WSMTATMC C15

Chapter 15

Wang Ying hurried out of the alley before Liuzi emerged, quickly spotting the brother and sister wandering along the main street.

“Don’t buy anything else — come back home with me now.”

“What’s wrong, Sister-in-law?”

Wang Ying didn’t answer, only urged them to walk faster.

The two, being sensible children, saw the grim expression on his face and didn’t press further, hurrying toward home.

Once through the gate, Wang Ying told the gatekeeper to bolt it. “Qingyun, go and bring Mother to the back courtyard. If anyone asks, say I bought her something and want to see if she likes it.”

“Alright!” Chen Qingyun ran to the main room.

Qingsong, looking uneasy, followed Wang Ying to the back. Chen Qingyan was napping in the room; Chen Bo sat at the door twisting hemp into rope.

“Young Master’s husband, you’re back?”

“Chen Bo, I need a favour.”

“Please, say the word.”

“In a moment, help us guard this courtyard. No one is to be let inside.”

Chen Bo’s expression tightened; he rose at once. “Yes. Rest assured, I’ll guard it tightly!”

Wang Ying stepped into the room, face heavy. On the bed, Chen Qingyan opened his eyes. “You’ve only just left, and you’re back already?”

“If I hadn’t, you’d have been poisoned to death.”

“What?” Chen Qingyan flung off the covers and sat up.

Outside, Qingyun returned with Madam Li in tow. Li still believed Wang Ying had bought her something, and came in smiling. “What’s all this, child, being so secretive about a gift?”

“Qingyun, close the door. Qingsong, latch the windows.”

The children obeyed quickly. Madam Li now sensed something was wrong. “What’s happened?”

Wang Ying’s voice shook. In two lifetimes, he’d never encountered something like this. It took him a while to recount what he’d overheard that day.

“This morning, I saw Liuzi in town. I meant to ask him to keep an eye on Qingyun and Qingsong — but saw him with both of Chen Biao’s sons.”

Chen Qingyan frowned. “Eldest Cousin has been ransomed?”

Wang Ying nodded. “I followed them… and heard Chen Biao’s family plotting to poison you!”

“What?!” Madam Li’s legs gave way; she nearly fell, and the children scrambled to seat her in a chair.

“You’re sure you heard right?”

“Clear as day. Chen Biao gave Liuzi a packet of arsenic and told him to put it in your food — to split our estate with him afterward.”

“Truly… truly such a thing! Cough, cough—” Rage made Chen Qingyan’s illness flare.

Wang Ying hurried to hand him water. “I never imagined I’d hear something like this. It scared me out of my wits — I ran straight back.”

“What… what should we do?” Madam Li had no ideas at all. Clutching her handkerchief, she could only weep. The children were too young; Chen Qingyan was still frail — all eyes turned to Wang Ying.

“This isn’t the time to cry. Thank heaven I heard in time. We must think how to respond.”

Madam Li wiped her eyes. “You’re right.”

“We should report it to the authorities,” said Qingsong grimly. “Attempting to murder one’s master can’t be tolerated.”

That was a serious charge. At best, it meant exile; at worst, a hundred blows with the heavy rod — enough to kill.

Madam Li said timidly, “But what about Madam Tian? He’s her only son…”

“You really are a living Bodhisattva! They’re ready to kill your son, and you’re worrying about the murderer’s kin?”

Chastened, Madam Li shrank into herself. She had known Tian Mama over ten years and thought some friendship remained, choosing to overlook her faults — never imagining she’d go so far as to collude in murder.

“Reporting straightaway could backfire. If Liuzi refuses to confess and claims the arsenic was for rats, we can’t touch him. And Chen Biao is bent on seizing our property — if he fails now, he’ll try again. You can’t guard against a thief forever.”

Chen Qingyan agreed. “A-Ying, what do you propose?”

That term of address startled Wang Ying; in his past life, only his grandparents had ever called him that. Something stirred in his chest.

“For now, keep still. Stall Liuzi and Madam Tian, don’t give them a chance to act. Be cautious with all food and drink — test it with silver first.”

Everyone nodded.

