Chapter 36 Frosty Dawn (Part Six) Caring.
"What? Brother Jian actually harbors such feelings for Fourth Sister?"
Zhou knelt in the main room, her teeth chattering, whether from the cold ground or the shocking news.
She instinctively wanted to stand up and ask for clarification, but when the person at the head of the table looked over, Zhou couldn't help but shiver.
He was dressed in faded coarse cloth, the attire of a poor scholar, yet he inexplicably exuded the majesty of a superior, his entire demeanor even more intimidating than that of the prefect sitting in court.
Zhou, who had just raised her body, knelt down again. "Young Master Jiang, how did you know about such a secret?"
"For those who get things done, being too talkative is a major taboo."
Jiang Sisi leaned back in his chair, his fingertips tapping lightly on the armrest. "You're a master, do I even need to teach you this?"
Zhou was so frightened that she shook her head frantically. She had been socializing in the capital for many years and thought she had met many powerful and influential people, but the young man in front of her was really too terrifying. Not only did he know all the secrets of the Marquis's mansion, but what was even more frightening was that she couldn't see through him at all. Why did he want to get close to Wen Ge'er? Why did he want to interfere in the Ye family's affairs?
“I dare not,” Zhou said, trembling. “But if I were to speak to the Lady of the Marquis so rashly, she would certainly not believe me.”
"How to gain her trust is your concern."
Jiang Si coldly said, "You only need to let her discipline her son, and I need you to completely expel the third branch of the family from the Marquis's mansion when you divide the family property."
Zhou was puzzled, "It's clear that Jian-ge'er harbored rebellious thoughts, what does that have to do with Fourth Sister? How could the Third Branch be driven away..."
The words came to an abrupt halt.
She glanced up and suddenly realized that if Madam Wang had discovered this herself, she might have secretly reprimanded Ye Xingjian out of consideration for their years of friendship. But now that she was relaying the matter to Madam Wang, the nature of the situation was completely different.
To protect her eldest son's reputation, Wang would undoubtedly shift all blame onto the third branch of the family. At that point, she would not hesitate to disregard any kinship ties and would likely expel Liu and her daughter from the Marquis's residence, making them disappear from her sight.
Only then did Zhou realize something. Every word he said was about Ye Mu. Could it be that he also had a grudge against the third branch of the family?
As she staggered out of the courtyard, a gust of autumn wind blew, and Zhou suddenly realized the key.
I was really confused when I knelt down just now.
Jiang Si's elaborate scheme was to get close to Ye Mu and have Wang Shi discipline Ye Xingjian, so that Ye Mu wouldn't be criticized. By driving the third branch out of the Marquis's mansion, he wanted to put Ye Mu in a difficult situation so that he could find an opportunity to approach her and stage a hero-saves-the-damsel scenario.
"What a shrewd schemer..." Zhou couldn't help but sneer. No wonder she was told to wait until the results of the autumn imperial examinations were released before making any moves. It turned out she wanted to wait until she had achieved official rank before she could put her plans into action.
This person is quite confident in himself, knowing he will definitely pass the exam even before taking it. Such arrogance is either wishful thinking or he truly has extraordinary abilities.
But recalling the imposing aura of that man when he sat at the head of the table... even though he was trapped in shallow waters, his scales and claws had already shown their sharpness. Zhou couldn't help but shudder. This man was definitely not someone to be underestimated. Perhaps one day, he could really stir up trouble in the capital.
A cold wind whistled through the air. Zhou's knees were sore from kneeling that she finally managed to move to the alley entrance by holding onto the wall, but there was no sign of the carriage.
Only then did she remember that she had harbored ulterior motives this morning. She thought she could have a fleeting romance with this handsome scholar. With her charm, she thought that once the scholar tasted her beauty, he wouldn't be able to stop for a while. She had specially sent the coachman away early, but who knew that she would be kneeling on the cold ground for so long.
Just as she was secretly groaning and feeling annoyed, she saw a carriage slowly approaching from the street corner. On the carriage shaft sat a woman dressed in red and green. Zhou was so angry that she trembled all over. After the woman jumped off the carriage and ran away, she cursed loudly, "You good-for-nothing! You know how to have fun, parading around the streets with a wild woman! Leaving me here in the cold wind!"
