Chapter 48 - Father and Second Brother

In the garden’s reception pavilion, Xia Yan was dressed in a primly-coloured short-sleeved satin lined jacket and a cyan woven silk pleated flare skirt. The garments were tightly fastened around her waist without any ease to spare. Although she was already a mother of two, she appeared to remain slender; just like the young girls in the cusp of their spring. Her glistening, moist and supple skin was highlighted with the slightest adornments, bringing the main focal point to her beautiful hair accessories. When compared to the many concubines in the residence, she was precisely like a slender and elegant silhouette of a pure white lotus. On top of that, she had a faint image of a scholarly, literary lady and hence, seemed like an extremely rare, and beautiful woman.

As Jiang Quan’s gaze fell upon her, it became rather gentle. As he said to her, “It’s been hard for you,” his gaze was completely filled with tenderness. Left in the lurch as she saw this, the Second Yiniang could not put up with this scene any longer. As her shapely eyebrows, that had been meticulously drawn, rose, she deliberately cleared her throat softly, “Laoye[1], we can finally welcome you home.”

[1] Laoye ( 老爷 ) – (respectful) lord / master.

In fact, the Second Yiniang was also a beauty. Only, her beautiful features were somewhat sharp and with a slimmer than average face, it only made her appear somewhat shrewd, unlike Xia Yan who seemed sentimental and tender. Moreover, with her attempt at acting submissively in order to ingratiate herself, Second Yiniang’s actions seem rather forced. Therefore, Jiang Quan seemed to reveal a rather impatient visage and merely replied distractedly. Upon seeing this, Second Yiniang’s hands artlessly wrapped around and clenched onto the hems of her clothes.

Dressed in a faint blue coloured straight-cut decorative skirt, at the corner of First Yiniang’s lips was a smile filled with humbleness as she quietly retreated to a corner. In stark comparison to the two servant girls beside Xia Yan, who seemed as delicate as flowers and as refined as precious jade, the First Yiniang, in contrast, had an appearance that seemed more like a second-tier servant girl. Jiang Quan did not even glance at her. Jiang Su Su then stepped forward with a smile, “Father[2] has returned.”

[2] Die ( 爹 ) – informal way of saying ‘father’, like Dad in modern lingo.

On normal days, as he went about his official business, Jiang Quan would constantly be stern, however, in front of Jiang Su Su, he had never shown such a visage. On his face, a trace of a smile seemed to have emerged as he reached out to pat her head, “I brought some playthings for you; later, I will have someone bring them to your courtyard.”

Standing at the side, a flash of resentment, hatred and jealousy flared in Second Yiniang’s eyes. Among the four daughters in the Jiang fu, the only one that would receive this sort of special privilege was Jiang Su Su.

Jiang Chao, who was talking with the Old Jiang Madame, suddenly thought of something as he said, “Didn’t Ruan meimei just return home too, why have I not seen her person yet?”

Jiang Su Su’s smile became heavy as Jiang Quan too suddenly recalled this. His smile faded and his brows furrowed. Seeing this, Xia Yan smiled and was about to speak when she suddenly heard a light girlish voice that came from the hall, “Jiang Ruan greets Esteemed Father[3].”

[3] Fuqin ( 父亲 ) – formal way of saying ‘father’. This is in stark contrast with the way Jiang Su Su addressed him earlier, revealing the level of closeness each of them share with their father.

Simultaneously, both Jiang Quan and Jiang Chao directed their gazes toward the direction of the voice, and then saw a young girl with beautiful demeanour, dressed in a crimson hemstitched double layered jacket, move forward. At the bosom, there were large rounded embroidery designs of eight flowers and plants colourfully embroidered, and her crow-black tresses were coiled up with a multi-coloured bead hairpin. Her clothes seemed simple yet extremely vibrant. Inversely, what seemed even more vibrant was her features. Snow-white skin and cherry red lips, her limpid and beautiful eyes appeared to contain a countless amount of passion. Yet, contrary to expectations, from the corner of her raised hoods, a faintly discernible aloofness and coldness welled forth. Therefore, her beautiful, calm looks were akin to both, the fiery fire as well as the icy cold. If Jiang Su Su could be said as one who possessed exquisite beauty that was found in the human world, then the extremely vibrant and charming young girl before their eyes was like the unearthly beauty that could not be found in the human realm. Her every movement made one unable to shift their gaze away from her.

Step by step as she steadily came forward, her manner as she moved was gorgeously charming and in a gentle flutter, she stopped before Jiang Quan as she softly uttered, “Father.”

At this, father and son both finally recomposed themselves. In disbelief, the two people could hardly take a measure of her; this was the eldest young lady of the Jiang fu that had just returned from the village manor? In comparison to herself from five years ago and now, Jiang Ruan seemed like a changed person. From inside and out, there was hardly any trace of the figure of the little girl of the past. Most of all, as she steadily moved closer, her eyes were filled with an impenetrable gaze that was indecipherable. At this moment, she seemed like someone foreign to them and in the depths of one’s heart, it had made one feel a trace of cold shivers. However, as she stood before them, she smiled enchantingly, as if that cold and aloof gaze from before was merely an illusion.

Jiang Quan’s probing gaze fell on Jiang Ruan as he delayed in deigning her with a reply. Jiang Ruan paused as she slowly raised her head and straightforwardly met Jiang Quan’s gaze.

