Chapter Forty: Coordinated Efforts, Separate Mischief

“What do you mean, what can we do? That little shrew Qi Rongzhi has scalded Yuru—what else is there to do? Soon we’ll inform the General and ask Magistrate Qi’s family for an explanation. Last time, when the scandal between Yuru and Qi Tianyu broke out, the General thought we owed Magistrate Qi’s household, but this time, surely they’re in the wrong!” Madam Di ground out each word with clenched teeth as she walked.

“Madam, do you mean to use this incident to offset the previous one?” Nanny Zhou quickened her steps, caught up to Madam Di, and lowered her voice.

A bright light flashed in Madam Di’s eyes as she halted. “Exactly. If they still care about Qi Rongzhi’s reputation, they must take responsibility for what happened to Yuru before. Otherwise, they can forget it! Qi Rongzhi is so vicious—just a small grievance and she tries to disfigure someone. If this gets out, who would dare marry her in the future?”

“So Madam intends to discuss this with Magistrate Qi’s wife first?” Nanny Zhou caught on at once.

“Yes, but there’s no need to rush. Let them stew for a while—this time, it’s not us who are anxious!” Madam Di resumed walking, a sinister smile curling her lips.

Her own daughter’s reputation was already ruined, though she hoped the distance to the capital would keep rumors from spreading that far. Still, if she could force Magistrate Qi’s family to change their story, it would be a great victory. Originally, she’d wanted to make Qin Wanru the scapegoat, but it seemed that wouldn’t work now. She would have to find another way to force her to take responsibility. Since Qi Rongzhi had walked into this mess, she wouldn’t be allowed to escape.

Madam Li was also a shrew, but both families needed something from the other. Why not sit down and push all the blame onto someone else? That way, both daughters could be spared. In the end, it wouldn’t just be Qin Wanru—Shui Ruolan could lose her reputation as well.

At this thought, Madam Di’s face was alight with satisfaction.

She needed to write to the capital for help at once. If letting Yuru suffer a little could shift the scandal onto Qin Wanru and Shui Ruolan, it wouldn’t be a bad bargain. Madam Di was confident her natal family in the capital could get the best ointment from the palace; Qin Yuru’s injury wouldn’t be a problem.

Qin Wanru hadn’t returned to her room. She sat on her old swing, her crimson lips gently biting, her body swaying absentmindedly as her brows furrowed in thought.

Madam Di had always been cunning and resourceful—a single misstep could backfire. Some things couldn’t be managed alone; she’d need an accomplice. And that accomplice had to come from Magistrate Qi’s household.

She needed Qi Rongzhi’s side to speak up, so Madam Di couldn’t collude with Madam Li and pin everything on someone else. Those two women—one sly and malicious, the other fierce and ruthless—if they joined forces, Qin Wanru would surely be made the scapegoat. She’d have to send Yufeng to find Qi Baiyu and have him stir things up at the Magistrate’s house.

Lost in these thoughts, her hand loosened on the swing as she prepared to rise, when a soft whisper sounded by her ear: “Qin Wanru, Qin Wanru!”

The voice was so familiar that Qin Wanru’s heart leapt. She looked up and saw a young boy crouched atop the opposite wall—Qi Baiyu, the very person she’d been about to seek out.

“Brother Baiyu!” Qin Wanru leapt off the swing and hurried to the wall, looking up with a smile.

The boy held onto a tree branch beside him, half crouched on the wall. His round, lively eyes sparkled with a bright, youthful energy, his dimples deepening as he smiled—a picture of sunny mischief. He was strikingly handsome. Seeing Qin Wanru below, he waved at her with a grin.

She glanced around and spotted two empty wooden crates stacked in a corner. She hurried over and dragged them beneath the wall where Qi Baiyu crouched, stacking one atop the other. Trembling a bit, she began to climb.

“Careful, Qin Wanru!” The boy’s smile faded to worry as he saw her unsteady ascent. The crates looked far from sturdy, wobbling with each movement. He stretched out a hand to steady her, fearing she’d fall before she reached the top.

“I’m fine!” Qin Wanru carefully climbed up and took Qi Baiyu’s hand, swaying a little. The fright drained all color from her face, and she pressed herself flat against the wall, not daring to move.

“Are you alright?” Qi Baiyu’s own face paled at the movement, gripping her small hand anxiously.

“I… I’m fine!” Qin Wanru steadied herself, then whispered, “Brother Baiyu, what brings you here? What a coincidence!”