The driver hurriedly tried to explain, his gaze still fixed on the woman's retreating figure, "Didn't my master say that collecting rent today would be late..."
"Stop talking nonsense!" Zhou slammed the carriage curtain shut and scolded him, "I think you're becoming more and more out of line! If you dare to look at those lowly, disreputable maids again, you'll regret it!"
Outside the courtyard gate, the sound of Zhou's carriage wheels, mixed with curses, gradually faded into the distance.
Inside the main room, Jiang Si remained idly reclining in his armchair, motionless, the corner of his robe stained with dark dust, the light and shadow indistinct.
How could he possibly know Ye Xingjian's shady thoughts?
It all stemmed from that incident in his past life, which still bothers him to this day.
That year, Ye Mu had just become pregnant. She planned to stay at the temple to rest and recuperate. When she returned home to pack her clothes, Ye Xingjian arrived with a car full of gifts: longevity locks, tiger-head shoes, brocade swaddling clothes, all carefully prepared baby items, as well as two full boxes of nourishing medicinal herbs for Ye Mu.
At that time, Ye Xingjian had just returned to the capital from Suzhou to report on his duties. Unlike in this life, in his previous life, Ye Xingjian went south to Suzhou after their marriage, which was several years later than in this life. As soon as he heard that Ye Mu was pregnant, he rushed over. The brother and sister had not seen each other for many years, and after a long separation, they had endless intimate things to say to each other.
Jiang Si tactfully retreated to his study to handle official documents, leaving them to chat in the warm pavilion.
At noon, he put down his pen and ink and went to call for lunch. As he walked to the corridor, he saw Ye Mu lying on her side on the chaise longue, taking a nap through the half-open window. She was sleepy during her pregnancy, and her hair was slightly disheveled. Her apricot-colored shirt made her skin look as white as snow.
Jiang Si smiled. How can he fall asleep anywhere?
He was about to walk towards the main entrance, thinking of carrying Ye Mu back to her room, when he saw Ye Xingjian leaning down and approaching from under the window. The man's fingertips hovered near Ye Mu's temple for a long time before he finally lowered his head and pressed his lips to Ye Mu's soft cheek. It was not a brother's affection, but a kiss with a secret longing, a light touch that was then pulled away.
Jiang Si froze on the spot, his face suddenly darkening. As a man, he immediately saw through Ye Xingjian's thoughts. What kind of older brother would kiss his younger sister like that?
They hadn't seen each other since their marriage. The fact that he could develop such feelings for Ye Mu must have been before their marriage, in the Marquis's mansion, during those so-called days and nights of deep brotherly and sisterly affection.
Jiang Si watched as Ye Xingjian raised his hand, his slender frame reminiscent of a scholar, and gently combed Ye Mu's loose hair. The tenderness in his eyes clearly revealed a man's infatuation with the woman he loved and his unrequited love.
Jiang Si felt a churning in his stomach, feeling nauseous and disgusted. What nonsense about siblings! It was all just a pretense to cover up their affair!
This gentle and well-regarded brother-in-law had actually developed such feelings for his sister, with whom he had grown up. He didn't say a word and quietly stepped back and left, but this matter remained like a thorn in his heart.
But the thorns only pierced deeper and deeper, gradually festering and festering, breeding a darker fear in Jiang Si's heart. He couldn't help but wonder, what about Fourth Sister? Did she know about her brother's wicked intentions? Had she ever responded?
Details that had been deliberately forgotten resurfaced.
He remembered that Ye Mu did not bleed during their first time.
He consulted the "Medical Book" and learned that not all women would bleed, and that if a woman had learned to dance and ride horses from a young age, it was indeed possible that she would not bleed. Women from noble families would all learn to ride horses. Jiang Si had barely convinced himself of this, and also comforted Ye Mu. She had been a pampered noblewoman since childhood, and learning to ride and shoot was a compulsory course. It was perfectly reasonable that she would be injured when riding and whipping the horse, and that her hymen would break early.
