“I don’t understand,” Feicui murmured, her round face etched with confusion as she supported Jiang Chaohua. Yet she refrained from further questioning.
Wholly devoted to Jiang Chaohua’s well-being and driven by gratitude toward Shen Shi, Feicui knew better than to pry into matters beyond her concern.
“You’ll understand in time,” Jiang Chaohua replied with a gentle smile. Noticing Feicui’s plump cheeks and wide, circular eyes, she reached out and pinched them affectionately.
“Young Miss?” Feicui stood frozen, gazing at Jiang Chaohua’s smiling face in awestruck disbelief. How tender her mistress had become! If only she could remain like this forever.
“Let’s go. Mother awaits me at home,” Jiang Chaohua waved dismissively. Today was the third day of the third lunar month—the day Jiang Wanzhou would return home for his allowance.
Though he no longer resided with the Jiang family, Shen Shi, fearing her son might suffer hardships, insisted on having him escorted home monthly. She would prepare him sumptuous meals and supply him with silver. Torn between her disdain for the courtesan and maternal concern, Shen Shi endured profound distress each time this day arrived.
Jiang Wanzhou, perceptive of his mother’s inner conflict, leveraged it relentlessly, confident she would eventually yield. At the memory of that courtesan, Jiang Chaohua’s expression turned to ice.
Only in her final moments of her previous life had she discovered the truth: the courtesan was groomed by the concealed mistress, hence her camaraderie with Jiang Wanxin. Since Jiang Wanxin consistently aided Jiang Wanzhou, he regarded her as more understanding than his own blood sister.
Returning home today, upon learning of Jiang Wanxin’s plight, Jiang Wanzhou would inevitably plead for leniency. Well, she would make that love-struck fool face reality—show him what he amounted to in this world without financial support. If he sought independence, why cling to Shen Shi’s money?
Jiang Chaohua quickened her pace, soon arriving at the Jiang residence. As anticipated, she encountered a deeply troubled Li Momo immediately upon entry.
Li Momo, Shen Shi’s wet nurse who had accompanied her into the Jiang household, remained utterly devoted to her mistress. The rift between Jiang Wanzhou and Shen Shi tormented the latter, and Li Momo shared in her anguish.
“Young Miss, you’ve finally returned!” Li Momo exclaimed in relief. Noticing Jiang Chaohua’s coarse linen dress, she promptly guided her to change attire.
“Mom, has Jiang Wanzhou arrived?” Once changed, Jiang Chaohua headed straight for Shen Shi’s courtyard.
Li Momo sighed in affirmation, her brow furrowed with inextricable worry. How could a courtesan ever be welcomed into the Jiang family? Should Shen Shi relent, no respectable family would consider allying with them henceforth, and even the Zhongyi Marquis Estate would face repercussions. Yet while Shen Shi held firm, the Third Young Master remained obstinate—what a tragic estrangement between mother and son.
“Jiang Wanzhou deserves to be taught a lesson! Without tasting bitterness, he’ll never comprehend his place!” Jiang Chaohua sneered, sending a chill down Li Momo’s spine.
The longstanding animosity between the Third Young Master and the Eldest Young Lady worried her—would today escalate beyond control? Though apprehensive, Li Momo could no longer bear Jiang Wanzhou’s manipulation of his own mother. Gritting her teeth, she allowed Jiang Chaohua to proceed.
Qinfang Yuan, Shen Shi’s courtyard.
The bedchamber table groaned under the weight of exquisite dishes, their aromas tantalizing enough to stir hunger pangs in any stomach. Seated beside the table was a handsome, dashing youth clad in an azure brocade robe.
The young man’s features bore a striking resemblance to Shen Shi’s, yet his expression was icy cold. Even with Shen Shi sitting beside him, showering him with maternal concern and affectionate inquiries, Jiang Wanzhou acted as if he didn’t see her.
“Wanzhou, you’ve grown so thin after being away from home for so long. With your eldest and second brothers both needing care now, I truly worry about you out there. Why don’t you move back home?”
