NOVEL WEB Chapter 138 - Real or Fake Su Yuejiu
Chapter 138: Real or Fake Su Yuejiu
The girl’s slender and nimble hands unfastened the buttons on his chest one by one. Then, she stopped and snuggled beside him, her thin robes pressed intimately against the man. Her heavy breathing was ambiguous and seductive.
Zhao Sheng was stunned and did not dare to move, in fear that he would wake up from this wet dream.
It had already been almost one year, and the girl had never taken the initiative like this before. She had always treated him coldly, and even at night, she would maintain a clear distance from him. They rarely exchanged words.
He had no idea what was happening, and he was so nervous to the point that he was at a loss of what to do.
The moonlight had been blocked by the trees, casting an ink-black shadow within the room. After some time, the girl realized that he had not made a move and seemed to be annoyed. She peeled the blanket off, intending to leave.
Suddenly, her wrist was grasped. Zhao Sheng’s breathing had become urgent as he pulled the girl back forcefully. His breathing deepened, and he sealed the girl’s lips firmly just as she was about to sound out in surprise.
The temperatures in the room rose steadily. The wind seemed to pick up outside the windows. A gust blew by, rustling the broken window panes and causing them to rattle.
The torn pale-yellow bed curtains concealed the only candlelight in the room, accentuating the hazy dimness of the room. Just as the man was about to pry open the curtains to take a closer look, his shoulders were embraced by the girl. His sturdy body tumbled back instantly.
It must have been because of the girl’s cooperation, for the man had never felt so elated. Even if he passed away right on the woman’s body, he would be satisfied and content.
The girl was afraid that the strong winds would wake up the child next to her, and made every effort to seal the opening that was causing the rattling. Even though her heart was still filled with hatred, her body was like a thirsty autumn sapling, yearning for the coming of rain.
After a long time, the gale and rain finally ceased. The man held onto the girl in his arms, panting.
Two doors away, the sound of the older woman tossing in bed could be heard. As the bed beneath them squeaked, the girl winced in embarrassment and distanced herself from the man.
Zhao Sheng locked her back into his embrace. His breathing was ragged as he grinned. “You… You’ve made up your mind?”
Since she had allowed him to touch her body on her own accord, it implied that she was willing to spend her days with him.
The happiness in his heart was even greater than the physical comfort and excitement of his body. He also became more at ease.
In the darkness, the girl’s expression could not be made out clearly. She seemed to nod her head as she conveyed noncommittally, “I’ve already given birth to a child. Does it matter if I have not made up my mind? In the future, let’s get along well, and raise our child!”
“Then… You’re not leaving?” Zhao Sheng gripped her shoulders emotionally. His turbid eyes, which were already glimmering with joy, shined brightly in the night.
“The child is already born, so where can I go? Wherever you and my child are, my home will be there!” The girl whispered.
Zhao Sheng erupted with joy. It felt like everything was just a dream. The corner of his lips curled into a smile. He did not know how to speak romantically, and could only kiss her deeply and mount her body yet again.
That night, a single rain cloud hovered in the mountain, and only dissipated at twilight. The sky gradually cleared up.
Zhao Sheng woke up slightly later than usual, but his entire being seemed more energetic and revitalized. It was as though he had regained his youthfulness within the span of one night, now possessing the vitality of a young man.
The older woman rose early to prepare breakfast. She served the girl porridge boiled with vegetables, while she and Zhao Sheng ate dry biscuits dipped in gruel.
Zhao Sheng could not contain his happiness, which was plastered all over his face. He raised his porridge bowl and gulped down half the bowl while munching on the biscuit. Every bite he took seemed more fragrant than before.
The older woman naturally knew the reason why he was so excited and in her heart, and she was happy for her son. She understood that he had not gotten much sleep last night, and since the mountain roads were slippery due to the heavy rain last night, she suggested, “You should rest at home today! Don’t head to the city!”
Zhao Sheng, however, assumed that the woman was talking about the matter last night. The edges of his ears reddened subconsciously as he spoke with a hoarse voice, “I’m not tired! I’m free today, and since it rained I won’t be able to collect firewood. I should head to the city to buy supplies. Otherwise, what will we eat if we don’t have rice?”
The woman smiled. “Alright, then you should be careful on your way to the city. Come home early!”
Just as she said this, the curtains of the west room were pried open and the girl came out, donned in proper attire. She wore a blue linen dress that had faded slightly due to repeated washing, and her hair was fastened neatly behind her head. Even though she had given birth, her figure remained slim and slender. Her complexion was fair and clean, and she appeared to be a beautiful and precious daughter from one of the farming households.
