Chapter 62 Brother-in-law! Surprisingly, it wasn't Shen Ji who was called out...
"Ahhh, Mommy, it hurts! It hurts so much! Please stop hitting me, you're so cruel!"
"You're utterly ungrateful! With your character, do you even deserve to call me 'Mother'? Do you even deserve to be a member of the Jiang family?! I hired the most expensive tutors to teach you everything—music, chess, calligraphy, painting, literature, poetry—I've spared no effort for you, and yet you only learn those despicable and shameful tricks! All my efforts in educating you have been wasted! With a face like that, do you think you can imitate those women and use your beauty to seduce him? Even if you stood naked in front of him, he wouldn't even give you a second glance! Who does he think he is? Hasn't he ever seen anything like that before?"
As Jiang Shuifu passed by the second house of the Jiang family, she heard a series of wails coming from the courtyard, and the sound of being beaten with a cane rose and fell. Judging from the force, the beating was extremely severe.
You don't even need to go inside to know what happened; the story begins with Shenji Zhao Chinese Medicine.
When Jiang Wanwan learned of the commotion in her yard, she was completely dumbfounded. She felt like she had done someone else's favor, and she was extremely annoyed. However, she couldn't hide her feelings on her face and felt incredibly guilty.
Furthermore, Shen Jizhao sent people to demand an explanation, and as a result, she quickly confessed without being asked.
Early this morning, Madam Li brought out the family rules, determined to beat her senseless! Old Master Jiang and his wife didn't show up, but only sent someone to keep an eye on her.
At this moment, Jiang Junyu, who was standing to the side, could no longer bear to watch his daughter's pitiful cries. He stepped forward and said with a sigh:
“Madam, that’s enough! Don’t talk about Wan’er like that! Wan’er was just blinded by greed. Every little girl is ignorant sometimes. She’s already been given thirty lashes, so let’s just turn a blind eye! If she were crippled, you’d be the one who would be heartbroken! Anyway, my good luck has run out. I can only be a minor official for the rest of my life. Madam, don’t look down on me for being useless. Things will get better!”
Jiang Junyu knew that after this incident, not only would the old man not let him continue to follow Governor Zhu, but even if he himself had no conscience and ignored his niece's plea to him because of the injustice he had caused, the other party would not want him anymore!
They were indeed in the wrong. He lowered his head dejectedly, looking as if he had aged many years in an instant, his voice weary and aged:
"We've wronged Fu'er! Fu'er is so beautiful, and I, as her uncle, couldn't protect her! I couldn't stand up for her! If my sister finds out, she'll definitely blame me!"
Upon hearing this, Li breathed a sigh of relief:
"No, we don't want any wealth or status. What's the point of begging for those empty things? It's enough for the family to be together. Otherwise, it's better not to live at all than to raise a shrewish, lowly servant!"
Seeing that Li was about to relent and stop hitting her, Jiang Wanwan seized the opportunity to cry out her innocence:
"I'm innocent! I didn't do it! I didn't do it! Mother, please don't hit me!"
Seeing that she still showed no remorse, Li's anger flared up again. She rolled up her sleeves and continued to beat her, striking her again and again until her skin was torn and bloody.
"Ahhh!"
Hearing that familiar scream again, Jiang Shuifu unconsciously walked inside.
Jiang Junyu was about to go up and ask her what was wrong when he saw her arrive, but he couldn't take another step. He was too ashamed!
Li was only concerned with giving Jiang Wanwan a severe scolding.
Jiang Shuifu's lips slowly curved into a half-smile, comforting Jiang Junyu:
"Second Uncle, there's no need to feel guilty. It has nothing to do with you, and strictly speaking, it has nothing to do with Second Sister either. My relationship with him is long-standing, filled with both gratitude and resentment. Second Uncle will always be my family, and I won't blame you! My mother won't either! If Second Uncle feels sorry for me, then buy me some jewelry. I heard that Su Yang's Treasure Pavilion has come up with new designs. You know, I love these kinds of things!"
Her lighthearted, joking tone made Jiang Junyu feel much better, and he readily agreed. He knew that she was giving them a way out and comforting them, which made him feel even more guilty towards her.
He nodded and resolutely swore:
"It will never happen again. The Jiang family will not let him in again, no matter what official position he holds!"
Jiang Shuifu's eyes darkened; they had no choice in this matter.
She didn't tell him Shen Jizhao's true identity because she didn't want him to be in a more difficult and fearful situation. If he knew Shen Jizhao's identity, probably no one in the Jiang family would be able to sleep peacefully.
When Li got tired of beating her, she sat down to rest. She had given Jiang Wanwan a full fifty lashes, so many times that Jiang was dizzy and then waking up, and she showed no mercy no matter how much Jiang begged for mercy.
Jiang Wanwan woke up again, and Jiang Shuifu stepped forward at that moment, lowered her neck, and looked down at her to reveal her fantasy:
"Is it worth risking your reputation for a man who won't even look at you? Don't you know? The only thing he does when he looks at you is disgust and contempt. He hates you, hates that you chase after him without any regard for the rules, hates that you think you can win his heart. When he smiles, you think he has some affection for you, but in reality, he's just laughing at your shameless face. Do you see it now? Are you still going to keep dreaming?"
