Despite the clamor and commotion surrounding these things on the outside, the Fang Family residence remained peaceful as always.
Fang Yunxiu took the cloth that Fang Yuxiu had moistened and carefully dabed Lady Fang’s wound.
Lady Fang creased her brows in pain.
"Mother, does it hurt a lot?" Fang Yunxiu asked. She could not stop her tears. "What you did was too dangerous, what if…"
They had found out, after everything was over, Old Lady Fang and Lady Fang’s plan to act as bait. Particularly about Lady Fang’s wound, they had been given a narrative about the nervous events.
"The arrowhead has no eyes, it has no bias. How could this be good," muttered Fang Yunxiu as she wiped her tears.
Layd fang smiled and stroked her daughter’s head.
"It is no pain, it is a delight," she said with a gentle smile. Gone was the knife-wielding craze of the past; she was gentle and warm as she always was. "To eliminate that vile person for your grandfather, father, and little brother, this is but a great happiness."
Fang Yunxiu still wanted to say something, but Fang Yuxiu got the gist.
"Then since when has Grandmother and mother started to plan for this?" she asked curiously.
Lady Fang smiled. Now that the villain had been executed, there was no need to hide the truth.
"Since Zhenzhen had rescinded the marriage with the Ning Family," she said.
Fang Yuxiu nodded.
"As I thought," she said. Her eyes were sparkling. "That said, Younger Brother was truly cured?"
Without asking about the truth of all the other things that happened, she asked only this question. Because by finding the answer to this question, everything else would be obvious in a glance.
Lady Fang’s face blossomed as she thought of her son.
"Yes," she said. "Chengyu is better."
The villain was executed, Chengyu was better, the Fang Family had pushed aside the clouds and mist to catch sight of the sun.
Lady Fang felt like she was dreaming.
Fang Yuxiu felt like pinching Lady Fang.
"Does it hurt or not?" she asked.
Of course with such a light atmosphere, when Lady Fang took advantage of the situation to fake a cry of pain, the three of them laughed.
"I was just thinking, when Mother said she was dreaming, if Jinxiu was here she would definitely have pinched Mother. Now that Jinxiu’s not here, Yuxiu is naughty in herstead," joked Fang Yunxiu.
She had blurted this out; the minute the last word was out of her mouth she knew she had slipped up. She grew embarrassed.
Lady Fang’s smile also dimmed.
The government office sent the interrogation results to the Fang Family everyday. Naturally, Head Shopkeeper Song revealed Concubine Su’s history.
Concubine Su was not some distant relative of Head Shopkeeper Song. Instead, he had raised and trained her to be a warrior of death [1]. She had entered the residence to keep surveillance as well as sabotage the Fang Family heirs.
But this had nothing to do with FAng Jinxiu.
Fang Jinxiu’s birth was just a reason for Concubine Su to remain in the Fang Family. She was not useful otherwise.
But in spite of that, Lady Fang could not dispel her misgivings about Fang Jinxiu.
The room fell silent. Fortunately, Concubine Yuan entered at this time.
She was going so fast her feet scarcely touched the ground. Old Lady Fang was preoccupied with social niceties with the provincial authorities, Lady Fang was to clean up the exchange firm, and she was assigned to clean up the servants of the family.
Concubine Yuan sighed uneasily.
She sighed at Old Lady Fang and Lady Fang’s willingness to trust her so. Her unease was at the fact she didn’t know how to deal with the many people and matters involved with the hidden conspiracy.
"The servant girl Lingzhi’s sickness is quite severe," said Concubine Yuan. "Medicine Woman Wan wants to know if she can request a doctor."
Lady Fang pulled the sleeve over her wound and sat up straight.
"Please do. Cure her," she said. "As for how else to deal with her, wait till Chengyu returns before making a decision."
Although the pregnancy was fake, Lingzhi was someone Chengyu had chosen. Although Lady Fang did not value that disastrous servant, her son might.
