A Willing Mistake, My Lady – Chapter 27
by Little PandaDog-Skin Plaster
Midsummer heat, a waist cool and fine
“If you have something to say, get up and say it properly.” She looked coldly at Li Qingmei, who was putting on an act as if she were about to die.
She had never considered herself a woman overflowing with sympathy. Though Li Qingmei’s circumstances were wretched and life under Wu Daoyuan was hardly bearable, some feminine intuition made her inexplicably loathe the girl.
“Jiejie, I cannot remain at Wu Manor any longer. The fact that brother-in-law rescued me from the flower-picking thief1 is now common knowledge. At the time… at the time… I was not wearing clothes… brother-in-law helped dress me. Jiejie, please show mercy and accept me as his concubine. My reputation is already ruined. You and brother-in-law are good people; I am willing to serve you both.” Li Qingmei looked at Jiang Chenyu with pitiful eyes. She had the face of a celestial maiden, jewels and finery without end, a husband as fine as jade—she lacked for nothing. What harm could come from sharing brother-in-law with her? A person’s blessings, if too abundant for their fate, would shorten their lifespan. Giving brother-in-law to her would be building good karma for herself.
“Who is your jiejie? Don’t put on this pitiful act for me. Given that Wu Daoyuan is truly less than human, if you know what’s good for you, I’ll find you a husband in a town farther away. But if you intend to shamelessly cling to my husband, you have miscalculated.” Jiang Chenyu narrowed her eyes, her long lashes sweeping sideways; she did not even grant her a direct look. Out of consideration for the fact that the girl’s plight mirrored her own past, she had offered a clear path forward. Though Jiang Chenyu knew the girl’s previous words were false, she was already angry.
“Jiejie, you cannot be so jealous. Even without me, there will be others in the future. Besides, with this body that has been seen by others, how could I seek another man? Brother-in-law is kindhearted; if you speak to him, he will surely agree. If jiejie refuses, I will have no path but death. Jiejie, we are both girls who have suffered a stepfather’s abuse. Since brother-in-law could accept you, he will certainly accept me.” Though she did not know whether anything had happened between Jiang Chenyu and Wu Daoyuan, it was easy to guess—especially after Wu Daoyuan had taken all manner of liberties with her. In a flash, she understood: a beautiful orphaned girl stripped of her mother’s protection, and a lecherous old widower in middle age. Given that, who could say whether Jiang Chenyu had been a virgin before marriage? Li Qingmei looked at Jiang Chenyu with a hint of threat, as though the Ren and Du meridians2 had suddenly opened within her.
Jiang Chenyu’s amorous peach-blossom eyes gradually chilled. This idiot truly did not know when she was being shown mercy. She rose, circled the table, and looked down at Li Qingmei from above.
“All beings suffer; only self-deliverance saves3. Do not always think of stealing what belongs to others. Open your eyes, go back, and look hard in the mirror—where do you find the gall to come and steal my man? If you dare break into my manor again, I will spend silver to have you sold to Java4, where you will spend your life picking fruit alongside monkeys until you become one yourself.” Jiang Chenyu despised her; the more she spoke, the more her anger vented.
Li Qingmei was stunned. This person looked soft and easily bullied; normally she was never so venomous and unhinged. Had all that reasonableness and empathy been an act?
“You lie. Brother-in-law is a bailiff at the yamen. He would never allow you to do such a thing.”
“Hmph. Why would I let him know about killing to silence people and trafficking women? Even if he found out, what could he do? By then you would already be keeping company with monkeys.” Jiang Chenyu bent down and spoke beside Li Qingmei’s ear. Hmm, talking nonsense felt rather satisfying.
Li Qingmei did not truly believe she could be sold to Java, but she was frightened by the woman’s sudden shift in demeanor—because her eyes truly did not look like they were joking. Just as she did not know what to do, she ran into Shen Hetang, who had returned home and come looking for Jiang Chenyu.
Li Qingmei still wanted to try her luck, to see if brother-in-law might be willing to take her into his bed. What cat does not steal fish? No matter how beautiful a wife, after a long time, would he not want a new face? She tilted and collapsed to the ground, deliberately revealing a bruised, purple arm as if it had been pinched, intending to frame Jiang Chenyu.
“Aiyo, what is this? Why is Miss Li here?” Looking at the woman sprawled on the ground, Shen Hetang was completely baffled.
