WBSGVS Chapter 2

Wanyue, as the head maid, supported Ji Qingli as they approached the two people. Tears welled up in her eyes with excitement as she said, “Young Master, you’re back! The Young Madam has suffered so much over the past six months. She’s been crying every day, thinking of you, and has lost her appetite. She’s so thin now, she nearly fell on her way over here…”

Zheng Yihan had been stunned the moment he saw her. His memories of his wife were of a vibrant beauty, the daughter of a great general, full of life even after becoming more composed and virtuous over the years.

But now, seeing her in this state, the contrast was too much.

Hearing Wanyue’s words, his heart ached. A thousand words swirled in his chest, but they all condensed into two words: “A’Li…”

It was as if those words carried all his emotions.

“Husband~~~” Qingli called out in a hesitant, soft voice.

Zheng Yihan quickly released his mother’s hand and took two steps forward to support Qingli by her shoulders, sighing, “These six months have been hard on you.”

Madam Zhang, noticing that her hand had been released, felt another surge of anger. However, with her plan already having failed, her expression soured further. She scowled and said in a low voice, “What is this, pulling and tugging at the door? Hurry up and go inside!”

A soft murmur of discontent rose from the gathered crowd.

The Zheng family mansion was located in a bustling area, and the sudden return of Zheng Yihan, who had been presumed dead, had already caused quite a stir. In ancient times, with little entertainment, such gossip attracted a lot of attention, and everyone had been watching from the beginning.

Earlier, when Zheng Yihan wanted to go inside, Madam Zhang insisted on lingering to watch. Now that it involved her daughter-in-law, she complained about them not going in. This double standard was obvious to everyone.

Especially seeing the state of the eldest daughter-in-law, who looked pitifully frail. People couldn’t help but feel sympathetic.

It was too tragic. Her husband had been dead for six months, and she must have lived a particularly difficult life. Didn’t they hear the maid say she cried every day? No wonder she was so thin.

In such circumstances, the fact that the mother-in-law still made trouble was too much!

The onlookers’ disdain was palpable, and given that there were so many people, they had no qualms about showing it.

Madam Zhang’s face turned pale from the hushed jeers, but she couldn’t lash out.

Zheng Yihan heard the murmurs too, but his longing for his wife overpowered it. They had been in love for five years and had a deep bond. Seeing her in such a state pained him, so he chose to ignore the crowd and continued apologizing to her.

“It’s my fault for not returning sooner. I fell off a cliff, suffered serious injuries, and lost my memory for a few months. It was only a month ago that I remembered who I am…”

“Husband, you suffered so much…” Qingli looked at him with deep concern, though her eyes flickered as she noticed what was happening around her. Seeing Madam Zhang being booed by the crowd, she nearly burst out laughing but bit her lip to suppress it.

Judging by the crowd’s reaction, her public debut had gone quite well.

Stirring public opinion? She knew how to do that too!

Zheng Yihan, comforted by his wife’s words, felt warmth in his heart. He shook his head, “It wasn’t hard. It’s all in the past.”

Qingli smiled gently, her voice soft, “Yes, it’s all in the past. But how did you survive after falling off a cliff and suffering such serious injuries?”

“Oh, right.” Zheng Yihan suddenly remembered something and turned around.

When he did, he saw a petite, delicate girl glaring at him resentfully. Apologetically, he brought her over and introduced her to Madam Zhang, Qingli, and his younger siblings, “Mother, A’Li, this is Su Tingsnow, the one who saved my life. If it weren’t for her discovering me while gathering herbs at the bottom of the cliff, I would’ve been long dead.”

Madam Zhang had known her son was returning today. Three days ago, she received a letter from him, with one part addressed to her and the other to his wife. However, since she disliked her daughter-in-law, she kept the news to herself.

She had even gone so far as to suggest that her daughter-in-law remarry, hoping her son would see this woman’s true nature.

But it had all backfired.

