Jiang Zhaohua burst into laughter at her mother's words, but after a while, she let out a long sigh.
She knew she would have a grand residence in the future, but the cramped little house she lived in now was unbearable even for a single day.
When Jiang Zhaohua married, Lady Hou, considering the modest status of the Duan Family, only gave her four households of accompanying servants—a dozen or so people.
These four households were all lifelong servants of the Marquis's Mansion: some were honest and diligent, others clever and quick-witted; some skilled in tailoring, others adept at accounting… Each had been carefully selected by Lady Hou, every one of them exceptionally useful.
Yet who could have imagined that with just these four households of servants, the Duan Family had no room to accommodate them?
The Duan Family could barely squeeze in Jiang Zhaohua’s eight personal maids!
Left with no choice, Jiang Zhaohua had to send all four households to live on her estate.
But the estate was in the outskirts of the capital, far away—once the servants moved there, they could no longer serve her properly!
In the Marquis's Mansion, Jiang Zhaohua’s maids had shared spacious rooms, two to a chamber. Now, in the Duan Family, they were crammed into two tiny rooms.
Four maids squeezed into one narrow room, sleeping so close they bumped heads and tangled feet.
The Duan Family’s residence had only one courtyard, with no distinction between the main and side quarters.
Jiang Zhaohua and Duan Jinxing occupied the master bedroom, the largest room in the house—yet in Jiang Zhaohua’s eyes, it was no bigger than a tea room in the Marquis's Mansion!
She felt stifled beyond measure!
To make matters worse, the house was so small that her mother-in-law lived right next door.
Though she and Duan Jinxing were newlyweds, they dared not make a single sound at night.
That old hag… On the very first day of Jiang Zhaohua’s marriage, she had disgusted her so much she couldn’t eat.
On their wedding night, Duan Jinxing, considerate of her exhaustion after the long day, had refrained from touching her.
Thinking of this, a sweet expression bloomed on Jiang Zhaohua’s face.
Though she had encountered a wicked mother-in-law, the husband she had chosen for herself was truly exceptional.
How many men in this world could be so tender?
Seeing how tired she was, he had restrained himself even on their wedding night, simply holding her gently in his arms as they slept.
Duan Jinxing was a head taller than her. When he embraced her, his chin rested lightly atop her head…
This position filled Jiang Zhaohua with indescribable sweetness.
—She forgot that in this position, she couldn’t see the expression on Duan Jinxing’s face.
Jiang Zhaohua drifted off to sleep blissfully in her husband’s arms. But the next morning, that old hag barged in after they rose and immediately inspected their wedding handkerchief!
Since she and her husband had not consummated their marriage, the handkerchief remained pure white.
The old hag flew into a rage at the sight, spewing a torrent of vulgar, unspeakable words!
Jiang Zhaohua had never heard such crude and obscene language in her life. She stood frozen in shock.
Fortunately, Duan Jinxing swiftly shielded her, pushing the old hag out of the room!
Moments later, he returned, bowing his head in apology.
For her husband’s sake, Jiang Zhaohua chose not to confront her mother-in-law further.
That night, after washing up, Jiang Zhaohua waited shyly for her husband to return.
Her husband, ever the diligent scholar destined for the imperial examinations, spent the entire day studying in his library, even on his wedding leave.
He burned the midnight oil, and Jiang Zhaohua waited just as long in the bedroom.
Once again, her husband did not touch her… Meeting her aggrieved and puzzled gaze, he pulled her into his arms.
"Today, Mother wronged you, yet you remained filial and did not argue back."
"But I know you must be holding in your grievances."
"Forcing intimacy now would only spoil the moment. Let us wait until your heart is at ease."
Jiang Zhaohua’s heart melted sweeter than honey at his words.
With such a considerate husband, what did it matter if she had a hundred wicked mothers-in-law?
As Duan Jinxing spoke, he held Jiang Zhaohua close—so once again, she did not see the expression on his face.
An expression of utter revulsion.
Duan Jinxing thought to himself: Was Jiang Zhaohua so eager to consummate their marriage because time was running out—because she needed to pass off the child in her womb as his?
How did she plan to deceive him during the handkerchief inspection?
Soon, it occurred to him: Jiang Zhaohua came from the Marquis's Mansion. Such noble households were rife with dark secrets and surely possessed rare poisons or drugs for every purpose.
Seeing how unafraid she was, she must have prepared thoroughly to fake her virginity.
Duan Jinxing took a silent, steadying breath. For now, he needed the Marquis's Mansion’s support. He had no choice but to play along with this repulsive woman.
A true man who sought greatness must endure what others could not!
When the day came that he no longer needed to endure, he would reclaim every ounce of humiliation—with interest.
It took Duan Jinxing several days to suppress his disgust. On the final day of his wedding leave, he finally consummated the marriage with Jiang Zhaohua.
Fueled by resentment and convinced she was no virgin, he showed no tenderness.
As it went on, he ignored her pleas, venting his fury without restraint.
Jiang Zhaohua paled from the pain, cold sweat beading on her forehead.
She had never imagined that the union of husband and wife could be so agonizing.
Why, then, did women everywhere begrudge their husbands taking concubines?
In her past life, in the Nine Thousand-Year-Old Lord’s harem, she had often heard the lowly maids speak with envy of Chancellor Duan’s unwavering devotion to his wife—as if such loyalty was more enviable than the title of First-Rank Noble Consort…
The more Jiang Zhaohua heard, the more she despised Jiang Yunshu and adored Duan Jinxing.
But now, as pain threatened to plunge her into darkness, tears streamed down her face.
Perhaps concubines weren’t entirely a bad thing…
Without them to share the burden, would she have to endure this torment every night?
When Duan Jinxing finally stopped, he glanced down at the bloodstained handkerchief and froze.
Jiang Zhaohua looked utterly wretched, trembling in pain.
Frowning, Duan Jinxing wondered: If she wasn’t a virgin, why was there so much blood? Why did she seem to be in such agony?
No—he couldn’t be fooled.
She must be acting.
As for the "proof," noble families surely had their own methods.
After all, aside from Jiang Zhaohua having already been with another man, Duan Jinxing could think of no other reason she would choose him over the Emperor.
If he were a woman, he’d marry the Emperor without hesitation!
Unless… the Marquis's Mansion had known the Emperor would die?
The absurd thought flickered through his mind, but he quickly shook his head with a wry smile.
He was being foolish. Everyone knew the Emperor had died suddenly, without warning. How could the Marquis's Mansion have foreseen it?
Thus, there was only one explanation for Jiang Zhaohua’s choice.
He couldn’t let this woman deceive him.
This unchaste woman had, by sheer luck, escaped death.
What a pity… Duan Jinxing’s thoughts drifted to the Second Young Lady he had glimpsed at the flower-viewing banquet.
She had been so beautiful, so pure—like a lotus trembling in the breeze.
What a shame such a beauty had perished so young.
