Volume One, Chapter Five: No Concubines, But Mistresses?

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Startled, Xie Mingyue suddenly realized she had unwittingly voiced what was in her heart. If Qi Jinshan noticed the hint, what would become of her?

“Ah, no, I meant…” She tried nervously to change the subject, but to her surprise, Qi Jinshan’s expression softened slightly as he whispered, “Why do you ask this all of a sudden?”

Xie Mingyue hesitated, unable to continue. If she showed any flaw, she would be treated like a monster and burned.

“I just suddenly thought to ask,” she replied evasively, dodging the question. Then a spark of inspiration lit her eyes and she pressed her lips together. “After I was disowned by the Xie family, I no longer have a family background. You marrying me means you don’t have the support of the Yue family.”

Marriage was all about matching social status. The sons and daughters of noble families only paired up with those of equal standing. Even in his worst days, Qi Jinshan was at least a son of a marquis’s household, gifted and promising, and he should have married a daughter of similar rank—either a fellow concubine’s child or a daughter from a minor noble branch.

Since she was disowned, not only was her reputation ruined, she likely had no dowry. Setting aside her own wishes, how could Qi Jinshan have agreed to marry such a wife?

Xie Mingyue’s mind drifted. Qi Jinshan’s gaze was heavy and deep as he looked at her, then after a long moment, he said, “I don’t need the Yue family.”

His words carried a profound spirit. Xie Mingyue’s heart pounded wildly. Looking into his dark, inscrutable eyes, her emotions surged like waves.

“Th-thank you for saying that.”

At a loss for words, her mind blank, she reflexively repeated what Wutong had told her, awkwardly inviting him, “I would like to invite you to dine in my courtyard tonight.”

Upon hearing this, the servants following nearby all wore stunned expressions.

Was the sky falling?

In earlier years, the madam would reluctantly appear at family banquets to sit with the master. Later, as her health declined, the master allowed her to open a small kitchen inside the courtyard, and they barely saw her at the main table anymore.

Even on the first and fifteenth days of the month or during festivals, the master always sat alone on one side of the round table, contrasting sharply with the lively happiness of the second branch’s family on the other side. It was a pitiful sight.

But now, the madam actually invited the master to dine inside the courtyard!

For a moment, Jin He and Yu Jiang, who had followed Qi Jinshan for years, exchanged glances, secretly wondering if the madam planned to poison the master tonight.

Unaware of the servants’ reaction, Xie Mingyue noticed Qi Jinshan’s momentary surprise and leaned in slightly to ask, “Is it inconvenient? If so, forget it.”

In her heart, she prayed he wouldn’t come. When he didn’t agree, a subtle sense of disappointment arose.

Qi Jinshan slowly blinked, withdrawing his gaze from her face.

“I have entertainment engagements tonight,” he said, adjusting the ring on his finger. Before Xie Mingyue could rejoice, he added lightly, “Tomorrow I have the day off.”

Xie Mingyue waited for him to continue, but he stopped there.

What did that mean?

Sharp and perceptive, she quickly grasped his meaning.

He would be free all day tomorrow.

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“Then… come over for breakfast tomorrow morning. We can also arrange the lunch and dinner menus at once.”

Xie Mingyue’s manners were praised even by the Empress. Though reluctant, she diligently followed protocol to invite Qi Jinshan.

“Only prepare breakfast and lunch. Tomorrow is the fifteenth, there will be a family banquet in the evening.”

Qi Jinshan glanced at the sky and said no more.

“I’ll be going now.”

Xie Mingyue watched him leave, then slowly walked back with Wutong.

“Wutong,” she relaxed somewhat, “was my relationship with Qi Jinshan really that bad?”

Otherwise, how could even sharing a meal feel like a tremendous favor?

Wutong wore a troubled expression again. Seeing this, Xie Mingyue said, “Don’t say polite things, just tell me directly.”

