Chapter 106: A Move to Seize Power

“Father was very pleased to see me and kept asking about the family’s situation. He declined the two beauties the Emperor had bestowed upon him and petitioned for Mother to be granted the title of Second Rank Madam. Once the imperial decree arrives, he intends to immediately send people to Lingling to bring Mother, Second Brother, and you back. However, we received news that you had been abducted. It took nearly two months of effort by the authorities before they found Mother, Uncle, and Second Brother,” An Kang said with a frown. “They also found a body suspected to be yours.”

“What did Father say about the assassins?” An Yi asked, still troubled by the matter.

“Father swore he never hired any assassins.”

“Do you believe his oath?” An Yi narrowed her eyes.

“Little sister, do you not want to believe him?” An Kang countered.

“It’s not about wanting or not wanting to believe. The facts are before our eyes. On the way to the capital, we indeed encountered several waves of assassins. If not for Uncle’s desperate protection, we would have perished on the road,” An Yi said sharply. “Those assassins aren’t necessarily hired by Father.”

“Then who would hire them? Who would go to such lengths to kill us, spending a fortune to employ top assassins?” An Yi’s lips curled into a cold sneer. “Mother is a farmer’s wife from the countryside, and Second Brother and I were children with no great enmity. Only he has the motive—killing his wife and children so he can marry another. If Mother died, Huang would become his legitimate wife, rather than just a concubine as she is now.”

An Kang looked at his sister, who had bristled up like a little hedgehog, feeling somewhat unsettled. “Little sister, don’t be angry just yet. This matter isn’t as simple as it seems. Father took her as his concubine for other reasons.”

“What other reasons?” An Yi’s voice was icy as she slammed her cup heavily on the table.

“Father saved her six times. Once, he even pulled her out of the water.”

An Yi snorted derisively. “She’s not just unlucky, but too coincidentally always saved by him.”

“Father and I believe it’s no coincidence. It must be the Huang family plotting against Father. He has been avoiding her, but to no avail. Father didn’t want to take her as a concubine, but she has an elder sister who is a noble consort. Father was forced to bring her into the household three months ago.”

“Forced?” An Yi scoffed. “If he were truly forced, he wouldn’t have handed over all the household affairs to her and allowed her to abuse Mother.”

“What has Huang done? Is Mother badly hurt?” An Kang asked anxiously.

An Yi frowned. “Don’t you know? Every noon, she makes Mother eat sweet dishes and soups.”

“What’s wrong with that?” An Kang was puzzled.

“Big brother, you don’t know medicine. You should ask Fourth Young Master. People with eye diseases shouldn’t eat too much sugar; it worsens their condition.”

An Kang’s face darkened. “I didn’t know that.”

“Didn’t you ask Mother?” An Yi looked at him with disappointment. After more than two years apart, her brother had changed.

“I did. She said Huang cared for her well,” An Kang frowned. He suspected Mother said that for the sake of family peace and had been keeping an eye on Huang, but it seemed he was still deceived by her.

“You know Mother’s nature; she’s never harsh with outsiders. You should care for her more, not hand her over to the scheming Huang. She schemed her way into the family. Do you think she’s simple? Will she treat Mother kindly? No, she’ll only harm Mother to take her place,” An Yi said reproachfully.

“The law states that a concubine who offends the wife shall be punished by death; taking a concubine as a wife results in a sentence of one and a half years’ exile...”

“The law is rigid, but she has the backing of a noble consort and the Huang family. Even if she kills Mother, she can escape punishment and be legitimized,” An Yi interrupted coldly.

An Kang, inexperienced in the treacherous affairs of wives and concubines within the household, paled at her words. He was cautious with official matters but had been careless at home. If Mother were to perish because of this, he would regret it for life.

Seeing An Kang’s guilt, An Yi’s eyes softened slightly but, determined to make him understand Huang’s cruelty fully, she said gravely, “To uncover her true nature, I went to her as a physician a few days ago. I confirmed she spent a fortune hiring famous doctors to treat Mother’s eye disease—not out of kindness, but to silence Mother forever.”

An Kang slammed his fist on the table in fury, gritting his teeth. “That wicked woman.”

“She dares treat Mother this way because someone indulges her. Letting her manage the household is letting her run wild,” An Yi sneered.