Zhao Sheng raised his head and looked over. He appeared slightly bashful as he stuttered, “You… You… Why are you already awake?”
The girl touched her hair and lowered her head. “I heard you were going to the city, and I want to head there with you. The days are getting cold, so we should buy some cloth and textiles back to sew some winter clothes for our child.”
The woman’s eyes flashed and she got up with a smile. “You just gave birth and your body is still weak. It’s best if you don’t go out. The matter regarding the child’s clothing is not urgent, so I’ll just go out and purchase it one day.”
The girl, however, only looked at Zhao Sheng. Her eyes were filled with warmth as she insisted, “Just let me go with you. I want to personally choose them for our child.”
When Zhao Sheng saw her pleading look, his entire body, including his bones, softened. He hastily agreed. “Alright… Alright, we shall go together!”
The woman knitted her brows, but when she saw how happy her son was, she did not utter a word.
Before they left, the girl returned to the room to feed her child with sufficient milk. She checked the door to confirm that no one was going to enter. After that, she could not help but lower her head to kiss the child on his face, as tears welled up in her eyes.
No matter what, he was still her flesh and blood.
Except he was never meant to exist in her life!
“Child, don’t blame your mother for being cruel! Mother was forced to do this!” The girl hugged her son and secretly shed some tears.
In the courtyard, the woman instructed Zhao Sheng in a low voice, “When you enter the city, watch her properly! I have a premonition that something is not right!”
“Mother!” Zhao Sheng was unwilling to listen. Frowning, he said, “She already mentioned that she will live well with me from now on. In the future, she will not bring up Fuyang, and she won’t leave anymore!”
It was because the girl had suddenly changed her attitude, that the woman felt that something was wrong. When she realized that her son was not willing to listen to her, she could only heave a sigh. “Whatever it is, just heed my words. You must watch after her properly!”
“I got it!” Zhao Sheng impatiently muttered. When he looked up, he saw the girl walk out and immediately plastered a smile on his face. “Let’s go. We still need to rush back before it gets dark!”
“Mm!” The girl nodded her head and turned to the woman. “I have already fed Shi’er some milk. He’ll sleep for another two hours. When he wakes up, you can feed him some rice gruel. Don’t overfeed him!”
The woman bobbed her head with a smile. “Don’t worry, I’m here to take care of him! Both of you should be careful on the road!”
After that, she instructed her son, “If the road gets hard to travel on, you should carry your wife. Her body is frail, so you should take care of her!”
Zhao Sheng nodded with a smile. “I got it!”
Once the wooden gate in the courtyard was opened, Zhao Sheng and the girl walked out, one after the other. The woman sent them off, and only returned to the room to dote over her grandchild once their departing silhouettes had faded into the distance.
The mountain paths were indeed difficult to travel on. It was especially so for the girl who had not left the house in a long time. Her body was feeble, and she needed to take a break every few steps.
Zhao Sheng supported her, and would occasionally carry her on his back. Once they reached the end of the mountain path and stepped on to the public roads, traveling became much easier. The number of people on the road also increased steadily.
Once they entered Shengjing City, it was already almost noon. Zhao Sheng pointed towards the bustling street and smiled goofily. “What do you think of the city?”
The girl forced out a smile. “It’s good!”
“We’ve walked the whole way, are you hungry? I’ll go buy some steamed buns for you. The buns are all filled with meat, and they are very fragrant!” Zhao Sheng tugged at the girl’s hand, sniffing the air.
The girl looked at the unsophisticated man in disdain. The disgust in her heart intensified.
When they reached the stall that sold steamed buns, Zhao Sheng stared at the buns and asked while salivating, “Boss, how much is one bun?”
The stall owner came over with a polite smile. “One coin each. These big steamed buns are stuffed with meat. How many do you want?”
The man dug out his coins. If he subtracted the money he needed to buy rice and cloth, there were only two coins left. He tipped them to the stall owner and said, “Give me two!”
“Sure!”
The stall owner received the money and packed two buns for Zhao Sheng. “Hold them well!”
Zhao Sheng received the buns and stuffed them into the girl’s arms. He grinned and said, “For you to eat!”
The girl was indeed hungry, and half a bun disappeared in one bite. When she raised her head, she caught Zhao Sheng staring straight at her and asked, “What are you eating? Why don’t you buy a few more?”
“No need, I always eat this when I come to the city, and I’m already sick of it. I shall just buy a few mantous (1) for myself later!” The man smiled foolishly.
The girl knew that Zhao Sheng was lying. When she saw how he was smiling at her, she felt that he was detestable, and at the same time, pitiful. She passed the other bun to him and said, “You can eat this. I’ll be full with just one!”
