Volume 1, Chapter 3: The Young Mistress’s Bodice Still Hangs from the Madman’s Belt

By my reckoning, Qin Lang should be escorting Lu Hongzhao to pay respects to Old Madam Qin right about now. Then, Lu Hongzhao’s maid would suddenly burst in, claiming she saw a man enter the Young Mistress’s chamber, and that improper sounds were coming from inside.

Naturally, Qin Lang would be furious and stride toward Tingfeng Pavilion. Old Madam Qin and Lu Hongzhao would naturally follow closely behind.

Soon, the show was about to begin...

Among the maids, Zizhu was the most skilled in hairstyling and makeup. Upon hearing the news, she responded with a “Yes” and began styling Shi Qingqian’s hair and applying her makeup.

When Shi Qingqian finished and looked into the bronze mirror, she nodded in satisfaction.

The original novel described the original owner as gentle, kind, and breathtakingly beautiful—and it truly was so.

Once everything was in place, Shi Qingqian sat quietly on the couch, immersed in her medical texts.

The original owner's medical knowledge gave this future medicine expert a natural shield.

About an hour later, voices came from outside the courtyard.

“Are you sure you saw clearly? A man actually entered the Young Mistress’s courtyard?” Old Madam Qin’s voice carried outside.

“I really did see it! Second Madam Lu had just gotten up feeling hungry, so I went to the kitchen to prepare something for her. I thought after she paid her respects and returned, she could eat. Passing by Tingfeng Pavilion, I heard those kinds of sounds coming from inside...” the little maid glanced nervously toward the tightly shut door.

“I leaned over and peered through the window, and inside... inside...”

“What about inside?” Old Madam Qin pressed.

“There was a man pressing down on the Young Mistress; they were engaging in improper acts inside the room,” the little maid gritted her teeth, as if throwing caution to the wind.

“The Young Mistress’s red bellyband was still hanging from that man’s waistband...”

“That’s impossible! Qingqian has been in our household for three years—I know what kind of person she is. Don’t speak nonsense,” Old Madam Qin said firmly.

Old Madam Qin was fond of Shi Qingqian. Not only was her family background excellent, and her appearance stunning, but she was also gentle and kind; no one could dislike such a granddaughter-in-law.

“Old Madam, if you doubt it, please go see for yourself! Cuir, after all, is just a lowly maid and wouldn’t dare slander the Young Mistress,” Cuir said with a face full of grievance.

Hearing this, Old Madam Qin had no choice but to continue inside. Whether true or not, today she had to get to the bottom of it.

If it were true, the dignified Marquis’s household would never tolerate such an unchaste granddaughter-in-law.

But if it were false, she would never allow Lu Hongzhao, the troublemaker, to disrupt the Marquis’s household—even if Lu Hongzhao were carrying a Qin heir.

Old Madam Qin led everyone briskly into Tingfeng Pavilion. Qin Lang, with a dark and sullen face, strode ahead toward Shi Qingqian’s door.

At the door, without a word, he kicked it open, only to see Shi Qingqian calmly leaning on the couch reading a book.

Hearing the noise, Shi Qingqian turned her head and saw Qin Lang standing angrily at the door, with Old Madam Qin, Lu Hongzhao, and a group of maids and attendants behind him.

Shi Qingqian quickly rose and saluted Old Madam Qin.

“Grandmother, what brings you here?”

“And husband, why are you so angry? Has Qingqian done something to upset you?”

Qin Lang had kicked open the door expecting to find an unbearable scene. Yet before him stood Shi Qingqian, serene and composed, saluting politely, showing no sign of panic.

Could it be last night’s incident did not happen?

He glanced at Lu Hongzhao, who was equally taken aback by the scene.

Yesterday’s poison had been personally administered by her, slipping it into Shi Qingqian’s bird’s nest porridge. To ensure success, the maids and attendants in Shi Qingqian’s courtyard had also been drugged.

Moreover, she had assigned Cuir to keep watch over Tingfeng Pavilion’s movements. Only after confirming everyone had eaten the drugged food did Cuir return to report.

For added security, she had sent two guards to stand watch.

Yet those two guards had vanished without a trace. What on earth had happened?

...

Old Madam Qin had lived a long life. Seeing Qin Lang and Lu Hongzhao’s secret schemes, she could easily guess what had transpired.

Silently annoyed, she thought: her eldest son was useless, but even this only legitimate grandson was a disgrace. For the sake of a disreputable woman rising in status, he dared to ruin the reputation of his lawful wife.

Did they not consider that even if Shi Qingqian were divorced from the Marquis’s household, no way would they allow a fallen woman to become the Young Mistress?

Old Madam Qin felt a wave of sorrow and frustration. The eldest branch was incompetent and could not uphold the Qin family’s century-old legacy.

The youngest son, though most resembling the late Marquis and propped up by his own military achievements, could not sustain the family’s prestige for long.

Was the Qin family doomed to ruin?

Thinking this, Old Madam Qin approached Shi Qingqian apologetically and gently patted her hand.

“Child, you have suffered injustice.”

Shi Qingqian knew from the book that Old Madam Qin had given birth to Qin Moque at an advanced age, which left her weak. Previously, Madam Shi had helped care for her, but after Madam Shi returned to her hometown with the Grand Tutor Shi, Shi Qingqian took over tending to Old Madam Qin. Thus, Old Madam Qin was deeply grateful to Shi Qingqian and her mother.

After the original owner’s disgraceful incident, only Old Madam Qin believed in her character and questioned the truth.

But at that time, the original owner had lost her purity and was desperate to die. Old Madam Qin had no time to investigate before the original owner fatally struck herself at the scene.

After her death, Old Madam Qin, though not conducting a detailed inquiry, guessed the truth. Anguished, she fell ill and passed away within a year.

Shi Qingqian returned Old Madam Qin’s grasp softly and asked, “Grandmother, why do you say this? Why are so many people here at this early hour? Has something happened in Qingqian’s courtyard?”

Seeing Shi Qingqian’s puzzled expression, Old Madam Qin breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Qin Lang and Lu Hongzhao’s vicious plot had failed; otherwise, this girl would not be so composed.

Knowing her nature, if she had truly been defiled, she would have surely taken her own life.

“There’s nothing. It was this little maid who claimed a man was hiding in your room and reported it to me. So I came to see for myself and to clear my granddaughter-in-law’s name,” Old Madam Qin said, shooting a cold glance at the trembling little maid behind her.

The maid understood that today’s matter would likely end badly for her.

“A man? What do you mean?”

“The Young Mistress went to the West Courtyard last night to help Second Uncle with acupuncture to relieve the cold poison. Unexpectedly, she was ambushed by thieves and fainted in Second Uncle’s courtyard. It was almost dawn before Mo Yun and Mo Yu brought her back. Grandmother, if you don’t believe me, you can ask over at the West Courtyard!” Shi Qingqian hurriedly explained, as if fearful of being wrongfully accused.

“What? The Wang residence was invaded by thieves? Is Moque all right?”

Qin Moque was Old Madam Qin’s late-born son, now gravely injured and unconscious, so naturally, she was anxious.

“Don’t worry, Grandmother, Second Uncle is fine. The thieves didn’t harm the Marquis; they were probably after money.”

Hearing this, Old Madam Qin relaxed.

Good—just after money!

Her youngest son was dirt poor; those thieves had wasted their time coming here for nothing.