Chapter 185: Fallen to Death
Silence.
Silence was the language of the moment.
Those ladies were like the chrysanthemums in the pots—competing for beauty, yet unable to speak.
The wind made the chrysanthemum petals sway, and the wind made the ladies’ hairpins jingle.
The Prefect’s wife arrived just in time.
She was a slightly plump woman, not very tall, and not particularly good-looking.
Surprisingly, when Jiang Mianmian saw the Prefect’s wife, her first thought was that the Prefect must be a good man; he had not cast aside his wife of humble beginnings, and this plump lady looked like she was living a very comfortable life.
Besides, this was what most normal people looked like, right?
How could one see one beauty who could topple a kingdom, and then another one?
How many kingdoms and cities could there possibly be to topple?
Everyone was worried that Concubine Zhenger would make a scene and refuse to let it go.
Madam Jiang’s actions were very satisfying, but they worried it would be hard to end things.
Concubine Zhenger was no easy character.
Having suffered such humiliation, she would definitely retaliate.
As it turned out, Madam Jiang had knocked the woman unconscious with a single slap.
She must have really fainted; otherwise, given Concubine Zhenger’s personality, she wouldn’t have been too embarrassed to fake a faint.
Seeing the Prefect’s wife, Qin Luoxia said with some embarrassment, “I apologize for ruining a few of your pots of flowers.”
The Prefect’s wife looked at the shape of a person pressed into the flowers and felt a little like laughing.
She pursed her lips, forcing herself to hold it back.
She put on a solemn expression and waved her hand, “It is of no consequence.”
She was also sick and tired of such noble concubines, but for the sake of appearances, she still had to entertain them.
Watching people take Concubine Zhenger away, Qin Luoxia kept the three girls behind.
“Xiu’er, Mian’er, Mi’er, come here. Follow Auntie Qin, and Auntie Qin will take you to play.”
The three girls were very surprised. This lady had actually dared to hit Concubine Zhenger, and she even knew their names.
She must be the Madam Jiang their Mother spoke of—the very formidable Madam Jiang.
If they went back with Concubine Zhenger, they would definitely be punished.
The girls were timid but not stupid; instinctively, they followed the formidable person and obediently called out, “Hello, Auntie Qin.”
Jiang Mianmian reached out and held the hand of the youngest girl.
“Hello, Sister Mi’er, my name is Mianmian.”
Mi’er’s palms were sweating with nervousness as she cautiously gripped the other girl’s hand.
The other girl was dressed so beautifully and exquisitely, and she was so good-looking—a hundred times prettier than Concubine Zhenger.
Father had said Concubine Zhenger was a celestial beauty, so what was something a hundred times prettier than a celestial beauty?
After Qin Luoxia finished apologizing, she had Pang Ya bring over the things she was carrying and present them to the Prefect’s wife.
Although the Prefect’s wife felt that Madam Jiang’s behavior was very refreshing, it was also a bit reckless and disregarded the consequences; it was too fierce and too rash.
Seeing her offer a gift, she smiled politely.
As it turned out, the little chubby girl lifted the black cloth, and underneath was actually a pot of black chrysanthemums.
They were blooming exceptionally beautifully, with each petal distinct and growing vigorously.
The Prefect’s wife excitedly stepped forward and examined them closely.
“Did this mutate, and then you cultivated it?”
Qin Luoxia nodded.
“It’s grown so well. I’ve seen mutated flower plants before, but they are very difficult to raise to maturity.”
Qin Luoxia smiled and said, “Mutated flower plants are out of place with other flowers, but with careful tending, they can also grow into their most beautiful form.”
The Prefect’s wife truly loved chrysanthemums.
She simply could not put this pot of flowers down.
“Such a fine flower is likely one of a kind; I am unworthy of receiving it.”
“If you like it, then it is precious. If no one cares for it, it is just like weeds by the roadside.”
The Prefect’s wife nodded happily.
The more she looked at Madam Jiang, the more she liked her. Not only did she do things in a grand manner, but her words were also interesting; the more one pondered them, the more insightful they seemed.
With just a pot of flowers, Madam Jiang, who had knocked out Official Yu’s noble concubine, became a guest of honor for the Prefect’s wife.
The other ladies naturally welcomed her with smiling faces.
Some praised the beauty of the chrysanthemums.
Some praised Madam Jiang’s beautiful clothing.
Some praised the beauty of the young Miss Jiang.
The air was filled with words of praise.
Even Madam Yu’s three daughters received smiles and praise.
It was completely different from the cold, mocking, and judgmental looks they usually saw. So, it turned out that these ladies, whose tongues were like knives, could also speak words as sweet as honey.
For a time, everyone was harmonious.
No one mentioned the unconscious Concubine Zhenger.
No one dared to gossip about the recent rumors in the Prefecture City, about wrong fates or anything of the sort.
Even Lady Liu, who usually had the persona of being the most outspoken, kept her mouth tightly shut today.
After all, no one wanted to be knocked out and sent away.
This Madam Jiang was truly fierce.
When they hit a lowly maid at home, their hands would hurt, and the maid could still cover her face, like a lute-player hiding behind the instrument, and go cry and act coquettishly to the master.
Madam Jiang simply knocked the person unconscious; coquetry was non-existent.
Madam Jiang’s personality was truly enviable.
Whenever they felt the urge to kill at home, thinking of a hundred ways to kill those lowly maids, they still had to say with their mouths, “Sister, you have worked hard, thank you for taking care of the master for me…”
It was said that the Jiang Family had no concubines of any kind.
Madam Jiang overcame all force with her own strength; with this kind of demeanor, even if Lord Jiang were a devastating beauty, he wouldn’t dare to have any wandering heart.