However, she was well aware of Su Tingsnow’s situation. This was her son’s first act of defiance against the fierce Ji Qingli—he wanted to take a concubine!

This meant that she would soon have a grandson!

Naturally, Madam Zhang would help. Even though Su Tingsnow was an orphan, she affectionately took her hand and said, “Oh, what a good girl.”

Su Tingsnow had been watching silently, feeling a pang of jealousy as she looked at Zheng Yihan, so handsome and extraordinary, standing beside his wife, who, despite her frail appearance, was still exquisitely beautiful. She lowered her gaze, feeling a sudden sense of inferiority.

At the foot of the mountain, she had been the local beauty, the girl everyone wanted to marry.

But now, seeing the wife of the man she loved, she realized there was a chasm between them. Could she achieve what she wanted?

Fortunately, Madam Zhang’s affectionate smile reassured her, and she obediently called out, “Madam, Young Madam.”

Qingli raised her brows slightly at the sight of what seemed to be a mother-daughter bond forming between the two while noticing Wanyue’s odd expression. She shot Wanyue a warning glance and quietly stood by, saying nothing for the moment. Instead, she smiled at Zheng Yihan, waiting for him to finish what he hadn’t yet said.

Meanwhile, she took the opportunity to assess this man.

His features were as refined as jade, his demeanor gentle, and his figure tall. Perhaps due to his past injuries, he seemed thinner than she remembered, making him look even more elegant. At around twenty years old, he still had the youthful charm of a young man, mixed with a newfound maturity.

No wonder both the original Ji Qingli and Su Tingsnow had fallen for him. Even after Su Tingsnow became the daughter of a prince, she still resolutely chose to marry him.

Under her expectant gaze, Zheng Yihan felt a bit uneasy and clenched his fists. He instinctively explained, “Tingsnow is an orphan. After the old woman who raised her passed away, she lived alone at the foot of the mountain, surrounded by poisonous insects and snakes. It’s no place for a young girl, so I brought her here.”

He avoided his wife’s eyes, feeling guilty as he tried to highlight Su Tingsnow’s miserable life, hoping that when his wife learned of his decision, she wouldn’t be too angry.

Qingli then smiled warmly, turning to Su Tingsnow. “Thank you, Miss Su. Your act of saving my husband is something we can never repay. Since my husband brought you here, he must want to show his gratitude. You may rest easy here. From now on, you’ll be my sister, and I’ll make sure to find you a suitable match. I’ll provide your dowry and ensure you have a grand, splendid wedding!”

A suitable match?

A grand, splendid wedding?

Both Madam Zhang and Zheng Yihan froze for two seconds, exchanging bewildered glances. Even Su Tingsnow, who had been blushing shyly moments before, was left speechless, unsure how to react.

Meanwhile, the onlookers clicked their tongues in admiration, filled with envy. “Wow, treating her like a sister? She’ll become the adopted daughter of the general. That’s such incredible luck!”

The atmosphere became tense, and Qingli blinked innocently, looking confused and a little hurt. “What’s wrong, husband? Did I say something wrong?”

Just as Madam Zhang was about to speak, Zheng Yihan beat her to it, “A’Li, it’s like this… I plan to take Tingsnow as a concubine…”

His voice trailed off under Qingli’s shocked gaze, but he still managed to say it firmly.

“A concubine?!” Qingli exclaimed in a low voice.

Her maids, standing by her side, were all stunned, staring at Zheng Yihan as if he were the scum of the earth. Wanyue, in particular, shouted in fury, “Young Master! The Young Madam has been living like a walking corpse for the past six months, all because of you! She’s so weak now, all skin and bones. And you want to take a concubine the moment you come back? How can you do this to her?!”

Each of her accusations made Zheng Yihan’s face flush with shame. He stammered, trying to explain, but found it difficult to speak.

Though taking a concubine wasn’t his true desire, he had his reasons, though it wasn’t appropriate to discuss them in front of everyone.

