You and the Child in My Womb Are Not Meant to Be
Immediately after.
Everyone saw Shen Yuefu, as fragile as a willow branch, so weak that even a gentle breeze could make her fall. Her body went limp as she stumbled backward, her face filled with terror as she looked at Jiang Zhaoying. Her voice was soft and delicate, tinged with a pitiful sob.
“Don’t hit me, don’t hit me, cousin-in-law. I am truly a pure and innocent girl. If cousin-in-law dislikes me, I… I will leave.”
As she spoke, Shen Yuefu covered her face and wept, turning around with an aggrieved expression as if to walk out.
Her pitiful appearance made it seem as though she had suffered a great injustice, bullied to the point where she could only leave in tears.
“Guilty conscience?”
Jiang Zhaoying’s voice was not loud, but it was just enough for everyone in the main hall to hear.
Shen Yuefu wished she could poison Jiang Zhaoying to death right then and there, but she was forced to stop in her tracks. Tears streamed down her face even more as she slowly turned around, lifting her gaze with a pitiful expression.
“Cousin… cousin-in-law, how long will you keep bullying me?”
This was truly absurd.
Song Chengyu had clearly promised her that once they left, everything would be left to Jiang Zhaoying to take care of. They only needed to live comfortably, and once the major issue was resolved, they would return to the Song residence immediately.
By then.
She would send someone far away to obtain poison. Once Jiang Zhaoying died, she would transform into the rightful and honorable Marchioness!
But what was happening now?
She had lost all face in front of the Song family elders. If this spread, how could she ever hold her head high? How could she ever connect with noble ladies and wives?
Jiang Zhaoying watched as Shen Yuefu, clearly furious but forcing herself to act weak and pitiful, felt a surge of mockery in her eyes. In her previous life, how many rumors had Shen Yuefu spread about her?
She had made her the most slandered woman in the entire capital without even stepping outside!
In this life.
She would repay her in kind.
She had already arranged for several people to spread various rumors and even handed over a written story to a storyteller.
Within a day.
The scandal of Song Chengyu and Shen Yuefu’s illicit affair and secret pregnancy would be the talk of the town.
Madam Song and Song Chengyu could not bear to see Shen Yuefu suffer such humiliation. Their hearts ached, and their eyes burned with rage. Madam Song stepped forward and embraced Shen Yuefu, turning to glare at Jiang Zhaoying with bloodshot eyes.
“Picking on the weak, you are truly heartless, Jiang Zhaoying. How has Fu’er, an outsider, ever offended you?”
Jiang Zhaoying stood tall and straight, like a pine tree in the rain, proud and aloof.
“She and Song Chengyu had an affair behind my back. Does that count as offending me?”
Many members of the Song clan gasped in shock, turning their eyes to Song Chengyu. They had heard about this matter but thought it was nothing more than taking her into the residence, so they had not reacted much.
“I didn’t, I didn’t.”
Shen Yuefu panicked inwardly, crying as she argued. As long as they stubbornly denied it, no one could do anything about it.
“Aunt, I… I am an untouched maiden from the inner chambers. If she speaks of me like this, how will I ever marry in the future?”
Jiang Zhaoying could not be bothered with her unreasonable arguments and turned to look at the two aunties, Taxue and Tamei.
“Aunties are seasoned palace servants, most strict in upholding rules. Why not ask them to check if her Chastity Sand is still intact?”
“For the sake of Miss Shen’s purity, we can assist.”
Taxue and Tamei spoke words that seemed to be for Shen Yuefu’s own good, then without hesitation walked toward her. Shen Yuefu was so frightened that she couldn’t hide the terror on her face. Screaming, she turned and ran toward the door.
But before she could run more than a few steps, she was blocked by the sword in Shen Liuguang’s hand. Aunties Taxue and Tamei stepped forward and grabbed her arms.
The hysterical screams came to an abrupt halt when her arm was exposed—white and clean, with nothing on it.
Song Chengyu’s face instantly turned extremely ugly. A suffocating feeling made it hard for him to breathe. He glared coldly at Jiang Zhaoying.
Earlier.
He had carefully inquired about Jiang Zhaoying. This woman was gentle in nature, most considerate and obedient, and loved reading books. She could read for hours without leaving the house, showing no interest in matters beyond her window.
Such a person was most suitable for their Song household. But why had the one he married turned out like this?
“Miss Shen, where is your Chastity Sand?”
“I was born unable to have Chastity Sand applied. I don’t know why.”
Jiang Zhaoying looked at Shen Yuefu, whose face was drained of color as she struggled incessantly, and a faint smile appeared on her face. At this very hour in her previous life, they had already arrived at the meticulously prepared small estate. She was dressed in phoenix crown and wedding robes, while Song Chengyu didn’t even need to change his clothes before they bowed to complete the wedding ceremony.
“Miss Shen, there’s more than one way to check whether one’s purity has been compromised.”
She believed Aunties Taxue and the others could handle such a small matter just as well.
Shen Yuefu was terrified by these words. In her panic, she turned to look at Song Chengyu and cried out.
“Cousin, save me, cousin.”
She couldn’t let them undress her for inspection. She couldn’t, or everything would be exposed.
Song Chengyu’s heart was in turmoil. Everything happening before his eyes was unexpected. In his plan, he should already have gone to the estate with Fu’er, completed the wedding ceremony, drunk nourishing hot soup, and consummated the marriage by now.
“Let her go.”
Jiang Zhaoying spoke calmly. Taxue and Tamei then straightened Shen Yuefu’s sleeves, bowed, and stepped back.
Shen Yuefu thought Jiang Zhaoying was afraid of Song Chengyu. Clutching her cold arm, she wept uncontrollably, yet a hint of triumph flashed in her eyes. So what if she was the principal wife?
She still didn’t dare do anything to her!
“Miss Shen.”
Jiang Zhaoying walked up to her. Shen Yuefu raised her tear-streaked face, looking as fragile as willow in the wind.
“Miss Shen, you and the child in your womb are not fated. I’m afraid it cannot be kept.”
Shen Yuefu instantly bared her teeth in rage, covering her stomach as she retreated step by step, her eyes filled with terror.
Madam Song hurriedly supported her and angrily confronted Jiang Zhaoying.
“Jiang Zhaoying, why do you keep trying to harm Fu’er? What are your intentions? What grievance or hatred do you have against her?”
Jiang Zhaoying sneered.
Grievance? Hatred? Oh, it runs deep.
Which of Shen Yuefu’s daily necessities—food, clothing, or expenses—hadn’t she provided? In her previous life, when they met, Shen Yuefu was heavily pregnant, but Jiang Zhaoying could still tell that it definitely wasn’t their first child.
The first child should be the one in her belly now.
“Imperial Physician Chu.”
Shen Liuguang suddenly spoke. The Song clansmen were so startled their spines turned cold. Then, to their shock, they saw Imperial Physician Chu, dressed in ordinary clothes, slowly step out from the crowd.
His purpose in coming was self-evident.
Seeing that things were taking a bad turn, Song Chengyu hurried forward, wanting to grasp Jiang Zhaoying’s hand.
Jiang Zhaoying instinctively dodged him with a swift movement of her body. Song Chengyu’s eyes flared with anger, but in the end, he held it back, speaking softly instead.
“Ying’er, although Fu’er and I are as close as sisters, she is, after all, a member of the Shen family and has nothing to do with us. I truly have no relationship with her.”
“You’re not lying to me?”
Jiang Zhaoying asked him calmly. Song Chengyu hastily raised his hand to swear.
“I swear, if I have even the slightest connection with her, may we both live alone and grow old in loneliness for all our lives!”