Chapter 27 Elopement: Cousin, Have Pity on Me

Chapter 27: Elopement - Please, Cousin, Have Mercy on Me

Jiang Yueyi just wanted to fall into a deep sleep after giving birth to her daughter, but she forced herself to stay awake. There were still things she needed to do.

Qing Lan brought the child back from outside and placed her by Jiang Yueyi's pillow for her to see. Though she was smiling, Qing Lan had grown up alongside Jiang Yueyi, and Jiang Yueyi could see the loneliness in her expression at a glance.

Jiang Yueyi didn't ask. Just from the fact that Feng Shi hadn't even come in to see her, she could tell what the woman was thinking. In truth, she no longer cared about such things. Since it was something she didn't concern herself with, why bother making Qing Lan feel worse?

The baby in the swaddling clothes had rosy little cheeks, fair and delicate. Jiang Yueyi held her tiny hand and couldn't stop looking at her. She wanted to quietly accompany her daughter, but she couldn't afford to let her guard down.

She had Qing Lan help her sit up against the bolster. Qing Lan complied with her orders but said, "Can't it wait until you've had some sleep? You've already severely depleted your vital energy from childbirth. If you don't rest properly, it'll ruin your health."

"I know what I'm doing," Jiang Yueyi said, forcing herself to sit up. Her whole body ached as if her bones had been broken, but she didn't make a sound. Gritting her teeth, she asked Qing Lan, "Has Zhou Congshen arrived?"

Qing Lan nodded. "He's waiting outside."

Soon, Qing Lan brought Zhou Congshen in. Seeing Jiang Yueyi still sitting up in bed, he frowned and advised, "Cousin-in-law, having made it through this ordeal, you should take good care of yourself. I shouldn't really be here. I think it's better to come another day when you're feeling better. There's no need to rush."

"Cousin Zhou," Jiang Yueyi called out to him, her voice tinged with panic, and tears began to fall. "There are some things I must ask clearly today."

Zhou Congshen fell silent. He stood there for a while before saying, "I don't know anything. Don't ask."

Jiang Yueyi began to sob quietly.

She knew she couldn't wait any longer. Now that the child was born, if she didn't get to the bottom of Qi Hao's situation, she would likely be handed over to the authorities by Qi Yuan. Even if the truth eventually came out, she would still suffer, losing her reputation and status. And if it never did, wouldn't she have to die bearing the blame for killing her husband?

Zhou Congshen watched Jiang Yueyi cry but didn't leave. The faint smell of blood still lingered in the inner chamber, though it had dissipated somewhat from before. It hadn't fully cleared, a testament to what Jiang Yueyi had endured.

Zhou Congshen was softhearted. He could never stand to see this kind of thing. If he couldn't help, he only wanted to flee, but his compassion wouldn't allow him to turn a blind eye, so he stayed.

When he practiced medicine, he could generously give to the poor who couldn't afford treatment. Yet now, faced with an obviously innocent person, he could say nothing and do nothing. Every time he thought of it these days, he felt uneasy and deeply ashamed.

People were different. Some could abandon their families and leave, seeking a vast world with the one they loved. But Zhou Congshen couldn't bear to see the earl's entire household lose their support, with Jiang Yueyi framed as a murderer and possibly facing punishment.

The answer was right on his lips, but he couldn't speak it. The pain was like being burned or cut with a knife. If he ended up in hell for this, he wondered if the tortures there could compare.

Jiang Yueyi's sobbing gradually slowed. She choked out, "I just came back from the brink of death. I almost... I almost died. I'm truly afraid. If I had died then, would anyone have cleared my name? I don't have much time either. The Second Master will definitely hand me over to the authorities. I have no evidence. What can I do? Should I just die like this? I didn't kill the First Master. And now I have a daughter. What will become of her?"

Zhou Congshen still said nothing, only shook his head.

"Cousin, have pity on me," Jiang Yueyi said, seeing that he was already wavering. She wept, "I truly have no other way. Just tell me what happened to the First Master. Is he really not dead?"

"Yueyi," Zhou Congshen said, his palms sweating as he called her by her first name. "Don't ask anymore. It won't do you any good."

Jiang Yueyi straightened up and said, "Do you think I don't know that? I suspected long ago that the First Master might not be dead, but I said nothing then because I had my own selfish reasons. I knew that if I forced him back, I might lose my place as the main wife. But was that up to me? Even that little bit of selfishness has now turned to nothing. I don't know who is trying to harm me. I only know I'll die!"

Zhou Congshen only mumbled, "Then what are you planning to do?"

"If it's truly inconvenient for you to speak, then let me ask you questions. You can just nod or shake your head. Is that acceptable?"

Zhou Congshen sighed and didn't refuse again.

Jiang Yueyi steadied herself. Her vision was already going dark in patches, but she couldn't stop. Afraid that Zhou Congshen might change his mind, she gritted her teeth and asked, "Is the First Master not dead?"

