The young monk respectfully replied, “Your Highness, they are the female relatives from Weiyuan Marquis Estate. Today, Jiang Madam brought her two daughters to offer incense and pray for peace amulets.”
Huimin Princess waved her hand and said, “Arrange my room in the right wing chamber!”
The young monk hastily acknowledged the order and immediately went to make arrangements.
After entering the right wing chamber and sitting down, Huimin Princess discovered that indeed, separated by just a single wall, she could hear everything much more clearly.
She heard Jiang Xianian exclaim with utter astonishment: [Oh heavens, he’s far more brutal than I imagined! Calling it domestic violence would be an understatement—it’s clearly murder! This man is a monster!]
Huimin Princess immediately felt her heart tighten: Having missed the beginning, who was it that killed someone?
Jiang Qiaonian’s eyes widened abruptly—he actually kills people?! If she were to marry into that family, wouldn’t she be sending herself to her death?!
Qiao Shi glanced at Jiang Qiaonian and gently shook her head, indicating that she wouldn’t allow her to marry into such a situation and telling her not to be afraid.
Only then did Jiang Qiaonian feel slightly reassured.
[Many servants and maids in their ducal residence have already been tortured to death by him. Not only does he enjoy beating and kicking people, but he also loves using whips. What he enjoys most is listening to others’ painful cries and wails. Compared to men, he prefers tormenting women because their bodies are softer and their skin more delicate. He takes pleasure in leaving bruises and wounds on people’s bodies… Ugh, I think he’s just cowardly and weak, afraid that men are stronger and harder to control, which is why he targets women! What a bully who preys on the weak!]
Jiang Qiaonian instantly turned pale with fright. Having been raised with proper upbringing by Qiao Shi since childhood, this was her first time hearing about such things, and she felt utterly shocked.
Qiao Shi also looked extremely grim. She knew that some prestigious families, despite their glorious appearances, often had incidents where servants were beaten to death, but she never imagined there could be someone in this world who took pleasure in torturing others, who enjoyed watching people suffer and fear. Shouldn’t such preferences belong to sinister ghosts?
Huimin Princess listened with a deeply furrowed brow. Having grown up in the deep palace, she knew that death was not uncommon, but such horrifying methods of torture—she had only heard about them from Mammy’s stories of the past, learning that some people could become terrifyingly insane when enraged. She never expected such a madman to exist so close to her?!
Her Mammy, noticing her frown, asked, “Your Highness, are you uncomfortable in this room? The main chamber is still vacant. Perhaps you…”
Huimin Princess raised her hand to stop her. “I quite like this room. There’s no need to move.”
Mammy felt puzzled but obediently stepped back.
[Gasp—I was right indeed. He also enjoys tormenting children. He has two younger half-brothers and one younger half-sister, all tortured to death by him through pinching, needle-poking, and intimidation. Yet the ducal residence publicly claimed that all three children died young! His mother is one thing—she knows what kind of person her son is—but does his father truly have no suspicions at all? Even if they are born of concubines, they are still his own children! Oh, it turns out this cold-bloodedness is inherited from his father. Well, that explains it.]
Hearing this, Jiang Qiaonian felt a chill running through her entire body, and even the sanctity of this Buddhist temple couldn’t suppress the rising coldness. She hurriedly walked over to sit beside Qiao Shi, leaning against her to seek some comfort and warmth.
Qiao Shi held her close with a heart full of pity, handing her a cup of warm tea to soothe her.
Poor child, just hearing about it has frightened her so—imagine how terrified she would be if she had actually fallen into such a scheme!
Qiao Shi silently resolved that, although she didn’t know which Duke’s Manor it was, she would never allow Jiang Qiaonian to marry into any Duke’s Manor!
Huimin Princess couldn’t help but search her memory, trying to recall which Duke’s Manor had rumors of a concubine-born child dying young. But after thinking it over, she realized that such tragedies had occurred in most of the powerful and noble households in Fuking.
So she beckoned to the Mammy beside her and said, “Go and find out which Duke’s Manor has people visiting the temple today.”
Though puzzled, the Mammy quickly obeyed and went to inquire.
Jiang Xianian didn’t notice the unusual behavior of Qiao Shi and Jiang Qiaonian, still lost in her thoughts: Indulged by a doting mother and ignored by a cold-hearted father, no wonder my sister, after marrying into that family, endured abuse so severe that her injuries couldn’t even be hidden—yet the whole family pretended not to see. In their eyes, wasn’t my sister treated like a muzzle? As long as she didn’t bite them, it didn’t matter how much she suffered! What a family of scum!
Qiao Shi gently patted Jiang Qiaonian’s back and said, “If anyone ever treats you poorly in the future, you must come back and tell your father and me, alright? Even if it means separation or being divorced, you must keep living.”
Jiang Qiaonian obediently nodded.
Strange, my parents are so good to my sister—why didn’t she tell them about these things? Instead, she endured silently for seven or eight years, nearly beaten to death. Oh, right, my brothers encountered mishaps one after another. My parents were completely overwhelmed, physically and emotionally. My sister didn’t want to add to their burdens, so she chose to suffer alone.
Qiao Shi and Jiang Qiaonian froze simultaneously. They hadn’t expected that Jiang Qiaonian’s suffering in her marital home was only the beginning—more troubles would befall the eldest branch?
