Luck Reliant Beauty – CH 168

Chapter 168: Abandonment

Looking at Shao Xiaozi, who was staring wide-eyed and eager for knowledge, Jiang Mi suddenly felt an urge to punch him! Was this how you asked the person involved?

Seeing Jiang Mi’s displeasure, Shao Xiaozi realized his question might have been inappropriate. He stuck out his tongue and quickly said, “Xu Er, it’s good you’re here. General Zhao and the others have been talking about you.”

Jiang Mi snorted inwardly, bypassed Shao Xiaozi, and greeted the Zhao brothers.

The Zhao brothers really did not know how to interact with her now. Seeing her bow, they quickly and politely returned the greeting.

Jiang Mi had always wanted to come back and visit, but seeing the expressions on their faces, she knew that after her identity was revealed, things could never go back to the way they were before.

Not wanting to put them in a difficult position, Jiang Mi exchanged a few words with them before taking her leave. As soon as she returned to her carriage, a sense of dejection washed over her.

Jiang Mi’s carriage had only gone halfway when Cui Ziying rushed towards her. Upon seeing Jiang Mi, Cui Ziying disregarded Jiang Mi’s male attire, pulled her aside, and whispered urgently, “Sister-in-law, something terrible has happened! Grandmother and the others all know you’re my sister-in-law!”

What? Jiang Mi was startled.

Seeing her confusion, Cui Ziying hurriedly whispered, “It was a maid… She secretly likes Brother and has never believed he’s really gay, so she’s been paying attention to you. These past few days, when we were in a safe place and Brother was not there, A Wu was less vigilant. It seems she saw you changing clothes while hiding behind a screen somewhere!”

Jiang Mi’s eyes widened.

After arriving in a safe place, not only A Wu but she herself had indeed been less vigilant. No wonder she felt like she was being spied on when she washed off her disguise last night!

Jiang Mi pursed her lips and calmly whispered, “Now that Grandmother has discovered my identity, have they said how they are going to deal with this?”

Cui Ziying’s face was grim. She said softly, “Everyone says that Big Brother clearly knew Sister-in-law’s true identity, yet he’s been covering for you for so long. It must mean Sister-in-law has indeed lost her chastity. Some people even say that Sister-in-law slept with those rough men in the army camp. If that got out, everyone would be ashamed. They…they said…”

Looking at Jiang Mi for a moment, Cui Ziying said softly, “They said that Sister-in-law is no longer fit to be a wife of the Cui clan, and…she has to be demoted from wife to…concubine…”

The last few words were particularly difficult for Cui Ziying to utter, so she spoke haltingly. And as she said this, she looked at Jiang Mi with a sympathetic expression. After all, she genuinely admired her sister-in-law after Xu Er’s impressive display of talent last time.

“Demoting a wife to a concubine?”

Jiang Mi smiled. Strangely enough, if she had heard such words before, she would have been heartbroken, but now she was quite calm.

Jiang Mi, hands behind her back, looked at Cui Ziying and slowly asked, “Where’s your elder brother? What did he say?”

Cui Ziying shook her head. “Elder Brother does not know about this yet.” She then added, “Elder Brother was supposed to return today, but he’s being held up by the Clan.”

After a slight pause, Cui Ziying continued, “…This kind of thing might not need Elder Brother’s approval; the Clan can decide for themselves.”

Cui Ziying was extremely anxious, her eyes filled with worry as she looked at Jiang Mi.

Jiang Mi looked up at Cui Ziying, whose nose was beaded with sweat, and suddenly whispered gently, “Thank you. Thank you for your kindness.”

Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from behind. Cui Ziying turned her head quickly, her pupils shrinking instantly when she saw the dozens of Cui family guards hurrying towards her on horseback. She paced anxiously, sweating profusely, and cried out, “What to do? What to do now?”

Jiang Mi remained calm. She stood with her hands behind her back, watching the Cui family guards scatter and surround her. When they stopped in front of her, Jiang Mi spoke first, her voice remarkably calm and gentle: “In that case, let’s go.”

With that, Jiang Mi led the way forward.

After taking a few steps and seeing the guards blocking her path, Jiang Mi looked at them with surprise and whispered, “Were you not here to invite me to see Old Madam Cui? What? Have you changed your minds?”

Her demeanor at this moment was truly peaceful and composed, displaying a remarkable air of composure. The guards exchanged glances, then one of them brought a carriage. He lifted the curtain and bowed to Jiang Mi, saying, “Please!”

Jiang Mi nodded and gracefully boarded the carriage.

When Jiang Mi arrived at the mansion, she was surprised to find that among the Cui Clan members, more than a dozen highly respected figures, led by Old Madam Cui, were present. Several members of the Six Clans sat among the other women, looking at her smugly.

It was no wonder they were smug. Both Jiang Mi’s background and Xu Er’s gender were a great humiliation to the Six Clans women, and now that their thorn was about to be removed, they were naturally overjoyed.

Jiang Mi glanced at the crowd and continued walking towards Old Madam Cui and the others at the head of the table.

It seemed these members of the Cui Clan family truly valued this matter; they were all dressed in formal attire, their air of aristocratic refinement, cultivated only by powerful families, was now unmistakably displayed.

Jiang Mi strode up to Old Madam Cui.

