A Dream within a Dream

She looked at Jiang Ruan: "Eldest Miss, you've won! I can't compete with you."

Jiang Ruan remained silent as Second Madam let out a desolate laugh. She was wrong—she had brought this upon herself. She had ruined her own maternal family and her childhood sweetheart's entire life, caused her daughter's tragic death in the residence of Lord Jiang, and her own incompetence, combined with being manipulated, had led to the downfall of the entire Minister's household!

But was she the only one at fault?

As a concubine-born daughter, she had no say in choosing her husband—only to be gifted away by her father like an object. In the household, she was suppressed by the principal wife while competing for favor with other concubines. Her only daughter was doomed to bear the same "concubine-born" stigma forever! All she wanted was a better life for her daughter. She fought desperately, stole another's marriage fate, only for the retribution to fall upon her child. When she sought to perish together with the true culprit, she ended up dragging down the entire Li family.

Now, she had become the universally despised sinner. Yes, she was wrong—but she had been forced into it!

Second Madam clawed at her hair in breakdown. The once meticulously styled locks now tumbled loose in disarray, leaving her disheveled like a madwoman—no trace remained of her former sharp-witted beauty. Absently stroking her long hair with unfocused eyes, she murmured, "Lier, don't be afraid. Mother will take you home now."

Her expression had already lost all clarity.

Some present were moved, sighing inwardly. Hu Qianqiu and Minister Li, however, only grew more disgusted. Zhao Yuanfeng instinctively glanced at Jiang Ruan's expression, expecting to find some emotion—only to see her face remain impassive. Though her lips curved slightly, her eyes held not a shred of extra feeling. As if nothing in this world could move her.

Zhao Yuanfeng sighed inwardly. Judging by her demeanor today, she couldn't have been completely unaware of these events—perhaps his niece had even played a part. He'd long known Jiang Ruan's heart was like stone, but such coldness was still shocking. Other girls her age were like blooming flowers, laughing and playing daily, yet his niece remained utterly unperturbed—as if... as if she were an old woman who'd lived many lifetimes. Zhao Yuanfeng shook his head, wondering if anyone could ever open her heart.

......

The Zhao family had specifically instructed Ke Xiuran, who naturally spared no effort in publicizing the case widely. Within a single day, the entire capital knew Jiang Ruan had been falsely imprisoned. Not only that—every detail spread rapidly. Hu Qianqiu and Second Madam's past affair was exposed for all to see, making the cuckold's hat upon Jiang Quan's head shine ever greener.

Yet no one pitied Jiang Quan. From Jiang Ruan's imprisonment to release, her father Lord Jiang had never once visited her—nor had he appeared during the court proceedings. People always sympathized with the underdog. They'd seen the Princess of Great Peace rising steadily in status amid splendor, never imagining she'd endured such torment in the Jiang household. Truly pitiable.Second Madam was sentenced to immediate execution, scheduled for beheading at the Meridian Gate the following day. Such swift and decisive action showed Ke Xiuran's deep involvement in the matter. Naturally, after Hu Qianqiu was dismissed from office, Ke Xiuran took over as the head of the Imperial Censorate. Moreover, nearly half of the officials in the Censorate were implicated in Hu Qianqiu's crimes. After this extensive purge, the Censorate was completely reshuffled, with none of Hu Qianqiu's former associates remaining. The newly appointed officials completely transformed the Censorate's old structure, marking the end of decades of stagnation and ushering in a new era—though this is a story for later.

As for the Li family, apart from Minister Li, whose heinous crimes warranted execution, the rest of the family saw no reason to remain in the capital and chose to relocate entirely, leaving behind even Minister Li and Second Madam, who were still imprisoned.

Before leaving, Minister Li had inquired about Li Qiang's whereabouts, but Li Qiang had vanished without a trace. Knowing his son's fate was likely grim, Minister Li fainted once again.

Back in the Jiang residence, news of Second Madam's fate eventually made its way inside.

With a clatter, Jiang Dan's porcelain cup slipped from her grasp, shattering on the floor as tea splashed everywhere. A maid hurriedly knelt to clean up the mess. Jiang Dan asked urgently, "The Minister's residence was raided?"

The maid had already relayed all the events outside in detail, so she simply repeated, "Yes." But Jiang Dan seemed not to hear her, her expression distant and dazed.

The maid always felt an inexplicable fear toward her mistress and dared not say more. She quickly gathered the broken pieces and hurried out to fetch a cloth to wipe the spilled tea.

Jiang Dan stared blankly at the large puddle on the floor, her mind replaying the news she had just heard.

