a luxurious gold shop be convinced? It was obviously not that simple.
Li Wei Yang turned around and said: “I have something and must go back first.”
Tan shi looked to her daughter in surprise. She did not know what Li Wei Yang would have at this time, but she knew she could not advise otherwise, so she smiled and said: “It’s cold outside, let me prepare a hand warmer for you.”
Li Wei Yang shook her head: “No need.” She quickly walked out. As soon as she was beyond the doors, she was met with a cold gust of wind. She involuntarily shivered. Bai Zhi rushed over from where she was standing by the doors and quickly put a thick fur cloak over her: “Xiaojie, are we going back now?”
Li Wei Yang shook her head and lowered her voice: “Let’s go see Jiu Yiniang now.”
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Translator: Chau
Editor: Erica
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