BMECDAH 01

Chapter 01

Spring, 1952 Jiang Mansion, Lù City

“Jiang Wei, whether you want to marry or not, you have to. You owe it to Xiaoyan. It was because you fought for nutrients in the womb that she was born weak and has had to rely on ginseng and bird’s nest to survive.”

“Previously, the Gu family lived in luxury, and Xiaoyan could have continued to enjoy her tonics had she married there. But they have taken the wrong path and are about to be exiled to the countryside. Not to mention, the eldest son of the Gu family is a sickly wretch who coughs up blood constantly. I have no intention of letting Xiaoyan become a widow by marrying him.”

The cold, emotionless words caused Jiang Wei to snap her eyes open. Before her was a traditional, antique-style hall.

Sitting on two ornately carved pear-wood chairs were her parents, Jiang Dahai and Shen Peirong—the former dressed in a black Zhongshan suit, and the latter in a black qipao with gold trim.

Holding Shen Peirong’s hand and being comforted by her was Jiang’s eldest daughter, Jiang Yan—the original owner’s twin sister.

Recalling that they were twins, Jiang Wei looked with mockery at the biased Shen Peirong, then shifted her gaze to the jade pendant hanging around Jiang Yan’s neck.

Jiang Yan, who had been wiping away tears, froze and nervously pressed a hand over the pendant.

Shen Peirong deeply disliked the look her younger daughter was giving her. “Jiang Wei, it was my decision to have you take Xiaoyan’s place in this marriage. Why are you glaring at her?”

She had never liked this younger daughter, who had been sent to the countryside since childhood. Bringing her back to the city was purely to have her marry the dying invalid of the Gu family in place of Xiaoyan.

“Oh~” Jiang Wei dragged out the syllable intentionally.

Back then, Shen Peirong’s first pregnancy had been quick, but when giving birth to the original owner, complications arose due to the baby’s excessive development, leaving her unable to conceive ever again. As the mistress of the house, yet unable to provide a son, Shen Peirong blamed the original owner for everything.

Coincidentally, a fortune-telling master claimed that the original owner was cursed to bring misfortune to her father, mother, and sister, whereas the eldest daughter, Jiang Yan, was born with a jade in her mouth—if she were kept away from the second daughter, the family fortune would prosper and the father’s career would thrive.

Jiang Dahai and Shen Peirong didn’t hesitate to send the newborn, who had never even tasted her mother’s milk, to the countryside to be raised by a random family.

As for the original owner’s foster parents… it was better not to speak of them.

Seeing his younger daughter standing there without any manners, Jiang Dahai was incensed. “A wild girl from the countryside, she doesn’t know the first thing about etiquette! Jiang Wei, how can you speak to your mother in that tone?”

Shen Peirong felt a bit better now that her husband was speaking up for her.

Over the years, even though she hadn’t given him a son, he hadn’t disliked her for it; instead, he had devoted himself to cultivating Xiaoyan and secured a marriage with the eldest son of the Commander Gu family. Who would have thought that Commander Gu would fall from grace and be exiled? She had no choice but to bring the country-raised Jiang Wei back to marry that sickly wretch.

“Father, please don’t be angry; it’s not worth damaging your health. My sister is just used to being frank and free-spirited; it’s understandable that she feels no affection for Mother.”

“If it really comes down to it, let me marry him instead. My body is weak anyway; dying early or late makes little difference… cough, cough, cough…” As Jiang Yan spoke, she coughed up bright red blood.

“Oh, my treasure! Why are you spitting blood again? It must be because that girl Jiang Wei angered you!” Shen Peirong panicked, patting her back and feeding her the ginseng chicken soup she had specifically ordered the kitchen to prepare.

Jiang Yan cast a triumphant look at Jiang Wei, unseen by the others.

Jiang Wei returned it with a metaphorical slap in the face. Watching their display of mother-daughter affection made her want to die laughing.

“Oh my, Master, the eldest miss cannot marry him! Setting aside the hardships of the countryside, rumor has it that the eldest son of the Gu family—who can spit two bowls of blood in one breath—is addicted to human blood and flesh! If the eldest miss marries him, she won’t… oh, heaven above, this is going to cost her her life!”

