Kunning Chapter 35: Revenge

Jiang Xuehui observed her silently, her dark eyes seemingly concealing a subtle sigh. After a prolonged silence, she remarked, "You've been waiting for me to inquire, haven't you?"

Pretending not to hear, Jiang Xuening instead directed her maid in the room, saying, "Mei'er, fetch me a cup of tea. It's a lengthy tale, so take your time."

Mei'er was too indignant to speak.

However, Jiang Xuehui instructed, "Go ahead and serve."

Mei'er hesitated and exclaimed, "Miss, Second Miss!"

Ignoring her, Jiang Xuehui disregarded the outburst.

Taking a deep breath, Mei'er shot a fierce glance at Jiang Xuehui before turning to prepare the tea.

Jiang Xuening chuckled, "My sister truly has a good temper."

Jiang Xuehui only stated, "After all, losing my temper won't make you leave me. There's no distinction between a good temper and a bad temper in that case."

This was truly characteristic of Jiang Xuehui.

She behaved similarly in her past life.

Despite being bullied, she managed to maintain a dignified composure, as if nothing could provoke her anger. Living in this world without even a trace of temper would make a person seem less than human.

Hearing her words, Jiang Xuening strolled around the room, eyeing the delicate beech bed, the intricately carved lacquer twig lotuses, and those newly scented dresses…

She possessed them too.

However, what Jiang Xuehui acquired was bestowed by Mrs. Meng, while Jiang Xuening fought for hers.

"You truly don't resemble as Wanniang's daughter at all." Jiang Xuening delicately picked up a red agate bracelet from her desk. "As far back as I can remember, Wanniang was a remarkably composed individual. We resided in a village in the countryside then, driven out by the mansion, where many people bullied us and spread gossip. I was frightened. Yet, she would step out of the house, stand under the eaves, and retort sentence by sentence with a smile. Can you believe it? Even in such a destitute village, she always adorned herself beautifully, even with the simplest makeup. She could settle scores, read, recite poems, and curse people. She didn't engage with those village women, for she never considered herself one of them. She even forbade other children from playing with me, insisting that I was not the child of a rural peasant woman—I was different. At that time, Wanniang was the most extraordinary, most beautiful, and powerful woman I had ever seen."

Jiang Xuehui, having always lived in this bustling capital, couldn't fathom the rural life, nor could she envision the rustic appearance of the peasant women there, let alone picture a woman standing under the eaves, laughing and scolding others.

Traditional Chinese attire, exquisite cuisine, the arts of the qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting – these were the elements familiar to her.

Yet, everything Jiang Xuening recounted was alien to her.

"When I was a child, I played in the courtyard, chasing dragonflies and plucking peach blossoms. Every now and then, Wanniang would sit on the steps beneath the eaves, watching me, or stand behind the small window doing the same. Back then, I just thought Wanniang's posture and appearance were truly lovely. As I grew a bit older, I could sense that the way she looked at me was actually quite different, always distant, as if lost in another train of thought."

As Jiang Xuening spoke, her voice suddenly took on a hint of mockery, and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips, as if this could suppress a certain bitterness in her heart.

"People used to say Wanniang was the concubine of a wealthy family, and I was her offspring. In short, I hailed from affluence. I thought that Wanniang might desire a return to the capital. So one day, when my mother looked at me in that manner again, I rushed in, took her hand, and said it didn't matter if the mansion didn't allow her to return to the capital. One day, I would bring her back and purchase the finest cosmetics and clothes, so that others could no longer mistreat us."

Even though she was reborn, this memory felt like an era long ago, and she believed she had nearly forgotten it.

But as she spoke, it came to life.

Jiang Xuening even recalled that Wanniang wore three buns that day, and an aged red coral earring adorned her soft earlobe…

"When she turned to look at me, she seemed moved. I felt so happy. However, suddenly, her gaze changed, and she shoved me away. Do you know what Wanniang said to me?" Jiang Xuening showcased the string of red coral bracelets on Jiang Xuehui's delicate wrist, lowering her eyes to appreciate them. "She told me to leave, called me a wretch, and instructed me to return alone if I wanted to go back to the capital."

Her porcelain skin, adorned with the high-quality red coral, resembled a sheet of snow.

Jiang Xuehui found the extreme color contrast unsettling.

The bracelet looked exquisite.

Unfortunately…

Like Wanniang, it did not belong to her.

Jiang Xuening suddenly felt the chilling emptiness, and she laughed. "Wanniang used to be kind to me. I don't even know why she scolded me. Clutching myself in confusion, I sat beneath the eaves and wept, thinking perhaps Wanniang despised the capital, fearing I would reject her if we went there. Or maybe Wanniang detested my father's callousness, thus branding me a wretch. How absurd and pitiful."

