The sun is high in the sky, casting dappled sunlight through the canopy of trees, leaving patches of light on the ground.
Ji Xiaoxiao sat in the seat of honor, staring intently at Hu Yanyan.
Hu Yanyan, the daughter of a high-ranking prime minister, is naturally intelligent and exceptionally beautiful. Because she deeply loves the Marquis of Wei, she willingly marries Jian Guangyang as his concubine.
Their poignant and beautiful love story was so moving that people in the capital, regardless of age or gender, all shed a tear for them.
Ji Xiaoxiao pursed her lips. Jian Guangyang and Hu Yanyan had gained both fame and fortune. The poor, innocent original owner of the body was clearly Jian Guangyang's lawfully wedded wife, but she was portrayed by malicious people as a scheming bitch who went to great lengths to steal Hu Yanyan's lover.
A gentleman does not take what others cherish, and a beautiful woman does not steal what others love!
Because she was the daughter of a merchant, the original owner was not well-liked by the noble ladies of the capital. As this rumor spread, she found it even more difficult to move around in the social circles of the inner quarters.
Ji Xiaoxiao carefully examined Hu Yanyan. She had an oval face, bright eyes and white teeth, and a slender waist that could be encircled by one hand. However, her proud breasts were the opposite of what she expected. Ji Xiaoxiao recalled the size of Jian Guangyang's palm and estimated the size of each other's hands to see who was bigger and who was better.
With status, position, looks, and figure, Hu Yanyan is definitely a winner in life! However, having risen to power by stepping on the original owner, Hu Yanyan not only has a beautiful chest but also a brain.
The daughter of a prime minister, marrying Jian Guangyang, would disgrace the prime minister and could also inadvertently gain a bad reputation for breaking up someone else's family. It would be a losing proposition.
However, Hu Yanyan was quite resourceful and handled matters skillfully and swiftly, inflicting damage on the original owner's reputation for no reason. She, a concubine who rose to power later in life, remained pure and untainted like a lotus emerging from mud, earning the admiration of everyone as a devoted woman.
"She has some tricks up her sleeve." When dealing with the women in the inner quarters, Ji Xiaoxiao always goes all out. Although they don't have the martial prowess of men, when they fight, their brutality and ruthlessness are unmatched, even by men who have fought on the battlefield.
"Madam, are you alright?" Hu Yanyan asked again.
Ji Xiaoxiao was so engrossed in admiring the stunning beauty that she forgot to tell Hu Yanyan to get up.
"It's alright, Aunt Yan, please get up," Ji Xiaoxiao said calmly.
"Thank you, Madam." Hu Yanyan stood up unsteadily, almost falling over.
“Auntie.” Hu Yanyan’s maidservant steadied her quickly and spoke up righteously, “Madam, how can you deliberately mistreat our auntie? Our auntie has devoted herself wholeheartedly to the Marquis’s mansion. During the day, she manages all the affairs of the mansion. At night, she stays up late to take care of the Marquis and settle the accounts of Jin Jin Fang. She doesn’t get a proper rest all day and is very tired. Even so, our auntie still came to pay her respects to you, but instead of appreciating her kindness, you mistreat her and won’t let her get up for a long time. What are you thinking?”
"Shuyu, shut up. Madam is the Marquis's wife," Hu Yanyan said tearfully, feeling aggrieved.
Why did she have to say it now, not earlier or later, but only after the maid had finished speaking did Hu Yanyan finally speak up to stop her.
Ji Xiaoxiao sneered, her icy gaze falling on Yu Shu. An invisible venomous snake coiled around her, its sharp fangs raised high, and Yu Shu couldn't help but shiver.
"Granny Zhang."
“This servant is here.” Granny Zhang stepped forward.
Ji Xiaoxiao said, "Open your mouth ten times."
Zhang Mama obeyed the order, walked up to Yu Shu, and slapped her ten times.
"Waaah..." After Zhang Mama finished hitting her, she turned and left. Yu Shu covered her red and swollen mouth and sobbed softly.
"Madam, Yu Shu is one of my lowly concubines. How could you, how could you lay a hand on her?"
Even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner. That bitch Zeng Feizi, how dare she embarrass her?
Hu Yanyan was filled with boundless hatred, but her face showed helplessness and confusion, with tears welling up in her eyes. She looked so wronged and pitiful that one couldn't help but want to pluck stars and the moon for her to make her smile.
“Why can’t I hit her?” Ji Xiaoxiao got up from her chair and walked towards Hu Yanyan. “I am the Marquis’s lawfully wedded wife and the mistress of the Marquis’s mansion. I can beat any maid I want, no matter what.”
Ji Xiaoxiao gave a nonchalant snort, "Just a servant."
“Madam, Yu Shu has served me for many years and has always been devoted to me. Yu Shu’s previous offense was due to Yu Shu’s deep love and care for me. As for right and wrong, if it weren’t for Madam’s distraction, I would have been kneeling for so long that my legs went numb and I almost fell. Why would Yu Shu have bothered to argue with you, Madam?”
Hu Yanyan brought up the old matter again, and in the end, she wanted to give Ji Xiaoxiao a bad reputation for bullying concubines and being intolerant of people around her husband.
Ji Xiaoxiao didn't care, raised her hand, and pinched Hu Yanyan's cheek.
A collective gasp rippled through the room. "Is Madam flirting with Concubine Hu?"
"Madam, what are you doing?"
Hu Yanyan knocked Ji Xiaoxiao's salty pig's trotter off with one hand.
Ji Xiaoxiao rubbed and patted her aching hand, saying, "That maid said that you, Aunt Hu, haven't been able to rest properly all day and are very tired. I don't think that's true. Your complexion is rosy and fair, which means you've had plenty of rest and are in good spirits. It's not like what that maid said. Those who spread rumors are truly hateful. I only slapped her ten times because of you, Aunt Hu."
Hu Yanyan looked radiant, showing no signs of being tired or worried.
Jian Guangyang worked diligently, turning the soil, sowing seeds, and watering, turning barren land into fertile soil.
Hu Yanyan unconsciously touched her face; her skin was smooth and delicate, like ice and jade.
It was her oversight that led to her making a fatal mistake.
Hu Yanyan put away her mournful face and chatted with Ji Xiaoxiao with a bright smile.
Time flew by, and Hu Yanyan bid farewell and returned to Lanxinyuan.
"This servant deserves to die." Back at Lanxinyuan, after closing the courtyard gate, Yu Shu knelt down straight.
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