Chapter 49: The Secondary Consort’s Revenge
After Jiang Yingnan brought Liu Min back to Prince Rui’s residence, he treated her decently at first.
He asked Chu Lianmo to arrange a room for her, to which Chu Lianmo agreed. After all, Prince Rui’s residence had plenty of empty rooms.
Jiang Yingnan not only provided Liu Min with a room and food but even hired a physician to treat her injuries.
However, faced with his actions, Liu Min remained in a constant state of trembling fear. Aside from one’s family, the person who knows one best is often their enemy. Liu Min knew that Jiang Yingnan would never be this kind-hearted.
Sure enough, once Liu Min’s physical condition improved, Jiang Yingnan asked her a question: “What are your plans for the future? Go to the streets and be a beggar?”
Liu Min smiled coldly. “Since you brought me back, haven’t you already made plans for me?”
“Speaking with smart people is truly refreshing.” Jiang Yingnan smiled faintly at her words. “From now on, you will be my maidservant and wait on me.”
“Do as you please.” Liu Min had long prepared herself mentally to be tortured by Jiang Yingnan.
“Then go pour me a cup of tea first.”
Liu Min went.
She even consciously knelt on the ground, holding the tea high with both hands, presenting it before Jiang Yingnan. Just as Jiang Yingnan had done for her back then.
Jiang Yingnan sat there, reading a book.
As he read, he unwittingly became absorbed. It was quite some time before he remembered Liu Min’s existence.
Liu Min was actually still kneeling there, gritting her teeth and holding the tea, without dropping the cup.
Jiang Yingnan began to admire Liu Min’s tenacity slightly. He took the teacup from her hands and took a sip. “Did you bring your whip? Lend it to me.”
Liu Min handed him the whip coiled at her waist.
She had genuinely intended to practice whip fighting before, but martial arts training was too arduous for her. She had practiced sporadically without achieving any results, though she had developed the habit of carrying the whip with her.
“I suddenly feel like practicing whip fighting, too.” As soon as the words left his mouth, crack—Jiang Yingnan lashed the whip heavily across Liu Min’s body.
Liu Min stood in place without uttering a sound.
Jiang Yingnan lashed out again. “Blame your bad luck for meeting me. If it were someone as kind as Ah Jun, perhaps he would have forgiven you.”
After all, Qi Xiaojun had even forgiven Yin Mei.
Nowadays, Yin Mei had returned to the Nanfeng Brothel as a performer. Although he couldn’t dance due to his broken legs, he could still play the zither, allowing him to support himself.
“It’s a pity that I am a ruthless villain who seeks revenge for the smallest grievance!”
As Jiang Yingnan spoke, he cracked the whip repeatedly—swish, swish, swish.
He showed no mercy, though he didn’t use internal energy. He used roughly the same amount of force that Liu Min had used on him back then.
In fact, he remembered clearly exactly how many times Liu Min had struck him.
After returning the exact number of lashes, Jiang Yingnan stopped.
“Alright. If I beat you to death, who will work for me? Clean up this room.”
Liu Min picked up a broom and began sweeping without a word.
In reality, Prince Rui’s residence was full of servants, and there was no shortage of people to wait on Jiang Yingnan.
But Jiang Yingnan specifically asked Chu Lianmo to dismiss all the servants in his courtyard, dumping all the chores onto Liu Min.
Liu Min was a pampered daughter of a noble house; she had never done menial labor. Naturally, she made many mistakes, which invited scolding and beatings from Jiang Yingnan.
However, Jiang Yingnan, who claimed to be ruthless, never actually tortured Liu Min to the point of death.
After a period of time, Liu Min gradually grew accustomed to this life, and her mistakes became fewer.
Then, one day, Jiang Yingnan felt his interest in tormenting Liu Min waning.
He looked down at Liu Min, who was kneeling before him holding tea, and suddenly lifted her chin. “Tell me, why does such a beautiful girl have to have such a vicious heart? If you hadn’t tried to harm me at every turn back then, I, a grown man, wouldn’t have wanted to make life difficult for a little woman like you.”
“Heh.” Liu Min stared at him with eyes full of venom and sneered. “Let me tell you, Jiang Yingnan, no matter how you torture me, I have never regretted treating you that way—you are a fox spirit who seduced someone else’s husband! You deserve it! If it weren’t for you, the Crown Prince and I would have been a loving couple!”
“…” Jiang Yingnan didn’t get angry this time; instead, he somewhat admired Liu Min’s unyielding pride.
Liu Min simply continued to pour out her rage towards him: “What did Chu Ziqian say when he came to propose to the Liu family? He swore he would treat me well for a lifetime, hold me in the palm of his hand, and let me continue to be the apple of his eye just like I was at home… The result? On our wedding night, he didn’t even touch me! After that, he gave me the cold shoulder at every opportunity! I found out later that it was all because of your existence, wasn’t it?!”
“Since you know we met and fell in love first, who exactly is the intruder here?!”
Although Jiang Yingnan retorted out of indignation, he suddenly realized something. Perhaps Chu Ziqian, who had deceived Liu Min first, was the initiator of all these tragedies.
Ultimately, both he and Liu Min might just be victims.
“Forget it, get up.” Jiang Yingnan took the teacup from Liu Min’s hand and helped her up. “I’ve taken enough revenge on you. From now on, we go our separate ways.”
Liu Min stared at Jiang Yingnan in shock, disbelief written all over her eyes.
“Heh, did you know? I met and fell in love with the Crown Prince when I was in my teens. We were together for years. Every day, I fantasized about the day I would marry him in glory… What I waited for instead was him marrying you with a grand procession stretching ten miles.
“You only know how to accuse me of being a fox spirit, but have you ever thought about how painful it has been for me all along?!
