Volume One, Chapter 16: The Eldest Young Master Takes a Good Look

Naturally, the Jiang family was reluctant to part with her. They coaxed and persuaded her, and in the end, they relented and decided not to punish Jiang Ruoqi.

At that moment, the maid brought over the medicinal broth meant to restore Jiang Ruozhen’s health. Jiang Ruoqi, moved by this, noticed that the broth was as clear as tea.

He immediately overturned the broth, furious. “You deceitful servants who lie to your superiors! Is this medicine or just tea? So this is how you’ve been fooling the Second Miss when we weren’t around!”

The maids were terrified and knelt on the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

“Please, young master, don’t be angry! This old servant never intended such deceit!”

Jiang’s mother tugged at Jiang Ruoqi, “What are you making a fuss about? It’s good medicine; why did you smash it?”

Jiang Ruoqi pointed at the spilled broth on the floor. “This is the medicine specially prepared for the Second Miss’s recovery, and you dare to withhold it?”

How could the maids dare to withhold anything under the watchful eyes of the master and mistress? They could only cry out in protest, “The Second Miss’s medicine is supposed to be boiled four or five times. It becomes clearer towards the end.”

“Why boil the same medicine four or five times and still claim it’s not being diluted?”

“Young master, the medicine for the Second Miss costs a hundred taels per dose. Since the household has cut back on expenses, there isn’t enough money to buy more medicine, so they have to boil it multiple times.”

What a joke! The grand Jiang household, headed by a minister, would actually run out of money for medicine?

Jiang Ruoqi refused to believe it. The household affairs were managed by Jiang Zhinian; it was impossible the family couldn’t afford medicine.

It had to be Jiang Zhinian sabotaging things!

Jiang Ruoqi kicked the maid, “Worthless scoundrels!”

Then he strode out of the Snowfall Pavilion without a backward glance, heading straight to Jiang Zhinian’s Linglang Pavilion.

No matter how Jiang Ruozhen called after him, he paid no attention.

...

Ignoring Fuguang’s attempts to stop him, Jiang Ruoqi entered the room.

He was troubled by Ruozhen’s condition, yet Jiang Zhinian sat calmly by the window, copying sutras.

Jiang Ruoqi snatched the brush from her hand.

Jiang Zhinian had been writing carefully, trying not to touch her wound.

But Jiang Ruoqi grabbed the brush roughly, the heavy handle jabbing deeply into her injured palm where fragments had yet to be removed, grinding them further into the flesh.

A sharp, searing pain spread through her palm. Jiang Zhinian stifled a groan.

The bleeding that had just stopped began anew.

Drop by drop, blood dripped onto the paper.

“Jiang Zhinian, you still have the leisure to write? Why haven’t you bought medicine for the Snowfall Pavilion?!” Jiang Ruoqi demanded.

Only then did he notice the bloodstains on the paper. His heart jolted, suddenly recalling that Jiang Zhinian had been injured.

His rough snatch had likely worsened her wound.

“You—you haven’t bandaged it yet?” Jiang Ruoqi hurried forward, gripping her hand to examine it closely. Tiny fragments were deeply embedded in her flesh, making her palm a bloody mess.

Jiang Zhinian tried to pull her hand back.

But Jiang Ruoqi held on tightly.

“Let go!” she said coldly.

“If you’re wounded and don’t bandage it, why pretend to be pitiful here?” Jiang Ruoqi retorted, releasing her hand but not relenting.

Fuguang rushed in behind him, standing protectively before Jiang Zhinian. “Young master, the young lady is injured. How can you treat her this way?”

Jiang Ruoqi pushed Fuguang aside. “Step aside. Tell me, why haven’t you bought medicine for the Snowfall Pavilion?”

Jiang Zhinian stood and faced Jiang Ruoqi. She stared at him, grasped his hand, and wiped the blood from her palm onto his sleeve, piece by piece.

“You!” Jiang Zhinian wiped her blood with determination, seemingly numb to the pain, not blinking an eye.

“Jiang Ruoqi, the Linglang Pavilion is not a place for your reckless behavior!” Fuguang covered his mouth, and Jiang Ruoqi dared not speak further, fearing he might worsen her injury.

Only the unbearable pain in her palm gave Jiang Zhinian some relief in her heart.

It was as if only through this could her heart find a moment’s respite.

As the blood flowed steadily, the ache in her chest slowly eased.

The doctor summoned by Zheliu, who had come with Supervisor He, arrived just in time. Seeing the scene, Zheliu pushed Jiang Ruoqi aside without a word, holding Jiang Zhinian’s hand, tears streaming down her face.

The tears fell upon Jiang Zhinian’s hand, slightly soothing the numb pain.

The doctor hurried to treat the wound, sighing repeatedly as he worked.

The injury was severe; the fragments were deeply embedded and had to be extracted with tweezers through the flesh.

“Supervisor He, you came just in time. Please bring out the ledgers for the Jiang family shops on West Third Street, so that Young Master Jiang can examine them carefully.”

Supervisor He, sharp-eyed and attentive, found the ledgers and handed them to Jiang Ruoqi.

“Young Master, these are the accounts for all Jiang family shops on West Third Street, including the estate in the Eastern Suburb.”

Thinking that no one in the Jiang family cared about her injury, and that Jiang Ruoqi had come to confront her, Jiang Zhinian’s emotions churned.

She had almost wanted to find scissors and engage in a fight to the death with Jiang Ruoqi.

But the pain in her palm reminded her constantly.

How could she let Jiang Ruoqi and the Jiang family have it so easy?

They must all bear the consequences!

Lowering her gaze, Jiang Zhinian suppressed her tears. “This year, eighty percent of the household’s profits have been spent entirely on Jiang Ruozhen. Since her return to the Jiang estate, just her monthly recuperation costs over a thousand taels!”

“If it weren’t for the savings accumulated in previous years and my personal subsidies from the private treasury, Young Master Jiang, the wine glass you smashed today in her honor, and the entire feast, would be nowhere to be found!”

Jiang Ruoqi held the ledger, and Supervisor He pointed out the key figures, fearing he might not understand.

His eyes scanned the accounts repeatedly, his heart growing heavier. Everything Jiang Zhinian said was true.

Although his and his father’s salaries were not included.

Even counting those and the remaining twenty percent of the household profits, it was still barely enough to cover the Jiang family’s daily expenses.

Jiang Zhinian’s subsidies were far more than she admitted.

“Otherwise, do you think I would have stopped sending money to Lord Huang this year? Young Master Jiang, do you truly believe I deliberately want to make things difficult for you?”

Jiang Zhinian’s words rang out sharply, her eyes full of disappointment and sorrow. Regret surged within Jiang Ruoqi.

“Zhinian, I didn’t know Ruozhen’s medicine cost so much.”

Didn’t know?

Jiang Zhinian did not believe he had come to the Linglang Pavilion to confront her without reason.

She turned away, her voice trembling slightly with suppressed sobs but determined to be strong. “Now that you know, Young Master Jiang, if you have any other accusations, ask them all now!”

“Zhinian…” Jiang Ruoqi felt as if a stone was lodged in his throat, his chest heavy. When he lowered his gaze, he noticed the glaring bloodstains on his clothes, and the delicate fingers wrapped tightly in layers of gauze.

He bit his lip. “Today was my fault. I shouldn’t have acted so rashly, but…”

“But Ruozhen has been weak and injured for so many years outside. She must be carefully nurtured. It was wrong of me to blame you… Is there truly no other way?”

Must they really stop Ruozhen’s medicine?