“Chaochao, get up quickly.”
Shen Shi was overjoyed, supporting Jiang Chaohua as they headed toward the bedroom.
Inside the bedroom, it remained as dim as before. Due to the dislike of opening windows, the room carried a musty odor.
Jiang Wanfeng, paralyzed from the waist down, required assistance for everything, and at times, he couldn’t even control his bladder or bowels, often soiling the bed.
Seeing himself in such a state, Jiang Wanfeng grew increasingly distraught and had lost the will to live. If not for Shen Shi visiting him periodically, he might have long given up entirely.
With the Empress Dowager and the Zhongyi Marquis Estate protecting her, Shen Shi could live well enough without him, her son.
“My son.”
Jiang Wanfeng had fallen from the bed.
Shen Shi gasped and hurried to help him up, but her strength was insufficient, and she couldn’t lift him.
“Get out, all of you, get out. Don’t look at me, don’t.”
Jiang Wanfeng felt a surge of urine escape uncontrollably, his eyes reddening with shame.
Jiang Chaohua was right—he was a useless wreck, a cripple who couldn’t even control his own bodily functions.
“I won’t allow you to say that. You are my son, and I forbid it.”
Shen Shi held Jiang Wanfeng, weeping softly. Jiang Chaohua casually wiped the blood from her face, pulled Shen Shi to her feet, and signaled Qing Lai to assist Jiang Wanfeng.
She knew Jiang Wanfeng’s proud nature meant he would never want others to see him like this.
“Young master, don’t be afraid. It will be over soon.”
Qing Lai was already quite practiced in handling such situations.
He swiftly changed Jiang Wanfeng’s trousers, tidied the bed and room, and then withdrew.
Jiang Wanfeng lay on the bed, refusing to speak or look at Shen Shi and Jiang Chaohua.
“Mother, please step out for a moment. I have something to say to elder brother. Mother, do you remember the red bean cakes you made for us when we were young? I’d like to share some with elder brother.”
Jiang Chaohua’s hands tightened in her sleeves as she spoke softly to Shen Shi.
“Alright, I’ll go make them for you now. Chaochao, take care of your elder brother.”
Shen Shi wiped her tears and slowly left the room.
Naturally, she hoped for reconciliation between Jiang Wanfeng and Jiang Chaohua, so she didn’t mind leaving them alone.
“What do you want to say? Have you come to mock me again?”
After Shen Shi left, Jiang Wanfeng opened his eyes.
His eyes were like stagnant water, devoid of ripples.
His handsome face, resembling Shen Shi’s, was deeply sunken from emaciation, making him appear even older than Jiang He.
“Jiang Wanxin is Jiang He’s daughter.”
Jiang Chaohua stared at Jiang Wanfeng, enunciating each word clearly.
That statement alone was enough.
“What did you say?”
Jiang Wanfeng sat up, his upper body straight, staring at Jiang Chaohua as if to determine whether she had lost her mind.
Jiang Wanxin was clearly the daughter of their father’s cousin.
“Elder brother, you heard correctly. Jiang Wanxin is Father’s daughter. Father has been keeping a mistress outside, and Jiang Wanxin is that mistress’s child. Grandmother knows about this too. Just today, Grandmother punished Mother by making her kneel in the Ancestral Hall because she refused to adopt Jiang Wanxin as a foster daughter.”
A deep hatred burned in Jiang Chaohua’s eyes.
That hatred, fierce as a vengeful ghost, immediately erased Jiang Wanfeng’s hesitation, his expression turning grave.
“If you are lying…”
Such claims, if part of Jiang Chaohua’s scheme, would destroy the Jiang family and ruin Shen Shi.
“If I am lying, may I be torn apart by five horses!”
Tears streamed down Jiang Chaohua’s face as she abruptly knelt on the ground, saying:
“Elder brother, not only is there Jiang Wanxin, but Jiang He and that mistress also have a son. You know this person—it’s your good friend, Lin Feng.”
Jiang Wanfeng’s name contained the character “Feng,” and Lin Feng’s name also contained the character “Feng.” Because of this, Jiang Wanfeng had once said they were fated to be connected. Now, recalling this, it was clear Jiang He’s intentions were utterly despicable.
