She had been raised haphazardly in the countryside since childhood, where even a full meal was a luxury. Thus, the temptation of living a life free from worry about food and clothing, a life of comfort and ease, instantly overcame her pathetic bit of shame.
All she needed to do was consummate the marriage and bear a child; then, she could completely change her fate!
Without another moment of hesitation, she readily agreed: "Alright."
***
The people in the room had all dispersed.
A servant boy had already bathed Xiao Jingyi and changed him into a new, soft white silk sleeping robe.
Jiang Lingzhi sat by the bedside, her gaze lingering on his handsome, sharp-featured face, wanting to familiarize herself with him a bit first.
He had joined the army at fifteen and campaigned for many years, earning a formidable reputation. Now, upon his return, he was only twenty-three.
He looked a bit fierce, but that was necessary to intimidate enemies on the battlefield!
Besides, so what if he was fierce?
Wasn’t he still going to lie here obediently, waiting for her to...
"Fourth Madam, this is the wedding wine sent by the Old Madame, specially prepared by Doctor Mu from Medicine King Valley."
"Set it down."
The one who had come to deliver the wine was Mammy Liu, who served the Old Madame. Naturally, it was a wine meant to stir passion.
After setting down the tray, she meticulously placed a small manual on the table as well: "Fourth Madam, I have already ordered the unnecessary servants in the courtyard to withdraw, leaving only two maids waiting outside. One is called Xueying, the other Yunrou. You may command them as you please."
The maids and nannies Jiang Lingzhi had brought as her dowry had all flocked to the eldest branch’s courtyard to serve Jiang Lingyuan. With no other choice, Mammy Liu had to pull two steady maids from the Old Madame’s courtyard.
Jiang Lingzhi replied, "I understand."
She rose and walked to the table, curious. She picked up the manual and flipped it open. Images of men and women intertwined immediately met her eyes, and she could not help but blush.
Glancing back at the man lying motionless on the bed, she suppressed her shyness and flipped through a few more pages. She studied, in particular, the sections showing how the woman should take the initiative.
Realizing that she would have to do all the work, she had Xueying and Yunrou bring in some food. Only after eating did she go to bathe and change.
Both maids looked at her with pity, but Jiang Lingzhi had no desire to explain anything.
Perhaps in the eyes of others, agreeing to this was merely bringing humiliation upon herself, but for her, it was the best path forward.
After her bath, she wore only a camisole and underpants, covered by a water-red robe, and returned to the main room.
With calm composure, she poured two cups of wine.
She downed one herself, then picked up the second, walked to the bedside, looked down at him for a moment, and lifted the cup to pour the wine into her own mouth.
Immediately, she threw the cup aside and leaned down. With one hand gently lifting his chin and the other pinching his nose, she waited until he could no longer hold his breath and opened his mouth, at which point she passed the wine from her lips into his, bit by bit.
No one knew if he was still capable after such a long coma, so she had to give him some of the warming wine; at the very least, it would ensure he could perform.
After passing the wine, Jiang Lingzhi untied her robe, climbed onto the bed, and lowered the curtains on both sides. In this enclosed little world, she felt a slight sense of safety.
The renowned General Xiao was lying here right now, waiting for her, a country woman, to consummate their marriage.
Jiang Lingzhi adjusted her position to kneel beside him, imitating the movements taught in the manual, and began to test both him and herself.
She knew very well that if he were conscious, he would never look twice at a woman as vulgar, wanton, and shameless as she, but fortunately, the consummation was a one-woman show.
After a long while, Jiang Lingzhi believed she was fully prepared and took a deep breath... yet the pain still made tears burst from her eyes.
She remembered when she was first brought back to the Jiang family a year ago, Jiang Lingyuan had intentionally pushed her off a rockery. She had broken her arm then, and the pain had kept her awake for nights on end. Now that she thought about it, that pain didn't even reach half of this.
She breathed through it, moving slowly, gradually adapting.
