Сhарter 25: Bеing а Dоg
Тhе woman in the rооm sat quietlу by the windоw, hеr dаrk hаir nеаtly tiеd intо а bun withоut a single strаnd out of plaсе, revеаling hеr mеtiсulous nаturе. Оnly the fаint wrinklеs sprеading from the сornеrs of her eуes аnd her ехtremelу slender figure hintеd аt thе рassagе оf timе.
Yеt even sо, her fаce still сarried аn air of grаce and gеntlеnеss, befitting а lаdy from a rеspесtable fаmily.
At this mоment, Сhеn Qingwаn was stаring blankly оut the window, hеr еуes somewhat vacant. Hеаring movement, she instinсtivеly turned her hеаd.
When she saw the young girl’s figure, her previously dull eyes instantly lit up, and her eyes reddened in an instant: “…Chuer, you’ve come.”
Despite not having seen her for ten years, Fuling recognized her at a glance—this was truly their mistress.
But hadn’t the mistress been sent to the old estate outside the city after that incident, with the master ordering that no one was allowed to visit her?
How could the mistress be here?
“Mother,” Jiang Chuji stepped forward and took the other’s hand, “how have you been these past two days?”
“The shopkeeper here has been very attentive. I’ve been doing well here, Chuer, don’t worry,” Chen Qingwan then looked at Fuling beside her, a trace of hesitation flashing in her eyes, “You are…”
Fuling knelt on the ground, tears welling in her eyes, her voice choked with emotion: “Mistress, I am Fuling.”
“Fuling… you are Lanxin’s daughter, the one who grew up by Chuer’s side,” Chen Qingwan felt as if a lifetime had passed, tears streaming down her cheeks, tinged with sorrow, “I failed your mother…”
“Mother, I came today because I have something to ask you.”
Seeing her mother in this state, Jiang Chuji sighed softly and pulled her to sit down.
“When I learned of what happened back then, you had already been sent out of the city. Over the years, listening to others’ gossip, I have always firmly believed that you were innocent and must have been framed.”
“I said I would clear your name. So, Mother, I need you to tell me everything that happened that day, exactly as it was.”
Ten years had passed, yet everything that happened that day remained vividly etched in Chen Qingwan’s mind. It was as if it had seeped into her bones, with not a single detail forgotten.
She lifted her head slightly, her expression tinged with pain from the memories. After a moment, she slowly began: “That night was your father’s birthday banquet. Your father was in high spirits from drinking, so I accompanied him for a few extra cups.”
“Later, when your father had drunk too much, I helped him back to his room to rest. But somehow, just as I was about to retire for the night, I suddenly felt dizzy. This dizziness was different from drunkenness—I lost consciousness almost immediately.”
“When I was awakened by a loud clatter, I saw your eldest brother, who was only ten at the time, staring at me in shock, accompanied by a maid. Looking down, I found myself in the woodshed, wearing only… undergarments, lying on top of a servant from the manor who was responsible for delivering vegetables. The servant’s upper body was also bare, and he looked utterly terrified.”
“The maid immediately screamed, drawing many people. By the time I hurriedly put on my clothes, your father, grandmother, and Zhou Yizhi had already rushed to the scene.”
“I was twenty-six at the time, and the servant was only seventeen—young, strong, and quite handsome, though he was mute. Before this, I had found him clever and eager to learn. He had come to work at the Chancellor’s Manor only because his family was poor, and I had once given him a book to help him learn to read.”“Someone found one of my hairpins in his room, and then a clumsily written letter was discovered in my quarters, filled with words of admiration for me.”
“Your father flew into a rage, convinced that I had long been involved in an affair with that servant. He believed I had taken advantage of his drunkenness that night to meet that man in the woodshed… No matter how I tried to explain, your father refused to believe me.”
“Zhou Yizhi immediately suggested to your father that such a scandal must not be allowed to spread. So, the servant was dragged away and beaten to death on your father’s orders, and the letter was burned. Lanxin, in an attempt to prove my innocence, threw herself against a pillar before I could even stop her, and died on the spot.”
“After that, all the maids and servants present at the time were warned and dismissed by the Chancellor’s Manor. As for me, your father sent me outside the city under the pretext of preserving the manor’s reputation, locking me away in that dark, sunless place. And there I stayed, for all these years…”
As she spoke, Chen Qingwan was already sobbing uncontrollably.
Now, she wasn’t even crying for herself.
She wept for Lanxin, and for that servant who had clearly been framed and used as well. Two vibrant lives, both lost because of her.