Jiang Shuifu's words were merciless, bluntly and ruthlessly shattering the feelings of a young girl, leaving her no room for maneuver.
They've hit a brick wall, shouldn't they have woken up by now? If they haven't, who knows what they'll do next!
She watched as Jiang Erwan, her eyes bulging with embarrassment and anger, glared at her resentfully, letting out a choked, weak sound, barely audible, yet she still heard it:
"I know, I'm not blind! I saw it from the first glance! I was just pretending not to see it!"
Jiang Shuifu was stunned for a moment. She didn't expect that Jiang Erwan, who was in the middle of the situation, was not blinded by it.
When she first started pursuing Shen Jizhao, she didn't realize that he disliked her. She was completely focused on him, and it wasn't until much later that she slowly came to the realization.
So, she wasn't actually cursing her just now; wasn't she just like her former self?
Seeing her reminded her of herself back then; in some ways, they were similar.
She blurted out a few words as if possessed:
"Don't be so foolish in the future. If others don't care about you or hate you, you should know when to stop liking someone. If he has no feelings for you, just let go gracefully. Don't cause trouble for others, and don't lose your dignity for someone who isn't worth it. Jiang Erwan, if you wait a little longer, someone will like the real you."
These words seemed to travel through time; she hoped that her past self could hear them, and that they could comfort the wounded girl and tell her not to deny herself because of others.
Jiang Erwan listened to her words for a long time. Could anyone like the real her?
Will it?
Yes, there will be people who like her!
Then she started crying again, crying her heart out, but she had no strength left and was about to faint. Before she passed out, she murmured:
"I want my father! I don't want my mother anymore! My mother is so mean! She doesn't love me anymore! Father, please come and save me!"
Jiang Junyu immediately ran over to help her back to her room. The doctor had already been arranged, and she could be treated as soon as she entered.
Li had originally planned to go in as well, but before she did, she glanced at Jiang Shuifu, then stopped, walked up to Jiang Shuifu, raised her head, and said to her:
"You should know I hate you. I've disliked you since you were little, and I've never been a caring aunt to you. But do you know why?"
Jiang Shuifu shook her head. "That's not important. Do I have to know why every single one of them hates me?"
Madam Li's gaze faltered, lingering for a moment before she smiled. "You've been pampered since childhood, the apple of the Jiang family's eye, and you're as beautiful as your sister. You've been unrestrained and wild since childhood. What I dislike about you is your lack of discipline. Our Wan'er is different. Although she's the prettiest in our eyes, we can't deny that she's not pretty. If she gets close to you and learns some of your traits, it will only make things worse for her. How will she ever get married? As parents, we naturally have to plan for our children. Even if she can't get married, we'll still support her. But in this era, the burden she has to bear is too heavy! I... can't bear to!"
Jiang Shuifu knew she didn't like her, but she didn't expect that it was because she was afraid that Jiang Erwan would be unable to get married if he followed her example.
At this moment, she envied Jiang Erwan.
Is it really that good to have a mother?
He would risk being branded a nasty critic for his niece and hate another innocent person for the sake of his daughter's important life event! Just so she could live a smooth and successful life as a woman!
Even if she can't get married, he won't abandon her or regard her as a shameful person. Instead, he won't bear to see her suffer the scorn of the neighbors!
Li is such a selfish mother!
But she also wanted this kind of selfishness!
Li bowed deeply to her, saying, "I'm sorry, Shuifu, I have offended you in the past."
Jiang Shuifu was in a daze for a long time. It wasn't until Li Shi went into the room to check on Jiang Erwan and saw her lying by the bed crying her heart out through the wide-open window that she slowly came to her senses.
She felt that Jiang Erwan was wrong. Her mother clearly loved her very much, and Jiang Erwan knew that too. She was just being spoiled and arrogant. It was just a way for the mother and daughter to be affectionate.
As for her second aunt, she's not a bad person, so there's no reason for her to dislike her.
.
Ever since witnessing Shen Jizhao forcefully breaking into her and grabbing her waist late at night, Mei Bao has been terrified and hasn't been able to sleep for several nights.
Jiang Shuifu could only bring her over to comfort her personally. Seeing that she was alright, Meibao wouldn't be scared anymore.
She took her younger sister out to buy freshly baked glutinous rice cakes and promised to give her perilla drink and ice cream cheese...
My little sister was so happy, she held my hand the whole way and kept babbling away.
This time, Jiang Zongnan specially assigned several servants to follow and protect them, in order to prevent the same thing from happening last time.
They bought a lot of sweet pastries, and then went to Tianfu Restaurant to book a private room and ordered a lot of summer drinks.
However, before the waiter could even leave, he looked up and encountered an uninvited guest.
As soon as Meibao saw this person, she got up excitedly and ran over to hug his legs. This hug made the man frown.
He Beiqing staggered backward unintentionally, then managed to steady himself. He couldn't even bend over, so he could only lower his head as much as possible to touch Meibao's face, and then took out a candied hawthorn for her: "Eat this!"
