Chapter 98: The Formula

It was still early, and the women in the residence hadn’t yet retired for the night. Hearing the commotion, they came out of their rooms to see what was happening. Seeing this, Ji Rong tugged at Chunxiu’s sleeve and said, “Enough. Do you really want to make a spectacle of yourself?”

Chunxiu yanked her arm free. “If there’s any spectacle, it’s hers. When I was leading the dances, she called me ‘Sister’ all the time. But when I fell into misfortune, not only did she not help me, she didn’t even visit me once in the firewood shed. Now that you’ve gained First Young Master’s favor, she’s suddenly trying to ingratiate herself again. People like her make me sick!” Chunxiu grew more agitated as she vented her grievances.

Publicly scolded like this, Zhang Chenyue flushed red but dared not retaliate. She forced a smile and stammered, “I did mean to visit you, but…”

Chunxiu raised her hand to interrupt. “Enough! I don’t want to hear your lies full of holes. Just answer one question—what were you doing sneaking into our room?”

“Enough!” Ji Rong stepped forward to mediate. “It’s late. Whatever it is, we can discuss it tomorrow. Chenyue, go back and rest.”

“Sister…” Chunxiu refused to let it go, but Ji Rong shot her a sharp glare, silencing her. Chunxiu could only sulk on the side.

After thanking Ji Rong, Zhang Chenyue quickly left. Ji Rong then pulled Chunxiu back inside. As the door closed, Jiang Caiping sighed disappointedly. “Just when it was getting interesting, it ended. Such a letdown.”

“You’re such a mischief-maker,” Yunyi teased, flicking Jiang Caiping’s nose. “You’re not a child anymore, yet you’re always looking for entertainment.”

Jiang Caiping stuck her tongue out. “Watching them fight wasn’t entertaining? Don’t tell me you weren’t interested. By the way, Sister, do you think Zhang Chenyue went into their room for the same reason we did?” Before Yunyi could respond, Jiang Caiping shook her head. “No, that can’t be. Everyone in the residence knows Ji Rong developed the tendon-repairing muscle-regenerating powder. Why would she risk investigating further?”

As Yunyi tidied up the leftover food on the table, she replied, “But no one in the residence knows the formula for the tendon-repairing muscle-regenerating powder.”

Jiang Caiping’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you saying Zhang Chenyue wanted to steal the formula? Why would she… What use would it be to her? Surely she doesn’t plan to take over treating First Young Master’s foot ailment?”

Yunyi paused her movements and looked up. “Of course not. But if she sold the formula outside, how much do you think it would be worth? We can’t be dancers in the governor’s residence forever, but that formula could secure her a lifetime of comfort. Of course, this is just speculation—it might not be accurate—but it’s the most likely scenario.”

Jiang Caiping murmured, “She’s got some nerve.”

“Fortune favors the bold; wealth comes with risk. If Ji Rong hadn’t caught her in time, she might have succeeded and lived comfortably ever after.”

“That may be true, but it still feels too risky.” Jiang Caiping hesitated before asking, “Sister, do you think Ji Rong guessed her intentions and will report her to First Young Master?”

Yunyi thought for a moment. “Ji Rong’s mind runs deeper than ours. She probably already figured it out.”

Hearing this, Jiang Caiping blinked in confusion. “If she already knew, why did she defend Zhang Chenyue earlier?”

“That’s her cleverness—she keeps her emotions hidden. Compared to her, Chunxiu is an open book.”

“Then… Sister, what do you think will happen to Zhang Chenyue?” Jiang Caiping asked.

Yunyi shook her head. “How should I know? And it’s none of our concern unless you intend to help her.”

At this, Jiang Caiping immediately shook her head. “She’s no good person—I’m not helping her.”

“Exactly. Stop worrying about things that don’t concern us. Let’s tidy up and get some rest so we aren’t late tomorrow.”

Jiang Caiping agreed. “By the way, Sister, you said earlier you felt unwell and went out for a while. Are you feeling better now?”

Yunyi smiled faintly. “Yes, I’m fine now. It must have been the cold water I drank this morning.”

Relieved, Jiang Caiping said, “That’s good. Be careful not to drink cold water in the future.”

Meanwhile, Chunxiu was complaining bitterly. “Sister, how could you believe her lies and let her go? If the steward hadn’t mentioned he’d bring hot water for us, we wouldn’t have known she sneaked in.”

Ji Rong calmly sifted through the medicinal herbs on the table. “Even if you kept questioning her, would she tell the truth?”

“That doesn’t mean we should just let it slide!” Chunxiu fumed, hands on her hips, itching to drag Zhang Chenyue back. After calming down slightly, she noticed Ji Rong searching around and asked curiously, “What are you looking for, Sister?”

Ignoring her, Ji Rong confirmed that the unfinished tendon-repairing muscle-regenerating powder on the table was untouched. Then she retrieved the notebook hidden in the secret compartment of her dressing box and flipped directly to the last page. Upon seeing the torn corner, her expression darkened, and she hissed coldly, “So she came for this!”

Chunxiu approached, puzzled. When she saw the torn page from Ji Rong’s notebook, she gasped in shock. She remembered that the missing page contained the formula for the tendon-repairing muscle-regenerating powder Ji Rong had painstakingly developed. How could it… have been torn away? Could it be…

She blurted out, “Was it Zhang Chenyue who did it?”

Ji Rong slammed the notebook shut, her gaze icy. “Who else could it be?”

Chunxiu’s eyebrows furrowed angrily. “She has some nerve to steal from you! I told you we shouldn’t have let her go.”

She turned to leave, but Ji Rong stopped her. “Where are you going?”

Chunxiu shot back without turning around, “Obviously, to confront her and get the formula back!”

“No need!” Ji Rong’s words left Chunxiu stunned. Ji Rong should know better than anyone the value of that formula. While it couldn’t replace her role in treating First Young Master’s ailment, it certainly couldn’t fall into Zhang Chenyue’s hands.

Seeing Chunxiu’s confusion, Ji Rong explained, “She won’t give it back to you.”

Upon hearing this, Chunxiu declared, “If she won’t give it back, we’ll take it by force! That formula is the result of your hard work—it can’t benefit her. Then we’ll report her to First Young Master. Even if she doesn’t die, she’ll lose her skin. Let’s see if she dares to pull such underhanded tricks again.”

A sly smile spread across Ji Rong’s face. “Do you really think I’d record the entire formula in my notebook?”

Chunxiu was taken aback. “Isn’t that where it is?”

“The notebook contains only part of the formula. With that alone, no one could recreate the tendon-repairing muscle-regenerating powder. The real formula…” She tapped her temple. “Is here.”