Chapter 210: Bitter Consequences
After Su Yaoguang left, Jiang Yihuan angrily smashed the vase nearby.
She was unwilling to accept it. Why could she never deal with Su Yaoguang?
Today’s matter had her lift a stone only to drop it on her own foot. When Xiao Yanci came out from the Imperial Examination Hall and learned she had lost so much face, she didn’t know what his reaction would be.
No. She couldn’t let Xiao Yanci know what had happened. She had to prepare everything, and as soon as he finished the exam, she would take him away immediately. Anyway, the local imperial examination results wouldn’t be out for a month, so they had no need to stay here. As long as she didn’t let Xiao Yanci contact others, he wouldn’t know what had happened here.
The more Jiang Yihuan thought about it, the more feasible this method seemed.
She didn’t live here regularly anyway, so no matter how harshly those gossips spoke, it wouldn’t affect anything. Once she left, who would know who she was? Those idle rumors would scatter with the wind.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yihuan felt relieved. She closed the door intending to rest when a hand suddenly grabbed the door handle, and then an enlarged old face appeared, grinning at Jiang Yihuan with malicious intent.
Jiang Yihuan looked at the man in front of her in horror and was about to shout loudly when he covered her mouth first, dragged her inside, and closed the door again.
“You don’t even mind trash like Huang Daniu, I’m much better than him, why struggle? Come, serve me well, I have money, I’ll give you silver.”
Jiang Yihuan felt despair.
She didn’t know this man, but since he mentioned Huang Daniu’s name, he had clearly been paying attention to the situation here.
“Don’t… let me go…” Jiang Yihuan cried, “I’ll give you silver.”
“No need, I’ll give you silver, just serve me well. I’m not short on silver, I just want some stimulation.” The man pressed her onto the bed, his tone evil.
Jiang Yihuan glared hatefully at the bed canopy.
All of this was because of Su Yaoguang…
Everything she suffered today, she would make Su Yaoguang repay a hundredfold, a thousandfold sooner or later.
During the few days Zhou Wangshu was taking the local imperial examination, Su Yaoguang not only got along very well with the families of those scholars but also closed several deals.
No matter the age group, when women gathered, the unavoidable topics were husbands and sons, and besides that, pretty clothes, pretty jewelry, pretty shoes.
Su Yaoguang was an expert in this area. She just needed to show off her professional ability, and those women were coaxed into smiling happily.
After several scholars finished the exam, as soon as they stepped out, they saw their completely transformed pretty wives, and each one wondered if they had been in the exam too long and were starting to hallucinate.
“What are you looking at? Don’t recognize your own wife anymore?”
“Exactly, have you all studied so much you’ve gone dumb and don’t even recognize people?”
The women complained with their mouths, but their eyes were full of pride.
Zhou Wangshu lowered his voice and said, “Your doing?”
“I got along very well with the sisters-in-law, recently discussing women’s private matters together. You stinky men don’t understand this, no need to ask more.” Su Yaoguang said, “I’ve already boiled hot water, you can go back to bathe and change clothes, then rest well. No messing around today, tomorrow us women will cook together, everyone gather for a meal.”
“Right, we’ve planned it, tomorrow we’ll have a good day of fun, after tomorrow we’ll each head home, who knows when we can gather again.”
“I’ve already written down our address for each sister-in-law, you can come find us to play anytime. Of course, if we pass through any sister-in-law’s hometown, we’ll visit too.”
Here it was harmonious and joyful, while on Xiao Yanci and Jiang Yihuan’s side, there wasn’t a single word exchanged throughout. Xiao Yanci smelled the strong scented paste on Jiang Yihuan, his brows furrowed tightly.
After several days apart, Jiang Yihuan was heavily made up today. But her appearance suited elegant dressing better; the plainer, the more refined she looked. Suddenly applying such heavy makeup made her look very old.
“Xiao Gege, what’s wrong?” Jiang Yihuan felt guilty being stared at like this by him.
Could he have noticed something?
Xiao Yanci said indifferently, “Don’t wear such gaudy clothes in the future, they don’t suit you.”
Jiang Yihuan tugged at the corner of her mouth: “These clothes are very expensive, it would be such a waste not to wear them after buying!”
“Since you know they’re expensive, don’t buy such expensive clothes, they’re both costly and ugly.” Xiao Yanci said disdainfully, then strode away.
“Xiao Gege, I’ve prepared the horse-drawn carriage, we can head back to the city now.” Jiang Yihuan chased after Xiao Yanci ahead.
Hearing this, Xiao Yanci turned back to look at her: “I just came out of the examination hall, covered in this stench, and you didn’t even prepare hot water for me to bathe? You want me to rush straight home like this?”
“I had no choice, the landlord wouldn’t rent to us anymore and threw out our luggage.” Jiang Yihuan said aggrievedly.
“That’s outrageous.” Xiao Yanci said angrily, “We didn’t say we were checking out, how can the landlord force us out? It’s not like we’re not paying silver, how so domineering?”
“Forget it, Xiao Gege, it’s their house, even if we argue with him we won’t gain anything. You’ve just finished the exam, if this blows up and ruins your reputation, wouldn’t that be more loss than gain? Anyway we’re heading home, going back a day early doesn’t matter, we can just find an inn to rest on the road.”
That old man had been coming to find her every day recently; if they didn’t leave soon and Xiao Yanci found out, all her previous efforts would be for nothing.
“Xiao Gege, how did you do on the exam this time?” Jiang Yihuan looked at Xiao Yanci.
Xiao Yanci said, “Everything is under my control.”
“Great, then we’ll definitely get a good result this time.” As long as he did better than Zhou Wangshu, she could hold her head high in front of Su Yaoguang.
Heaven bless, Zhou Wangshu must fail the list, so Su Yaoguang couldn’t show off in front of her anymore.
Jiang Yihuan got into the horse-drawn carriage first and said to Xiao Yanci, “Xiao Gege, get in the carriage, all the luggage is here.”
Xiao Yanci turned back and saw Su Yaoguang and Zhou Wangshu leaving while chatting and laughing.
Now that the exam had just ended, it was the time for scholars to network with each other, yet he had to leave first.
Forget it, anyway he had nothing to say to this group of mediocrities.
“Yaoguang…” Hu Shi came over and said to Su Yaoguang, “There’s something I don’t know if I should say.”
“Sister-in-law, speak.”
“Last night when I got up at night, I saw a man coming out of that Xiao family girl’s room, looked like the famous local ruffian around here.”
A strange look flashed in Su Yaoguang’s eyes: “Sister-in-law, what kind of person is that local ruffian?”
“A rogue, usually cheats and swindles for some silver, but won’t marry a wife, just likes to steal fragrance and jade.”
“Sister-in-law, some matters are one willing to beat, one willing to suffer, let’s not meddle in trivial matters.” Su Yaoguang said, “To avoid getting ourselves into trouble.”
“You’re right. I don’t want to meddle in others’ trivial matters either. I heard before that you were from the same hometown, I just remind you to stay away from that woman, too shameless.”
