Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Living Like This (Aunt Fang’s Ending)…
Aunt Fang's "death" only caused a stir in the Zhao family for one night. In the middle of the night, a drizzle fell, dispelling the bad luck in the Zhao family.
The next morning, the rain stopped and the sky cleared up. The whole house returned to normal. The servants quietly cleaned Fangfei Courtyard. From then on, there was no more Concubine Fang here.
In the early morning, the sound of chains breaking could be heard from Zhao Huailiang's private residence in the suburbs of Beijing.
Aunt Fang woke up from the pain and found herself lying in the mud, with an extremely fishy smell all around.
She opened her eyes with all her strength, and what she saw was a foul-smelling bloody mouth that was almost close to her face.
Aunt Fang screamed "Ah" and hurriedly got up from the ground. Then came the sound of clanging iron chains and the feeling of suffocation came over her again.
Aunt Fang groaned and scratched her neck desperately, but she couldn't touch her neck. It felt cold and hard to the touch.
Her heart suddenly sank. She looked down and saw that there was an iron ring around her neck, one end of which was tied with an iron chain, confining her in a small space, and she was even more naked.
Aunt Fang screamed again, covering her body helplessly, her beautiful eyes looking around, and the bloody mouth from before pounced on her again.
Aunt Fang screamed in pain.
She...she was actually tied up in a pigpen!
Realizing this, Aunt Fang almost went crazy and pulled the chain around her neck desperately to try to break free. A few pigs heard the noise and pushed towards her again.
"Go away! Go away!"
Aunt Fang waved her arms to drive them away, her whole body trembling with fear.
She had lived in luxury in the Zhao family for more than ten years. Even before she entered the mansion, no matter how low her status was, she had never fallen into such a situation.
Zhao Huailiang... That bastard Zhao Huailiang actually tied her up with an iron chain and made her live like a pig or a dog!
Aunt Fang has always prided herself on being clear-headed. She can exploit a man's love and her children, but her only goal is to survive, to live better. If she gets into trouble, she can give up everything else and just want to survive.
But I never expected that I would live in such humiliation!
Aunt Fang was so ashamed and angry that she wanted to die. She was shrouded in unspeakable humiliation. Zhao Huailiang did not treat her as a human being at all, but as an animal!
She hugged herself tightly and huddled in the corner, tears falling down her face. She had to protect her body while also driving away the pigs that came closer from time to time.
Less than a quarter of an hour after waking up, she couldn't hold back and broke down crying, calling Zhao Huailiang's name and begging him to let her go.
Let her die, she would rather die now.
Perhaps it was God’s mercy, after she cried for a long time, Zhao Huailiang finally came.
Aunt Fang was overjoyed, "Master..."
The rest of his words turned into screams after he saw the large group of people surrounding him.
At this moment, Aunt Fang no longer had the charm and tenderness she once had. She was as naked as a pig or a dog. Her once well-maintained fair skin was covered with weeds and pig manure after rolling around in the pigpen. Her black hair hung down in a mess. When she saw outsiders were present, she hurriedly pulled out her hair, trying to cover her body with this little bit of color.
However, her futile struggle was only met with a malicious and playful smile.
The people following Zhao Huailiang were not strangers, but the servants in this house, including old women and boys, who had served her in the past.
But now, apart from the women who gave her looks of pity or disgust, the men all had fierce looks in their eyes.
Only Zhao Huailiang's eyes were indifferent.
Aunt Fang collapsed like never before. She screamed miserably, "Get out! Get out of here! Don't look... don't look at me! Get out!"
"Master, I know I was wrong. Please...please let me die! Master, please let me die!"
There is no more humiliating method than this, it's simply torture!
She is a human being, how could Zhao Huailiang do such a thing! He is a lunatic!
Even if she was no longer useful, she was still his concubine. How could he...
Didn't he want to save face? How could he save face by humiliating her?
"Don't you just want to live?"
Zhao Huailiang admired his masterpiece with a wicked smile on his face. "You'd risk everything to survive. Now that I've granted your wish, why are you crying again?"
This is just the beginning.
It’s not like he didn’t give Aunt Fang a chance to die well, it’s just that she didn’t want it.
"For a shameless woman like you, this punishment is too light."
Aunt Fang finally realized that the man beside her was a complete evil ghost!
If she had known this, she should not have been so snobbish. She should have followed Mr. Jiang. At least now, she can still live a life of luxury. She knows very well that Mr. Jiang also loves her. Just look at his attitude towards Man'er. Man'er escaped to Qiantang, but Mr. Jiang still forgave her and recognized his daughter. It can be seen that he still has her in his heart.
If I had known earlier...
If I had known earlier...
Aunt Fang's throat choked with sobs and she burst into tears.
The world didn't know this earlier, and it was too late for her to regret.
"As everyone knows, Concubine Fang from the second branch of the Zhao family is dead. As for you, Fang Qiao'er, you should live well for the rest of your life. Don't die. If you die, I will be sorry for the trouble I went through to save you..."