“My father was right. For Chu Ziqian’s sake, I disregarded the lives of my brothers; that was my viciousness. Perhaps you are right too; knowing he was married, I still inserted myself into his family; that was my shamelessness…”
“But I, Jiang Yingnan, was also raised with the teachings of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and filial piety. I wasn’t born vicious and shameless; my heart simply twisted day by day in that love that could never see the light!
“But it doesn’t matter now. Chu Ziqian and I are finished, and there is no need for me to target you anymore. I am now the teacher of the eldest Imperial Grandson. I cannot drag down his reputation. I’d better try to be a good person.”
“…” After listening to Jiang Yingnan’s impassioned speech, Liu Min stared at him blankly.
For the first time, she realized that the inner pain Jiang Yingnan had suffered over the years was no less than hers.
It turned out they were both pitiful people hurt by Chu Ziqian.
“Go.” Jiang Yingnan didn’t want to look at Liu Min again.
“I…” Liu Min stood frozen in place. “I don’t know where to go. How easy is it for an abandoned daughter of the Liu family to survive out there? I’ve gotten used to doing these chores. I might as well stay here and be your maid.”
“You?” Jiang Yingnan looked at her in surprise.
Just then, Qi Xiaojun suddenly walked over. “Ah Nan, do you have a moment? Master Jiang has arrived. Would you like to meet him?”
“Master Jiang? Which Master Jiang?” Jiang Yingnan didn’t immediately react to who he was referring to, as others often addressed him that way as well.
Qi Xiaojun laughed. “I forgot that your surnames sound the same. Perhaps this counts as fate? It’s the eldest young master of the Jiang family that Lianmo mentioned last time. He is serious about wanting to be matched with you.”
“…This…”
Jiang Yingnan hesitated for a moment.
Perhaps it was time for him to completely let go of Chu Ziqian.
So, eventually, Jiang Yingnan nodded. “Then I will go and pay my respects to this Master Jiang.”
Subsequently, Jiang Yingnan followed Qi Xiaojun to the central hall of Prince Rui’s residence and met the legendary eldest young master of the Jiang family, Jiang Ruobin.
He saw a man dressed in pale blue brocade, holding a folding fan. His features were handsome and refined; he was indeed a gentle and cultivated gentleman.
While Jiang Yingnan was sizing up Jiang Ruobin, Jiang Ruobin was also staring intently at him.
Today, Jiang Yingnan was dressed in clothes as white as snow. The pristine, unpatterned robe complemented his flawless, fair skin, perfectly highlighting his noble and elegant aura.
“‘Like jade stands the man on the path; a gentleman unmatched in the world’… Surely, words like these were written for someone like you, Master Jiang?”
“You flatter me.” Jiang Yingnan offered a faint smile. This beautiful smile left Jiang Ruobin momentarily entranced. “I think we should drop the formal titles. A friend of a friend is a friend. You can just call me Ah Nan.”
“Alright, Ah Nan…” Jiang Ruobin called out softly, still staring straight at Jiang Yingnan. “I suddenly feel a surge of poetic inspiration and would like to compose a poem for you. Would you mind?”
Jiang Yingnan smiled. “Ruobin, since you have such elegant interest, of course I don’t mind.”
Immediately, Jiang Ruobin recited a short poem titled “There is a Beauty in the South,” praising Jiang Yingnan’s beauty and temperament. The poem was literary and brilliant, the emotions sincere—worthy of the renowned talent Jiang Ruobin.
After listening, Jiang Yingnan praised him highly.
Watching this scene from outside the window, Chu Lianmo whispered to Qi Xiaojun, “See? This Prince knew they would be a good match.”
Qi Xiaojun chuckled softly. “Good, good. It seems your matchmaking has hope.”
However, at this moment, Jiang Yingnan involuntarily thought of Chu Ziqian.
Actually, Chu Ziqian’s literary talent was also quite good.
As the Crown Prince of a nation, he had been carefully cultivated since childhood, excelling in both civil and martial arts.
He had also written poems for Jiang Yingnan. Although objectively speaking, his literary talent might not match Jiang Ruobin’s poem, in Jiang Yingnan’s heart, they were treasures. Even after so many years, he could recite every word backward and forward.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yingnan’s heart suddenly began to ache again.
“Ah Nan, what’s wrong?” Jiang Ruobin noticed Jiang Yingnan’s strangeness.
“…Nothing.”
Jiang Ruobin spoke gently, “If you have any troubles, you can tell me. I know that although you have a good relationship with Prince Rui and the others now, perhaps because of your different past stances, you cannot fully confide in them… But as for me, I am just an insignificant minor official, and I don’t like to gossip. You need not have any reservations with me.”
Hearing these words, Jiang Yingnan was silent for a moment, glancing toward the window.
The rustling sounds from outside were gone; it seemed Chu Lianmo and Qi Xiaojun had already left.
Actually, Jiang Ruobin was right. There were some heavy thoughts he had kept buried in his heart for years, never finding the right person to tell.
If he asked Chu Lianmo or Qi Xiaojun for advice on some matters, the answers would be obvious. As for Chu Yunxuan, while he occasionally offered inspiration, he was technically a junior; it wasn’t appropriate to constantly prattle on to him about life’s troubles.
Since Jiang Ruobin had extended an olive branch today, why not test if he really was someone willing to listen and understand?
“Then I will speak frankly. I assume you know about the past relationship between the Crown Prince and me, Ruobin.
“I’ve been divorced from him for so long. I thought I should have let him go by now, but there are always moments when he suddenly jumps into my mind and occupies my thoughts…
“Ruobin, tell me, will I ever be able to completely forget him in this lifetime?”
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