Volume One, Chapter 56: The True Daughter of the Xie Family

“Taking a concubine?”

Qi Jinshan’s lips curled faintly, almost imperceptibly, as he lifted his gaze toward Madam Yun, his tone chilling.

“Mother, don’t make me hear that a second time.”

Madam Yun’s smile stiffened. She had raised her son with great effort, finally seeing him succeed, yet for the sake of a woman, he repeatedly defied her.

“You won’t even listen to your mother anymore?”

Her voice trembled as tears welled up slowly in her eyes.

Seeing the situation turn sour, Gou Zihan quickly slipped out of the room.

“Back when your mother worked in Shanping Lane, her greatest wish was simply for your health, success in your career, a virtuous wife, and obedient children. Now you have everything except a child. Can’t you grant your mother this one wish?”

Madam Yun knew Qi Jinshan cared deeply for Xie Mingyue and understood her son’s temperament, so she softened her voice.

“Once the concubine bears a child, the child will be raised under Mingyue’s name as the legitimate heir, so she won’t be wronged.”

Unexpectedly, Qi Jinshan didn’t hesitate. He gently set his teacup back on the table and said coldly, “Mingyue and I will have our own child.”

“How can she give birth looking like that?”

Madam Yun’s face was further bruised by his refusal, and her fury toward Xie Mingyue boiled over.

“Which third-rank official doesn’t take concubines? Which legitimate son at thirty still has no heir? If you continue like this, there will be gossip not just within the Marquis’s residence but outside as well, about you marrying an unworthy wife and bearing no heirs!”

Qi Jinshan clenched his fists tightly, fixing his mother with a dark stare. “Mother, if you truly cared about your son, why act like a puppet?”

Madam Yun trembled all over, staring at him silently with doubt and suspicion.

Qi Jinshan’s face was expressionless. Although the puppet had the wrong birth date, who would write their son’s name on such a thing? Just thinking about it was horrifying.

Madam Yun clearly didn’t care but insisted on wearing the mask of a loving mother.

Looking at her opulent clothes and heavy jewelry, Qi Jinshan’s eyes darkened.

More than ten years had passed, and the once simple woman who entered the household had long been transformed by wealth and status beyond recognition.

“If we’re speaking of the past, you once said you only wished me safety and smooth success. Now that I’ve entered the Marquis’s household, your wishes seem to multiply every year.”

He smiled faintly, calm beneath his eyes. “Mother, I am not a wishing well in the Protectorate Temple.”

Madam Yun was too angered by the sarcasm to retort.

“I only want to hold my grandchild. Have I done wrong?”

She stood up in anger, glaring at Xie Mingyue with hatred. “Having a woman like that in the main wife’s house is truly bad luck!”

If it were any other woman, as a mother-in-law, she would be perfectly comfortable!

“Yujuang, escort the old madam back to her quarters!”

Qi Jinshan spoke coldly, mercilessly sending Madam Yun away.

“No need, I’ll go by myself.”

***

Madam Yun left the courtyard with a sullen face, her eyes sweeping over Yuan Bai with deep resentment.

She certainly did not hate her son’s defiance—only the fox spirit Xie Mingyue.

It was Xie Mingyue who had bewitched her obedient son!

Turning down a small path, Madam Yun saw Jin He leading a plainly dressed woman through another gate into the courtyard and narrowed her eyes.

She lifted her chin. “Find out who that old woman is.”

At a time like this, Xie Mingyue had fainted, yet she still brought someone here—why?

***

The person in bed twitched a finger. Qi Jinshan hurried to her side, watching as Xie Mingyue slowly opened her eyes.

“Zhaozhao.”

His deep voice held something repressed. Xie Mingyue’s memories returned; she spoke weakly, “I didn’t take any medicine.”

Looking into Qi Jinshan’s eyes, she saw them bloodshot, as if he had been up many nights.

Even now, she remembered to explain their argument?

Qi Jinshan’s chest tightened with bitterness. He stroked her face gently. “I know.”

Seeing she was about to speak, he beat her to it and embraced her lightly.

“Setting aside everything else, you’ve been poisoned, do you know that?”

Poisoned?

Xie Mingyue was startled. “Really? I didn’t know.”

She looked at her hands. In recent days she had eaten and rested well; her blood was slowly recovering, fingertips rosy, skin radiant—hardly the symptoms of poisoning.

“It’s Cold Jade Poison.”

At that moment, Gou Zihan stepped from behind the screen to explain again.

“Madam Qi, your headaches have lasted as long as the poisoning.”

Xie Mingyue clutched her head, meeting Qi Jinshan’s worried gaze.

“My headaches... have been with me since I was little.”

She frowned, recalling.

“Around twelve or thirteen, I was locked in the woodshed by Xie Wanqing for half a day, caught a chill, ran a fever. The doctor saw me then, and the problem began.”

“That must be poison from the Xie family.”

Gou Zihan said firmly.

“This poison is rare; ordinary people haven’t even heard of it, much less servants who wouldn’t have access without reason.”

Xie Mingyue froze again.

The Xie family? Who in the Xie family would poison her?

Xie Wanqing? Impossible. At that time everyone around them obeyed her mother and wouldn’t have done such a thing.

At that moment, Zhou Yangshi knelt on the floor, softly sobbing. Xie Mingyue turned toward the sound, and upon seeing the familiar face, sat up excitedly.

“Miss!”

Zhou Yangshi cried uncontrollably, repeatedly kowtowing.

“This old servant has finally seen you. The Xie family are no good, no good at all!”

“Aunt Yang...” Xie Mingyue helped her up. “Please tell me, what is mother’s condition now?”

Zhou Yangshi was over sixty, her hair white, her back bent as she wept quietly.

“When your identity was exposed, the old madam stubbornly drove you away; the master was furious and forbade the madam to speak for you; later, the madam asked me to check the birthmark on your head to restore your name, but water broke in the courtyard that very night. The madam has been unconscious ever since. Everyone in the Xie family who spoke for you was sold off. Miss, it must have been the old madam and the master who harmed you and the madam!”

Xie Mingyue’s face grew paler.

She did not want to believe her grandmother and father could act so cruelly.

But a single Xie Wanqing could hardly wield such power.

It could only be said that the Xie family were inherently cold and heartless. Once they believed she was a fake, they revealed their true claws instantly.

Her past had merely been an illusion of being cherished.

Seeing her pallor worsen, Qi Jinshan shot Gou Zihan a sharp glance.

Zhou Yangshi broke down, nearly fainting, and Gou Zihan hurried to support her.

“Madam Qi, this elder shouldn’t be overwhelmed by sorrow. Let me apply acupuncture to calm her.”

Zhou Yangshi was taken to the side chamber.

Xie Mingyue stayed where she was, slowly rising. Her pale face pierced Qi Jinshan’s heart.

“Take it slow. With the skilled healer Gou Zihan here, your poisoning isn’t serious,” he said gently, helping her into a robe and wrapping her cold hands. “We’ll uncover the truth about the Xie family in time. No need to rush.”

His warm lips brushed her cool forehead.

Qi Jinshan’s voice softened, his breath like a vast mountain enfolding her.

“With me here, don’t be afraid. Everything will be alright.”

Xie Mingyue blinked, tears spilling down instantly.

She knew well how rare a healer like Gou Zihan was.

She had long seen the bloodstains on his clothes.

At this moment, she felt like a fish swimming in cold water for long, now finding a warm, sheltered harbor.

“Qi Jinshan,” Xie Mingyue lowered her head, speaking softly, “do you believe I am truly the daughter of the Xie family?”