The host and guests were all delighted.
The ladies also set aside their prejudices.
Although they were all from the Rebels who had been granted amnesty, this Madam Jiang seemed very worth befriending.
Everyone looked down on Madam Yu; firstly, she was tactless, and secondly, they despised her for being manipulated by a concubine.
If you don’t stand up for yourself and let your legitimate daughter stand before a concubine to follow rules, it’s ridiculous and laughable. Who could help you? No one could interfere in your family affairs.
Seeing that the few girls had been taught to be reticent, at least they knew how to read the room, and their gazes were still relatively upright. If they had really been taught that set of things by the concubine, and had the air of a courtesan about them, who would dare to marry them back home as a legitimate wife in the future? They would inevitably end up being sent away as concubines.
“Madam Jiang, your complexion is truly good. You don’t look at all like someone who has given birth to three children. Do you have some secret recipe? The facial cleanser you gave me is also very easy to use,” one lady praised.
Another lady did the same, touching her own face and feeling it was a bit loose, while Madam Jiang’s face was firm and taut, just like a young girl’s.
Qin Luoxia smiled and said, “There are some secret recipes. My little daughter is naturally fond of tinkering with these things. The facial cleanser is something she tinkered out; it can make people’s skin whiter when used for washing. She also made facial masks, serums, and so on. In short, it’s very troublesome, you just apply it to your face. I used to do a lot of farm work and wasn’t fair-skinned, but I was forced into looking like this by her.”
Jiang Mianmian put on a sweet, silly smile.
Mother, you really know how to show off; complaining-style bragging is still bragging.
“I don’t know if someone found out that these secret recipes were created by my little daughter and some people with ulterior motives wanted them—after all, everyone desires to be beautiful—but spreading those messy rumors is hateful. If you ladies have time, come to our residence next time, and I will let you try them,” Qin Luoxia said very naturally.
“Yes, it is too hateful.”
“Their intentions are punishable.”
“Then we will wait for Madam Jiang’s invitation, and I will bring my daughter along when the time comes.”
The ladies were all incredibly enthusiastic.
When it was time to leave, the Prefect’s wife pulled Qin Luoxia aside and said, “Sister Luo Xia, next time I will invite you to my home for a visit. There are too many people this time, and we couldn’t chat to our heart’s content. Don’t worry, my Old Zhou also doesn’t like that person surnamed Yu. If you go back and your Lord Jiang punishes you, just come and find me, and say that I told you to hit her.”
Hearing this, Jiang Mianmian thought this Prefect’s wife was truly likeable.
She couldn’t help but step forward, hug the Prefect’s wife’s leg, and say, “Auntie, come to my house to play. My house has delicious things.”
The Prefect’s wife’s children were all grown up, and her grandchildren weren’t this good at acting spoiled.
She liked this little beauty, Jiang Mianmian, who could hug legs, immensely.
Even as she left, she was reluctant to part, and she gave the little girl a string of glass and jade beads to hang around her neck, which was incredibly beautiful.
Awoo.
“Thank you, Auntie.”
Jiang Mianmian rubbed her head against the Prefect’s wife’s plump tummy. It was very soft.
Qin Luoxia rode in the carriage to personally take the three girls home.
Inside the carriage, The Eldest Miss, Xiu’er, suddenly knelt down and kowtowed to Qin Luoxia, saying, “Auntie, please save my Mother. My Father said that as long as Concubine Zhenger suffered even the slightest injury, he would beat my Mother.”
“Mother cannot beat Father. This time, Concubine Zhenger is so heavily injured, my Mother will be beaten to death.”
“Can you help us take Mother out and send us back to the countryside? We used to live in the countryside; we had a manor, and we could do whatever we wanted. Mother would farm, and the beans were delicious.” Mian’er also knelt down and said.
“That Concubine Zhenger always punishes us, saying we said the wrong things, making us kneel. Father doesn’t care; Father is very fierce.”
“Father says he wants a son, and we are all money-losing goods. Concubine Zhenger says that once she gives birth to a son, she will kick us out.”
“Auntie Qin, my Father is really very fierce. You must be careful. Concubine Zhenger will definitely say she is pregnant when she goes back, and she might frame you for causing her to miscarry. Last time she framed Mi’er for pushing her, and Father kicked Mi’er flying with one kick. Mi’er’s stomach still hurts even now.”
Sitting next to Jiang Mianmian, five or six-year-old Mi’er foolishly lifted her clothes, and sure enough, there was a bruise on her stomach.
The few little girls, as if at a grievance-airing meeting, seized the time to speak before Qin Luoxia.
They were worried about being beaten again once sent back.
They were also worried about their Mother getting beaten.
It shocked Jiang Mianmian to hear it.
She felt lucky that she had transmigrated into a normal family; this Father was too terrifying.
Qin Luoxia pulled the three children to her and said, “It’s fine. I will send you back, and I guarantee you won’t get beaten, and your Mother will be fine too.”
The girls still didn’t believe her.
Especially the eldest, Xiu’er.
When she was sent into the Yu residence, her struggling gaze and the way she kept looking back were just like a little deer being sent into a tiger’s mouth—bewildered, terrified, and yet somewhat unwilling.
Even until the door closed, those eyes were still so shocking.
Jiang Mianmian couldn’t help but grab onto the carriage curtain.
She turned back and asked Mother, “Is it really going to be okay?”
Qin Luoxia pulled her little daughter into her arms and gently stroked her head, saying, “It’s fine. If Mother says it’s fine, then it must be fine. Don’t worry.”
That night, Official Yu did not return. He went to investigate a case, accidentally fell off a cliff, and died from the fall.
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