In the Xie family garden on an autumn day, Jiang Ling, who was staying with the Xie family, leaned against the veranda to feed the fish, her mind heavy with worries.
She gathered one of her sleeves and sprinkled fish food into the pond little by little.
The feed was made from freshly dug earthworms and algae, a rare delicacy for the fish. As soon as she tossed the clumps into the water, schools of koi circled around her.
Captivated by the sight, Jiang Ling felt her heart relax a little.
But she had barely found a moment of ease before a commotion broke out nearby.
She turned her head and happened to lock eyes with her third cousin, Xie Yu, and the guest he had brought along.
Upon seeing her, the young men stopped their conversation, their eyes unable to help but linger on Jiang Ling.
Under normal circumstances, as male guests, they should have promptly looked away or stepped aside upon accidentally intruding on a lady of the house.
However, the young woman before them made it truly impossible to look away.
Jiang Ling was dressed in a worn, pale-green, thin tunic, her hair pulled into a simple bun. At first glance, she was like a pool of spring water shrouded in mist.
Yet this was no still spring; it was a spring with deep, undulating currents. Her lush, full figure was highlighted by the contours of her attire.
Jiang Ling did not look old, yet her frame was voluptuous—not an inch too much, nor an inch too little. Her high, firm breasts, slender waist, and rounded hips were clearly defined, even beneath the modest layers of her clothing.Not to mention, Jiang Ling had an incredibly fair complexion, an oval face, and peach-blossom eyes. Most charming of all was the beauty mark on the tip of her nose, neither too small nor too large—she was a vision of enchantment.
This was the kind of sultry, seductive appearance that women of the day loathed most, yet there were few men who could see her without feeling a stir in their hearts.
The group of men were all seeing Jiang Ling for the first time. One of them, who often frequented brothels for amusement, couldn't help but sigh inwardly:
"No wonder Xie Yu doesn't go to Chunhua Brothel! So, he’s been hiding a beauty in his own golden house!"
"Even the top courtesans at Chunhua Brothel probably can't compare to this young lady!"
The men opposite were all close friends of the third young master of the Xie family, Xie Yu, and were well-versed in the affairs of the Xie family. They knew the Xie family had only three brothers, and they had never heard of any sister in the household.
Soon, however, a young man waving a gold fan stepped forward and tapped Xie Yu on the shoulder with it.
"Brother Yu, could this be that 'climber' you always talk about..."
Before he could finish, Xie Yu shot him a fierce glare. Seeing this, the young man realized he had almost spoken out of turn and immediately shut his mouth, showing enough sense to back down.However, everyone present was clever; seeing the situation, they realized in an instant that the woman before them was, in fact...
She was the very same cousin, Jiang Ling, whom Xie Yu often mentioned—the one who was desperate to climb the social ladder into their family!
"Jiang Ling is a country girl, shallow and ignorant!"
"Does she think that because she can cook a few dishes, she can get a grip on me and cross the threshold of the Xie family?"
"What a pipe dream!"
Three years ago, in the winter, the Xie family's cousin, Jiang Ling, had arrived with her horoscopic birth papers, and she had been staying there ever since.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that while it was politely claimed she had come to show filial piety to her grandmother on behalf of her mother, in reality, she was clearly there to climb the social ladder.
Busy-bodies had often teased Xie Yu, saying that since she was an orphaned cousin who wanted to marry into wealth, he might as well just take her in as a concubine. After all, it was just one extra mouth to feed, and with the Xie family’s vast resources, how could they not afford to support this little lady?
Whenever this was brought up, Xie Yu would always let out a cold snort.
Everyone assumed this cousin must be hideous, which was why the sharp-tongued but kind-hearted Xie Yu refused to give in.
But looking at her now...
The crowd sighed inwardly, thinking that Xie Yu’s eyes must be fixed to the top of his head! To leave such a beauty outside his chambers was truly a waste of a precious treasure.
At this moment, Jiang Ling was tidying her clothes.
She had been leaning against the veranda, feeding the fish, and for convenience, had rolled up her sleeves to splash in the water.
But with this group of people suddenly appearing in the garden, she had to quickly pull her sleeves down, offer a hurried bow, and prepare to turn and leave.
Before she could leave, however, Xie Yu, who had been silent until now, suddenly gave a cold snort.
"Why aren't you staying in your own courtyard? What are you doing here?"
"Have you fully recovered, then? Are you no longer afraid of the wind?"
"There is plenty of bird's nest and ginseng in the manor for your use!"
Hearing this, Jiang Ling immediately recalled the time earlier that year when she had caught a cold while keeping vigil for Old Madam Xie.
She vaguely remembered the servants gossiping that after she fell ill, her cousin Xie Kang, who studied medicine, had examined her.
Later, they only said her illness was due to weakness and that she needed to be nourished with bird's nest and ginseng.