“You hated the master. There was a time when you would faint just seeing him. Except for very urgent matters, the master and you never met.”

Wutong answered honestly.

Xie Mingyue hadn’t expected her relationship with Qi Jinshan to be so utterly hostile.

“Even so, he never took a break from me?” she asked in disbelief. “Did he stay with a concubine then?”

“Madam, the master only has you as his wife. He has no concubines or secondary wives, and he doesn’t require maidservants either.”

Wutong hadn’t expected Xie Mingyue to have forgotten that and felt a bit sorry for Qi Jinshan.

“No concubines?” Xie Mingyue was completely shocked.

Although no woman wished her husband to take concubines, if she hadn’t allowed Qi Jinshan to be with others, had he really not been with any woman all these years?

He held a high position and was in his prime—this was hard to believe.

Could it be…

She lowered her eyes. Just because there was no one inside the mansion didn’t mean there was no one outside.

Earlier, when Xie Wanqing handed over the elder branch’s account books, she mentioned that Qi Jinshan’s courtyard was not included, as he managed it alone.

Perhaps that was why he kept separate accounts.

The thought that Qi Jinshan might have a mistress, possibly even children, made Xie Mingyue suddenly short of breath.

“Madam, are you unwell?”

Wutong hurried to support her into the courtyard to sit down.

“Nothing,” Xie Mingyue waved her hand, forcing herself to pull away from such speculation. Without confirmation, there was no need to trouble herself. She glanced around the courtyard staff and asked, “Wutong, am I the only personal maid you have?”

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When she was with the Xie family, she had four personal maids. Seeing Wutong, she thought the family had assigned them to her, but it seemed that was not the case.

Wutong’s eyes reddened again. “After your identity was revealed, the old madam sold the others. Only I was spared because I was sold later and was bought by the master. When you married the master, he had me follow you.”

“Grandmother sold them?” Xie Mingyue frowned. “What about my mother?”

She couldn’t understand. Even if others in the Xie family were cruel, her mother knew about her birthmark and truly loved her. How could she bear never to see her again?

“I don’t know,” Wutong said.

There was no more information. This matter could wait. After calming her confusion and becoming familiar with her courtyard, Xie Mingyue sat at her desk to sort the accounts.

Today’s events had come suddenly. Xie Wanqing likely did not expect to hand over management so abruptly. She had brought the account books back on the spot to prevent any tampering.

Just as she sat, a nursemaid from the Yun family entered carrying a wooden box.

“Madam,” the nursemaid, with a kind, round face and a smile, opened the box, “this was sent by the great old madam through me. She said you suffered injustices today and wanted to offer a slight compensation. Tomorrow she will take you to choose jewelry.”

“Thank you, nursemaid. Please thank mother on my behalf.”

Xie Mingyue accepted the box politely. After the nursemaid left, she opened it to inspect.

Inside were five hundred taels of silver and an additional cloisonné bracelet decorated with a pomegranate pattern.

This bracelet was no ordinary piece. It appeared to be Western craftsmanship, possibly an imperial tribute. She wondered if Qi Jinshan had earned it for the Yun family.

Xie Mingyue examined the bracelet carefully. Having a keen sense of smell since childhood, she detected a faint, elusive fragrance as she brought it close.

Recalling some Western curiosities she had seen before, she frowned and tinkered with the bracelet for a while. Suddenly, a “click” sounded as the enamel pattern shifted aside, revealing a hollow section inside.

Wutong stared, dumbfounded, as Xie Mingyue chipped out a cluster of fine red powder from inside the bracelet.

“Madam, what is this?”

Covering her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, Xie Mingyue sneered, “It’s not something good, or it wouldn’t be hidden away like this.”

She scraped the powder into wax paper, handing it to Wutong.

“Find someone trustworthy, or you can go yourself, to any nearby clinic and have a doctor examine it.”

Xie Mingyue already had a rough idea of what the powder might be.

She just didn’t believe the Yun family could be so cruel to their own son.