“Sister, no, crying.”
Jiang Chaohua’s eyes were red from weeping. Though Jiang Wanyi was simple-minded, he genuinely cherished his younger sister.
Having just fallen from a tree, Jiang Wanyi was covered in mud except for his sleeves, which remained relatively clean.
He cautiously raised his hand, as if wanting to wipe Jiang Chaohua’s tears.
Shen Shi gently patted Jiang Chaohua’s shoulder, her gaze tender as she looked at her two children.
“No, crying.”
Jiang Chaohua lifted her head, her eyes red like a little rabbit’s.
Seemingly afraid that Jiang Chaohua would dislike him, Jiang Wanyi slowly lowered his raised hand.
“Second Brother.”
The crisp address “Brother” slipped out effortlessly. Jiang Chaohua grabbed Jiang Wanyi’s hand and gently wiped her tears with his sleeve.
“Hehe.”
Jiang Wanyi’s eyes first showed disbelief, then sparkled like stars rising in the night sky.
This time, he didn’t see impatience or disgust in his sister’s eyes. How he wished it could always be like this!
He loved his sister most of all!
“Chaochao, don’t be afraid. With Mother here, no one can wrong you.”
Jiang Chaohua had never cried so bitterly before. Shen Shi immediately sensed that someone must have mistreated her.
Recalling how so many people had been accusing Jiang Chaohua earlier, calling her vicious one after another, Shen Shi felt displeased. Her eyes swept over each of those noble young ladies in turn.
The noble ladies who had been clamoring and gloating earlier now shrank back under Shen Shi’s scrutiny.
Although Shen Shi had developed a rift with the Zhongyi Marquis Estate, she remained the Empress Dowager’s favorite junior.
Though they despised Jiang Chaohua, they couldn’t afford to offend the Empress Dowager.
“Thank goodness, Second Brother, you’re alright. You really scared me to death.”
Jiang Wanxin’s face stiffened. Coming to her senses, she proactively reached for Jiang Wanyi’s arm.
Jiang Wanyi pouted and shifted sideways, but Jiang Wanxin acted as if she didn’t notice, pressing closer regardless.
“Cousin was the first to step forward and accuse me earlier. Cousin, you’re so… principled. So willing to condemn your own kin. I’m… truly impressed.”
Jiang Chaohua smiled faintly.
She was still wearing Feicui’s clothes, her black hair disheveled.
Her dark pupils fixed on Jiang Wanxin with a mocking gleam, Jiang Chaohua’s tone full of self-deprecation.
Shen Shi lowered her head, her peripheral vision catching Jiang Wanxin’s luxurious attire and contrasting it with Jiang Chaohua’s disheveled state. Instantly uncomfortable, she frowned.
Although Jiang Wanxin was from the Old Madam’s maternal family, today was after all Chaochao’s birthday celebration.
She hadn’t noticed before—this orphan girl Jiang Wanxin was dressed even better than her Chaochao. Standing beside Chaochao, she almost seemed like the true legitimate daughter of the Vice Minister’s household.
“Sister, no, afraid.”
Jiang Wanyi held Jiang Chaohua’s arm, comforting her.
Looking at Jiang Wanyi’s face, tears welled up again in Jiang Chaohua’s eyes.
Her Second Brother, so handsome, treated her best.
Yet in her previous life, he had died because of her. In this life, no matter what, she would ensure all her brothers stayed safe!
“Madam, I…”
Sensing Shen Shi’s displeasure, Jiang Wanxin’s voice faltered. She meekly lowered her head and fell silent.
“Jiang Furen, the incident happened so suddenly. None of us saw clearly. Wanxin was merely concerned about the Second Young Master of your household—her worry made her act hastily.”
Lu Ming Chuan couldn’t bear to see Jiang Wanxin looking wronged.
He pitied her for being an orphan girl, treading carefully within the vast Jiang family, and he equally despised Jiang Chaohua for bullying the weak by relying on her family background.
“Your Highness Prince Jing is right, Jiang Furen. The young lady is also concerned about the Second Young Master. If there’s anyone to blame, it can only be Jiang Chaohua’s past misconduct!”
A young male voice came from behind. A handsome youth dressed in a water-blue spring robe embroidered with gold cloud patterns and wearing auspicious cloud white boots slowly stepped forward.
When the young man stared at Jiang Chaohua, occasional disgust flickered in his eyes, but that disgust turned exceptionally gentle when he saw Jiang Wanxin.
“Hah.”
Jiang Chaohua lifted her eyelids to glance at the man and let out a soft laugh. This laugh actually made Cheng Huai momentarily stunned.
Today, this notorious Jiang family girl was truly peculiar. Usually making loud scenes, today she had changed her temperament, yet she remained just as detestable.
“What are you laughing at?”
Cheng Huai straightened his face and slowly walked to Lu Ming Chuan’s side.