The Li residence had been raided. Second Madam was sentenced to immediate execution. Minister Li was to be executed. The Li family's descendants met tragic fates. Even Hu Qianqiu had been stripped of his position. And Li Qiang was missing.

Though Jiang Dan had long suspected Second Madam would never outmaneuver Jiang Ruan, she hadn't expected Jiang Ruan's methods to be so ruthless—striking in a way that dragged the entire Li family down with her. A shiver of fear ran down Jiang Dan's spine. If Jiang Ruan could do this to Second Madam, what would happen if she ever learned about that incident from the past? A chill crept over her, cold sweat trickling down her back.

Jiang Dan abruptly stood up. Jiang Ruan was too dangerous. As long as Jiang Ruan lived, she posed a constant threat. The only options were to eliminate Jiang Ruan immediately or enter the palace as soon as possible—and then, slowly, remove her.

Her eyes narrowed, her nails digging deep into her palms.

...

Because of Second Madam's fate, when Jiang Ruan returned to the residence, the servants' gazes carried a faint trace of fear. Jiang Ruan pretended not to notice. Old Madam Jiang's death had been unexpected, and the household was busy arranging the funeral. Everyone was dressed in mourning white—a color Jiang Ruan had always despised, yet now she had no choice but to don the plain white robes.

According to the customs of the Da Jin Dynasty, when an elder in the family passed away, daughters who had come of age had to observe a year of mourning before marriage could be discussed. At Jiang Ruan's age, she should have been betrothed by now, but with Old Madam Jiang's death, all the daughters in the household had to observe the mourning period, delaying their marriage prospects. Except for Jiang Dan, whose portrait had already been submitted and could not be withdrawn, Jiang Ruan and Jiang Susu's marriage arrangements had to be put on hold.Zisu and the others were truly worried about this matter, but Jiang Ruan herself didn't seem too concerned. The only woman in the mansion who could make decisions now was Hong Ying, but Hong Ying was currently focused on securing the position of the Jiang family's matriarch. Moreover, as merely a concubine, she neither had the authority nor the inclination to concern herself with Jiang Ruan's marriage prospects. When Old Madam Jiang was still around, she might have given it some thought, but with her gone, no one in the Jiang household would pay attention to whether Jiang Ruan could be properly matched.

As for her father, Jiang Quan, he would only consider her marriage as a bargaining chip for exchange. From this perspective, observing filial mourning might not be such a bad thing after all.

Luzhu pushed the door open and entered. "Second Madam is to be executed at the market square at noon today. Young Miss..." She hesitated before continuing, "Would you like to go?"

Zisu frowned. "Such a filthy spectacle would only taint Young Miss's eyes."

"Let's go take a look," Jiang Ruan said. "After all, we had some ties. It's only right to see her off." Two lifetimes of connection—that was no shallow bond.

...

The market square was packed with onlookers. The woman bound with ropes and kneeling on the ground was dressed in filthy rags, her hair matted with grime and rotten vegetable leaves—angry citizens often expressed their fury at prisoners this way.

"Disgraceful! How dare she collude with her lover to harm the princess!"

"Exactly! She was never from a decent family to begin with. Didn’t you see the Minister’s residence was raided?"

"Serves her right. Like mother, like daughter. That shameless physician’s wife from the other day was probably raised the same way."

Amid the clamor, the woman in prisoner’s garb lifted her head, revealing a face marred with stains, though traces of her former beauty lingered. Her gaze, however, was utterly vacant, her lips curled in a foolish grin, drool dripping down her chin. She muttered to herself, so quietly that only the executioner sharpening his blade nearby could hear. She was saying: "Li'er, Mother will take you to buy new clothes."

The executioner curled his lip in disdain, his eyes filled with contempt.

In the crowd at the market square, Luzhu and Tianzhu flanked Jiang Ruan, shielding her from the jostling masses. Jiang Ruan lifted her veil and looked at the murmuring woman.

Second Madam, now reduced to this pitiful, demented state, bore no resemblance to the shrewd and beautiful woman she once was. Though in truth, Second Madam had never been particularly clever, in her past life, Jiang Ruan had envied Jiang Li—because Jiang Li had such a formidable mother, a concubine-born daughter who lived more comfortably than the legitimate one.

When Jiang Ruan was young, Zhao Mei had still been the nominal matriarch of the Jiang household, though the title was hollow. Xia Yan was gentle and always meticulous, never giving others a handle to use against her. Second Madam, however, had sensed Jiang Quan’s dislike for Zhao Mei and relentlessly bullied the mother and her three children.

