He didn't mention it earlier and it would have been fine, but once he did, the hatred in Gu Ying's heart surged again. Her eyes, flashing crimson, glared at him furiously as she declared, "That's too bad as I'm determined to give birth to this child in this lifetime."
Jiang Yin's eyes flashed a horrifying icy glow. "Don't you dare!" he growled.
Hearing the anger and anxiety in the man's tone, Gu Ying suddenly realized something and laughed mockingly. "Jiang Yin, could it be you've fallen for me?"
"No!" Jiang Yin's handsome face froze. "How could I possibly love you?"
Gu Ying retorted, "Then why do you care whose child I'm carrying?"
Jiang Yin's dark expression didn't change. "You're mine. The woman I once wanted to marry. No one else can have you."
After careful consideration, Gu Ying sensed the jealousy in this dog-man's words.
She found it extremely ironic. Back then when she loved him deeply but couldn't have him, she chased him ardently every day. Which lady or noblewoman in Bianjing City didn't gossip about her behind her back for debasing herself?
Yet when he married her, he tormented and tortured her before eventually bringing in many concubines, using Jiang Ling'er to humiliate her.
She endured for two years, waiting on his difficult mother and cunning sister-in-law, competing with so many women for his affections and attention, only to end up being heartlessly abandoned by him.
And now Jiang Yin was actually jealous that she was pregnant with the Eldest Prince's child.
She gave a mocking laugh.
There was truly karma in this world, evil deeds will be punished.
She was determined to make him taste the humiliation and pain that she once endured.
"Unfortunately," Gu Ying said sarcastically, "when compared to my Eldest Prince, you fall far short. I'm able to conceive his child but not yours, Jiang Yin...surely you must know why?"
Hearing her refer to the "Eldest Prince", Jiang Yin was already furious. Then hearing her say she couldn't conceive his child, his gaze turned even colder. "Why?" he demanded.
Gu Ying smiled smugly. "Isn't it obvious? Because you're impotent!"
Jiang Yin was humiliated with rage. "Gu Ying, just you wait! I'll make you regret this beyond measure! Do you think that just by killing me today, you'll be able to live happily ever after with Zhao Changdu?"
Gu Ying clenched her fists and smiled scathingly. "What, do you think all men are heartless beasts like you, seducing then abandoning women without a care?"
"Putting aside whether Zhao Changdu will love you forever or not, just considering our affair, I've already written it all down in a letter. If you kill me today and I don't return to the Yueyang government offices this evening, Han Lin will make the contents of that letter public. By that time your marriage to me will spread throughout the land. Do you think Zhao Changdu will still want you and your bastard child?"
Gu Ying was furious. "You despicable scum!"
Jiang Yin gave a mocking laugh. "Call me whatever names you want, but you have to admit, Ah Rong, you've lost. Your downfall is that you let emotions rule reason. If you had abandoned Zhao Changdu to collaborate with me instead, what's to stop you from attaining the position that all women desire? When that time comes, I'll honor you as my empress to rule the land, while everyone you hate will grovel at your feet. And I would always dote on you."
"Go vomit somewhere else. I wouldn't be your empress dog even if my life depended on it!"
Gu Ying narrowed her eyes slightly, gripping the dagger tightly in her hand. After hurling insults at him, she still didn't forget her intention to kill Jiang Yin.
But Jiang Yin was a sly old fox who had lived two lifetimes. How could he not discern her motive? Rather than engage her, when she stabbed at him with the knife, he directly chose to leap out the window and escape.
Gu Ying had wanted to give chase by jumping out the window as well, but thinking of the child in her belly, she could only halt her actions in disappointment.
"He escaped again!"
She gnashed her teeth resentfully, the rims of her eyes flashing red.
Since her rebirth, she seldom cried because of her own weakness, but sitting there now, her heart inexplicably swelled with grief. Hot air rushed into her nose, her eyes moistened, and tears rolled down her lashes.
Remaining seated without moving, inside the lonely, quiet hut, she placed a hand over her lower abdomen. It took a good while before she emerged from her angry stupor.
She had too much of her life in Jiang Yin's hands...
She couldn't always worry about him...
If she told the truth to the Eldest Prince as soon as possible, she could directly destroy Jiang Yin's control over her.
But...
Gu Ying blinked back red rimmed eyes and shook her head helplessly, internally denying herself this method.
Rising unsteadily to her feet, she knew that no one could be relied on except herself.
She must depend on only herself to get rid of Jiang Yin.
After leaving the Qingyang Inn, Gu Ying visited over ten medicine shops, purchasing abortion drugs furtively from each.
To avoid suspicion, she even ate a bowl of authentic Yueyang noodles in a small streetside noodle stand.
Only then did she slowly make her way back to Ning Mansion.
The moment she entered the residence, Yin Lan hurried up to greet her, first casting a baffled look over her disguise before swiftly and discreetly blocking her from view. In a low voice she asked, "Mistress, where did you go? Why have you only just returned so late?"
