Hearing Jiao Lianping's undignified words, Dr. Luo, who was beside him, stiffened and said helplessly, "Young Master, whether it's human blood or chicken blood, as a doctor, I can tell the difference."
Jiao Lianping wanted to retort, but he also knew that Dr. Luo had once received a favor from Madam Jiao, so he couldn't have been bribed by Jiao Lianyu. He swallowed his words, his face growing even more grim.
"Please trouble the doctor to re-bandage Gui Zhang's wound," Qiu Huaixin couldn't be bothered with the brainless Jiao Lianping anymore. The fact that he had fought with this idiot that day truly lowered his status!
A doctor's heart is like a parent's! Regardless of the discord between the two Jiao young masters, Dr. Luo would definitely treat Jiao Lianyu's wound first. Otherwise, excessive blood loss, while not fatal, would deplete his vitality and damage his foundation.
Logically, even if Jiao Lianyu didn't go to the inner room, he should have used a screen to shield himself. However, Jiao Lianping suspected the wound was fake. Jiao Lianyu hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, allowing Dr. Luo to carefully unwrap the blood-stained gauze layer by layer in the room.
The smell of blood permeated the room. Jiao Lianping's face was ashen. He had glanced at the wound earlier, and it had indeed reopened. Jiao Lianyu was truly cunning, being so ruthless even towards himself.
Two quarters of an hour later, Dr. Luo had re-bandaged Jiao Lianyu. Seeing Jiao Lianyu's pale face, which lacked any color, Master Xiang had shrewdly instructed his servants to open the storeroom and present a rare century-old ginseng from the gift box.
"This ginseng was originally intended for Changshou to supplement his health. If Second Young Master doesn't mind, please accept it. Otherwise, it will only gather dust if it stays with me."
"Master Xiang is too kind. Lianyu thanks Master Xiang for his generosity." Jiao Lianping forced himself to stand and express his gratitude. Qi Changlin, seeing this, helped to take the gift box.
Logically, Jiao Lianyu would not accept this ginseng. The Jiao family was an official family, and as the son of a prefect, Jiao Lianyu was not short of such ginseng.
However, Master Xiang had cleverly brought up Xiang Changshou. If Jiao Lianyu refused, it would imply that he disdained the ginseng being prepared for Xiang Changshou. Now that Xiang Changshou was gone, Jiao Lianyu was also wary.
In the courtyard, even from a distance, with his excellent hearing, He Nuan had clearly heard the conversation in the room and quietly relayed it to Zhan Feiyu.
Before Zhan Feiyu could say anything, Xiang Ningyuan, who was standing in the courtyard, said sarcastically, "Changshou's bones are not yet cold, and Aunt is still imprisoned, yet Fifth Uncle is already trying to curry favor with the second young master of the Jiao family."
It was no wonder Xiang Ningyuan was so indignant. They had kindly come to help entertain the distinguished guest, but Fifth Uncle not only did not thank them but also stripped their dignity and trampled on it.
Patriarch Xiang snorted and glanced around. With only Xiang family members standing beside him, he spoke without reservation.
"Your Fifth Uncle is the most calculating. In the past, all the offensive actions were done by your Fifth Aunt, while your Fifth Uncle stood behind the scenes pretending to be good. All the bad reputation was taken by your Fifth Aunt, and outsiders only thought your Fifth Uncle was gentle and henpecked. Only we brothers know that he has been cunning since childhood. Look now, he has established a connection with the second young master of the Jiao family with just a piece of ginseng."
Xiang Ningyuan nodded in agreement. Thinking that this opportunity to connect with a noble was ruined by Master Xiang, he felt even more resentful. "Changshou is gone, and Fifth Aunt is in prison. Fifth Uncle sends a divorce letter to the Li family, and then remarries. In a few years, he will have a beautiful wife and young children. What a pity for Fifth Aunt and Changshou."
The Xiang family members who heard this also chimed in. They had thought that since Master Xiang was "destitute and his family ruined," they, as clan members, could take the opportunity to get some money to supplement their household expenses. Who knew that Master Xiang was such a stingy old miser!
The expensive and exquisite artifacts of the Xiang family had long been stored in the storeroom and then locked with three large iron locks, the keys of which hung around Master Xiang's neck. They wanted to pilfer something but couldn't even see a wisp of wool.
Not only that, but Master Xiang also locked all the empty rooms. They couldn't even move a chair to sit on. They couldn't possibly break the locks, as that would be outright theft.
