3 Chapter 3
Before the fragrance faded, she insisted on smelling it clearly.
Chapter Three
The second wife mentioned by Granny Li was none other than Liu Qingqing's stepmother, Madam Ying, whose real name was Ying Yun. Madam Ying was the current mistress of the Liu household and also the half-sister of Liu Qingqing's mother, Ying Yi.
Yingyi was kind-hearted. Because her family had arranged a bad marriage for her half-sister, she felt sorry for her sister and took her into the mansion to find her another husband. Little did she expect that she would be inviting a wolf into the house!
Before her sister could even choose a suitable husband for herself, Yingyun had already set her sights on her gentle and refined brother-in-law, Liu Xu!
Liu Xu was extremely gentle, even to the point of being indecisive. His kind nature and easygoing nature made him a perfect prey for Xiao Ying, who seized the opportunity.
Even though the Liu family punished a group of servants who knew the truth back then, the truth could not be kept forever, and now there are still people who know how the current Madam Liu rose to power.
Their methods were incredibly ruthless.
While her elder sister was unconscious from a cold, Lady Ying seduced her brother-in-law and they committed illicit acts by the bedside in the main room. Their wanton singing woke her sister. Lady Ying was utterly shocked, but when she saw what her husband was doing with someone, she clutched her chest and vomited blood.
As for that young Ying, after finishing what she did, she actually had the nerve to rush to her elder sister's bedside, cling to her hand, and pitifully weep about how difficult it was for her, saying she didn't want to do it, but she had no choice. Since her sister was nearing her end, it wouldn't be a bad thing to give her brother-in-law to her; she would definitely treat her sister's children as her own.
Da Ying never expected that her beloved younger sister, whom she had cherished since childhood and had planned for with all her heart, would be so shameless. She stared wide-eyed, unable to catch her breath, and vomited blood, dying of anger! She died with her eyes wide open, unable to rest in peace!
The scene was so horrific that Liu Xu trembled with shock and hid himself, too ashamed to show his face. Feeling guilty towards his wife, he confined himself to the courtyard, spending his days in a drunken stupor.
After the funeral, Xiao Ying humbled herself and was able to bend and stretch. Every day outside Liu Xu's courtyard, she poured out her love for him. She even fainted several times with a pale face, which made Liu Xu feel sorry for her and waver. In the end, he couldn't help but open the courtyard gate.
Just then, the imperial physician discovered that Xiao Ying was pregnant. Having taken the girl's body and gotten her pregnant, Liu Xu had no choice but to marry her.
Only then did Xiao Ying manage to rise to power as a concubine's daughter.
Less than a year later, Xiao Ying gave birth to the third young lady of the Liu family. Liu Xu was overjoyed and named her Liu Qingying.
But this bastard is only three years younger than Liu Qingqing!
Liu Qingying was indeed a descendant of Xiao Yingshi. From a young age, she knew how to act coquettishly and feign infatuation, and was adept at saying one thing to someone's face and another behind their back. She could make her father and brothers feel incredibly happy and give them whatever they wanted.
She always cried in front of Liu Qingqing, pitifully apologizing to her sister for stealing the affection of their father and brother. Gradually, even Liu Qingqing's own brother, Liu Yuanzhou, began to dislike her. First, he felt that she was not kind enough to others, and later he disliked her for being intolerant.
Since Liu Qingqing and Xie Lang's marriage was arranged, Madam Ying had been living a peaceful life for quite some time. This sudden visit from her doorstep didn't surprise Granny Li; she only sensed the aggressive nature of the visitor.
Her round face was filled with anxiety, her narrow, willow-leaf eyes bulged, and she gritted her teeth in hatred. That venomous woman had never been kind; she was sure she was up to something again! She secretly cursed herself for being so powerless; why couldn't she help her mistress pin that person down?
She kept these things from her mistress, afraid of offending her ears! The mistress only knew that her aunt treated her badly, but she didn't know why. Later, as time went by, she stopped asking.
Just as Granny Li had guessed, Madam Ying's visit this time was not well-intentioned. At this moment, she was in the flower hall instructing the steward, "Make sure it is done well, without the slightest mistake."
Just then, Liu Qingying ran in and snuggled into her mother's arms, her face full of innocent charm. "What did Mother ask the housekeeper to do?"
The following year, Liu Qingying was a fifteen-year-old young lady. Now, Madam Ying does not keep her daughter away from managing household affairs; instead, she guides her to learn from her.
