Xiang Lan wished she could tear her to pieces, thinking to herself: “Cao Lihuan is truly despicable. I will make her pay blood for blood.” Turning her head, she saw Han Yaozu sending off guests with an ingratiating smile and said: “Magistrate Han, Cao Lihuan once had connections with the Lin family and stayed at their mansion for some time. Do you know why the Lin family drove her out?” Xiang Lan paused, then continued word by word: “Because Cao Lihuan had a vicious heart and tried to harm the General’s sister by putting something unclean in her wine. I discovered it and told Madam Lin. The Lin family was furious and expelled her. That’s why she harbors a grudge against me. Magistrate Han, you’ve helped her take revenge, and she must be overjoyed.” With that, she turned and left.
Han Yaozu’s expression changed dramatically. He cursed inwardly: “That wretch Cao Lihuan has truly ruined me!” However, his face quickly transformed as he took a few quick steps to catch up with Xiang Lan, saying with a fawning smile: “Thank you, Miss. I had no idea that a poisonous woman was so treacherous and was using me. I was ignorant and have not only wronged your entire family but also owe you an enormous debt. I will surely repay you generously. As for that criminal Cao, I will deal with her and give you a proper accounting!”
Xiang Lan ignored him completely and walked ahead with a stern face. Han Yaozu accompanied her to the main gate. As he watched the carriage disappear into the distance, his face instantly dropped, the warm friendliness transforming into cold fury. He strode back inside, but finding the room empty, he anxiously lifted his official robes and ran out searching. He spotted Cao Lihuan about to enter a sedan chair at the back door, attempting to slip away. Fury rose in Han Yaozu’s heart and evil thoughts emerged. In a few steps, he grabbed Cao Lihuan’s collar and struck her twice across the face, cursing: “You wretch! You’ve ruined me!”
Cao Lihuan screamed in shock, protecting her face with her arms as Han Yaozu continued striking and cursing: “You wretch, I’ve treated you well, why would you harm me like this!”
Cao Lihuan dodged left and right, pleading: “Heaven above, earth below, Master is truly wronging me! I knew nothing about this! Who knew that loose woman Xiang Lan had taken up with Lin Jinlou? She was just a mere servant girl… Master, I truly had your best interests at heart. Master, please remember our past…”
Han Yaozu cursed loudly: “If she were just Lin Jinlou’s concubine that would be one thing, but you’ve offended the Lin family’s Madam and Young Miss! No wonder Lin Jinlou said I had the courage of a bear and a leopard. It was all your scheming and instigation that set me up. How can I forgive you for doing such things? If I lose my position because of this, killing you wouldn’t be enough to quell my hatred!” He beat Cao Lihuan until blood flowed from her nose and her eyes were bruised.
Cao Lihuan was originally a fierce and sharp-tongued woman. She had never suffered such humiliation before, and although she feared Han Yaozu’s official authority, she couldn’t help but fight back, scratching his face twice.
Just as the chaos was at its height, Han Guangye received news and rushed from his residence in the back to the front. Seeing Han Yaozu beating Cao Lihuan, and noticing servants and guards peering from a distance, he shouted: “What are you looking at? Get out, all of you!” He ordered his servant to chase everyone away, then approached Han Yaozu’s side and said, crossing his arms: “Father, stop hitting her. In broad daylight, what will people say if they see this? How will this affect your reputation?”
Hearing these words, Han Yaozu finally stopped, breathing heavily. He grabbed Han Guangye’s hand and said: “My son, she has ruined me!” With that, tears streamed down his face.
Han Guangye consoled him briefly, then kicked Cao Lihuan, saying: “Wretch! We’ll deal with you later!” Cao Lihuan collapsed on the ground, crying and wailing, while Han Guangye supported Han Yaozu back to his room to discuss matters.
Meanwhile, Han Yaozu’s wife, Madam Jiang, had also received news in the rear courtyard. She changed clothes and hurried to the front, only to see several scratches from a woman’s nails on Han Yaozu’s face. When asked about the scratches, Han Yaozu hemmed and hawed, arousing her suspicions. After beating Han Yaozu’s servant, she learned about his affair with a subordinate’s wife. Madam Jiang flew into a rage. She was an extremely strict person, tall and strong, ten times more formidable than Cao Lihuan. She grabbed Han Yaozu’s beard and said: “You shameless old fool! No wonder you’ve developed several ailments lately, complaining daily of back pain, running nose, deafness, and poor eyesight – it was all because of that little demon’s doing! I work hard at home every day, bore your children, manage the household, and take care of your parents, while you enjoy yourself with that little wretch. What a miserable fate I have!” Her hair disheveled, she cried for a while, then lay on the ground rolling around.
Han Yaozu said irritably: “Will you ever stop? Quickly compose yourself and stop adding to my troubles!”
Madam Jiang, tears streaming down her face, said: “Well! Now you speak to me this way. Perhaps you’ve taken a fancy to that little demon and want to divorce me to marry her?”
Han Guangye quickly stepped in to mediate, and after much persuasion finally calmed Madam Jiang down.
After returning to her room, Madam Jiang grew increasingly angry. She changed into comfortable cotton clothes, removed all her jewelry and hairpins, and headed to Cao Lihuan’s house with some servants. Bursting into the room, she found Cao Lihuan applying medicine while looking in a mirror. Madam Jiang immediately grabbed Cao Lihuan’s hair and pulled her to the ground, grinding her teeth and cursing: “You loose woman! I’ll show you what happens to those who act wantonly!”
