Chapter 15: Is It Difficult to Handle Concubine Tan? Impossible!

Others might be unaware, but Little Cui knew all too well. Previously, when Tan Xiyin pretended to faint, Feng Linglong had stabbed a hairpin into her calf, leaving a gaping, bloody wound. The blood gushed forth on the spot—the scene was indescribably gruesome.

“Is the Madam intending to commit violence in front of the Master?” Little Cui tried to stop Linglong.

But Linglong shoved Little Cui aside and, with utmost seriousness, spun her wild tale: “You don’t understand. This isn’t an ordinary fainting spell. If she’s not revived in time, she might end up simple-minded. Imagine having a simpleton as the Mistress of your manor—what a calamity that would be…”

With that, Linglong lifted Tan Xiyin’s trouser leg.

She pressed her hairpin against Tan Xiyin’s calf; the icy touch, like a snake slithering along her skin, sent shivers down Tan Xiyin’s spine. She needed no imagination to know what Linglong intended and, terrified, “awoke” at once, clutching Qin Daofei’s sleeve and pitifully accusing, “Daofei!”

“See? My methods are effective. I’ve spared you the fate of marrying a simpleton, Master Qin—twenty taels of silver is a fair price. Come, let’s settle the consultation fee.” Linglong extended her hand to Qin Daofei.

Qin Daofei was so exasperated by Linglong that he couldn’t help but laugh. “Do you fancy yourself the legendary Healer Ye Lishang?”

“Tan Xiyin, your darling Daofei doesn’t love you anymore, you see?” Linglong stretched her hand straight out in front of Tan Xiyin, indicating she should be more generous. This time, Tan Xiyin truly felt dizzy—her anger had nearly made her faint.

“Feng Linglong, do you really think my son runs a bank? Tan Xiyin feigns fainting, you scare her twice and demand twenty taels—since you dare kill, why not just rob us outright?” The Lady of the Qin Family thought Feng Linglong was even more shameless than two years before.

Linglong stood up abruptly. Holding her hairpin aloft, she strode to the Lady, declaring righteously, “Exactly. Since I dare kill, what’s extorting your foolish son for a mere twenty taels?”

“You—” The Lady of the Qin Family was furious but dared not show it, fearing Linglong might, in a fit of pique, stab her to death with the hairpin.

“Come here, I’ll give you the twenty taels!” Qin Daofei said.

These twenty taels were hard-earned for Linglong.

Qin Daofei knew full well Tan Xiyin was pretending, yet he’d never exposed her. Now, to spare Tan Xiyin’s dignity, he handed over twenty taels as hush money. Linglong was more annoyed than if she had received a hundred thousand taels penned by his own hand.

Still, to refuse easy money would be the act of a true fool.

“The branch in Shuye City was burned down. All the silver I have is being used to subsidize them. I’ll give you my Soul Jade for the twenty taels,” Qin Daofei said, handing his black Soul Jade to Linglong.

The Lady of the Qin Family nearly choked with rage and fainted once more.

Linglong bared her teeth at him, her look saying, “See? You’ve angered your own mother into a swoon.”

“Daofei, that’s the Manor Lord’s token, priceless and irreplaceable. How can you give it to her for twenty taels? I’ll pay it myself. Little Cui, fetch twenty taels for the Madam,” said Tan Xiyin, anxiously snatching the Soul Jade back.

But Qin Daofei took the jade and fastened it at Linglong’s waist, beside her dice, finally feeling somewhat appeased.

“Someone, escort Madam and Second Lady back to their rooms.” His tone was mild but brooked no argument. Tan Xiyin, clutching the twenty taels, wished she could tear the silver into shreds.

After they had departed, Linglong stiffened her neck and asked, “Why did you give me the Soul Jade?”

“If I hand over my fortune and fate to you, the world will believe my scandalous affairs are all the more salacious. When the time comes, the tales will sell better, won’t they?” Qin Daofei replied with a straight face.

Linglong reached to unfasten the jade. “That’s no fun, Master Qin.”

“If you won’t take your medicine, I guarantee your day will be filled with endless surprises.” Qin Daofei hooked a finger into Linglong’s collar, his gaze drifting to her chest.

Scoundrel! Rogue!

Linglong gritted her teeth. Why did these roguish gestures, when performed by Master Qin, appear so pleasing?

Clearly, the poison still lingered—her judgment was impaired!

Linglong clutched her reddened cheeks and stumbled back into her room, slamming the door and locking Qin Daofei out.

Seeing her flushed face, a thin smile flickered at the corner of Qin Daofei’s mouth.

Her embarrassment put his mind at ease.

“Gale, leave those other matters for now. Go and find out—who summoned the authorities from the Capital Prefecture?” Qin Daofei’s smile faded, his composure and imposing presence instantly restored.

A youth in black, Gale, stepped from the shadows.

“Isn’t the Ministry of Justice investigating?”

