Chapter 39: Coming to Blows

"Kept Master Chang waiting, have I?"

Qin Hanxiao stood on the top step of the Huang family manor’s entrance, looking down at Chang Wanxin from a height half a head above him. This positioning, combined with her condescending gaze, made Chang Wanxin deeply uncomfortable. Had he any other option, he would never have endured it. He vowed to himself that he would make this woman pay dearly for her insolence.

"Here is two hundred taels in banknotes. Can we go now?"

Qin Hanxiao glanced at the notes he held out but made no move to take them. She smiled, "Is this the deposit? When will the remaining two hundred be paid?"

Chang Wanxin’s grip tightened on the banknotes. "Qin Hanxiao, do not push your luck." If looks could kill, Qin Hanxiao would have died a thousand times over.

She chuckled again. "If you find it too expensive, you are welcome to seek someone more capable. I am quite busy myself; I still need to return to prepare medicine for the two old madams."

Chang Wanxin’s blood boiled at her retort, but he forced his anger down. "Fine. Once you have cured him, I will give you the remaining two hundred."

Qin Hanxiao shook her head. "I can treat the illness, but the burn scars cannot be removed. You delayed for too long; had you come to me two days earlier, I might have had a way. Now, I can only guarantee to cure his condition, not to prevent scarring."

In truth, Qin Hanxiao could have prevented the scarring, but she had no desire to do him any favors. Chang Wanxin nearly crumpled the banknotes in his hand, but in the end, he acquiesced. He had once considered silencing her permanently—Mingjiang Prefecture was hundreds of miles from the capital, and even if Young Master Zheng died, it would not necessarily be traced back to him. However, there were too many mouths to seal, and he feared leaving loose ends.

He gestured for Qin Hanxiao to board his carriage, but she flatly refused. "To avoid a repeat of the last incident, the Huang family’s carriage will transport me. Do not trouble yourself, Master Chang."

The two carriages arrived one after the other in front of a residence. Upon disembarking, Qin Hanxiao carefully scanned the surroundings. The driver said, "Madame, do not worry. I will remain at the entrance. I shall not leave this spot until you return."

Qin Hanxiao nodded in gratitude. "Thank you for the trouble."

Chang Wanxin stood nearby, his face dark as he urged, "Hurry inside. You have a powerful backer now, so I wouldn't dare touch you."

Qin Hanxiao walked in alongside him. "Master Chang, you speak too seriously. I am but a humble doctor, and since we have no past grievances or current enmity, why would you ever need to 'do' anything to me?"

"Hmph!"

Chang Wanxin let out a sharp scoff, not believing a word of it.

Upon seeing Young Master Zheng again, she found that the once refined man now exuded an air of volatile irritability. She knew that whether she treated him or not, trouble was inevitable. However, she would not stain her hands with the blood of these people; it simply was not worth it.

Qin Hanxiao did not heal Young Master Zheng immediately—partly to minimize trouble, and partly because she hoped to find an opportunity to reason with him. She did not want trouble, nor had she ever sought it, but this young master was a massive liability.

On the way home, she pieced together the sequence of events. The more she thought, the more disheartened she felt. It seemed everyone felt entitled to trample upon her. The root of it all was her own weakness; because she was powerless, others felt they could bully her without restraint. She had used the Magistrate’s influence to save herself today, but what about tomorrow? Relying on others would eventually fail; she had to rely on herself.

Go into business? Merchants were held in low regard; even if she amassed a fortune, she would still be looked down upon. Enter politics? This era forbade women from holding office, and as an ordinary person, she had no power to change the rules. She could only strive to climb higher while operating within those very rules.

Two paths lay before her: continue to develop her current connections through medicine or commerce, or pin her hopes on Pei Ming’an’s academic success. Either way, it would take a long time to endure. Qin Hanxiao let out a long sigh. The road ahead was long and arduous, but she had to press on.

Meanwhile, a villager came to the Pei household with news. "Ah-Hui, you must go see! Your third brother is fighting with Pei Yuanqin."

Pei Yuanxing had been working in the fields and returned to fetch a sickle; passing by the village entrance, he had overheard Pei Yuanqin slandering Qin Hanxiao.

"She was sold by her own father, who knows how many men have slept with her since? Do you really think the people who bought her are saints, spending silver just to keep her on a pedestal?"

The villagers did not entirely believe Pei Yuanqin, as everyone knew about the bad blood between the old Pei residence and the third branch. However, some who held private grudges, like the woman surnamed Qian and a local loafer named Zhao, chimed in with venomous tales.

"That woman, Qin, never looked like a decent sort. Don't be fooled by her prim appearance; she’s a tramp at heart," Qian spat. "Haven't you seen how she flirts with the carriage driver? Tsk, tsk, look at those eyes—they’re definitely up to something. And every time she comes back from the city, she’s laden with bags. Do you really think she earns that much money? She claims she's practicing medicine, but she’s really just sleeping with the lords and masters in town. How else would she get all that silver?"

She pointed at the loafer. "Zhao, tell them. Hasn't that bitch seduced you? Have you been in the woods with her? Tell the truth."

Zhao the loafer had long coveted Qin Hanxiao and had once harassed her when she was alone. Now, with the villagers watching, his eyes darted around as he concocted a plan. If he could drag her reputation through the mud, he might have a better chance of getting his hands on her. If Pei Yuantang grew angry enough to divorce her, perhaps he could even take her home himself. Whether she was "clean" didn't matter to him, as long as she could make money.

"Of course," the loafer sneered. "That little vixen is loose; she’s the one who always initiates it."

No one truly believed the loafer, but his words were utterly revolting. When Pei Yuanxing arrived and heard them spreading such vile rumors, he charged forward and tackled both of them.

"Shut your damn mouths! My second sister-in-law is not that kind of person! I’ll knock every tooth out of your filthy, manure-spewing mouths!"

Qian stood to the side, fanning the flames with more obscenities. "You're so worked up—could it be you’ve had a fling with that bitch, too? Pei Yuantang is useless, hardly a man at all—how could he possibly keep a woman? You’re all useless, you Peis. You’re destined to wear green hats; you must have committed great sins in your past lives to deserve this retribution!"

Chang Dazhou and his wife heard the commotion and came over. Seeing Qian smearing such filth on Qin Hanxiao, Mistress Chang immediately began trading insults with her, while Dazhou joined in to help Pei Yuanxing.

The argument between Mistress Chang and Qian quickly devolved into a physical brawl. Qian grabbed Mistress Chang’s hair, screaming, "That useless Pei Yuantang is not only barren, but he’s also letting another man provide for his wife!"

Mistress Chang landed several hard slaps on Qian’s face, leaving her dazed. "It’s your Wu family that’s barren! With all the wicked things you’ve done, you’ll be boiling in oil when you die. Your daughter will be a widow before she’s even settled; she’s a jinx who curses her husband—Pei Erlang was cursed by her! Without her, the Pei family will only thrive!"