Chapter 21. Chapter 21. It's over. It's all over. She's a fake heiress...

Another half month passed, and winter arrived. Bianjing experienced several heavy snowfalls, and the weather became increasingly bitter and cold.

Raising Gu worms must be difficult. Zhao Qin never sent a letter, but Ji Yushang sent quite a few. At first, the gatekeeper would send them to Lanfang Courtyard, but later he just disposed of them.

Yu Tan secretly sent Lan Xin to Tonghua Lane to visit Wu Niang several times, bringing her charcoal and clothes, and buying her daily necessities, while instructing Wu Niang to take good care of herself.

Fortunately, Wu Niang was in good health and did not show signs of decline as Doctor Xue had predicted, which put her at ease.

Wu Niang rarely went out, and even when she did, she always wore a headscarf or a curtain.

Even with such meticulous planning, mistakes can still happen. One day, when Wu Niang went out, she bumped into a young man in Tonghua Lane. The curtain fell down, and her appearance was revealed. Rumors began to circulate, and Wu Niang had to find a new place to live quickly.

Huixin took over the caravan and within half a month, she had a clear understanding of the caravan's accounts and personnel. She was very good at managing people, and she had the two managers, Li and Song, completely under her control.

The first merchant caravan to the Western Regions was about to return, Huixin had mentioned it to her several times, which made her secretly look forward to it, as it was a full six thousand taels.

Zhao Qin initially approached her under the guise of trading with the Western Regions, only quoting her the price difference between Bianjing and the Western Regions. Now that she has taken over the caravan, after deducting the caravan's expenses, she should have about two thousand taels left.

Yu Tan intends to expand his business beyond Bianjing, since he will eventually leave Bianjing, and it would be good to establish himself in other places as soon as possible.

"My lady, where do you think we should expand?" Huixin stood beside her, no longer the head manager outside, but back to being a maid in Lanfang Courtyard.

Yu Tan's fingertips paused, then curled up helplessly. She didn't know that the farthest place she had ever been was Yuyang.

She pointed downwards, towards Huizhou in the south of the map. It's a bustling place where three rivers converge, a thriving commercial hub, and a place that's not too cold in winter—perfect for her.

"This is it, Huizhou."

Huixin let out a long "Ah," and said, "Wife, why did you choose such a faraway place?"

Yu Tan laughed and said, "Far away? Of course, you should expand your business and go further. You, my maid, are always telling me about your grand ambitions to become the richest merchant in Bianjing."

Huixin murmured, "This servant has no such ambition. This servant is willing to follow my mistress for the rest of my life."

Yu Tan smiled but did not respond.

Another half month passed, and Yu Tan couldn't sit still any longer. Under the guise of discussing business, she sent several visiting cards to the Zhao residence. The last sentence of each card was always about the Gu worms, and the answer she always received was that they hadn't been raised properly.

As the year drew to a close in December, with the Lunar New Year just over half a month away, the weather grew increasingly cold and gloomy, and the number of braziers in Yu Tan's house increased from two to four.

That day, after Yu Tan had lunch, Lan Xin packed a thick quilt and took it to the study so that she could "read" there.

Qiaoxin lifted the thick windproof curtain and rushed in, "Madam, it's Zhao Niangzi's invitation."

"Bring it here quickly."

Zhao Qin finally delivered the invitation to her door. It was a bright red embroidered invitation with peony patterns. She quickly opened it. The invitation mentioned that once the Gu worms were properly raised, they could be tested today.

She quickly packed her things, put on a heavy, lotus-pink embroidered cloak, and left the mansion.

As soon as I stepped out of the mansion, that dark and damp gaze returned.

When it came to Wu Niang, she only brought Lan Xin with her and none of the other maids and guards. She was inevitably nervous and grabbed Lan Xin's hand to bolster her courage.

Lanxin asked worriedly, "Is my wife cold?"

Yu Tan shook her head: "I feel like someone is following us."

Lanxin lifted the carriage curtain and looked out: "My lady, no one in the Marquis's mansion is so bold as to follow us. Don't worry."

Fortunately, the carriage traveled smoothly through the streets and arrived at the Zhao residence without any mishaps.

The Zhao family mansion, with its vermilion gates and high walls, was magnificent and imposing.

However, after a month or so, Ji Yushang was suppressed by various parties. He hurriedly went to the Li family several more times to beg for help, but was driven away each time. Li Xu didn't dare to pay any attention to him.

