Silence.
Silence was the language of the moment.Th.ê most uptod/ate novels a/re published on n(0)velbj)n(.)c/o/m
The ladies were like chrysanthemums in flower pots, vying for beauty, unable to speak.
The wind blew the chrysanthemum petals, making them sway, while it jingled the ornaments in the ladies' hair.
The prefect's wife arrived just in time.
She was a slightly plump woman, not tall, and not particularly good-looking.
Surprisingly, when Jiang Mianmian saw the prefect's wife, her first thought was that this prefect must be a good man, not abandoning his wife from humble beginnings. The plump wife looked like she was living a very comfortable life.
And this was probably what most normal people looked like.
How could one see one stunning beauty after another?
There weren't that many countries and cities to be captivated.
Everyone was worried that Zheng'er would make a scene and refuse to let it go.
Mrs. Jiang's actions were satisfying, but they were concerned about how it would end.
Zheng'er was no pushover.
Having suffered such a great insult, she would surely seek revenge.
But Mrs. Jiang's slap had knocked her out cold.
It must have been genuine unconsciousness, otherwise, given Zheng'er's temperament, she wouldn't have been too embarrassed to fake it.
Seeing the prefect's wife, Qin Luoxia felt a bit embarrassed and said, "I'm sorry, I damaged a few of your flower pots."
The prefect's wife looked at the human-shaped impression in the flowers and wanted to laugh.
She pursed her lips, holding it back hard.
She put on a solemn expression and waved her hand, "It's fine."
She was also sick of these favored concubines, but for the sake of appearances, she still had to entertain them.
Watching Zheng'er being carried away, Qin Luoxia kept the three girls behind.
"Xiu'er, Mian'er, Mi'er, come here. Stay with Aunt Qin, I'll take you to play."
The three girls were amazed that this lady dared to hit Madam Zheng and even knew their names.
This must be the Mrs. Jiang their mother had mentioned, the formidable Mrs. Jiang.
If they went back with Madam Zheng, they would surely be punished.
The girls were timid but not stupid. Instinctively following the powerful one, they obediently called out, "Hello, Aunt Qin."
Jiang Mianmian reached out to hold the hand of the youngest girl.
"Hello, Sister Mi'er, I'm Mianmian."
Mi'er's palm was sweaty with nervousness as she carefully grasped the other's hand.
The other girl was dressed too beautifully and exquisitely, and was too pretty, a hundred times more beautiful than Madam Zheng.
Father had said Madam Zheng was a celestial beauty, so what would you call someone a hundred times more beautiful than a celestial being?
After apologizing, Qin Luoxia asked Pangya to give what she was holding to the prefect's wife.
The prefect's wife, though feeling that Mrs. Jiang's actions were satisfying, also thought they were a bit reckless and too fierce.
Seeing her offering a gift, she smiled politely.
But then she saw the chubby maid lift the black cloth, revealing a pot of black chrysanthemums underneath. They were blooming extraordinarily beautifully, with distinct petals and vigorous growth.
The prefect's wife stepped forward in delight, examining them closely.
"Is this a mutation that was then cultivated?"
Jiang Mianmian put on a sweet, silly smile.
Mother, you know how to show off, complaining while showing off is still showing off.
"I don't know if someone found out these secret formulas were created by my little daughter. Some people with ulterior motives want them, after all, the desire to become beautiful is universal. But spreading those ridiculous rumors is hateful. If the ladies have time, next time come to our manor, and I'll let you try them," Qin Luoxia said naturally.
"Yes, it's too despicable."
"Their intentions are condemnable."
"Then we'll wait for Mrs. Jiang's invitation. I'll bring my daughter too when the time comes."
The ladies were extremely enthusiastic.
When it was time to leave, the prefect's wife still held onto Qin Luoxia and said, "Sister Luoxia, next time I'll invite you to my home. There were too many people this time, we couldn't chat properly. Don't worry, my old Zhou doesn't like that Yu fellow either. If your Mr. Jiang punishes you when you get home, feel free to come find me. Say I told you to hit her."
Hearing these words, Jiang Mianmian really liked this prefect's wife.
She couldn't help but go forward, hugging the prefect's wife's leg and saying, "Aunt, come play at our house, we have yummy food."
The prefect's wife's children were all grown up, and even her grandchildren couldn't act as adorably as this.
She was extremely fond of this pretty little girl who could hug her leg so charmingly.
Even as she left, she was reluctant to part. She gave the little girl another string of glass and jade beads to wear around her neck, which was extremely beautiful.
"Thank you, Aunt." Jiang Mianmian rubbed her head against the prefect's wife's plump belly.
It was very soft.
Qin Luoxia personally took the three girls home in a carriage.
In the carriage, the eldest girl Xiu'er suddenly knelt down and kowtowed to Qin Luoxia, saying, "Aunt, please save my mother. My father said that if Madam Zheng gets even a little hurt, he would beat my mother."
"Mother can't fight back against Father. This time Madam Zheng is so badly hurt, my mother will be beaten to death."
"Can you help us take our mother away and send us back to the countryside? We used to live in the countryside before, we had a farm, we could do whatever we wanted. Mother would plant crops, the beans were delicious," Mian'er also knelt down and said.
"That Madam Zheng always punishes us, saying we say the wrong things, making us kneel. Father doesn't care, Father is very fierce."
"Father says he wants a son, we are all money-losing goods. Madam Zheng says once she gives birth to a son, she'll drive us out."
"Aunt Qin, my father is truly terrifying. You must be careful. Madam Zheng will surely claim she's pregnant when she returns, and might even accuse you of causing her to miscarry. Last time, she falsely accused Mi'er of pushing her, and my father kicked Mi'er so hard he flew across the room. Mi'er's stomach still hurts to this day."
Mi'er, the five or six-year-old girl sitting next to Jiang Mianmian, naively lifted her shirt, revealing a bruise on her stomach.
The young girls, as if in a group therapy session, hurriedly shared their woes with Qin Luoxia.
They feared being sent back home and getting beaten again.
They also worried about their mothers being beaten.
Hearing this, Jiang Mianmian was shocked.
She felt grateful for having transmigrated into a normal family. This father they spoke of was truly terrifying.
Qin Luoxia pulled the three children close and said, "Don't worry. I'll take you back, and I promise you won't be beaten. Your mothers will be safe too."
The girls remained skeptical.
Especially Xiu'er, the oldest.
When she was sent into the Yu manor, her struggling gaze and constant looking back resembled a small deer being thrown to the tigers – confused, frightened, and somewhat unwilling.
Even as the door closed, that look in her eyes was still heart-wrenching.
Jiang Mianmian couldn't help but cling to the carriage curtain.
She turned to ask her mother, "Will they really be okay?"
Qin Luoxia pulled her little daughter into her arms, gently stroking her head as she said, "They'll be fine. When mother says it's okay, it definitely will be. Don't worry."
...
That night, Lord Yu didn't return home. He went to investigate a case and accidentally fell off a cliff, dying from the fall.