At the mention of Chengyu, Fang Yunxiu could not help her curiosity.
"Mother, when is Chengyu returning?" she asked.
Lady Fang shook her head.
"Don’t even talk about how many things have been hidden from you; even this has been hidden from me. I don’t even know where Chengyu went," she said bitterly.
"That’s because Mother’s personality makes it hard to conceal things. She had to act on her true emotions to avoid suspicion," consoled Fang Yuxiu.
Lady Fang smiled.
"Yes, I know. As long as it’s for Chengyu, I don’t mind being deceived. Even if I must injure myself to lay the trap, I would be delighted to do it."
Concubine Yuan piped in. "Lady has already injured herself to lay the trap." She looked at Lady Fang’s wound.
Lady Fang shot her a glance; Concubine Yuan looked embarrassed.
"How many people need to be changed?" she asked.
Knowing that this was a negotiation of the household affairs, Fang Yuxiu and Fang Yunxiu respectfully bowed out. The two walked to a courtyard and stopped, both their expressions conflicted.
Fang Jinxiu was held in here.
Since the day Concubine Su had killed herself, Lingzhi and Fang Jinxiu had been shut away. After that, no one asked about them, like they had been forgotten.
"How is she?" Fang Yunxiu couldn’t help but ask.
Fang Yuxiu looked over to the house.
"I can say she’s not talking or sitting, so probably sleeping," she said. "All the food that has been sent has been eaten; she is not on a hunger strike."
At this she smiled.
"She has always been resilient. She would not do something silly like attempt suicide."
Fang Yunxiu sighed.
"After such a thing happened, it’s pointless to be resilient she said."
Resilience could get you over crises, could resolve problems, but resilience could not change the reality that she was Concubine Su’s daughter.
Fang Yuxiu had nothing to say to that.
"How about we go see her?" suggested Fang Yunxiu.
Fang Yuxiu shook her head.
"Eldest Sister, I’m guessing that she doesn’t know how to face us right now, and we are still not prepared to face her. Rather than meeting and being awkward and have nothing to say, it’s better to not see her for now. Not seeing is probably the best way to act now."
Yes, if they met they really would not know what to say. Fang Yunxiu sighed.
"And after all, the matter has not ended yet," said Fang Yuxiu.
Fang Yunxiu blanked.
"It hasn’t ended yet? But hasn’t Song Yunping and them been captured?" she asked. "Is there another person?"
Fang Yuxiu smiled.
"I’m saying that Chengyu hasn’t returned home yet." Then more seriously, she added, "So the matter still cannot be said to have ended."
At this time, Old Lady Fang was talking about the ending of the matter with the county magistrate at the county office.
"Song Yunping has almost completely confessed," said County Magistrate Li. With resentment he added, "I really did not think that he was actually such a black-hearted person."
Old Lady Fang was already numb to this.
"When my maiden family and husband’s family came to fight over the properties, Song Yunping always stood by our Fang Family’s side, giving us his all. I lament that such a dear person became an enemy, and that an outsider became a relative," she said. She laughed self-derisively. "Really, I was so blind."
County Magistrate Li sighed.
"Old Lady, don’t blame yourself. Us good-hearted individuals cannot see through an evil person’s heart," he advised. "It is because we are so good-hearted."
Old Lady Fang’s countenance took on a mournful tinge.
"But this good-hearted person paid too great of a price," she said.
"Don’t worry, I have already reported all his crimes. In a few days, his judgement will come; it will definitely be execution," he said solemnly. "When time come to parade the criminal and he receives his death of a thousand cuts, your Fang Family’s vengeful ghosts will be consoled."
Old Lady Fang swayed as she got up and paid her respects to County Magistrate Li.
"Thank you, lord," she choked out.
He reached out to support her.
"This is the duty of this official," he replied. Both of them sat down again. He took a sip of tea and looked thoughtful. "Old lady, is the Young Master of the Fang Family really doing so much better?"
[1] A warrior not afraid of death.
