Chapter 105: Child Poisoned

"Foreman, we'll go to work soon, let us listen." A rascal kid about fourteen or fifteen, a half‑grown boy, said with a chuckle.

The burly man ignored him, instead kneeling directly before Jiang Yunchu and saying, "Wang Han, I greet you, Princess Consort."

Jiang Yunchu raised an eyebrow, "Get up and speak."

"Yes!" Wang Han rose to his feet; he was very tall, about 1.9 meters, with dark skin and a smile on his face.

Jiang Yunchu walked to one side and sat on a wooden stool there.

These past few days she hadn't rested well; the jolting carriage gave her a headache, and moreover, her Guishui period had arrived……

This body is the same as before, suffering from menstrual pain; when it hurts she feels utterly weak, unable to muster any strength—not that she wants to die, but she's on the way to wanting to die.

Enough said—those who understand, understand!

Wang Han's age is hard to gauge, but he has a touch of simplicity; he clasped his hands together, fidgeted a bit, then said somewhat embarrassedly, "Three years ago, during a heavy rain, many people came from the south looking for relatives—Princess Consort, do you still remember?"

This matter had become quite a fuss; Jiang Yunchu strained to recall the memories, even though she was confined to the inner chambers, she still retained some recollection.

"Continue." Jiang Yunchu seemed to already have a guess.

Wang Han then continued, "Back then there were many children whose parents had died; they were brought here to look for relatives, but what relatives could they find?"

"I pitied those children, so I took them in."

"But as the children grew older, they ate more; previously I alone could eat my fill and the whole family wouldn't go hungry, yet after these children arrived, my own rations weren't enough."

"That's when I consulted with the people of the manor."

Wang Han kept smiling, his simple face bearing an embarrassed grin.

Just then.

"Please don't punish Uncle Wang; it's our fault. We'll leave right now and not burden the manor." A half‑grown boy, about eleven or twelve years old, spoke.

Behind him followed eleven children, the eldest in their teens, the youngest as young as seven or eight.

Three years ago……

Jiang Yunchu remained silent for a long time……

That boy seemed like a little king; those eleven children all obeyed him.

Seeing Jiang Yunchu's silence, they assumed she was refusing.

The boy grew anxious, "Please, let Uncle Wang go."

The boy stood ramrod straight, then suddenly bent forward, "What can we do? If you'll spare Uncle Wang, tell us and we'll obey."

Uncle Wang had raised them for three years; during that time, whenever they fell ill or got injured, it was Uncle Wang who cared for them. To save grain, he himself dug up grass roots and pulled leaves to eat.

How could he now bear to see Uncle Wang punished?

"Oh? What can you do?" Jiang Yunchu's half‑smile made the tenant farmers who had followed her all the way feel uneasy.

Still, a tenant farmer stepped forward.

"Princess Consort, we haven't seized the manor's grain; all our accounts are correct."

"We merely contributed our own share; we did so willingly."

"I have the handprints of the tenant farmers and manor workers here; we ourselves are willing to take out grain and willing to support these children."

A scholar‑like person produced two sheets of paper; one showed a voluntary pledge to give thirty percent of their grain, the other that the remaining twenty percent would be allocated by the manor foreman Wang Han.

One name after another, one handprint after another.

She looked again and again at those different handprints.

She knew these handprints were voluntarily made by the tenant farmers and manor workers.

This is what shocked her!

"We'll talk about these matters later."

She still looked at those children, "You should know that even if the grain amounts are correct, this manor is mine—do you understand?"

The boy nodded; at eleven or twelve years old, he was already capable of shouldering responsibilities.

"I understand!"

The manor is hers, these people are hers.

They must obey her.

"Then tell me, what can you do?" Jiang Yunchu repeated the question.

The child fell silent, then lifted his head, "As long as you spare Uncle Wang and these people, I'll do whatever you ask."

The child's eyes were firm; Jiang Yunchu couldn't bring herself to ask again.

But……

"Even if I take your life, would that be acceptable?"

A child who has tasted bitter hardship—how far could he go?

She was willing to become a villain, to wear a villain's guise in order to guard a kind heart within.

"Very well." The boy stepped forward resolutely.

"Big brother! No."

"Brother, I'll accompany you."

……

The children behind followed one by one; some were still bewildered, knowing only that their older siblings had chosen to step forward, so they did the same.

That twenty percent of grain had to cover not only their food and clothing, but also medical care in the manor and some house repairs; although it sounded like a lot, in fact…… there wasn't much.

"All of you step back—what business do you have here?!"

The boy glared at those behind him, gave a meaningful look to an older girl who usually obeyed him.

But this time she did not retreat.

"Xiao Shi, hold Xiao Shier properly." The girl placed the child into another child's arms.

Then he stepped forward and said, "Eldest brother, we agreed—we share blessings and share hardships."

"I am the second brother; my younger siblings don't understand, but I do."

"My younger siblings still need to live a few more years; I have lived enough."

Jiang Yunchu raised an eyebrow—what deep sibling affection.

"Eldest brother, second sister, and me."

"Count me in."

"How could you not take me?"

The person who had just been holding the child stepped back and said, "I'll come after Xiao Shier's fever breaks."

She still needs to take care of Xiao Shier.

Jiang Yunchu watched, then told Wang Han, "Bring the feverish child over."

Wang Han nodded and said, "Got it."

He had wandered for years, taken root here, worked for the Wang Fu, and the Wang Fu distributed grain to the tenants fairly and justly, and even gave them twenty percent more than others.

If it weren't for him, these tenants wouldn't be able to eat well and stay warm.

This is because of the Wang Fu's charity.

Although the Princess Consort spoke harshly, her eyes told him she never intended to make things difficult for these children.

"Uncle Wang," the boy interjected.

Wang Han smiled and patted his shoulder.

The conversation between the two men needed no reservations.

"Princess Consort, the child is dirty—have a look," Wang Han said as he brought the child over.

Jiang Yunchu lifted the child's eyelids, pressed down on the chin, examined the tongue, then pulled out the child's thin little arm to take the pulse, and switched to the other arm.

"The child doesn't have ordinary fever; what bit them?"

The child's lips were somewhat purple, the high fever wouldn't subside, and the pulse showed signs of poisoning.