Chapter 2: The Stepmother

  As soon as her foot touched the ground, Ye Qinglan realized just how weak this body was.

  Dizzy and heavy-headed, body aching and weak, just walked a few steps, legs went soft. Don't know how far away the wife's place is, can she make it there...

  Rui Xue saw that her complexion was not quite right, and hastily stepped forward to support her arm, anxiously whispering: "Miss, if you can't hold on, then don't go see the madam!"

  This Rui Xue still has some conscience.

  A faint warmth rose in Ye Qinglan's heart, and she smiled lightly: "It's okay, you help me over."

  Rui Xue nodded slightly and supported Ye Qinglan as they walked forward slowly. With her help, Ye Qinglan felt much more at ease and began to discreetly observe their surroundings.

  Exquisite courtyards, long corridors, scattered flowers and trees, delicate pavilions and buildings, as well as the coming and going of maidservants... everything before my eyes is both real and has a kind of inexplicable illusion, compared to the rough scenes in TVB's ancient costume dramas, it is many times stronger.

  Since you are here, make yourself at home. Being able to live in such an exquisite and luxurious mansion is also a new and interesting experience.

  Yè Qīng's blue lips slightly curled up at the corners.

  The snow is so close to Rui Xue, and naturally, she didn't miss Ye Qinglan's smile. A hint of doubt floated up in her heart. After the young lady woke up, she seemed a bit strange...

  Ye Qinglan knew that Rui Xue had been watching her all along, but she pretended not to know and continued walking forward nonchalantly. It's basically impossible for one person to disguise themselves as another without being detected. Moreover, she was completely unaware of the past events related to this body. She would easily reveal her true identity.

  The best way is to change a little bit at a time. After a long time, the people around you will naturally get used to the new her.

  After turning a long corridor, several spacious main rooms come into view.

  Hongyu led Yeqinglan into the main room and then turned back to the side room from behind the screen.

  Just as she reached the door, a slightly hoarse woman's voice cried out: "Madam, please, find a doctor to take a look at Miss! Miss is really not going to make it..."

  Hong Yu interrupted: "Auntie Zhou, isn't Third Miss fine? What's the point of crying and making a fuss?" Turning her face, she smiled warmly and curtsied to the elegantly dressed noblewoman sitting in the chair: "Madam, Third Miss has personally brought Rui Xue over."

  The wife responded absent-mindedly with a murmur, her sharp eyes fixed intently on Ye Qinglan.

  Zhou's mother, who was kneeling on the ground, suddenly raised her head with a look of surprise and delight. When she saw Ye Qinglan's pale face and slender figure, tears burst out of her eyes. It's great, Miss is really okay...

  Ye Qinglan's attention was now fully focused on his wife.

  The woman in front of her was about thirty-one or two years old, with a pair of long phoenix eyes slanting upwards, a black mole at the corner of her right eye, thin lips, and exquisite makeup. Her clothes seemed to be made of some precious material that shone brightly even indoors.

  Logically speaking, one should pay respects when meeting a stepmother. But what kind of respect is suitable?

  Yeqinglan thought for a moment, then made up her mind. She took a few steps forward and knelt down with a thud, her voice choked: "Filial daughter, let mother worry."

  This seemingly sincere and ambiguous apology is extremely appropriate at this moment.

  "Your father has been busy preparing for your grandfather's 60th birthday celebration and hasn't even had time to drink water. You're not only not helping, but you're also causing trouble at this time. If word gets out, your father, the respected judge of Zhengzhou, will lose face. Your grandparents in Beijing will think what? Your father and I won't be able to show our faces again."

  Yeqinglan squeezed out a few sparkling water droplets: "The daughter knows her mistake..." She wasn't familiar with ancient official positions, but the title of Tongpan seemed quite majestic, it must be a pretty big official!

  This remark also gave her a lot of useful information.

  The lady in front of me, although not fond of the original owner of this body, did not wish for her to die prematurely either. In daily life, she was not overly harsh on her. So, there must be another reason why this young girl sought death.

  Mrs. Yu's anger had not dissipated, and she severely scolded Zhou Mama and Rui Xue: "...... How did you two take care of Lan Jie? You clearly know that she is allergic to the fragrance of apricot blossoms, where did that bottle of apricot blossom perfume come from?"

  "Madam, spare my life! That bottle of apricot blossom fragrance was received as a gift at the beginning of the month and I specifically put it away in a box without daring to use it. I don't know how Miss found it and poured more than half of it into the medicine bowl when we weren't paying attention. By the time I discovered it, it was too late. I really don't know why Miss did this..." She said while crying and wiping away tears.

  The lady snorted coldly and gazed at Rui Xue with an icy stare: "You follow Lan Jie around every day, you should know what's going on!"

  Rui Xue's body shrank back, seemingly thinking of something, and a hint of fear flashed in her eyes. She knelt down and repeatedly kowtowed to beg for mercy, claiming ignorance just like Zhou Mama.

  No, Rui Xue is lying. She must know something!

  Ye Qinglan's doubts grew bigger and bigger in her heart, and she vaguely felt that there was something fishy about this matter. Rui Xue clearly knew the inside story, but didn't dare to say it out loud. Why was that?

  What's even stranger is that the mistress didn't ask her, the person involved, but instead kept asking the servant girl what she knew...

