Chapter 111 – You Won’t Blame Me, Right?
Hexi slightly raised her eyebrows and meaningfully said, “What Madam said is correct, previously in the other courtyard, Butler Li and that group of slaves humiliated me everyday. They would bully me for their amusement and said it was all Madam’s order, but Wet Nurse Chen, as a slave from Nalan Manor, opposed Butler Li. Going against Madam’s order, she put her own life at risk to protect me. This kind of dedicated slave, Nalan Manor still won’t spare her!”
Hearing what was said, Madam Nalan’s complexion changed and she sharply shouted, “What nonsense are you talking about! How can I order people to bully you? Hexi, who taught you to be so ignorant of the relationships between people that you would slander an elder?”
Hexi lightly laughed, “This isn’t talking nonsense, but let’s call over my current slaves in the other courtyard to confront them and see. Oh, and in order for it to be fair, I suggest we have a public trial outside Nalan Manor’s gate. If I really have slandered my elders, then it’ll be good to let everyone criticise me together, isn’t that so?”
The muscles on Madam Nalan’s face twitched strangely, while her hands made cracking sounds as they clenched at her sides. Yet in the end she endured it, and with difficulty, she plastered a smile on her face, “A public trial you say? I love you dearly and regard you as my own daughter, how can I not believe that what you have said is true? Those slaves used my name to deliberately make things difficult for you, that group of damned slaves...”
“Indeed, a group of damned slaves.” Hexi continued, saying, “Therefore, I’ve already punished them, yet it was without authority. Madam won’t blame me, right?”
Madam Nalan’s face showed a shocked expression, and when her eyes made contact with Wang Zhong’s own, she saw him nod, then shake his head. Her gaze was somewhat filled with contempt as she looked at Hexi and she couldn’t help but coldly snort, calming down her heart.
With an amiable smile once again hanging on her face, her was voice gentle as she said, “For just several insignificant slaves, how could I blame you? Hexi, you’ve suffered hardships, in the future when you return to the Nalan family, I’ll give you a tonic to nurse your body back to health. I’ve already ordered people to pack up your courtyard and you can rest assured, since Wet Curse Chen loyally protected you, I will let her continue to serve you. What do you think?”
Hexi nodded her head, slightly lowering her eyes as she replied, “Then I’ll trouble Madam.”
Madam Nalan’s eyes revealed a smile, and suddenly she waved her hand while raising her voice, “Did all of you already bring the things I ordered you to prepare for Third Miss?”
Her voice barely fell, when several maids and servants entered the room walking in a row.
Some carried chests, some carried teacups, while others still were holding trays, yet all of them were smiling as they walked in.
Madam Nalan pointed at the chests and trays, saying, “These are clothes and jewellery I specially ordered people to prepare for you. In the future you will be a proper Third Miss of Nalan Manor, and as such, you will be representing Nalan Manor’s face, so you can’t be dressed so plainly again.”
The chests were opened and inside were luxurious dresses, while placed on the trays were fine pieces of jewellery.
For a martial artist these items wouldn’t have any usefulness, so they weren’t worth more than a few crystal stones. But for the original Nalan Hexi, these ordinary clothes and pieces of jewellery were things she had never seen before.
Madam Nalan noticed Hexi staring fixedly at the clothes and jewellery, and a satisfied expression showed on her face while a coldness flashed in her eyes. Reaching out, she picked up the teacup that was carried to her side, then handed over it to Hexi, “This tonic is something I ordered people to begin stewing since early this morning. It contains high quality ginseng and snow lotus herb, it’s useful for improving one’s appearance and nourishing one’s skin. Hexi, quickly drink it while it’s still warm!”
Hexi took the tonic, and opening the lid, a strong fragrance immediately assaulted her nostrils.
Once open, Hexi knew right away that a lot of high quality ingredients were added, yet that definitely wasn’t all.
Chapter 112 – Staging A Good Play
For example, the slightly sweet fragrance from red brocade mugwort, some sour myriad arrow grass, as well as pure sweetness from a cage core fruit...tsk tsk, this may be more expensive compared to ordinary ginseng and snow lotus herb. Can Madam Nalan really be so eager to part with her hard earned savings?
However, with this tonic that she was given, it would result in Hexi losing her mind, gradually turning her into an idiot.
Hexi smiled, and under Madam Nalan’s burning gaze, she drained the tonic in the teacup in one gulp.
“Good!” Madam Nalan’s face showed a satisfied smile, yet her eyes filled with scheming, “Later on, everyday around this time, I will order the servants to deliver the tonic to you. Hexi, you must obediently drink it!”
Wait until after you’ve drunk it for seven days, you will then become my puppet! At that time, I will let you experience living but not life, and dying yet not death.
