Chapter 58: Anger

Chapter 58: Rage

The night was a canvas of spilled ink, punctuated by the distant rumble of thunder.

Wei Mingjin sat beneath the lamplight, his gaze fixed on the figure kneeling before him.

Her posture was as submissive and gentle as ever, yet every word she uttered grated on Wei Mingjin's ears.

"Young master, I will bury all that has transpired deep within me. If you doubt my word, I am willing to drink a dumb-drug. I beg you, please, release me." Xin He's sobs were incessant, like a captured bird desperately flailing against the bars of its cage.

Wei Mingjin hooked an arm around Xin He's waist, drawing her close. With a single hand, he cupped her chin, looking down at her with an imperious gaze.

"Release you? He Niang, years ago, you swore with your own lips that you would obey my every command and never betray me. Have these vows slipped your memory?" As he spoke, Wei Mingjin's large hand lingered over Xin He's delicate neck.

In times past, Xin He would have been paralyzed with fear, pleading for mercy.

But now, Xin He refused to compromise her true feelings. She choked out, "Young master, I have wronged you. Punish me as you see fit; I shall bear it without complaint. I only ask that you release me, for the sake of the three years I have served you."

At this, Xin He's tears began to fall anew.

Her tears once held a gentle, compliant beauty, but now they conveyed a stubborn defiance that Wei Mingjin found utterly displeasing.

"Release you?" Wei Mingjin's lips curved into a low laugh. He stroked Xin He's face, his eyes fixed intently on hers. "He Niang, have I not told you? If I release you, who will release me?"

Wei Mingjin's words, though seemingly steeped in profound emotion, carried an unmistakable underlying message.

She could forget it—he would never let her go!

Since he refused to release her, why should she continue to humble herself and grovel?

Xin He abruptly recoiled, evading Wei Mingjin's touch. Her previously meek demeanor vanished, replaced by a newfound firmness in her voice.

"Out of respect for the three years we spent together, I wished to part ways amicably. But since you insist on being unreasonable, you leave me no choice."

"Oh?" Wei Mingjin rested his chin in one hand, observing Xin He with an amused expression. "And what does He Niang intend to do?"

"Young master, have you forgotten? While I am indeed a concubine of the Wei family, I am your father's concubine, and thus, technically your stepmother. Your literary talents are exceptional, and having aced the imperial examinations, you are destined for great things—perhaps even a high official or a noble. Surely you wouldn't wish to be imprisoned for an affair with your stepmother and ruin your future?"

Xin He knelt on the ground, looking up at Wei Mingjin. Yet, her clear eyes held no trace of fear or hesitation—only a blatant threat.

Upon hearing this, Wei Mingjin, far from being angered, merely chuckled. "After three months away, He Niang's courage has certainly grown."

"I am not joking," Xin He stated solemnly.

Wei Mingjin nodded. "I don't believe He Niang is joking. However, it seems He Niang has forgotten—my father's concubine, Aunt Xin, passed away from illness last September. I personally handled her funeral arrangements."

Xin He had been waiting for these very words.

As soon as Wei Mingjin uttered them, she immediately rose to her feet. "Young master speaks wisely. Since Aunt Xin, Master Wei's concubine, has passed away, I naturally have no further connection to the Wei family."

With that, Xin He turned to leave, but was abruptly halted by Wei Mingjin's voice.

Wei Mingjin remained seated, composed, a faint smile playing on his lips as he regarded Xin He. "It is true that my father's concubine, Aunt Xin, has passed away. But my concubine is very much alive."

Xin He momentarily failed to grasp the meaning of Wei Mingjin's words.

What did he mean, his concubine was still alive?

Wei Mingjin raised a hand and offered her a piece of paper, a smile playing on his lips. "He Niang, perhaps you'd like to take a look at this."

Xin He eyed Wei Mingjin warily before accepting the paper.

Upon seeing the contents, Xin He's face instantly blanched.

It was a Concubine Contract.

At the bottom were her signature and fingerprint. She loathed Wei Mingjin like a viper; how could she possibly willingly become his concubine again?

"This signature and fingerprint are forged. I have never seen this Concubine Contract before," Xin He declared, clutching the document, her eyes blazing with indignation. "Wei Mingjin, you are well-versed in imperial law. You know the penalty for forging legal documents."

"I am indeed aware of the penalty for forging contracts. But He Niang, perhaps you should examine the handwriting on that Concubine Contract more closely."

