Chapter 33 Selfish Motive: There Is Another Man Involved

Chapter 33: Selfish Motives, Another Adulterer Involved

When he heard this, Jiang Chao’s face darkened, his expression growing even uglier.

“You don’t want to go back?” Jiang Chao countered. “You want to stay with the Jiang family?”

Jiang Yueyi remained silent.

Concubine Gu couldn’t stand it and interjected, “Master, the eldest young lady is the late mistress’s only child. Before she passed, her greatest worry was for her. Now that things have come to this, you can’t blame her entirely. Where else can she go?”

Wang Shi, standing next to Jiang Chao, glared at Concubine Gu, forcing her to lower her head.

Jiang Yueyi watched them closely. At that moment, she cared less about herself and more about Concubine Gu being bullied by Wang Shi despite her age. She stood up and stepped in front of Concubine Gu, quietly protecting her.

“Then where does Father want me to go?”

“You… do you think you’re in the right?” Jiang Chao fumed.

Jiang Yueyi spoke deliberately: “Since I married into the Marquis’s mansion, has Father ever come to see how I’ve been doing? You probably don’t even know that Second Master Qi locked me up for months, did you? If Father had looked after me even a little, so I wouldn’t have been isolated in the mansion, I wouldn’t have had to rush to expose Qi Hao just to prove my innocence.”

Before Jiang Chao could speak, she continued, “I didn’t expect you to take me in anyway. Forget it, I don’t have a home. I’ll leave and make it on my own. Father shouldn’t mind if I embarrass myself out there alone.”

Jiang Chao nearly had a fit. Even knowing she was threatening him, he didn’t dare let her leave now.

For now, he had to negotiate a clean split with the Chengping Marquis’s estate, to save face on both sides. After all, Qi Hao had his own faults. If everyone kept quiet and buried the whole thing, outsiders wouldn’t be able to guess the truth. But if Jiang Yueyi were sent outside, it would only raise more suspicion. What good could come from a woman living alone? Even worse, she might not behave.

Better to keep her where he could watch her.

Jiang Chao softened his tone a little and said to Jiang Yueyi, “Stay at home and behave yourself. I’ll discuss the rest with the Qi family myself. They can’t just kick you out and let that woman in so easily.”

Her nails dug into her palms. Jiang Yueyi took a deep breath and said, “I know I have no face to stay in this household, and I don’t wish to trouble Father with my presence—this is unfilial of me. I beg you to let me take Mother’s dowry and move out with Concubine Gu to live elsewhere.”

At this, Wang Shi’s eyes darted toward Jiang Chao, who thought for a while before saying, “There’s a separate house in the family estate. You can go there.”

Wang Shi raised an eyebrow and quickly added before Jiang Yueyi could answer, “That house is in the outskirts of the capital. It’s not far, and there are servants to attend to you, but… the eldest young lady has been divorced and sent back, her reputation ruined. It’s only a matter of time before gossip spreads from the marquis’s mansion. If people hear, who knows, they might sneak into her room…”

“Madam Wang,” Jiang Yueyi cut her off coldly, unable to stand it anymore, “You used to be a proper young lady from a good family. How did you become so vulgar and indecent after marriage and childbirth that you would say something like that? There are still unmarried younger sisters at home—is this how you usually teach them? I’m afraid it’s you who’s ruining the Jiang family’s reputation.”

Wang Shi’s face turned green. She shot a resentful look at Jiang Chao, hoping he would defend her, but by then Jiang Chao was already furious and overwhelmed. He ignored her and snapped, “Shut up!”

Wang Shi gritted her teeth. “I didn’t say anything wrong. She was already mixed up with Zhou Congshen—otherwise, would the marquis’s mansion have accused her for no reason? A woman’s chastity is so important. After suffering like that, would she have come home so easily?”

At the mention of Zhou Congshen, Jiang Chao’s face darkened even more. In the end, Wang Shi convinced him. “In that case, it’s better if she stays home.”