Li Xu can do some underhanded things behind the scenes, but if her collusion with Ji Yushang is made public, the Li family will skin her alive.

Ji Yushang's business quickly collapsed, and Zhao Qin took over most of Ji Yushang's business lines. Bianjing became Zhao Qin's sole power, and for a time, Zhao's mansion was bustling with visitors.

Zhao Qin was extremely busy, but he managed to take half a day off to bring Yue Lang to the Marquis's carriage.

Zhao Qin was still dressed in a flamboyant red dress and mink coat, and the gold hairpin in her hair and her makeup were even more eye-catching. It was truly a case of wealth nourishing one's appearance.

Yue Lang was pale, dressed in a gray-blue short jacket and trousers. The silver ornaments on his wrists, waist and chest were even more exaggerated. He had a small bamboo basket hanging from his waist, the lid of which was tightly closed. He sat next to Zhao Qin with his eyelashes lowered, as if he was not interested in anything around him.

Yue Lang's only connection to this world is Zhao Qin.

Zhao Qin stroked the buds on her fingertips and said with a charming smile, "Isn't it beautiful? I just got it done for Yue Lang."

Yu Tan smiled and said, "It's beautiful."

The presence of two more people in the carriage lessened the discomfort of being spied on.

But she instinctively felt that chilling gaze was still there.

"Madam Zhao, have you noticed someone following us?"

Zhao Qin shook his head: "Young Lady Yu, I have guards following me nearby, no one dares to openly follow me."

Lanxin smiled and said, "My wife, I told you you were overthinking it."

Yu Tan pursed her lips. Was it really a crucial moment, and she was too nervous?

The group arrived at Tonghua Lane, and Yu Tan knocked three times, at which point the wooden door opened immediately.

"Yaoyao." Wu Niang was wrapped in a thick coat and wore a thick veil on her head.

Yu Tan explained, "Wu Niang, the Miao people I mentioned before."

Wu Niang nodded and opened the wooden door wider to make room for them to come in. "Come in quickly, it's windy outside."

The room was filled with a refreshing plum blossom scent, replacing the bitter smell of medicine.

Yu Tan looked up and saw that the narrow room had been furnished with new furniture: a brand-new round pear wood table with several low stools, and a slender-necked white porcelain vase with a sprig of red plum blossoms on it.

Wu Niang tidied up the room neatly and cleanly. The medicine stove was placed on the outermost side, and further inside were two charcoal braziers. Only one of them had charcoal burning inside, and Wu Niang was adding charcoal to the other brazier.

Yu Tan grasped her hand. "Let him see it first."

Zhao Qin chuckled lightly: "Young Lady Yu, although Miao medicine is different from that of the Central Plains, the four diagnostic methods of observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation are largely the same. How can Yue Lang diagnose a patient if you treat her like this?"

Yue Lang chose a seat close to the charcoal brazier, his expression distant, and he remained silent.

Yu Tan frowned, looking troubled, and clenched her hands. "Madam Zhao."

If the curtain were lifted and Wu Niang's face were seen, it would inevitably cause a storm. But if she didn't get treatment, how could she be content with that...?

Wu Niang had just come to Bianjing to find her, and she wanted Wu Niang to stay with her a little longer, much longer.

Wu Niang said with difficulty, "Yao Yao, let's not treat her anymore. With Doctor Xue's treatment, I'll be fine."

Seeing Yu Tan hesitate and make excuses, Zhao Qin's initial interest turned into a strong one, and he eagerly wanted to see Wu Niang's face.

“Aqin,” Yue Lang called out, “I don’t need to worry about her feelings.”

"Yue Lang," Zhao Qin had no choice but to stop teasing him. "If you don't want to look, then don't look. Who in this world is as good-looking as my own face?"

Zhao Qin took a small bronze mirror from Yue Lang's pocket and looked at himself in the mirror in the corner.

Yue Lang said softly, "Please come over here, my lady, let me take a look at you."

Wu Niang brought a round stool and sat down in front of Yue Lang. Yue Lang took her hand and examined it carefully for a long time.

"I need to trouble you, madam, to lift the curtain a little so I can see my tongue."

Wu Niang paused, unwilling to reveal her face.

Yu Tan said, "Wu Niang, lift it up, healing is the priority."

Zhao Qin shook the mirror. "I won't look. Even if you expose your whole face to Yue Lang, it doesn't matter. He won't say anything."

Yu Tan asked, puzzled, "Madam Zhao, why?"

