Volume 1, Chapter 58: Secretly Calling Him Father

"Yes."

She nodded, a little embarrassed.

Qi Jingshan said nothing. His slender fingers rested beside the name of Qi Xiuyu, a flash of murderous intent crossing his face.

"Is he next?"

Xie Mingyue nodded. "It is him."

She was not afraid that Qi Jingshan would find out. Being able to speak those words meant that Qi Jingshan truly held nothing back from her in his heart.

No matter how cautious she was, he would eventually discover her actions. It was better to tell him directly, sparing them both any marital suspicions.

Xie Mingyue had assumed Qi Jingshan would be more than happy to see her target Qi Xiuyu. To her surprise, he paused in thought, tapped his finger against Qi Xiuyu's name, and stopped her instead. "Do me a favor, my lady, and spare him for a few days."

"Hmm?" Xie Mingyue lifted her face to look at him. "Why? If it's because he is the Marquis Manor's Heir, you can rest assured that this plan will unfold slowly."

As soon as she finished speaking, she realized she sounded rather like a ruthless shrew and hastily lowered her gaze.

Qi Jingshan chuckled softly, gently stroking her temple.

"Proceed with your plan as usual. Just don't take his life—I still have use for him."

What use?

Xie Mingyue did not press further; she would find out in due time.

"Very well," she crossed out the dagger drawn next to Qi Xiuyu's name, put away the booklet, and stood up. "Then what will my husband use to trade with me?"

Watching her lean forward, wearing a cozy and coquettish smile, Qi Jingshan could not resist pulling her closer into his arms.

His voice was deep and husky. "Is my favor not enough?"

Xie Mingyue looked at his peerlessly handsome face, her heart skipping a beat. Still stubbornly, she retorted, "Of course it's not enough. Lord Qi is getting old, and this face of yours is not worth as much as a young scholar's."

She was deliberately being petulant, seeking a bit of petty revenge for the cold shoulder Qi Jingshan had given her before she fainted.

Hmph, that would teach him not to trust her!

Qi Jingshan's eyes darkened slightly. He tightened his grip around her waist, his tone carrying a mild threat. "You think your husband is old?"

Held firmly in his grasp, Xie Mingyue thought to herself that this was a bad idea.

Why had she let her tongue run away with her? She was still entirely at his mercy.

"No, no, not at all," she hastily corrected herself, adopting a submissive tone. "A man in his thirties is like a blooming flower in his prime. But Qi Xiuyu is such a nuisance; if you want me to spare him, you simply must offer some compensation."

Listening to her roundabout little schemes, Qi Jingshan gave a soft chuckle and pressed his cheek against hers.

"What kind of compensation does my lady desire?"

Xie Mingyue opened her mouth, but a surge of bitter sorrow rose to her throat, making her voice drop to a whisper. "I want to go see my mother."

Qi Jingshan froze for a fraction of a second.

He had considered many possibilities, expecting her to make some cheeky or demanding request, but he had never imagined she would make such a hesitant plea.

His stern and sharp features suddenly softened.

"What kind of request is that? If my lady wishes to visit her mother, all you need to do is ask me."

Xie Mingyue said with a serious expression, "Xie Wanqing is dead, and she died on her way to being banished to the countryside estate. The Xie family will not let the matter rest."

At a time like this, wanting to see her mother—wasn't that as difficult as ascending to the heavens?

Yet she missed her mother so terribly. Nurse Zhou had been driven out simply for being her mother's wet nurse. Who knew what kind of life her mother was living now, gravely ill and unconscious in the Xie family residence, or whether anyone was bathing her frail body day after day...

As these thoughts cascaded through her mind, Xie Mingyue's eyes turned red.

Bedridden for ten years—there was probably nothing left of her but skin and bones!

Gazing into her eyes, Qi Jingshan gently patted her hand. "Don't worry."

Whatever she wished to do, he would help her achieve it.

Just as the two of them were sharing a tender moment, Wutong knocked on the door once more. "My lady, Nurse Zhou has woken up and insists on seeing you."

Xie Mingyue broke free from Qi Jingshan's embrace, composed her thoughts, and hurried to the side room.

