Chapter 825 - 827: The Secret in Second Brother’s Heart_1
Bai Zepei knew he shouldn’t feel this way, but he sensed something was wrong with himself, yet he couldn’t control his own thoughts and emotions.
He was the smartest person in the Bai Family and, although no one else thought there was anything amiss with his sister, he had still noticed the change in her. He couldn’t remember when the change started—perhaps it was after she had hurt her head in the Mountain Village.
His intelligence and keen senses had made him realize that his sister was no longer the same person. If not for their identical appearance and birthmarks, he might have even thought she was an imposter. Yet in the end, he discovered that on the surface she was still his sister, but inside she was completely different.
He had once asked Ruozhu if she had any regrets, recalling her bewildered expression, devoid of much sorrow. At first, it puzzled him, but later he found the whole thing laughable. She wasn’t his sister, so how could she have any regrets?
For a time, he considered whether to reveal his discovery to their parents, but now he saw how well his "sister" was behaving towards them, actions that drew his admiration and esteem. In the end, he chose to remain silent, his only remorse being for his original sister, whose whereabouts were now unknown.
Children do not speak of supernatural occurrences, yet he had read fantastical tales of soul swapping where two people continued living by trading places. So, he thought, perhaps the original Ruozhu was living a better life, no longer needing to wake up in tears over Chang Sheng.
However, as days went by, he found himself increasingly drawn to the present-day Ruozhu, and eventually, he fell helplessly in love. Even though she was different on the inside, her essence was still that of his sister, or at least her body was—how could he be in love with his own sister?
He must be either crazy or sick.
He had always been a steady and restrained man, so when Tu Ying appeared, he successfully convinced his sister that he was infatuated with Tu Ying, but because of differences in personality and family background, he had to suppress his feelings and give up on Tu Ying.
Because he was afraid, terrified that his sister would detect his disgraceful thoughts...
He had even tried to set his sister up with Jiang Yichun, but when he discovered that Jiang Yichun was actually Chang Sheng, he felt conflicted and bore some resentment towards him. Did the original Ruozhu’s love for Chang Sheng still matter to him? It wasn’t until a few days earlier, when Jiang Yichun and Bai Ruozhu saved him, did he experience a close brush with death and finally let go of that obsession.
Bai Zepei raised a hand to shield his eyes, hiding the moisture in them. He couldn’t go on like this. After his name appeared on the golden list, he would find a gentle and well-mannered wife. Perhaps having a wife would cure him of his affliction.
...
Several days later, the Princess of the Wang Family was packed off by the Meng Family and didn’t stop causing a fuss until she was put on the official ship. The Meng Family’s steward breathed a sigh of relief only when she was safely aboard, returning to Beiyu City to report back.
Wang Miaoshuang was a troublemaker the whole way. If she felt unhappy, she made sure everyone around her felt the same. Back in the Capital City, at the Wang Family residence, she remained the high-status princess, continuing to lead a leisurely life.
She even sought audience with the Empress Dowager to complain, accusing Meng Liangshen and the older Madame Meng of mistreatment. However, the Empress Dowager didn’t do much to comfort her, sometimes even disregarding her. Did Wang Miaoshuang truly believe the Empress Dowager was unaware of the happenings in Beiyu City? As someone in Meng Liangshen’s position, all important matters had to be reported to the Imperial Court, such as his reason for divorce, which he did convey to the Emperor through a petition.
Besides, the Empress Dowager wasn’t particularly fond of Wang Miaoshuang. The former Empress Dowager had been fond of her, and who was the former Empress Dowager? She was the Empress Dowager’s mother-in-law. It’s common knowledge that mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships are often fraught with discord. Why would the Empress Dowager like someone whom her mother-in-law took a fancy to, especially someone so imperious and overbearing?
Therefore, nobody took Wang Miaoshuang’s side. As a result, there was an incident where she furiously beat a maid in the Wang Family home, suddenly turned pale, then collapsed and began vomiting blood non-stop. The Wang Family, in a panic, fetched an Imperial Doctor to treat her, only to learn from the doctor that her spleen had ruptured and it was beyond medical help.
The Wang Family couldn’t believe it. How could a perfectly healthy person’s spleen suddenly rupture?
However, the Imperial Doctor, upon examination, found no signs of foul play, concluding that her excessive anger was to blame. Though rare, such incidents were not impossible, and soon enough, word spread throughout Capital City that Wang Miaoshuang had died a pitiful death—felled by her own temper.
When the news reached Bai Ruozhu’s ears, she merely smiled faintly and said, "It’s better to be amicable. After all, harmony brings wealth, doesn’t it?"
Of course, these were words for later.
...
With the compensation from Wang Miaoshuang, Bai Ruozhu’s shop quickly resumed normal operations, and she began to ponder with Jiang Yichun how to take down Qisha Pavilion.
"If I take down Qisha Pavilion, it would benefit my political achievements, and it would be a great merit to the Imperial Court. However, we don’t have sufficient confidence at the moment and must not act rashly," Jiang Yichun said.
Bai Ruozhu nodded, "I can be patient. Even if we have to wait for another year or two, we must ensure that there is no chance of failure."
Jiang Yichun was pleased with Bai Ruozhu’s sensibility. He had been worried that she would act recklessly against Qisha Pavilion. Such an organization needed to be eliminated, but if it led to retaliation from killers, her family would lose their safety, as those killers had no sense of honor or morals.
During his recovery, Bai Zepei’s classmates, including Qin Kaichang, came to visit him. However, they insisted on not staying for meals. Qin Kaichang even lent his notes to Bai Zepei to read, which made Bai Ruozhu, observing from the side, envious. She thought that campus life and the interactions between classmates were the most heartwarming experiences.
In the blink of an eye, it was July, and the Study Palace began its vacation. However, the time was approaching for those heading to Jiangnan for the Competition. Bai Zepei’s tutor also visited him, inquired about his condition and plans, and despite his family’s objections, Bai Zepei said to his tutor, "I have mostly recovered and can set off with everyone. I don’t want to miss this learning opportunity."
The tutor nodded and said, "I will try to delay the departure date as much as possible so you can rest for a few more days."
Bai Zepei gratefully thanked the tutor and personally saw him out.
His wounds had fully healed by then, though his body was still a bit weak, given the amount of blood he had lost and the internal injuries he had suffered. But he didn’t think it was a big problem, as the journey was by ship anyway.
Of course, his insistence had another reason. Not only could participating in the competition at The Eight Academies be very educational, but an outstanding performance could send his records straight to the Emperor. This could be highly beneficial for the Imperial Examination, and might even lead to an early promotion by the Emperor.
In the end, his family could not wear down Bai Zepei’s determination and agreed to let him go to Jiangnan. Bai Ruozhu also decisively decided to take the children and set off, a decision that made Jiang Yichun feel a sourness in his heart for quite some time.
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Introduction: After three years of marriage, her husband asked her to test medicine for his sister, the price for which was her life. Heartbroken and soul-weary, she turned to him—
Qiao Mo, the legend of South City, rich enough to rival nations, cold-hearted by nature, who never showed his face to the public.
"Why me?" she asked.
"Good acting skills, thick skin," he replied.