Newlyweds, deeply in love, she had no suspicions of another.
But after witnessing Ye Xingjian's rebellious act, the doubt that had been suppressed resurfaced in Jiang Si's mind: had she already given her virginity to her hypocritical brother?
This thought, like a dull knife, was cutting into Jiang Si's internal organs, causing uncontrollable doubt and dull pain in his five senses.
He went to the temple to visit her, wanting to embrace her, but she always refused, saying that the Buddhist temple was a sacred place and one could not act recklessly. That day, she was finally aroused by his teasing, and just as he bent down, the wooden fish of some bald monk next door clattered to the ground, and she quickly pushed him away.
She disliked him.
This realization nearly drove him mad. Was it possible that Ye Xingjian was the only person she could have in her heart? Was he just her second choice?
He had to test Ye Mu to see if he still cared about him.
The perfect opportunity arose on my birthday.
Ye Mu returned home to celebrate his birthday, and Su Yao was also there. This woman, on the surface, was Ye Mu's close friend, but secretly she repeatedly sought opportunities to get close to him, her eyes full of spring and her words flirtatious. That night, Su Yao pretended to have drunk a few too many drinks, and deliberately twisted her ankle in the corridor on the way back to his room. Her acting was really clumsy, and she slumped softly towards him. The collar of her skirt had somehow come undone, revealing a section of her snow-white neck, her breasts glistening and bright.
"Young Master Jiang, the top scholar..." Her voice was sweet and cloying, her fingers seemingly weak yet able to precisely hook onto his lapel, her body pressing against him, "My head is so dizzy..."
Jiang Si shoved her to the ground and ignored her.
But then he heard footsteps coming from behind the moon gate. It was Ye Mu's footsteps. Jiang Si immediately changed his mind, picked up Su Yao from the ground, and the woman's arms immediately wrapped around his neck like water snakes. Her breath was sweet as orchids. He carried her into the guest room and threw her onto the bed without any pity.
He heard footsteps approaching.
Jiang Si tugged at Su Yao's clothes, which were already loose, and they came undone with a tug, instantly revealing her fair shoulders. The woman's robe was half-undone, and she looked at him with a dreamy gaze, her red lips slightly parted.
With his back to the door, he deliberately slowed down the movement of untying the jade belt around his waist, focusing his senses on what was behind him, as if she had stopped by the window.
He waited for her to come forward.
After a while, Su Yao sat up on the couch and reached out with her jade fingers to hook his jade belt, but there was still no movement behind her.
The expected questioning, crying, or heartbroken gasps would come as any wife who cares about her husband would rush in, and if she did anything, he would immediately throw the woman on the bed out the back door.
However, there was nothing there.
Jiang Si probed further forward, and simply untied half of the brocade curtain, just as the footsteps faded into the distance.
When he returned to his bedroom, Ye Mu was already asleep, breathing steadily, as if nothing had happened. The next morning, before dawn, he left under the pretext of "quieting his mind at the temple."
She didn't care about him at all.
She remained unmoved even when she saw him with other women on the bed.
This made him more desperate than any scolding. Jiang Si was filled with hatred. It must have been Ye Xingjian who seduced Si Niang and occupied a place in her heart. So, Ye Xingjian deserved to have his legs crippled.
This will prevent him from ever walking up to Ye Mu again.
However, Ye Mu seemed to hate him even more because of this incident, and looked at him as if he were a hideous executioner.
Jiang Si sat in the main room, his shadow elongated by the dim light, cast on the cold blue bricks, like a trapped beast with menacing fangs.
He slowly loosened his clenched, numb knuckles. In his past life, he had been too impulsive, which had led Fourth Sister further and further astray.
Ye Xingjian, the eldest son of the Marquis's family, why should he get his hands dirty?
A sharp blade should be hidden within brocade.
All they need to do is use the words of others to slightly lift the veil of shame, letting everyone in the Marquis's mansion see what kind of beast they have placed their hopes on as their heir is—a beast who covets their younger sister and defies all human ethics.