His narrow eyes slightly narrowed, and Cheng Huai’s expression was almost identical to Lu Ming Chuan’s.
The two were close friends. In Cheng Huai’s view, today’s events were certainly orchestrated by Jiang Chaohua herself, with the aim of attracting Lu Ming Chuan’s attention.
“I’m laughing at Young Master Cheng for meddling in others’ business. How I behave should be taught by my own parents. Why should an outsider like you trouble yourself so much? Isn’t that right?”
Jiang Chaohua’s expression remained calm.
Unlike her usual heavy and vulgar makeup, having not yet applied cosmetics, her bare face instead revealed a refreshing beauty.
This touch of freshness made her both unfamiliar and surprisingly striking.
“Hmph!”
Cheng Huai, having been rebutted, turned dark with anger. Jiang Wanxin shook her head at him, indicating that she appreciated his goodwill but he needn’t speak further on her behalf.
“Some people are simply too malicious, which is why misunderstandings arise.”
Among the noble ladies, a young woman who somewhat resembled Cheng Huai spoke lightly.
Like Cheng Huai, Cheng Xiwen also deeply despised Jiang Chaohua and disapproved of her behavior.
If not for the Empress Dowager’s influence, the Rong’an Earl’s household wouldn’t have attended at all.
“Is that so? It seems some traits run in families. Clearly burdened with their own basket of troubles, yet they meddle in others’ affairs.”
Jiang Chaohua shook her head at Shen Shi, tightened her clothes around herself, and ignored Cheng Xiwen and Cheng Huai.
These siblings came from the Rong’an Earl’s household.
In the Prosperous Tang Dynasty’s three marquises and six earls, one of the earls was Rong’an Earl.
The Rong’an Earl’s mansion was an illustrious noble residence. As the heir and eldest legitimate daughter of the earl’s household, Cheng Huai and Cheng Xiwen enjoyed boundless glory. Unfortunately, their mother died early, and after the stepmother entered the household, they were thoroughly suppressed by her.
In their previous lives, Cheng Huai and Cheng Xiwen suffered numerous setbacks because of their stepmother. It was Jiang Wanxin who devised strategies that preserved their positions in the earl’s household, earning the siblings’ even greater gratitude.
Yet none of them knew that Jiang Wanxin had been using them from start to finish. In the end, when the entire Rong’an Earl’s household was executed, it merely paved the way for Jiang Wanxin’s own advancement.
At this moment, Jiang Chaohua didn’t care about Cheng Huai’s situation. Her gaze passed over Shen Shi and fell upon Fei Yun, who was kneeling on the ground trembling.
Jiang Wanxin’s heart skipped a beat. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Jiang Chaohua stride quickly to a guard and draw the sword from his waist.
The guard was startled and tried to stop her, but in the next instant, Jiang Chaohua swung her arm, and blood appeared on the sword!
“Ah!”
Fei Yun let out a sharp cry, clutching his arm as fresh blood gushed from the wound.
The noble ladies were also terrified, stepping back repeatedly while staring at Jiang Chaohua with horrified eyes.
Had Jiang Chaohua gone mad? How could she publicly stab a servant like this?
“You… how could you be so vicious!”
Cheng Xiwen’s face had turned pale as well. Standing close by, her dress had been splattered with blood. She pointed a trembling finger at Jiang Chaohua, her tone rigid.
“Vicious? Indeed. Haven’t you all been calling me a wicked woman? So even disciplining my own servant is considered vicious in your eyes.”
Holding the sword horizontally before her, her cold gaze fixed on the blood staining the blade, Jiang Chaohua felt as if all the blood in her body was burning!
How she wished she could wield this sword and strike Jiang Wanxin down with one blow—but she couldn’t.
Letting her die so easily would be letting her off too lightly.
“Sec-second sister.”
Jiang Wanxin was also startled, her dress stained with even more blood.
Though highly intelligent, she had never personally committed murder herself.
As Jiang Chaohua raised the sword with an inscrutable look in her eyes, Jiang Wanxin felt as though her cousin had been possessed by some evil spirit today.
“Cousin, you’re known throughout Chang’an City for your virtue and wisdom. Let me ask you—how should this servant, who attempted to harm my second brother, be dealt with?”
Jiang Chaohua reached out, wiped the blood from the sword, and under everyone’s watchful eyes, abruptly pressed the blade against Fei Yun’s neck.
Fei Yun was scared out of his wits. Jiang Chaohua was indeed a wicked woman—even if she killed him today, people would at most condemn her with a few words. She came from a noble background, protected by the Empress Dowager herself.
But he was different—he was merely a lowly servant.
Fei Yun’s entire body trembled uncontrollably, his eyes involuntarily darting toward Jiang Wanxin.
Jiang Wanxin felt every hair on her body stand on end, terrified that Fei Yun might expose her the next moment.