“You eat it, I’m not hungry!” Zhao Sheng pushed the bun back to her. He brought her to the rice store to purchase rice.
Zhao Sheng did not have much money on him, and could only ask for the cheapest broken grain. When she saw the store assistant’s scornful and indifferent attitude towards him, the girl felt her face heat up and stood a distance away from Zhao Sheng. She was afraid that others would find out that they had come together.
Once they had purchased the rice, both of them went to buy cotton cloth for their son’s clothes.
A textile store was selling outdated satin for last year’s collection and had displayed their goods at the storefront, attracting a crowd of people.
Zhao Sheng and the girl also went over to check if there were any cheap clothes of good quality.
“Hey! Stop pushing!”
“You stepped on my foot! Do you not know how to watch where you go?”
“Pack this bundle for me. Quickly, I want this particular one! No one is to snatch it from me!”
…
The people crowding around the shop were all women. They were fighting and snatching the cloth as if they were free for taking.
Zhao Sheng did not dare to go forward, and could only observe from outside.
The girl was once the Miss of a noble family, and she had never seen people scramble over such cheap cloth. Sourness filled her heart, and her face flushed red as she turned around to leave.
Zhao Sheng held her hand and smiled. “I will stand in front to clear the path in this crowd. You just need to follow behind me!”
The girl reluctantly nodded her head and stood behind Zhao Sheng.
“I’m also here to buy clothes. Make way, let me pick out one for my son!” Heat rose in Zhao Sheng’s cheeks, as he raised his voice while squeezing through the crowd.
The girl followed behind him. As she lowered her head, her eyes flashed, and she stretched out her hands to pinch the woman standing in front of Zhao Sheng!
“Hey! Who pinched me?” That woman had a large mouth and slit-like eyes, as well as a bucket-like waist. She stood up and raised her voice. When she turned back, her gaze fell on Zhao Sheng. With the roll of cloth still in her hands, she slapped Zhao Sheng on his face and bellowed, “You pervert! Just because you don’t have a wife at home, you came out to take advantage of this old woman here!”
“Even if this old woman is beautiful, it’s not for you to touch! I knew from the very start that you were up to no good. You keep squeezing and pushing forward, and it turns out that you were eyeing this old woman!”
“Pervert! You deserve to be hacked into a thousand pieces! Even if you have your eye on me, you should take a look in the mirror first!”
The woman continued to rebuke him. At first, it was an event of shaming, but she raised her voice to the point that it shattered the skies. It was like she was trying to let others know that she was an object of desire.
Zhao Sheng had never been berated by a woman in such a manner before. His entire face turned bright red as he waved his hands in a fluster and stammered, “It wasn’t me… It wasn’t me!”
“If it wasn’t you, then who was it?! You were the one standing behind me! I could tell that you were eyeing on me from the very beginning. How can you deny it?” The woman seized Zhao Sheng by his clothes and strained her voice further. “Friends, take a look! This brat took advantage of this old woman, and was caught red-handed by me!”
They were originally surrounded by a lot of people, and with her shouting, everyone encircled them. They started pointing at Zhao Sheng, and the angry woman dragged him away while hitting and scolding him.
“It wasn’t me! I never touched you!”
“I have a wife!”
Zhao Sheng was beyond petrified, and could only repeat these two lines.
The girl, who had been standing behind Zhao Sheng, slowly retreated. When she saw that Zhao Sheng had been surrounded and put in a tight spot, the corner of her lips curled into a cold smile. She glanced at her surroundings, before walking briskly in the left direction.
Zhao Sheng was shoved and humiliated by the crowd as they scolded him endlessly. His entire face changed from white to red, and from red to purple. He was so anxious that he wished that he could just die. He could only stutter, but nothing coherent came out of his mouth. Under the oppression, his black face became even more ashen, akin to coal.
The shop assistant came out to help settle the dispute when he realized that there was a commotion. The woman finally calmed down after Zhao Sheng apologized again.
The woman shot a glance at Zhao Sheng arrogantly, before puffing out her chest and walking away.
Zhao Sheng squeezed his way out of the crowd. When he looked up again, he realized that his girl had disappeared!
The man became even more anxious compared to when he was wrongly accused and besieged by the crowd. A layer of sweat formed on his forehead. At this point, he did not care about the rice as he grabbed a random passer-by to ask, “Have you seen my wife?”
“Who is your wife? Never saw her!” The passer-by stared at him as if he was looking at a fool, and nudged him aside.
Zhao Sheng became even more distressed. His mind had started to freeze in his anxiety as he searched and asked around.
