Old Mrs. Huang was not an easy person to deal with to begin with. After being rudely offended, she immediately ordered her to be arrested and taken back, where she was severely punished.
Huang Jiao rushed over upon hearing the news. In fact, he regretted chasing Yin Ziqiu away, since he hadn't gotten tired of her yet. He begged the old lady to release her.
Old Madam Huang refused, saying she didn't understand the rules and that if she wanted to keep him, she would have to undergo some proper "training" in her room. Huang Jiao naturally agreed. Yin Ziqiu, having already experienced Old Madam Huang's methods, was terrified, but Huang Jiao told her to obey, and only if she obeyed could she continue to be with him. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and swallow her anger.
She found an opportunity to ask Zhou Qingqing to help protect and take care of her daughter. After learning the truth, Zhou Qingqing felt great sympathy for her plight and agreed. Yin Ziqiu thanked her profusely, kowtowing more than a dozen times. After entrusting the child to her, he went to stay with Old Madam Huang.
It's less about training or disciplining her and more about torturing her. She was forced to serve her constantly, subjected to all sorts of difficulties, and made to keep watch at night. If she made a mistake or was slow to react, she would be slapped hard by the old lady's maid, screaming in pain. She was only given half a bowl of spoiled rice porridge each day, and if she fainted from hunger, she would be woken up by being splashed with cold water, scolded for not serving attentively, and whipped. Within a few days, she was practically skinned alive.
Her movements were restricted, and Huang Jiao never came to see her. She was truly helpless, feeling as if each day was an eternity, and she spent every day in tears, not knowing when the end would come or when she could reunite with her daughter.
Zhou Qingqing, heavily pregnant, came to pay her respects to the old lady. Yin Ziqiu wanted to seek her help and also wanted to know how his beloved daughter was doing, but he never had the chance.
Zhou Qingqing glanced at her twice. She was pale and frail at the time, and could be blown away by the wind. It was impossible for Zhou Qingqing not to notice something was wrong, but she left after talking to the old lady.
Yin Ziqiu couldn't blame her, because even if the eldest young master protected her, Zhou Qingqing, as his daughter-in-law, wouldn't dare offend her mother-in-law, let alone someone as formidable and ruthless as the old lady. As long as she could protect her daughter, she would be extremely grateful.
After that day, one of the old lady's maids seemed to have taken it to heart and would secretly slip her some food, giving her tips and advice on how to read people's expressions and avoid being scolded. Although the old lady was deliberately targeting her, the situation didn't improve much, but at least she had something to eat, which was better than before.
Yin Ziqiu swallowed his pride and endured everything with fortitude, all for the sake of that faint hope in his heart.
At that time, she had no idea what awaited her.
After being tormented by the old lady for nearly a month, she was almost unrecognizable. Huang Jiao finally came to pick her up. When he saw that she was neither human nor ghost and was no longer beautiful, he frowned, but he didn't say anything and took her away.
Yin Ziqiu felt relieved, thinking he had passed the test, and hurriedly wanted to go to Zhou Qingqing's place to see the child.
Huang Jiao, however, found her amusing and told her, "Where did this child come from? Zhou Qingqing had already given the child to the old lady, and she threw him into the river a couple of days ago."
Yin Ziqiu was struck dumb, unable to believe it. How could this be?! She had entrusted the child to Zhou Qingqing with such trust, and Zhou Qingqing had agreed so readily!
She rushed into Zhou Qingqing's courtyard without a care in the world, wanting to get to the bottom of things, but Zhou Qingqing avoided seeing her. Only Zhou Qingqing's personal maid came out and scolded her harshly, saying that the child had been handed over to the old lady and that she should not implicate the eldest young mistress anymore, nor should she come here again.
Unexpectedly, what Huang Jiao said was true! Yin Ziqiu was filled with shock and hatred, and went back to the old lady like a madman to question her about the child's whereabouts. The old lady Huang coldly said that it was unlucky to leave a girl in the mansion, and that she had already been thrown into the river to drown. Yin Ziqiu fainted on the spot.
Old Mrs. Huang originally did not want her son to keep her, so she locked her up again. But this time, it was not just simple beatings and torture; she directly found several servants to defile her.
After she lost her virginity, Huang Jiao became completely disgusted with her and resolutely drove her away. Yin Ziqiu felt everything was ruined and desperately stabbed Old Madam Huang with a hairpin. This act enraged Huang Jiao, who beat her severely, tied her up with rope, and handed her over to a matchmaker. Because of Huang Jiao's special instructions, the matchmaker transported her to a place more than half a month away from Jian'an and sold her to a brothel.
The brothel was the lowest of the low, catering to the most despicable people. There, Yin Ziqiu, unable to escape, began her hellish and desperate days, and the seeds of hatred took deep root in her heart.
She hated everyone in the Huang family! She hated that old woman, she hated Huang Jiao, and she hated Zhou Qingqing!
Sooner or later, we will wipe them all out!