Seeing her father so indecisive, Jiang Yueyi was furious. Her body hadn’t recovered. After the previous day’s ordeal and a night of fever, she was about to speak when she suddenly swayed and nearly collapsed. Luckily, Qing Lan and Concubine Gu caught her.

Jiang Yueyi paused, black spots swimming before her eyes, but she still insisted, “No, I have to move out.”

“This isn’t the time for you to throw a tantrum!” Jiang Chao’s face was livid. “I said no means no. Are you going to defy me?”

“Could it be that the eldest young lady already has someone outside backing her up? That’s why she insists on leaving?” Wang Shi added.

Jiang Yueyi couldn’t hold back anymore and was about to argue, but Concubine Gu squeezed her arm and whispered softly, “Young lady, let it go. There’s nothing wrong with staying home. We can keep each other company. Don’t anger your father any further. We can discuss things slowly.”

She spoke softly, so Jiang Chao didn’t pay attention, but Wang Shi caught a few words. She looked Jiang Yueyi up and down, a smirk curling at the corner of her mouth. Yet, afraid of being heard, she didn’t let it show.

Just then, a servant came to report that someone from the marquis’s mansion had arrived and wished to speak with Jiang Chao in private.

Upon hearing it was someone from the Qi family, Jiang Chao stopped speaking and hurried out.

Wang Shi stayed behind. Once Jiang Chao left, she became bolder. She smiled openly and said, “Eldest young lady, you might as well stay home for a while. I’ll teach you how to be a proper wife. Once you’re ‘trained,’ I’ll find you a good match.”

She stressed “good match,” making Concubine Gu and Qing Lan exchange worried looks. Jiang Yueyi responded directly, “Don’t bother. My food and clothes come from what my mother left me. As for a good match, you and I see things very differently. After all, you think marrying a man old enough to be your father is a good match. I neither need nor desire your meddling.”

With that, she turned and walked inside. Wang Shi, having been put in her place, didn’t dare push further and left resentfully.

***

When Jiang Chao arrived at the guest hall, he found the visitor was a stranger he had never seen before.

“You are…”

The man said, “I am Qi Hao’s younger brother, Qi Yuan.”

Only then did Jiang Chao recall that Qi Hao indeed had a concubine-born younger brother named Qi Yuan. However, after earning his official rank, Qi Yuan had moved out of the mansion and lived separately. Lately, he had been serving in the capital region and didn’t even appear for Qi Hao’s wedding. When Qi Hao pretended to be dead, Qi Yuan had only sent someone to offer condolences; he didn’t come himself, so Jiang Chao had never met him.

Having just been humiliated at the marquis’s mansion earlier that day, Jiang Chao was now more cautious and wary. “What does your household have to say now? There are matters I still need to discuss with the marquis.”

Qi Hao was not managing the household, and now he was busy with that woman Su. Feng Shi was a woman and inconvenient to appear. By elimination, Qi Yuan seemed to be the one in charge. Jiang Chao wanted to probe his stance.

Qi Yuan frowned slightly, making his dark pupils appear even deeper. “I’m not here on behalf of the marquis’s mansion. I heard you visited earlier today, so I thought I’d tell you a few things.”

Earlier, when Jiang Chao stormed into the mansion in a rage, Qi Yuan had not been present, nor had Feng Shi informed him. But after the fact, Qi Yuan learned from other household members that Jiang Chao had left in disappointment, and he could guess what had happened.

Although none of this should concern him, in the end Qi Yuan decided to come anyway—to clarify what he had witnessed.

Qi Yuan then explained the entire incident in detail, revealing some nuances that the marquis’s mansion had glossed over or omitted entirely. Jiang Chao was stunned repeatedly.

Finally, Qi Yuan said, “I was remiss in my investigation. I didn’t discover that Xing An was acting on Su’s orders to frame the eldest young lady. That is why I wrongly believed that she was the murderer and confined her in the mansion. That led her to take drastic measures against Su’s mother and sister, forcing them to appear. If it hadn’t been for my mistake, even after she suspected that my elder brother was still alive, she might not have acted that way.”

