Like someone had suddenly struck her chest with a vicious punch, Lady Ning gasped for breath in sharp, painful intakes.

What is she saying?

I don’t understand.

I don’t understand a single word.

How could I be a wild wolf? I’m the eldest daughter of the Ning family!

And furthermore.

I have no wound!

Not even the slightest wound!

Lady Ning instinctively shook her head, shaking it so hard that her pearl hairpins chimed against each other.

Yan Sanhe pressed her other hand against Lady Ning’s head. “Don’t be afraid. As long as you speak up, I’ll believe everything.”

Lady Ning’s eyelashes trembled. “You… you… really… will believe me?”

Yan Sanhe nodded firmly. “I’ll believe every single word!”

Every single word?

She would believe it all?!

“The old lady was like that, why should I believe you? She’s my mother, she gave birth to me—would she deceive me?”

“Third Madam, everything must have limits. Do you dare touch your conscience and speak again?”

“Third Madam, it’s better to be honest. Our Ji family is a family of poetry and propriety—if word gets out, people will laugh their teeth off.”

“Sister-in-law, is there even one truthful word in your mouth?”

“Mother, can you please stop lying!”

“She’s from a merchant family after all, tsk tsk tsk, not a bit of proper upbringing. The Ji family has eight generations’ worth of bad luck, marrying such a troublemaker!”

Lady Ning’s once-delicate face was covered in tears.

She didn’t bother wiping them away with her hands, and finally spoke: “She’s just a two-faced old hag who never does what she says!”

These words made both men in the parlor change color simultaneously.

Pei Xiao’s breathing even became rapid—damn, you really dare to say it!

Yan Sanhe turned to glance at Li Buyan.

Li Buyan quickly brought over a small round stool. Yan Sanhe sat down on it, facing Lady Ning directly.

“Is that so? What did she say to you?”

“She said that as long as I obeyed her, she would love me the most.”

Lady Ning gripped Yan Sanhe’s arm tightly, clutching it as if trying to draw from her the courage to peel open old wounds.

That deep, deep wound was inflicted by the old lady, and also—

That heartless, ungrateful man.

She had lived in her natal home until age sixteen, never imagining she would one day marry into the capital.

That year, the jujube orchard had a bumper harvest. A mother and son came from the capital to purchase jujubes.

The mother and son were both quite attractive. Though the mother’s complexion was somewhat dark, she spoke softly and gently—clearly good-tempered.

The son was refined and delicate. Just standing there casually, he exuded an indescribable air of nobility.

The Ning family was in trade, and their greatest skill was reading people. Having grown up observing this, she could tell at a glance that this mother and son were fundamentally different from the Ning family.

They were probably distinguished guests.

Sure enough, the mother and son purchased an entire shipload of jujubes, yet Father only charged them three thousand taels—the cost price. When she quietly inquired, she learned they were relatives of a fourth-rank official from the capital, surnamed Ji.

That day, the mother and son stayed at the Ning residence. At dinner, the men ate at one table, the women at another, and Madam Ji’s eyes kept glancing her way.

The next day, after the mother and son left, Mother told her that Madam Ji wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Ning family and asked if she was willing.

Mother also said that Madam Ji had actually secretly had people investigate her for quite some time—this trip to purchase jujubes from the Ning family was a pretense, the real purpose was matchmaking.

She had never imagined that the mother and son would pay her such attention. She was both surprised and delighted.

Mother had told her since childhood that whether a woman’s life after marriage would be good depended on whether her husband’s family valued her—

If the husband’s family valued you, even if the husband was worthless, life could go on. If the husband’s family looked down on you, even if the husband was capable, life would never be peaceful.

She thought about it all night and finally shyly agreed.

The Ji family’s betrothal followed all proper procedures with meticulous attention. Even her most critical elder brother praised it.

Because it was a distant marriage to a high-ranking family, her parents and brothers feared she would be looked down upon, so they prepared a full one hundred and twenty carrying-loads of dowry. Each chest and trunk was heavy when lifted.

Ten miles of red wedding finery stretched for several miles.

Amid firecracker sounds and drum beats, the large sedan chair carried by eight bearers stopped at the main gate of the Ji residence.

A red silk cord connected him at one end and her at the other. They bowed to heaven and earth above, to parents below—this was the most glorious, most brilliant moment of her life.

When that refined man lifted the red veil, she thought: How fortunate I am, how complete!

Joined in marriage as husband and wife, love and trust between them both.

In life, we shall return to each other; in death, we shall think of each other forever.

Lady Ning’s tear-filled eyes revealed a girlish radiance that brightened her entire being.

Lady Ning remained immersed in her memories for a long time, not saying another word.

Yan Sanhe had no choice but to interrupt: “After you married into the Ji family, what happened?”

Lady Ning shuddered. The light in her eyes instantly vanished. She raised her head and stared fixedly at Ji Lingchuan.

“Does the First Master still remember the Jinxiu Silk Shop?”

“Which Jinxiu Silk Shop?” Ji Lingchuan was startled by the question.

“The First Master has such a poor memory. Over twenty years ago, the old lady was grazed by a runaway horse carriage at that shop’s entrance and fainted on the spot.”

With this reminder, Ji Lingchuan suddenly remembered.

“You still have the face to bring this up—it was you who caused Mother to be unconscious for two full days and nights.”

“When the carriage charged over, the First Madam and I were supporting the old lady across the street. To avoid the carriage, I accidentally pushed the old lady. She fell, hit her head on the ground, and her arm was scraped by the wheel.”

Lady Ning’s face was still wet with tears. “First Master, am I wrong?”

Ji Lingchuan snorted coldly.

“A daughter-in-law who doesn’t protect her elders is one thing, but you pushed your elder to save yourself—where is filial piety? Where is conscience?”

“The First Master is right—where is filial piety, where is conscience? I was slapped by your third brother for this incident and made to kneel for an entire night as punishment.”

“What, Third Brother hit you—was he wronging you then?”

“Yes! He! Wronged! Me!”

Lady Ning suddenly smiled at Ji Lingchuan, a smile indescribably strange.

Yan Sanhe was closest and saw most clearly. “Third Madam, what is the truth?”

Lady Ning looked back at her, enunciating each word: “The truth is that it was the First Madam who pushed her, not me at all.”

“Utter nonsense.”

Ji Lingchuan showed signs of fury again. “When the old lady woke up, she personally said you pushed her.”

“That’s exactly what puzzled me. I had lingered behind looking at that bolt of brocade and came out a step late. When I caught up, my hand hadn’t even reached the old lady’s arm yet.

It was clearly the First Madam supporting her at the time. Why, why would the old lady still lie with her eyes wide open?”

Lady Ning smiled bitterly.

“So after kneeling all night, I was unconvinced. I secretly went to the old lady’s room to question her. Guess what she said to me?”

Yan Sanhe suddenly interjected: “She said: The First Madam was chosen by the Zhang family. Harmony brings prosperity to the family. As a mother-in-law, I’m useless, so I can only wrong you.”

Lady Ning’s expression looked as if she’d seen a ghost in broad daylight.

“You… how do you know?”