Chapter 21: No Matter How Fierce the Mother-in-law, She Can Still Be Tamed

Pine and Cypress Residence.

Tan Xiyin was tending to Prince Qin Xiangyu's medicinal soup. She glanced at the doorway again and again, but Qin Daofei never entered.

Prince Qin Xiangyu looked at her impassively, refraining from provoking Tan Xiyin with words.

“Madam, Xiaocui has something to report!” Xiaocui stood at the door, bowing respectfully.

Tan Xiyin handed the medicine to Xia He and said softly, “Mother, I’ll step out for a moment.”

“Mm.”

Qin Xiangyu merely glanced at her, saying nothing more. As soon as Tan Xiyin left, Qin Xiangyu immediately said to Xia He, “Go and listen. See what they’re talking about.”

Xia He understood at once, quickly set the medicine bowl on a small table, and quietly followed.

Outside, Tan Xiyin and Xiaocui stood with their backs to the main door, Xiaocui quietly speaking, “Madam, after the master returned, he went to Linglong Pavilion for dinner, and then... he extinguished the candles.”

“Extinguished the candles!”

Tan Xiyin gave a bitter smile. “Feng Linglong’s suspicion hasn’t been cleared, and yet he can’t wait to favor her. Daofei has really changed.”

“If you ask me, there was definitely something wrong with the powder Feng Linglong swallowed today. If it wasn’t hers, she’d never have dared take it. She must have known exactly what would happen before she swallowed it,” Xiaocui’s tone was full of indignation.

“Wasn’t it just pearl powder?” Tan Xiyin replied in a subdued voice.

Xiaocui sneered, “My lady, do you really believe she took pearl powder? Think about her actions—she cleaned every trace of that powder off the oiled paper, just so no one could identify what it was.”

“What are you saying?” Tan Xiyin asked, puzzled.

Xiaocui gave a bitter laugh. “Madam, can’t you see? The old lady sent the Ministry of Justice to arrest her. She bore a grudge. When she failed to poison the old lady, she took a risky gamble to prove her innocence. But every step was calculated. Relying on the master's favor, she washed herself clean of suspicion and even shifted the blame of poisoning your family years ago onto some non-existent person.”

“That’s enough. I... I'll listen to Daofei,” Tan Xiyin said and turned back toward the inner rooms.

Xia He, feigning indifference, waited until Tan Xiyin had gone before relaying everything she'd heard to Qin Xiangyu. After listening, Qin Xiangyu trembled with anger.

“I knew Feng Linglong’s return spelled trouble!”

Xia He lowered her eyes and said quietly, “It seems, madam, you’ll have to come up with a plan. Otherwise, there will be no peace in Xiaoyao Manor.”

Qin Xiangyu nodded but fell into deep thought.

The next day.

Linglong Pavilion.

Linglong, still groggy, snuggled against Qin Daofei’s warm chest, not yet fully awake.

Qin Daofei opened his sharp eyes, watching Linglong’s fuzzy little head as she nestled against him.

“Granny’s muddy feet, why is the quilt so warm today? Makes me not want to get up!” Linglong muttered, finding a comfortable position and drifting back to sleep.

Qin Daofei’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His hands moved to Linglong’s waist, then to her back, then uncertain, back to her waist again. After several tries, he felt all his blood surging to a single point.

Frustrated, he pushed Linglong aside and, clad in wrinkled clothes, slipped away quietly.

Tang Li was already waiting at the door, holding Qin Daofei’s fresh clothes.

Qin Daofei frowned and asked, “What time is it?”

“Master, it's already past the hour of Si,” Tang Li replied with a bow.

Qin Daofei paused in dressing, knitted his brows at Tang Li, then cursed under his breath, “Damn it!”

Qin Daofei was always known for his discipline and diligence. To oversleep like today was a first in his life—no wonder he was angry.

At himself, of course.

No sooner had Qin Daofei left than Xia He arrived with two older maids.

Upon entering Linglong Pavilion, Xia He ordered the maids to tie up Hua’er, who was sweeping the courtyard. Fearing she’d disturb Linglong, Hua’er kept her voice low, “Let me go. I’ll walk myself. Don’t disturb my lady.”

“Hmph, I don’t need you to tell me how to do my job,” Xia He said loudly on purpose, her voice cold.

Hua’er glared at her resentfully, but Xia He raised her hand, poised to slap.

“Aha!” Linglong leaned on the railing, stretching with a yawn. “Granny Xia He, if you’re going to hit, make it count—otherwise, when I hit back, you’ll regret it.”

Xia He lowered her hand reluctantly.

Linglong descended the steps unhurriedly, glanced at the two maids, and with a click of her abacus, said, “My Hua’er is quite precious. She could be a shopkeeper. If you hurt her hand, you owe at least a hundred taels of silver.”

“Ah?”

The two maids instantly let go of Hua’er.

Hua’er ran to hide behind Linglong.

“And what does Granny Xia He want with my Hua’er this time?” Linglong put away her abacus and smiled slyly, “Next time you summon her, it'll be ten taels of silver for every quarter of an hour.”

Xia He replied coldly, “Yesterday's poisoning—no one else is suspect. Only the first lady swallowing that powder can’t be explained. I’m just following the old lady’s orders to bring Hua’er for questioning.”