Zhao Huailiang stood outside the pigpen and gently waved his sleeves to dispel the unpleasant fishy smell.
He now felt disgusted when his favorite concubine came near him. But seeing her struggling to survive like this, he felt happy and even proud of his masterpiece.
After all, he has been cuckolded for so many years, and it's time to vent his anger.
He brought up Zhao Manyi, Zhao Jiangyan, and even Jun Ge'er to threaten her, warning her not to commit suicide. If Aunt Fang dared to die, none of the three people who were related to her by blood would survive.
After hearing this, Aunt Fang burst into tears and condemned Zhao Huailiang as a beast, but all she got in return was laughter.
This is Zhao Huailiang's private residence. When he redeemed Concubine Fang, he placed her in this house, and later brought her into the mansion. However, this house has been preserved, and its location is secluded and sparsely populated.
The more hidden a place is, the easier it is for dirt to hide.
Since he was able to hide Fang Qiaoer back then, he can now also hide all the crimes related to her.
Zhao Huailiang looked at Aunt Fang deeply, and finally turned and left.
He had only one request, that Aunt Fang could not die and must be alive. He would not ask about the rest.
So as soon as Zhao Huailiang left, a brave man rushed into the pigpen rubbing his hands.
Screams and laughter mingled in the shed, startling several breeding pigs, who began pacing back and forth anxiously and making strange squeals...
—
When he returned to the Zhao family, Zhao Huailiang had that gloomy look on his face again. He just said that he was going to see Aunt Fang off for the last time, and no one in the mansion was suspicious.
As for Fang's son Zhao Jiangyan, he is now officially raised by Feng, but Feng has no intention of adopting him. She would rather leave all her family wealth to her daughter who marries out than give him to a bastard.
"The marriage between Wen Yi and the Marquis has to be put on the agenda." Feng fanned herself, feeling that the family had been too chaotic recently and needed a wedding to get rid of the bad luck.
Feng's proposal was supported by the old lady, and the news soon reached the Marquis' Mansion. Zhao Huaishu began to make intensive preparations, and the date was set for ten days later. Although it was hasty, the Marquis' Mansion promised not to treat the new daughter-in-law unfairly, and the betrothal gifts would be no less than the minimum.
Zhao Qingyi and Meng also added makeup for Zhao Wenyi. They could still tell the difference. Concubine Fang was Concubine Fang, and Zhao Huailiang was just Zhao Huailiang. Looking at Wenyi alone, she was a good girl. Neither mother nor daughter was stingy. Zhao Qingyi directly gave her three thousand taels as a treasure.
On the day of her wedding, Feng was both relieved and ashamed. After sending Zhao Wenyi away, she completely handed over her housekeeping power and even sent all the previous accounts to Meng's courtyard.
Now that her only daughter is getting married, her wish has been fulfilled and she is no longer fighting for anything. This family was originally supported by the eldest wife, so it is reasonable to give the property back to her.
Meng didn't let go of the past grudges. After the ice was broken, she felt that Feng was a good person. She was straightforward and her words were sometimes unpleasant to the ear, but fortunately, she had no bad intentions, which was the most rare thing.
But such peaceful days did not last long. On the day Zhao Wenyi returned home, people from the Meng family escort agency broke in.
"Madam, something bad has happened! The master is missing!"
The man was responsible for escorting Zhao Huaiyi south. On the surface, Zhao Huaiyi was going to provide disaster relief and help the people's livelihood, but in fact he also had to take into account the implementation of the new policy. The court had just issued an order to levy taxes not long ago. Zhao Huaiyi disappeared in Qiantang halfway through his mission.
The person who came back to report the news managed to escape in the chaos, with countless scars of varying sizes on his body. After explaining Zhao Huaiyi's situation, he fainted from exhaustion.
The Zhao family, which was originally in high spirits, suddenly fell into anxiety. The old lady fell ill out of fright, leaving only Meng and Feng to support the family. Meng was weak, and Feng was afraid that she would also be frightened to death.
"Don't worry, sister-in-law. The news might be wrong. Uncle is an imperial envoy, a high-ranking official in the court. He won't get into trouble easily. My family is also in Zhejiang. I'll write a letter first and ask my family to find out more."
Zhao Huaishu and his new son-in-law Xiao Hanyu also said that they would send someone to look for her, and they all tried to comfort Meng.
Only Zhao Qingyi thought of one person, "Where is Second Uncle?"
Everyone seemed to have just remembered Zhao Huailiang's existence. When he was mentioned, Feng Shi became angry, "He's sick! Ever since Aunt Fang died, he's been acting like his own mother has died..."
Realizing he had said the wrong thing, he spat several times, "Hey, anyway, it's like it's dying, useless!"
Zhao Qingyi felt something was wrong. She remembered the conversation they had in the grandmother's courtyard before her father left home.
