She took out the dried Winter Plum flowers Xie Jin'an had given her when he proposed. Because they had not been preserved properly, the buds inside had already grown moldy.
She flung them out the window.
A substitute was a substitute, after all. Even if it was carefully preserved and looked bright and beautiful on the outside, no one knew how black and foul it was within.
Only now, several years after marrying into the family, did she see the filth and ugliness inside the Marquis's Residence.
Even the servants she had treated with her whole heart were like this. What was left here that deserved anything from her?
She could not change others, but she could find a way to leave this place with Wanwan.
And sever all ties with this filthy place.
Just then, Xie Zixing, who had been pestering Qing Sheng to teach him how to build his strength, happened to pass the courtyard and spot the bunch of dried Winter Plum flowers.
He recognized them at once as the flowers Father had once given Mother.
They were the very bunch that had stood in the vase he had broken.
Since Father had given them to her, he would not hold back!
He sneaked over, picked them up, and ran. Once he was far away, he shouted to Qing Sheng,
"Sister Qing Sheng, light a fire! I'm bringing you firewood!"
Nanny Rong hurried to the Charity Hall and told Xie Jinqiu what had happened.
Xie Jinqiu's expression darkened. He turned to Xu Rourou and asked,
"How exactly did she discover the drugs? The moment she married into the family, my eldest brother asked me to prepare medicine for her to drink. It's been five years now. She should be infertile by now."
"And now she's given