“Hua’er, go fetch our powder. I’ll confront the old lady myself,” Linglong grinned mischievously, making everyone’s scalp prickle.

Hua’er had no idea what Linglong intended. Had she known Linglong was planning to make a scene, she’d never have let her do it.

Carrying the powder, Linglong dragged Hua’er straight to Pine and Cypress Residence.

Fearing Linglong might harm Qin Xiangyu, Xia He turned pale and urged the maids, “Hurry, bring people to Pine and Cypress Residence, quickly!” Then she herself rushed to follow.

Upon arriving, Qin Xiangyu, seeing Linglong, hastily reached for the nearby cord to summon help. But before she could pull it, Linglong removed her hairpin and, with some deft manipulation, transformed it into a dagger to cut the bell cord.

“Feng Linglong, do you mean to harm me?” With no one to call for, Qin Xiangyu could only threaten Linglong with words.

Linglong gave a slight smile, then calmly restored her hairpin and fixed it in her hair. She shrugged. “The old madam is getting on in years—no wonder her words are confused. It's quite pitiable.”

“What do you want?” Qin Xiangyu asked, her voice trembling.

Linglong seized Qin Xiangyu’s arm coldly. “I hear you’re determined to pin the poisoning on my Hua’er?”

“You know what you did,” Qin Xiangyu replied.

Linglong laughed and motioned for Hua’er to hand her the powder.

Hua’er shook her head, nervous. “Miss, please don’t...”

“Give it to me!” Linglong was still smiling, but her eyes had gone cold.

Hua’er had no choice but to hand over the powder. Linglong grinned, baring her teeth. “Hua’er, let me tell you—kind people get bullied, gentle horses get ridden. Since the old lady thinks I poisoned her, maybe I should just do it for real. Then I’d be rid of someone always scheming against me.”

“No... you—you wouldn’t dare!” Qin Xiangyu was already beside herself with fear.

Linglong slapped her own leg playfully, then in a flash, pried open Qin Xiangyu’s mouth, trying to pour the powder in.

“Help! No! Help!” Qin Xiangyu struggled desperately.

Linglong sneered, “Old madam, I returned to Xiaoyao Manor only to find the true culprit who killed my child. If you don’t make trouble for me, I won’t make trouble for you. But if you persist, don’t blame me for being ruthless. You should know—in my two years wandering outside, I really have killed people.”

“I... I won’t dare suspect you again,” Qin Xiangyu stammered.

Linglong smiled, poured the powder into her own mouth, and said, “This sugar-powder tastes quite nice. Would you care to try?”

“Feng Linglong, you claim you had nothing to do with what happened back then. How am I supposed to believe you?” Qin Xiangyu barked.

Linglong smiled. “I don’t need you to believe me. I just need half a year. If I find nothing in that time, I’ll leave. After all... I no longer love your son. When he sent me to prison and let me be humiliated... Not killing him is already the greatest mercy I could show.”

As Linglong finished, a single hot tear fell onto Qin Xiangyu’s hand.

Qin Xiangyu stared at her in a daze. “You would really leave?”

“Back then, the old madam bribed the jailers to have me abused. Surely Qin Daofei doesn’t know about that?” Linglong gazed at Qin Xiangyu, her eyes cold, though a faint, indifferent smile masked her true feelings.

“Feng Linglong...”

“No need to worry, madam. As long as you leave me be, I won’t say a word. I just want to find my child’s killer. Once I do, I’ll leave.” With that, Linglong stood and brushed the sugar powder from her clothes. “If you truly thought about it, you’d know I would never have used my own child against a mere concubine who was never my match. When I loved him, my heart was pure as moonlight and wind; when I do not, I am just as open and upright.”

With that, Linglong led Hua’er away from Pine and Cypress Residence.

When Xia He arrived, Linglong was just stepping out. Xia He shoved past her and rushed inside, crying, “Miss, are you all right?”

“From now on, never mention the Two Lives Ointment again!” Qin Xiangyu clung to Xia He, trembling uncontrollably.

Whatever happened that day, only Linglong, Hua’er, and Qin Xiangyu would ever know.

The next day.

History repeated itself. Qin Daofei didn’t emerge from Linglong’s room until after the hour of Si.

“Master, today Lord Xiang is holding a banquet at Xiang Manor, inviting all the prominent families in the capital. Here is the invitation,” Tang Li said, suppressing a smile, though he very much wanted to laugh.

Qin Daofei reached out to take the invitation, asking carelessly, “And the reason?”

“They say the princess’s younger sister has reached a marriageable age.”

Qin Daofei tossed the invitation back on the tray and instructed coolly, “Go to Lady Xuehua and have her make an outfit for Linglong to wear at tonight’s banquet.”

Then, taking his clothes from Tang Li, he returned to his room.

The moment Qin Daofei left, Linglong woke. She sat dazed on the bed, staring at Qin Daofei as he re-entered. Her bleary look unwittingly softened his heart.

“If you want to sleep, sleep a little longer,” Qin Daofei said as he undressed before her.

Linglong threw a pillow at him. “Qin Daofei, don’t you know propriety? Shouldn’t you avoid suspicion?” She ducked back under the covers.

“Then next time I want to sleep with you, should I politely ask, ‘Miss Linglong, may I lie with you?’” Qin Daofei replied with his usual cold sharpness, his words laced with poison, aiming straight at Linglong.