Gu Ying glanced at the darkening horizon. The sun was setting in the west, its lingering glow sprinkling over the layered overlapping grey-blue roof tiles and walls of Ning Mansion. The lofty buildings and courtyards stretched wide and deep.
Great swaths of brilliant red dusk blazed at the seam where earth met sky, while overhead, black clouds were amassing, oppressively weighing down the atmosphere.
It would likely rain tomorrow. Tonight was destined to be unsettling inside these emerald walls.
Watching the sun gradually shift west, Gu Ying stepped into the courtyard.
"I went out to buy some medicine," was her vague reply about Jiang Yin.
Yin Lan immediately grew concerned. "What's wrong, Mistress? Are you unwell?"
"It's not for me, but for Ning Si," Gu Ying said.
Yin Lan frowned in puzzlement. "No wonder I didn't see Eldest Young Lady Ning all day. She was abed. So she has fallen ill."
Gu Ying knew she couldn't hide this from Yin Lan.
The Nings were a prominent family in Yueyang. Although most of the men had accompanied Elder Master Ning to Bianjing City, old patriarch Ning and Ning Si's uncle remained in Yueyang City, along with her aunt. They were not simple folk.
Harmony prevailed in the Ning household but it was still filled with gossipy servants. Ning Si's personal maid Qing Yun who grew up with her was not here, so old master Ning had sent Cai Xiu over specially to attend to her daily needs.
Cai Xiu was merely a low ranked maid in aunt Ning's residence, certainly not someone who could keep a secret.
Ning Si's pregnancy could not be known by the Nings, and neither could Cai Xiu find out.
Tonight, Ning Si would take the abortion concoction. Over the next few days she would need someone to brew her medicinal soups, which had to be kept from the Nings. So Gu Ying could only rely on Yin Lan's assistance.
After avoiding Cai Xiu, Gu Ying explained the situation to Yin Lan.
Yin Lan was quite shocked upon first hearing the news, but calmed herself soon after. Working in the censorate for many years, she had seen much of the world and naturally understood how enormous this matter was and that not one misstep could be afforded.
Although inwardly baffled why an unmarried girl would become pregnant...she trusted her mistress, and also trusted that Ning Si absolutely would not have done anything improper.
With the unjust state of gender inequality nowadays, if Ning Si's reputation was truly ruined by this and she ended up losing her life over it, Yin Lan's conscience would be burdened.
Moreover, for a woman to become pregnant and give birth, the man merely contributed some effort, so why should a woman have to face destruction of body and name for the so called sake of reputation and become looked down on by all?
He didn't mention it earlier and it would have been fine, but once he did, the hatred in Gu Ying's heart surged again. Her eyes, flashing crimson, glared at him furiously as she declared, "That's too bad as I'm determined to give birth to this child in this lifetime."
Jiang Yin's eyes flashed a horrifying icy glow. "Don't you dare!" he growled.
Hearing the anger and anxiety in the man's tone, Gu Ying suddenly realized something and laughed mockingly. "Jiang Yin, could it be you've fallen for me?"
"No!" Jiang Yin's handsome face froze. "How could I possibly love you?"
Gu Ying retorted, "Then why do you care whose child I'm carrying?"
Jiang Yin's dark expression didn't change. "You're mine. The woman I once wanted to marry. No one else can have you."
After careful consideration, Gu Ying sensed the jealousy in this dog-man's words.
She found it extremely ironic. Back then when she loved him deeply but couldn't have him, she chased him ardently every day. Which lady or noblewoman in Bianjing City didn't gossip about her behind her back for debasing herself?
Yet when he married her, he tormented and tortured her before eventually bringing in many concubines, using Jiang Ling'er to humiliate her.
She endured for two years, waiting on his difficult mother and cunning sister-in-law, competing with so many women for his affections and attention, only to end up being heartlessly abandoned by him.
And now Jiang Yin was actually jealous that she was pregnant with the Eldest Prince's child.
She gave a mocking laugh.
There was truly karma in this world, evil deeds will be punished.
She was determined to make him taste the humiliation and pain that she once endured.
"Unfortunately," Gu Ying said sarcastically, "when compared to my Eldest Prince, you fall far short. I'm able to conceive his child but not yours, Jiang Yin...surely you must know why?"
Hearing her refer to the "Eldest Prince", Jiang Yin was already furious. Then hearing her say she couldn't conceive his child, his gaze turned even colder. "Why?" he demanded.
Gu Ying smiled smugly. "Isn't it obvious? Because you're impotent!"
Jiang Yin was humiliated with rage. "Gu Ying, just you wait! I'll make you regret this beyond measure! Do you think that just by killing me today, you'll be able to live happily ever after with Zhao Changdu?"
Gu Ying clenched her fists and smiled scathingly. "What, do you think all men are heartless beasts like you, seducing then abandoning women without a care?"
"Putting aside whether Zhao Changdu will love you forever or not, just considering our affair, I've already written it all down in a letter. If you kill me today and I don't return to the Yueyang government offices this evening, Han Lin will make the contents of that letter public. By that time your marriage to me will spread throughout the land. Do you think Zhao Changdu will still want you and your bastard child?"
