Free Web NovelChapter 389: Chapter 152: Submerged
Li’an forced a smile. "I’m done with my studies. I just don’t have the aptitude for it, and continuing would be a waste of silver. I might as well learn Grandfather’s craft of making sesame seed cakes now. That way, I’ll at least have a trade to make a living."
Chen Bai said, "What a pity."
Xu Su Ying, however, said, "It’s not a pity at all. There are so many people in this world; it’s not as if there’s only one path in life. If he’s good at making sesame seed cakes, he can still provide for a family. You don’t have to earn a fortune; as long as you can live a stable and peaceful life, that’s what matters..."
Li’an forced another smile. "That’s what I think too."
Wanting to change the subject, Li’an asked Chen Wanqing, "Sister, when did you and Brother-in-law get to the county seat? Uncle said he had to find you for something, but then you all came back together just a little while later. Had you just arrived?"
The others also looked at Chen Wanqing curiously. Chen Wanqing cleared her throat and recounted the day’s events: digging up the ginseng in the morning, selling it in the afternoon, and how she had thoroughly ripped off Mrs. Meng.
They listened as if it were a fairy tale, finding every part of the story simply incredible.
They stared at Chen Wanqing in shock, so she said, "It’s all true. I’m not lying."
There was no need to lie.
Besides, so many people were watching when it happened. Sooner or later, the story would be the talk of the town.
Rather than have everyone guessing wildly later, it was better for her to explain everything clearly now and put their minds at ease.
Chen Bai was thoroughly impressed. He gave Chen Wanqing a thumbs-up. "You two... your luck is just unbelievable! Finding a fifty-year-old ginseng while out picking mushrooms, and then turning around and selling it for a fortune. You couldn’t even make this stuff up for a play."
He clicked his tongue in amazement. "But the key is Jing’s sharp mind. Who else would have even thought of that? But he did, and he followed through. That ginseng was destined to be yours."
Yuzhu laughed. "Mrs. Meng must be absolutely livid, right? Serves her right! My sister wasn’t going to hold a grudge, but she just had to come looking for trouble. Now she’s made a fool of herself. I wonder if she’ll go out of her way to avoid my sister next time she sees her."
Xu Su Ying snorted. "Two hundred and fifty taels of silver? She’s a real moron!"
Chen Wanqing: "..."
’Her mother always had such novel turns of phrase. Even if she didn’t fully understand them, she could get the gist. And when she thought about it, they were actually quite amusing.’
Li’an, on the other hand, was counting on his fingers, calculating how long it would take the sesame seed cake shop to earn two hundred and fifty taels of silver.
The more he calculated, the more crushed and dejected he felt. He was so envious he wanted to cry.
But then, in a flash, he realized there was surely someone out there even more crushed and dejected than he was. At that thought, Li’an finally felt a little better.
And it wasn’t just Mrs. Meng who was devastated at that moment; Chen Wanyue was in no better state.
Mrs. Meng heard that the Holy Decree had come to commend Chen Song’s children and son-in-law for discovering a treasure chest on Xiaoao Mountain—a chest that contained the Queen’s Seal.
She was livid!
At the peak of her fury, the whites of her eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot.
As for Chen Wanyue, when she clearly heard the news spreading from the front of the crowd, she was so furious she snapped her own fingernails.
In a stupor, she stumbled out of the crowd and, without realizing it, wandered to a small river on the outskirts of the city. Chen Wanyue looked down at her reflection in the water and, just as she’d expected, saw a twisted and malevolent face staring back.
Her looks were not bad. While not as radiant or stunning as her cousin’s, she possessed a delicate, girl-next-door beauty. With just a little effort, she could have easily captured the admiration of countless young men.
But because of one ridiculous scheme after another, she had utterly ruined her reputation, falling to a point where people cursed her on sight and even dogs couldn’t be bothered to give her a look.
Chen Wanyue tore at her hair, yanking the rose blossom from it and hurling it into the river. "Why?! Why did I have to suffer and struggle when I was with him, but Chen Wanqing gets to live a good life with him! Why does everything go wrong for me, while their lives are blooming with success! Why am I despised by everyone, while they are admired and adored! Where did it all go wrong?! Wasn’t I reborn?! How is my life still such a complete mess! AHH, AHH, what is happening?! Oh, Heavens, what did I... SPLASH!"
Chen Wanyue never got to finish her sentence. A powerful force slammed into her from behind, and she was shoved violently into the river.
Chen Wanyue couldn’t swim. She flailed in the water. At first, she managed to struggle to the surface and scream, "Help!" while trying to see who had attacked her. But the figure in a yellow dress quickly ran off, leaving only a view of their back. She couldn’t recognize who it was.
But the moment she opened her mouth, it filled with water. The more she struggled and screamed, the faster she sank.
Chen Wanyue thrashed her arms wildly, praying someone would appear to save her.
’Just save me, and I’ll repay you as a slave, a servant—anything!’
But the heavens did not hear her pleas. Gradually, her strength gave out. She stopped thrashing. Her body slowly sank, down and down, until the river’s surface swallowed her completely...
