Amid the standoff, someone hurried in to report. The message was that the Marquis of the Xia Family had ordered Yu Ya and Shen Rou to return to the mansion immediately. The Marquis must have already received news of the incident, hence the urgent summons. At the thought of Shen Rou's impending fate, a surge of satisfaction rose in Yu Ya's heart. However, Xia Cheng's wrath was notoriously terrifying, and she couldn't help but worry about what awaited her.
Despite Ru Mei's shrewish demeanor, she was shrewd enough to know that Xia Cheng was the true authority in the Xia Family. Provoking his anger would bring no benefit to her own household. Yu Ya had virtually no room to deny the accusations in front of the gathered noblewomen today. The Xia mansion wasn’t going anywhere—the monk might flee, but the temple remained. Sooner or later, the Xia Family would have to address this matter. Since Xia Cheng already knew, there was no need to rush. For the sake of the family’s reputation and to avoid public censure, the Marquis would surely find a way to compensate them.
Thus, Concubine Ru Mei put on a sorrowful expression and said, "Very well. It seems the Marquis has learned of this matter and summoned the ladies of the Xia Family back for discussion. I am not an unreasonable person. Since Meng’er has yet to wake, we shall discuss this matter slowly once she regains consciousness. By then, I hope the Xia Marquis’s household will provide a clear explanation for Meng’er."
Yu Ya seethed inwardly but responded with a venomous glare, instructing her maid to fetch Shen Rou from the inner chamber. Moments later, Shen Rou emerged, her face deathly pale, and followed the maid out. The two hastily bid farewell to the Prefect’s wife before fleeing in disarray with their maids. Their pitiful state was a far cry from the triumphant air they had arrived with—so much so that they even forgot about Jiang Susu and Jiang Ruan.
However, neither Jiang Susu nor Jiang Ruan were in a position to visit the Xia mansion now.
Though the incident had occurred, it was still early in the day. Unwilling to let a perfectly good gathering be ruined by such an absurd affair, the Prefect’s wife apologized once more and urged everyone not to dwell on the mishap, encouraging them to continue enjoying the flowers and festivities.
The guests, not wanting to dampen the Prefect’s wife’s spirits, obliged verbally. Yet, with such an event having taken place, it was impossible to return to their earlier carefree mood. When the gathering resumed, the topic of conversation was no longer the flowers—nor even the admired "her" or "him." Instead, the Xia Marquis’s scandal became prime fodder for gossip.
Since Guo Meng had yet to wake, the Prefect’s wife had servants keep watch over her. Concubine Ru Mei, however, acted as though she had suffered an immense injustice, weeping and complaining incessantly to the Prefect’s wife. The latter grew increasingly exasperated until she finally promised that the Prefect’s household would also compensate the fifth young lady of the Guo Family. Only then did Ru Mei cease her theatrics.
Time flew by, and before long, the sky began to darken, signaling the time for farewells. When Zhao Jin discussed the matter with Jiang Ruan, she shook her head and remarked, "That Concubine Ru Mei is truly unfit for polite society. Even for a concubine, she’s gone too far. The way she spoke to the Prefect’s wife made her seem like some impoverished relative here to scrounge for favors—grabbing at anything of value. To be so shameless is truly unheard of."
Jiang Ruan smiled and shook her head. Just then, Zhao Yulong and Zhao Feizhou happened to approach. Spotting Jiang Ruan, Zhao Feizhou said, "Cousin, Aunt has asked that you ride back with us in the carriage later. We’ll escort you to the Jiang residence."Yu Ya and Shen Rou fled in panic, but she and Jiang Susu still had to return to the residence. Jiang Ruan nodded. Zhao Yulong watched her with great interest and, without any attempt to avoid impropriety, said, "Cousin, you are truly as clever as ice and snow. Your methods today were truly breathtaking."
"Cousin understands the principle of adding flowers to brocade quite well," Jiang Ruan replied indifferently.
To Zhao Feizhou, these cryptic exchanges between the two sounded utterly confusing. He scratched his head in bewilderment. "What are you two talking about? I don’t understand a word of it."
Zhao Yulong gave Jiang Ruan a deep look. "Regardless, I thank you on behalf of the Zhao family." Though Zhao Yulong was around the same age as Zhao Feizhou, his temperament was far more mature. He had always thought Jiang Ruan’s nature too cold and detached, that her dealings with the General's Residence were more about utility than sentiment. But today, she had stepped in to help. Without Jiang Ruan, it might have been Zhao Feizhou who suffered at the Golden Chrysanthemum Banquet in the end. If Guo Meng had truly entered the Zhao family, who knew what storms she might have stirred up? Jiang Ruan’s willingness to intervene showed that she still held some regard for the Zhao family.