“Father doesn’t want to indulge her. Mother’s health is poor and she cries every day missing you. Father and I can handle outside matters, but no one manages the household. Mother asked Huang to help share the burden, so Father handed the household over to her,” An Kang explained.

“Mother...” An Yi sighed softly, speechless but unconcerned. Now that she had returned, she could deal with Huang. The family’s problems were manageable. “You said Father didn’t hire the assassins. Then who did?”

“I’ve asked Uncle to investigate. I have a position and can’t leave the capital,” An Kang said.

“That’s a secretive assassin organization. You send Uncle alone to investigate? Are you trying to send him to his death?” An Yi questioned angrily.

“Uncle isn’t alone. We enlisted help from the Iron Capture Gang. Last month, Uncle sent word he was safe and will return for the New Year,” An Kang assured her.

The Iron Capture Gang was a martial arts sect connected to the government, with captains skilled enough to face three opponents at once. With their accompaniment, Uncle Wei Yang’s safety was guaranteed.

An Yi’s expression softened. “If Uncle confirms Father hired assassins, what will you do?”

An Kang looked at An Yi resolutely. “I will petition the Emperor to punish him.”

An Yi found this answer satisfactory; An Kang had not disappointed her. She smiled and changed the subject. “Big brother, where is Second Brother? When will he return?”

“Second Brother joined the army and returns every three months. He went back to the camp just a few days ago,” An Kang said, relieved to see her smile again. His previously aggressive sister was far more pleasant.

“Sister, what happened after you were separated from Mother? Why did it take you so long to find us?”

“I was swept ashore by the water and met my master, studying medicine with her for two years. I knew you were in the capital, so I came to find you,” An Yi evaded the question.

“How did Physician Lu let you enter the capital alone?” An Kang frowned.

“My master is not Physician Lu,” she said.

“Was your maid given to you by your master?”

“No, Fang Rong was given by my second senior sister.”

An Kang smiled. “Does your master take many disciples?”

“Nineteen in total. I am the nineteenth,” An Yi smiled. She was home now and planned to write to her master and report her safe return.

“Xi’er! Xi’er!” Suddenly, Luo’s panicked calls came from the inner room.

An Yi sprang inside swiftly, startling An Kang—lightness skills? His sister could use lightness just like their uncle?

“Mother, I’m here,” An Yi grasped Luo’s hand.

Luo clung to her daughter, relief slowly washing away her fear. To comfort Luo, An Yi stayed by her side and spoke gently. An Kang suppressed his questions for the moment.

An Yi caught a glimpse of Fang Rong at the doorway. Rising, she said, “Big brother, please stay with Mother. I’m going to the restroom.”

With Fang Rong, An Yi walked to the backyard and lowered her voice. “Have you found out anything?”

“Huang had the kitchen prepare ten dishes and two soups: steamed chicken wings with mushrooms, braised goose with yellow sauce, fragrant waist meat in a pagoda style, osmanthus-flavored tendons, stuffed pork belly, crystal quail eggs, magpie’s nest shrimp, oil-fried stuffed eggplant, chicken broth cabbage, tender tofu, carp lean meat soup, and cordyceps quail soup,” Fang Rong recited from memory after hearing it once.

An Yi pondered briefly and whispered a few words into Fang Rong’s ear. “Be careful. Don’t get caught.”

“Yes, mistress,” Fang Rong replied.

One returned to the inner room to continue being a dutiful daughter; the other sneaked to the laundry room.

At dusk, An Qinghe returned, and An Yi’s household registration was completed. With the support of a Second Rank Grand General, progress was swift.

At dinner, Huang personally came with her maidservants.

An Qinghe looked at Huang with a complex gaze. “Thank you for your hard work.”

“Serving Master and elder sister is my duty,” Huang said with a coquettish smile.

An Kang frowned.

An Yi gazed at the bowl of carp lean meat soup on the table. “Stepmother Huang, did you forget something?”

Huang’s expression shifted slightly. “I don’t know what the eldest miss means.”

“Did you forget I am a physician?”

In Huang’s lowered eyes flashed a trace of resentment. “I have not forgotten.”

“Then why did you allow the kitchen to make this dish and serve it?” An Yi demanded sharply.

“Eldest miss, I don’t understand,” Huang said.

