10 - Little Peasant Wife

After this, for three days, she spent half of each day repeating the process—refining medicine and soaking in medicinal baths. The remaining half she devoted to rest and recuperating her energy. Through this regimen, the meridians within her body, previously damaged by fire, were mostly healed. By a stroke of fortune amidst misfortune, not only did her meridians widen, but her wood-based abilities also strengthened. Now, her abilities had been restored to level two. With the looming threat no longer hanging over her, and good things happening one after another, Jing Ao Xue was in excellent spirits. One morning, after getting up and freshening up, she decided to take Shen Lü Man and Liu Er to a restaurant for a sumptuous meal. Halfway there, she bought three sticks of candied hawthorns, giving two to Shen Lü Man and Liu Er and happily keeping one for herself. Seeing this, Shen Lü Man sighed, thinking that Jing Ao Xue was a bit too childish. She only ate one piece of the candied hawthorn before stopping, intending to save the rest for Liu Er. Jing Ao Xue glanced at her, about to ask what she liked so she could buy something in gratitude for her help these past days, when she heard a familiar voice from behind, exclaiming in surprise, "Jing Ya Ren, it's been a long time!" Chapter 10: Killing Intent Jing Ao Xue was momentarily stunned before realizing that the greeting was directed at her. She turned around, following the direction of the voice, and spotted a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties, smiling warmly and waving at her. This man was portly, with distinctive little mustaches gracing his upper lip, and wore a simple, honest smile on his face that made him look like a genuine and sincere person. However, Jing Ao Xue inwardly sneered. If this man were honest, then the original owner of her body could have been considered a saint. His name was Liang Sheng Rong, one of the closest cronies to the original owner. Over half of the original owner's foolish deeds were instigated by him. Years ago, when the original owner first arrived in town, she was unfamiliar with the area and looked for a local to inquire about the situation. She ended up choosing Liang Sheng Rong, who was destitute back then. With his honest façade and opportunistic nature, he quickly gained a foothold in the original owner's trust. But in reality, he was a malicious man. After casually extracting information from the naive original owner and learning of her substantial wealth, he became greedy. Outwardly displaying brotherly loyalty, he helped the original owner run errands, buying properties in Duobao Village. In truth, he set many traps, initially coaxing the original owner into purchasing a property at several times the market price. Later, he persuaded the original owner to buy a hundred acres of land at twenty taels per acre. Those lands were barren, actually only worth five taels per acre. Naturally, the extra money ended up in Liang Sheng Rong's pocket. Unbeknownst to the original owner, it was Shen Lü Man who first hinted at the price discrepancies, which seeded doubts in her heart. Although she outwardly rebuked Shen Lü Man, she confronted Liang Sheng Rong the next day. And after his cunning act of banter and deceit, not only did she forgive him, but she also grew resentful of Shen Lü Man. Yet, that was not the end of it. According to imperial edict, if commoners don't cultivate the land within six months of purchase, they would face ten lashes for each acre and further penalties for ten acres or more. For more than fifty acres, imprisonment awaited. This meant that if one didn't cultivate the purchased land, they would face punishment from the authorities and possible imprisonment. Such a wicked scheme, Liang Sheng Rong had nefarious intentions and only revealed the truth as the six-month deadline approached. The original owner was never the type to farm diligently. After buying the land, she had left it completely fallow, with only Shen Lü Man attempting to farm a few acres. But she was alone, burdened with a newborn, lacking the energy and resources. Frightened by the impending punishment, the original owner’s first thought was to offload the hot potato. Liang Sheng Rong, ever the opportunist, offered to "help," saying the land lease was about to expire, making the deal troublesome to handle, and suggested a quick sale would require selling it off cheaply. Panicked and clueless, the original owner left it entirely to Liang Sheng Rong to handle. The result? The land bought at a premium of twenty taels was sold