Volume One, Chapter 49: Xie Wanqing Became a Scapegoat

At those words, Wanqing let out a sharp scream, struggling to break free from Fuxuan’s grasp.

How terrifying—it was unimaginable that such a cruel and sinister person could exist in this world.

She recalled the past, how Fuxuan had treated Mingyue so differently, and cursed herself for being so dull-witted to realize it only now.

“Trying to escape?” Fuxuan said without looking up, propping his chin and tapping twice on the doorframe.

“Since you know my secret, how could I possibly let you go? Second sister, you really are as foolish as ever.”

With that, he leaned back and closed his eyes.

“For the sake of our sibling bond, I’ll spare your life intact.”

“No! Please, no! Brother!” Wanqing saw Fuxuan’s expression, calm and indifferent, and immediately abandoned all dignity, crawling to his feet and pleading miserably.

“Spare me, please! You love her—I’ll help you make sure she leaves the Marquis’s residence. Brother, spare my life and I promise I’ll never resent her again! Just trust me once—I’m your sister!”

“Sister?” Fuxuan lowered his head and let out a few soft laughs, then drew the curtain closed.

His cold voice carried through the carriage, sharp yet somehow distant.

“I want no sisters.”

With a wave of his hand, Wanqing was dragged into the woods, a hand clamping over her mouth.

“But… keeping this poisonous dog alive might still be useful.”

A barely audible voice came from inside the carriage. The guards outside hurried toward the trees.

The rustling sounds faded into the distance until, after a moment, a blood-curdling scream pierced the silence. Fuxuan listened with interest, narrowing his eyes as he hummed a theatrical tune.

“Poor his parents—perished on the heated brick bed—”

After the melody, the woods fell silent once more.

*

Inside the Marquis of Shunqing’s mansion, Mingyue rose early—a rare occurrence—to pay respects to Lady Luo.

At Lady Luo’s courtyard, a maid informed her, “Madam, the young master had a convulsion this morning. The lady of the house is currently attending to him.”

Mingyue raised an eyebrow slightly and turned toward the courtyard of Qifeng.

Mother and son were deeply connected; no sooner had Wanqing been taken away than Qifeng fell ill.

Entering the room, she lifted the curtain and saw Lady Luo sitting anxiously by the bedside, holding a bowl of medicinal soup.

“Feng’er, be good and take another sip. Grandma is here with you.”

Qifeng’s face was flushed with fever, but he pressed his lips tightly, refusing to drink.

“Grandma, I want mother,” he wailed. “They all say mother doesn’t want me anymore. I want mother to feed me the medicine.”

“Who said that?” Lady Luo looked troubled as she rubbed her temple upon seeing Mingyue enter.

“Your mother is ill, lying in her room taking medicine just like you. When she gets better, you’ll be able to see her.”

One misfortune followed another, and Lady Luo regretted sending Wanqing away.

Had she known, she would have confined Wanqing in the mansion first, claiming she was gravely ill, and only after Qiu’s marriage to the new bride would she have made her move.

Not to mention, coaxing Qifeng was a difficult task.

Now that he was older, he was harder to fool. Even though he drank the medicine today, who knew what excuse he’d come up with tomorrow.

Lady Luo closed her eyes, then suddenly her hand went empty.

Mingyue took the medicine bowl from her without a word.

“Mother, I heard that recently the eldest lord handled a case involving a notorious thief in the capital. He targets children in households where they refuse to take medicine. A neighbor’s child was stolen just recently.”

Lady Luo was taken aback but then nodded. “Yes, it’s truly wicked. Feng’er, even your eldest uncle hasn’t caught this culprit yet. You’d better take your medicine quickly, or else you might be taken away in the night.”

At that, Qifeng grew fearful. Mingyue handed the bowl to a maid, and without Lady Luo’s intervention, Qifeng obediently drank the medicine.

“Thankfully, you’re here,” Lady Luo sighed. “I’m feeling weak these days. Your second younger brother wasn’t this troublesome when he was little. I don’t know how we’ll manage to discipline him going forward.”

Mingyue knew she wanted to shirk responsibility but said nothing.

Just then, Hongxia from Wanqing’s quarters entered, her eyes red.

“Greetings, Madam Marquis, Madam,” she said, clutching a worn little toy horse. “When the young master has convulsions, he always wants to hold this patched-up pony. I saw him crying incessantly, so I dared to bring it to him.”

She handed over the tattered toy. Seeing it, Qifeng immediately reached out silently, tears streaming down his face, looking utterly pitiful.

Lady Luo had thought the toy was too old, but seeing his reaction, she allowed Hongxia to place it in his arms.

She scrutinized Hongxia carefully.

As Wanqing’s personal maid, Hongxia had recently taken leave due to a sprain, thus escaping the Marquis’s fierce purge.

However… since she was close to Wanqing, she would have to be dealt with eventually.

Lady Luo glanced at Qifeng playing with the pony, then called Mingyue out of the room.

The servants followed.

“This Hongxia—by order of the Marquis, she must be gotten rid of. I have no time to deal with this now, but you see to it—find a place to sell her off. Just don’t let her remain here to cause trouble.”

She spoke plainly to Mingyue without hesitation.

Hearing this, Hongxia immediately knelt, bowing her head repeatedly.

“Please spare me, Madam. I know I am but a lowly servant, and you may do as you wish. But the second lady is ill, and the young master is unwell too. I have always taken care of him. I beg you, for the young master’s sake, allow me to serve a few more days.”

She knelt submissively, her forehead bleeding from the repeated bows.

Thinking of Qifeng, Lady Luo sighed again.

“Very well, for your loyalty to the young master, I’ll let you stay two more days.”

Hongxia expressed endless gratitude and returned to attend to the child.

Lady Luo watched Mingyue’s expressionless face and hesitated to speak.

“Mingyue, Wanqing… has been sent to the estate,” she said slowly.

Surprise flickered in Mingyue’s eyes, but she said nothing, as if just learning of the matter.

Lady Luo was no fool and felt a tightening in her heart.

“She… neither mother nor child will be spared,” she hinted to Mingyue. “Mingyue, you and Jinshan are the only two left. You must bear heirs soon. This household cannot have Feng’er as its sole descendant.”

She thought her message was clear enough: Wanqing’s child would not survive, so the house must rely on Mingyue to continue the lineage.

Yet Mingyue showed no emotion, only a faint smile curling her lips.

“I understand, Mother.”

But inside, she was far from calm.

The one truly skilled in occult arts was the Marquis, who dared not move against Wanqing, so she became the scapegoat.

Her gaze shifted toward a corner of the backyard, her eyes darkening with cold resolve.

To dare harm her own flesh and blood—she had underestimated the Yun family.

“Wait…” Lady Luo looked at her cool, indifferent demeanor and was about to scold her when suddenly, a young servant burst in, panting.

He ran to Lady Luo’s feet and knelt, trembling.

“Madam Marquis, terrible news! The second lady—she’s been murdered!”

Mingyue’s eyes snapped sharply, and she clenched the handkerchief in her sleeve tightly.