She didn't know if the Medicine King Valley’s wine was exceptionally effective or if Xiao Jingyi’s body was simply resilient; a long time had passed, and he still showed no signs of surrendering.
Jiang Lingzhi was so exhausted her waist felt like it was going to break. She had lost every shred of shame; she only wanted to use all her strength to bring it to an end quickly.
Xueying and Yunrou had been waiting silently outside the bathroom door. They could faintly hear the Fourth Madam’s intermittent, unbearable gasps from the room, which left them blushing.
After quite a while longer, the two finally heard a weak, breathless female voice from the room: "Someone."
The maids hurried in to assist her.
Jiang Lingzhi had collapsed onto Xiao Jingyi and had been resting for a while, but when the maids helped her up, she still felt as if she were stepping on clouds; her waist was so sore she could barely straighten up.
After bathing, thinking it inappropriate to have the two maids serve him, she endured the fatigue and personally used a wet cloth to wipe him down meticulously before finally lying down beside him.
Just as she was drifting off to sleep in a daze, she felt a slight itching on her arm, as if someone had touched her gently.
She snapped awake. What was going on?
Could it really be, as the Old Madame said, that she was his lucky star, and consummating the marriage had truly woken him up?
Jiang Lingzhi opened her eyes and turned to look at Xiao Jingyi.
In the candlelight, his handsome face looked like gold and jade, but his eyes remained tightly shut.
She cautiously called out, "General?"
Naturally, there was no response.
After a pause, she grew bolder and called out, "Husband?"
He remained as motionless as ever.
It was as if that touch had been nothing more than an illusion.
Jiang Lingzhi gave a self-deprecating laugh and lay back down silently. What was she fantasizing about?
Even the doctors from Medicine King Valley had no way to cure him; did she really expect that just consummating the marriage would wake him up?
***
The next day.
Mammy Liu called out softly from outside, "Fourth Madam, it is already the hour of the dragon (7-9 AM); it is time to rise."
Jiang Lingzhi opened her eyes instantly. She felt as though she had slept very soundly and felt refreshed.
In truth, she usually woke before dawn. Back in the countryside, she had to get up early to chop wood, fetch water, and feed the chickens and pigs. After returning to the Jiang family, she had to learn etiquette every day, and at most, she would sleep until 4:00 AM.
For the first seventeen years of her life, she had been like a spinning top lashed by others. It was only upon arriving at this Duke Estate that she felt like a human being.
Very good. She liked it.
However, remembering last night, she couldn't help but feel shy. She turned to look and saw Xiao Jingyi still in the same state, eyes closed, which allowed her to feel a bit more at ease.
"Come in," she replied.
Xueying and Yunrou moved nimbly to help her wash and dress.
Mammy Liu went to tidy the bed.
She was an experienced woman; at a glance, she knew the marriage had been consummated. Upon seeing the blood on the wedding cloth, she was thoroughly satisfied and hurried to tuck it away carefully.
Then, she bowed respectfully to Jiang Lingzhi: "You have worked hard, Fourth Madam. I shall go and report this to the Old Madame now."
***
Rongan Courtyard.
Upon hearing the good news brought back by Mammy Liu, the Old Madame beamed with joy.
The Duke also chuckled, his spirits seemingly better than the day before, and insisted on going to the main hall to wait for a cup of tea from his new daughter-in-law.
He had married three wives in his time and had four sons and two daughters.
They were, respectively, the eldest daughter Xiao Jingyao, eldest son Xiao Jingping, and second son Xiao Jinghui, all born to his first wife, Lady Li; the third son, Xiao Jingming, born to his second wife, Lady Bai; and the fourth son, Xiao Jingyi, and second daughter, Xiao Jingxi, born to the current Old Madame.
At this moment, excluding Xiao Jingyao who had already married, the others were all seated in the main hall of the Rongan Courtyard.
