WBSGVS Chapter 27 V1

Zheng Yihan stared at her in despair and growled, “How could you have prepared this medicine so quickly? You’re lying to me, aren’t you?!”

It should have been her who couldn’t have children!

Zheng Yihan was unwilling to believe it, but he still wanted a definite answer, so he fixed his gaze on her, his heart racing violently in his chest, and he was so tense that he was sweating profusely.

Qingli smiled innocently, shaking her head. “No, I told you, this is the ‘Childless Curse Pill.’ Do you remember the vow you made seven years ago when you asked to marry me? I’m just helping you fulfill your promise.”

Zheng Yihan looked at her in a daze, his mind automatically recalling the moment seven years ago when he knelt seriously in front of the Ji family, dressed in wedding attire, in front of all the guests, saying, “I, Zheng Yihan, swear that in this life, having only A’li is enough for me. I will not take a second wife. If I break this vow, I will be childless!”

After he finished speaking, he heard his wife’s moved sobs, and he kept telling himself in his heart that he must not let down the person in front of him.

But he didn’t know when he began to forget that vow.

He didn’t know when he started to feel that his wife, who prevented him from taking a concubine, was being unreasonable.

Which man doesn’t take a concubine?

Moreover, he had his reasons.

Now… was this her retribution for him?

Zheng Yihan stared blankly at the woman in front of him.

Qingli, however, was smiling happily. Wei Pingyuan frowned slightly and said softly, “It’s windy outside; let’s go inside.”

“Alright.” Qingli turned around, supported by him, and the two left together.

Zheng Yihan let out a “wow—” and spat out a mouthful of blood, a miserable smile on his face. In truth, knowing that the pill was real made no difference; after all, he could not compete with the Ji family, nor could he do anything to Ji Qingli.

After this, Zheng Yihan fell ill.

He hated it, but there was nothing he could do. Let alone anything else, he couldn’t even report Ji Qingli because he had taken the medicine himself. Even if he hadn’t, given their relationship at the time, the vow he made was known throughout the capital. With the current power of the Ji family, even if he filed a complaint, Ji Qingli would not be affected.

Not to mention that filing a complaint would mean receiving thirty lashes first. He knew his body; ever since he fell off the cliff and returned, he had been angered to the point of spitting blood due to the aftermath of the divorce arranged by the Ji family, and he had not taken care of himself. Although he appeared normal, he was weak inside and couldn’t withstand those thirty lashes.

The more he weighed the pros and cons, the more frustrated he became, eventually making himself ill.

Zhang Shi was even worse off. After learning her son couldn’t have children, she suffered a stroke and couldn’t speak.

She wanted to torment a few daughters-in-law, but she could no longer speak, so she had them come to care for her. They deliberately tormented her, giving her hot medicine that burned her mouth, making her cry out in pain, and serving her spoiled food that she couldn’t refuse.

After several attempts, Zhang Shi became afraid and no longer dared to torment her daughters-in-law, allowing only Old Lady Cui to take care of her.

Even so, she had committed too many sins in the past. Now, reduced to a toothless old tiger, her daughters-in-law would take advantage of filial piety to torment her, leaving her in tears with no way to complain.

Zheng Laoye remained silent as usual. Whether his daughters-in-law were tormented or Zhang Shi was suffering, he still wouldn’t speak, even if he saw it happening.

Because now he was powerless, and the family relied on a few sons to barely get by; how could he afford to offend them?

Zhang Shi managed to survive for another year, filled with resentment, before finally passing away. Just before her death, she regained some consciousness and spoke her first words: “Ji family! My eldest daughter-in-law! I want to see her!”

The second daughter-in-law laughed upon hearing this: “Old lady, she’s not our eldest daughter-in-law anymore. Her husband is now the Shaoqing of the Dali Temple, and she is Lady Wei! She’s even a county princess! She has nothing to do with our Zheng family.”

The third daughter-in-law nodded and added enviously, “You don’t know how good Lady Wei has it. Even after many years of marriage, she still lives with her parents. Lord Wei doesn’t want to move out because he’s afraid his wife will miss home. Since he’s alone, he can live anywhere.”

The fourth daughter-in-law quietly said, “By the way, old lady, Lady Wei’s daughter just celebrated her first birthday a few days ago, with three days of lavish feasts and charitable events in the countryside. So many people envy her.”

At the mention of this, Zhang Shi felt regret. But when the fourth daughter-in-law continued, envy and jealousy surged in her, her frail body trembling with excitement as she weakly struck her chest and hoarsely said, “I… I was wrong!!!”

She truly realized her mistake.

“It’s too late!” The daughters-in-law all laughed.

Zhang Shi’s tears had dried up; she glanced at her daughters-in-law, only thinking, “Where are my sons? I want to see them…”

The daughter-in-law said, “Your husband is busy outside; he probably doesn’t have time. As for the eldest brother, he caught a cold the other day, just like you, and is also lying in bed.”

Zhang Shi’s favorite was her eldest son. Hearing this, she let out a whimper, her face twisted for a moment, then slowly closed her eyes.

She was gone.

