After Transmigration, Her Whole Family Are Villains

Chapter 21

The stars twinkled in the summer sky.

Flashing one by one, like stove fires lighting up.

Heating up the earth hot.

Night fell, but it did not cool down.

The cries of children gradually diminished.

The barking of dogs also diminished, probably tired.

The croaking of frogs and chirping of cicadas grew more and more passionate.

No air conditioning, no electric fans.

The room was extremely stuffy.

For poor families to enjoy the cool, they usually take off their shirts and sit under trees, waiting for the wind.

The Jiang family also sat under the newly planted big tree.

Everyone was still neatly dressed, no one took off their shirt.

The space under the tree was more open, and occasionally a light breeze, gentle and shallow, at most it could lift Jiang's father's hair tips.

Jiang's father's long gown was made of linen, a little stiff and hard to lift up.

It was so hot that Jiang herself was lying alone in a wooden basin.

The wooden basin was placed on a stone pier, Jiang’s mother held a palm leaf fan in her hand, waving the fan, trying her best to let everyone feel a little breeze.

Jiang could also feel a tiny bit of coolness, but she was a little curious where her little ants had gone. Did Mother move the wooden basin out and see the ants? I hope she didn't step on them... Or would it be in the straw mat?

Whimpering worriedly, she shifted in the wooden basin with creaking noises.

Finally it was Jiang's father who picked her up.

Father was relatively cooler, even in the hot summer he was still cool as jade. To put it nicely, it showed he was a gentleman; to put it badly, it meant he was weak with deficient qi and too frail. Even in the hot weather he still had a delicate constitution.

Leaning in her father's arms, Jiang comfortably watched the sky.

Occasionally hearing father cough lightly beside her face.

Then her injured brother Jiang Feng also coughed twice.

"Cough cough."

"Cough cough cough."

Time passed slowly.

......

The stars twinkled in the sky.

The plaque of Jiang Manor had been eroded by the long years, already faded.

Jiang Rong quietly returned home with the servants and guards.

Unexpectedly, when he entered, the house was brightly lit.

As soon as Jiang Rong entered, he was led into the hall.

In the hall was Grandmother, Mother, Father, all present. His sister Jiang Wan stood by Grandmother's side, signaling to him with her eyes.

Jiang Rong thought to himself, I'm finished, Father is here, he would definitely get a beating today.

"Kneel down!" the dignified man in the hall shouted.

Jiang Rong nimbly knelt down, and the servants and guards behind him knelt down even earlier.

"I told you to go to school, but instead of studying well every day, you fight. Not only that, you even dared to withdraw a hundred taels of silver to go to those dirty places. Looking at you now, you will inevitably cause big trouble sooner or later. Might as well beat you to death early." The man was really angry. Looking at his own son kneeling before him, his eyebrows showed only impatience. He held a long whip, wanting to beat his son personally.

Sitting in the center was an old lady wearing Buddhist robes, with an ethereal expression. The solid gold jade pendant set with emerald dangling from her hand swayed lightly back and forth.

Hearing her son's words, she frowned slightly and said, "What is this talk of death, the child is still young, if he doesn't understand then teach him, how can you just talk about beating him to death. Amitabha, Bodhisattva forgive sins."

Hearing his mother's words, Jiang Huaiyuan frowned even more.

When his younger brother made a mistake back then, his mother was extremely strict. Was it tough love? But now when it came to her own son, no matter what mistakes he made, she wouldn't let others discipline him. This would surely lead to future troubles.

Seeing her husband holding a whip, a graceful and beautiful woman was so worried she wished she could throw herself on her son to protect him.

"Dear husband, first listen to Rong'er explain before deciding on punishment. Rong'er has always been obedient. There must be a reason behind his unusual behavior today." Wu pulled at her husband's sleeve and pleaded coquettishly.

Seeing Wu's actions, the old lady's eyebrows wrinkled slightly, and the pendant in her hand swayed faster.

"Yes, Father and Mother, Grandmother, please listen to my explanation." Jiang Rong immediately stood up and ran to kneel in front of Grandmother, hugging her legs and crying,

"Grandmother, I didn't deliberately fight. It was Jiang Feng who wanted to cheat money and deliberately provoked me, then deliberately injured himself in front of the yamen runners and falsely claimed twenty-two taels of silver from me.

And I withdrew a hundred taels of silver from the treasury not because I wanted to go to those dirty places, but because of my sister's reputation.

That villain Jiang Feng not only cheated my money, he even secretly took my sister’s clothes and embroidered shoes and sold them for twenty taels of silver to those dirty places. I hurriedly withdrew a hundred taels to redeem her belongings to preserve my sister's reputation."

Jiang Wan also knelt down beside her brother.

She couldn't believe Jiang Feng would actually do such a thing. How could he...

She originally didn't have much impression of this elder brother, because he had...

Now hearing about this, she also felt disgusted.

Thinking of her clothes and shoes being worn by those dirty people, she couldn't help shivering in revulsion.

Without saying anything, her tears had already brimmed her eyes and streamed down her face.

Just seeing her like this made one's heart ache and wish to do everything for her.

