Spring Rises in the Phoenix Pool Chapter 41

Clearly, they were already inside the flower hall, shielded from the cold wind outside, but the moment Qi Zhen uttered those words, Madam Wang distinctly felt a chill creeping up her spine, as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

She opened her mouth, her throat dry and painful, and only when she tried to speak did she realize her voice was hoarse: “Then what does My Lord Marquis mean…?”

She didn’t know why. Just moments ago, when she saw her own son being beaten, she was still gnashing her teeth in hatred, even cursing Qi Jin in her heart.

But now, after hearing Qi Zhen’s words, all she felt was bone-chilling fear.

After all, that was the child she had personally raised, the child she had watched grow up in her arms.

Qi Zhen didn’t hesitate at all, not even a trace of doubt. Seeing Madam Wang ask this, he coldly retorted: “Otherwise, what does Madam think I mean?”

His face held a faint trace of mockery. “Right now, the entire court is in an uproar, accusing the nobility of abusing their status, claiming the imperial court has been too lenient towards the hereditary nobles, saying people like us are living off our ancestors’ achievements. Do you know what this means?”

He suddenly veered the topic to the discontent within the court. Madam Wang, sensing something ominous, swallowed nervously.

Qi Zhen took a sip of tea and said coldly: “This means that even if I petition to have Qi Yunting granted the title of heir, it may not be approved! His Majesty is currently considering whether to lower the rank of hereditary nobility! At such a critical time, he dares to stir up trouble!”

Madam Wang’s expression changed.

She had always been indecisive, unable to take firm action or make clear choices.

If not, she wouldn’t have raised Qi Yunting and Qi Jin to be so arrogant and self-centered.

Now, hearing the increasing disgust in Qi Zhen’s tone towards Qi Yunting, Madam Wang panicked completely. She threw herself in front of Qi Zhen, crying out: “My Lord! Yunting is our legitimate son, our eldest legitimate son! Of course, he should inherit the marquisate!”

Qi Zhen sneered: “Let someone who has improper feelings for his own little sister inherit the title?”

He mercilessly shattered Madam Wang’s illusion: “Do you think, after the disgrace the Xiang family has suffered, they would still speak on his behalf and allow him to inherit smoothly?”

Madam Wang was on the verge of collapse.

Everything that had happened today was more than what usually happened in an entire year.

She could barely hold herself together.

Hearing Qi Zhen’s increasingly ruthless tone, Madam Wang knew she no longer had the right to be sentimental. She quickly grabbed Qi Zhen’s sleeve, crying: “I was shortsighted! My Lord Marquis, everything will follow your decision! Please save our biological son!”

Qi Zhen coldly inhaled: “At this point, there’s only one solution! Make Qi Jin disappear — claim she died suddenly of a severe illness! As for Qi Yunting, send him to the military camp to be disciplined for a while. I think he needs to be taught a hard lesson!”

His words sealed the matter.

Then he looked at Madam Wang without any emotion: “Don’t disappoint me again. Otherwise, when Father and Mother return, this won’t be so easily resolved.”

The Old Marquis and the Old Madam were people who did not tolerate the slightest blemish.

What was even worse was that the Old Marquis and Old Madam had always favored the third branch of the family.

Although Madam Wang had given birth to two sons, only Qi Yunting was healthy. The other, Qi Yunzheng, had been gravely ill since birth. The Qi family had sought out countless doctors but ultimately could only place him in a monastery to be raised.

If Qi Yunting was ruined, Madam Wang would have no more leverage.

She knew very well that Qi Zhen would never give up the title that belonged to his line. If Qi Yunting was no longer an option, though she had no other sons, Qi Zhen still had sons with his concubines.

Just the thought of this made Madam Wang waver.

She gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and said: “My Lord Marquis, I know what to do. Please rest assured.”

Qi Zhen glanced at her and said no more, standing up and leaving directly.

The entire estate fell silent and cold.

Meanwhile, Qi Jin had been confined alone in the east wing of the back courtyard since Qi Zhen’s arrival. She was restless, not knowing what was happening outside.

She kept pacing and sitting, constantly guessing the Qi family’s stance.

Growing up in the Qi family, she knew Qi Zhen and Madam Wang’s personalities like the back of her hand.

The more she knew, the more anxious she became.

She knew all too well that Qi Zhen was someone who cared only about benefits, recognizing neither kinship nor sentiment. Family honor and the future of the house mattered more to him than anything.

Not to mention her — even if Qi Yunting made an unforgivable mistake that jeopardized the family, Qi Zhen would deal with him without mercy.

This time…

She thought about how she had foolishly tried to seduce Qi Yunting, trying to use him to get revenge on the Qi family and Qi Yuan. Suddenly, she realized how stupid she had been.

Why couldn’t she have played it safe?

Had she just bided her time, she could have made her moves slowly and carefully.

But now, she had provoked the Xiang family…

Xiang Rong was someone who could not tolerate the slightest transgression. The Xiang family had surely already exposed the situation, which was why Qi Zhen had stormed in and immediately punished Qi Yunting without a word.

As for her, Qi Zhen hadn’t even spared her a glance.

She certainly didn’t believe that meant she was off the hook.

Qi Zhen probably intended to completely eliminate her.

Thinking of this, she looked coldly at Yunyan: “Do you know the maids guarding us here at the villa?”

She couldn’t just sit and wait for death.

The most terrifying thing was waiting to die without doing anything.

As long as she stayed alive, there would always be hope.

Yunyan was also terrified. When she saw Qi Yunting getting beaten, she had practically lost her soul.

Now, hearing Qi Jin’s question, she quickly thought for a moment: “Miss, there’s only one, Aunt Liu, who knows my mother, but…”

But she might not be of much help.

“We can’t worry about that now!” Qi Jin pulled a pure gold peony hairpin from her hair and pressed it into Yunyan’s hand: “Go get her to find a way to distract the others and let us out.”

With such a handsome reward, someone was bound to take the risk. That hairpin could easily be pawned for fifty or sixty taels of silver.

Fifty or sixty taels — even for a well-off maid — would take three to four years to earn.

There was no way they wouldn’t be tempted.

Yunyan frantically agreed and was about to leave when the door suddenly burst open with a loud bang.

Startled, she spun around like a frightened bird and saw that it was Madam Wang entering with several people.

Qi Jin’s heart instantly sank.

Madam Wang’s eyes were still red from crying. Without a word, she walked in and slapped Qi Jin across the face.

It was the first time she had ever laid a hand on Qi Jin.

The slap forced Qi Jin’s head to the side, and blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.