It was the emperor's secret order that my father go to Zhejiang to try out the new policy. My father told this to his daughter. Later, my second uncle came and they went to the study.
Given my father's trust in my second uncle, maybe my second uncle also knows the real purpose of my father's trip to Zhejiang.
She would never harm her own father, so it could only be her second uncle. It was her second uncle who told the news to other people, which allowed Zhejiang officials to take action in advance. If this is true, her father is probably in great danger.
Zhao Qingyi's heart instantly sank to the bottom. Looking at the sick Meng, he didn't express his guess.
That night, Zhao Qingyi began to pack her things, preparing to go to Zhejiang in person. When Chu Yuanhe came in, he saw her carrying a bag and about to leave.
When their eyes met, Zhao Qingyi was embarrassed for a moment. She was so anxious that she forgot to say to him, "Um...my father..."
"I heard everything." Chu Yuanhe went forward and hugged her, "I'm sorry..."
"This is none of your business."
Zhao Qingyi felt that he was too fond of taking the blame on himself. This was none of his business. "It wasn't you who harmed my father."
Chu Yuanhe didn't dare to tell her the truth. If Zhao Qingyi knew that he was the one who sent Zhao Huaiyi to take the risk, she would probably be angry.
He sighed, "It's my fault for making you worry. I'll figure out a way to deal with this, okay?"
He slowly grasped her bag and motioned her to calm down first.
But Zhao Qingyi was determined to leave.
Chu Yuanhe looked at her resolute face and vaguely saw Zhao Qingyi resolutely running thousands of miles to the northwest to find her father four or five years ago, and his heart ached.
"The situation in Zhejiang is complex and very different from the northwest. There are many hidden threats there, and it's hard to defend against them. I don't trust you alone."
Chu Yuanhe took a step back. "Well, I'll go to the palace tomorrow and ask His Majesty to allow me to investigate the disappearance of Mr. Zhao. You and I can go together, okay?"
His fingertips gently stroked her cheek, and his peach blossom eyes were full of sincerity.
Zhao Qingyi stared at him intently, and suddenly her eyes turned red, tears pouring out like a flood.
Over the years, she was used to bearing everything alone. Suddenly, someone said that he could accompany her to face it together. It made her feel that she seemed to have someone to rely on and could give her a brief respite.
That's enough.
Chu Yuanhe hurriedly wiped her tears, feeling that things had gotten out of hand again. When she found out the truth, he didn't know how it would end.
After a moment's hesitation, Chu Yuanhe said half-truthfully, "Actually... there's something I've been hiding from you. My secret guards have been protecting Lord Zhao all the way. As far as I know, Lord Zhao is fine. He's just been taken to a secluded place for the time being, so it's inconvenient for him to be seen in public."
Zhao Huaiyi's disappearance was part of his plan from the beginning to the end, so he was not surprised at all when he got the news, but Zhao Qingyi was unaware of it. Her anxiety and worry came from the bottom of her heart, which made Chu Yuanhe feel guilty.
He did not take her feelings into consideration and ignored her, but it was not the right time to be honest with her, so he could only try to coax her first.
Zhao Qingyi raised her tearful eyes and choked with sobs, unable to speak.
Chu Yuanhe had seen her arrogant and cold face, and also her gentle and charming appearance, but this was the first time he saw her crying like this. He felt very uncomfortable and promised her hastily, "If anything happens to Lord Zhao, I will compensate you with my life..."
Before he could finish his words, Zhao Qingyi blocked his mouth, her wet eyelashes trembling slightly, wetting his face.
Chu Yuanhe paused, then slowly deepened the kiss, holding her soft lips and kissing her lightly, as if she were treating a rare treasure.
He tossed and turned outside for a long time before the woman in his arms slowly stopped sobbing. Her fair and slender hands clung to his chest, and she raised her head to respond to his lingering affection.
She didn't know why, maybe it was because Chu Yuanhe had helped her too many times, so she would subconsciously rely on him and trust him in times of crisis. He said he could protect her father, so he would definitely be able to do so.
Zhao Qingyi was aroused in his arms and was no longer satisfied with his brief taste. She opened her lips slightly and stuck out her tongue.
Chu Yuanhe paused for a moment to confirm that she was taking the initiative. When he kissed her again, he pried open her teeth and forcefully rushed in, entangled with her and chased her, his hot and wet palm slowly moving up along her waist and abdomen.
Zhao Qingyi liked being close to him, but there were always times when she couldn't bear it anymore, and the sobbing that had stopped started again.
When their lips parted again, their foreheads touched, their breaths mingling.
Zhao Qingyi paused for a long time, her voice still choked with sobs, "You've done enough for me and my family..."
She didn't know how to thank him, and naturally couldn't bear to hear him swearing on his own life.
Family is important, and Chu Yuanhe is equally important.
The man's rough fingertips caressed her delicate face, wiping away her tears bit by bit. He decided that if he lied to her again, he would be a dog.
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