Jiang Huaiyuan had originally wanted to beat his unfilial son, but had not expected tonight's incident to also involve his usually obedient Wan'er. Holding the whip, he didn't know whether to throw it down or keep holding it.

Jiang Wan was extremely beautiful, inheriting the charm of her mother. Although still a budding beauty, her forehead was smooth and round like her father's, very magnanimous. Her eyes were more like Grandmother’s, moist and affectionate. She had almost flawlessly inherited the best traits of the whole family―bright eyes and white teeth, peerless beauty, yet dignified and elegant.

In contrast, Jiang Rong resembled his stern father in looks.

His eyes were a bit like his mother's, lively and restless, giving off a naughty feel.

As Jiang Wan knelt down, she started blaming herself, "Wan’er was thinking that Elder Sister Yu's clothes were tattered when she visited last time, so she gifted her a set of clothes and shoes that Wan’er extremely cherished. Wan’er didn't expect them to... Wan’er knows she was wrong."

The old lady was so angry her hand shook as she forcefully slapped the armrest.

The solid gold jade pendant set with emerald was also jangled loudly. "That whole family is rotten to the bone. Back then I expelled him from the family, yet you still pleaded for him. Look now, Amitabha, Amitabha."

Wu also couldn't help complaining angrily, "We already gave him a hundred taels back then. And now he first cheated Rong'er of twenty-two taels, then went to those dirty places to swindle another twenty taels. That amount of silver is what ordinary families use for several years! And I heard they even wanted to sell their daughter into servitude. This whole family is truly insatiably greedy."

The old lady was so annoyed by the crying Wu that she went back to her room.

Jiang Rong was sent back and threw himself on the bed, lying prone.

His father had struck heavily this time. Even his clothes were torn.

Jiang Rong had been pampered since childhood, with delicate skin and tender flesh that would be bruised from a pinch. Now his back was criss-crossed with ghastly welts.

Seeing this, the old lady felt distressed and bestowed a jade pillow for him to lay his stomach on, so it would be cooler.

She also ordered the servants to move in two ice buckets and place them near the door, directing the maids to fan him with the cold air, so the wind blowing towards him would be cooler.

Seeing Wu's tears, the old lady really couldn't stand watching and left.

Seeing her son's back, Wu couldn't help crying and wailing, "How could your Father be so heartless? It's all that black-hearted family's fault. Remember to avoid them in the future. Wherever they go, misfortune follows. No good will come of them."

Seeing her daughter still standing there, she was even more furious: "You blockhead, fool, if it wasn't for you, your brother wouldn't have been beaten. Go back to your room."

Jiang Wan looked at her brother's back, which wasn't badly hurt, and felt quite heartbroken, because her brother was injured because of her. She couldn't help but say: "Brother, don't worry, good and evil will eventually be repaid."

Jiang Rong cried out in pain, but he wasn't actually hurting that much. The room was nice and cool and comfortable.

He waved his hand to call his sister back, not wanting her to see him in such an embarrassing state. "I'm fine, don't worry about me."

After Jiang Wan had gone back, it was just his mother in the room. Jiang Rong didn't want to pretend anymore. He tried to get up, but when he turned over he felt a pain in his waist where Jiang Feng had kicked him.

Even though the guards had been holding Jiang Feng back, he had still tried to come and kick him.

Jiang Rong suddenly became curious and asked: "Mother, why was second uncle expelled from the family by Grandmother back then? What mistake did he make?"

Jiang Rong felt Grandmother was very kind and benevolent. Second uncle must have done something unforgivable for Grandmother to banish him from the family.

When asked this question, Wu's face looked a little uncomfortable.

She hadn't actually known at first, and it turned out to have something to do with her.

Aunt Yao had said that Second Uncle had peeped at her while she was bathing, and had found her clothes hidden in his room.

Fortunately the Old Lady had believed her, and she was innocent.

Otherwise her reputation would have been ruined beyond redemption.

Wu had come from a prestigious family, and had always complained about how the Jiang family had dragged her down to live in the countryside.

After this incident, she didn't complain anymore, and was actually very grateful to her mother-in-law. She used to think her mother-in-law was petty and nosy, but after this incident she realized the Old Lady was fair-minded and upheld justice, and had protected her reputation as a daughter-in-law by banishing her own son from the family.

However, when she thought about the banished young man who had looked so refined and handsome, she was shocked that he had harbored such vulgar thoughts about her.

He had no moral principles.

But deep down she also felt a little proud, thinking that he must have been bewitched by her heavenly beauty and unparalleled looks, which led him to make that mistake.

When Jiang Rong saw his mother lost in thought without answering his question, he said he was going to sleep and turned over.

Wu nagged him for a few more things before leaving.

After his mother had left, Jiang Rong lay still for a while but couldn't get comfortable. His waist still felt vaguely painful where Jiang Feng had kicked him, which made him very angry. He took it out on his guard in frustration, casually picking up things from beside the bed and throwing them.

"Didn't you say that Jiang Feng had been hit in the head by your weapon and hadn't been able to fully escape, how could he still go to Lichun Yard today?"

The guard wasn't annoyed at being hit. On the contrary, he comforted: "Young Master, just wait until tomorrow when you see them. The money they got will only be enough to buy him a coffin."