Moreover, Lin Feng was about the same age as his elder brother, meaning Jiang He had known the mistress even longer than he had known Shen Shi.
“Impossible! You’re lying! You’re lying!”
Jiang Wanfeng’s eyes suddenly reddened.
Lin Feng was his good brother—the one who had comforted him after he became paralyzed.
He had many friends in the past, but only Lin Feng had been willing to visit him after his downfall.
How could it be Lin Feng? How could it!
“Elder brother, have you never wondered why, after your accident, only Lin Feng came to see you? It’s because he told the students at the Imperial Academy that you were arrogant, that you thought yourself above them and unworthy of friendship, that despite your talent, you were cold and aloof.
While badmouthing you behind your back, he played the role of your friend, making everyone believe he had always been exceptionally tolerant of you. But in truth, ever since he appeared by your side, you’ve had no other close friends. Don’t you find that strange?”
Jiang Chaohua suddenly stood up, scanned the bedroom, and picked up the blue-covered notebook from the desk.
The notebook was filled with poems—all composed by Jiang Wanfeng. Yet outside, these very poems were attributed to Lin Feng.
“Elder brother, shall I find someone for you to ask? Listen to who the people of Chang’an City now believe authored the poems in this notebook.
Lin Feng used you to befriend the sons of court officials, and now he’s taking credit for your poems to gain fame throughout Chang’an. Elder brother, do you know? Everyone in Chang’an now says Lin Feng has the talent of a top scholar. Elder brother, wake up! Must you wait until that mistress is welcomed into our home before you believe me?”
Jiang Chaohua’s eyes were red-rimmed as she pulled a letter from her sleeve.
On it was written a poem identical to those in the notebook.
This poem had taken Chang’an City by storm and was credited to Lin Feng. In her previous life, she hadn’t realized until her death that Lin Feng had been plagiarizing her elder brother’s talent all along.
With such a wolf in sheep’s clothing lurking by his side, how could her elder brother possibly recover?
“No, I still don’t believe it. I won’t believe it.”
Jiang Wanfeng’s arms trembled. How could he not recognize his own work?
But why? Lin Feng had been recommended to him by his father, who said Lin Feng was honest and slightly talented, that he could become a valuable ally if Jiang Wanfeng entered officialdom.
His father said Lin Feng had potential, that with cultivation and persuasion, he could be made to serve the Jiang family.
His father said, he said…
Jiang Wanfeng clutched his head, tears falling in heavy drops.
If what Jiang Chaohua said was true, then what was he? What was his mother?
They were nothing but a laughingstock.
“If you don’t believe me, elder brother, tomorrow the Fang family will come to propose marriage. Minister Fang Ankang intends for Jiang Wanxin to marry his illegitimate son. You can see whether Father and Grandmother will agree. If they refuse, they will surely force Mother to decline this marriage proposal. Just wait until tomorrow, and you’ll know whether I’ve been lying. Elder brother, I need you, and Mother needs you too.”
Having said all she needed to say, Jiang Chaohua watched the hatred in Jiang Wanfeng’s eyes before pulling more letters from her sleeve.
These were all poems currently popular throughout Chang’an City – without exception, all stolen by Lin Feng from Jiang Wanfeng.
Jiang Wanfeng’s self-imposed isolation was also related to Lin Feng’s deliberate and subtle provocations.
The stack of letters was quite thick, forming a small pile. After Jiang Chaohua left, Jiang Wanfeng went through them page by page.
When he saw the familiar handwriting, he let out a low chuckle, then began to cry, startling Qing Lai who immediately wanted to confront Jiang Chaohua, but was stopped by Jiang Wanfeng.
Dragging her weary body, Jiang Chaohua returned to Xi Shi Courtyard.
She knew that after the Old Madam returned, she would surely blame Shen Shi, but it didn’t matter. With the Empress Dowager’s protection, she would at most receive some scolding and definitely wouldn’t be harmed.
Tomorrow would be the main event. When the Fang family came to propose marriage, the Old Madam and Jiang He would certainly beg Mother to intervene. She only needed to wait until tomorrow.
This time, she absolutely wouldn’t let Shen Shi get involved in the Fang family’s marriage affair. She would make Jiang He and Jiang Wanxin offend Fang Ankang themselves and make them reap what they sowed.