Xiao Ying let her daughter stay in her arms, tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear, tapped her forehead, and sighed softly.
"You, still acting like a child with your mother, aren't you ashamed?"
Liu Qingying was not ashamed and hugged her mother's waist, swaying back and forth.
Xiao Ying asked again, "Your father is going to arrange a marriage for you. Have you taken a liking to any of the young men that your mother mentioned before?"
Liu Qingying's eyes flickered, and she felt quite disgusted when she thought of those people. She asked her mother in confusion, "Why is it that the man Father chose for me is not as handsome and refined as my brother-in-law? Is it because my status is not as noble as my sister's?"
How could a child from a second marriage compare to the daughter of the first wife? Liu Qingying was listless.
Madam Ying, who had been gently swaying her daughter in her arms, immediately turned serious upon hearing these words; it was as if a sword had been thrust into her heart. She grasped Liu Qingying's shoulders and looked into her eyes, "What do you mean by that, my son?"
Liu Qingying lowered her eyes and remained silent, but the blush on her face and her damp eyelashes clearly betrayed her thoughts.
Ms. Ying was shocked, but then she calmed down and hugged her daughter even tighter.
Liu Qingqing was simply unworthy of someone as noble as the Xie family and as stunningly talented as Xie Lang. Since her daughter desired him, she would certainly plan carefully for her. But her daughter could not follow in her footsteps. She had to think carefully to ensure her daughter's marriage was absolutely secure.
Having driven her elder sister to her death and made her the mistress of the Liu household, Madam Ying knew this wasn't a victory. She wouldn't be at peace until she had given birth to a son. Yet, over the years, she had conceived several children, but none had come to fruition!
After coaxing the person out to play with a few more words, Madam Ying immediately summoned her trusted head maid, Ju Huan, and whispered something in her ear. After watching the person leave, she went to the storeroom alone.
The situation was pressing, and she couldn't help but recall the secrets she had heard before.
The warehouse was dimly lit, the wooden doors creaked, and sunlight revealed the dust. A musty smell emanated from it; Xiao Ying rolled up her handkerchief to cover her nose and glanced around with disgust.
After she married the master, she naturally collected her elder sister's dowry. Over the years, she has not been able to find anything left by her elder sister!
Before her elder sister got married, she clearly overheard the old lady telling her to protect it, saying that it could protect her for life.
The old Taoist priest said that whoever possesses the Phoenix Destiny must keep it safe.
Where is it hidden? And what is it?
Xiao Yingshi, her expression gloomy and fierce, gripped her handkerchief tightly.
She could accept her fate, but she had to think about her daughter's future.
If we find one, let alone Xie Lang, what kind of man could my daughter not want?
Phoenix destiny, the ruler of all under heaven.
Her good daughter deserves the best; she could even be the queen of the powerful regent.
If she can't find it, wouldn't all those years of her life have been wasted?
Suddenly, with a loud thud, Xiao Ying was startled and turned around in a panic. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it was a book that had fallen.
Clutching his chest, he pointed around and cursed viciously, "They're all dead, just inanimate objects. What do you think I'm afraid of?!"
After Xiao Ying searched around again without finding anything and left, a rustling sound stirred up a cloud of dust in the storeroom, and then everything returned to calm.
Thinking of the grand gift she had prepared for Liu Qingqing tonight, the burning heat in Xiao Ying's chest subsided. Even if Liu Qingqing was unwilling, she hadn't yet secured her husband's affections, so what could she, the mistress of the house, do now?
What's more, she has prepared some good things for Liu Qingqing today!
On her way, Liu Qingqing was on her way to pay her respects to the old lady and return to the Liu residence when she ran into Xia, the old lady's maid. Xia was a very kind person, and upon seeing Liu Qingqing, she hurried over to greet her, saying that the old lady had something to attend to today and that Liu Qingqing should not worry about it.
Liu Qingqing then said that she was going back to the Liu family mansion. Granny Xia was very kind and told Liu Qingqing to go without worry, as she would tell the old lady.
After getting into the carriage, Liu Qingqing looked around.
This was a carriage prepared specifically for her by the Marquis's residence, and its frame was no different from Liu Xu's.
The horses' hooves clattered as they passed through the long street. Only then did Liu Qingqing have a moment to take out the letter she had stuffed into her inner garment, while the cries of street vendors filled the air.