Her turning point came thirteen years later. By then, she was in her thirties, no longer young, but still forced into prostitution. She was nearly tortured to death once, but a female healer saved her without charging her. Yin Ziqiu was extremely grateful and learned of Ming'an Hall from her. It was said that the hall would take in women who had suffered hardship and provide them with assistance. The female healer had come from Ming'an Hall.
Yin Ziqiu's heart was deeply moved upon hearing this. He struggled to get out of bed and knelt down before her, recounting his ordeal and tearfully begging her to take him away from this miserable place.
After listening to her story, the female doctor told her to rest and recover first, and to come back to see her in a few days. Yin Ziqiu waited anxiously, and sure enough, Ming Antang sent people to take her away that night and destroyed her indenture.
For the first ten years or so of her life, Yin Ziqiu traveled all over the country performing with a troupe, making a living. After joining Huang Jiao's troupe, she didn't have many good days before falling back into the clutches of evil. It wasn't until she went to Ming'an Hall that she felt what it truly meant to live. There, she was provided with food and drink, and an aunt taught her to read and write every day, encouraging her to learn a skill, to be independent and strong. Occasionally, she would be assigned some chores. She stayed there for more than two years, slowly recovering her health, but she still couldn't let go of the ever-burning hatred in her heart.
Ming'an Hall's aunt saw through her thoughts and, after speaking with her, told her that if she wanted to personally avenge herself, she needed to learn martial arts. So she sent her to another place called Feihua Pavilion. There, she found mostly women like herself, living with hatred in their hearts.
Although Yin Ziqiu was highly talented, he was already quite old and lacked a solid foundation. If he wanted to achieve rapid mastery in a short period of time, he could only choose unorthodox techniques and use elixirs to accelerate his progress.
This was an agonizing process for her. She risked her life to endure it, but when she returned with overwhelming hatred, she learned that the three people she hated most had died one after another during the years she had been in seclusion training.
I finally sharpened the knife, but the prey was gone.
She couldn't believe it. She felt ridiculous and absurd, and even felt completely lost. But this was only temporary, because she quickly turned her attention to Zhou Qingqing's family.
The night breeze was cool. Yin Ziqiu concealed the background of Ming'an Hall and Feihua Pavilion, and after recounting his tragic experience, he roared hysterically, "Zhou Qingqing promised me so readily, I trusted her so much, but she handed my daughter over and caused her death. Shouldn't I make her family pay with their lives for my child?!"
Jiang Chuting frowned. What she had experienced was indeed unfortunate, but her actions were too extreme. This matter should not have implicated the two young masters of the Huang family.
Lin Zhi said in a low voice, "She's just looking for an outlet for her hatred. Otherwise, she would feel like a fool."
From the moment Yin Ziqiu began recounting her ordeal, Old Master Huang, who had already entered the courtyard, heard her words. His face flushed red, and after a moment of hesitation, he coughed up blood. He pointed at her with a trembling hand, unable to utter a sound, much like Huang Yu's reaction.
Yin Ziqiu turned his head, looked at him with a cold gaze, and sneered: "Huang Zhao, it's been many years. Do you still remember me?"
Old Master Huang had met her before, but to avoid suspicion, they hadn't spoken much. Besides, he was often busy and rarely home; their relationship was merely acquaintances. However, she now projected all her pent-up hatred onto Zhou Qingqing's family, hence the tone she used when speaking to Old Master Huang as if she harbored deep resentment, as if he, not Huang Jiao, had wronged her back then. Her hatred had become twisted.
Huang Yu, who was beside Jiang Chuting, finally moved. He took a few unsteady steps forward, shook his head, and said angrily to Yin Ziqiu, "You killed my two brothers for no reason because of something you didn't even understand. How can you face my mother?!"
Yin Ziqiu shouted sternly, "What haven't you figured out! Wasn't it her who handed my daughter over? My daughter's death is inextricably linked to her!"
With red eyes, Huang Yu said resentfully, "Back then, the old lady told us to hand over the child. My mother tried her best to protect her, but she was pushed to the ground by a blind old nanny, which caused her to have a premature birth. It was my mother's personal maid who was angry that you had implicated her, so she took the initiative to hand over the child."
Upon hearing the rest, Yin Ziqiu's face froze. She shook her head vigorously, instinctively resisting, "Don't lie to me, how could that be?"
"Why did my mother die so young? It was because she damaged her health giving birth to me. All these years, she's felt guilty towards you, going through so much trouble to find your daughter and treating her like her own. And what have you done?! You killed her child without even understanding the situation?! And now you still think I'm lying to you?! You're both stupid and vicious!!"
Not only was Yin Ziqiu stunned, but Jiang Chuting and Lin Zhi were also surprised. They exchanged a glance and simultaneously thought of a possibility.
Yin Ziqiu took several steps toward him, unable to believe what he had just heard, and asked in a trembling voice, "What...what did you say? My daughter...my daughter is still alive?"