Zhan Feiyu listened, dumbfounded. Although wealth could move people's hearts, these people were so shameless as to think of profiting from the chaos in the Xiang family.
"No wonder they didn't allow Xiang Changshou to be buried in the ancestral grave before," He Nuan echoed. They were angry because they didn't get any benefits, so they deliberately made things difficult for Master Xiang. They didn't expect Jiao Lianyu to come to offer condolences, and no matter what subsequent measures the Xiang clan members had, they probably wouldn't dare to use them now.
"A'Nuan, you said Madam Xiang sent people to harm me. Does Master Xiang really not know?" Zhan Feiyu muttered softly. It wasn't that she looked down on women in the inner quarters, but in the Great Qing Dynasty, few women were educated. Even the most astute and calculating ones could only scheme within the confines of the inner quarters.
Regarding external affairs, the perspective of women in the inner quarters was ultimately limited, let alone business. Given Madam Xiang's impulsive and overbearing nature, it was absolutely impossible for her to develop the Xiang family's business to its current scale. Therefore, what Patriarch Xiang said was not wrong; Master Xiang was indeed strategizing from behind the scenes.
He Nuan raised her eyes and looked past the crowd towards Master Xiang in the room opposite. "Miss, are you saying that Master Xiang intentionally indulged it?"
"Promotion, wealth, and a dead wife. Madam Xiang's affairs were her own doing and did not involve Master Xiang. Moreover, Xiang Changshou died because of the broken engagement. Lord Qiu and Prefect Jiao would surely be lenient."
Zhan Feiyu felt that Xiang Changshou was the most innocent person in this entire affair. Madam Xiang was arrested because she deserved it. Everyone else had their own schemes, but only Xiang Changshou lost his life.
Zhan Feiyu glanced at the desolate mourning hall, a good quality coffin, a few servants kneeling and keeping vigil, their mother in prison, and their father trying to curry favor with the second young master of the Jiao family. It truly lived up to the saying, "Naked I came, naked I go."
Seeing Zhan Feiyu's slightly displeased expression, He Nuan also looked at the mourning hall, worried that Zhan Feiyu might be affected. She quickly said, "Miss, if you are concerned, you can send someone to keep an eye on whether Master Xiang will remarry."
"No need. Are you sure Xiang Changshou died of natural causes?" Zhan Feiyu asked again. She would rather he had died of illness than at the hands of his own father, Master Xiang.
"An autopsy was performed before, and no signs of foul play were found. Xiang Changshou could only live for about half a year by relying on medication. Now that Madam Xiang has been arrested, Xiang Changshou's emotions have fluctuated too much, coupled with self-blame and guilt..." He Nuan's words suddenly stopped. "The clansmen of the Li family once came to the Xiang family to cause trouble."
However, He Nuan did not know the specific details. These clansmen were naturally coming to cause trouble because Madam Xiang had died or was injured, and those who survived were arrested by the constables.
A moment later, the servant quickly pocketed the broken silver given by He Nuan and said, "If Miss wants to ask anything, I will answer truthfully as long as I know."
"Tell me about the situation when the Li clansmen came to cause trouble," He Nuan asked directly.
Although the servant was confused, having received five taels of broken silver, he naturally spoke in great detail. "Madam was arrested, and the young master collapsed upon hearing the news. After drinking ginseng soup, he woke up, but as soon as he mentioned Madam, he vomited a mouthful of blood."
The servants who remained in the Xiang family were all born into the household. Compared to the servants bought from outside, these born-in-household servants were much smarter. Although the Xiang family had an accident, the master was still alive, and the three storerooms were filled with goods. As long as they stayed, the master would surely reward them generously for their loyalty in the future.
"Master stayed by the young master's bedside all night. The next day, it was the young master who asked Master to go to the yamen to make arrangements and inquire about the news. Master left the housekeeper behind and then went out. Who knew that as soon as Master left, Madam's family members came looking for them!"
The servant was startled recalling the situation at the time. They were a group of uncivilized mountain folk and martial artists. The household guards and guards could not stop them at all, and they were beaten black and blue. Moreover, many servants had fled after the incident, so the remaining people in the mansion could not stop the angry Li clansmen.
"Those old women and women cursed so nastily, saying that the young master was a scourge, a jinx, who not only harmed Madam but also harmed their Li family, and caused Master to be childless."
The servant shook his head as he said this. He was just a rough servant in the outer courtyard, not someone who served closely. He heard these words from others.