“Don’t understand?” An Yi sneered. “Then let me teach you.”

“Please enlighten me, eldest miss,” Huang said, anticipating trouble. Both lunch and dinner, she had deliberately instructed the kitchen to prepare a full table of dishes.

An Yi tapped the bowl with her chopsticks. “What is this soup?”

“Carp lean meat soup,” Huang answered.

An Yi picked a piece of licorice root stuck to the fish. “What is this?”

“This is seasoning.”

“Look carefully. This is not seasoning; it’s licorice root,” An Yi tossed it onto Huang. “Eating carp with licorice can cause poisoning.”

Huang was shocked and quickly said, “Master, I don’t know how licorice got into the soup. Had I known, I would never have served this toxic soup. I would have discarded it immediately and asked the cook to remake it. Please investigate this matter.”

“Mother, this has nothing to do with her. The cook must have accidentally added licorice,” Luo defended.

An Kang sneered. “Mother, whether she’s involved or not, we’ll find out.”

An Yi pursed her lips silently, watching An Qinghe. How would he judge?

An Qinghe frowned deeply. “Send for the kitchen staff immediately.”

Someone went to summon them.

After a while, three cooks and six maids assembled, kneeling in the hall.

“Who made this carp lean meat soup?” An Qinghe asked.

“The cook, mistress,” a woman in her thirties answered.

“From when you boiled the soup until it left the kitchen, who else touched the pot and bowl besides you?” An Qinghe asked.

“Master, I put the fish, lean meat, and ginger into the pot, then Gui’er watched the fire while I prepared the stuffed eggplant,” the woman said.

“Who is Gui’er?”

“Master, I am Gui’er,” a fifteen or sixteen-year-old maid kowtowed. “I stayed by the stove the entire time and did not leave.”

“Did you touch the pot?”

“Master, I didn’t. Sister Fu said not to lift the lid before the soup is ready. Lifting the lid too early causes the soup to lose freshness and become fishy,” Gui’er said.

“Who ladled the soup after it was done?”

“Master, Sister Fu did.”

“Sister Fu, come here and see if this is the soup you made,” An Qinghe said.

Sister Fu crawled to the table and stretched her neck to look. “Master, this is the soup I made.”

An Qinghe scooped two pieces of licorice from the bowl. “Do you recognize these?”

“Master, this is licorice.” Licorice can be medicinal or used in cooking; after working in the kitchen for over ten years, Sister Fu certainly recognized it.

“Did you put licorice in the soup?”

“Master, I added scallions, ginger, cooking wine, and vinegar, but no licorice.”

“Where did you place the soup after ladling it?”

“Master, I put it into the food box. Then the Second Madam came with others.”

“Huang, from the kitchen to the garden gate, who carried the food box?”

“Master, I did,” Huang’s maid Green Sprout knelt. “I did not open the box the entire way.”

Those who had contact with the soup were Sister Fu, Gui’er, and Green Sprout. None admitted to putting licorice in, and there was no solid proof. An Qinghe’s questioning yielded no truth.

An Yi snorted twice. “Stepmother Huang, people live on three meals a day—most important. Licorice floating on top was seen by me this time, saving our family of four from disaster. But luck won’t always be on our side. What if next time the soup or dishes are laced with other poisonous things and I don’t see it, accidentally eating and dying of poisoning? What then?”

“Eldest miss, rest assured, there won’t be a next time,” Huang said.

“What guarantees do you have? You don’t understand anything—not even recognizing licorice. I don’t trust you with the kitchen anymore. From now on, I will manage the kitchen myself. You need not trouble yourself,” An Yi declared, seizing control.

“No,” Huang blurted out.

An Yi turned to An Qinghe. “Father, from now on, I manage the kitchen. Do you agree?”

An Qinghe smiled. “Agreed, as long as you don’t find it burdensome.”

“Master...” Huang began.

“Stepmother Huang, remember your place,” An Kang said sternly.

Huang’s face went pale. Her fists clenched tightly, nails digging painfully into her palms. But this physical pain could not compare to the anguish in her heart. She looked up at An Qinghe but found he wasn’t looking at her. She didn’t blame An Qinghe’s coldness for putting the blame on An Yi. If not for that little wretch’s sudden return, would she have suffered such humiliation?