In the flower hall, Xia Yan wore a lotus-colored satin short jacket with azure silk pleated skirt below, making her waist appear slender beyond measure. Though already mother to two children, she still looked like a young maiden in her prime. Her skin was plump and dewy, lightly adorned, with elegant hair ornaments as her main decoration. Among a room full of concubines, she stood like a graceful lotus in clear water. Combined with the faint scholarly air she naturally carried, she was truly a rare beauty.
Jiang Quan’s gaze softened as he looked at her, saying only “you’ve worked hard,” his eyes full of tender affection. Second Aunt at the side couldn’t bear to watch, raising her carefully groomed willow brows and deliberately softening her voice: “Master, we’ve finally welcomed you home.”
Second Aunt could actually be considered a beauty too, only her beauty was somewhat sharp. Her face was rather thin, making her appear somewhat mean-spirited, unlike Xia Yan’s gentle and affectionate nature. Moreover, such deliberate flattery seemed rather affected. Jiang Quan showed some impatience on his face, responding indifferently. Seeing this, Second Aunt’s hands viciously twisted the corners of her clothes several times.
First Aunt wore a moon-white straight gown with attached skirt, washed until it was nearly white. Her lips held a humble smile as she quietly retreated to one side. Compared to the two flower-like beautiful maids beside Xia Yan, she looked more like a second-class servant. Jiang Quan didn’t even glance at her. Jiang Susu stepped forward with a smile: “Father has returned.”
No matter how stern and unsmiling Jiang Quan was outside, he had never shown a dark face before Jiang Susu. His face also showed a trace of smile as he reached out to touch her head: “I brought you some small trinkets. I’ll have someone carry them to your room later.”
Jealous hatred flashed again in Second Aunt’s eyes. Among the four daughters in the Jiang Manor, only Jiang Susu could receive such favor.
Jiang Chao, who had been speaking with Madam Jiang, suddenly remembered something and spoke up: “Sister Ruan has returned, hasn’t she? Why don’t I see her anywhere?”
Jiang Susu’s smile froze. Jiang Quan also seemed to just remember, his smile fading as his brow furrowed. Seeing this, Xia Yan smiled and was about to speak when a gentle female voice rang out from the front of the hall: “Jiang Ruan pays respects to father.”
Both Jiang Quan and Jiang Chao looked up to see a young lady in a deep red jacket with needle embroidery gracefully approaching. Her chest bore large colorful embroidered flower clusters, her raven-black long hair pinned up with a five-colored pearl hairpin. Her clothing was simple yet extremely gorgeous, but even more gorgeous was her appearance—skin white as snow, lips red as cherries, beautiful eyes flowing with endless affection, yet from her upturned eye corners flowed a trace of elusive coolness. Her beauty was composed, like fire yet like ice. If Jiang Susu was the kind of absolute beauty found in the mortal world, then this sprite-like young lady before them was the kind of absolute beauty not found in the mortal world—every movement was captivating.
She stepped forward steadily, her walk truly graceful and charming. Only when she reached Jiang Quan did she stop, saying softly: “Father.”
Only then did both Jiang Quan and Jiang Chao come to their senses, both looking somewhat incredulously at this eldest Miss Jiang who had just returned from the estate. Compared to five years ago, Jiang Ruan seemed like a completely different person—inside and out, there wasn’t a trace of her former self. Especially the gaze with which she had walked step by step just now—hazy and unclear, yet making one feel she was like someone from beyond this world, causing a chill in one’s heart. Yet now she smiled charmingly before them, as if that cold gaze from before was merely an illusion.
Jiang Quan’s probing gaze fell on Jiang Ruan, not speaking for a long time. Jiang Ruan paused, then slowly raised her head, meeting Jiang Quan’s gaze directly.
The moment she saw him, Jiang Ruan had a moment of confusion, an emotion rising in her heart that she couldn’t tell was sorrow or joy. Jiang Quan was still in his prime now, looking like a scholarly gentleman of integrity. Yet before Jiang Ruan’s eyes floated the scene of the last time she had seen Jiang Quan in her previous life. At that time, this biological father of hers had mercilessly dragged her from the bedchamber to the great hall, giving her the crime of “country-destroying demoness” before all the civil and military officials. She had prostrated on the ground, staring with disbelieving wide eyes, only to receive his cold and heartless gaze in return. That disdain, as if looking at a stain on his life, chilled her to the bone.
Later she was imprisoned, tortured by Jiang Susu, and implicated the entire Zhao family. In prison she heard of her father’s steady promotion, becoming a first-rank official, finally becoming the national uncle. When he was robed in official garments, did he ever think that his official seal was stained with her blood?
This was the kind of person Jiang Quan was. For Jiang Susu, for Jiang Chao, for Xia Yan, for himself, he used her and Zhao Mei, the entire Zhao family as stepping stones. In her previous and current lives, had he ever considered them true family?
If in her previous life when imprisoned she had only felt despair and confusion, now meeting this old acquaintance again, she felt only hatred.
Hatred—how could she not hate? Made into a human pig by Jiang Susu, unable to move, watching her young son being abused by powerful ministers—who could understand such heart-wrenching pain? Hearing with her own ears the news of her relatives’ complete extermination yet having nowhere to turn for help—how could such grief and indignation be described? Since hell wouldn’t accept someone like her and taught her to return to the mortal world, how could she be content without letting these people also taste what hell was like? From the moment of her rebirth, she had already discarded all familial affection with Jiang Quan, wholeheartedly focused on revenge.
She widened her eyes slightly. Those misty pupils immediately became somewhat clearer. Looking deeper, there was only clarity, like clear springs flowing in the mountains, without half a trace of impurity. The voice of the person before him was soft as wind, calling again: “Father?”
Jiang Quan immediately came back to his senses. His eldest daughter smiled brightly, yet inexplicably made one feel uneasy. He glanced at Jiang Ruan: “It’s good that you’ve returned.” There was no further expression.
Such coldness made Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi behind her somewhat indignant, but Jiang Ruan acted as if she hadn’t noticed. She smiled at Jiang Chao to the side: “Second brother.”
Jiang Chao still looked the same as in her memory—born with a sunny, cheerful appearance. He scratched his head somewhat uneasily, answering with a grin: “Sister Ruan.” Yet his eyes flashed with an ambiguous light.
Both of Xia Yan’s children were people well-versed in wearing masks. After Jiang Xinzhi’s death, this second brother had been extremely good to her. Jiang Chao appeared to have a harmonious and upright nature, occasionally acting foolish and suffering losses. People with such temperament were willing to associate with him, especially Jiang Ruan who had lost Jiang Xinzhi—she could find the lost warmth in this second brother.
But in reality, this seemingly foolish and frank young man had ultimately married the beloved daughter of the current Right Minister, and from then on, the Right Minister became part of the Eighth Prince’s faction.
Thinking of it now, everything from her previous life had become illusion. Her impression of Jiang Chao remained fixed on how in her previous life he had tried to use her beauty as a bargaining chip in officialdom. Her final entry into the palace also had this good brother’s contribution. She still remembered his earnest assurance: “Sister, with such heavenly beauty, you’ll surely gain imperial favor after entering the palace. Such tremendous wealth and honor is exactly sister’s good fortune.”