The sun felt like it was spewing fire, causing all the flowers, birds, fish, and insects to droop. The heat was scorching everywhere, and swallowing it felt like burning the throat. It then settled like a heavy weight on the heart, impossible to shake off or escape, finally turning into sweat that stuck to the clothes.
On the road from Changle County to Qingzhou, a short, plump coachman was sweating profusely as he drove the carriage.
It was too hot, and even the horses didn't want to go fast, shaking their heads in dissatisfaction from time to time, their noses wrinkled as if complaining about the scorching weather.
At this moment, the voices of a man and a woman could be heard from the carriage. A man spoke in a low voice, asking, "Why didn't we hire a larger carriage? It's so hot. The three of us are crammed in here."
A hoarse female voice came from the carriage, "A larger one? A larger one would cost an extra tael of silver!"
The man fell silent. The hoarse female voice impatiently said, "Use some more strength! Can't lay an egg, can't even fan?"
A soft and pleasing voice spoke, "It's my fault, Mother, please don't be angry."
The voice belonged to a young beauty, Rongyue, and the other two were her parents-in-law.
The young beauty had delicate eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes, and a very good complexion. Although she wore her hair in a married woman's bun, she looked young. She only wore a Gold hairpin on her head that was out of style.
The young beauty's fair skin was already covered in a thin layer of sweat. The clothes she wore were made of good material, but the color was old-fashioned and didn't fit her well, hanging loosely on her.
Rongyue seemed accustomed to her mother-in-law's attitude, and she obediently lowered her eyes, fanning herself without showing any emotion.
Her mother-in-law had always disliked her. After a year of marriage, she still hadn't conceived, so her mother-in-law made things difficult for her, making her kneel in the Ancestral hall a common occurrence.
Her husband, Jiang Wencheng, was just like his father, always trying to smooth things over, saying a few bland words each time.
The first time she knelt in the Ancestral hall for two hours, she complained to her husband, but he only said perfunctory words like, "Mother is an elder, and we, as juniors, naturally have to be respectful and obedient." After a long time, she could only bear it silently. Who told her she was a gentle person and didn't have her own family to back her up?
Some of the maids in the household, who were kind, always advised her, "Young Mistress, it's important to have a Legitimate son to secure your position. With a Legitimate son, you'll be better off with your mother-in-law. Otherwise, Madam will definitely take a concubine for the young master, and then your situation will be even more difficult."
Thinking of this, Rongyue sighed softly, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed. How could she not want a child? But her husband…
When they had their wedding ceremony, and after all the celebrations, she shyly took off her Phoenix coronet and went to help her husband, Jiang Wencheng, change his clothes.
But he suddenly knelt down to her with a "thump," saying that he had a hidden disease and couldn't perform his marital duties. He was too ashamed to tell others and only told her. He knelt and begged her to keep the secret.
Rongyue was shocked at the time. She had just reached the age of marriage, and her mind was simple. She didn't know what this meant for her.
She only thought that since they had already gone through the wedding ceremony, he was her husband. He was so earnest in his plea, and her heart softened. She agreed, thinking that as long as they respected each other, it would be good to live a good life.
After a year of marriage, her husband had never touched her. He always read in the study until late at night and fell asleep as soon as he returned to the room.
She was still a virgin, so how could she get pregnant?
But she couldn't tell her mother-in-law about this. Her mother-in-law always called her a "hen that couldn't lay eggs," and made her kneel in the Ancestral hall. Sometimes, she would even resort to the family rules.
She felt wronged and didn't know how many times she had cried in secret.
Once, she was beaten badly by her mother-in-law, and her hands were swollen. She cried to Jiang Wencheng, saying that they should divorce, and she promised not to reveal his secret.
As soon as Jiang Wencheng heard this, he knelt down to her again, crying and begging her to stay. She felt sorry for him and finally couldn't bear his pleas. She gave up the idea of divorce.
The sun grew increasingly harsh, and both the coachman and the horses were panting. The impatient voice came from the carriage, "Hurry up! When will we get there!"
Mister Jiang's voice sounded soft, "Alright, alright, the sun is strong. We can't expect to go that fast."
The coachman stopped and gasped for breath.
A hand wearing two twisted-wire Gold bracelets reached out of the carriage and abruptly lifted the curtain. A black, thin woman in her forties poked her head out and shouted, "Why aren't you moving?"
The coachman in front wiped his sweat and pleaded, "Madam Jiang, it's really too hot. Please allow me to rest and drink some water."
The black, thin woman was Rongyue's mother-in-law, Madam Chen. She had a pair of triangular eyes and a protruding mouth, and impatiently shouted, "You've only been walking for a short while and you want to rest? If we're late, I won't pay you!"
The coachman sighed and reluctantly whipped the horses to continue.
Madam Chen retreated back into the carriage, pulling a long face and fanning herself with a handkerchief. Beside her sat a man in his fifties with white hair and beard, Jiang Yuanfa, Rongyue's father-in-law. He was slightly overweight, wearing a silk robe, and looked somewhat refined.
Jiang Yuanfa was originally a scholar, but Madam Chen's family ran a镖局, and they had considerable wealth.
After Jiang Yuanfa married Madam Chen, he repeatedly failed the imperial examinations, so he gave up and used her dowry to open many shops. He was considered a wealthy household in Changle County and became Mister Jiang.
Jiang Yuanfa said gently, "Why be in such a hurry? It doesn't matter if we arrive a little earlier or later."
Madam Chen glared at him and said with dissatisfaction, "How can it not matter? If your good son could listen to you, would I have to go through so much trouble?"
Jiang Yuanfa knew that his wife was about to start scolding, so he dared not retort and lowered his eyes, saying nothing.
Madam Chen glared at him fiercely and spat, "I was unlucky to marry into your Jiang family! How much silver has your family and your old dead mother spent from my Chen family over the years? Didn't your old mother say that your original wife was divorced, and your eldest son died? Why did he suddenly appear now?"
Not only did he suddenly appear, but he was also a high-ranking official!
If he acknowledged his ancestry, wouldn't her son become a concubine's son?
Jiang Yuanfa didn't dare to look at her and mumbled, "He doesn't want to acknowledge me."
Madam Chen's triangular eyes widened, and her voice rose again, "You useless thing! Since you're his father, you should have him get the person out. How dare he disobey? I don't know what my son is suffering in there…"
As she said this, Madam Chen shed a few tears and wiped them with her handkerchief.