****
Living in Nalan Manor was naturally much more extravagant and relaxing compared to the other courtyard. Every day there were delicacies of all kinds to taste, satin and silk dresses, and beautiful servant girls catering to every whim.
But Wet Nurse Chen’s face was full of anxiety. After noticing Madam’s personal servant, Si Lu, fixedly watch Hexi drink the tonic before leaving, she then lowered her voice and said, “Miss, why has Madam ordered a servant to deliver tonic to you everyday? They also insist that you have to drink it all.”
A moment after leaving, Si Lu was no longer able to suppress the expression on her face, revealing a pleased smile.
Hexi slightly sneered, “Wet Nurse rest assured, after today no one will deliver tonic again. Moreover, a good play will soon begin.”
Yet Wet Nurse Chen was not feeling reassured, her entire face instead creasing, and suddenly, she swung her hand, firmly slapping her own palm, “This is all the blame of this old fool for not being cautious and always telling Miss to return. Who would have imagined that the reason they let you come back is to force you to become the Second Miss’s scapegoat. Miss, I’m really sorry, even more, I’ve let Madam down...”
Hexi had no idea how to comfort her, and showing a disdainful smile said, “With just with this small scheme she wants to push me into a pit of fire...Madam Nalan really underestimates me too much. Wet Nurse don’t forget, I’m a person who has crawled back from the gates of hell.”
Hexi’s words were not at all gentle and soft, but miraculously, they caused Wet Nurse Chen to settle down.
Looking at the Young Miss’s indifferent expression, she felt that in just over a month Young Miss had matured and grown stronger, becoming a Master that everyone in the other courtyard relied on.
If Madam’s soul in heaven could see Miss like this, she would probably feel very happy!
Just as Hexi expected, after she drank the seventh cup of tonic, Madam Nalan thought she now had a foolproof plan and began to arrange for the Zhu family’s father and son to visit once again.
The Zhu family can be considered as a well known and wealthy family in Jin Ling kingdom. Zhu family’s Master, Zhu Yiqun’s Madam, came from an outstanding and famous sect, while his younger sister, Zhu Raorao, married into the royal family and became an imperial concubine. Zhu Raorao gave birth to the Sixth Prince, and that Prince is doted upon most by the Emperor. Just going off family backgrounds, the Zhu family and the four great families can stand side by side.
Unfortunately, the shrewd and powerful Master Zhu happens to have a stupid pig for a son. Not only was he weak, he was also ugly. Everyday he would frequent brothels and kidnap women from lower class families. He didn’t yet have a Main Wife, but he already had seven to eight rooms full of Concubines!
With him resembling an ignorant and incompetent pig like this, which decent family’s Young Miss would be willing to marry him? As it happened, only young women from small families would be interested, which Master Zhu despised. This had resulted in Zhu Zhongba’s marriage been delayed.
Chapter 113 – How Could You Be Here?
When Master Zhu learnt that Zhu Zhongba was beaten, he had become extremely furious. Yet when he knew it was Nalan Manor’s Second Miss, Nalan Feixue, that had whipped and stripped his son’s clothes, his anger immediately turned into happiness. Just the thought of it made him very happy.
It didn’t need to be said that the Nalan family’s background is above that of the Zhu family, and that moreover, Nalan Feixue is famous in Jin Ling kingdom as a genius martial artist. At such a young age she had already reached the early ranks of the Foundation Establishment stage, otherwise, the Ouyang family wouldn’t have even considered marrying her to Ouyang Haoxuan.
Master Zhu had already given up hope regarding the ability of Zhu Zhongba’s cultivation base and his knowledge, but if he were to marry a talented wife from a family with a successful background, when a grandson is born, wouldn’t he be the best choice as the Zhu family’s heir?
With this idea, the Zhu family wouldn’t let go of this golden opportunity. They would take Nalan Feixue as a wife, even if it meant ruining her reputation.
Originally the Nalan family had refused to yield, yet 2 days ago the Zhu family suddenly heard the news that they were welcome to visit and propose marriage. Master Zhu beamed with joy on the spot, and for the sake of insurance they even invited the Sixth Prince as a witness, then grandly headed towards Nalan Manor.
Early in the morning, Madam Nalan ordered servants to clean up the Main Hall, and directed for people to invite Hexi over.
At this moment, Hexi’s complexion was still as shallow as before, but her tranquil and deep eyes from several days ago had now become dull and expressionless, while an occasional timid and fearful expression would flash across her face.
A trace of happiness passed through Madam Nalan’s heart. She had planned well and everything was all prepared. Today she’ll definitely be able to settle the problem that’s been pressuring her these last several days.
