Chapter 33 – I Shouldn’t Have Let You Into the Family Back Then

“Poisonous?”

Shen Qian abruptly looked toward Jiang Wan and noticed that nothing seemed to have happened to them. Then she suddenly remembered—they hadn’t eaten the mushrooms Song Jiuli had picked.

“You wretch!”

Second Madam Song slapped Shen Qian hard across the face. “You’re the one bringing bad luck!”

Though she and Jiang Wan had entered the family and been exiled at the same time, now the main household was doing just fine, and instead, their second household was suffering.

“Mother, I didn’t know the mushrooms were poisonous!”

Shen Qian rushed to explain, but it was no use. Third Madam Song grabbed her by the hair and viciously slapped her several more times.

“You wanted to kill us!”

“I didn’t!”

Shen Qian felt terribly wronged. She had only wanted to make sure no one went hungry, but now she had become the scapegoat.

Everyone looked at her with eyes full of resentment, even Song Chen weakly cursed her.

“Shen Qian, I want to divorce you!”

“Husband…”

Shen Qian clung to a tree and wailed uncontrollably. She felt nauseous, dizzy, and weak, with a metallic taste of blood in her mouth.

But in the distance, she thought she caught a glimpse of Jiang Wan’s lips curled into a faint smile.

“Jiang Wan! You did this on purpose! Are you satisfied now?”

She stumbled toward Jiang Wan, her voice hoarse, her hair disheveled, looking like a madwoman—frightening.

“Quite satisfied, actually.”

Jiang Wan figured that if the original host could see this, she would be delighted. A smile played on her lips.

“But you can’t blame me for this. After all, you picked those mushrooms yourself. It’s not like I told you to eat them.”

“You could’ve warned us!”

Old Madam Song narrowed her eyes at Jiang Wan. “You venomous woman. We never should’ve let you marry into the family!”

She had schemed her whole life in the rear courtyard, but now, without servants and resources, she couldn’t even deal with a young girl like Jiang Wan.

“That’s not up to you,” scoffed First Madam Song. “Jiang Wan is my daughter-in-law. As long as I approve, that’s enough.”

With that, she tugged Jiang Wan’s arm and said, “Wanwan, let’s get moving. We can rest in the village for a bit.”

“Alright, Mother.”

Jiang Wan smiled and supported First Madam Song as they continued catching up with the others. It was clear the rest of the Song family would only drag them down.

Old Zhang’s whip lashed across Shen Qian’s back. “What are you standing around for? Move!”

“Sir, we’ve been poisoned!”

Shen Qian didn’t want to drag Jiang Wan down with her, but she had no strength left. At this point, even taking a single step felt like a struggle.

“Please, sir, help us! Help us find a doctor!” Third Madam Song begged Old Zhang.

He looked at them indifferently and flicked his whip lazily. “Don’t waste time. If you want a doctor, find one in the village!”

“Hurry! We need to find a doctor to treat the poisoning!” Old Madam Song finally came to her senses, quickly hugging Song Yang close. Several people supported one another as they struggled to catch up with the group.

Up ahead, Song Jiuli glanced cautiously at Jiang Wan, as if she had something to say but didn’t know how to begin.

Jiang Wan, annoyed, said bluntly, “If you have something to say, just say it.”

“Sister-in-law, you and Big Brother already knew those mushrooms were poisonous, didn’t you?”

Song Jiuli spoke carefully. Jiang Wan thought she was about to accuse her of being heartless and snapped:

“If I didn’t know, you’d be in the same state as Shen Qian right now.”

Unexpectedly, Song Jiuli’s eyes sparkled. “Sister-in-law, you’re amazing.”

Then she added, “I was so dumb, I even fought with her over those poisonous mushrooms.”

“If you hadn’t, she might not have dared to eat them.”

Jiang Wan scoffed. Shen Qian liked to snatch things from others—if no one had tried to take it, she might not have wanted it at all.

“That’s true. Serves her right to be vomiting and beaten up!”

Song Jiuli snorted and cast a glance at Old Madam Song. She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness—after all, her grandmother used to be good to her.

“Don’t go soft,” First Madam Song patted her. “Don’t forget how they treated your brother when he had a fever.”

Song Jiuli fell silent. That’s right—they never saw her brother as family. Why should she soften her heart?

With that thought, the mushrooms in her hand suddenly felt like they were burning. “Since they’re poisonous, I’ll just throw them away.”

“No.”

Jiang Wan took the mushrooms from her, her smile cryptic. “Poisonous mushrooms can still be useful.”

In fact, not only could she treat illnesses, but she also knew poison. How could such good mushrooms go to waste?

Although these mushrooms weren’t lethal, Jiang Wan carefully stored them away. She’d grind them into powder later when she had the time.

While they were talking, they arrived at the village. No one knew what Ren Bang had discussed with the village head, but they were taken to the village threshing ground.

Before long, the village head brought a doctor. Jiang Wan and her group sat off to the side to rest. Naturally, the doctor first treated the guards.

At that moment, Third Madam Song dragged her sickly body and pleaded in front of the officials and the doctor.

“Doctor, please! Please take a look at my son—he’s been poisoned!”

Earlier, pitying her son, she had given all her mushrooms to him and only drank some soup herself. Now, Song Yang was on the verge of losing consciousness.

Second Madam Song also struggled forward, kneeling in front of Ren Bang. “Sir, please save us!”

“Treat my brothers first,” Ren Bang said coldly, ignoring them. The doctor wouldn’t dare go against him and treated the officials first.

Seeing Song Yang sweating profusely, Third Madam Song could no longer hold back. She suddenly pulled a banknote from the sole of her shoe.

“Sir, please! Please save my child!”

It was a 100-tael banknote. Second Madam Song’s eyes widened—So you did steal my money!

Though she was furious, Second Madam Song held back for now—for the sake of saving a life.

Watching the formerly arrogant members of the Song family humbly begging, Song Jiuli turned her face away in discomfort. She knew right from wrong, but she feared her own compassion.

Jiang Wan, on the other hand, watched with great interest as those once high and mighty bowed their heads, now kneeling in front of people they wouldn’t have spared a glance before.

Once the doctor finished with the guards, Ren Bang finally accepted the banknote from Third Madam Song and handed some loose silver to the doctor.

“Go treat them.”

“Understood.”

The doctor got up and went over. Concubine Duan, who had a bit of cleverness, described the mushrooms in detail.

The doctor quickly prescribed an antidote. After downing several bowls of the medicine, they finally felt somewhat better.

Jiang Wan couldn’t be bothered to watch. She had gone out for a bit—at this point, the guards no longer controlled her. She came and went freely. If she truly wanted to escape, it wouldn’t be difficult at all.

When she returned, she was carrying a roasted chicken—the one she had taken from the imperial kitchen. The Song family, tortured by the poisonous mushrooms, were nearly dead.

Meanwhile, Jiang Wan and her family were enjoying the fragrant, delicious roasted chicken. Song Jiuyuan took a bite and froze momentarily.

There was something strangely familiar about the taste of the chicken. He stared at Jiang Wan with suspicion, and this time, Jiang Wan immediately noticed.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”