“Master, have you seen my wife? She’s around this tall, and she’s especially beautiful!”
“Have you seen my wife? She was wearing blue clothes.”
…
He continued asking the whole way. Panic-stricken, all his six vital organs seemed to shut down, and the sky appeared to be on the verge of collapsing.
At this point, the girl had not walked very far. She had been hiding at the back of a stall to observe Zhao Sheng’s reaction. When she realized that he was heading over in her direction, she urgently looked for another place to hide.
In her heart, she understood. Zhao Sheng was never going to help her send a letter to Fuyang, so she had to escape on her own.
The first thing she had to do was to leave the Zhao Family. She would only be able to find a solution to return to Fuyang if she managed to escape from the grasp and control of the Zhao Family.
After all, she was supposed to be a girl who had never married. In her panic, she sprinted forward like she was fleeing for her life. If she was captured by Zhao Sheng again, she was afraid that she would never have the same opportunity to escape in the future.
Her frenzied movements, however, attracted the attention of the people around her. Zhao Sheng’s eyes scanned through the crowd, and when he saw the girl resembling his wife, he immediately chased after her.
“My wife! Where are you going?”
“I am here! Why are you running?”
“My wife, stop!”
…
When the girl heard Zhao Sheng’s voice, she became even more fearful and alarmed. She looked back once and ran forward without a care of where she was going. Consequently, she collided head fast with another girl.
She heard the maidservant next to her retort, “Are you urgently looking to reincarnate? You must be blind to have bumped into our Miss!”
“Qin Xiang!” The girl who she had bumped into grunted, before turning back to head towards the horse carriage parked at the side of the road.
That girl was indeed Lan Zhihui. She had been invited to attend the birthday banquet of Shopkeeper Wang, and her horse carriage had been parked at the side of the road. She had emerged from the antique store next door to purchase a longevity painting and was just about to head to Shopkeeper Wang’s manor.
The girl who had collided with her, however, held on to her sleeves with a death grip. With a shaky voice, she begged, “Save me, I beg you! Please save me!”
“Let go! Where has this mad woman come from?!” Qin Xiang came over to whack the girl’s hand away.
The girl, however, continued to maintain her grip. When she caught sight of Zhao Sheng, who was about to catch up with her, she dropped to her knees with a ‘plonk’. “A bad guy is trying to capture me. That man has ill-intentions, and he wants to abduct me to be his wife. I’m begging you, Miss! Please save me! I plead with you!”
Lan Zhihui knitted her brows. When she looked up, there was a rough and sturdy-looking man running in their direction. His entire face was dark and unkind, and he seemed relentless.
“Is he here to capture you? Who are you?” Lan Zhihui inquired.
“This girl is the daughter of an influential family. I went through an unfortunate situation and was captured by bad people. I beg this Miss to show sympathy!” The girl knelt on the ground and shed tears of pain.
When she saw that the man was about to catch up with them, Lan Zhihui ordered, “Stand up, follow me onto my horse carriage!”
“Yes… Yes!” The girl was awash with relief and was like a drowning person who had managed to cling on to a life-saving piece of driftwood. She tumbled over and climbed onto the horse carriage.
“Miss… Do you know who she is? Why did you let her board the carriage?” Qin Xiang asked apprehensively.
“It’s just a girl, what could happen? If she’s a bandit, we’ll just chase her away!” Lan Zhihui did not object.
“Miss, you are too soft-hearted!” Qin Xiang sighed.
“Enough with the nagging, board the horse carriage quickly!” Lan Zhihui told Qin Xiang to wrap the newly-bought longevity painting before boarding the horse carriage, her posture prim and proper.
Qin Xiang ordered the carriage driver to set off swiftly.
As the horse carriage weaved through the throngs of people, the man had already caught up. When he realized that the girl had disappeared yet again, he became dizzy with anxiety. He grabbed everyone to ask about her.
The girl in the horse carriage remained glued to her seat. She had widened her eyes and held her breath as if her breathing could be heard by Zhao Sheng.
The girl only relaxed when the horse carriage turned the corner onto another street, and she could no longer hear the man’s shouting. She collapsed limply onto the sides of the carriage.
Lan Zhihui continued to sit elegantly. She poured a cup of tea for the girl and smiled faintly as she reassured her. “He won’t be able to find you, don’t be frightened!”
The girl received the cup and downed everything in one gulp. She knelt onto the floor and prostrated. “Thank you for your saving grace, Miss. This girl will never forget your kindness, and will return the favor in the future!”
Lan Zhihui was unbothered as she smiled gently and replied, “It didn’t take much effort on my part! Where are you from, and what happened?”