Xin He detected the unwavering confidence in Wei Mingjin's voice. She swiftly moved to the lamplight and meticulously scrutinized the handwriting.

Upon closer inspection, Xin He's face contorted in horror.

The handwriting was, indeed, hers.

"How can this be? I never signed this Concubine Contract! How can this be my handwriting?" Xin He abruptly turned, her gaze piercing Wei Mingjin.

Wei Mingjin approached, encircling Xin He from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, and said with a light chuckle, "On that day last year, when the heavy snow blocked the mountain pass on our journey to the capital, I recall serving He Niang quite exquisitely!"

Xin He's mind exploded in a sudden flash of realization.

She remembered that day.

On the journey to the capital, Wei Mingjin had been engrossed in his studies. Upon reaching Huzhou, they encountered a heavy snowfall that blocked the road, forcing their party to seek refuge at an inn.

That day, Wei Mingjin, who had been diligently working at his desk, inexplicably set aside his brush and pulled her onto the table for pleasure.

Wei Mingjin had been unusually attentive to her that day.

Midway through, he was struck by an idea and suddenly asked her to pick up a brush and paint on his body.

Xin He remembered.

After the painting was complete, Wei Mingjin held her hand and said, "He Niang, leave your signature."

At the time, he was simultaneously kissing her and asserting complete control over her, blurring her senses until she could no longer distinguish anything clearly.

She vaguely recalled Wei Mingjin guiding her hand to write her name, then pressing her finger to leave a print.

So, even then, Wei Mingjin had already ensnared her in the trap he had laid, and she had been utterly oblivious.

Xin He trembled with rage. She abruptly turned and slapped Wei Mingjin across the face. "Wei Mingjin, you are despicable!"

He had used such a vile trick to coerce her into signing a contract of servitude at such a moment.

Xin He had put every ounce of her strength into that slap.

Caught off guard, Wei Mingjin took the full force of the blow. Instantly, the fair skin of his left cheek flushed with the imprint of her hand, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

A surge of fury flared in Wei Mingjin's eyes.

But upon seeing Xin He trembling with anger, her eyes red and glaring fiercely at him, he forcibly suppressed his rage.

He said with forced patience, "He Niang, even without this Concubine Contract, you cannot escape. Why must you—"

Before Wei Mingjin could finish, Xin He cut him off.

"Get out! Get out of my sight!" Xin He was like a trapped young beast. She suddenly erupted in fury, grabbing everything within reach and hurling it at Wei Mingjin.

Wei Mingjin was struck several times. He roared, "Xin He, my patience is wearing thin. You'd best know when to stop!"

But his answer was a flying teapot.

Wei Mingjin clumsily dodged, the teapot grazing his shoulder before smashing against the window, shattering into pieces.

Chi Yan, hearing the commotion, entered and was immediately stunned by the scene before him.

Xin He was simultaneously pelting Wei Mingjin with objects and screaming hoarsely, "Get out! Get out!!!"

Wei Mingjin, having reached his limit, barked sharply, "Chi Yan, why are you just standing there? Knock her out!"

Chi Yan had no choice but to obey.

Wei Mingjin was a scholar; in Xin He's furious state, he couldn't get close to her, but Chi Yan could.

However, even Chi Yan, despite his ability, took several blows before successfully knocking Xin He unconscious.

Chi Yan grimaced in pain. But as soon as he turned and saw his master's disheveled appearance, he quickly composed himself. Holding the unconscious Xin He as if she were a hot potato, he asked Wei Mingjin what to do next.

Wei Mingjin took a deep breath and took her from Chi Yan's arms. Coldly, he said, "Go fetch a physician to examine her. See if she's lost her mind."

How dare she treat him like this!

Soon, the physician was ushered in.

Upon entering, the physician immediately headed for Wei Mingjin, who was clearly the injured party.

But Wei Mingjin tilted his chin towards the bed. "The patient is over there."

The old physician quickly turned, walked to the bedside, sat down, and took Xin He's pulse.

Chi Yan stood respectfully behind Wei Mingjin, carefully handing him a cloth-wrapped ice pack he had obtained from the inn staff.

Wei Mingjin pressed the ice pack against his swollen cheek.

A wave of coldness immediately washed over him, making Wei Mingjin shiver, yet a fierce anger still burned within him.