  The madam's eyes flashed, and a hint of cruelty appeared at the bottom of her eyes: "Come on, take Zhou Mama and Rui Xue away, each of them will be beaten with 40 boards." With one order, several tall and robust women walked over, expressionless, and dragged the two people out.

  Zhou Mama Rui Xue's face was deathly pale, but she didn't even dare to beg for mercy, her body trembling nonstop.

  "Wait!" A weak and timid voice faintly sounded.

  The women all paused, subconsciously stopping their movements, and looked towards Ye Qinglan together.

  All of a sudden, the usually introverted and timid young lady mustered up her courage to plead with her mother: "Mother, this has nothing to do with Rui Xue, it's all my fault. Please be lenient and let me off lightly..."

  The wife also seemed somewhat surprised, her sharp eyes fixed on Ye Qinglan's face, her expression deep and solemn.

  Ye Qinglan did not meet her husband's gaze, lowering her eyelids and letting her hands hang quietly by her sides. Her face showed a hint of unease and fear. She was completely like a naturally timid and weak girl, and no one could see any cracks in her demeanor.

  Zhou Mama was both moved and heartbroken, tears streaming down her face. Rui Xue hadn't expected the master to actually be willing to plead for them, her nose stinging, her eyes already moist.

  In an instant, everyone's mind was filled with a thousand thoughts and considerations.

  The lady seemed to have thought of something, and pulled the corner of her mouth: "Lan sister, you are so fond of the people around you, why do you still want to die?" She finally asked this sentence out loud.

  Compared with the tone of asking Zhou Mama and Rui Xue just now, this sentence can be said to be even more gentle.

  Ye Qinglan was just about to present her prepared answer when she suddenly noticed that the lady's eyes seemed a bit strange.

  She felt a slight movement in her heart, and a vague thought flashed through her mind. Her mouth naturally responded: "Mother misunderstood, daughter was being naughty for a moment, wanting to secretly taste the flavor of apricot flower dew, didn't expect her body couldn't handle it for a moment. It ended up startling everyone."

  Madam Danfeng's phoenix eyes slightly raised: "Oh? Is that really so?" A hint of relief flashed across her eyes.

  Only Ye Qinglan probably caught this subtle and swift expression.

  It seems that in order to get past his wife, he can only follow her wishes and continue with the act.

  "It's all a daughter's fault for worrying her mother. Please, Mother, punish me." Ye Qinglan had knelt down more times today than in the past twenty-seven years combined.

  The madam looked at the delicate and beautiful young girl kneeling in front of her, with a very complicated mood, but her face didn't show any emotion. She spoke slowly and calmly: "It's good that you know your mistake, I'll put off punishing you for now, it won't be too late when you're feeling better. Zhou Mama Rui Xue didn't serve you well, she must be severely punished to set an example. Since you begged for mercy, I'll reduce the 40 strokes of the cane to 20!"

  Ye Qinglan nodded slightly, quickly glanced at Zhou Mama and Rui Xue, her eyes filled with apology. Although she had the heart to protect them, unfortunately, she didn't have the ability, and could only do this much!

  Zhou Mama and Rui Xue both had red eyes, and the next twenty slaps were endured with a willing heart.

  The place of punishment was just outside the window, Ye Qinglan could clearly see that the two were tied up with their hands tightly bound to a long bench, with a sturdy and powerful woman standing on either side, holding a long wooden stick, mercilessly striking down again and again. In just five or six blows, their backs and buttocks were covered in bloodstains, a pitiful sight.

  Zhou Mama was beaten until she cried out in pain, but Rui Xue showed a few points of stubbornness, biting her lip tightly and refusing to make a sound.

  Ye Qinglan took a few glances, her heart racing with anxiety, silently warning herself. This was a completely different world, and from today on, she had to adapt well to her new identity and life. She absolutely couldn't let anyone discover that she was an imposter, or else the consequences would be dire.

  At this moment, two young men walked in one after another.

  Ye Qinglan quickly lifted her head and met a pair of clear and warm eyes, which belonged to the brocade-robed young man who had entered first.

  This young man was about fourteen or fifteen years old, with a sword-like eyebrow and starry eyes, handsome in appearance, elegant in demeanor, and a faint smile on his lips, making people feel like they were basking in the warm spring breeze.

  Ye Qinglan had always been a member of the Association of Good Looks, and she suddenly felt a few points of goodwill towards this young man. She couldn't help but take another look at him.

  That young man slightly stunned, and then a flash of light flashed at the bottom of his eyes. Fast to catch unattainable.

  The lady saw the young man and immediately had a smile, her expression suddenly softened: "Yuanchou, you and Yushu are not in the study, why did you come back so early?"

  Before Yuan Zhou could speak, another young man in Chinese clothes smiled and said: "Isn't it better for us to come back early to accompany our aunt?"

  This young man named Yushu is about the same age as Yuanzhou, and he looks quite handsome. His eyes are similar to those of his aunt, with a resemblance of 50-60%. He appears to be his aunt's nephew.

  The wife obviously spoiled this nephew very much, and upon hearing this, she smiled: "Good, good, of course."

  Jade Tree walked over to the lady's side as if no one was around, sat down casually, and popped a fruit into her mouth. Her gaze fell on Ye Qinglan's face, seemingly unintentionally.