Shen Shi gazed at Jiang Wanzhou with tender affection.
Among her three sons, only Jiang Wanzhou remained healthy, and Shen Shi couldn’t rest easy unless he returned to her side.
“Then does Mother agree to let Yao Er enter our household?”
Jiang Wanzhou’s face remained cold as he finally deigned to look at Shen Shi.
Clatter.
Shen Shi set her chopsticks down on the table, her expression darkening. No words were needed to convey her disapproval.
The Yao Er that Jiang Wanzhou spoke of was none other than Meng Yao, the courtesan of Lanxiang Yuan – the largest pleasure house in Chang’an City.
Meng Yao was gifted in song and dance, with exceptional beauty that captivated numerous young masters of Chang’an. Many were willing to spend fortunes for her favor, and countless others offered to redeem her freedom.
Yet Meng Yao’s heart belonged solely to Jiang Wanzhou, for whom she rejected all other suitors.
This filled Jiang Wanzhou with deep guilt and resentment toward Shen Shi, who refused to provide him the funds needed to redeem Meng Yao.
The best solution, he believed, was to take Meng Yao into the Jiang family as a concubine.
Since Shen Shi would never consent, Jiang Wanzhou could only visit Meng Yao daily at Lanxiang Yuan. Watching her tears fall, his bitterness accumulated like sediment in his heart.
“If you refuse to agree, then we have nothing more to discuss. Unless you consent to Yao Er joining our family, you may as well consider me no longer your son.”
Impatience colored Jiang Wanzhou’s voice as he thought of Meng Yao waiting for him, eager to rush to her side.
For Meng Yao’s sake, he would abandon even his own mother.
“Wanzhou, would you really discard your mother for a courtesan?”
Tears streamed down Shen Shi’s face, her heart aching terribly.
This was the child she had raised from infancy, into whom she had poured all her devotion. Now for the sake of a pleasure house woman, he would deny even her.
“Mother’s words suggest only those of your noble status deserve dignity. You look down from your high position upon those struggling to survive. Grandmother was right – you’ve been privileged for too long and despise ordinary people.”
Jiang Wanzhou flung his sleeve in fury while Shen Shi watched heartbroken, stunned by the resentment burning in his eyes.
“You…?”
How could her own son speak to her like this? When had she ever despised others? When had she ever acted superior?
If she were that kind of person, would she have married Jiang He? Everyone in Chang’an knew Jiang He came from impoverished origins.
“Enough! I’m tired of hearing Mother’s lectures. Better go discipline Jiang Chaohua before she causes more trouble and ruins the Jiang family’s reputation.”
Jiang Wanzhou sneered coldly and turned to leave, ignoring Shen Shi completely.
But as he turned, a gust of wind met him as Jiang Chaohua raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.
“Your filthy mouth – have you been eating excrement instead of food? If you don’t know how to speak properly, I’ll help clean your mouth!”
Smack!
The sudden blow left Jiang Wanzhou dazed.
“You vicious woman! How dare you strike me!”
Clutching his cheek, Jiang Wanzhou glared furiously at Jiang Chaohua and immediately raised his hand to return the slap.
“What’s wrong with hitting you? I’m beating your ungrateful heart that won’t even acknowledge your own mother!”
Jiang Chaohua sneered coldly, concealing a silver needle between her fingers as she inserted it into Jiang Wanzhou’s acupoint.
Jiang Wanzhou felt his knees go weak and directly collapsed kneeling on the ground, facing Shen Shi’s direction.
“Today I’ll properly teach you a lesson and beat that twisted heart of yours back into shape!”
With an icy expression, Jiang Chaohua struck repeatedly, slapping Jiang Wanzhou several times across the face.
Awakening Jiang Wanzhou’s conscience in a short time was impossible, but she had to vent her anger and make him understand who provided everything he now possessed. Without Shen Shi, he was nothing. If she could beat him today, then anyone in Chang’an City could beat him tomorrow!