The woman in the purple qipao was the favored second concubine, Chen Xiaolian, who had a son named Jiang Yunhe.

Jiang Yunhe was the same age as Jiang Wei, but he had injured his brain at the age of five. His mental development had remained stuck at five years old ever since.

At that moment, he was squatting on the ground playing with a slingshot. Seeing Chen Xiaolian crying and laughing like a magpie in a tree, he giggled and pulled the slingshot toward her face, thwack!

“Ow!” Her fake crying turned into real crying.

The scene was absurd. Everyone’s expressions were subtle: Shen Peirong gloated, Jiang Yan looked on with disgust, and Jiang Dahai groaned about his “evil debt.”

Chen Xiaolian chased after Jiang Yunhe to hit him. Jiang Yunhe hid behind Jiang Wei and stuck his tongue out at her.

Chen Xiaolian, furious, tried to kick him, but Jiang Wei kicked her over first.

“Ah! Master, she hit me, sob, sob…”

“Heh. I am the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family, and Jiang Yunhe is a young master of the family. You are merely a concubine—what right do you have to discipline us?” Jiang Wei’s face was filled with murderous intent.

“I…” Chen Xiaolian was stunned. Having been spoiled rotten by the master for so long, she had forgotten her place. Her face turned pale.

“Cough, cough, cough. Sister, the second aunt may be a concubine, but she grew up with Father. Since marrying him, she has borne him children. Aren’t you hitting Father’s face hard by saying such things?” Jiang Yan, having just finished her chicken soup, used Jiang Dahai to pressure Jiang Wei.

The smell of chicken excrement wafted from her mouth as she spoke, and Jiang Wei covered her nose in disgust.

“Stinks to high heaven.”

Jiang Dahai was furious. “You unfilial child! Hurry up and apologize to your second aunt!”

“Father, is the elder sister confused, and you as well? Although I am a country bumpkin abandoned by you in the countryside, I know that I represent my mother’s reputation. You want me, a legitimate daughter, to apologize to a concubine? If this gets out, won’t the Jiang family become a joke?”

“Or is this simple principle something that neither you nor Sister understands?”

“Of course I understand! I just can’t stand your unruly nature; you have no appearance of a second young lady at all!” Naturally, Jiang Dahai wouldn’t admit he didn’t understand; he was just heartbroken for his concubine.

Jiang Yan wiped her tears, aggrieved. “Sister, I am only hoping for family harmony. You, however, are pinning such a heavy charge on me. I was just afraid that the Gu family would despise you because of the rumors that you are cursed.”

Her green tea levels were high, intentionally bringing up the reason the original owner was sent to the countryside to incite the anger of the household.

But who was she? She was a top-tier green tea, vicious female supporting character from countless transmigration novels!

Jiang Wei also hurried to wipe her eyes. “Thank you for your concern, Sister. Those rumors have already pierced me with a thousand wounds. I don’t mind, but this is the New Society now. If they slander me, I will report them for engaging in feudal superstitions.”

The meaning was simple: whoever mentioned it again would be reported.

Jiang Dahai immediately tried to smooth things over. “Alright, no one is allowed to mention the matter of the second daughter being sent to the countryside again. Xiaoyan, you are not to mention it either.” These were special times; several capitalists in the city had already been sent to the countryside for ‘re-education,’ so they had to be cautious.

“Yes, Father.” Jiang Yan, feeling wronged, was unwilling to let it go. “Sister, that’s not what I meant. I just meant that the second aunt has had a hard life.”

“A concubine’s life can’t be harder than the mistress’s, right, Sister? Instead of empathizing with Mother’s hardship in managing the household, you feel sorry for the second aunt. Is her life ‘hard’ because she’s lying in bed, or because she’s eating ginseng and bird’s nest?”

“Cough, cough, cough. Sister, your mouth is full of filth.”

“You can’t blame me. You hear all sorts of harsh words in the countryside. Although I am a country bumpkin, I understand that a daughter’s status depends on her mother. I will only feel sorry that my mother has had a hard life, unlike you, Sister, who feels sorry for the other women in Father’s life.”