"Yue Lang can't remember people's faces, no matter how many times he looks at them, he can't remember them. At most, he can remember my face." Zhao Qin held up the bronze mirror. "Oh, Miss Yu, come here quickly, take a look at the position of this mole I placed. I think yours looks better. Stand closer, let me see..."

Despite Zhao Qin's words, Wu Niang still cautiously only showed the lower half of her face.

To be fair, her lower face is not similar to Wu Niang's. Wu Niang's chin is shorter and her cheeks are rounder, while hers is more pointed and narrower. She lacks Wu Niang's grandeur but has a more delicate look.

"Don't worry, come over here and help me remove the mole, otherwise I might peek."

"Raise your chin a little higher, Madam Zhao." Yu Tan took the vermilion brush and dotted a small mole under her red lips.

Zhao Qin happily held up the bronze mirror, turning his face to admire the small mole from side to side, "It really does make me look prettier after removing the mole."

Yu Tan ran to Wu Niang's side, and Yue Lang held the small bamboo basket in both hands, supporting it under Wu Niang's chin.

The Gu worms, slightly smaller than a fingernail, scrambled into Wu Niang's mouth.

Zhao Qin pouted impatiently: "I already asked you to come and remove my mole, but you insisted on going to see a doctor."

Yu Tan gently stroked her wildly beating heart. In less than a quarter of an hour, all the Gu worms in the small bamboo basket had escaped.

"Go lie down on the bed, it will hurt a lot in a while." Yue Lang turned around and instructed. Yu Tan quickly helped Wu Niang into the inner room. Just as she passed Yue Lang, she said, "She will be in a lot of pain for the next three days. You'd better stay with her. I will come back to retrieve my Gu worms in three days."

"Does it really have to be three days?" Yu Tan meant to ask if the time could be shorter.

"After three days, the pain will double, and the Gu worms will gnaw on her internal organs. If it drags on, the Gu worms will eat her up until she is just an empty shell."

Yu Tan hadn't expected the treatment in Miao territory to be so dangerous. She nodded repeatedly in agreement and helped Wu Niang into the inner room.

Yue Lang turned to Zhao Qin and said, "I want to go home."

"Alright." Zhao Qin chuckled gently. "Young Lady Yu, Yue Lang and I will head back to our residence first."

Wu Niang lay weakly on the bed, her forehead and nose covered in fine sweat, her face pale, and her jaw clenched.

"Wu Niang." She covered Wu Niang with the quilt, held Wu Niang's hand, her face full of worry and cold sweat. She then busied herself bringing in the charcoal stove, making the room completely warm.

Two hours later, Wu Niang seemed to have adapted quite a bit, and her body stopped tossing and turning.

"Let's go back. If we don't go back now, the Marquis's mansion will start looking for us."

Yu Tan had no choice but to go back, no matter how reluctant she was. As soon as she stepped out of the house, Lan Xin, who was huddled in the corner, hopped over to her, her little face pale from the cold.

When we get back, we need to mention Lanxin's monthly allowance again. It's been too hard following her. Before she leaves, she should try her best to leave them as much money as possible.

"My wife."

Yu Tan turned back and glanced at him worriedly, then sighed, "Let's go back to the manor."

For two consecutive days, after Yu Tan woke up from her nightmares, she rushed to Wu Niang's place, stayed with her until evening, and then returned to the Marquis's mansion to deal with the business deals that Hui Xin had given her. She was extremely busy.

Fortunately, after the initial pain subsided, Wu Niang's spirits began to improve, and she only needed someone to accompany and care for her occasionally.

Yu Tan rubbed her temples; three consecutive days of sleep deprivation had left her mind numb and sluggish.

Once Wu Niang's illness is cured, she wants to go to the study and sleep for three days straight. Thinking of this, she is full of energy.

She wrapped her cloak tighter and hurried out of the mansion. Zhao Qin's carriage was waiting at the mansion. She quickly got into the carriage. Zhao Qin and Yue Lang sat in the carriage. Zhao Qin leaned affectionately on Yue Lang's shoulder, and Yue Lang had a small bamboo basket hanging from his waist.

Their relationship is indeed as previously speculated: they are lovers.

Yu Tan sat a little distance away from them, not wanting to disturb the couple.

The carriage headed to Tonghua Lane. Pushing open the dilapidated wooden door, Yu Tan entered the house with practiced ease. The once warm house was now only filled with coldness.