Huang Yu said, "Yes, she's still alive! After she was thrown into the river, she was rescued by a couple who took her home and raised her. My parents searched for her for six years and finally found her. They brought her back and raised her under their names."
Yin Ziqiu asked anxiously, "You're not lying to me? Where is she? Where is she now?"
"Where?" Huang Yu said coldly, "She's heartbroken and terrified by the murder of her two brothers, and she's fallen ill and bedridden. What, do you think you still have the face to see her? Do you think she'll even see you?! Before my mother passed away, she told us to take good care of our sister. You stupid and vicious woman, how can you face her like this?!"
Jiang Chuting sighed silently. It was true; Master Huang's daughter was actually Yin Ziqiu's child. Just a few days ago, Lin Zhi was saying that Master Huang doted on his daughter, but it turned out she wasn't even his own. This family, known for their kindness, had received such a terrible fate; it was truly chilling.
Yin Ziqiu's face suddenly turned ashen, and something that had sustained her for so long collapsed in her heart.
Were we wrong? Were we all wrong? How could this happen? Why did this happen?
She stared blankly at her outstretched hands, laughing and crying at the same time, before losing her balance and collapsing to the ground.
Overwhelmed with grief, Master Huang knelt down, pounding his chest and weeping, "Madam, why did you save such a person! You've ruined our whole family! Why do good people not get good rewards? Madam, Madam..."
The couple, unable to conceive, had heard that children frequently went missing in Jian'an City, so they came to the riverbank to wait for them. Unexpectedly, they found a baby within two days and happily took it home in an oxcart. Zhou Qingqing, having given birth prematurely, was extremely weak and remained in a constant daze. Her maids, each more resourceful than her, didn't want her involved in Yin Ziqiu's affairs any longer, so they took it upon themselves to drive Yin Ziqiu away when he came to visit. Later, Zhou Qingqing learned of everything that had happened to her in the household—that she had been sold and her whereabouts unknown. As a woman herself, she felt deeply pained.
Huang Zhao's actions, particularly the incident where Zhou Qingqing was pushed down, led to a family division. To appease his wife, Huang Zhao frantically searched for Yin Ziqiu's whereabouts. He inadvertently learned that a child had been rescued that day. After several twists and turns, they didn't find Yin Ziqiu, but they did find the child. They didn't tell Huang Jiao, raising the little girl in their own household until both men died of illness, at which point they finally revealed their daughter's existence. Over the years, the couple, along with the Huang family's sons, treated the girl exceptionally well; they never imagined things would turn out this way.
If Zhou Qingqing, who is already underground, knew what was happening today, she would probably cry tears of blood.
A soft cough broke the silence in the courtyard, and a weak female voice rang out, "Father."
Everyone looked over and saw a girl of about eighteen or nineteen, slender and pale-faced, being helped over by a maid. It was clear that her features resembled Yin Ziqiu's. Without much verification, the connection between them was obvious.
When Yin Ziqiu saw her, he stared blankly, as if in a dream. He then crawled several steps toward her, panting, his eyes brimming with tears, and looked up at her.
Master Huang hurriedly stood up, wiped away his tears, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Wanwan, why are you here?"
Wanwan was the name Zhou Qingqing gave her back then.
"I was worried about this place, so I came to check." Huang Wanwan's face was covered in tears. She didn't even look at Yin Ziqiu. After a pause, she whispered, "I heard everything that just now."
For a moment, Master Huang was at a loss for words. Huang Wanwan coughed for a while, her hand holding a silk handkerchief pressed against her lips, and tears streamed down her face. Huang Yu took a few steps toward her, but then stopped, closed his eyes, and let out a long breath.
Huang Wanwan choked up and said, "Father, could you... let me speak to her alone for a few minutes?"
Old Master Huang's face was pale. He couldn't refuse her request. After a long while, he nodded and said, "Go." Yin Ziqiu would never harm his own daughter, no matter who else he might harm.
Huang Wanwan turned and left. Yin Ziqiu propped himself up and followed her staggeringly, staring at her back. His face seemed to have aged ten years in the blink of an eye.
The truth came out, but no one was at ease. Huang Yu and Master Huang looked at each other in silence, their expressions heavy.
Jiang Chuting and Lin Zhi silently returned to their room. Lin Zhi poured Jiang Chuting a cup of tea to help him relax, and then took a sip herself. She couldn't help but say, "Just because of a misunderstanding, they wanted to slaughter an entire family without even understanding the situation. It's ridiculous. Luckily, you stepped in and stopped this tragedy from continuing."
Jiang Chuting looked up at him, and Lin Zhi blinked and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Jiang Chuting withdrew his gaze and said, "Those involved are often blinded by their own perspective; people always choose what they want to believe."
Lin Zhi thought he made sense and nodded, "That's true. I hope we won't be so foolish as to make a big mistake." After thinking for a while, she added, "Chu Ran, do you think Yin Ziqiu might commit suicide to atone for his sins?"
Jiang Chuting shook her head. "I don't know."
Some mistakes, once made, cannot be undone or made up for, even if it costs you your life.
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