The girl explained truthfully, “This girl was originally from Fuyang. When I was young, my family had a marriage agreement with the Shengjing Ji Family. A year ago, I came to the city to get married, but unexpectedly, I was robbed at the base of Yuhu mountain. My servants were all slaughtered, and my dowry was completely stolen. Subsequently, I was saved by a mountain dweller and brought back to his house. The injuries on my body were healed after many months. Although I was originally very grateful to the family who saved me, I never expected that the mountain-dwelling family was intending to make me that man’s bride. This girl’s parents are alive and well back home, and I already had a marriage agreement. How could I marry someone else? So today, I took the opportunity to flee when we entered the city.”
The girl had completely omitted the part where she had been raped by the mountain bandits, and how she had married Zhao Sheng and given birth to his son. She only mentioned that she had spent the past year recuperating at the mountain dweller’s house.
However, when Lan Zhihui heard this, her complexion gradually changed. She hurriedly asked, “You are from Fuyang? What is your family name? What is your name, and what was the marriage agreement between you and the Ji Manor?”
The girl replied, “This girl is from the Su Family in Fuyang. My family name is Su and my full name is Su Yuejiu. I had a marriage agreement with the Eldest Young Master Ji of Shengjing’s Ji Manor. My mother had betrothed me to Master Ji when I was born.”
Lan Zhihui was instantly stunned there and then. She stared straight at the girl.
Realizing that Lan Zhihui’s expression was unusual, the girl asked cautiously, “Miss, could it be that you’re familiar with my family? Could I beseech this Miss to send a letter to Fuyang, and request this girl’s family members to pick me up in Shengjing? If this Miss can help me out, when my parents come, I will get them to bestow gold as thanks!”
Lan Zhihui, however, grabbed her hands and asked in shock, “Was everything you said just now true?”
The girl was frightened out of her wits and her face paled considerably. She had assumed that Lan Zhihui was asking about her marriage with Zhao Sheng, and the fact that she bore his child. Her heart panicked as she hurriedly explained, “It’s certainly true! Back then, this girl suffered a few knife wounds at the hand of the mountain bandits and remained unconscious for a whole month. Since then, my condition hasn’t been great, and I kept relapsing till now…”
Lan Zhihui could only stare at her in utter shock. She was no longer as calm and dignified as before, and continuously shook her head in disbelief. “You are Su Yuejiu? How can you be Su Yuejiu?”
The girl froze and nodded her head nervously. “This girl is indeed Su Yuejiu!”
Her words, however, sounded slightly apprehensive.
“Then what evidence do you have to prove that you are the real Su Yuejiu?” Lan Zhihui asked in alarm.
The girl became even more astounded and faltered. “My father is Su Wenqian, my mother is Bai Jingrou. Miss, if you don’t believe me, you can send a letter to my parents. They will be able to confirm this once they arrive! I have no motive to lie and deceive my savior!”
When she saw the extent to which Lan Zhihui was shocked, the girl became even more grounded in her belief that she was familiar with the Su Family. She could not help but feel delighted.
Lan Zhihui collapsed in her seat and was shocked to the point of speechlessness. Her heart continued to thump heavily in her chest. If the girl in front of her was telling the truth, and that she was truly Su Yuejiu, then who was the Young Mistress in the Ji Manor?
Two Su Yuejiu’s couldn’t coexist in this world!
“Miss… Miss, what happened to you?” The girl looked at Lan Zhihui in trepidation. She had no idea why she had responded so abnormally when she heard that she was Su Yuejiu.
Lan Zhihui stared straight at the girl, her eyes darting up and down at her figure. After a moment, she whispered, “You mentioned that you came to the capital one year ago to get married?”
“Yes!” The girl nodded her head honestly.
“Then did you know that one year ago, another girl called Su Yuejiu entered Shengjing? After a month, she married into the Ji Manor, and today, she is the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor!”
The girl sat there in a daze.
“No… That’s not possible. I’m Su Yuejiu, the real Su Yuejiu! How could…”
The girl shook her head in confusion.
“If you say that you are Su Yuejiu, then between the two of you, one is an imposter!” Lan Zhihui said as she stared at her.
“I’m the real one, I’m the true Su Yuejiu!” The girl held Lan Zhihui’s hand and expressed earnestly, “She is the one who disguised herself!”
“However, the Su Family’s Nanny was by her side. When she got married, people from the Su Family also came. If she was a fake, then why was it that your family never found out?” Lan Zhihui asked suspiciously.
At that question, the girl’s thoughts became muddled. How was it possible that her parents did not recognize her?
Moreover, didn’t her Nanny die together with the rest of the subordinates?
