Chapter 147 Incitement

Yuan Huiling was feeling quite depressed as well.

Ever since the incident involving Zhang Zhongheng blew up, she had received a severe scolding from her father. If not for her mother stepping in to block him, she likely would have taken a beating.

Ever since then, her father had hired a strict chaperone to keep a close eye on her. Yuan Huiling had suffered quite a bit over the past few days, and in her heart, she hated Mo Rong with a passion!

However, hatred aside, when all was said and done, it was Zhang Zhongheng whose intentions were too vicious. Back then, she had merely followed his words to lure Mo Rong out, never expecting his methods to be so ruthless!

Thinking of how the Zhang family had fallen into ruin because of this, Yuan Huiling still felt a lingering fear, growing more terrified the more she thought about it.

Yet, when she thought about how Xu Ruojin was about to be married off peacefully—and into the Liang family, no less—she could not find any peace of mind or equilibrium.

By what right did that damned girl always manage to turn misfortune into good luck?

First, she fell into the lake and didn't drown;

Then, when they wanted to ruin her reputation so she couldn't marry into the Zhang family as a primary wife, who could have foreseen that Liang Xiao would claim her instead?

Yuan Huiling originally did not want to come, but Madame Yuan had received instructions from the County Magistrate to deliver a wedding gift today, so she had no choice but to tag along.

She had intended to simply toss a broken hairpin into Xu Ruojin's chest and be done with it. Who would have known that upon seeing her charming appearance and neatly coiled hair, she could not resist making a few sarcastic remarks.

Yet, Xu Ruojin did not show a shred of anger upon hearing the sarcasm, merely looking at her with a faint smile. This actually stirred a blaze of fury in the depths of Yuan Huiling's heart!

Zhao Cuiling lacked her previous appetite for showing off. Seemingly terrified by Mo Rong's fate, she only followed quietly behind Yuan Huiling.

Chunchao and Yetao welcomed the two young misses into the room, handed them hand-warmers, and brought over chairs. Yuan Huiling did not sit down immediately, instead walking straight up to Xu Ruojin and looking her up and down.

Xu Ruojin raised her head to meet her gaze, her eyes not wavering in the slightest.

Her pupils shifted fluidly, a smile hanging on her lips, but the resilience and magnanimity within it appeared to Yuan Huiling as a strong mockery and provocation.

"You're merely marrying into the Liang family, is there any need to show off like this?"

Yuan Huiling sat down on the side with a strange, sarcastic tone. "Although Liang Xiao comes from a good background, don't forget that he is a cripple—an injured man who can never practice martial arts again. Marrying him, your only purpose is to bear him children and raise the next generation."

"However, even what you bear might not necessarily be raised well. Who knows what kind of end awaits the Liang family in the future."

Rolling her eyes heavily, Yuan Huiling spoke in a low voice, sounding as though she were talking to herself, yet deliberately trying to needle her.

"Bearing children is only proper. Could it be that when you get married next year or the year after, you will refuse to do such a thing?"

Xu Ruojin was not angered in the least. "Life has many twists and turns. As long as one's heart is kind and one does no evil deeds, there is no need to fear punishment from the heavens. Take Zhang Zhongheng, for instance—he brought this upon himself and cannot live!"

At these final words, her expression suddenly turned cold as she stared directly at Yuan Huiling.

Yuan Huiling's heart trembled, a trace of a guilty conscience flashing across her face, which she quickly restrained. "Whatever end he met, what does it have to do with me? It was he who framed Mo Rong."

"Why didn't Mo Rong come with you today?"

As Xu Ruojin added those words, Yuan Huiling's face turned beet red, and she angrily retorted,

"How would I know why she didn't come with me? That's her own affair!"

"Why she didn't come, you know very well in your heart. Do you need to ask anyone else?"

When Xu Ruojin said this, she was not looking at Yuan Huiling, but rather at Zhao Cuiling.

Smiling faintly and shaking her head, Xu Ruojin dropped the subject.

Zhao Cuiling had long since been holding back, her face flushed red, yet she dared not utter a single word. At this supplementary remark from Xu Ruojin, her heart suddenly plummeted, and the way she looked at Yuan Huiling completely changed.

Yuan Huiling was so exasperated she was about to fly into a rage when Xu Ruojin's expression instantly chilled. "Didn't you come to present wedding gifts? Then let me thank Lady Yuan in advance. Hongxing, escort the two young misses to the front courtyard for tea later. It's too crowded and noisy here; don't disturb the two young misses' peace and quiet!"

"You're impossible!"