"Physician, examine her thoroughly. Has she lost her mind?" Wei Mingjin gritted his teeth, glaring fiercely at Xin He lying on the bed.

If she hadn't lost her mind, how dared she strike and curse him? Had she grown tired of living?

But the physician's answer disappointed Wei Mingjin.

"This lady has not lost her mind. She is merely overly agitated."

Hearing this, Wei Mingjin's face turned as dark as a pot.

So, Xin He had struck and cursed him while fully conscious?

Seeing this, Chi Yan hastily changed the subject. "But is her Heart Fire excessive? Should you prescribe medicine, Physician?"

"Excessive Heart Fire is one thing, emotional agitation is another. The two cannot be confused," the old physician stroked his white beard, wearing an expression that conveyed, "If you don't understand, don't speak nonsense." Then he added, "All medicine is somewhat toxic. There's no need for a prescription."

After speaking, the old physician's gaze shifted between Wei Mingjin and Chi Yan, finally settling on Wei Mingjin.

"As an old man who has seen much, let me share a few heartfelt words with you, young master. There are three ways for a couple to get along: the lowest is physical violence, the middle is verbal abuse, and the highest is yielding. As the old saying goes, when the husband is accommodating and the wife is happy, the household is harmonious..." The old physician launched into a lengthy discourse on marital harmony.

Seeing Wei Mingjin's face so dark it seemed about to drip water, Chi Yan no longer thought of asking the old physician to examine Wei Mingjin. He hastily interrupted, "Old physician, this way, please."

Only then did the old physician reluctantly fall silent, trembling as he followed Chi Yan out.

After the door closed, only Wei Mingjin and Xin He remained in the room.

Wei Mingjin held the ice pack to his face with one hand, his gaze fixed on Xin He's face, anger churning in his eyes.

When Xin He had fooled him and escaped, he had been so furious he gritted his teeth, thinking that if he found her, he would surely kill her with his own hands.

But later, as time passed, he changed his mind.

Killing her outright would be too lenient. He would capture her, keep her by his side, and torment her properly, making her see the true cost of betrayal.

Then, when news of Xin He's death came, his first reaction was disbelief.

His second reaction was: How could she die before paying for her betrayal? He wouldn't allow it.

He frantically raised the bounty on the black market to the highest, just to find Xin He.

Afterward, bounty hunters came one after another to claim the reward, but without exception, they brought news of Xin He's death.

He still refused to believe it and continued offering heavy rewards for her.

The notice searching for Xin He remained at the top of the golden list, but gradually, no more bounty hunters came forward.

Everyone told him that Xin He was dead and that he should accept reality.

But he refused! He didn't believe Xin He was dead!

During those lonely, sleepless nights, Wei Mingjin's heart felt as if a piece had been torn away. There was a hollow ache within him.

It was then that Wei Mingjin changed his mind.

He thought that as long as Xin He was alive, he could forgive her.

Forgive her for fooling him, forgive her for escaping, and forgive her for planning to marry someone else behind his back.

As long as she could return to his side, he could pretend none of it had happened and treat her as he had before.

But he never expected that even after he had generously forgiven her for this betrayal, she would suddenly seem like a different person.

She was no longer gentle and obedient. The look in her eyes when she looked at him was filled with deep hatred.

"He Niang, you are the one who did wrong. What right do you have to hate me?" Wei Mingjin stared at Xin He and said coldly.

When Chi Yan returned from seeing the physician out and witnessed this scene, he instinctively prepared to withdraw. But then he heard Wei Mingjin suddenly say in a sinister tone, "Go kill someone for me."

Chi Yan paused mid-step.

"Go kill that physician. It must be that he used some kind of sorcery to bewitch He Niang, causing her temperament to change so drastically."

Chi Yan opened his mouth as if to say something.

But Wei Mingjin added, "Also, send a message by carrier pigeon to Feng Mo. Tell him to find the best gu poison doctor from Nanjiang."

Chi Yan originally wanted to tell Wei Mingjin that Bai Xu was merely a village physician and probably didn't know witchcraft or gu magic. But since Wei Mingjin had spoken thus, he naturally didn't dare to advise otherwise and could only lower his head and assent.

And soon, Wei Mingjin would come to know that Xin He was not under any sorcery, nor had she been poisoned with gu. She simply hated him.

Moreover, the deep affection he had seen before was nothing but an act to deceive him.

From beginning to end, Xin He had never truly cared for him.