The Marquis's family has a long-standing reputation for integrity and values its family name above all else. The Marquis's wife has always regarded the family's reputation as her lifeblood. How could she allow her eldest son, the legitimate heir, to be tainted by such filth and cause the family's reputation to be tarnished?
At that time, without him, an outsider, having to take action, the clan's etiquette and laws would naturally become invisible shackles. The torment during this time would be far more unbearable for Ye Xingjian than having his legs broken.
Jiang Si lowered his eyes. Having been reborn, he had plenty of patience.
Fourth Sister can only be his.
-
At noon, when the sun was at its zenith, all the courtyards of the Marquis's residence had taken a midday rest.
Zhou leaned against the Xiangfei couch, put down the half-finished Junshan Yinzhen tea, and stared blankly at the back of the couch.
Since Jiang Si was able to accurately expose the Zhou family's rice shop's secrets, Ye Xingjian's secret must be true. The scene at the dock this morning is now very clear in my mind. At the time, I just thought it was because the brother and sister had a good relationship. They had been close since childhood. Who would have thought of anything else?
Looking back now, the way Ye Xingjian looked at Si Niang was clearly the look of romantic love between a man and a woman.
Zhou raised an eyebrow; even she, a seasoned veteran, had almost been fooled.
She had been holding a grudge against Jiang Si because of the rice shop's weakness, but now she felt enlightened. This was not trouble at all, but a knife handed to her.
The eldest branch of the family seemed to be thriving all these years. Ye Xingjian entered the Hanlin Academy at a young age and was extremely noble. Who would have thought that such a dirty secret could happen?
If they can use this to blackmail Wang, wouldn't the second branch of the family be in charge of the household?
Zhou slowly sat up. This mansion is quite interesting. Her thoughts turned to Ye Mu. Could it be that the girl also has such feelings?
A sudden surge of curiosity arose within her, and she abruptly stood up, saying to the nanny beside her, "Let's go for a walk in the third courtyard."
But Ye Mu was not at the manor.
"Second Madam, when Fourth Miss left the dock this morning, she sent a servant back to report that she was going to Baoxiang Temple," the maid in the courtyard replied timidly. "She hasn't returned yet."
Zhou's eyes flickered slightly. The monk from Baoxiang Temple hadn't seen Ye Mu for eight years. During the few days he performed the ritual at the mansion, the two were quite unfamiliar with each other. She thought he wouldn't be so talkative as to tell a young woman who had just come of age about her relationship with Mr. Chen.
However, Zhou's gaze fell on the diamond-shaped door of the main house in the courtyard. Even though Wen Kong had told the girl, there was nothing to be afraid of. After all, the old lady was gone, and she already had a backup plan.
"Now that we're here, let's go and see Third Grandmother."
The young maidservant curtsied and bowed slightly, leading Zhou Shi to the exquisite diamond-shaped door, which she then gently pushed open with both hands.
As Zhou stepped into the room, a refreshing plum fragrance mixed with the smell of medicine lingered in her nostrils. She glanced at the white cloud-shaped incense beast by the window without making a sound, then changed to a concerned expression and looked at Liu, who was leaning against the bed.
"How are you feeling today, Third Sister-in-law?" Zhou approached and sat down on the embroidered stool by the bed.
Liu weakly raised her eyes, her voice a little hoarse, "Thank you for your concern, Second Sister-in-law. I feel much better after taking the new prescription from Master Wen Kong, but I still have a few coughs that hurt my chest."
"This illness came on suddenly, so you must take good care of yourself." Madam Zhou reached out to tuck the blanket around her, fanning herself with a round fan. "It's all my fault. That day, I was so anxious that I wrongly accused you without even knowing the facts. Now the truth is out. It was that old woman Li who had evil intentions. She stole the jade pot from Mother's room and secretly sold it to pay off her good-for-nothing son's gambling debts. Fearing that Mother would find out, she even dared to poison the medicine and had already tampered with Mother's Buddhist beads. Her heart is vicious..."
Zhou said, "It was just bad luck that day. You happened to be waiting right there, and the old lady passed away just like that. If it were me, I would have been scared to death too."