After bowing to Old Madam Cui, Jiang Mi asked frankly, “I heard Old Madam was looking for me?”

Old Madam Cui had been watching her intently, observing her every expression and movement from the moment she entered the room.

After a while, Old Madam Cui said in a hoarse voice, “Xu Er, some people say you were originally a married woman; is that true?”

Whether she was a married woman or not could be determined with a physical examination; it could not be hidden. Jiang Mi lowered her eyes and calmly replied, “It is true.”

Almost immediately after Jiang Mi uttered those three words, “It is true,” the room erupted in excitement. The women, in particular, could not contain their joy and began to discuss it. At this moment, an old man coughed.

Silence fell.

Madam Cui, her face cold, nodded slightly and then asked in a hoarse voice, “Some people say you’re not Xu Er but Lady Jiang, whom my Xuan’er married; is that true?”

Upon hearing Old Madam Cui’s words, not only she but also many people around Jiang Mi held their breath.

In the absolute silence, under Old Madam Cui’s intense gaze, Jiang Mi lowered her eyes. After a long while, she replied softly in a hoarse voice, “Yes.”

A sudden uproar erupted in the room.

As Old Madam Cui abruptly stood up, Jiang Mi added, “I’m Lady Jiang.”

Old Madam Cui slumped backward onto the couch.

Seeing that Old Madam Cui was momentarily speechless, an old man named Clan coughed and then spoke slowly, “Lady Jiang, wash off your disguise and prove to us that you’re indeed Lady Jiang.”

As soon as he finished speaking, several maids came over, some carrying washbasins and others carrying towels.

Jiang Mi slowly turned around, calmly looking at a guard who had once served Cui Zi Xuan, and said gently, “Excuse me, please go to Cui Zi Xuan’s bedchamber. There’s a small bundle under the bed; please fetch it for me.”

The guard bowed and strode away.

A short while later, the guard returned with the bundle.

Jiang Mi took it.

She poured a little rice flour from a bamboo tube inside the bundle. After mixing the rice powder with water, Jiang Mi wiped it on her face and then carefully washed it with a towel.

A short while later, when Jiang Mi looked up again, an unusual silence fell over the room.

Among the six women, several had heard of Lady Jiang’s name but had never seen her in person. Seeing this pale-faced woman with exquisitely beautiful features, they all thought simultaneously: No wonder Young Master Cui was so infatuated with her!

Although Jiang Mi’s appearance had changed somewhat from six months ago, the elders of the clan recognized her at a glance.

At that moment, an old man with slant eyes shook his head, his expression turning cold as he stared at Jiang Mi. He shouted, “Lady Jiang, do you know your mistake?”

Jiang Mi looked up, calmly meeting the old man’s gaze, and replied softly, “I do not know.”

“Do not know?” The old man sneered. In fact, he was not the only one sneering; most of the people in the room were doing so.

After a brief, cold laugh, the old man coughed again. Once the room was quiet, he slowly said to Jiang Mi, “Every family has its rules and regulations. Lady Jiang, you left home just days after your wedding and have been gone for years. Are you truly without fault?”

Jiang Mi pursed her lips, looked up at the old man, and asked gently, “The matter is already laid bare. Why do you not just state your decision?”

Perhaps Jiang Mi’s expression was too calm, so calm that it stunned many people. Seeing the old men exchange glances and hesitate, Li Jun’er could not help but murmur, saying rather sharply, “In our kind of family…”

Before she could finish, Old Madam Cui glared at her. This glare made the usually impulsive Li Jun’er pale, and she quickly shut her mouth.

At this moment, another elder spoke up. This elder, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them and glanced at Jiang Mi, saying in a deep voice, “Lady Jiang, you’ve been away from home for half a year without reason. Even in ordinary families, this is unacceptable. As Old Jiu said, every family has its rules and regulations. My Cui Clan of Boling has maintained a thousand-year reputation for integrity, and there are some things we absolutely cannot tolerate. If you cannot prove your innocence during these past six months, then do not blame your masters for being ruthless. We will open the ancestral hall and remove your title as Xuan’er’s legal wife.”

He then coughed and slowly added, “However, considering Xuan’er’s deep affection for you and your talent, you can still remain by Xuan’er’s side as a concubine!”

These matters had been discussed before Jiang Mi’s arrival. Therefore, when this old man of the clan spoke to Jiang Mi, it was not a discussion. In fact, his request for Jiang Mi to prove her innocence over the past six months was purely perfunctory; he was simply declaring the verdict.

Of course, demoting Jiang Mi to a concubine was a final decision made after they were reluctant to part with her talent and good fortune and had intended to keep her with the Cui family.

Hearing the old man’s final announcement, the women behind Jiang Mi could not help but smile.

Jiang Mi remained calm. She raised her head, quietly looking at the old men, and softly said, “No need.”

As everyone looked up at her, Jiang Mi lowered her eyes, a bitter smile playing on her lips. Her expression was somewhat dazed, yet her eyes held an overwhelming calm and composure. All they heard was her hoarse voice saying, “There’s no need for that. You can divorce me.” She smiled, her pale and beautiful face displaying an extremely cold and aloof demeanor. In a hoarse voice, Jiang Mi said calmly, “I foresaw this day long before I left. Since things have come to this, Jiang Mi will not ask for your forgiveness.”