Hearing this, Jiang Chao sighed. “It was also her own stubbornness. I forgave her too much, allowing her to grow so vicious and jealous.”

Though the words were half-true, half-false, and Qi Yuan sensed it, hearing them left a bad taste in his mouth.

Suppressing his discomfort, Qi Yuan continued, “There is another matter. Since my elder brother’s supposed death, I have been staying in the mansion. From what I have seen, the eldest young lady and Zhou Congshen have never overstepped their bounds.”

When he had heard the previous day about Jiang Yueyi and Zhou Congshen’s affair, Qi Yuan was momentarily shocked. But after carefully reflecting on their interactions, he became certain that Jiang Yueyi could not have had a clandestine relationship with Zhou Congshen.

“This… When you bring up this matter, it truly worries me,” Jiang Chao said, his brow deeply furrowed. “The dowager of your mansion told me that she admitted it herself. If she hadn’t done it, why would she confess? Could there be a different adulterer?”

The word “adulterer” grated on Qi Yuan’s ears. The scene from yesterday was still vivid in his mind, and he quickly replied, “At the time, the eldest young lady only knelt and kowtowed. She didn’t say a word. Perhaps she felt wronged beyond words and acted that way, only to be misunderstood. You are her father, sir. You must care for your daughter’s situation. Please show her more compassion.”

It was only then that Jiang Chao recalled the grievances his daughter had suffered. Driven out in the middle of the month in heavy snow, she had returned home. He nodded thoughtfully. “That’s true.”

Having said his piece, Qi Yuan couldn’t help but ask further, “You mentioned earlier that you still had matters to discuss with the Qi family. May I ask what they are?”

From their conversation, Qi Yuan sensed that Jiang Chao was not particularly fond of Jiang Yueyi as a daughter, so he took a bit more interest.

“My proper daughter married into the Qi family, but not only did Qi Hao fake his death and elope with someone, he also sent her back as if discarding garbage. And she had just given birth to a daughter. Is there justice in the world?” Jiang Chao fumed. “The Jiang family is also a family of standing. Even if Yueyi had a thousand faults, she can’t just be pushed aside for that Su widow! Tell me, how can the Qi family behave like this?”

Qi Yuan was silent for a moment before saying, “This matter is beyond my authority, but I believe it would be best for you to go to the Qi mansion and make your case as soon as possible.”

“I intended to go soon. Earlier, I suspected she might really have an affair with Zhou Congshen, so I hesitated. But now I have even more conviction,” Jiang Chao said.

Qi Yuan considered this and suggested, “Since the eldest young lady is blameless, you might only focus on the point that Su Hengniang framed her for murder when you confront them. The dowager and my elder brother won’t have a leg to stand on.”

Jiang Chao studied Qi Yuan for a moment, unable to suppress his suspicion about the younger man’s motives. As a concubine-born son, this visit must have some hidden agenda.

But Jiang Chao considered himself clever. He wouldn’t point it out, and since Qi Yuan had been so helpful, he smiled. “Rest assured, Second Young Master. I won’t reveal that you came today.”

“No need,” Qi Yuan waved his hand. “My actions today are purely out of my own sense of injustice and a measure of guilt. Please feel free to act. I have no hidden agenda.”

After all, Qi Hao had returned. Once everything here was settled, he would hurry back to Qing County. The Chengping Marquis’s mansion was no longer his home; Feng Shi had always despised him. It wouldn’t hurt to offend her a bit more.

Jiang Chao nodded. “I understand.”

Qi Yuan soon left. After seeing him off, Jiang Chao sent someone to inform Wang Shi, then rushed back to the Chengping Marquis’s mansion without pause.

Author’s Note: After two years, I’m filling in the gaps of an old story. Abandoning it isn’t something I can do. But I’m terrified that all my followers will disappear once I update.