What on earth was happening?
While she lived in the mountains, what on earth happened this past year?
Lan Zhihui scrutinized the girl’s expression and had the impression that she wasn’t lying. If she wasn’t lying, then that Young Mistress in the Ji Manor was the deceptive one!
She suddenly recalled that back when the Miss from the Su Family married Ji Yuxian, she seemed to be ill. She heard rumors that the Miss had stayed in bed the whole day, and did not even meet her mother.
Lan Zhihui took a deep breath. Back then, she did not think that there was anything out of the ordinary. Looking back, however, it did seem strange.
Additionally, the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor knew martial arts. Her words and behavior was bizarre and had no semblance to a Miss with a noble upbringing. Was she an imposter?
In comparison, the girl in front of her seemed more like Miss Su!
Lan Zhihui’s heart started to pound, and an eerie sense of excitement seemed to bubble within her. She wanted to know what Ji Yuxian would do if he found out that his darling and beloved wife was a fake.
That woman had deceived the people of the Ji Manor and lied to everyone. If she turned the Ji Manor into a laughing stock, how would Ji Yuxian deal with her?
At that moment, Lan Zhihui had already confirmed that the girl before her was indeed Su Yuejiu. Or rather, she subconsciously hoped that the girl was the real Su Yuejiu!
“Miss, bring me to the Ji Manor. I want to have a good look at this fake Su Yuejiu. If we meet each other, naturally everything will become clear!” The girl could not wait to request.
She had been robbed by the mountain bandits and abandoned in the mountains for a whole year. The fact that she had married a mountain dweller and conceived his child already made her depressed. Now, she had been informed that someone had disguised herself as her to marry into the Ji Manor, and had even been Young Mistress Ji for one year. This made her heart boil with hatred and anger. She felt the urge to head directly to the Ji Manor and expose that swindler, and maybe even kill her!
With her hatred, a new sliver of hope surged from her heart. If she was the real Su Yuejiu, then the Young Mistress in the Ji Manor should rightly be her. Once that imposter was chased out, would she be able to assume the role of the Young Mistress?
After everything she had experienced in the past year, she had assumed that she would no longer be able to marry into the Ji Manor. But now, she couldn’t help but swell with excitement.
“Don’t be so anxious for now! If you confront her at the Ji Manor alone, what if she doesn’t admit? Right now, the most pressing matter should be writing a letter to your family and getting your parents to come to Shengjing City. At that time, your parents will be able to distinguish very clearly who is real and who is fake!” Lan Zhihui had already calmed down as she smiled faintly.
“Okay, I will write a letter now!” The girl hastily nodded her head.
Lan Shihui no longer wanted to attend the birthday celebration. She told her servants to send her gift over, before instructing Qin Xiang to hurry back to Robes Square.
Back at Robes Square, Lan Zhihui brought Miss Su to the rear wing. Qin Xiang had no idea what happened and complained in her heart. Why would her Miss casually bring someone back?
Once they reached the rear wing, Lan Zhihui repeated the matter regarding Miss Su. Qin Xiang was so shocked that she was rendered speechless!
“This is a grave matter. When the parents from the Su Family enter the capital, not a trace of this matter should leak out, understood?” Lan Zhihui conveyed in a serious tone.
Qin Xiang immediately nodded her head. “Yes, this servant will keep that in mind!”
Once she said this, she continued indignantly, “This servant knew that there was an issue with the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor right from the start. It turns out she was an imposter! Disguising herself as the Young Mistress… she has quite the guts!”
Lan Zhihui told Miss Su, “In your letter, do not mention the mountain bandits who robbed you. Just let them know that there is an emergency, and get your parents to head to Shengjing City as soon as possible. Once they arrive, I will send people to receive them and bring them to the Robes Square. During this time, you may reside here!”
“Yes, I will immediately write my letter. The grace that this miss has shown me, this girl will never forget!” Miss Su was so grateful that she wanted to kneel.
Lan Zhihui hurriedly supported her up and smiled. “If you are Su Yuejiu, then you are the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor. How can I afford to receive your gratitude? You should just rest well, I will help you arrange everything else!”
“Yes!”
Qin Xiang had already prepared the brush and ink. Once she wrote according to how Lan Zhihui had instructed to, she passed the letter to her.
Lan Zhihui read through it once, before sealing the envelope. She found several servants and paid them a few pieces of silver to send it to Fuyang at the fastest possible speed.
Ever since she got to know of this matter, Lan Zhihui became restless. She could only hope that the Su Family’s parents would be able to arrive in Shengjing City the next day.