When Qingli heard the news, her eyes curved in delight, and the last trace of gloom in her heart vanished.

The original owner’s resentment had completely dissipated.

The people she hated the most were Zhang Shi and Zheng Yihan, and Zhang Shi’s obsession was her eldest son. As long as Zheng Yihan was not well, she wouldn’t be well either. Qingli made Zheng Yihan childless, and though he appeared to be a good person, he would never have his children in this life—this was like stabbing a knife in Zhang Shi’s heart.

Now that the two of them had met such a fate, it was enough.

As for the Zheng family, they had long lost their power, moving out of their large estate to a small home.

Zheng Laoye held a nominal position, and he could barely afford to eat with his meager salary. His concubines were long oppressed by Zhang Shi, and naturally, the illegitimate sons treated them poorly. One legitimate son was Zheng Yihan, who had been bedridden since falling ill; the second legitimate son held a position but remained idle, having offended the Ji family, so no one dared to befriend them.

The illegitimate sons had started a business and could make ends meet, but it wasn’t easy for them. They naturally resented Zhang Shi and Zheng Laoye for their inaction, and their daily filial piety was half-hearted.

Just by gathering a little information, one could tell they weren’t living happily.

In contrast, Qingli’s life was the envy of all women in the capital. She lived with her family, and her parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law treated her well.

Even though her husband was secretly mocked for being a “kept man,” he didn’t mind at all. Moreover, he proved he was no kept man, solving numerous difficult cases and even taking down several corrupt officials. With the Ji family as a backing, those corrupt officials couldn’t retaliate, and the common people praised him, while scholars wrote poems in his honor. The eighth prince, as the crown prince, also favored him greatly, making him one of the future powerful ministers.

Such developments made it difficult for anyone to say he was a kept man anymore.

Qingli herself wasn’t idle either; she used her wealth to establish schools and run businesses, focusing on recruiting women to provide survival opportunities for those who couldn’t make ends meet.

Over the years, Ning Yitong, carefully selected by her father, also found a suitable husband. After marriage, she worked with Qingli not to make money, but to pass the time and do some good.

Later, Li Shuyue joined in, and eventually, more people became involved, making their business thrive even more.

Emperor Jiang ruled for twenty-five years. When Qingli’s son was two years old, the emperor could no longer bear it and appointed the exceptional eighth prince as the crown prince. Three months later, Emperor Jiang passed away, and the eighth prince ascended the throne.

The third prince, Jiang Cunrui, plotted a rebellion, secretly took the tiger talisman, and attempted a coup at midnight, but he ran into Ji Heng and his men, who were already ambushed. The clash was brief, and the outcome was quickly determined.

The already ennobled Jiang Cunrui was reduced to a commoner and confined for life. At the last moment, the Song family used their power to divorce successfully and leave the capital.

In the fifth year of the new emperor’s reign, Yu Yonglan filed a complaint against her husband for secretly keeping a mistress and sought a divorce. However, Yu Daren was not satisfied with this, but Yu Yonglan had made up her mind. She didn’t plan to return to her family and instead decided to establish herself as a single woman; they were helpless against her determination.

Before long, Qingli’s small group increased by one member, turning what initially seemed like a loss-making venture into a flourishing success!

In Crescent Moon Village.

This year marks the fourth year of the new emperor’s reign and the sixth year since Jiang Tingxue left the capital.

With slightly tanned skin and a frail body, Jiang Tingxue carried her three-year-old daughter in a sling and leaned on a cane, making her way step by step out of the mountains, with a basket on her back filled with herbs she had gathered along the way.

Once she reached the town, she planned to sell these herbs to the apothecary to make a living.

Fortunately, she had some medical knowledge and recognized a few herbs, which allowed her to survive without falling to the level of begging.

When she left the capital six years ago, she didn’t return to her original village but found another one instead.

Just as Ji Qingli had said, in her situation, moving to a remote area meant that no one would know her past—as long as she didn’t seek to become a concubine.

When Jiang Tingxue left, she had brought quite a bit of silver and had the help of Zheng Yihan, allowing her to settle into Crescent Moon Village easily.

However, she was quite beautiful, and upon settling in, many single men in the village began to court her.

Initially, Jiang Tingxue had high standards, but after being mistreated by Zheng Yihan, she grew to appreciate simplicity. After a year of selection, she married the village chief’s son.

She thought she had finally found a good husband, only to discover on her wedding night that she was not a virgin and was rejected by her husband.

When her mother-in-law found out, she began to look down on her, tormenting her daily, comparable to what she had witnessed Zhang Shi do to Ji Qingli.

During this time, she couldn’t help but admire Ji Qingli for enduring the torment of Zhang Shi!

The dowry she had brought with her was taken away by her mother-in-law, and she didn’t dare to speak up about it.

Fortunately, she managed to take good care of her health and became pregnant within two months of marriage. Her mother-in-law quieted down, and her husband treated her well; Jiang Tingxue thought her fortunes had turned.

However, during her pregnancy, her husband began an affair with another woman.

At first, she was unaware, but when she was eight months pregnant, she stumbled upon them and was so shocked that she went into labor, giving birth to a daughter.