Cui Yan avoided her sharp gaze, lowered her head, and looked at her frozen purple hands. There was still dirt from washing dishes between her fingernails. She spoke slowly, each word like a painstaking chisel on the ice. "Miss, think about it, Mr. Liao doesn't even have a small courtyard to live in. Have you seen his so-called 'study'? The pens, ink, paper, and inkstone are all of the lowest quality. Even the young master who just started elementary school in our mansion wouldn't know how to use them. Does he really have real talent? If he really had talent, why would he have to rely on copying books for others to make a living?"
She paused, took a deep breath, and squeezed out the last sentence that was the most inappropriate and cruel thing to say:
"I dare to say that he's not even as good as the distant cousin Madam has chosen for you. Although that cousin is lame and lives in the countryside, I heard his family is a well-off farmer with dozens of acres of land. His family is small, and although you've suffered in the past, at least you're the legal wife, and you can always live a stable life. But Liao Lingxi..."
"Shut up!" Sang Wenyin suddenly shook off Cui Yan's hand and jumped up as if stung by a scorpion. The expression on her face instantly became hideous and distorted, which was the anger and shame after the last bit of her pathetic fantasy was shattered.
"Cui Yan! Who gave you the guts to criticize Ling Xi? Do you think you can comment on him? Do you think you're pitying me now? Or are you mocking my original judgment, mocking me for marrying Jiang Jinzhao in order to save him?"
Her voice was so sharp it almost broke. She pointed at Cui Yan, her fingers trembling violently with anger. "I think you've forgotten who your master is! If you dare to slander Ling Xi again, I'll make you taste the pain of being sold to a brothel!"
The last sentence was like a poisoned icicle, piercing Cui Yan's heart.
The last trace of blood faded from her face, her lips trembled, and in the end, no sound came out.
It's useless.
Cui Yan used all her strength to swallow the blood and tears that were surging in her throat, and the voice in her heart was dead silent.
The young lady's heart... was clouded and suffocated by the filth in that quagmire.
She bent down resignedly, and like countless times before, began to silently pick up the pickles and scattered steamed bun crumbs that Sang Wenyin had just knocked over on the ground.
The movements were stiff and numb, and every joint felt like a rusty gear.
Looking at Cui Yan's humble, submissive yet silent resistance, Sang Wenyin felt even more choked up in her chest.
Being locked up in this dark cage, facing the ruthless indifference of her parents, the flattery of her servants, the kicking of her when she is down, and the fate of being assigned to a vulgar country boy in the future...all these made her as anxious as a trapped animal.
Cui Yan's silent despair and "ungrateful" slander ignited her resentment that had nowhere to vent.
She stood up suddenly and paced around the cold and narrow room impatiently, like a wild beast forced to the edge of a cliff.
He kept muttering to himself, as if to Cui Yan, or to convince himself of his already shaky faith:
"What do they know? They only see what's in front of them! They only see the temporary glory of the Yongding Marquis' Mansion! They only know how to hold Jiang Jinzhao's fake face!"
Her eyes were sharp, filled with almost insane hatred. "Jiang Jinzhao? Just a dandy living off his ancestors' influence! Without the Yongding Marquisate, he's nothing! But Ling Xi is different! He's a hidden dragon in the abyss! Even the old chief priest of the Imperial College praised the brilliant writings he possesses! You only see his poverty, but not his future meteoric rise to prominence!"
She grew increasingly agitated as she spoke, even with a twisted sense of glee. "Marquis Yongding's Mansion? Humph! They're so overbearing, relying on their ancestors' achievements. Jiang Jinzhao, young and arrogant, has made countless enemies. Marquis Yongding's wife, Xu, is also incredibly domineering, both in the harem and among the ladies-in-waiting! Just wait and see! The Jiang family is so arrogant and domineering, looking down on everyone. They've already offended countless powerful people! Sooner or later, a catastrophe will befall them! Execution of the entire family would be the least of their worries!"
"I left their mansion! It was me, Sang Wenyin, who was wise! I withdrew in time! I saved myself!"
She turned abruptly, staring at Cui Yan with bloodshot eyes. Her tone was firm, filled with unquestionable madness and false pride: "Just wait and see! Wait until I leave this filthy place of the capital and live happily ever after with Ling Xi! Then, all of you will know how foolish and ridiculous those who laughed at me, Sang Wenyin, today are!"
The cold wind blew through the broken window and whimpered through the empty house.
Cui Yan slowly stood up, with no expression on her face and no ripples in her eyes.
Live together as a couple? Execute the whole family?
Miss, your dream is a palace made of ice and snow. It looks crystal clear, but it cannot withstand even a little bit of warm sunlight.
She didn't say anything else. She just turned around silently, picked up the charcoal basin that had long since cooled in the corner, and tried her best to light the few remaining pieces of almost burnt charcoal.
The air in Sang Wenyin's boudoir was so heavy that it made one feel heavy.
The newly delivered bright red wedding dress was on the table, its smooth and soft satin shone brightly under the lamp.
Sang Wenyin picked up the dazzling red silk with two fingers. Her hands were shaking badly and her nails were deeply dug into the silk.
There was only a sharp sound of "hissing" and the glaring red was torn into a hideous hole in her hand.
"Ah!" Cui Yan looked at the tear in horror, then quickly glanced towards the door. Her voice was low and urgent, filled with uncontrollable anger, "Miss! Are you courting death? It doesn't matter if this thing is torn, but if the Madam sees..."
Her eyes swept over Sang Wenyin's tightly pursed lips and slightly protruding belly, the anxiety in her eyes almost overflowing, "It's already this time, what are you still thinking about?"
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