"Now that Granny Li has fallen off the cliff and died, it is her own fault. Mother's spirit in heaven can rest in peace." Liu gently held Zhou's hand. She had heard bits and pieces of what the maid had told her over the past few days and assumed that it was Granny Li's doing.
Feeling lonely during her illness, Liu was touched when Zhou came to visit her and even spoke to her.
A faint smile played on Zhou's lips, but there was no warmth in her eyes. She turned her gaze to the incense beast that was exhaling blue smoke. "What kind of fragrance did you use, Third Sister-in-law? It's quite unique, unlike the usual plum blossom scent."
Liu straightened up a bit, "I was feeling a couple of days ago when I went to the fields to pick up some snow-covered spring flowers. The ingredients are ordinary, but I wanted to make them elegant."
"Spring tidings in the snow?" Zhou pretended to realize. "Look at my memory, didn't my third sister-in-law give me some a few years ago? No wonder it smells so familiar. I don't usually burn this incense, I usually use agarwood, but it seems my third sister-in-law is used to it. But when I do smell it, it is indeed very pleasant."
"This fragrance has the cool charm of early spring plum blossoms, which I can't live without. When I was sick and felt depressed, I felt relieved by smelling this fragrance."
Seeing that someone was appreciating her, Liu's face glowed with a faint light, and she smiled, seemingly feeling better. She immediately instructed the maidservant standing beside her, "Go to my cabinet and fetch the newly mixed jar of face powder, and give it to Second Mistress."
"How could I possibly accept this? It's already quite an achievement for you to blend perfumes while you're ill; how could I possibly take away what you love?"
"I'm overjoyed that my second sister-in-law likes it." Liu waved her hand weakly, her breath coming in soft phlegm.
Madam Zhou took the exquisite little porcelain jar and chatted casually, "Why haven't we seen Third Master these past few days? Could it be that since Mother left, he's gone off to collect his old paintings again?"
Liu shook his head. "My mother passed away suddenly, and I was unable to see her one last time. I feel very guilty. These days I have been building a hut in front of my mother's grave to keep vigil, saying that I want to atone for the sin of not taking good care of her when she was ill."
"I never expected that Third Master would have such a kind heart."
Before she could finish speaking, Jin Yun hurriedly lifted the curtain and entered.
Madam Zhou immediately stood up to protect her, "Third Madam is still ill, why are you in such a hurry?"
"Reporting to Second Madam, Eldest Madam requests Third Madam's presence here; she has something to ask."
"Did you say what it was about?"
Jin Yun looked embarrassed and lowered her head. "Sister Xia is making a huge scene in the eldest madam's courtyard."
The main courtyard of the eldest son's family.
As soon as Liu was helped into the room by her maid, she saw Xia kneeling in front of Wang, clutching a men's outer robe made of indigo satin, crying so hard she could barely breathe.
“Grandma! If you don’t send someone to call me today, I will throw away my pride and come with a kitchen knife tomorrow to demand justice!” Sister Xia held up the garment, tears streaming down her face. “This is the incense that Third Grandma used to use! I used to serve her and I know that she loved to mix this incense. I can recognize the scent even with my eyes closed.”
"Yes, I put up the talismans on the estate and spread the rumors. I admit I was wrong! I wanted to turn a blind eye and spread some rumors, and they would have to restrain themselves, right? She used to be my master, and I didn't want to go too far, but they treated me like I was not human."
Xia crawled to Wang's feet and said, "The day before the old lady passed away, my husband came back from outside, and he smelled like this again! My heart was boiling with nausea, and I couldn't bear it any longer. Madam, please do me a favor."
Xia buried her face in the clothes and burst into tears.
Liu was trembling with anger. Supported by her maid, she took a few steps forward, her fingertips shaking. "What nonsense are you spouting here?!"
"Nonsense?" Xia Jie suddenly looked up, stood up, and almost poked the garment in front of Liu Shi's eyes. "Third Madam, smell this! Isn't this your unique Snow in Spring? I, Zhou Xia, can't mistake this scent even if my nose rots!"