As for Jiang Lingyuan, after the commotion yesterday, Lady Lu’s plans had fallen through, and the Duke Estate had not consented to let her enter the doors. In her awkward position, she naturally had no right to appear here.
Seeing the Old Madame supporting the Duke as they emerged, everyone stood up to offer their greetings.
The Duke waved his hands with a smile: "Everyone, rise. No need for such formality today."
Everyone wore gentle, appropriate smiles on their faces, save for Xiao Yan, who hung his head, looking sluggish and yawning incessantly.
He had been kneeling in the ancestral hall all night.
His knees were aching, his eyes were circled with dark shadows, and his whole body felt as if it were falling apart. He hadn't even had a moment to rest before being dragged here.
He had heard a bit about what happened at Shun Garden.
Looking at his grandfather’s and the Old Madame’s beaming faces, he didn't need to be told to understand that Jiang Lingzhi must have consummated the marriage with his uncle last night.
A strange feeling stirred in his chest.
He had looked down on Jiang Lingzhi as a country bumpkin, but she had, after all, sat in *his* sedan chair. For her to switch grooms and consummate the marriage with another man—wasn't that giving him a green hat?
Furthermore, this man was his own uncle!
Although he was only three years his senior, he was a full generation above him.
From the time he was small, his uncle Xiao Jingyi had been his nightmare.
The people of Shangjing loved to praise the Duke Estate’s Fourth Master for his brilliance and martial prowess, and in the same breath, they would curse the Duke Estate’s eldest grandson as a good-for-nothing.
Finally, Xiao Jingyi had died, and he was about to hold his head high, but then the situation had turned around, and the man had returned!
The more he thought about it, the more suffocated he felt.
Lady Lu was also furious, feeling that Jiang Lingzhi’s actions were a direct slap in the face to the eldest branch.
Thus, in front of everyone, she intentionally tried to make things difficult: "Everyone is here, so why hasn't the new bride arrived yet? Could it be that her actions yesterday were just a display of grievance and temper, and today she wants to call off the marriage?"
No sooner had the words left her lips than a scoff echoed from the doorway: "Who is gossiping about me behind my back?"
Following the sound, the door curtain was lifted.
Jiang Lingzhi appeared, wearing a begonia-red dress embroidered with lotus flowers, her hair styled in a dignified *feiyun* bun, walking forward without haste.
Her features were bright and gentle, her demeanor calm and poised.
There was not a hint of the mournful grievance others had expected in her eyes; instead, there was a touch of bashful radiance.
Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned.
In his memory, Jiang Lingzhi, that country bumpkin, was as dull as a wooden stick; he felt annoyed just looking at her.
How had she become so vibrant and charming after consummating the marriage with his uncle?
Lady Lu had not expected to be caught red-handed in public. Losing face, she quickly apologized with a smile: "It is good that you are here, it is good."
Jiang Lingzhi ignored the mother and son.
She walked straight ahead and offered her greetings to the Duke and the Old Madame with grace.
The Duke was over sixty, and the Old Madame looked less than fifty. She set aside her sternness and, with a benevolent expression, ordered Mammy Liu to help her up.
Jiang Lingzhi then apologized to everyone: "I invited the divine doctor, Master Mu, to check the Fourth Master’s pulse just now, which delayed me. I apologize for making you all wait so long."
"That is no matter," the Old Madame’s eyes widened as she hurried to ask, "What did the doctor say?"
Jiang Lingzhi thought of what the doctor had said and felt her cheeks flush again.
After checking the pulse, the doctor had said the General’s pulse was remarkably steadier, showing that he was in a pleasant mood.
He had then very tactfully suggested that she should remain close to the General in the marriage bed, as it could help soothe his tense and depressed mind.
Hearing this had made her want to crawl into a hole.
With so many people present, she couldn't say it directly, so she said vaguely: "Doctor Mu said my husband's pulse is stronger than it was yesterday."
As soon as she finished, everyone except Lady Lu and Xiao Yan revealed expressions of joy.