"No need for thanks. The Xia Family was targeting me from the start," Jiang Ruan answered. Why would Yu Ya, who had been perfectly fine, suddenly scheme against the General's Residence? It was simply because she wanted to vent her anger toward Jiang Ruan by taking it out on the Zhao family. With Jiang Xin Zhi far away and beyond the Emperor’s reach, there was no way to act against him directly. Jiang Ruan’s status as a county princess also made Yu Ya somewhat wary. But Zhao Feizhou, simple and straightforward, was an easy target, hence this underhanded plot.
Just as Zhao Yulong was about to say something, a sharp female voice cut in. "Jiang Ruan! Zhao Feizhou!"
The one charging over with an accusatory tone was none other than Guo Meng. Guo Meng was the one with grievances to air—her face had been inexplicably ruined, and upon waking, she had learned of other misfortunes. By now, her feud with Yu Ya was already set in stone, and it was too late to say anything more. Seeing Jiang Ruan upon emerging, how could she not be furious?
Jiang Ruan raised an eyebrow. Two hours had passed, so of course Guo Meng had woken up. But to put on such an act—it seemed the fifth young miss of the Guo family was no smarter than her mother.
Guo Meng stormed up to Jiang Ruan and snapped, "You—you plotted against me! You—"
"Silence!" Another female voice interjected, stern and commanding. Turning, they saw it was the eldest daughter of the Guo family, Guo Xiang.
"It’s you! Were you in on this with them? Did you scheme against me too?" Seeing Guo Xiang, Guo Meng became even more brazen, raising her voice in accusation, her manner somewhat reminiscent of Jiang Li from the Jiang residence.
With a crisp smack , Guo Xiang delivered a swift slap to Guo Meng’s face, stunning everyone present. Guo Xiang’s expression was cold, her voice laced with frost. "This slap is to teach you what should and should not be said."
She then turned to Jiang Ruan. The eldest daughter of the Guo family carried herself with grace and decisiveness. She bowed calmly to Jiang Ruan and said, "My younger sister has behaved improperly. I hope the County Princess will be magnanimous."
"It’s of no consequence," Jiang Ruan replied with a light laugh.
...
After the Golden Chrysanthemum Banquet, everything seemed to return to calm. That day, Jiang Susu did not return in Yao Shi’s carriage. Instead, it was said that some young gentleman had offered his own carriage and insisted on escorting Jiang Susu back to the Jiang residence. For some reason, Jiang Susu had agreed. But the focus of everyone’s discussions was the incident involving the Xia family’s matriarch, leaving Jiang Susu overlooked.On the carriage ride back to the Jiang residence, Yao Shi learned about the events in the woods from Zhao Feizhou and thanked Jiang Ruan once more. However, she couldn't help but ask curiously, "Where did those two maids go?"
The maid by Yu Ya's side and the one who had previously informed on them were nowhere to be found in the end. Jiang Ruan replied, "The informant was originally my maid. As for the maid serving Second Madam Xia, she has been sent to a manor for now and will be expelled from the capital in a few days."
Yao Shi nodded, reassured. However, Zhao Yulong was somewhat skeptical. Jiang Ruan was known for her decisive actions, never leaving any loose ends. Keeping Yu Ya's maid alive was a potential risk, and someone as ruthless as Jiang Ruan wouldn't tolerate such a threat. But since her words were often half-truths, Zhao Yulong couldn't find any evidence and could only keep his doubts to himself.
Upon returning to the residence, Jiang Quan had yet to return. The ladies of the household looked at Jiang Ruan with different expressions, and a bolder servant even pulled Luzhu aside to whisper, "Is the eldest daughter of the Xia family really Second Master Xia's child?"
Luzhu brushed off the question with a few vague words and followed Jiang Ruan back to Ruan Residence. Once inside, they closed the doors, and Lianqiao and Zisu came forward. Lianqiao, ever quick to speak, blurted out, "Miss, the scandal of the Xia family has spread throughout the capital. The master has also heard of it. He ran into Second Miss at the gate when she returned and argued with her. She's now confined to her courtyard in reflection, while the master stormed off in anger."