At that instant when she had looked at him, Jiang Ruan was, for a split second, distracted. In her heart, a trace of indecipherable emotion, that seemed like both sorrow and joy, emerged. Now, Jiang Quan was still in the prime of his life and had an appearance of a renowned and morally upright scholar. Yet, before her very eyes, Jiang Ruan seemed to see the image of Jiang Quan’s that she last saw in her past life. At that time, just like this, her own biological father ruthlessly had her dragged into the main Buddhist hall of the imperial mausoleum. In the full presence of all the civil and military officials of the imperial court, she had been labeled and prosecuted with the criminal charge of being a seductress that ruined the country. Lying face down on the floor, she could barely believe what she had heard as her eyes widened. In contrast, his gaze towards her was one of an extreme indifference and heartlessness. With that kind of debasing gaze, it seemed like he was looking at the one and only taint that had existed in his life. With such a penetrating gaze, in the depths of her heart, she felt a freezingly icy chill.

After she had been imprisoned and tormented by Jiang Su Su, in addition to hearing news of her implicating the entire Zhao family, she had heard of her own father’s steady rise in officialdom. In his advancement, he had been promoted to the highest rank among the officials and ultimately, becoming recognised as the extended relative (an esteemed figure) of the Empress’s family: the maternal uncle of the Nation. As he put on his official robes, had he ever thought of the blood of hers that he had spilled in sacrifice for his official seal[4]?

[4] Guān yìn ( 官印 ) – The official seal of a government official, this is the most important possession a person could have, official or otherwise. It represents the power and identity of the person, a form of recognition of a person’s status. Here, Jiang Ruan is referring to how her father has used her crudely and harshly as a dead stepping stone in his path and greed for power.

Moreover, Jiang Quan was precisely such a person. For Jiang Su Su, for Jiang Chao, for Xia Yan and most of all, for himself, he would have her and Zhao Mei, even the entire Zhao family become the paving stones to lay a road for his success. In her past life, or even now, had he ever truly regarded them as his family?

If it could be said that in her past life, when she had been confined in that prison, what she had felt was despair and loss, then now, once again chancing upon these past faces of her family, nothing but hatred existed.

Hate, how could she not be filled with hatred. When she had become a human swine that was completely non-ambulant because of Jiang Su Su, when she had personally seen her young child being abused by a powerful official, who could possibly be able to understand the extreme sorrow, suffering and anguish that one would feel to the very core of their bones? Hearing the news of her close relatives and their entire household being executed in collective punishment, yet, there being no way for her to seek for help[5]. Once again, how could she recount the grief and indignation she had felt for them? Since the underworld would not receive people like her and had made her return to the human world, then, how could she not resign herself to let these people have a taste of what it felt like to experience hell on earth. From the moment of her rebirth, she had already renounced all kinship with Jiang Quan and was bent on revenge.

[5] Qiú zhù wú mén ( 求助无门 ) – It means that Jiang Ruan wished to seek for others’ help in a matter, however, no such apt social connection or way of getting help existed to get intervention.

As she lightly widened her large eyes, that pair of foggy eyes suddenly became a little clearer and brighter. Looking deeper, it was merely a layer of clarity and calm like the surface of a clear spring flowing through the mountains that did not have the least bit of impurity. Before them, the person’s voice was as soft as the breeze and called out once more, “Father?”

In a split second, Jiang Quan recovered. Yet, towards his own eldest daughter’s bright and beautiful smile, for no reason at all, it made one felt ill at ease. As he glanced at Jiang Ruan, he uttered, “It’s good that you have returned.” After that, he did not express himself any further.

With such indifference, it even caused Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi behind her to feel somewhat indignant. As though she was not aware of it, Jiang Ruan then turned to face him as she smiled at Jiang Chao, “Second brother[6].”

[6] Èrgē ( 二哥 ) – second brother.

Jiang Chao still remained the same as he did in her recollection. He was gifted with a bright and cheerful appearance, and somewhat restlessly, he scratched his head as he replied with a grin, “Ruan meimei.” Yet, in his gaze, there was a hint of unclear overtones.

Xia Yan’s two children were both people that were extremely adept in putting on masks to conduct themselves. At that time, shortly after Jiang Xin Zhi’s death, contrary to expectations, this Second Brother had been extremely good to her. Although Jiang Chao seemed to have an amiable and generous disposition, wherein it seemed he would still make some foolish mistakes and suffer some losses, anyone would be willing to become friends with this sort of person. Especially, Jiang Ruan who had just lost Jiang Xin Zhi, found that she too could find some of the lost warmth and affection from this second brother of hers.

Yet, the heart of the matter was that this foolish and honest young man had eventually married the beloved daughter of the Right Chancellor at that period of time. And from that time on, the Right Chancellor became a part of the Eighth Prince’s faction.

Now that she recalled, all of those fantasies that she had in her past life and her impression of Jiang Chao, they had all halted at the very scene when he had attempted to use his own charms as his means into the officialdom. When she had finally entered the palace, that could also be credited to this wonderful brother of hers. She still remembered the pledge that he had solemnly vowed, “With meimei’s extremely beautiful appearance, after entering the palace, meimei would definitely receive the pampering, favour and love of the Emperor. To have this utmost honor, respect and glory, that would be meimei’s blessing.”