Suddenly, his eyes widened in horror, and he shouted, “A’Li!”

Everyone turned to see Qingli’s frail body trembling, her pale face suddenly flushed. With a gasp, she spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted!

Zheng Yihan quickly rushed forward to catch his wife, anxiously heading back to the manor while shouting, “Get the doctor quickly!”

He paid no attention to the person who had just saved his life.

Su Tingxue, who had just shown a trace of shyness, suddenly turned pale. Her small hands clenched into fists, trembling all over.

Madam Zhang gasped, clutching her chest, nearly fainting herself.

“A jealous woman! A jealous woman!”

She fainted just to stop her son from taking a concubine!

What kind of proper wife faints when her husband talks about taking a concubine?!

But Madam Zhang couldn’t faint; she had no reason to. She could only watch as her son carried this jealous woman into the manor.

At that moment, Madam Zhang suddenly realized they were still standing at the front gate, and everything that had just happened had been witnessed by onlookers.

Her body stiffened in shock, and she quickly glanced around, seeing a group of people pointing at them, the disdain in their expressions all too evident.

Madam Zhang’s face turned pale, and trembling, supported by her second son, she urged, “Hurry inside! Quickly!”

Inside the Zheng Manor…

Doctor Xu had just finished diagnosing Qingli, stroking his goatee as he shook his head and said, “She’s been emotionally distressed for too long. Her body is very weak and needs proper care…”

Madam Zhang widened her eyes and retorted, “Weak? She eats and drinks well every day and has servants to attend to her. When I was her age, I had to take care of the whole family by myself!”

The Zheng family wasn’t from a scholarly background. Zheng’s father passed the imperial exams and climbed the ranks through hard work, fortunate enough to gain favor with the current emperor due to his service in the early years, leading to their current status. But they had indeed suffered hardships in the past.

This was why Madam Zhang truly believed that Ji Qingli’s life was very comfortable—her dowry far surpassed her own.

Her dislike for this eldest daughter-in-law was not without a hint of jealousy.

“Mother!” Zheng Yihan called out helplessly.

Did Ji Qingli look like someone who was living well?

Especially after she had just coughed up blood because of him.

Before they were married, she had the strength to fight several men. She wouldn’t be coughing up blood if it weren’t for him. He regretted bringing it up now; he should have waited.

Madam Zhang pursed her lips and, seeing her son’s expression, didn’t want to stay any longer. “Fine, fine, you only care about your wife. I’ll leave.”

She left angrily.

She took Su Tingxue with her as well, lest that jealous woman mistreat her. After all, she was counting on Su Tingxue to be her son’s concubine and bear a grandson.

The other sons and daughters-in-law had already returned to their quarters.

Soon, the courtyard was quiet.

Zheng Yihan watched his mother’s departing figure, instructed Wan Yue to take good care of Qingli, and hurried after them. His father was due to return soon as well, and they needed to have a proper discussion.

Wan Yue, who had been stone-faced the entire time, let out a scornful huff once everyone left. With reddened eyes, she muttered, “What kind of person is he? So heartless! The young madam is heartbroken over him, and he just brings another woman home to say he’s taking a concubine. Back when…”

Amidst her grumbling, Qingli slowly opened her eyes.

Wan Yue immediately stopped talking, rushing forward in surprise. “Young madam, you’re awake. Are you feeling unwell?”

Qingli smiled weakly and shook her head, speaking softly, “I’m fine. I just need to rest a little.”

Wan Yue nodded and lowered the bed curtains.

Once the curtains were drawn and the bed was enclosed in a private space, the faint smile on Qingli’s face disappeared, replaced by a look of disappointment. She licked her lips, feeling the sting where she had bitten them.

She had originally only intended to “faint from anger,” but seeing Zheng Yihan act so concerned, the memories of how cold and hateful he had been in the past, questioning her heartlessness, made his current behavior even more loathsome.