Gu Ying was furious. "You despicable scum!"
Jiang Yin gave a mocking laugh. "Call me whatever names you want, but you have to admit, Ah Rong, you've lost. Your downfall is that you let emotions rule reason. If you had abandoned Zhao Changdu to collaborate with me instead, what's to stop you from attaining the position that all women desire? When that time comes, I'll honor you as my empress to rule the land, while everyone you hate will grovel at your feet. And I would always dote on you."
"Go vomit somewhere else. I wouldn't be your empress dog even if my life depended on it!"
Gu Ying narrowed her eyes slightly, gripping the dagger tightly in her hand. After hurling insults at him, she still didn't forget her intention to kill Jiang Yin.
But Jiang Yin was a sly old fox who had lived two lifetimes. How could he not discern her motive? Rather than engage her, when she stabbed at him with the knife, he directly chose to leap out the window and escape.
Gu Ying had wanted to give chase by jumping out the window as well, but thinking of the child in her belly, she could only halt her actions in disappointment.
"He escaped again!"
She gnashed her teeth resentfully, the rims of her eyes flashing red.
Since her rebirth, she seldom cried because of her own weakness, but sitting there now, her heart inexplicably swelled with grief. Hot air rushed into her nose, her eyes moistened, and tears rolled down her lashes.
Remaining seated without moving, inside the lonely, quiet hut, she placed a hand over her lower abdomen. It took a good while before she emerged from her angry stupor.
She had too much of her life in Jiang Yin's hands...
She couldn't always worry about him...
If she told the truth to the Eldest Prince as soon as possible, she could directly destroy Jiang Yin's control over her.
But...
Gu Ying blinked back red rimmed eyes and shook her head helplessly, internally denying herself this method.
Rising unsteadily to her feet, she knew that no one could be relied on except herself.
She must depend on only herself to get rid of Jiang Yin.
After leaving the Qingyang Inn, Gu Ying visited over ten medicine shops, purchasing abortion drugs furtively from each.
To avoid suspicion, she even ate a bowl of authentic Yueyang noodles in a small streetside noodle stand.
Only then did she slowly make her way back to Ning Mansion.
The moment she entered the residence, Yin Lan hurried up to greet her, first casting a baffled look over her disguise before swiftly and discreetly blocking her from view. In a low voice she asked, "Mistress, where did you go? Why have you only just returned so late?"
Gu Ying glanced at the darkening horizon. The sun was setting in the west, its lingering glow sprinkling over the layered overlapping grey-blue roof tiles and walls of Ning Mansion. The lofty buildings and courtyards stretched wide and deep.
Great swaths of brilliant red dusk blazed at the seam where earth met sky, while overhead, black clouds were amassing, oppressively weighing down the atmosphere.
It would likely rain tomorrow. Tonight was destined to be unsettling inside these emerald walls.
Watching the sun gradually shift west, Gu Ying stepped into the courtyard.
"I went out to buy some medicine," was her vague reply about Jiang Yin.
Yin Lan immediately grew concerned. "What's wrong, Mistress? Are you unwell?"
"It's not for me, but for Ning Si," Gu Ying said.
Yin Lan frowned in puzzlement. "No wonder I didn't see Eldest Young Lady Ning all day. She was abed. So she has fallen ill."
Gu Ying knew she couldn't hide this from Yin Lan.
The Nings were a prominent family in Yueyang. Although most of the men had accompanied Elder Master Ning to Bianjing City, old patriarch Ning and Ning Si's uncle remained in Yueyang City, along with her aunt. They were not simple folk.
Harmony prevailed in the Ning household but it was still filled with gossipy servants. Ning Si's personal maid Qing Yun who grew up with her was not here, so old master Ning had sent Cai Xiu over specially to attend to her daily needs.
Cai Xiu was merely a low ranked maid in aunt Ning's residence, certainly not someone who could keep a secret.
Ning Si's pregnancy could not be known by the Nings, and neither could Cai Xiu find out.
Tonight, Ning Si would take the abortion concoction. Over the next few days she would need someone to brew her medicinal soups, which had to be kept from the Nings. So Gu Ying could only rely on Yin Lan's assistance.
After avoiding Cai Xiu, Gu Ying explained the situation to Yin Lan.
Yin Lan was quite shocked upon first hearing the news, but calmed herself soon after. Working in the censorate for many years, she had seen much of the world and naturally understood how enormous this matter was and that not one misstep could be afforded.
Although inwardly baffled why an unmarried girl would become pregnant...she trusted her mistress, and also trusted that Ning Si absolutely would not have done anything improper.
With the unjust state of gender inequality nowadays, if Ning Si's reputation was truly ruined by this and she ended up losing her life over it, Yin Lan's conscience would be burdened.
Moreover, for a woman to become pregnant and give birth, the man merely contributed some effort, so why should a woman have to face destruction of body and name for the so called sake of reputation and become looked down on by all?