Suddenly, she thought of someone. Lan Zhihui immediately brought Qin Xiang to the Ji Manor.
Depending solely on the parents of the Su Family was unreliable. She needed someone else to drive Su Yuejiu, no, the fake Su Yuejiu, out of the Ji Family!
At that moment, Ji Yuxian and Su Jiu were not at the Ji Manor, while Old Yu had followed Ji Yuxian out. Another manager in the Ji Manor welcomed Lan Zhihui and brought her towards the rear courtyard.
Lan Zhihui smiled perfunctorily. “No need to trouble you. I heard that the Second Mistress was ill, so I especially popped by to visit her.”
The manager hesitated a little. He replied with much difficulty, “The Master has already declared that without his permission, no one is allowed to enter the Jinglan Pavilion!”
“In the past, the Second Mistress has always looked after me. Now that the Second Mistress is ill, it would be impolite on my part if I don’t go and visit her. I must trouble you to look past this. I will leave once I have a look at her. I beseech you!” Lan Zhihui smiled warmly.
Moved by her words, the manager nodded his head. “Alright then, this lady should go quickly and come back quickly!”
He ordered the subordinates to open the gate to the Jinglan Pavilion. Lan Zhuhui then walked into the estate with Qin Xiang.
When Yuan’er saw that Lan Zhihui had suddenly stopped by to visit, she was astonished. She welcomed her with a smile and said, “This servant greets Lady Lan!”
“Yuan’er, you do not need to be so courteous. Is the Second Mistress feeling better?” Lan Zhihui asked with concern.
“Thanks for your concern, Lady Lan. Her condition has improved!”
Yuan’er brought Lan Zhihui into the room. At that moment, the Second Mistress was leaning against a couch to rest. Her complexion was no longer as smooth as before, and the base of her eyes seemed to have dimmed considerably. Even her demeanor could not be compared to her past gracefulness and poise.
“Second Mistress, Lady Lanhui is here to visit you!” Yuan’er whispered.
The Second Mistress opened her eyes abruptly. She looked at Lan Zhihui in surprise and smiled, “Lady Lanhui!”
Lan Zhihui curtsied daintily and sat on the wooden chair at the side. She got Qin Xiang to retrieve the nourishing ginseng products that she brought over and passed them to Qin Xiang.
“Second Mistress, I heard that you had caught the flu. Zhi Hui was worried and came specially to visit you!”
The Second Mistress was truly a little touched. At that point, she had already lost her standing in the Ji Manor, and even the servants of the Ji Manor no longer treated her as well. For Lan Zhihui to have her on her mind, and for her words to be as respectful as before, was truly beyond her expectations.
After all, their relationship before would not be considered exceptionally close.
The Second Mistress contemplated and felt that Lan Zhihui must have visited her out of sympathy. After all, in the Ji Family, Lan Zhihui’s standing was vastly different from before.
“For Lady Lanhui to have remembered me despite her busy schedule, and for visiting at such a difficult time, I am very touched!” The Second Mistress forced out a smile. She rested on a soft cushion, with a thin blanket draped over her.
Lan Zhuhui observed the Second Mistress’s demeanor and closed her eyes to sigh. “It has been quite a long time since Zhi Hui came to the manor. I do not know what happened that caused Yu Xian to treat the Second Mistress like this. But the Second Mistress is still his elder, and this sort of treatment is a little overboard. When I meet Yu Xian later, I will chide him!”
At that moment, Yuan’er served a cup of tea. The Second Mistress held the cup and sneered, “Right now, Yu Xian has been completely bewitched by someone’s beauty. Why would he still listen to the opinions of other people? Even you have been ignored!”
Lan Zhihui complexion darkened as she asked, “Is the Second Mistress talking about the Young Mistress?”
The Second Mistress harrumphed, maintaining her silence.
Lan Zhihui’s posture remained proper as she sat upright on the chair. She raised her sleeves and took a sip of tea, before saying nonchalantly, “This Young Mistress is impressive. Not only is she adept at martial arts, she even knows how to manipulate others. Even Yu Xian listens and heeds her every word; I’m afraid that the entire Ji Manor would have to recognize the Young Mistress as the Master in the future!”
“Martial arts?” The Second Mistress laughed coldly, and could not help but add, “As a mountain bandit, she knows martial arts!”
Lan Zhihui was stunned. Her eyebrows twitched as she asked, “Mountain bandit? What do you mean, Second Mistress?”
The Second Mistress knew that she had let slip and smiled awkwardly. “Nothing much!”
Lan Zhihui moved closer to the Second Mistress and asked her with a low voice, “Second Mistress, do you know something?”
