Chapter 5: The Shameless Beast

The matron’s nephew by her maiden family had already taken a second wife. He was over thirty, addicted to gambling and drink. Whenever he lost at the tables, he would go to a shabby tavern by the roadside and drink himself into a stupor. When he returned home, he would beat and kick his wife. Both of his wives had been tormented to death by him.

His first wife had not lived two years after the wedding. Pregnant at the time, she had been driven to utter misery, and both mother and child died together.

The second had fared even worse. Barely a hundred days after the marriage, she was beaten so savagely that her whole body was covered in wounds and she died miserably, a sight too horrible to behold.

And yet the matron had long enjoyed the old madam’s favor in the household. She devoted herself day and night to serving the old madam, always anticipating her wishes, and so the old madam found her most agreeable and treated her with uncommon regard.

In her youth, the matron had once been married as well. Later her husband died young, and her mother-in-law insisted it was she who had brought him to an early grave. She threatened death to prevent her from marrying again.

When that mother-in-law at last reached her end, the matron herself had already grown old, and she abandoned all thought of remarriage, settling into a life of labor.

She had never borne a son or daughter in her life. Now that she was old and had no hopes left, she simply cherished that nephew from her maiden family as though he were her own flesh and blood, indulging every request and granting every demand.

The two women previously married to the nephew had both been servant girls purchased for the household, personally bestowed by the old madam. Once dead, they were dead; their lives were worth less than those of cats or dogs. They were wrapped in a torn mat and thrown into the mass grave, not even given a proper burial mound.

So when Mu Jin heard that Yun Jiao meant to marry her off to that man, she was instantly frightened out of her wits.

Yun Jiao said nothing. She went around Mu Jin, sat down on the octagonal stool by the table, and set the half bowl of bird's nest soup back into the food box.

She tore off a small piece of cold flatbread and ate it with a mouthful of millet porridge, chewing slowly before swallowing.

Then she picked up a handkerchief and lightly wiped her lips, and only then did she speak at last. "Mu Jin, think carefully. Besides those words, is there anything else you should tell me?"

Mu Jin shuddered all over. Two lines of clear tears slid down her cheeks, and she knocked her forehead to the floor. "Miss, this servant was in the wrong. I beg you to spare me!"

"Where, exactly, were you wrong?" Yun Jiao asked, turning her head to look at her.

"It was... it was the lady master's son-in-law. He told me that if I helped him deceive Jian Jia and leave you alone..." Mu Jin lay prostrate on the floor, weeping bitterly. "He... he would take me as a concubine."

Yun Jiao slightly furrowed her brows, not angered, only seeming a little doubtful. "And so you were tempted?"

"No..." Mu Jin stammered. "He said that if I would not agree, he would ask you to hand me over to him, and he would torment me to death. I was afraid, and that was why... Miss, I have been utterly loyal to you, with no second thoughts!"

"If you were loyal, then why did you not tell me when such a thing happened?" Yun Jiao's gaze turned cool as it moved over Mu Jin's face. "You should know that even if he asked me for you, if I did not agree, he could not force the matter."

"I was foolish. I did not think of that for a moment..." Mu Jin lowered her head deeply, her shame evident.

"In that case, you truly took a liking to the wealth of my second maternal uncle's family, and wanted to be a concubine to that man surnamed Shen?" Yun Jiao asked, studying her closely.

"This servant..." Mu Jin faltered, unable to say anything.

The curtain at the door was lifted, and Jian Jia walked in. Seeing the scene inside, she merely paused, her expression showing no surprise.

"What did Foxtail Millet say to you?" Yun Jiao asked, taking a small sip from the teacup on the table. She only felt the tea's fragrance rich and lingering; after a moment, sweetness returned on the tongue, and on careful savoring there came even a trace of borneol's cool scent. She felt somewhat heartened.

Loose tea could not compare to compressed tea, but even as loose tea, her second uncle's household had rare sweet dew fragrance tea.