“Mother — especially you. Don’t let Madam Tian suspect anything. If Liuzi dares this, it’s with her prompting.”

Madam Li hesitated, then nodded. “I understand.”

“Qingyun, Qingsong — go about as usual. School, sewing — act like nothing’s happened.”

“Yes, Sister-in-law.”

Chen Qingyan fixed his gaze on Wang Ying. “You already have a plan, don’t you?”

“I’ll have you feign death.”

“Feign… death?” everyone echoed.

“Yes — I’ll hold a funeral for you.”

Chen Qingyan’s mouth twitched. He was about to protest when the thought hit him. “This is a ruse to lure the snake from its hole — to make them expose themselves?”

“Smart. We can’t do it alone — you’ll need to write to your Fourth Uncle…”

Madam Li returned to the main rooms from the rear courtyard — and ran straight into Madam Tian coming in from outside.

“Madam, where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

Madam Li’s heart jumped; she clutched her chest before steadying herself. “To the rear courtyard — to see Qingyan. His health seemed worse today, no appetite for food.”

Seeing her reddened eyes, Madam Tian’s gaze sharpened. “What did I tell you? When you were going up the mountain to worship, Eldest Young Master’s health was improving. You stop going, and now it declines. That little household idol is nothing like the temple’s blessings!”

“Is… that so?” Had she not now known that this woman’s son meant to poison her son, Madam Li might have believed it.

“Of course! That young husband knows nothing of real worship — one can’t honour Buddha only on the first day and ignore the fifteenth. If Buddha takes offence, Eldest Young Master may lose his life!”

Madam Li’s heart gave a pang, and she turned on Madam Tian a suddenly piercing gaze. Once she had kept a measure of forbearance; now she loathed the sight of her.

“You’re right. In the next few days, you can come up the mountain with me to recite scriptures.”

“Gladly!” Madam Tian’s eyes shone; she knew the manor had just brought rent money — there would be another fat donation to skim.

Madam Li trudged into her room. Madam Tian deftly removed her hairpins and helped her change into silk sleepwear.

“Sumei, how long have you served me?”

The use of her birth name made the woman start. “Seventeen years. I was sent to aid you when you bore Eldest Young Master.”

“Yes… seventeen years.” Madam Li’s sigh was soft.

A throb ran through Madam Tian’s eyelids; an unease crept in. “Why bring it up, Madam? Has someone been saying something?”

“It’s nothing. Just a thought — we’ve been together long.”

“As long as you don’t think me too old and useless, I will serve you always.”

Such smooth words — yet behind them, such a venomous heart. Madam Li could not bear to speak more; she feared she’d lose control and confront her about the plot.

With a wave of her hand, she said, “I’m tired — no need to watch tonight. Go rest.”

“Yes.” Madam Tian closed the door and left quickly.

Her home was not far from the Chen residence — a tidy two-courtyard dwelling west of the alley, bought years ago with Madam Li’s help. Over the years, Madam Li’s gifts had been generous, but some people could never be “fed full.”

“You’re back, Mother!” Liuzi greeted her eagerly.

“Old woman, look what I have!” Old Tian, face flushed with drink, handed her a deed.

She read it over. “From Chen Biao?”

“Yes. Today Young Master Qingfeng invited me to his place — said that when it’s done, the Chen fields will be halved to us. We’ll be landlords then!”

“Is it reliable?”

“Black ink, red handprints — they can’t go back on it.”

Delight flickered in her eyes. “Good, good. What does he want?”

Liuzi took out the arsenic. “Put this in Eldest Young Master’s food or medicine — nice and quiet, no one the wiser…”

“Oh, I daren’t!”

“Mother, I can’t easily reach the inner courtyard. Without you, it won’t work!”

“But… it’s killing…”

Old Tian slammed the table. “Do you want our boy to be a servant forever? And that Chen family’s run by a ge’er now — no grease to be had. How will we live?”

Madam Tian gritted her teeth. “Madam wants me to go up the mountain with her tomorrow to pray. I might get some more money there. Let’s wait a few days.”

“Second Master isn’t in a rush — just so long as we do it,” said Liuzi.

She took the poison at last, tucking it into her under-robe pocket.