Of course, Wu Caiwei still told Xu Hui about the matter after returning, and Xu Hui's expression was somewhat complicated. She sighed, "Although this is a huge pit, if they are willing to jump in, what can we outsiders do?"
"Oh? So, when you were still at the Xu family, did she target you because of this?" Wu Caiwei raised an eyebrow, very satisfied with her reaction. Although she wanted to find a helper and recognized her intelligence, she didn't want someone who was indecisive and overly sympathetic.
Xu Hui nodded, "She often picked quarrels and said ambiguous things. In my opinion, it was jealousy. She even persuaded my stepmother to replace the bride with her. Unfortunately, my stepmother absolutely refused. She must have seen through the trick."
Frankly speaking, Xu Hui actually envied her. At least someone was protecting her.
Seeing that one was willing to fight and the other was willing to be beaten, and Xu Hui was not intervening, Wu Caiwei quickly changed the subject and started talking to her about doing business.
Xu Hui had never imagined that she would ever be involved in business. She had always thought that she would spend her life raising children and managing the household, trapped in that small courtyard.
Unexpectedly, the woman in front of her gave her wings to soar in the sky. Therefore, she studied everything very diligently, did everything very seriously, and was often able to offer some unique insights.
The two of them didn't have much capital and planned to open a ready-to-wear clothing store first.
In just a few short days, Old Master Liu seemed to have aged ten years. He couldn't sleep at night, watching the Liu family's shops disappear one by one. Despite his immense unwillingness, he was helpless.
Finally, all the shops were closed. After covering the losses, only three shops remained in the family. Holding the remaining three land deeds, his hands trembled slightly. He had never imagined that the Liu family would decline under his stewardship.
These remaining three shops were the foundation of the Liu family. No matter what, they could not be lost.
He felt remorse and made a painful decision. He sold off some servants, let others go, and dismissed others. In an instant, only five servants remained in the mansion: one cook, one washer, one doorkeeper, one attendant, and one driver.
Jiang Feng, who was accustomed to a life of numerous servants, had to do everything herself, from fetching water to wash her face, without dedicated help. The drop in living standards was immense, and she was on the verge of a breakdown.
Everyone in the mansion knew that it was because of the Jiang family's affair that they had offended the Ye family, leading to their current predicament. As long as Jiang Feng showed the slightest bit of grievance or pickiness, everyone would glare at her.
She could only swallow her bitterness. In the past, Liu Wenjie would have surely thrown a tantrum. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth; how could he endure such hardship? However, considering that he was not Liu family's biological child and that life would have been even harder if he had been born into the Jiang family, he endured it somewhat guiltily.
Old Master Liu was particularly pleased by this, thinking that his son had grown up and become sensible. After this ordeal, he seemed to have a proper demeanor in everything he did.
Time quickly passed until the day of the Ye family's young master's wedding. Amidst the onlookers, the bridal procession of the Ye mansion set out with music and fanfare.
On the wedding day, the groom was destined not to appear. Although Xu Jia felt a bit disappointed, she became excited again thinking that she would soon become the young mistress of the Ye family, and she impatiently stepped into the sedan chair.
As soon as she got out of the sedan chair, a large rooster was stuffed into her arms. Although she had been mentally prepared, she was still startled and almost threw it away.
The matchmaker, with quick hands, held it down, preventing her from making a spectacle of herself in front of everyone.
She resentfully performed the ceremony with the rooster and was led into the bridal chamber by her maids and servants. The veil was lifted by the matchmaker, and she drank the conjugal wine alone.
At this moment, she suddenly had some regrets. If the Ye family's young master couldn't recover, wouldn't she be destined to be a widow for her entire life?
She also recalled the scene of her bowing to the rooster just now, which would surely become fodder for gossip.
Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. At this moment, her desire to go home was so urgent that she walked to the door and opened it, only to find two expressionless matrons standing outside.
Seeing her, the matrons calmly said, "The master and madam have instructed that as there are many distinguished guests in the front, and the young madam is new and not familiar with our mansion, please move around less to avoid any offense."
Facing them, Xu Jia could clearly see that there was no trace of respect in their eyes, only distance. From a novel website.
This made her confused. She was the young mistress, the future mistress of this mansion, yet why did others not try to curry favor with her, but instead kept their distance? At this moment, she remembered her parents' attitude towards this marriage, and her heart sank, with a bad premonition.
"I won't go to the front; I'll just walk around in the courtyard," Xu Jia tried her best to negotiate.
"This is the order of the master and madam. We are merely following instructions. Please do not make things difficult for the young madam." While saying this, they stood like mountains at the door, refusing to let her out.
Seeing that going out was hopeless, Xu Jia closed the door and walked to the window, trying to open it and climb out from inside.
She quietly opened a small gap and found no one guarding it. Delighted, she fully opened the window, brought a stool, and climbed out with difficulty. She crouched low, avoiding people, and tried to stay in secluded areas.
As she walked, she marveled at the vastness of the Ye mansion. She had walked for so long and still hadn't reached the end. Another strange thing was that despite the lively atmosphere in the front courtyard for the Ye family's young master's wedding, the back courtyard was unusually quiet. Not only were there no red silks hanging, but there was also no red element at all.
Without paying attention, she walked to the entrance of a brightly lit courtyard. Hiding behind a tree, she saw a richly dressed woman hurrying towards this direction.
Seeing the lady adorned with gold and silver and surrounded by servants, Xu Jia frankly felt a bit envious, and also curious. Weren't everyone entertaining guests in the front courtyard? Why was she coming here? This place was so desolate.
After thinking about it, she walked around to the back of the small courtyard and looked inside through the gap in the back door. The back door was neither locked nor guarded, and she was secretly pleased.
She tiptoed to the back of the main house and found a hidden spot to eavesdrop.
"Doctor, is my son really beyond saving?" Madam Ye asked, choking back sobs. Although she had been mentally prepared, at this moment, it was still difficult to accept.
"I am afraid I am powerless, Madam," the doctor said with a grave expression. To have kept Master Ye alive for so long was already his limit.
"Mother, save me, I don't want to die." Hearing the doctor's words, Master Ye pleaded with his mother in fear.
"Mother can't bear to part with you either. If I could, I would exchange my life for yours," Madam Ye cried hysterically.
Hearing this, Xu Jia understood everything. The person living in such a desolate place was her husband. From their tone, it seemed he would not recover. Her heart resisted, she didn't want to be a widow. But what they said next made her cover her mouth in shock, almost letting out a scream.