In her youth, Second Madam had been domineering, privately intimidating Jiang Ruan many times. The woman she had once feared had now come to such an end. Reborn, Jiang Ruan realized that those who had seemed formidable were nothing more than paper tigers.

She had noticed the change in Second Madam’s behavior after her confinement was lifted. Jiang Dan had merely used her as a tool, but Second Madam also had old grievances with Jiang Ruan. Before being imprisoned, Jiang Ruan had written a letter overnight—detailing the years of corruption, bribery, and networking by Minister Li Dexing.In her past life, the Li family had ultimately sought refuge under Ye Li's wing. Given the marital ties between the Li and Jiang families, Ye Li was more than willing to extend his patronage. However, Ye Li had a particular habit—contrary to his outward appearance of trusting those he employed, he would thoroughly investigate anyone under his command, ensuring he held their weaknesses in his grasp as a safeguard against unforeseen circumstances.

The misdeeds of Li Dexing had once passed through her hands, so she remembered them clearly. As for Hu Qianqiu, his downfall wasn't specifically targeted at Second Madam. Originally aligned with Ye Hua's faction, Hu Qianqiu had switched sides to Ye Li when the tides turned. Nearly half of the Imperial Censorate later became Ye Li's men. The Censorate held significant sway in court, especially in major cases involving officials. By removing Hu Qianqiu now, the Censorate would undergo a reshuffling, effectively cutting off what could have been a crucial asset for Ye Li in the future.

The Li family, Hu Qianqiu—Ye Li's future wings—were being clipped by her now. She wondered if Ye Li's path to the throne would remain smooth hereafter. As for Second Madam, she was merely collateral damage. But Jiang Ruan felt no sympathy. In this world, no one truly pitied another. In her past life, while she had met a tragic end, Second Madam had thrived in the Jiang household, leveraging her ties with the Li family and Ye Li. Though not as favored as Xia Yan, she had still climbed over Jiang Ruan's bones to rise higher.

If even the Jiang family, who had paved their path with her blood, showed no remorse, why should she soften her heart toward a former enemy?

As the execution time approached, it was customary for prisoners to receive final farewells from loved ones. Second Madam was no orphan, yet not a single soul came to see her off today. Jiang Li had already preceded her to the underworld, the Li family had relocated, and as for Jiang Quan—after being cuckolded by Second Madam, he would sooner kick her in anger than mourn her departure. That he hadn't done so already was mercy enough.

Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, a figure stepped forward gracefully, dressed in plain robes and a veiled hat, her demeanor poised and unruffled. The crowd gradually quieted, watching this unexpected woman approach.

She stopped before the prisoner and lifted her veil, revealing a strikingly beautiful face. Those who recognized her gasped: "It's the Princess of Great Peace!"

The Princess of Great Peace! The common folk were quick to speculate, and whispers erupted at once: "Why would the Princess come here?"

"Such compassion! Even after all the harm this vile woman caused her, the Princess still comes to bid her farewell. How rare!"

"Truly the sister of the God of War. Such grace isn't something just anyone can muster."

Jiang Ruan turned to the executioner with a faint smile. "Brother, may I have a word with my family's concubine?"

The executioner, stunned by her beauty and flustered by her polite address, blushed and stammered, "Of course, Your Highness." He stepped aside to give her space.

Jiang Ruan knelt before Second Madam. Luzhu quickly retrieved a clean, damp cloth from a basket and began wiping the prisoner's face. Bound hand and foot, Second Madam could only writhe helplessly.

Once her face was cleaned, Jiang Ruan looked at her and said softly, "Auntie, you look much better this way. Otherwise, how would your old acquaintances recognize you in the afterlife?"Second Madam had been in a dazed, foolish state, but upon hearing Jiang Ruan's words, her body trembled slightly. Jiang Ruan leaned down, her lips brushing against Second Madam's ear, and whispered softly, "Second Madam should also taste the bitterness my mother once endured." She continued, "Whether you're mad or not, you'll understand what I mean."

Looking down at the prisoner cowering on the ground, the malice in her tone even made Tianzhu, standing nearby, shudder involuntarily. Jiang Ruan's gaze darkened in an instant, deep and unfathomable like a bottomless whirlpool. She said, "You must know about what happened back then. Everyone in the Jiang family knew. Look how wicked they were—they killed my mother just like that."

"My elder brother, and me... The Jiang family loved stepping over the blood of us three to climb higher. Now it's time for the Jiang family to taste that bitterness themselves."

"Second Madam and Third Sister will be the first to descend to the underworld. And the Old Madam—when you meet down there, do greet each other. But don't be in too much of a hurry; you should at least wait for the rest of the Jiang family to join you."

(End of Chapter)