“Brother-in-law, don’t blame jiejie. I simply didn’t stand steady and knocked myself.” As she spoke, she cast a fearful look toward Jiang Chenyu. That sentence made Shen Hetang wonder if Li Qingmei was a transmigrator too. Such classic tea talk5—she regarded the girl with fresh scrutiny.
Jiang Chenyu watched the two of them coldly, not saying a word. Then she heard Shen Hetang speak: “Since you are unhurt, get up and go back. My household is about to dine; we will not keep Miss Li for the meal.” Jiang Chenyu’s cold brows and eyes lost their composure; she nearly choked on her own spit. Shen Hetang saw her choke and naturally poured tea for her.
“I didn’t see you when I returned. What are you doing here?” Seeing the pile of ledgers in the study, she guessed Jiang Chenyu was sorting accounts.
Jiang Chenyu did not pick up his thread. Seeing Li Qingmei still not getting up and leaving, she called outward: “Chuntao, see Miss Li out.”
Chuntao had already seen Li Qingmei in the young mistress’s study. She glanced at her young mistress; seeing that she had not been instructed to do anything, she had kept watch from not far away. Now, hearing the order, she rushed straight in and dragged the girl up.
“Hurry and leave. Next time, use the main gate—but even if you do, I won’t let you in. Be sensible and don’t come again.” She had also heard about the flower-picking thief affair from the other day, but she had not expected this person to try to foist herself onto the young master. “If you truly feel too ashamed to face others, cut yourself into eight pieces and give one to each man in every household; don’t ruin our young master alone.” Chuntao pushed and dragged the girl out the door.
Li Qingmei looked at Chuntao in disbelief. Truly, what kind of master raises what kind of servant. This was the third critical blow of the day. She had a vague illusion of not knowing who she was or why she had come. Wasn’t this how it always went in operas? As long as an outside woman went to make a fuss at the principal wife, even if the principal wife was unwilling, she would accept the woman as a concubine for her husband’s sake, to preserve face. How did it change when it came to her!
The air pressure in the study seemed rather low. Shen Hetang felt an inexplicable chill, and it was certainly not welcome.
“Chenyu, let’s go eat!” By now she was starving. She had been busy with the aftermath of the flower-picking thief case. It was a major case; though the man was imprisoned, there were still many days of paperwork before the execution.
“Go eat by yourself. I’m not hungry!” Her words were light and airy, betraying neither joy nor anger.
“Oh, right—what did Miss Li come for?” Before she stepped out, she asked casually.
But for some reason, the air felt even colder—though it was clearly the middle of summer. “She came looking for me, wanting to marry you as a concubine.” Spoken still in that light, airy tone, but beneath the table her fingers were tightly gripping her sleeve, and her gaze was studying Shen Hetang’s expression.
“What? Be my concubine? What a joke. I was only fulfilling a bailiff’s duty. Wife, I have nothing with her—you mustn’t drive me out!” Only now did she finally feel like a married person. She had nearly remarked on how stifling the air was for midsummer—definitely abnormal.
Jiang Chenyu looked at his flustered manner, and her expression softened slightly. The fingers gripping her sleeve gradually loosened.
“All right, let’s go eat.” The two rose and returned to their room to eat. The main hall of her courtyard was very small, with no dining table set up. The two had always eaten at the small table by the window in the bedchamber. Jiang Chenyu found it quite atmospheric, so she was not in a hurry to clear out the main hall. In any case, it did not hinder receiving guests there, and the bedchamber was spacious and bright.
The weather was hot. Beneath her clothes, Shen Hetang wore the chest-binding undergarment6; at the chest, the interior was lined with something resembling leather. She did not know what kind of hide it was, but she truly did not want to wear it while sleeping. She had commissioned two more copies of this undergarment from the old woman, who only cared about taking money and doing the work; as long as she was paid silver, she would do anything. The garments were made with processed cowhide and buckles that tightened. Once worn, even if someone accidentally bumped into her, they would likely assume it was pectoral muscle. After all, the touch was not soft, and it also made her figure appear more upright.
But in the dog days7 of summer, it was already stifling; added to the ceaseless chirping of cicadas outside—it was driving her mad!
Watching Jiang Chenyu discard even her gauze outerwear, wearing only hip-length shorts and a satin breast wrap that failed to cover her waist, Shen Hetang suspected she was doing it on purpose. In the middle of the night they sometimes inevitably rolled together, and wherever they touched was slick and cool.
In summer, Jiang Chenyu’s body was still quite cool, unlike her own burning palms. So after falling asleep at night, she could not necessarily stop herself from seeking cool places.
