Chapter 221 – Infighting of the Yan Family
Yan Shujing had just opened her eyes when Old Master Yan’s piercing gaze fell upon her.
“Jing’er, it’s so late and you’ve returned in such a disheveled state. What happened?”
Yan Shuxiu eagerly spoke up before Yan Shujing could answer, “Elder sister, you went alone to the foot of Four Sisters Mountain. Did you encounter bandits?”
“Jing’er, don’t be afraid. Bravely tell us what happened. If you really met bandits, your Grandfather will stand up for you and get justice.”
Ms. Hu wore an expression of concern for Yan Shujing.
But Ms. Li and Yan Wenfeng understood that Ms. Hu and her daughter were not truly concerned for Yan Shujing – they wanted to push Shujing into a fire pit.
A beautiful young lady encountering bandits could not have escaped being violated!
Clearly, Ms. Hu and her daughter wanted to tell the Old Master and Madam that Yan Shujing had been violated by the bandits, after previously being defiled by the young lords of the county court. With Old Master Yan’s temperament, he would surely give Yan Shujing no chance of survival.
Ms. Li glared angrily at Ms. Hu and her daughter.
“Second sister-in-law and Shuxiu, Jing’er haven’t even spoken yet, and you two are so eager to pass judgment. What is your intention?”
“Big sister-in-law, we’re just concerned for Jing’er.”
Yan Wenfeng coldly snorted.
“Second Aunt, Shuxiu, you know in your hearts whether you are truly concerned for Jing’er.”
Recently, one disaster after another had befallen the Yan family, leaving Old Master Yan in a foul mood. He had not yet ascertained what had happened to his granddaughter Yan Shujing, and now his eldest daughter-in-law and second daughter-in-law were heatedly arguing, giving him a headache.
“Enough with the arguing, as if the household isn’t chaotic enough already.”
At Old Master Yan’s outburst, Ms. Li and Ms. Hu hurriedly fell silent.
After waking up, Yan Shujing collected her thoughts. The events at the foot of Four Sisters Mountain gradually surfaced in her mind.
She had not seen the General, but had encountered two black-clothed masked men, and her secret had been revealed…
Thinking of this, Yan Shujing gritted her teeth in hatred.
“Jing’er, what are you spacing out about? Your grandfather is talking to you.”
Ms. Jiang’s words snapped Yan Shujing back to reality, and she timidly looked at Old Master Yan.
She had heard everything Ms. Hu and Shuxiu had said. She absolutely could not let the Old Master know she had encountered bandits and had her secret revealed, or else…
Seeing Old Master Yan’s stern and cold expression, she dared not think further.
“Grandfather, Grandmother, your granddaughter did not encounter any bandits. The General’s army of fifty thousand is stationed at Tongluo Plain, and there are no bandits in the vicinity of Four Sisters Mountain.”
The deep furrow in Old Master Yan’s brow finally relaxed.
Ms. Jiang asked expectantly, “Jing’er, did you get to see the General?”
Yan Shujing bit her lip dejectedly, “No, I waited a long time at the foot of Four Sisters Mountain but did not see the General. The lamp oil ran out, and I had to grope my way back, accidentally falling a few times.”
“Oh, so it was just a fall.”
Ms. Jiang and Old Master Yan’s brows finally uncreased.
Yan Shujing’s hair was disheveled, with dew and a bit of grass clinging to it and her clothes – she did indeed look disheveled, as if she had fallen.
Ms. Jiang continued, “The General must have had some sudden matter to attend to, causing him to miss the appointment.”
Ms. Li smiled and agreed with Ms. Jiang, “Now that the fifty thousand troops are newly stationed at Tongluo Plain, there are indeed many affairs to deal with in the army.”
Yan Wenfeng said, “Since the General has set his sights on Jing’er, he will surely send someone to make another appointment to meet her.”
Old Master Yan felt this made sense, and his gaze on Yan Shujing softened considerably. He ordered the wet nurse, “What are you waiting for? Quickly help the young miss back to her room to clean up.”
Ms. Li and the wet nurse supported the disheveled Yan Shujing as they left, while Ms. Hu and her daughter ground their teeth in anger.
Early next morning.
As soon as the servants opened the Yan estate gates, they saw Ms. Wang held a wooden stool in her right hand and a gourd in her left. The gourd contained water, not wine.
“Isn’t this the Tian family’s widow?”
“It’s early in the morning, does this widow have nothing to do that she comes to sit at the Yan family’s gates?”
