Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Mother was fortunate enough to survive, but in the end, she was still crippled.

The medical officer had come too late.

In silence, I dipped the comb in water and brushed out Mother’s hair while looking over the wedding dress that had just been delivered.

I heard what happened that day from Cailian later.

Father had been impeached. Though his father-in-law had run himself ragged on his behalf, the situation was still far from secure.

After trying every method he could think of, he finally managed to invite Lord Zichen to the manor as a guest.

He had not expected me to ruin it.

A banquet painstakingly arranged ended in discord. Father was furious, but he did not dare do anything to me.

Because as Lord Zichen was leaving, he had turned the jade thumb ring on his hand and said, ever so casually, “I was unaware there was a murder case in Lord Lin’s residence.”

Father had broken out in a cold sweat, explaining and swearing again and again that he had never mistreated those in the inner courtyard.

Though Mother had managed to keep her life, because I had offended Father so thoroughly, she would never receive his favor again in this lifetime.

A crippled woman who had fallen out of favor, living as a concubine in the back courtyard, with only a humble maiden family that had no voice to speak of…

My breath caught. I tightened my grip on the comb, paused for a moment, then continued brushing Mother’s hair.

No matter how bad things became, she still had me.

My legitimate mother found me a marriage.

The family was the Jiang Family, who ran a silk and satin shop in the north of the city.

Among scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, merchants ranked last.

Gentry families rarely married into merchant households unless they were great merchant clans.

The Jiang Family could be considered wealthy. For an unfavored concubine-born daughter like me to marry over as the principal wife, if one truly weighed it out, I was the one marrying above my station.

On the surface, this marriage my legitimate mother had found for me was excellent in every way.

There was only one flaw-the Eldest Young Master of the Jiang Family, Jiang Shaoling, was a fool.

It must have taken some effort on my legitimate mother’s part. In just a few short days, she had found me such a “suitable” match.

It could be justified to outsiders, and it could disgust me, giving her a chance to vent the resentment in her heart.

Since the Jiang Family was rich, the betrothal gifts they sent were extremely generous.

I sat by the doorway and watched as load after load of betrothal gifts, covered in red silk, were carried into the rear courtyard and then into my legitimate mother’s compound.

Nothing came to Mother’s side.

For her injuries to heal would take at least three months, or as long as a year or more. Now that she had lost Father’s favor and had no silver to depend on, once I married out, I had no idea how she would be mistreated.

I went to my legitimate mother’s residence.

After hearing why I had come, my legitimate mother laughed so hard she could hardly breathe.

“Did I hear that wrong? Since when does an unmarried girl come rushing to ask for betrothal gifts? As expected of someone raised by your Mother. Just as shameless and lowborn as she is.”

I stood before her with no expression, feeling as though I were a hornet.

If pressed too far, I would sting.

Even if it meant tearing out the stinger born from my own belly.

“Mother, Xi’er has already gone mad once. Even I don’t know if there will be a second time. Xi’er’s reputation is already ruined. It doesn’t matter if only I am ruined, but I am not the only daughter of Lin Mansion. If I do something after arriving at my husband’s family and cause Father and Mother to lose face, and then ruin Elder Sister’s marriage prospects as well, that would be unfortunate.

“The Jiang Family gave thirty loads of betrothal gifts. I only want two. Two loads of betrothal gifts in exchange for Elder Sister’s good reputation in the future-surely that is not a loss. Mother, wouldn’t you say that is reasonable?”

The mocking smile on my legitimate mother’s face slowly froze. Her face went white with anger. With a cold snort, as if she were dismissing a beggar, she turned and ordered the old maidservant standing by:

“Give them to her!”