"You said that only you can add a touch of cool fragrance. Although it is an ordinary ingredient, it is different from what is available on the market. It is unique in the world and even the perfumers in the palace cannot imitate it."
Just then, Zhou, holding the newly acquired jar of incense, slowly stepped forward.
She feigned hesitation, brought the porcelain jar close to her nose, and sniffed it. Then, she pretended to bend down and smell the clothes in Xia Jie's hands. She then put on a surprised and embarrassed expression, adding fuel to the fire, "This fragrance is exactly the same..."
Liu's mind went blank for a moment, and she instantly understood. She turned sharply to Zhou, her fingers trembling slightly with anger, "This incense, I gave you two jars of it a few years ago, it was clearly from you and..."
“Oh, my dear third sister-in-law! I’ve been saying this for years, and I’m long gone now that you gave me this gift.”
Zhou interrupted her, and with a flick of her fan, she covered Liu's accusing finger, pressed it down, and said aggrievedly, "Who in the entire mansion doesn't know that I only use agarwood incense to scent my clothes? If Third Sister-in-law wants to slander, she has slandered the wrong person, hasn't she? Besides, Third Sister-in-law just said in the room that she can't live without this incense, and all the maids and servants in the room heard that."
Liu trembled with rage, her eyes bloodshot, as she glared at Wang, who sat regally in the main seat. "Sister-in-law, you know my character all too well. I value integrity and propriety above all else. Over the years, I've rarely even reprimanded the servants in the courtyard. How could I, how could I dare to do something so disgraceful to the family? This is clearly trying to force me to my death..."
Wang remained seated, coldly glancing at Zhou Xia's vulgar behavior and Zhou Xia's affected manner, finally settling on Liu's swaying, frail figure. This act was full of flaws; Liu had always been proud and self-disciplined, how could she possibly have an affair with the accountant?
Having managed the household for many years, she had long noticed something amiss.
She had also witnessed Zhou and Mr. Chen's intimate behavior in private in her early years. It is estimated that this was because Zhou would put the incense given to her by Liu on her clothes before each private meeting with Mr. Chen.
This situation was clearly planned long ago.
Wang had already reached a conclusion and was about to speak when Zhou suddenly stepped forward, "Sister-in-law, I remember now, the day before the old lady passed away, I saw Mr. Chen and Liu at the rockery in the back garden..."
She stepped forward and whispered something else in his ear, "I suppose the eldest mistress already knew about Jian-ge'er's affair with Fourth Sister?"
Zhou was no fool. After a moment's thought about Wang's reaction at the dock that morning, she figured it out. Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, Wang's fingers on the handrail tightened.
Jiang Si had instructed that this matter should be discussed after the results were announced, but Zhou Shi couldn't wait that long; now was the perfect opportunity to use the knife.
Madam Zhou continued, "If Madam makes a wrong judgment today, I don't care about my reputation; I can lose it if I want. But Jian-ge'er is still young, and Madam must cherish his reputation very much. If all the powerful and influential people in the capital knew that the eldest grandson of the Marquis's family harbored such rebellious thoughts towards his sister..."
Madam Zhou chuckled softly, covering her lips with her fan, her voice as gentle as a feather, "Madam, tell me, is it better to protect an insignificant Liu or to protect Jian-ge'er's bright future? I'm sure Madam knows which is more important."
When Ye Mu entered the manor, he noticed that the atmosphere was strange. The main courtyard was filled with maids and servants, but they all lowered their heads and held their breath, as silent as cicadas in winter. The huge courtyard was so quiet that only the rustling sound of the autumn wind sweeping through the bamboo tips could be heard.
With a slight twitch of her fingertips in her sleeve, she quietly grasped the cool jade pendant. Calming herself slightly, she carefully placed it into her sachet and stepped into the oppressive main room.
The room was dimly lit, and Ye Mu was met with Wang Shi's sharp gaze.
His tone was icy: "The third wife, Liu, has disgraced the family by failing to uphold traditional virtues."
Each word was slammed onto the blue brick ground: "From this day forward, you shall be expelled from the Marquis's residence, and you shall never be allowed to enter any of the Ye family's homes again!"
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