Jiang Ruan raised an eyebrow. Given the current situation, with such a major scandal involving the Xia family, the Jiang residence, as their in-laws, would naturally come under public scrutiny. Yet Jiang Susu, unaware of the stakes, had returned in another young master's carriage, practically handing gossip fodder to the people. The public would only say that the Xia family's bloodline carried a legacy of impropriety, and Jiang Susu's actions had dragged the Jiang residence into the fire. The Jiang residence was no longer the flourishing household it once was, unable to withstand public ridicule. Even Jiang Quan, who doted on Jiang Susu, couldn't help but feel furious.
Zisu added, "Now the Xia family is utterly disgraced. The eldest daughter of the Xia family will likely be struck from the list of palace candidates."
A child born from an affair between uncle and sister-in-law, with an unclear lineage, naturally couldn't enter the palace. Jiang Ruan lowered her gaze. In her past life, Xia Jiao Jiao had enjoyed great favor in the palace due to Xia Cheng's backing. Though they held the same rank as beauties, their lives were worlds apart. Even though Jiang Ruan posed no threat, Xia Jiao Jiao had constantly harassed her. Now that this self-proclaimed noble daughter of the Xia family had learned she was merely the product of an illicit affair, she must be reeling from the shock.
...
In the Xia Marquis residence, Shen Rou and Xia Tian Cai knelt on the ground, while Xia Tianyi's face was livid with rage. He kicked Shen Rou viciously and spat, "You shameless woman!" His gaze toward Xia Tian Cai was equally venomous.
Xia Cheng held the family law enforcement whip, its thick, pitch-black length gleaming with years of medicinal soaking, making it exceptionally sturdy. Each lash landed with a sharp crack, leaving behind bloody welts on Shen Rou's delicate skin."Stop, please stop!" Shen Rou cried out, her clothes already torn to shreds under the relentless lashes of the whip. Her once delicate and fair skin was now crisscrossed with bloody welts, the gruesome wounds robbing her of any remaining beauty, leaving only a sight that turned the stomach. Xia Cheng paused, panting heavily from exertion after delivering over a dozen lashes.
Xia Tiancai, who had been involved with Shen Rou for years, couldn't bear to see her suffer and was moved by pity. He pleaded with his father, "Father, Rou'er is innocent in this matter. The fault is mine alone. Please don't punish her!"
This only stoked Xia Cheng's fury further. The thought that this worthless son and this shameless daughter-in-law had brought such disgrace upon the Xia Family made him wish he'd never fathered Xia Tiancai at all. Without hesitation, he swung the whip toward his son.
"My lord, no!" came a startled cry as Xia Furen rushed forward, grabbing Xia Cheng's arm. "Tiancai is your own son! How can you bear to strike him so? It was this woman who seduced him. If anything happens to Tiancai today, I won't live either. If you must strike, then strike me too!"
Xia Tianyi, rigid and unyielding by nature, lacked Xia Tiancai's silver tongue and charm—skills honed in the pleasure quarters that had long endeared him to Xia Furen. Though she was furious at Xia Tiancai for his disgraceful actions, seeing him beaten still pained her, and she rushed to his defense.
Witnessing this, Xia Cheng's rage boiled over. "A doting mother ruins the son! A doting mother ruins the son!"
Seeing Xia Tiancai so fiercely defend Shen Rou, Yu Ya, who had been watching the spectacle with amusement, felt a surge of resentment. That lowly woman, even in such a state, still commanded Xia Tiancai's pity. How she wished Xia Cheng had beaten Shen Rou to death!
Xia Tianyi, too, observed his younger brother's behavior with mounting fury. When a man of his cold and unyielding temperament truly harbored malice, the depths of his wrath were beyond anyone's imagination.
Yu Ya's voice trembled with sorrow as she spoke, "Mother, your words are unfair to Eldest Brother. Has anyone spared a thought for his suffering?"
Xia Furen fell silent, and Xia Cheng cast an apologetic glance at his eldest son. Regardless of how this scandal affected the second branch, for the first branch—for Xia Tianyi—it was nothing short of a calamity. The wife he had cherished for years had long cuckolded him, the adulterer being none other than his own younger brother, and he had even raised another man's daughter as his own. For any man, such humiliation was unbearable. Had Xia Cheng been in his place, he might have already taken a blade to the adulterous pair to vent his fury.Xia Tianyi was unlike Xia Tiancai, who was known for his philandering ways. Though his actions were moderate, they were steady, and he had never caused Xia Cheng any trouble since childhood. The only thing that slightly dissatisfied Xia Cheng was Tianyi's excessive doting on Shen Rou. Even though Shen Rou had only borne him a daughter, Xia Tianyi never took a concubine, keeping only the two bedroom maids taken in when Shen Rou was pregnant—their status unchanged to this day. And now, the beloved wife he had spoiled so much had cuckolded him in such a grand manner. One could only imagine Xia Tianyi's feelings. However, Xia Cheng absolutely could not allow Tianyi to kill Tiancai. Knowing he owed his eldest son an apology, he could only vent some of Tianyi's anger by giving Tiancai a brutal whipping.