After thinking it over again and again, she removed the chest-binding undergarment and put on two layers of underclothes. She could already imagine the look Jiang Chenyu would give her—she would surely find her abnormal. Truly, this was exactly what the Great Sage8 meant: utterly infuriating!
Before the lamps were blown out at night, Jiang Chenyu suddenly noticed that he was wearing two layers of underclothes in the dog days of summer. Looking at the secretly overlapping double rows of lapels at the collar, Jiang Chenyu asked in puzzlement: “Ah Tang, this… in this weather, why have you added more clothes? Could it be you’re afraid I’ll turn into a female spirit in the middle of the night and suck out your soul?”
Her eyes rippled with light, carrying a smile, like a flower spirit just descended the mountain seeking prey, temptation laced with innocence. Suddenly she let her half-gathered beautiful hair fall loose and casual.
Shen Hetang hurriedly turned away. She could not bear the sight of Jiang Chenyu with her hair casually loosened. This fucking life—might as well give in!
“Miss, you are already a spirit now. Spare this young scholar.” She folded her arms and lay on her side toward the door.
“But seeing you wrapped up so tight, are you not keeping yourself pure as jade for some other little spirit?” A soft, boneless little hand slid down Shen Hetang’s neck to her lapel, tugging it outward bit by bit, pulling open the already loose lapel to reveal a patch of bright white.
Shen Hetang truly could endure no more. She raised a hand to pull Jiang Chenyu’s fingers away, rearranged the lapel, turned and said: “Lately this room has grown rather cool. My stomach is a bit unwell today; I cannot wear too little, or it will ache.”
Her face reddened, though it was hard to notice in the dim candlelight.
“You couldn’t have already taken a wife before, could you?” Jiang Chenyu asked suddenly.
“How could I?” Shen Hetang answered quite readily, but then froze. How would she know whether there had been or not?
Jiang Chenyu saw that he was no longer speaking. Her heart leaped into her throat, and her eyes seemed to hold a watery gleam as she looked at him.
Wrong, wrong. Jiang Chenyu had led her into a ditch. She was disguised as a man; first, she could not have a man, and second, she certainly could not have a woman, or else her identity would be exposed.
Looking up, she saw Jiang Chenyu on the verge of tears, biting her lip with a pitiful look—not the fake kind, but truly pitiful.
“No, absolutely not, and impossible in the future too. Don’t cry!” Ah, so this was what girls were like? The last time she had cried was probably at a funeral more than ten years ago.
Hearing this, Jiang Chenyu calmed slightly and wanted to embrace Shen Hetang.
This won’t do. If Jiang Chenyu lay on top of her, she would give herself away.
“Turn around. I’ll hold you.” She helplessly turned the person over, back facing her. This life was impossible!
“Mm…!” Jiang Chenyu pouted. Settling for the next best thing was fine too, as long as he was not keeping himself for some other little spirit.
Shen Hetang took a thin silk blanket, placed it over her chest, and reached out vengefully to tighten her grip around Jiang Chenyu’s waist. Long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles pressed directly against Jiang Chenyu’s smooth, delicate waist. Too slender—one arm could circle it entirely.
Could anyone truly be born with such a slender waist and full breasts? She had always thought it was all fake.
But the somewhat cool skin, smooth and rather pleasant to touch—her palm unconsciously treated Jiang Chenyu’s waist as a plaything, rubbing and pinching. The person in her arms bit her lip, too shy to make a sound…!
Footnotes
- A cǎihuā dàdào (literally 'flower-picking thief') is a term for a criminal who targets women, typically a serial rapist in historical contexts.
- The Rèn and Dū meridians are two primary energy channels in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts; opening them is a metaphor for sudden enlightenment or unlocking hidden potential.
- A Buddhist-inspired saying meaning all living beings suffer, and salvation can only be achieved through one's own effort.
- Historical name for the island of Java (Zhǎowā), in what is now Indonesia; used here as a hyperbolic threat.
- A modern internet slang term (chá yán chá yǔ) describing speech that feigns innocence and victimhood while delivering veiled digs or manipulation.
- A tight-fitting undergarment (xiǎoyī) lined with processed cowhide and tightening buckles across the chest, designed to flatten the breasts and create the appearance of pectoral muscles.
- The three fu periods (sān fú), the hottest and most humid days of summer in the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar.
- The Great Sage Equal to Heaven (Qí Tiān Dà Shèng), the title of Sun Wukong from Journey to the West. In modern internet culture, his exclamation 'Utterly infuriating!' is a popular meme expressing exasperation.
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