Although Nurse Zhou had been treated with acupuncture by Gou Zihan and her emotions had settled somewhat, the moment she laid eyes on Xie Mingyue, tears began to stream down her face once more.

"Eldest Miss, there is something I must tell you, no matter what."

Insisting on kneeling on the floor, the old woman wept bitterly, "All the kindness the Xie family previously showed the mistress and you was just an act. Not long after the mistress fell gravely ill and lost consciousness, the Dowager brought a distant relative's daughter from her maiden family into the manor. That cousin brought along a child who had just learned to walk. The mother and child were settled in the backyard under the guise of charity, but not long ago, old nurse overheard that child secretly calling the master 'Father'."

Nurse Zhou cried out in despair, "Eldest Miss, it's all fake! It's all fake!"

"When the Eldest Son-in-law came to rescue me, the people sent by the Dowager were just about to force poison down my throat to silence me!"

Listening to this, Xie Mingyue gripped her fists so tightly her nails dug into her palms.

Father...

A child who could walk would be around one or two years old. Pregnancy and childbirth would have happened even earlier than that.

That would have been when she had not yet been cast aside, and when her mother was still alive and well.

The father she had always deeply respected and loved had actually gone behind her back with the Dowager to pull off such a despicable scheme!

A sharp pain pierced through Xie Mingyue's heart.

Pity her maternal grandfather's family, the Gu clan. They had once been a prominent and noble household, but after her grandfather passed away and her uncle died on the battlefield, her mother had married into the Xie family carrying a vast and dazzling fortune. It was meant to be a union of two prestigious families, but in the end, the Xie family had utterly devoured the Gu family's heritage.

Suppressing the violent trembling of her body, she said in a cold voice, "Rest assured, Aunt Yang, I will never let anyone who has wronged my mother go unpunished."

Seeing Nurse Zhou's silver-streaked hair, Xie Mingyue helped her up and spoke gently, "Since the Xie family failed to eliminate you, they will surely be searching everywhere for you. From now on, you will stay in my courtyard. As long as you do not step outside the manor, no one will be able to harm you."

Weeping, Nurse Zhou nodded and grabbed her arm. "Thank you, Eldest Miss, for saving this old servant's life. The mistress's fate now rests entirely in your hands!"

With tears swimming in her eyes, Xie Mingyue nodded and settled Nurse Zhou into her quarters.

When she returned to her own room, Qi Jingshan had already left to attend to matters, leaving behind word that he would return by evening.

Xie Mingyue could not help recalling his wild and unrestrained behavior from the previous day.

She simply could not handle him, a fact that even miraculous physician Gou had managed to glean.

While she was lost in thought, Yuanbai suddenly knelt before her. "My lady, this servant has an urgent matter to report."

Yuanbai was usually lively and rarely looked so solemn. Puzzled, Xie Mingyue asked, "What is it? Get up and speak."

However, Yuanbai remained stubbornly on her knees. "Today, the Eldest Master punished this servant by having her slapped across the face. When the Elder Dowager came by, she happened to see Yujiang striking me. So, this servant acted on her own accord and deliberately uttered a few deeply disrespectful remarks so that the Dowager would overhear. Later on, the Dowager rewarded me with silver, and even looked me over very carefully when she left."

Xie Mingyue laughed. "Is that all? Get up quickly."

She signaled Wutong to help Yuanbai to her feet, finding the situation rather amusing.

Yuanbai puffed out her cheeks. "This servant would never dare harbor any disloyal intentions. It's just that the Elder Dowager... when she left today, she happened to see Nurse Zhou entering and gave her a few suspicious, scrutinizing glances."

Knowing that Lady Yun and Xie Mingyue were at odds, Yuanbai had simply wanted to dig a trap for Lady Yun on purpose, never expecting that Lady Yun would leap right into it.

"Well done," Xie Mingyue praised her. "You and Wutong are my most trusted maids, so I won't keep any secrets from you. Lady Yun suddenly tasted wealth and let glory blind her eyes, caring only for herself. Whatever she and the Eldest Master have done to me, I am bound to return the favor. Since she now views you as a fickle grass swaying in the wind in my courtyard, you may play along with her illusion. Let's see what tricks she tries to pull."