Just as he was about to act, a young girl's cry rang out in the hall: "Mother! What's wrong with you?"
Xia Jiaojiao had heard from the servants that her mother and second uncle were being whipped by Xia Cheng in the hall. At first, she thought the servants were spreading rumors, as Shen Rou was quite respected in the Xia Family—why would her mother be punished for no reason? Suspicious, she came to see for herself, only to be utterly horrified. Shen Rou was covered in blood, lying on the ground barely alive. Her father, who had always doted on Shen Rou, stood coldly to the side, showing no trace of concern.
As for Xia Tiancai, he had lost his usual debonair demeanor, though his injuries were far less severe than Shen Rou's. He knelt awkwardly on the ground, bearing a few wounds. Xia Cheng held a whip in his hand, his gaze murderous. Terrified, Jiaojiao rushed to Shen Rou's side and sobbed, "Mother, what happened to you?"
Shen Rou weakly lifted her eyes and, recognizing her daughter, struggled to utter a few words: "...Jiaojiao, run away."
"I won't leave!" Jiaojiao cried even harder, glaring at Xia Cheng. "Grandfather, what crime has Mother committed for you to beat her like this? Are you trying to kill her?"
Xia Cheng had no intention of letting Jiaojiao know the truth and said sternly, "Return to your courtyard and stay there!"
"I won't go!" Jiaojiao shrieked, turning to Xia Tianyi, who stood silently to the side. She clung to his leg and wailed, "Father, Grandfather is going to beat Mother to death—are you really going to stand by and do nothing? Father, are you truly so heartless?"
Jiaojiao had always been delicate and beautiful, and her tearful appearance now was pitifully touching. Xia Tianyi had always adored her—when she was born, even though she was a girl, he had felt not the slightest disappointment. From childhood, Jiaojiao had been pampered beyond measure, and Tianyi had never once spoken harshly to her. Normally, seeing her cry like this would have broken his heart. But today, the sight of Jiaojiao's face only reminded him of his beloved wife and his younger brother entangled in bed, igniting a surge of fury within him. Suddenly, Jiaojiao's face seemed utterly repulsive. Before she could comprehend his change in expression, Tianyi kicked her away!Xia Tianyi was a man, and with anger still coursing through him, his kick was delivered with full force, sending Xia Jiao Jiao flying. She crashed into a small porcelain pot of simmering hot soup on the table nearby. Instantly, a piercing scream filled the air as the scalding liquid poured directly over Xia Jiao Jiao’s head. Clutching her face, she writhed on the ground, howling in pain. The boiling soup had no mercy for the delicate skin of a young girl—how could she possibly escape unscathed?
Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events. Shen Rou spat out a mouthful of blood before her vision darkened, and she collapsed unconscious. Xia Tiancai, who doted on Xia Jiao Jiao as his own daughter, was nearly driven mad with rage at the sight. He roared at Xia Tianyi, "Xia Tianyi!"
This outburst from Xia Tiancai finally dispelled the last trace of complicated emotions in Xia Tianyi’s heart. With a cold laugh, his usually rigid face twisted into a sinister smile as he sneered at Xia Jiao Jiao, still screaming and rolling on the ground, "I am not your father. Your father is him—your second uncle! You are the bastard child your mother conceived with some other man. Don’t call me father!"
These words, spat from the mouth of the man who had always doted on Xia Jiao Jiao the most, left not only Xia Tiancai but also Xia Cheng and Xia Furen utterly dumbfounded.
It was unclear whether Xia Jiao Jiao even heard Xia Tianyi’s words, as she continued to clutch her face and wail on the ground. Xia Cheng and Xia Furen felt a chill run down their spines and hastily called for maids to carry Xia Jiao Jiao away, sending out an invitation card to summon a physician. However, everyone could see clearly—the scalding soup had poured over her in such a way that her face was likely ruined beyond repair.