She’d just been about to send for him, and here he was—what luck!

“When I saw someone at home come back crying and wailing, I knew something had happened and came to see the excitement. Are you alright?” Qi Baiyu’s smile returned as he felt her hand steady.

“Did they say anything when they got back?” Qin Wanru asked urgently, eager to hear about Qi Rongzhi and her mother.

“Of course they did! Chunyi was beaten half to death, and a few little maidservants were sold off. It’s chaos over there—my ‘good’ big brother is still defending your big sister, blaming Qi Rongzhi for being too unruly. Qi Rongzhi’s face was swollen from Qin Yuru’s slap, and she’s not taking it lying down. The quarrel’s heated beyond belief!” Qi Baiyu pulled a blade of grass from somewhere and chewed on it, the once sunny youth now sporting a roguish air.

“Qi Tianyu still thinks Qin Yuru was framed. Qin Yuru is certainly resourceful!” Qin Wanru sneered, a flash of coldness in her eyes. It had been the same in her previous life—no matter how she explained, Qi Tianyu refused to believe her, convinced she had ruined his engagement with Qin Yuru, forcing him to watch his beloved marry another and turning all his resentment on her.

Even when she was at her lowest, with evidence in hand, Qi Tianyu’s eyes seemed blind—he simply wouldn’t believe her. Instead, he and Qin Yuru had done everything to destroy her, nearly costing her her reputation.

“Can you help stir things up, make this incident blow up right now, so everyone knows about it?” Qin Wanru bit her pale teeth.

“Right now?” Qi Baiyu raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, make it so big that the two families can never reconcile,” Qin Wanru said softly. Even if Qi Tianyu still believed Qin Yuru, what could he do alone? He hadn’t established his power yet—he was nothing.

“Alright. As it happens, we have guests at our house today. Mother invited quite a few people to discuss some matters,” Qi Baiyu nodded.

“To discuss what?” Qin Wanru’s heart skipped.

“It’s about my big brother—he thinks your eldest sister was wronged, so he asked Mother to invite some clan members to talk it over, to see if someone in your family had schemed against Qin Yuru. But now Qi Rongzhi’s made a mess of things!”

Qi Baiyu snorted with amusement.

“Then help me expose the truth, let your clan see for themselves—let’s see if the families ever make peace again!” Qin Wanru’s eyes sparkled.

“Alright, I’m going back!” Qi Baiyu nodded, preparing to jump down from the wall, but paused to say, “You climb down first—I’ll watch to make sure you’re safe.”

“I’ll be fine, you go!” Qin Wanru shook her head, anxious to move quickly.

Seeing the urgency in her eyes, Qi Baiyu helplessly patted her head. “Alright, but be careful climbing down—don’t fall!”

Unlike the spoiled and domineering Qi Rongzhi, Qi Baiyu had always thought a little sister should be soft and adorable, just like Qin Wanru.

Whenever the two families gathered, he preferred playing with Qin Wanru—she never looked down on him for being born of a concubine, never threw tantrums or broke things, nor did she blame others or vent her anger on servants.

“I’ll be careful, go on!” Qin Wanru carefully withdrew her hand, crouched down, and waved him away. “Hurry, or everyone at your house will be gone!”

“Alright, I’m off!” Seeing her crouch safely on the crates, which barely wobbled, Qi Baiyu relaxed. With a final word, he gripped the branch and slid nimbly down the outside of the wall, landing beneath the tree.

He’d practiced this route many times sneaking over to play with Qin Wanru—he knew it well.

After he disappeared, Qin Wanru finally felt at ease. Qi Baiyu was clever—this wouldn’t be hard for him. Soon enough, she’d hear the commotion from Magistrate Qi’s house. This time, even the facade of harmony between the two families would be shattered.

She was determined to cut off Qin Yuru’s accomplices in wrongdoing.

Carefully gripping the crate, she lowered one foot, feeling around until she found the edge. Testing it, she found it sturdy and stretched down with the other foot. In her haste to talk with Qi Baiyu, she hadn’t been scared climbing up, but now, as the crate swayed, a sudden fear seized her.

She bit her lip, steadied herself, and reached down again. This time, her foot found solid ground.

“Qin Wanru, how shameless—you’re meeting a boy in the back garden!” A cold, sinister voice sounded in her ear. Startled, Qin Wanru’s foot slipped. She didn’t even know what she stepped on as she slid to the side, desperately grabbing at the edge of the crate, but her grip failed—and she fell, the crate tumbling down with her…