Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
How did the lady confirm that Meng Liang was not her child?
That was simple: While she was exhausted after giving birth, she heard some distant voices praising the infant’s beautiful, lucky features, especially the delicate, red, cherry-like mole between his brows.
But when she saw him for the first time, she saw no mole between the eyebrows of the extremely thin and fragile baby. Two days after, she heard that the concubine’s child had died and was hastily buried... That was a boy with a mole between his brows!
The lady’s suspicion was roused, and she then mentioned the incident before Meng Zhan to observe his reaction. However, their intimacy was long gone. All Meng Zhan gave her were scoldings and affronts, while he sometimes joined the concubine in mistreating her, stepping all over her dignity as the family leader’s proper wife.
The oppressive life, together with the lack of care after giving birth, caused serious illness to the lady––but that was merely the start of the abuse.
Convinced that her second child had another father, Meng Zhan hated her so much that she could hardly have a day that she could stay comfortably in her room. He would not kill her, for his methods of revenge were much more painful.
Five to six years was enough to change the luxurious lady into something resembling a skeleton. Meng Zhan did not take her life, but she wished he would have stabbed her heart from the beginning.
“The first two years of their marriage were not bad, despite some little conflicts. Your mother and I also visited your aunt several times in Meng. Soon afterwards, your eldest brother had passed away and your mother’s situation was worsening. We were too occupied for further visits. I was so wrong in trusting Meng Zhan! I didn’t even notice that the gifts they sent us later were all prepared by someone else other than your aunt.”
After Gu Min gave birth to the twins, her spirits were lifted and she began to help manage the household again. It was then that she spotted some problems with the gifts from the Meng’s. The clever lady immediately sent invitation cards to her sister, and resent them repeatedly after a while.
Of course, none of them reached Gu Zhen.
“What a courteous house! We went to them in person and invited them to our house, but they never let us see your aunt.”
At first, Liu She found his wife overly anxious. After all, what could happen to Gu Zhen in Meng Zhan’s house? Meng Zhan was his closest friend!
But things were far beyond his imagination.
Unable to enter the house, Gu Min sought clues elsewhere. Finally, an old servant of Gu Zhen who had left the family told her what she knew. Meng Zhan seemed to be discontent with having a wife like Gu Zhen, and he was forcing her to give away the title.
Of course, that would not bring her freedom––a woman who was once his wife must remain in his house forever.
“The concubine threatened to torture your aunt as a ‘human pig,’ throwing her into a pond of excrement after severe infliction. When Gu Min heard about this, she immediately rushed to the Meng’s for a fight. We wouldn’t have left safely if I didn’t think of a plan at that time.”
Jiang Pengji tightened her lips. “That must have caused a scene.”
Liu She said with contempt, “We did more than that.”
The sick Gu Min started a fight in the house, and took the lady of the Meng family away in front of everyone to show them how cruel Meng Zhan was. He had tortured his wife, supposedly the most respected woman in the house, into someone they barely recognized.
The Meng’s were ashamed. Then, the indignant Gu Min asked Liu She to write a divorce letter for Gu Zhen.
Some said they should not break apart another’s marriage. That was the biggest joke Gu Min had ever heard. Why should she let her sister be abused like a servant, when she could provide her with the comfortable life she deserved?
The influential house blocked the spread of the scandal, but did not forget Gu Min’s offense.
“Your aunt has long known that Meng Liang is the concubine’s child, not hers. But it seems that the Meng’s and the boy think that she is still deceived. Otherwise, he will stay as far away from us,” said Liu She as he smiled.
Jiang Pengji chuckled too. “This is our lady’s mischief.”
How did she feel when the son of the woman she hated called herself mother and insulted his biological mom?
“She must be more agitated than pleased.” Liu She sighed. “After all, the Meng’s are an eminent house, and they insisted that your aunt must return to receive punishment. At first, we had your mother confronting them. But after her decease, your aunt and I were left in a difficult situation.”
As time went by, insulting rumors spread about the divorced lady and the widower.
At last, for various reasons, Liu She agreed to marry Gu Zhen.
“Still, she has been living in fear all these years. That’s why she has never fully recovered.”
“She’s worried about Meng Heng, her eldest son.” Jiang Pengji was certain.
Liu She nodded. “After losing the second child, Meng Heng is everything she cares for in the Meng family. I didn’t imagine Meng Zhan could be so merciless towards his own kid... That’s also his heir! Your aunt is constantly regretting her decisions, which worsens her conditions.”
She thought that if living with the Liu’s unhappily could provoke Meng Zhan less, then perhaps he would treat her son better.
“That’s also why she fakes kindness for Meng Liang, although she hates him so much?”
“That’s right.”
No wonder Liu She said there must be more pain than pleasure.
Liu She despised the family. “The House of Meng is merely some coarse people with vulgar ancestors. And they call themselves a house, like us.”
By that time, the streaming interface was filled with shock and sympathy.
Shuibian Sanguo Nanshen: “Life is so hard for ancient women. The lady’s maiden family is not bad, but that couldn’t save her from the Meng’s.”
Yanling Shi: “True. The Meng’s are almost like local royalty, acting as they will. They don’t care about losing a wife as there are thousands of girls waiting to marry Meng Zhan.”
Aiya Jiaoteng: “Girls in our time can at least end their marriage when they want to. It’s terrible how divorced women are left to drown as punishment in that dimension.”
Huatianxia Zhidaqi: “That’s an extreme case maybe? I saw young girls on the street when the host was riding in a carriage, so I guess females are not all as constrained. It’s just that the influential family thought they could do whatever they wanted to the lady.”
Sanzhisongshu Lingshi: “Social contribution is the key to social status. Females there will suffer more later, just like what happened in our history. The increasing demand of men for women will only makes things worse.”
Their opinions led Jiang Pengji to ponder. She hated that world so much... so why didn’t she change its rules altogether?