“The Ministry’s people were certainly invited by my mother—no need to check. But the Capital Prefecture is a different story, worth investigating. Liu Zitong came simply to confirm her presence here. Otherwise, why would he have been so easily dismissed?” Qin Daofei said.

Strictly speaking, Liu Zitong was nothing more than a scout.

But why he was sent—that was the question.

Gale rolled his eyes. “Master, don’t waste my time. In this household, who but the Old Madam and your darling concubine would wish the Madam ill?”

“Don’t make baseless accusations without evidence!” Qin Daofei reprimanded him.

Gale shrugged. “Then why give the Soul Jade to the Madam? Don’t you realize she just returned—”

“Mind your own business,” Qin Daofei interrupted again.

Gale grumbled, “Indulge her all you like, but one day the roof will come down.”

Qin Daofei did not retort, only said mildly, “My uncle will be visiting soon. Have you prepared the material for his biography?”

Pfft!

“You truly mean to set your uncle up?” Gale asked.

Qin Daofei frowned and, with feigned solemnity, replied, “Mind your tongue. I’m composing his biography—a tribute, not a trap.”

“I must be bewitched to believe you!” Gale decided he’d better not linger here, lest his reputation as a refined youth be ruined.

Qin Daofei returned to Linglong’s door and said quietly, “My uncle will arrive shortly. Will you accompany me to greet him?”

“No, I’m going to check on Tan Xiyin!” Linglong replied, holding her breath to see his reaction.

Qin Daofei sighed, “Take care—everything in this house is expensive.”

With that, he strode away.

Hearing his footsteps recede, Linglong opened the door, frowning as she watched him go. She wondered—did Qin Daofei truly understand his concubine’s nature?

Miaoyin Pavilion.

Tan Xiyin threw herself onto her bed, weeping inconsolably, no matter how others tried to comfort her.

Little Cui, seeing her so distraught, advised, “Madam, please don’t cry. We should report her to the authorities. Feng Linglong is a murderer—no one can dispute that.”

“How? Didn’t you see the magistrates and Ministry men leave in defeat? Daofei even gave the Soul Jade to Feng Linglong. The Soul Jade is as good as the Manor Lord himself appearing. No one here dares touch Feng Linglong now.” Tan Xiyin, tears streaming down her face, analyzed the situation, then resumed her sobbing.

Little Cui gently patted her shoulder and whispered, “Has Madam forgotten? Years ago, Prince Xiang had endless entanglements with Feng Linglong. He’s never given up—otherwise, he wouldn’t be at odds with the Manor Lord.”

“Exactly. Prince Xiang even told me to abscond with all of Qin Daofei’s money so that he and I could elope, live a life of luxury, while your Madam and Master would be left begging on the streets together.” Linglong, at some point, had sidled up to them and joined their plotting in a conspiratorial whisper.

“Really? That shameless harlot Feng Linglong—she has no shame at all!”

Smack, smack, smack!

No one saw who struck, but Little Cui’s face instantly swelled up.

“You see? Steward Zhang always says there’s a lad here who can’t bear to hear those two words spoken. Yet you insist on using them. You can call me brazen, say I steal husbands, or elope with lovers—but not those two words. Silly girl.” Linglong laughed.

Tan Xiyin glared at Linglong. “Do you think this is amusing, Madam?”

“Not at all. That’s why I want to return the Soul Jade to you!” Linglong suddenly said, sounding sincere.

Tan Xiyin sat up. “You truly mean to return it?”

“Truly,” Linglong nodded. “Give me your hand.”

Tan Xiyin did so, and Linglong placed a wide-eyed, bulging toad in her palm. At the sight of it, Tan Xiyin shrieked and promptly fainted.

“You… you…” Little Cui was too terrified to speak.

Linglong patted her shoulder. “This time, she’s really out cold. If you don’t fetch a doctor, she’ll truly be a simpleton.”

With that, Linglong strolled off at her leisure.

Hearing the scream from Miaoyin Pavilion, Gale rushed over. Catching sight of the majestic toad croaking on Tan Xiyin’s brow, he could spare only three seconds of pity for her.

“Please, help the Madam remove the toad!” Little Cui begged him.

Usually cold-blooded and unflinching, Gale recoiled. “No, I’m afraid of toads!”

With that, he swaggered away.

Linglong returned to her own quarters and, glancing into the shadows, said, “I just tested Tan Xiyin—turns out she wasn’t the one who let the Capital Prefecture’s people in. Go find out who’s behind this mischief.”

“Nice performance earlier, though you didn’t quite finish. Not very sporting of you,” a cold female voice remarked.

Linglong flung a peachwood comb in that direction. “Get lost, you wretch!”

She heard only the sound of fabric slicing through air. The comb landed back on her desk, bearing two large characters: “Scandalous Affair.”

Linglong felt her wounds throb faintly from sheer indignation.