Because of the dampness beside the orchid pot, many of the words had become blurred and illegible. Liu Qingqing looked again at the sentence that had just bothered her—"I know this marriage is not what you wanted, but…she…don't think about anything else. Living a good life with your new bride is the most important thing."
The characters, written in delicate small regular script, were barely legible on a single page.
The letter that fell into Xie Lang's study...
The marriage didn't go as he wished?
Don't think about anything else? What are these other things? And who is the "she" in the letter?
The mystery of the past month has been solved. Is Xie Lang not consummating his marriage with her because he has someone else in his heart?
Liu Qingqing remained silent for a moment to calm herself down. Suddenly, a commotion and shouting came from ahead. It turned out that two carriages had collided, and the coachman had to take a detour. When Li Mama heard the noise not far away, she quickly let go of the carriage curtain and lowered it.
Before Liu Qingqing could ask, Granny Li whispered, "We'll be passing by the dyeing workshop on our detour. Please sit still and don't lift the curtain, lest you offend your eyes and ears."
Ranjinfang was the best place in the capital to squander money. It was a famous gambling den in the city. Yicuilou was also located on this street. In the previous dynasty, high-ranking officials and nobles loved to come here. Now that the new dynasty has been established, it is much quieter than usual, but it has been gradually regaining popularity recently.
Liu Qingqing was preoccupied and had no interest in such things.
Passing through the Golden Street, the strong, pungent scent of cosmetics filled the air. Among the mingled fragrances, there was one that resembled the one from Xie Lang's study just now. Liu Qingqing sniffed, immediately lifted the curtain, and hurriedly ordered the coachman, "Back to the manor."
After a slight pause, the driver quickly turned the car around and drove back.
The journey back to the manor was smooth. Before entering, Liu Qingqing asked the gatekeeper, "Has the master gone out?"
The servant hurriedly replied, "I did not see the master leave the mansion."
Xie Lang had dazzled her today, but as much as she desired him, she absolutely couldn't let herself be infected with those lewd diseases. If that were to happen, forget about consummating the marriage; she would bring him two younger sisters tomorrow, and he could do whatever he wanted.
Without saying a word, Liu Qingqing walked towards the study in the front yard, determined to smell the fragrance clearly before it dissipated.
[Author's Note]
Qingqing: No matter how pretty it is, I don't want it if it's not clean!
Xie Lang: ...
Next chapter preview: "I almost forgot to present the moon to the lady."
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Liu Xiyue and Xie Lanchuan have been inseparable since childhood and share a deep affection for each other. Their families have long since tacitly approved of their marriage.
But a sudden tragedy struck; Xie Lanchuan was seriously injured and fell into a coma while protecting her.
When he woke up again, he was still the same gentle and refined gentleman, but he had forgotten how to love her.
He treated her as well as ever, but he could no longer reciprocate her deep affection.
A winter and summer passed in the blink of an eye, and he suddenly became cold and distant towards her, saying, "I can't mislead you like this. You should find a gentleman who truly loves you."
Instead of always being sad and heartbroken beside him.
He truly loves her? If it's not him, who else could it be?
She said, "I don't care."
“But I care,” he repeated softly, “I care.”
Later, she fell, her dress soaked with blood, and asked a servant to fetch him to come and get her. He didn't come, and even after the blood had congealed and dawn had broken, he still hadn't arrived.
That night was truly cold, just like his heart. She decided to follow his wishes and give him freedom, obeying the arrangements of her elders to travel far away to the south of the Yangtze River to clear his mind.
Xie Lanchuan heard that the Liu family was already looking for a husband for her, including a newly rich man like General Fu and the young master Li from the Grand Tutor's mansion, both of whom were good families.
She had already been wasted by him, and it was only right that this happened. But why did he feel so distressed when she was boating on the lake with others?
Their reunion took place at a spring banquet. Liu Xiyue, having been poisoned by an evil drug, stumbled and fled into an empty hall. Hearing someone following her, she turned around abruptly and saw it was him.
With her last bit of strength, she slammed the door shut, her voice shrill, "Don't come any closer!"
He bit his lip and said in a trembling voice, "I would be grateful if you could help me find the person, whether it's General Fu or Young Master Li from the Grand Tutor's Mansion."
"Why are you looking for someone?" he heard himself ask in a low voice.
She did not answer him, but instead let out a sound of unbearable sobbing, which sounded like the song of a bird.
Xie Lanchuan's hand, which was pushing the door open, froze and clenched into a fist. Suddenly, he smiled.
They can all do it, but he can't?
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