CHAPTER FOUR — FLUORESCENT POWDER
The voice at the doorway cut through the hall like a blade.
Everyone turned.
An elderly woman stepped inside, her long dark‑green robe sweeping the floor, a black skirt trailing behind her. Her hair was entirely silver, yet she carried herself with a vitality that made the younger women shrink instinctively. Beside her walked a middle‑aged attendant, head bowed in deference.
Old Madam Lin shot to her feet, shock wiping the sternness from her face. Madame Xu stiffened, eyes widening.
"Mother."
"Grandmother."
"Old Madame."
Their voices overlapped, trembling with nerves.
Only Su Zijin remained composed. She bowed with quiet respect.
"Great‑Grandmother."
This silver‑haired woman was the true matriarch of the Su family—the mother‑in‑law of the Old Madam, the highest authority in the entire household. She rarely left her secluded Qing Ling Courtyard in the far northwest corner of the estate. She certainly never walked all the way to Purple Stone Cottage, the furthest residence from her own.
Which was precisely why Su Zijin had walked so slowly earlier.
She had been waiting for this moment.
In her previous life, she had only heard whispers—rumours that Great‑Grandmother had arrived just after she was sent away. But she had never seen her. Never known the truth.
Now, reborn, she understood: this was the one person she could rely on.
And Xia He had delivered Wei Zi, Great‑Grandmother's favourite pearl, just in time.
The old lady entered, and everyone bowed deeply. The Old Madam's expression shifted instantly, smoothing into a respectful smile as she hurried forward to support her mother‑in‑law.
"Mother, why didn't you send word? I would have come to greet you. You shouldn't have walked all this way."
"I passed by your courtyard," Great‑Grandmother replied mildly, "and noticed your peonies blooming well. I thought I'd take a look. I didn't expect…"
She allowed her voice to trail off as she settled into the master's chair—the highest seat in the hall. Her gaze swept across the room, sharp and discerning, before landing on Su Zijin.
"I heard what Zijin said earlier," she said. "It seems there must be a great injustice here."
Old Madam Lin stiffened. "Mother, the evidence is conclusive—"
"If the evidence were truly conclusive," Great‑Grandmother interrupted, her tone gentle yet crushing, "why would Zijin risk being expelled from the family registry to demand an investigation?"
The Old Madam's mouth snapped shut. As the daughter‑in‑law, she could not openly contradict her mother‑in‑law. Not when the older woman had already taken a stance.
She swallowed her frustration, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
Great‑Grandmother turned to her attendant. "Send for all the wives, concubines, and young misses who were present yesterday."
Qin's Mother, quick and efficient, immediately dispatched several swift-footed girls. Within the hour, the hall filled with the women of the three branches of the family. They lined up neatly, wives in front, concubines behind, daughters standing beside their mothers.
Only Su Ying represented the younger generation today—Third Miss was at the nunnery, and Fourth Miss had accompanied Second Madam to her parents' home.
Su Ying stood beside her mother, fidgeting. Her gaze kept darting towards Su Zijin, unease flickering in her eyes. Yesterday, Su Zijin had been hysterical, desperate enough to run into a wall. Today, she was calm—too calm.
Does she really have a way out?
As if sensing her thoughts, Su Zijin turned her head and met her gaze.
Su Ying flinched, looking away at once, guilt flashing across her face.
Great‑Grandmother noticed.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Zijin," she said, "everyone is here. You said you could find the culprit. Who is it?"
"The culprit is already among us," Su Zijin replied. "As long as we cover the doors and windows with black cloth, they will have nowhere to hide."
A murmur rippled through the hall. Several faces paled.
"Fetch black cloth from the storeroom," Great‑Grandmother ordered.
Qin's Mother returned swiftly with several girls carrying heavy swathes of fabric. They draped the cloth over every door and window until the hall was plunged into darkness.
A maid reached for a lamp—
"Do not light it," Su Zijin said sharply. "If you do, the culprit will escape."
The hall fell silent.
"Where is the culprit?" Great‑Grandmother asked, peering into the darkness.
"Grandmother's jade bracelet," Su Zijin said, her voice steady, "contains a rare powder that glows faintly at night. It broke a month ago, and the powder leaked. Anyone who touched it would have the residue on their hands. In the dark, it will shine."
A collective gasp swept through the room.
Dozens of hands lifted instinctively, pale shapes in the darkness.
Nothing glowed.
Relief washed over many faces. Some even allowed themselves a quiet sigh—Su Zijin would be expelled after all.
Then—
A shriek.
"Sister Lyu Qiao—your hand!"
All eyes swung towards the maid.
Her hands glowed an eerie green, the light pulsing faintly in the darkness like ghost‑fire.
"Lyu Qiao!"
"How dare you!"
Great‑Grandmother slammed her palm onto the table, rising to her feet. Her fury rolled through the hall like a storm. Lyu Qiao collapsed to her knees, trembling violently.
"O‑Old Madame, spare me! Spare me!"
"Spare you?" Great‑Grandmother's voice was ice. "A mere maidservant dares to steal and frame a legitimate daughter? Drag her out and beat her to death!"
Lyu Qiao screamed, scrambling away from the guards. Her eyes darted wildly—until they landed on Su Ying.
Hope flared.
She tore free from the women holding her and threw herself at Su Ying's feet, clutching her skirt.
"Second Miss, save me! Second Miss, this matter—"
A sharp crack echoed through the hall.
Su Ying slapped her so hard the maid toppled sideways.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Su Ying snapped, face flushed with panic. "You committed this vile act and still dare to drag me into it? Are you trying to sow discord between me and my elder sister? Someone drag her out!"
The two older servants seized Lyu Qiao before she could speak another word. Her screams faded as she was hauled outside—and then silence.
A heavy, suffocating silence.
Every gaze in the hall turned, one by one, towards Su Ying.
She stood frozen, her face pale, her breath shallow.
And Su Zijin watched her, eyes cold, knowing this was only the beginning.