The Second Mistress realized that Lan Zhihui’s words had a deeper implication. She looked at her doubtfully and asked, “And what do you know, Lady Lanhui?”
Lan Zhihui contemplated for a moment, before replying seriously, “Zhi Hui has visited today, and indeed has something to discuss with the Second Mistress!”
“Say it!” The Second Mistress observed that Lan Zhihui was speaking earnestly, and repositioned herself to sit upright.
“I won’t hide it from the Second Mistress. Today, Zhi Hui rescued someone on the streets. Guess who was it?” Lan Zhihui purposely asked mysteriously.
“…Who was it?” The Second Mistress could not help but ask further.
“Su Yuejiu!” Lan Zhihui enunciated every word of that name, before continuing, “But she’s not the current Young Mistress of the Ji Manor!”
The Second Mistress froze. “What do you mean by that?”
Lan Zhihui subconsciously checked her surroundings. When she saw that Yuan’er was guarding the entrance, she continued in a whisper, “She told me that one year ago, she journeyed to Shengjing from Fuyang with her dowry to get married into the Ji Manor. She encountered mountain bandits at the base of Yuhu Mountain and was robbed of everything she had. Her servants were all slaughtered, and she was also heavily injured. However, she was rescued by a farmer who lived in the mountains, and today, her injuries are finally healed. That farmer wanted her to repay this favor by getting married into his family, and because of that, the girl fled. She just so happened to bump into me!”
The Second Mistress widened her eyes in shock. However, a sense of realization slowly crept onto her face. She nodded her head slowly. “This makes sense!”
“Unless, did the Second Mistress know about all this beforehand?” Lan Zhihui raised a brow and asked.
The Second Mistress shook her head. She conveyed solemnly, “Previously, I only knew that the person next to the Young Mistress was a mountain bandit. But I had my suspicions as to how she, as the Miss from the Su Family, had involved herself with a mountain bandit gang. I just found out that she too was a mountain bandit. She must have brought her men to murder the Su Family members, and then disguised herself as one of them to enter the capital and get married. She has quite the guts to cheat her way into the Ji Manor!”
Lan Zhihui pretended to be shocked. “Then the girl I rescued was speaking the truth? I originally thought she was just talking nonsense, but I could not pretend to not know anything, so I came to discuss this with the Second Mistress. So it was true!”
The Second Mistress nodded her head continuously, her expression turbid. “Where is that Su Yuejiu?”
“Second Mistress, you should not rush. I have already made arrangements for her in Robes Square, and no one knows.”
“Bring her over to meet me right away! I want to expose that imposter in the manor!” The Second Mistress hastily exclaimed.
“Second Mistress, you are being a bit too impulsive. As of now, the fake Su Yuejiu is pampered and favored by the Master. Even if we bring the real Su Yuejiu out, the Eldest Master will probably refuse to believe us. On the contrary, he will start to doubt us and assume that we are scheming to harm the Young Mistress. I have already gotten Su Yuejiu to send a letter to Fuyang and request the Su Family members to head to Shengjing City at once. At that time, the Su Family members will be present as witnesses, so will the Eldest Master still be in disbelief?” Lan Zhihui said softly.
The Second Mistress nodded her head meaningfully. “Yes… In my shock, I lost my reasoning. What you did was right! Now the most important thing is to get the Su Family to come to Shengjing and recognize their daughter!”
The Second Mistress suddenly recalled that when Su Jiu first entered Shengjing, she had pretended to be ill as an excuse not to meet anyone. She had even refused to visit her family on the third day as tradition requires. Today, she finally understood why!
An imposter!
She was a fake!
Wait till she was driven out after being exposed, and see if she could continue to act like a tyrant and abuse her power in the Ji Manor!
At that time, not only would she be driven out, she would also be reported to the authorities for committing murder!
Lan Zhihui expressed, “When the Su Family comes to confront her; if the Eldest Master continues to protect the Second Mistress, I must beseech the Second Mistress to use her position as an elder to oversee the situation!”
“Don’t worry. I promise I’ll do that!” The Second Mistress smirked coldly.
When Ji Yuxian returned with Old Yu, the manager seemed to remember something and came forward to report, “Master, this afternoon, Lady Lan came to visit the Second Mistress. Right now, she’s in the Jinglan Pavilion!”
Ji Yuxian paused in his steps abruptly. Lan Zhihui came to visit the Second Mistress?
He never knew that the two parties had such a close relationship in the past!
Without feeling agitated, Ji Yuxian walked swiftly towards the Jinglan Pavilion.
(1) Mantou, often referred to as Chinese steamed bun, is a white and soft type of steamed bread or bun popular in Northern China.