Xiao Yan saw it clearly: when Jiang Lingzhi mentioned his uncle, her expression became even more bashful.
The way her eyes shimmered was captivating; he couldn't take his eyes off her.
Seeming to notice his gaze, Jiang Lingzhi turned to look at him.
The two made eye contact. Xiao Yan reflexively gave her a flattering grin, but Jiang Lingzhi rolled her eyes with an expression of disgust and looked away.
Xiao Yan was infuriated. *Pah, refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit. What is she putting on airs for!*
"Good, good, good."
The smile on the Old Madame’s face could no longer be contained: "I knew my eyes weren't failing me; I saw it at a glance—you girl are clearly Jingyi’s lucky star!"
Correspondingly, she grew increasingly dissatisfied with the eldest branch, especially since Lady Lu had just tried to stir up trouble!
She said warmly, "I keep my word. I shall go to the palace later to request a title for you!"
Jiang Lingzhi felt a warmth in her heart: "Thank you... Old Madame."
The Old Madame laughed heartily again: "Look at me, I was so busy talking I forgot the important business. I must drink this tea and have it settled in my stomach to be at ease."
Mammy Liu brought over two cups of warm tea, and Jiang Lingzhi offered the tea according to tradition.
The Old Madame then placed a pair of translucent, emerald-green dragon and phoenix jade bracelets on Jiang Lingzhi’s wrists.
Jiang Lingzhi said quickly, "Thank you, Mother."
She then returned two pairs of shoes she had embroidered herself to the Old Madame and the Duke.
She understood the etiquette; the embroidered shoes had been prepared in advance.
Originally, there were two more pairs for the Eldest Master and Lady Lu, but she had ordered Xueying to throw them into the brazier and burn them early that morning.
The Duke held the embroidered shoes and praised them: "The flowers and birds are embroidered as if they were alive, and the soles are well-stitched. One can see you are clever, capable, and virtuous. Good!"
In this deep, walled courtyard, who wasn't a clever person? Seeing how the Duke and the Old Madame held Jiang Lingzhi in such high regard, everyone began to make their own calculations.
Regardless of what they thought, the smiles on their faces grew increasingly pleasant.
Jiang Lingzhi seemed not to notice the undercurrents, merely holding the tea as she went to serve the other sisters-in-law.
She noticed that the three sisters-in-law were all staring fixedly at the jade bracelets on her wrists.
The third sister-in-law, Lady Zhao, was fine, showing open, straightforward envy.
The second sister-in-law, Lady Gu, wanted to look but pretended to be indifferent.
The eldest sister-in-law, Lady Lu, stared directly at them, her eyes full of jealousy and unwillingness.
Jiang Lingzhi guessed that these emerald bracelets had a significant history.
As she suspected, these bracelets were an heirloom of the Xiao family.
Lady Lu had always wanted them, but the Old Madame had never given them to her despite many requests.
Seeing them so easily on Jiang Lingzhi’s wrists, she felt a multitude of emotions.
Recalling the mockery and cold looks she had suffered since yesterday, Lady Lu could not contain her irritation: "The Fourth Sister-in-law truly is a fortunate person. Your Eldest Sister-in-law wishes you and the Fourth Brother a long and happy life, and many children."
At these words, the entire room went cold.
Everyone knew Xiao Jingyi only had about three months left to live.
The Duke and the Old Madame had begged Jiang Lingzhi to leave him an heir, having already made peace with that expectation.
Yet Lady Lu had to go and twist the knife!
Everyone went silent, waiting for the Old Madame to explode.
"Thank you for your kind wishes, Eldest Sister-in-law," Jiang Lingzhi said, appearing delighted. "Seeing that your courtyard is about to welcome a new addition, it is clear that you, Eldest Sister-in-law, are the one who is truly blessed."
Lady Lu’s face stiffened instantly.
After the events of last night, the fact that Jiang Lingyuan was pregnant could not be hidden.
...There was no telling how the other branches were laughing at Xiao Yan at this very moment.