When Meibao saw the candied hawthorn, she shouted excitedly several times and jumped up and down in cheers.
"Wow, this is amazing! Can fruit be made into candied hawthorn skewers? I almost don't want to eat them!"
Jiang Shuifu pulled her back in her arms, preventing her from siding with outsiders. She observed his condition and guessed that he must have suffered a severe punishment. Compared to this injury, the one he sustained last time was probably nothing.
She deliberately made a gesture of invitation:
"Please sit, General He!"
He Beiqing's eyes flashed, and he walked over as if nothing was wrong. However, after only a few steps, he was already sweating from the pain, let alone sitting down, as he couldn't bend his knees at all.
Jiang Shuifu saw this scene, but remained silent.
He Beiqing knew she was testing him, so he remained silent and bent his knees to sit down.
She scoffed inwardly. She couldn't understand him and wasn't going to beat around the bush. She went straight to the point and asked, "Who exactly are you?"
He Beiqing smiled nonchalantly: "I am a third-rank military officer, and my family has been officials for generations. We are one of the three great families in the capital."
She grew impatient, picked up the teapot on the table, and poured herself some tea. However, this cup of tea was not for her; she handed it to the man opposite her.
"You know what I'm talking about. I can see right through it. He couldn't possibly not see it, otherwise you wouldn't be so badly injured!"
Jiang Shuifu was referring to the time when Shen Jizhao tried to take advantage of her, so many people suddenly appeared, almost all of the Jiang family elders came!
And then there was Mei Bao's arrival. It was a night banquet that day, and her aunt would never let her run around alone!
But not only did she arrive, but it was also such a coincidence that her appearance attracted so many people who should have been entertaining guests in the front yard and couldn't have heard anything from the backyard.
Moreover, she had heard the whistle several times before, and she had also recognized his voice as trying to stop Shen Jizhao.
Upon careful reflection, she came to an unbelievable conclusion: the whistleblower had been helping her every time, and that person was him!
He Beiqing!
At this moment, He Beiqing finally straightened his expression:
“If Miss Fu is asking about my position, then I can tell you that I am His Highness the Crown Prince’s trusted advisor, a powerful supporter in his struggle for the throne, and his most loyal subject. Therefore… I am merely fulfilling a promise! My word is my bond! But Miss Fu has never believed me!”
Jiang Shuifu remembered his promise again: he was here to help her, he would help her!
Now she had no choice but to take his promise seriously; what he said actually had some truth to it!
She leaned forward slightly, staring intently at him, her sharp eyes darting around before she asked:
Aren't you afraid? Do you dare?
He Beiqing, without any pretense, nodded:
"Of course I'm afraid, but there are some things I won't stop doing just because I'm afraid. There's no such thing as daring or not daring; it's just a matter of whether I'm willing or not. If I'm willing and satisfied, I'll naturally follow my heart. What is there to be afraid of?"
Jiang Shuifu still couldn't fully trust him, after all, he was Shen Jizhao's man and had betrayed her before.
How can this be proven?
He Beiqing didn't respond to her, but instead took out a few more: "Sister Bao, take these back for Doujie and Huge to eat!"
Meibao was enjoying her iced drink when suddenly several candied hawthorns appeared in front of her, making her laugh heartily.
"Sister, you can have one more! But can you have another one? There are still several left!"
Seeing that he didn't speak, she immediately started praising him enthusiastically to bribe him:
"My little sister loves her brother. He always buys her candied hawthorns. My older sister said that whoever buys them for us is our brother-in-law! But, brother-in-law has to protect his older sister and drive away the bad guys from last time!"
Mei Bao's words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, leaving everyone in the private room stunned and speechless. Jiang Shui Fu was especially innocent; when had she ever said such a thing!
Although He Beiqing was also shocked, he was a little better off than her.
But then, a massive, overwhelming chill rapidly gathered and accumulated, enveloping their entire private room and pressing down on them with tremendous force! It was so suffocating that they could hardly breathe!
Mei Bao called out again, making the chill even worse: "Brother-in-law, can I have another one?"
Suddenly, the chill quickly condensed into ice, large chunks of ice rushing in from the open windows of the corridor.
It turned out that the windows of the adjacent private room were also wide open, which created the current situation. The two windows were mutually restraining and resisting each other, but a gaze shot forcefully from the opposite side, directly at He Beiqing!
The original balance of power was instantly shattered, and they suffered a series of defeats, proving utterly vulnerable.
It is Shen Jizhao!
Jiang Shuifu also sensed something was wrong and immediately felt a sense of unease. She turned around and was stunned!
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Author's Note: Hmm, that's the taste! Shen Gouzi isn't someone to be trifled with. Lord He, are you ready?
Actually, Shen Gouzi was jealous. Mei Bao avoided him like the plague, yet she called someone else "brother" and even "brother-in-law." He wanted nothing more than to spank her a few times.
Meibao: You dare! I'll have my brother-in-law teach you a lesson!
Shen Gouzi: I am! [Angry]
My daughter envies Jiang Erwan a lot, and as I write this, I feel so sorry for her. Therefore, she will treat her children very, very well in the future; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she spoils them.
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