Madam Xie, who held the keys, was never willing to open the treasury boxes easily; she had only allowed people to go outside and buy some ginseng shavings instead.It was only when her third cousin, Xie Yu, came to visit that he saw how gravely ill she was and had people bring over plenty of bird’s nest and ginseng to help her recover.
However, while bringing these things, Xie Yu kept insisting that she was as fragile as a paper lantern. He remarked that it was fortunate the Xie family had the wealth to burn, allowing her to consume such expensive bird’s nest and ginseng. If she had truly decided to return to her hometown, how could that desolate, barren place of Shuzhou ever sustain her?
Jiang Ling figured that Xie Yu was likely only speaking this way because he feared her illness would continue to drain the household’s precious medicinal stores.
These words caused a weight to settle in her heart.
She looked up at Xie Yu and, gritting her teeth, retorted, "Rest assured, Third Cousin, I am no paper lantern."
"I won't just scatter at a gust of wind."
"You would do better to look after your own health! Your liver fire is far too high; you should eat more bitter melon!"
With that, Jiang Ling hurriedly offered a bow and walked away.
The onlookers, having heard her reply, exchanged amused glances, finding the situation exceptionally rare.
Who didn't know that this Third Young Master Xie had been a "medicine jar" since childhood, having swallowed countless bitter concoctions? Thus, he loathed the taste of bitterness more than anything else!
Yet now, the seemingly delicate Jiang family girl had actually left the sharp-tongued Xie Yu speechless!
"You!"
"Jiang Ling!!"
Seeing this, the young men exchanged looks.
If they hadn't been afraid of provoking that sharp tongue, they would have burst into laughter right then and there.
They traded glances, thinking to themselves that it was no wonder Xie Yu would snort in disdain whenever they suggested he take his cousin as a concubine. It turned out this little cousin, while appearing gentle on the surface, was actually a firecracker.
If Xie Yu, that firecracker himself, were to take her in, the household would probably be setting off explosives every single day!
But then, thinking back on it, Xie Yu always claimed this cousin was only here to climb the social ladder. If she truly were a social climber, how would she dare to snap at him like that?
Thus, one meddlesome fellow couldn't help but chime in.
"Brother Yu, your cousin is quite interesting!"
"I hear your mother is currently looking for a match for her. Why don't I have my father come and propose tomorrow?"
"I’d be happy to call you Third Brother-in-law~"
Hearing this, Xie Yu turned and glared at the man, his eyes flashing with a murderous intent never seen before.
"Talk your mother’s nonsense!"
"Who do you think you are? How dare you set your sights on her!"
Seeing this, the man merely shrugged, picking up his fan.
This Third Master Xie was truly a man with a sharp tongue but a soft heart! If he really found her such an eyesore, couldn't he just marry her off to anyone?
Why bother wasting breath on a woman like this?
They all knew that the late Old Madam Xie had favored her granddaughter, Jiang Ling, above all others before she passed. Who would have thought that as soon as the old lady was gone, the mistress of the Xie family would try to marry Jiang Ling off to another family?
Word had it that they were recently looking into a match with a fifty-year-old Member Wang, likely to be his secondary wife. If that were the case, wouldn't it be better to make her his own fourth concubine? That wouldn't be a grievance to the girl, either!
Besides, didn't Third Master Xie always say that the cousin was a social climber and that he was sick of the sight of her? If she truly annoyed him, he should have married her off long ago to find some peace for his eyes!
However, the man dared not voice these thoughts.
Because for those few words alone, Xie Yu had already begun to find fault with him at every turn, forcing him to down countless cups of wine during the banquet. If he had said any more, he feared he would have arrived at the Xie residence standing, only to be carried out horizontally by the end of the night.
While Xie Yu was drinking and jesting with his friends, his aunt, Madam Xie, took the rare step of summoning Jiang Ling that night.
As soon as they met, the aunt produced a crimson fox-fur cloak and held it against Jiang Ling, saying she wanted to gift it to her.
The crimson fur was incredibly flattering; even on a woman of ordinary complexion, it would make her look vivid and bright. It stood to reason that against Jiang Ling’s mutton-fat jade-like skin, the cloak made her look all the more fair and lively.
"I told you the mountain temple was miraculous! You only went once, and you’ve already found a proper match!"
"Look, Member Wang is kind-hearted and doting; he is a man you can entrust your life to."
"Look at how thoughtful he is. Fearing you might catch a chill in the autumn air, he sent such a fine gift the moment he laid eyes on you."
Upon hearing that the fox-fur cloak she was wearing had been sent by that gluttonous Member Wang, Jiang Ling’s expression shifted, and she hastily tried to take off the crimson garment.
At that moment, Madam Xie stepped to her side and tucked the cloak back around her.
"Ling'er, a gift from an elder must not be refused."
"Now that your grandmother is no longer here, you must listen to your aunt all the more."
"Your aunt would never harm you."