Jiang Lingzhi’s smile deepened: "Eldest Sister-in-law, I heard that the Hongluo Temple in the suburbs is most efficacious for those seeking children. As long as the most fortunate person goes to pray to the Goddess of Mercy, the Bodhisattva will manifest. Since you are so sincere, Eldest Sister-in-law, could you please pray for a statue of the Goddess of Mercy for my husband and me?"
The expression on Lady Lu’s face froze completely.
The Hongluo Temple was indeed efficacious.
But praying for a statue of the Goddess of Mercy was a demanding ritual: three steps of walking followed by a kneel, five steps followed by a bow, seven steps followed by a kowtow.
Afterward, one had to fast for three days in the temple to show true sincerity!
This b*tch, Jiang Lingzhi, dared to make such a request to demean her?
What, did she think that because she had won the favor of the Duke and the Old Madame, she could turn the world upside down?
But the entire room was watching her.
The Old Madame also had an ashen face, her gaze as sharp as a knife, as if she would send nannies to force Lady Lu to go if she didn't agree today!
Lady Lu could have bitten off her own tongue.
In the end, she had to grit her teeth and agree: "Easily done. On the first of next month, I will go to Hongluo Temple to burn incense, and I shall pray for a statue for you then."
Jiang Lingzhi’s peach-blossom eyes were clear and bright as she thanked her sincerely: "Eldest Sister-in-law truly has the air of a matriarch. Thanks to your blessing, my husband and I will surely have children very soon."
Lady Lu could no longer endure it; she turned her head away in anger, her expression ghastly.
"Jiang Lingzhi!"
Seeing his mother suffer such a defeat, and for the sake of praying for his fourth uncle and Jiang Lingzhi, Xiao Yan felt miserable.
He spoke without thinking: "If you want children, go consummate the marriage with Fourth Uncle more often. Why make things difficult for my mother?"
"You wicked creature, hold your tongue!"
The Eldest Master, Xiao Jingping, twitched and hurriedly scolded: "Do not be disrespectful to your Fourth Aunt!"
Jiang Lingzhi smiled slightly. She had been so focused on Lady Lu that she almost let Xiao Yan, that disgusting, foolish creature, off the hook!
She curled her lips and said earnestly: "Nephew, you are not young anymore. In the future, you must use your brain more before speaking and acting, and you cannot always let your father and mother worry behind you. Since you are about to be a father yourself, you should be more ambitious and earn some merit. It would be best if you could be like your little uncle and become the pride of our Xiao family."
As these words fell, Xiao Yan’s face turned green.
Clearly, she was speaking in such a gentle tone, yet it felt like a knife digging into his heart.
He was twenty this year and had yet to make anything of himself.
He couldn't endure the hardships of military service, and he had only barely managed to pass the examination for the *xiucai* degree after three attempts. He only hoped to inherit the family title in the future.
Suddenly having his failings exposed, and being made a laughingstock by everyone in the room, he glared at Jiang Lingzhi in great humiliation.
Jiang Lingzhi remained smiling calmly: "Nephew, although I grew up in the countryside and have little schooling, I have heard the saying that honest advice is hard to hear. Tell me, Aunt, am I right?"
What could Xiao Yan say?
He could only swallow his anger: "Aunt is right to lecture me; I have learned my lesson."
Jiang Lingzhi felt truly refreshed. So, using one’s power to bully the malicious was such an enjoyable thing!
Xiao Yan had hoped that enduring for a moment would bring peace, but he hadn't expected the Duke to let him off either: "You have already come of age, yet you spend your days idle at home. What is that supposed to look like? Go and take a post as a martial cavalry officer!"
The martial cavalry officer was a minor military title established by the imperial court specifically for the sons of noble families; it was only an eighth-rank position.
Their usual duties were to follow the patrol guards and garrison, watch the city gates, and patrol the streets.
Anyone with talent or connections in the family would be loath to lose face by accepting such a post.