Men—when they love you, they love you. When they don’t, they don’t, without ever considering why the person they used to love changed. Isn’t it because of them?

That’s why she bit her lip, making things appear even more severe.

The first step was complete. Now she just had to wait for public opinion to spread and let Madam Zhang experience the sting of being scorned by others.

Next, it was time to wait for her family to arrive.

Meanwhile, outside the Zheng Manor…

Everything was going according to Qingli’s plan.

In less than an hour, word had spread across the entire capital.

The eldest son of the Zheng family, Zheng Yihan, who had been presumed dead in the line of duty six months ago, had returned alive, and he had brought back a concubine, causing his heartbroken wife to faint on the spot!

People clicked their tongues in pity, saying, “How tragic! She thought her husband was dead, lived like a ghost for six months, and just when she was finally happy to see him alive, he announced he was taking a concubine. That’s just…”

“No way! Is he already taking a concubine? I thought he married the general’s daughter. How could he dare?”

“You weren’t there, so you don’t know. He dared! The general’s daughter said she wanted to repay a favor by adopting the girl as the general’s foster daughter, giving her a dowry, and marrying her off grandly. But this Zheng guy jumped in and said, ‘No, no, I want to take her as a concubine!’”

A woman passing by frowned and said, “Is this repaying a favor or seeking revenge? Who in their right mind would choose to be a concubine when they could be a wife? That’s not a good deal at all!”

“Who knows? The girl didn’t say a word at the time, so maybe she does want to be a concubine.” Someone from the scene commented.

Another quickly added, “One’s willing to hit, and the other’s willing to take it. But it’s the general’s daughter who’s suffering…”

The gossip spread rapidly, and soon, the general’s household caught wind of it.

General Ji Heng was currently at the border, along with his wife and two sons. Only his nephew, Ji Shuxin, remained in the capital. Shuxin was the only member of the Ji family who didn’t train in martial arts, having always preferred reading and writing. He had followed the scholarly path and had already passed the imperial exams to become a Xiucai.

Ji Shuxin had been studying at home when the old steward rushed in with the news. Upon hearing it, Shuxin’s face darkened with rage. “Zheng Yihan would have been better off staying dead!”

At least his sister hadn’t coughed up blood when she thought he was dead. Now that he’s back, he’s causing all this trouble!

The old steward wholeheartedly agreed, nodding repeatedly. But there were more pressing matters. “Young master, we should hurry to check on the young mistress. She must be feeling wronged.”

Ji Shuxin nodded immediately. “Open the storehouse and gather the medicinal herbs. I’ll find Ah Bin and the others—they’re skilled fighters and will be able to teach someone a lesson.”

The steward winced, reminding him, “Young master, please keep calm. Even though the young master-in-law has ‘died once,’ he’s still an official of the court. Beating up a court official won’t end well.”

“I know!” Ji Shuxin grumbled but still went to gather the men.

Worst case, they’d just hit lightly, not leave any marks!

Soon, Ji Shuxin set out with bags full of supplies and a group of fierce-looking soldiers. Some rode horses, others ran on foot, all racing toward the Zheng Manor.

At that moment, the gates of the Zheng Manor were tightly shut. The gatekeeper, who had been dozing off, was startled awake by the commotion. Looking up, he saw a pack of wolves in human form staring him down. Terrified, he stammered, “Wh-what are you all here for?!”

Though Ji Shuxin was a scholar, he’d grown up in a military family. Filled with fury, he didn’t bother being polite. “Open the gate and let me in!”

The gatekeeper blinked in recognition and quickly tried to placate him. “Oh, it’s young master Ji. Please wait a moment. I’ll inform the household right away.”

“Inform my foot!” Ji Shuxin waved his hand like a bandit. “Break down the gate!”

The soldiers behind him shouted in unison, “Yes, sir!”

In the next instant, they rushed forward, and with a resounding crash, the Zheng Manor gates were smashed open.