Though Xia Tiancai was heartbroken for Xia Jiao Jiao, he was even more terrified of his elder brother, who had suddenly turned dark and menacing. He dared not say another word. Shen Rou was already unconscious, battered and bruised. Even if she woke to learn of Xia Jiao Jiao’s condition, she would likely wish for death—if she even survived.
Yu Ya watched everything unfold with immense satisfaction. Shen Rou had reaped what she sowed, the bastard child was now disfigured, and Xia Tiancai would at least temporarily refrain from his philandering ways.
With Xia Jiao Jiao’s accident, Xia Furen wailed in despair, Shen Rou hovered between life and death, and Xia Cheng no longer had the heart to continue with the family law enforcement whip. He ordered Xia Tiancai to return to his courtyard to reflect on his mistakes and had Shen Rou carried to a small backroom and locked inside. When Xia Cheng turned to Xia Tianyi, intending to speak, Xia Tianyi merely turned away expressionlessly and left without a word.
Seeing this, Xia Cheng couldn’t help but feel a pang of unease. The calmer Xia Tianyi appeared, the more unsettled Xia Cheng became, fearing that Xia Tianyi might do something extreme in his fury. After all, though Xia Tianyi seemed composed, no man would let such a matter rest easily. Xia Cheng would have preferred if Xia Tianyi had simply beaten Xia Tiancai—but his silence was far more ominous.
After Xia Tianyi left and Xia Tiancai was helped back to his courtyard, only Yu Ya remained in the hall with Xia Cheng. Xia Cheng shot her a cold glare, snorted, and walked away without a word. Yu Ya froze for a moment, assuming Xia Cheng was blaming her for Guo Meng’s misfortune. She hurried after him and said, "Father, I didn’t have anyone harm Guo Meng.""Yu Ya, don't forget your place." Xia Cheng suddenly said this, and seeing Yu Ya's puzzled expression, he coldly added, "Even in death, you remain part of the Xia Family."
...
By evening, Yu Ya finally understood what Xia Cheng had meant by those words.
Because Xia Tian Cai was injured, Xia Furen, deeply distressed, had someone prepare medicine and instructed Yu Ya to take good care of him. Though Yu Ya harbored resentment toward Xia Tian Cai, she still recognized him as her husband and treated him sincerely. Despite her anger, seeing Shen Rou in such a state and Xia Jiao Jiao disfigured had somewhat eased her grievances, leaving her feeling much more at ease. Setting aside past grudges, she brought the medicine to Xia Tian Cai's bedside, intending to personally feed it to him.
Unexpectedly, Xia Tian Cai suddenly knocked the bowl from her hands. Yu Ya froze, and her temper flared instantly. She shrieked, shouting, "Xia Tian Cai!"
"Wretched woman!" Xia Tian Cai glared at her coldly.
Though Xia Tian Cai had always been a womanizer outside, he was naturally gifted with a charming face and sweet words. At home, he had never treated Yu Ya with outright disrespect, maintaining at least a surface-level harmony. Never before had he so shamelessly uttered such harsh words.
"What did you say—" Yu Ya, being hot-tempered and never one to back down, immediately stood up and retorted, "Xia Tian Cai, how dare you scold me when you're the one seducing your own sister-in-law? What right do you have to criticize me?"
"Who are you putting on this act of purity for?" Xia Tian Cai sneered mockingly. "If you want, you can go find Elder Brother too and see if he'd be willing to stroll with you under the moonlight as well?"
"You—how can you be so shameless—" Yu Ya was stunned.
"Hmph," Xia Tian Cai, who seemed to harbor much resentment toward Yu Ya, spat out venomous words: "Aren't you acting like this today just to humiliate Rou'er? Are you satisfied now? Yu Ya, to be honest, if it weren't for your father and dowry back then, I'd rather have married a courtesan than you. What's so great about you? Neither gentle nor charming, just seeing your haughty demeanor every day makes me sick. Do you think giving birth to a son means you can throw your weight around in this household? Let me tell you, your son means nothing to me. I can have many more sons in the future. In my heart, only Jiaojiao is my real daughter..."
"Xia Tian Cai, how could you say such things..." Yu Ya felt as if struck by lightning. After all these years as husband and wife, she was only now realizing what truly lay in her husband's heart.
"You think Father isn't furious about what you've done? Do you think the Xia Marquis's household is someplace you can act recklessly as you please?" Xia Tian Cai said coldly. "As long as you occupy the position of Second Madam Xia, you'd better obey me!"
(End of Chapter)
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