It was her own uselessness. She couldn’t protect herself, nor could she protect those around her. Yet she was also grateful that the matter had been covered up—she could endure her own suffering, but otherwise, her three children would have been implicated and subjected to scorn because of her.
At this moment, Chen Qingwan still didn’t know that her daughter, who had been less than five years old at the time, had also been sent to a temple after she left the manor, enduring a full decade of bullying.
Hearing about her mother’s death, Fuling’s eyes reddened with tears as she wept beside them.
Jiang Chuji’s gaze turned icy.
The angrier she became, the calmer her expression grew.
That servant had been beaten to death outright, and the letter had been burned—meaning the most direct witness and evidence were gone.
All the maids and servants who had witnessed the incident back then had been dismissed. Now, ten years later, there was no telling where they were or who might know the inside story.
Concubine Zhou’s move of “preventing the scandal from spreading and preserving the Chancellor’s Manor’s reputation,” using Jiang Bingrong’s hand to eliminate all evidence, was truly cunning.
However, the one who could best prove the truth of this matter was also the mastermind behind it.
No one understood the truth and details behind the entire incident better than Concubine Zhou.
“I understand, Mother. I will plan for this matter.”
Jiang Chuji narrowed her eyes slightly and reached out to wipe the tears from her mother’s face. “I’ve been thinking, staying at an inn isn’t a long-term solution for you. The Chancellor’s Manor is out of the question for now, but what about the Marquis Zhongyuan’s residence…”
“No.”
At the mention of the Marquis Zhongyuan’s residence, Chen Qingwan trembled even more, her eyes filled with pain.
“Chuer… you don’t know this, but back then, your maternal grandfather and grandmother always hoped I would marry a man willing to forgo taking concubines for my sake. Even if his status wasn’t as high, at least we could have a harmonious marriage, without the issue of a favored concubine overshadowing the wife.”
“But back then, I insisted on marrying your father, who had already taken Zhou Yizhi as his concubine. I argued with your grandparents several times, even making your grandmother so angry she fell ill. Later, they felt heartbroken but finally agreed to let me marry your father.”
“After that, news of my alleged affair with the servant, complete with solid evidence, still reached the marquis’s residence. Your grandmother, who had been ill since I angered her back then, was already in poor health. Overwhelmed with distress, she…””Your grandfather was a man of unwavering integrity his entire life. How could he tolerate his daughter committing such a shameful act? He was utterly disappointed in me back then, declaring outright that the Marquis’s household would act as if they never had a daughter like me, leaving me entirely at the mercy of the Chancellor’s Manor.”
Jiang Chuji listened in silence.
Given how badly things had turned out, it was no wonder her mother said she couldn’t return to the Marquis’s household.
Looking at it now, her maternal grandfather and grandmother were truly far-sighted.
As for her mother… truly, a love-struck mind could ruin a whole life.
But this was her mother, who had endured so much suffering. Jiang Chuji couldn’t bring herself to blame her. She gently patted her mother’s back to comfort her. “I understand, Mother. For now, just rest and stay here peacefully.”
Leaving the inn, Jiang Chuji squinted against the bright sunlight.
“Miss, where shall we go now?” Fuling asked beside her.
Jiang Chuji replied, “Let’s go for a stroll. I want to buy some things for Mother.”
It was market day. The streets were bustling with crowds, lively and vibrant. From the stalls and shops lining both sides came a constant chorus of hawking and calls from vendors.
Jiang Chuji took the measurements she had taken for her mother to a fabric and tailor shop, ordering several sets of clothes for her. Passing by a small stall, her attention was caught by a delicate, exquisitely handmade velvet flower hairpin. She picked it up to look.
Suddenly, her ears caught a low, fawning voice not far away—
“Master, you’ve humbled yourself to come all the way out of the city to queue at Zhengnan Zhai for pastries for Her—oh, I mean, for Madam. Madam will surely be deeply moved when she finds out.”
The person addressed as “Master,” however, sounded impatient and cold. “Enough chatter. You go queue. I’ll wait over there.”
Madam?
Jiang Chuji’s hand stilled.
Through the crowd, she glanced sideways at the figure that stood out like a crane among chickens.
Jet-black hair secured with a silver crown, a tall and straight posture, expensive black boots beneath his feet. His temples were sharply defined as if cut by a blade, his sword-like eyebrows slanting upward. His cold, aloof face had distinct, exceptionally handsome features.
He exuded an innate air of nobility and arrogance.
It was Xiao Qian.
The current Crown Prince, the future emperor.
The man who had treated her like a dog to toy with.