Volume 1, Chapter 60: Disciplining the Yun Clan

"Mother has a chill?"

Xie Mingyue looked at Madam Yun with a bright, smiling gaze. As she drew closer, a faint scent of face powder drifted toward her.

Madam Yun's pale complexion was likely nothing more than a thick layer of cosmetic powder.

Well, since she had nothing to do during the day and had slept enough, if Madam Yun wanted to torment her, she would simply play along.

"First Madam, the Old Madam has a chill that has penetrated her body. She cannot get out of bed, and she won't allow us servants to touch her. You will have to bear the burden of tending to her tonight."

Madam Yun's trusted confidante, Housekeeper Huang, subtly applied pressure from the side.

Xie Mingyue gave a faint, mocking smile. "Is she really this sick? Hurry and tell the maids to heat some water and brew two bowls of ginger soup."

As she spoke, she reached out and piled an extra heavy quilt onto the one already covering Madam Yun.

"Mingyue, what are you doing!"

The heavy cotton quilt, weighing several catties, pressed down so suddenly that Madam Yun almost choked on her breath.

"Keep warm in spring and freeze in autumn. Since Mother is ill, she naturally needs to bundle up more to sweat out the sickness."

Xie Mingyue tucked the quilt tightly and securely around Madam Yun, then snatched the warming stone from Housekeeper Huang's hands and shoved it directly against Madam Yun's chest.

"Mother should stay bundled up tightly. After a good sleep, you'll be fine."

The room was already heated by a brazier, making the temperature quite pleasant, and the serving women were dressed in double layers of spring and summer clothing. Bundled up like this, Madam Yun immediately broke out in a fine sweat.

"First Madam, you mustn't! This is far too much."

Housekeeper Huang hurriedly stepped forward to pull the quilt away, but Xie Mingyue shoved her aside with a wave of her hand.

"It's precisely because you people are so careless in your daily care that Mother fell ill in such a warm room. If you dare to obstruct me in serving Mother again, I'll have someone arrest you."

Madam Yun had been lying down for a long time, feeling dizzy and lightheaded. Being pressed down and made to sweat under the heavy covers made her breathing rapid and shallow.

"Quick, take it away—"

She spoke weakly, but Xie Mingyue acted as though she hadn't heard. Sitting alone by the bedside, she firmly pressed down on the edges of the quilt.

With Yuanbai standing guard nearby with a fierce and menacing glare, Housekeeper Huang did not dare to step forward again, and the other maids were even less daring.

Having seen the fate of the servants in Xie Wanqing's courtyard, they truly did not want to lose their lives.

"Mingyue, I'm going to roast to death!"

Madam Yun suffered in silence, writhing desperately beneath the covers to let a little cool air in so she could find some relief.

"Mother," Xie Mingyue said calmly with a smile, "you fell ill precisely because you craved the cool air. You mustn't catch cold again. What would happen if you were to fall so sick that you died?"

Madam Yun rolled her eyes in fury, the anger rushing to her chest and causing her to cough twice.

Now, Xie Mingyue tucked the covers in even tighter. Seeing a maid approach with the ginger soup, she immediately signaled Wutong to hand it over.

She had already blown on the ginger soup to cool it slightly. Refusing to let anyone else help and without bothering to lift Madam Yun into a sitting position, she brought the bowl straight to Madam Yun's lips and poured it down without the slightest mercy.

"Mother, drink another bowl of ginger soup to drive out the chill."

Madam Yun had only feigned illness to wear her down, and now, being ambushed and having a bowl of scalding, pungent ginger soup poured straight over her face, she instinctively opened her mouth to swallow frantically, yet much of it still spilled down her chin and neck.

"Enough!"

Overwhelmed with murderous rage, she batted the porcelain bowl away, threw off the quilt, and roared, "Xie Mingyue, what are you doing!"

"Mother, aren't you unable to get up?" Xie Mingyue asked with a look of feigned astonishment. "Could it be that my method just worked? Come, go quickly and brew another bowl of ginger soup."

Madam Yun wiped the soup streaming down her neck, her entire body trembling with rage.

"You—you are utterly devoid of filial piety!"