If things reached the point where they couldn’t even care for their daughter, the situation must be dire indeed.
Both Qiao Shi and Jiang Qiaonian hoped Jiang Xianian would elaborate on what exactly happened to Jiang Xunnian and his brothers. Simply saying “something happened” wasn’t enough to take precautions.
Huimin Princess could somewhat understand Jiang Qiaonian’s plight. Thinking of that flower-like young lady being so cruelly mistreated, she couldn’t help but dab her tears with a handkerchief, murmuring, “What a foolish child.”
I never imagined my sister survived under that monster for seven or eight years. In the original story, this part was glossed over—I thought it was only two or three years at most! Later, when the Marquis Manor was confiscated, my eldest sister was divorced by the Duke’s Manor on grounds of childlessness. After being driven out, she froze and starved to death on the streets—how tragic! It wasn’t her fault she had no children—that bastard couldn’t perform with a living person! If he’s so capable, why not try having children with a corpse! This infuriates me!
Jiang Xianian’s anger made her little belly puff in and out, her head spinning with rage. What kind of ridiculous plot was this? She wished she could grab the author by the collar and demand why her eldest sister had to suffer so much!
Hearing the outcome, Jiang Qiaonian actually breathed a sigh of relief. Death was better—clean and final. Rather than enduring such torment, it was better to die and be free of it all.
Qiao Shi couldn’t help but shed tears. Although this daughter wasn’t her biological child, she had raised her with care for over a decade. How could such a delicate, beautiful girl like a flower face such a tragic fate? When she returned, she would tell her husband that even if their daughter Qiao’er remained unmarried, she must never enter that Duke’s residence. No matter what schemes that household used against Qiao’er, even if they had to send her to live on a countryside estate for life, she would never marry into that hellish Duke’s residence.
Jiang Qiaonian quickly wiped Qiao Shi’s tears with a handkerchief, comforting softly, “Mother, it’s alright. Everything will be fine.”
Qiao Shi nodded gently and held this daughter even tighter.
Separated by just a wall, Huimin Princess deeply empathized with Jiang Xianian’s anger. In her memory, Jiang Qiaonian was clearly a dignified, beautiful, and somewhat clever child – how could anyone bear to torment her like that? Little Niannian was right, that entire family were cold-blooded scum who must never be allowed to succeed!
Thinking this, Huimin Princess summoned her maid and instructed, “Send two matrons to guard the gate of the neighboring courtyard. No one except people from Weiyuan Marquis Estate is allowed entry or exit, understood? Don’t let the Marquis Manor know about this.”
“Yes, Your Highness!” The maid hurried to convey the princess’s order, though she was as confused as the mammy who had just left.
Only then did Huimin Princess feel somewhat relieved.
Since Little Niannian had told her about Hong Yumin and the second daughter-in-law’s affairs, she considered this her way of repaying the favor.
Jiang Xianian remained immersed in anger for a long time before gradually calming down.
When she finally turned her attention to Qiao Shi and Jiang Qiaonian, she noticed nothing unusual about them aside from slightly reddened eyes, and thought no more of it.
[Since today marks the origin of elder sister’s tragedy, I want to see how that scumbag schemes against my sister and find a way to prevent the tragedy. Hmm… so it turns out my sister went for a stroll on the back mountain to enjoy the scenery, and that scumbag, seeing her snow-like skin and flower-like beauty – particularly her skin as white and fine as mutton fat jade – thought leaving red and purple bruises on her would look like a beautiful painting, so he wanted to kidnap her for his amusement?!]
[This kind of person with strong destructive and destructive desires is undoubtedly a born evil seed. Such people living pose danger to others! My sister is beautiful, but not something that beast can lay hands on! Today, I must prevent my sister from going to the back mountain! Must avoid that scumbag!]
Jiang Xianian’s little brain started working, wondering if crying for her elder sister to hold her could prevent her sister from going out and being targeted by that scumbag.
Jiang Qiaonian felt deeply moved. Whether it was Xu Lin last time or some unknown scumbag this time, her younger sister was always trying to help her – truly the best sister ever.
Knowing how the opponent would strike, Qiao Shi felt somewhat reassured and said to Jiang Qiaonian, “The sun is quite strong today, let’s not go out. We’ll just stay in this side room to avoid you getting sunburned.”
Jiang Qiaonian immediately cooperated, “Alright, I’ll listen to you, Mother. For lunch, we can just send someone to fetch food from the vegetarian hall – it’s the same, and quieter too.”
Qiao Shi nodded, “Qiao’er is right.”
After hearing this, Jiang Xianian breathed a long sigh of relief in her heart: [As long as Mother and Sister don’t leave this courtyard before their departure, everything should be fine. My sister is truly unlucky—clearly the victim, yet she has to hide from that predator-like perpetrator. Why hasn’t Heaven struck him down!]
These words were not only strongly agreed upon by Qiao Shi and Jiang Qiaonian, but even Huimin Princess next door couldn’t help nodding in agreement. Indeed, such people only bring harm to others while alive.
At this moment, the Mammy sent to gather information returned to report: “Your Highness, this servant has made inquiries. Among the noble households visiting White Horse Temple to offer incense today, only Anguo Duke’s Wife is present.”
Huimin Princess asked: “Aside from the Guogong Furen, was there anyone else?”