The two young servants guarding the gates could not understand Ms. Wang’s actions. As they were discussing it, they saw Ms. Wang hug the gourd and gulp down several mouthfuls of water, then open her mouth and start howling…
“Hu Chunni, you despicable bitch, come out here!”
“You bastard, trying to trick my Dazhuang into marrying that withered flower Yan Shujing.”
“Yan Shujing has been defiled by other men, yet you scheme to have my Dazhuang marry her. There’s not a single decent person in the Yan family.”
…
Ms. Wang’s voice was exceptionally loud, and she cursed fluently. By the time the two young servants reacted, she had already cursed them five or six times.
In a small village, not like in a city, any commotion can be heard by everyone. Combined with Ms. Wang’s powerful voice, in just a moment, she had attracted a crowd of villagers to gather outside the Yan family manor.
“Hu Chunni, if you have the guts to do such a heartless thing, then come out and face me!”
“You Yan family people all act like decent folk on the surface, but we know the truth.”
…
Sitting on the small stool with one leg crossed, Ms. Wang held the remaining half gourd of water and her voice grew even louder as she cursed.
The villagers gathered outside the Yan estate, not knowing what had happened at first, but after hearing Ms. Wang curse for a while, they gradually pieced it together.
“Heavens, the Yan family’s young miss Yan Shujing has actually been bedded by a man.”
“Who was so bold as to defile the Yan family’s young miss?”
“It takes two to tango, perhaps Miss Yan Shujing seduced the man and lost her purity.”
“Isn’t the Yan family’s discipline very strict?”
…
Ms. Wang sat on the small stool, cursing loudly, while the villagers muttered behind her.
The two young servants guarding the Yan gates exchanged grave looks. One said to the other in a low voice, “I’ll stay here to stand guard. You quickly go inside and report this matter to the Old Master and Madam.”
In fact, there was no need to report, as Ms. Wang’s angry curses had already reached the inner courtyard.
In the dining hall, the Yan family was having their morning meal.
Old Master Yan and Yan Wenfeng sat at one table. Ms. Li and her daughter and Ms. Hu and her daughter sat at another table.
Boom!
Ms. Wang’s angry curses reached the dining hall. Yan Shujing’s face immediately turned ashen, her body trembling nervously. Old Master Yan angrily slammed his bamboo chopsticks on the table, making a loud sound.
“Jing’er, what is the meaning of this?”
Feeling Old Master Yan’s devouring gaze, Yan Shujing’s body trembled even more violently.
She dared not look at Old Master Yan’s face, her voice quivering as she said, “I… also don’t know what’s happening.”
Amidst her nervousness, her mind was racing quickly.
The ruination of her purity was only known to the Yan family and those two bandits. Ms. Wang, a mere widow, should not have the courage to collude with bandits to harm her. Could it be that her second aunt had leaked the news of her lost purity to Ms. Wang?
Thinking of this, she suddenly became less nervous, her eyes turning and glaring tearfully and angrily at Ms. Hu.
“Second Aunt, did you go to the Tian family and tell Ms. Wang the truth?”
She sniffled, continuing her accusation, “Second Aunt, I know you haven’t liked me much, but I’m your own niece. How can you do this to me?”
Hearing Yan Shujing’s words, the enraged Ms. Li raised the chopsticks in her hand, angrily pointing them at Ms. Hu.
“Second sister-in-law, how could you do this?”
Yan Wenfeng frowned and pondered for a moment, then accused Ms. Hu as well, “Second Aunt, I know you’re worried that Jing’er will get married first and take away some dowry from Shuxiu, but Grandmother already said Jing’er and Shuxiu’s dowries will be the same.”
Faced with accusations from the three of them, Ms. Hu’s face turned ashen with anger.
As the Old Master and Madam’s gazes fell upon her, she couldn’t be bothered to argue with them, and hurriedly explained, “Father, Mother, it wasn’t your daughter-in-law who leaked it, you must believe me.”
Yan Wenfeng watched Ms. Hu’s panicked and flustered state calmly.
In truth, he knew the one who leaked the secret was not Ms. Hu, but now he had to shift Old Master Yan’s anger onto Ms. Hu, or else Yan Shujing would face severe punishment.
Sure enough, Old Master Yan’s grip on his cane tightened, his icy gaze sweeping over Ms. Hu as he coldly said, “Jing’er, stay here. The rest of you, come with me outside.”
As soon as Old Master Yan left, Yan Shujing slid to the ground, her body completely limp and sitting helplessly on the floor.
It’s over, it’s all over. Her reputation was completely destroyed. Not only would the General no longer want her, even ordinary men would likely shun her as unclean.