She shoved Xie Mingyue aside and called out to Housekeeper Huang, "Hurry up and clean me off!"

Sugar had been added to the ginger soup, and now it was running down her hair and face, sticky and terribly annoying!

Seeing this, Xie Mingyue dropped her smile, her tone turning cold. "Since Mother is not sick at all, why bother putting on this act?"

Madam Yun glared at her viciously, as if she wanted to tear a chunk of flesh straight out of her.

"There is no daughter-in-law in this world who behaves as you do!"

Xie Mingyue narrowed her eyes, her gaze sharp and cold. "And there is no mother-in-law in this world who behaves as you do!"

She closed her eyes for a moment. "Does Mother think that a few days of confinement will settle the matter of the fired-enamel pomegranate bracelet? That was a matter grave enough to leave me barren for the rest of my life!"

Heaven knew that she had originally wanted to maintain a good relationship with Madam Yun. But Madam Yun had immediately taken Xie Wanqing's side in the poisoning incident and even sent her the fired-enamel bracelet to poison her. Given Qi Jingshan's sake, it was already merciful of her that she hadn't destroyed Madam Yun on the spot.

Furthermore, the drug Madam Yun had administered was also harmful to Qi Jingshan. Had she not discovered it in time...

Xie Mingyue did not dare to imagine the consequences.

Madam Yun said with bitter hatred, "You monopolize Jingshan, have gone ten years without bearing children, and refuse to allow concubines in his chambers. What more do you want from me? The position of legitimate wife remains yours, and if concubines bear children later, I would even let you raise them. I have been more than merciful to you!"

What? Madam Yun still expected her to raise concubines' sons?

There wasn't even a shadow of a concubine yet, and already she was daydreaming!

Xie Mingyue smiled coldly and gave a soft scoff. "If your son is willing, then by all means, use your ability to make him divorce me."

If Madam Yun had any real control over Qi Jingshan, would she have needed to resort to such petty tricks to assert her authority?

She was simply bullying the soft-hearted, but Xie Mingyue was no pushover.

If she was going to be soft, it would only be in front of her husband.

Looking at the deep-seated hatred in Madam Yun's eyes, Xie Mingyue smiled faintly. "Mother does not like me as a daughter-in-law, and I do not like Mother either. The things you have done to me and to my husband can hardly be called the kindness of an elder. As for this kind of servitude, you can stop thinking about it—I will not do it."

Madam Yun's expression grew even darker.

Just because she had her son's favor, she dared to openly defy her.

A mother-in-law naturally held sway over her daughter-in-law. No matter how arrogant Xie Mingyue was, when she stepped outside, wouldn't she still have to lower her head obediently?

Otherwise, the gossip and spit of the outside world could drown her alive!

"You are truly unrepentant!" She pointed a trembling finger at Xie Mingyue, her gaze venomous. " Relying on a bit of youth and beauty, you dare to speak wildly. I want to see when you are nearing thirty, withered with age, and childless, whether Jingshan will still indulge you like this!"

Madam Yun believed Xie Mingyue was frighteningly naive.

In the inner courtyard, a woman's children and status were of primary importance, while a husband's affection was merely a fleeting cloud. Xie Mingyue dared to run her mouth off just because of Qi Jingshan, failing to consider that once her looks faded and his favor waned, all that would be left for her would be an empty title, or even abandonment!

At this thought, Madam Yun felt a sudden surge of comfort in her heart.

"Since Mother still has the strength to speak with such a loud voice, it seems you truly aren't sick at all."

Xie Mingyue watched leisurely as Madam Yun stood up to scold her. The powder on Madam Yun's face had been washed away in patches by the ginger soup, clumping together and revealing her flushed skin beneath.

She lowered her head and smiled. Catching sight of a tall figure standing outside, she suddenly raised her voice, "Husband, did you see that? It's not that I refuse to serve Mother; it's that Mother isn't sick at all!"

Madam Yun was startled and instantly whipped her head toward the doorway.

There, standing silently outside the door, was a familiar figure.

Had he not left this whole time?

As she watched Qi Jingshan push the door open and step inside, Madam Yun's expression turned instantly unsightly.