Furious, Yuan Huiling slammed her gift box viciously into the makeup chest and turned on her heel to leave.

After standing frozen for a moment, Zhao Cuiling gently laid down a single hairpin. She had the mind to say a couple of words to Xu Ruojin, but Yuan Huiling was glaring at her from the courtyard.

Daring not say anything more, she too added, "I wish you happiness and a lifetime together."

Xu Ruojin said softly, "Thank you."

Zhao Cuiling pursed her lips without another word, taking hurried, clustered little steps as she chased after Yuan Huiling to leave the premises.

Chunchao collected the tea set from the table, waiting to replace them with fresh tea when the later guests arrived.

Mother Huang stepped forward and said,

"Shall we carefully inspect the items sent by Lady Yuan? Just in case there's something wrong with them."

"There's no need. She doesn't have the guts, nor does she possess the thoughtfulness. The Zhang family has already fallen; why would she still want to make things difficult for me? She simply can't bear to see me doing well."

Xu Ruojin's words filled Mother Huang's heart with a complex mix of emotions.

This was her first time witnessing the Second Young Miss's methods in dealing with others.

How could she possibly still be that weak girl who once suffered from hunger and cold?

She was completely a young miss of profound depth and strategy.

With merely a couple of sentences, she had isolated Lady Yuan and left the Zhao Family Miss to ponder deeply upon the tragic fate of Miss Mo.

The more one thought about such matters, the more terrifying they seemed; and the more terrified one grew, the more one's mind would wander...

In truth, the Second Young Miss hadn't done anything at all. If blame were to be assigned, it could only fall on their own lack of unity and crooked intentions.

Madame's current outcome was entirely due to her losing by underestimating the Second Young Miss, wasn't it?

If she had been able to see through things earlier and treat the Second Young Miss well, perhaps she wouldn't have ended up in such a miserable state today.

Mother Huang was given no time for further thought as other madves arrived at the residence one after another to present wedding gifts and offer congratulations.

Some of them were acquaintances of Xu Ruojin, while others were strangers to her.

Logically speaking, Madame Yang should have stepped forward to receive and thank the guests, but now with such a person missing, Mother Huang could only offer quiet reminders from the side while Xu Ruojin handled the socializing and gratitude entirely on her own.

After another major half-hour passed, the Full-Fortune Matron arrived!

This lady held a very high status and reputation in Zhonglin County, being the daughter-in-law of the elderly former Prefect.

After the Prefect retired from office, the entire large family had moved back to Zhonglin County.

Though no longer holding official posts, their past achievements and status remained firmly in place, and with descendants serving as officials in the capital, no one dared to underestimate them.

Back when she was originally scheduled to marry into the Zhang family, they had already relied on Senior Official Yan's prestige to invite this Full-Fortune Matron. Now, the person remained the same, but the family she was marrying into had changed.

Had Yan Hongwen not personally made another trip yesterday, this matron would have hesitated over whether to come.

Xu Ruojin naturally acted as though she knew nothing of this. Spotting Madame Liu entering the courtyard, she hurried forward to welcome her personally.

In her forties, Madame Liu was exceptionally well-preserved. Though lacking the alluring beauty of her youth, her skin was fair and her deportment elegant, making others instinctively willing to draw close to her.

"I pay my respects to you, Madame Liu."

Xu Ruojin bowed deeply in a formal greeting, and Madame Liu raised her up with a faint, calm smile.

"Over the past half-year, your name has rung in my ears countless times—some spoke in sarcasm, some in mockery, while others praised your courage. Now that I see the real person in front of me, those previous impressions have somehow vanished."

Xu Ruojin cared little for Madame Liu's veiled, sarcastic teasing.

Had she been in the matron's shoes, she likely would have held no favorable impression of her current self either.

Setting aside the past events she had endured, simply the fact that she was saved by Liang Xiao and, having shared physical intimacy, was forced into marriage was viewed with extreme disdain in the eyes of great aristocratic families.

"You are too kind in your words."

Xu Ruojin openly mocked herself in front of the crowd.

"I suppose the rumors you heard offered no pleasant phrasing. Yet since this person is still alive, she must cope with this life bestowed by the heavens. Although the family I am marrying into has changed, you, the Full-Fortune Matron, and the guests attending the ceremony remain unchanged. This is precisely this humble girl's good fortune. I can only assume the heavens pity me and still allow me to fight for a future once more."

Bowing deeply once more, Xu Ruojin spoke with a sincere expression,

"This humble girl understands nothing, and is terribly lacking even in people to receive the guests. I must entirely entrust this absurd wedding to you, Madame Liu!"