However, when she saw the procession of people following Master Zhu, Madam Nalan’s complexion suddenly became green and white.
Among the group of people that came, apart from Master Zhu, Zhu Zhongba, and the Sixth Prince, unexpectedly, there was a handsome young man standing straight and tall.
That young man’s face was extremely familiar, so familiar to Madan Nalan that once she saw him her eyes opened wide and she uncontrollably exclaimed, “Ouyang Haoxuan, how can you be here?”
That’s right, the person who came is Ouyang Haoxuan. The same person who half a year ago was still reclining on a bed only half alive, the one whose marriage was withdrawn by the Nalan family, that Ouyang Haoxuan.
Ouyang Haoxuan hadn’t yet spoken, so the Sixth Prince stepped forward, smiling as he spoke, “Haoxuan is my friend, he fell ill and was confined to a bed. Now that he’s finally completely recovered, I brought him with us to relieve his boredom. Madam Nalan will not take offence right!”
“How could this be?” Madam Nalan’s face was white as she yelled, “Old Master said that no one was able to cure his illness! That he would be a useless person for a lifetime, so I...”
The words Madam Nalan spoke didn’t bother Ouyang Haoxuan, but the expression of the Sixth Prince sank.
He is currently fighting over the position of Emperor and the assistance he receives from the Ouyang family is extremely important. Originally due to Ouyang Haoxuan’s illness, the Ouyang family had no time to bother about who to back as Emperor, while he is also not very good at gaining support. Now that Ouyang Haoxuan had finally recovered, coupled with the fact that their previous relationship was pretty good, he naturally grasped this opportunity. How can he tolerate other people slandering Ouyang Haoxuan?!
The Sixth Prince’s gaze burned as he coldly stared at Madam Nalan, “Does Madam Nalan realise what you’ve said? Haoxuan is this Prince’s friend. If you slander my friend again, this Prince is obliged to have no other choice than to return and report this to Royal Father.”
Chapter 114 – Will Not Ignore The Second Miss
At this moment Ouyang Haoxuan finally stepped forward, and stopping the Sixth Prince, he slightly smiled, “Sixth Prince don’t get angry, through the seriousness of my illness I was able to clearly see people’s true faces. Due to misfortune my Ouyang family and myself are actually very lucky as I don’t have to marry a snake hearted wife. I ought to thank the Nalan family as I feel very grateful.”
Zhu Yiqun standing on the side immediately laughed out loud while stroking his beard, “My Zhu family aren’t the tiniest bit afraid of taking a snake hearted woman as a wife. The woman will become one of our Zhu family’s people, and for a pungent and vicious daughter in law, our Zhu family has plenty of methods to teach her. It won’t even take us a year to make her obedient, turning her into my son’s good wife. In this regard, Madam Nalan doesn’t need to be worried, our Zhu family will definitely not ignore the Second Miss.”
The muscles on Madam Nalan’s face continuously twitched while it flushed due to shame. To prevent herself from releasing a sharp and vulgar curse, her hands hanging at her sides were clenched so tightly the veins showed.
Seeing Ouyang Haoxuan’s handsome face, with his body naturally emitting an elegant imposing manner, it was a very sharp contrast compared to Zhu Zhongba who resembled a pig. Madam Nalan regretted until her intestines were green.
She didn’t think that Ouyang Haoxuan would ever be able to recover! Old Master had diagnosed that he would be permanently crippled, so in the end, who was it that cured him?!
If she had known earlier that it was going to be like this, marrying Feixue into the Ouyang family is absolutely the better choice! But now, everything is ruined!
Madam Nalan grit her teeth in regret until a cracking noise could be heard, but Zhu Yiqun didn’t care about her expression as his small, bright and shiny eyes stared fixedly at Madam Nalan, “Madam Nalan, today we have come to propose marriage. After all, the Second Miss and my son already have an intimate physical relationship, so if my son doesn’t marry her, then isn’t the reputation of the Second Miss forever ruined? I say it’s better for Madam to call the Second Miss out. Letting the two young people meet each other will be good, and it’ll be best if we set the marriage date today.”
Madam Nalan heard the three words “intimate physical relationship”, and the veins on her forehead bulged. Her gaze swept over Ouyang Haoxuan’s almost mocking smile and her heart felt anxious, yet she still ordered a servant to bring Hexi out.
After a moment, a girl wearing a pink gauze skirt covered with a transparent light muslin, with her hair rolled into two buns on the top of head, walked out supported by a servant on either arm.
Once Zhu Zhongba saw that girl, bewilderment flashed in his eyes as they opened widely in shock.
Zhu Zhongba suddenly rushed forth in anger while opening his big mouth to curse.
The girl slightly lifted her head from its previously lowered position and revealed a sinister smile towards him.