Including the time she had asked before, this was the third time Jiang Yueyi asked this question to Zhou Congshen. Only this time, after a moment of silence, he finally nodded.

Jiang Yueyi let out a breath and collapsed back against the bolster as if drained. But then she asked, "Did the First Master leave with Su Hengniang?"

"Yes, they eloped," Zhou Congshen finally spoke up. "They've known each other since childhood, and their bond is different from others."

He finished speaking and waited for Jiang Yueyi to ask more, but to his surprise, she didn't.

Zhou Congshen thought for a moment and said, "Why aren't you asking anymore?"

"What they do has nothing to do with me. I asked you to confirm this only to save myself, not to compete with Su Hengniang for the First Master." A faint, contemptuous smile appeared on Jiang Yueyi's pallid face. "Cousin, can you promise me one more thing?"

"Just say it." Zhou Congshen smiled bitterly and sighed. He had promised Qi Hao not to reveal the truth about his faked death. Since he had already broken that promise, he didn't mind agreeing to one more small request from Jiang Yueyi.

In his view, breaking his word was wrong, but Jiang Yueyi was innocent.

Jiang Yueyi looked at Zhou Congshen seriously and said, "I am truly grateful to you, cousin. Without you, I would have died just now. Even if I hadn't, I wouldn't have escaped the next ordeal. I dare not ask for more from you. I only beg that you pretend I never asked and you never said anything. Can you do that?"

Zhou Congshen immediately understood. He said, "You're afraid I'll tip off Qi Hao, aren't you? Don't worry. Since I've confessed to you, I won't be two-faced. I won't tell Qi Hao, but whether you can find him is up to you."

Hearing this, Jiang Yueyi thanked him again and finally felt relieved. She knew that Zhou Congshen and Qi Hao were close, and that Zhou Congshen even knew about Qi Hao's faked death. Forcing him to reveal the truth had already used up his sympathy for her at this moment. But she wasn't sure that Zhou Congshen's friendship with Qi Hao wouldn't make him change his mind and tell Qi Hao that she knew, giving him time to prepare.

Jiang Yueyi didn't want to live in fear and suspicion, so she decided to state her thoughts directly.

"If you were to announce that your aunt is critically ill, it might draw him out..." Zhou Congshen offered a brief suggestion, then lowered his voice to Jiang Yueyi, "I can't say for sure who framed you, but I can confirm it wasn't the Second Master. He's eager to get out of this mess, so why would he go out of his way? Don't misunderstand him. But from what I've observed these days, Xing An is definitely suspicious. You probably already know that. I'll take my leave now."

After Zhou Congshen left, Qing Lan came in to help Jiang Yueyi lie down. Jiang Yueyi finally breathed a sigh of relief but still couldn't sleep.

Knowing Qi Hao's character, he wouldn't deliberately scheme to harm her. Otherwise, he could have kept Su Hengniang outside while causing trouble for her here, easily pinning some crime on her. When Qi Hao had promised Jiang Yueyi that she would always be the main wife of the earl's household, he had kept his word.

But Jiang Yueyi didn't intend to keep investigating who had harmed her. Xing An was still in Qi Yuan's custody and couldn't escape. As long as Qi Hao showed up, everything would naturally come to light.

Jiang Yueyi called Cui Mei over and said to her, "Find someone to capture Su Hengniang's father's concubine and younger sister. Let's see how long they can hold out."

Seeing Jiang Yueyi's fierce resolve, the maids exchanged glances. Qing Lan knew the most about this matter, Cui Mei next, and the others knew little. No one dared to advise her. Finally, Qing Lan said, "Miss, please get some good sleep first. There's no need to be so hasty."

"Since I'm asking you to do this, it means I've already thought it through. Qi Hao isn't dead. For my own sake, I can't let him go," Jiang Yueyi said coldly.

"But what about the old lady? If you reveal this, she'll be the most anxious," Cui Mei said urgently.

Jiang Yueyi didn't respond. If Feng Shi had any real power, she wouldn't have been unable to control her son, only to be deceived by him in the end. Jiang Yueyi absolutely didn't trust her to get involved again, fearing it would cause more trouble. Besides, she had seen Feng Shi's cold shoulder today. Why should she rely on others when she could handle things herself?

Qing Lan added, "Why not tell the Second Master? He's sure to have an idea!"

"Him?" Jiang Yueyi almost laughed. "It was his insistence on seeking justice for his good brother that got me into this mess. He won't believe me, and I don't trust him. I don't want to say another word to him."

She was so determined, and there were no better options, so the maids said nothing more. Cui Mei followed Jiang Yueyi's orders.

The Su family had no defenses, and it was only a concubine and an insignificant son by a concubine. Jiang Yueyi had capable people under her command. Within a few days, Cui Mei reported that Su Hengniang's father's concubine and younger sister had been captured and locked up. The Su family wasn't too anxious; they simply reported it as a routine missing persons case to the authorities and didn't send anyone else to search.