After gazing at the bracelet for a while, she decided to remove it. She then walked back to Jiang Xuehui, took her hand, and delicately placed it on her wrist, wearing a gentle expression. "I didn't understand why she scolded me until four years ago when I discovered my life story and recollected everything from the past. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jiang Xuehui slowly clenched her hand, feeling as though the red coral bracelet landing on her wrist was akin to a searing iron, finally lending her voice a tremor of mystery. "Enough, stop talking."

Ignoring Jiang Xuehui's plea, Jiang Xuening continued, "See, God is so unfair. Clearly, you and I have been switched, so we should each have what the other was meant to possess. At the very least, I should have a share of what was rightfully the other's. But Wanniang knew I wasn't her daughter, and her real daughter resided in the capital. Yet, my biological mother remained oblivious to the fact that you weren't her daughter, raising you as her own and dedicating more than ten years to you. Therefore, I not only lack the love of my biological mother, but I don't even have Wanniang's love. You enjoy the love of both, possessing everything, while I…"

I have nothing.

Once again, she seemed to hear the mountain wind whispering from the depths of her heart, sweeping away everything and leaving emptiness. "So, whatever you have, I will have it, and whatever good you have, I will seize it. However, there are some things I can't grab in this life. Before Wanniang died, she was thinking of her own daughter. I was going to be consumed with jealousy, but you dismissed it…"

A "snap."

Jiang Xuehui's countenance finally turned cold. She abruptly stood up, tore off the bracelet she had earlier worn on her wrist, threw it onto the table, and asked, "Why should I care? Why should I ask? You may be jealous, but that doesn't mean I have to be; and what you're envious of may not necessarily be what I desire."

Jiang Xuening looked back at her.

Jiang Xuehui's voice carried an unusual bitterness. "Wanniang is my biological mother, but I have never seen her even once. Moreover, she had ill intentions initially, deliberately swapping you and me, causing all sorts of troubles later on. All the pitiful things stem from hatred. Sister Ning, you are a willful person, but I can't afford to be. I was raised by my mother and learned to be sensible, to protect myself. But regarding matters with Wanniang, I owe her a debt of gratitude; I am not obliged to meddle in Wanniang's affairs due to my mother's kindness. Since I can't satisfy both, why should I put myself in a disadvantageous situation? Furthermore, for over a decade, my mother has nurtured me carefully. Even if she wronged you, I'm not the one at fault. How can you expect me to be so heartless as to hurt her?"

As she said this, a touch of sadness emerged.

She sank back into her seat dejectedly and added, "I understand there's a vast divide between you and your mother now, but when you first returned home four years ago, your mother wanted to make amends with you. Yet, you consistently brought up Wanniang, defied discipline, and probed her sensitive areas, eroding away any sense of guilt. It kept her thinking of Wanniang all the time. I tried to counsel you, but you resented me, and you didn't listen."

Undoubtedly, Jiang Xuehui was a clever individual.

However, this type of shrewdness always sends shivers down Jiang Xuening's spine. "Not everyone in this world can be as calculating as you are, weighing every decision with such a cold-hearted approach that borders on being cold-blooded."

Jiang Xuehui responded, "So you should despise me, and I won't seek revenge on you."

Unable to contain her laughter, Jiang Xuening felt as though she had truly come to understand her only today. For a moment, memories from both her past and present lives flooded her mind. She gazed at Jiang Xuehui and murmured as if in a daze, "Why didn't I realize that you were meant to be a queen…"

Her voice was a mere whisper, so soft that Jiang Xuehui couldn't hear it clearly. However, this didn't stop her from giving the order to show the guest out: "I've spoken so much today. I believe my mother will need time to process it all, and she's been suspicious of me for a long time. You seem content; should you leave?"

Jiang Xuening replied, "It's time to go."

After taking a couple of steps outside, she halted again, casting a profound gaze back at Jiang Xuehui. "I often see Wanniang in my dreams at night. But if you haven't seen her, you probably can't dream of her, right?"

With a smile, she turned to leave.

Inside the room, Jiang Xuehui sat silently, her eyes fixed on the broken string of red corals.

The next morning, when Meng woke up early, she learned from the maid that Jiang Xuening had spent a long time in Sister Hui's room the previous night, conversing until all the lamps had burned out. She also cursed several times. Despite sending someone to call Jiang Xuening for a "talk," she received no response.

After returning from the palace, Jiang Xuening was indeed fatigued, and she enjoyed a restful, dreamless night's sleep.

When the servant from the Meng's quarter arrived, she was applying a warm face towel. Upon hearing that Mrs. Meng wanted to speak with her, she simply chuckled, her voice carrying a hint of warmth. She vaguely said, "Today, I plan to entertain guests and have an appointment with Yan Shizi later. I'm afraid I won't have time to greet my mother. Just let her know to treat me with more respect in the future and refrain from attempting to give me orders. Otherwise, I have the capability to ensure everyone in the capital learns about the background of her cherished 'daughter'…"