Could it be that Wu Niang's condition has suddenly worsened, making her unable to get up and add charcoal to the fire?

Yu Tan's right eyelid twitched violently. She rushed into the bedroom, but the wooden bed was empty. She circled the small hall and the bedroom several times but couldn't find Wu Niang. Both rooms were easily visible, with no place for anyone to hide.

Yu Tan was so frightened that she was in a daze. Even if Wu Niang didn't want her anymore, she would still have to take the Gu worm before leaving.

“Miss Yu, don’t worry. Maybe she felt better and went out for a walk.”

Yu Tan shook her head and hurriedly left the house. The door of the house across the street creaked open, and the old lady from the shop across the street happened to come out. She stared at Yu Tan's face for a long time.

Yu Tan asked anxiously, "Auntie, have you seen the lady of this house?"

"I saw it, I saw it. About an hour ago, the Marquis's carriage came and took her away."

Yu Tan's voice trembled slightly: "Which marquis's mansion?"

The old woman glanced at her and said, "Which other marquis's mansion could it be? The Yu family of the Yongchang Marquis's mansion in the south of the city."

"The Yu family." Yu Tan's pupils contracted, and she fell to the ground in fright, her mind buzzing.

Besides her, the only other person in the Yu family is Yu He'an.

Yu He'an took Wu Niang away. Did he know everything? Even if he didn't, he could guess most of it just by looking at Wu Niang's face.

It's over, it's all over. Yu Tan closed her eyes in despair; her identity as a fake heiress was about to be exposed.

A note from the author:

Thank you, Ziyourou, for the thunder [droopy-eared rabbit head].

Thank you, Evelyn Liu, for the nutrient solution for the melon that isn't sweet. [Fireworks]

I'm posting this for pre-order. My next two books are "The Charming Widow" and "The Cannon Fodder Ex-Wife of the Proud Dragon".

Phase 1V1: Pretty Widow * Gentle Older Brother * Rough Younger Brother

Sang Hua was a renowned beauty in the surrounding villages. While washing clothes, she picked up a handsome young man. The young man was pale and had suffered severe injuries and amnesia, only remembering his name, Chen Yanqing.

She took good care of him, and over time, they developed feelings for each other.

Shen Yanqing gently held her fingertips: "Hua Niang, let's get married."

Looking at that jade-like face, she shyly agreed. After their marriage, Shen Yanqing was considerate and attentive, and they lived in perfect harmony.

Unfortunately, their good days didn't last long. Just as their love was at its peak, Shen Yanqing died. Sang Hua, with a white flower tucked into her hair, solemnly observed a year of widowhood.

When the riot broke out, the army rushed into the village. She fell to the ground. Her husband, dressed in a lion-patterned black armor, sat astride his handsome horse, looking down at her with disdain. After a long while, he finally dismounted.

She quickly got up, her eyes reddening, and hit his chest with a handkerchief: "You lied to me to death. It's been a year, and you've finally deigned to come back."

The young man pulled her aside, glared at her, and said in a cold tone, "I don't know you, get out of here."

She's gotten darker, her body is stronger, and her features are more defined. It's either her dead husband or he doesn't recognize her anymore.

Enraged, she had the grave destroyed that very night; the coffin was completely empty, without even a single piece of clothing inside.

She sat on the grave and cried bitterly, and she burned paper money for him for a year.

She became even more convinced that her husband was Shen Yanqing; she understood all too well his pretense.

While her lover was still staying in the village, she was beautiful and sweet-talking. She smiled at him a few times and used some tricks to finally win him over.

A strong arm locked around her slender waist, and the young man's eyes were dark: "Hua Niang, who am I? If you call me by the wrong name again this time, I will punish you."

The intense kiss left her breathless. "It's Xie Qu... you bastard."

The young man lowered his head and kissed away the tears on her cheek: "Tomorrow we will marry heaven and earth."

"You're going to pray again? You've already done it once." She was punished again that night.

Xie Qu refused to admit that it was Shen Yanqing, so she had no choice but to bow to heaven and earth again as he suggested.

In front of the wedding hall, a refined and elegant young man stood in front of the newlyweds, gently calling out, "Hua Niang."

When Sang Hua lifted her veil, she saw her husband's face again, and she looked back and forth between the two similar faces.

Who exactly are you?

His hands were grabbed by two people on either side of him, their faces dark with anger.

“Shen Yanqing.”

"Thank you, Qu."

Stage 1v1