Jian Jia glanced at Mu Jin kneeling on the floor, then looked toward Yun Jiao.

"Say whatever you wish," Yun Jiao said softly as she set down the teacup.

"Foxtail Millet said that, because the miss came in such haste, Auntie did not have the chance to explain certain matters in detail. Auntie asked the miss to be especially careful of Second Uncle's son-in-law, Mr. Shen." Jian Jia seemed somewhat embarrassed and her cheeks colored faintly. "Before, because the miss was still young, Auntie had some matters she did not mention in front of you.

"Now that the miss is growing older, and is wise and clear-sighted, and is here alone, Auntie said that it is most important for the miss to protect herself, and so she can no longer be concerned with so much else."

Yun Jiao already understood somewhat and gave a slight nod.

Jian Jia continued, "Although Auntie has lived for years in the Imperial Capital, she has often corresponded with her maiden family.

"It is said that this Mr. Shen has always been lecherous and utterly shameless. In Lai Prefecture City, so long as he lays eyes on any respectable woman, he will find every possible way to harass her.

"But Auntie said that a man's loose living is not in itself a great shame. Only, this Mr. Shen has gone too far. The miss must be careful. In recent years, for some reason, he has especially taken to..." Jian Jia's face grew crimson with embarrassment as she spoke, and she looked extremely indignant.

"What has he especially taken to?" Yun Jiao knew from Jian Jia's expression that it must be something too shameful to say aloud.

"This Mr. Shen is nothing but a beast. He has a fondness for girls who have not yet fully grown!" Jian Jia clenched her teeth and burst out all at once, stamping her foot. "I heard there was even once a death involved. That little maid's brothers and parents came to make a scene, and were all sent off with silver by the young lady."

At first hearing this, Yun Jiao only felt a heaviness in her chest, as though a breath were stuck there. She opened her mouth and nearly retched.

Jian Jia hurried forward, gently patting her back to ease her breathing, softly trying to soothe her.

Once the urge to vomit subsided somewhat, Yun Jiao stroked her chest, trying to disperse the suffocating oppression. The more she thought about it, the more she felt a chill run through her entire body. She was disgusted to the point of nausea and ground out through clenched teeth, "That brute defies all propriety, without the least shame. He deserves to be cast into the deepest hell!"

"Indeed. Why does Thunder God not strike him dead!" Jian Jia cursed along with her.

After a moment, when she had steadied herself, Yun Jiao asked again, "Does Auntie have any other instructions?"

Seeing that she had calmed somewhat, Jian Jia went on, "Also, the miss knows that when Auntie married out, she already knew Second Uncle and his wife were displeased about her dowry. These years, though far apart and not often meeting, relations among the relatives have eased somewhat, but the knot in their hearts has never truly been untied. Auntie fears Second Uncle and the others may make things difficult for the miss."

Yun Jiao considered for a moment, then instructed Jian Jia, "Have Foxtail Millet find someone to send a message back home, and tell Auntie that my second maternal uncle has not slighted me, and that I can protect myself. As for Foxtail Millet, let him stay for now."

Keeping a young servant boy by her side might prove useful at a critical moment. With Foxtail Millet standing guard at the door, that Shen Changdong would hardly dare to overstep lightly.

"Yes," Jian Jia replied, then lifted the curtain and went out again.

Yun Jiao looked at Mu Jin. "Get up first."

"This servant has wronged the miss. Please punish me," Mu Jin said, pressing herself deeply to the floor and refusing to rise.

"Each person has their own aspirations. You were planning for your future. In truth, it cannot be counted as such a great fault," Yun Jiao said indifferently.

"No, this servant was wrong. I should not have placed the miss in danger," Mu Jin said, knocking her head hard to the floor. "I beg the miss to spare me this once. This servant will never dare again."

"If you tell the truth, I may be able to put aside the past and spare you this time," Yun Jiao said, looking at Mu Jin with some pain in her heart. She still had a fair understanding of the character of the two maidservants under her command.