Chapter 8

Su Jinyuan nearly tossed the bottle aside. “Three thousand taels?!” she exclaimed. “Why don’t you just go and rob it?!”

If it weren’t for the fact that Xinglin Hall is the premier pharmacy in the capital—with branches in many locations and reputed ties to Yaowanggu—she would have truly believed that the smiling man before her was trying to extort her.

Xi Jun­ning, however, wasn’t angry. “The main ingredient in this Jiuxin Pill is wild mountain ginseng aged 200 years,” he explained.

Su Jinyuan was left speechless.

“Furthermore, the other medicinal ingredients are all aged for at least thirty years. They include ox gall, Sanqi, and chan-su. Even the supplementary ingredient—the pearls—are premium South Sea pearls, worth ten thousand taels per hu…” he continued.

“Enough, stop talking!” Su Jinyuan’s face turned pale as she realized that if this man’s claims were true, then not only would three thousand taels be justified, but even thirty thousand taels might be worth it.

Thinking of the elderly matron of the Xiao family, she took a deep breath and decisively began pulling out silver notes, her jaw trembling with distress. “If this medicine doesn’t work, I’ll smash your establishment,” she vowed.

“Miss, rest assured—at Xinglin Hall, we have always dealt fairly with both young and old,” Xi Jun­ning replied calmly.

Su Jinyuan smirked. “That’d be best!”

After carefully tucking those two little bottles into the inner seam of her garment, she set off with a dark expression, hefting a large bundle of medicine as she left Xinglin Hall. Watching her retreat in an almost heartless manner, Xi Jun­ning couldn’t help but chuckle. That young lady was truly amusing.

“Young master, why did you give her the Jiuxin Pill?” someone asked.

After all, that was the secret medicine of Yaowang Valley—the very thing rumored to bring someone back from the brink with just half a breath.

Casually, Xi Jun­ning responded, “It’s not something overly precious. If she likes it, I’ll give her a bottle.”

Uncle Hu saw him casually toss a bottle over and hastily scrambled to catch it. His face darkened immediately—if anyone else heard the young master’s offhand remark, they’d surely be outraged.

“But this young lady is indeed rather strange,” Uncle Hu murmured. “After practicing medicine for half my life, I’ve never seen anyone buy medicine like her. In my opinion, her behavior doesn’t match that of a farmer’s daughter, and the fact that she can pull out three thousand taels of silver to purchase medicine—won’t that just invite trouble?”

Xi Jun­ning simply said, “What trouble could there be?”

“Xinglin Hall opens its doors for business, and once the medicine leaves the hall, it is completely disregarded.

The capital is never short of high-ranking officials and eccentric characters—there is no shortage of peculiar individuals. In any case, the young lady paid with silver. Although her actions were rather odd, the man had seen even stranger people in Yaowang Valley before.

“Alright, don’t worry about it. Consider it that this young master has done a good deed today.”

He acts solely on his own whims simply because he finds that little girl pleasing. As for everything else, what concern is it of his?

Seeing Xi Jun­ning head out, Uncle Hu urgently asked, “Young master, where are you going?”

Xi Jun­ning waved his hand dismissively over his shoulder, “I’m just going out for a stroll, so don’t follow me.” Yet, he was curious—where was that little girl planning to go carrying such a huge bundle of medicinal herbs?

Xi Jun­ning kept a respectful distance behind Su Jinyuan. Even though her figure had long vanished from sight, he managed to retrace her exact route. After circling the market area and checking several other spots, he raised an eyebrow and remarked, “She’s pretty cautious.” Was the girl taking measures to avoid being followed?

Growing more intrigued, Xi Jun­ning leisurely trailed behind her, fanning himself with his Xiangfei bamboo fan. Only when the faint, almost imperceptible scent gradually dissipated did he find himself standing before the gate of the General’s Mansion.

Gazing at the mansion—sparsely attended yet guarded by soldiers—Xi Jun­ning was utterly surprised. That little girl was actually from the Xiao family?

…

When Su Jinyuan arrived at the Xiao residence, she was stopped at the gate of the General’s Mansion. Claiming that she was the wife of Xiao Yunxi, the eldest son of the Xiao family, and after they had searched her bundle, she was finally admitted.

Old Madam Xiao was momentarily stunned upon hearing that Su Jinyuan had returned. Then, when the bruised and swollen-faced girl was led inside, Eldest Madam Xiao said in a cold tone, “What are you here for? Are you here to make a mockery of our Xiao family?”

Old Madam Xiao subdued the Eldest Madam, though still not offering Su Jinyuan any friendly expression, and said, “Miss Su, since you already have a proper match and have eloped, there’s no need for you to return to the Xiao family.”

“The Xiao family is now in turmoil—no longer as illustrious as before. It isn’t your place to laugh at us. Please, be on your way.”

Su Jinyuan set down her bundle and, facing the two women’s icy words without any retort, stepped forward and knelt before the Old Madam, whispering, “I have come to atone for my wrongs with Grandmother and Mother.”

Hearing her address, Old Madam Xiao frowned, while the Eldest Madam sneered coldly with her eyes reddened: “I could never be your mother!”

“Back when our marriage contract was in effect, I cherished you as if you were my own daughter and protected you at every turn. Yet on your wedding day, you eloped with someone, shamelessly disregarding the contract and trampling the honor of the Xiao family and my son’s reputation. We never dared expect anything from Miss Su.”

“Now that my son is dead, and the Xiao family is but a shadow of its former self, Miss Su, you should return to where you came from. Don’t come here shamelessly pretending to call me ‘mother’—it makes me sick!”

Despite being harshly berated, Su Jinyuan did not feel the slightest bit of anger. She knew she had erred all along; no matter how much Eldest Madam Xiao might scold her, she deserved it. She had indeed shamed her own son and disgraced the Xiao family, and now Xiao Yunxi had even died in Linchuan.

It was only natural for the Eldest Madam to be incensed and to lash out.

Kneeling on the ground, Su Jinyuan said, “Madam, although I never married the eldest son, as long as our marriage contract remains unbroken, I am still part of the Xiao family.”

“I understand you are bitter about my leaving the capital on our wedding day, but I, too, was deceived by my aunt and abducted by others. I am willing to accept punishment for ruining the marriage, but I beg you, Madam, do not cast me out.”

“I have already severed ties with the Su family and have nowhere else to go in the capital. Please, Madam, show me some mercy.”

But the Eldest Madam would hear none of it. In a burst of anger, she spat, “Then go and die! Even if you perish, you will never have anything to do with the Xiao family!”

“Eldest Sister-in-law—”

At that moment, the Second Madam Xiao reached out and grasped the agitated Madam, then addressed Su Jinyuan, “Miss Su, the Xiao family is no longer what it once was.”

“I don’t know where you’ve been lately, but judging by the men standing by the gate, you should know that the Xiao family is no longer a place of honor.”

“You had better go back. Xi’er… he has already fallen in battle… and your marriage contract is null and void.”

When the Second Madam mentioned Xiao Yunxi, her eyes reddened. Taking a deep breath, she continued, “Don’t stay with us, for the Xiao family can offer you nothing.”

Looking at these three, now much aged, and seeing tears still glistening in the eyes of the Old Madam, Su Jinyuan bowed deeply before her and said, “Old Madam, I have always sincerely admired your eldest son, and I truly wish to be part of the Xiao family.”

“On our wedding day, my aunt deceived me with news of my long-lost brother, and in my haste I left the capital, only to be abducted later. I know you may not want to believe it, but I truly long to remain with the Xiao family.”

“Regardless of what the Xiao family has become, I want to stand by your side through hardship.”