Cao Lihuan was caught off guard and fell to the ground with a thud, trading insults with Madam Jiang as they fought. Madam Jiang’s servants guarded the door, preventing anyone from entering, leaving the household members anxious and forcing them to send word to Ren Yu. Although Cao Lihuan had some strength, she was no match for the powerful Madam Jiang, who straddled her, hitting and tearing at her clothes, then kicked her hard in the abdomen several times. Cao Lihuan screamed in pain, curling into a ball, and when examined closely, her lower body was covered in blood.
Although Madam Jiang wanted to kill Cao Lihuan, she feared causing a death, so she retreated with her people. Hui Er and Si Qiao carried Cao Lihuan to bed and called for a doctor, who discovered that Cao Lihuan had been two months pregnant but had miscarried due to Madam Jiang’s beating.
When Ren Yu returned home and received this news, he was stunned and gradually began to tear up. Seeing this, Hui Er’s eyes darted about, and she quietly moved closer, saying: “Why are you upset? Everyone knows about her dirty business with Magistrate Han. Who knows whose child it was!”
Ren Yu continued sighing, wanting to go see Cao Lihuan, but Hui Er held him back, smiling: “She’s just taken medicine and is sleeping now. Why disturb her? Come to my room instead. I’ve had someone buy some pastries from Su Xiang Zhai, have a few to fill your stomach. The tailor just delivered your new clothes yesterday, you can try them on to see if they fit. If not, I’ll have them make alterations.” She pulled Ren Yu toward her side room.
Si Qiao was bringing medicine from the kitchen, and seeing this, gave a slight cold smile before lowering her head and heading to the bedroom. Cao Lihuan’s face was pale, her cheeks showing signs of illness, with bruises from the beating visible. Si Qiao lifted Cao Lihuan’s head to help her drink the medicine. Cao Lihuan coughed several times and asked weakly: “Has the Master returned?”
Si Qiao replied: “Not yet, Madam should rest.” She wiped Cao Lihuan’s mouth with a handkerchief and left with the empty bowl.
Cao Lihuan had always been strong and healthy, but after the miscarriage, she became bedridden and fell ill. A few days later, Ren Yu lost his position and returned home. Madam Jiang came again personally to demand the clothes and jewelry that Han Yaozu had given to Cao Lihuan, ransacking everything and taking away an entire jewelry box and two chests of fine clothing. Cao Lihuan struggled in bed, unable to rise, growing increasingly angry and harming her health further. She developed a severe blood condition that several doctors couldn’t cure.
Gradually, her usual servants Hui Er and Si Qiao became disobedient. Hui Er was rarely seen, and Si Qiao seldom came to her room, merely going through the motions of feeding her and giving medicine. When she wanted soup or water, no one attended to her. Cao Lihuan was furious, but she was too weak from her serious illness to even summon the strength to scold them. When she mentioned the servants’ disobedience to Ren Yu, he questioned them, and Si Qiao exclaimed: “Master, I work hard every day, cooking, washing clothes, keeping the house in order, serving Madam, changing bedding, dealing with chamber pots, feeding her soup and meals – it all falls on me alone. Sister Hui Er lives an easy life, spending all day applying rouge and powder in front of the mirror. I wouldn’t dare trouble her! If Sister Hui Er would help with the laundry and cooking, I guarantee I could take better care of Madam.”
Ren Yu then tried to direct Hui Er, who was very displeased and muttered complaints. After two days, she stopped working altogether, and Ren Yu stopped asking. Cao Lihuan’s condition worsened; she was constantly in a daze, her face yellow and gaunt, reduced to skin and bones. Ren Yu, who used to visit her room to check on her, gradually stopped coming. When asked about his whereabouts, Si Qiao would always answer: “Master lost his position at the office and needs to find new work. Everyone in the household depends on Master for their livelihood.”
Cao Lihuan said weakly: “Don’t I still have a farm and two properties? We have enough money to get by. Tell Master to come home and spend more time with me. Why look for some tiresome position?”
Si Qiao sneered: “Madam, how can you be so inconsiderate? With this summer’s two hailstorms, who knows how much the farm will yield? The two properties are rented out, but Madam needs medicine daily – ginseng, angelica, poria, bird’s nest – it’s all flowing money. Not to mention the daily nutritious meals, all premium ingredients. Madam spends one silver tael a day! If Master doesn’t find work, should we just wait until all our resources are exhausted? Moreover, Madam now has a reputation as a loose woman, with so many people pointing fingers, affecting Master’s reputation. People are reluctant to hire him. In this situation, who knows when Madam won’t have money for medicine anymore!”
These words angered Cao Lihuan so much that she saw stars and barely catching her breath, she gritted her teeth and said: “If we run out of money, you’ll be the first one I sell, you wretch!”
Si Qiao smiled coldly: “Oh? If you sell me, who will serve Madam then!” With that, she put down the bowl of porridge on the table and left without looking back, deliberately starving Cao Lihuan for one meal. In the evening, she finally forced the cold porridge down her throat, saying with a false smile: “Madam, I was merely confused back then when I was driven out of the Lin family. Serving you like this is enough to satisfy my conscience before heaven. You don’t know yet? Your loyal servant Hui Er, since you fell ill, has been sleeping with Master, who stays in her room day and night. Yesterday we just got news that the doctor diagnosed her with a month-old pregnancy. Master was so happy he gave the doctor one silver tael as a reward. Now Hui Er is taking care of her pregnancy, and I can barely keep up with serving her!”