Zhu Zhongba, having learnt his lesson once, immediately halted and felt a burst of pain all over, his voice stuck in his throat.
The next second, he saw the girl flip her palm over, flashing the slave card in her hand towards him. He then felt a stabbing pain in his brain, and following that, his consciousness began to fade with only a command echoing in his mind, leaving him no other choice but to comply.
Out of the people present, none of them noticed Hexi’s small action except Ouyang Haoxuan. Standing to the side he glanced at her and Zhu Zhongba yet didn’t say anything, a smile visible in the depth of his eyes.
Madam Nalan grabbed Hexi’s hand and pulled her towards the Zhu father and son, “On that day, the one that had a physical relationship and conflict with Young Master Zhu Zhongba was this child. She’s also a Young Miss of our Nalan Manor. In regards to a connection by marriage between your Zhu family and my Nalan family, our families are well-matched in terms of social status so this can be considered an appropriate match....”
Chapter 115 – Achieving A Good Marriage
Madam Nalan’s words hadn’t yet finished, when Zhu Zhongba under the control of Hexi, started jumping and shouting, “It’s not her! Dad, it’s not this ugly person! Does Nalan Manor take me as a fool to play with? An ugly, useless, and saltless woman like this, how could this Young Master even look at her? Moreover Nalan Feixue is known as a shrewish vixen, yet look this timid and weak person, how is she the same as Nalan Feixue?!”
Zhu Yiqun’s complexion sank in a split second, and coldly directed at Madam Nalan, “Madam Nalan, what is the meaning of this? Taking an unknown female servant and getting her to act as a substitute, do you think my Zhu family is fun to mess with? With that being the case, don’t blame me for becoming hostile. Your Highness Sixth Prince, when we return I must meet with Gui Fei to inform her about Nalan Manor taking advantage of their position to bully my Zhu family. We’ll see if your Nalan family’s daughter will still be able to be married off in the future or not!”
Sixth Prince smiled and nodded, his expression was of one watching a good play.
Madam Nalan became anxious, quickly saying, “This is Hexi, our Nalan Manor’s Third Miss, definitely not an unknown female servant. If Master Zhu does not believe me, you can go to the city to check the household register. You’ll then be able see whether or not Nalan Manor has a Third Miss called Nalan Hexi.”
Pausing, Madam Nalan slowly released a sigh, her face showing remorse and grief, “This is also my fault for not strictly teaching my daughter. A few days ago we learnt that because Feixue was absent from Nalan Manor, with a heart full of grievance, she unexpectedly pretended to be Feixue and prostituted herself in Gluttonous House, hoping to find her ideal husband. We and Feixue were unaware of this matter until a few days ago when Hexi’s personal servant revealed everything, only then did we know...that she and Young Master Zhu already had a close physical relationship. Although this is unreasonable, it can be considered that the Zhu family and our Nalan family were predestined to have a relationship, to be able to achieve a good marriage by fate would be beneficial for both of our of families, right?”
Hexi felt like applauding when she heard Madam Nalan’s words, because as to the truth of this matter, she had guessed about a lot of it.
Moreover, these words also hinted to Zhu Yiqun, that if the Zhu family wanted to form a connection by marriage with the Nalan family, they would have to accept Hexi. In the first place, with the Nalan family’s background and Nalan Zhengze’s medical expertise, the benefit of a marriage between the two families would be great, while neither parties would suffer a loss. So why would he be confused about which Young Miss of the Nalan family his son should marry?
Zhu Yiqun showed a contemplative expression on his face, was he beginning to consider this proposal?
However, will Hexi let Madam Nalan succeed? Of course not!
Suddenly, they heard Zhu Zhongba once again shout, “Nalan Hexi? Isn’t that the famous trash of the Nalan family, without a cultivation base and an ugly appearance? If I married her, who knows what sort of son would be born, wouldn’t he be useless trash?!”
“Dad, I don’t want to marry her! You see her cowardly and useless appearance, how could she have managed to beat me up into a pig? No matter what, my cultivation base is still rank nine of the Qi Refining stage, so how could I be beaten all over by this woman who doesn’t have even the littlest bit of spiritual power? If this were to be spread in the future, how would I conduct myself?! Dad, Nalan Manor simply want to substitute in shoddy goods, making fun of us, so Dad, you absolutely can not agree to them!”
Zhu Yiqun’s expression sunk in a flash.
Although his son’s words were unpleasant to hear, they are still true.
Noticing the young girl’s lowered head and her dimwitted appearance, one look was all it took for him to know that she wasn’t favoured in the Nalan family. Even if his son were to marry her, how much assistance would the Zhu family actually be able to obtain? It’s simply a child thrown out by the Nalan family!