at a mere two taels. The original owner lost over a thousand taels yet considered Liang Sheng Rong a confidant, sharing her innermost thoughts with him. Unbeknownst to her, the reality was that although there was an imperial decree, it could not be enforced strictly, especially in this remote village with its vast and sparse land. For the local authorities, having someone willing to buy the barren land was a boon, as tax was calculated based on land and population. A hundred acres contributed significantly to tax revenue. The authorities would have been glad someone took the land off their hands, thus any punishment was unlikely. The original owner remained oblivious and was utterly deceived by Liang Sheng Rong until Shen Lü Man subtly revealed the truth. By that time, however, she had been completely brainwashed by Liang Sheng Rong, considering him a genuine friend, and already held no regard for mortal money, thus dismissed it entirely. From beginning to end, Liang Sheng Rong was the true winner. He profited immensely, making close to two thousand taels within months. Subsequently, he shrewdly invested the money into properties and business ventures around the town and quickly rose to become a well-known wealthy businessman. The difference between the original owner and Liang Sheng Rong now was as stark as night and day. Yet, for reasons unknown, Liang Sheng Rong maintained a relationship with the original owner even after his success, continuously bringing her closer, leading her into misdeeds, and alienating and abusing Shen Lü Man and Jing Liu Er. Recently, he had taken things further, taking the original owner to gamble, suggesting borrowing loan sharks’ money when she lost everything. The original owner was about to heed this advice, but fortunately, Han Ju Ren arranged for someone to teach her a harsh lesson, leading to my unexpected transmigration here. If not for that... As Jing Ao Xue recalled these events, a flash of killing intent crossed her heart, although she kept her expression amiable. Her character was such that the more she detested someone, the gentler her appearance became. Smiling, she said, "Well, if it isn't Brother Liang. What a coincidence." Feigning delight, Liang Sheng Rong's gaze fleetingly turned to Shen Lü Man standing behind her, with a glint of covetousness in his eyes. Jing Ao Xue, ever sharp, immediately sensed and understood his ultimate intentions. A wave of revulsion akin to swallowing a fly surged within her. While she harbored no romantic feelings for Shen Lü Man, she considered her one of her own. True to her nature of never forgetting a slight and paying back enemies tenfold, she knew she would not rest until she had avenged herself on Liang Sheng Rong, especially now that he dared to touch her reverse scales. Liang Sheng Rong continued politely, "Indeed a coincidence! I was just heading to my new shop when I ran into you and your sister-in-law, and this little girl is..." He furrowed his brow, looking at Jing Liu Er by Shen Lü Man's side, then realized, "Ah, this must be your daughter. She looks... truly adorable." Saying this, he cast a knowing glance at Jing Ao Xue. Seeing this, Jing Ao Xue instructed Shen Lü Man, "You and Liu Er should go home and wait for me. Don't stand here in the way." Shen Lü Man looked up at her, clearly seeing the murderous intent in her eyes. Startled into realization, she quickly picked up Liu Er and turned to head home. Drawing closer with an oily smile, Liang Sheng Rong added, "Your daughter is quite pretty. I heard the Madam of the Liu family is looking for a maid for the third young master. With her gentle temperament, she might be a good fit." Jing Ao Xue's expression darkened briefly before she smiled and said, "Let’s not talk about her, it spoils the mood. I haven't been to town in days, and my hands are itching. Come on, let's head to the gambling den for a bit." Surprised yet intrigued, Liang Sheng Rong said, "Alright, though are you okay with that? If you don't have money, I can lend you some." Jing Ao Xue replied lightly, "I actually don’t have any money, but since you’re so generous, I won't refuse. Lend me a few hundred taels to play with." Liang Sheng Rong’s face turned as red as a pig's liver. He had only mentioned it casually, knowing Jing Ao Xue’s pride would typically prevent her from taking his money, but today... Even so, he thought it over and decided to take out his purse, extracting a hundred-tael banknote. "Here’s a hundred taels, enough for a day of fun." Jing Ao Xue cheerfully accepted the banknote and followed Liang Sheng Rong to the gambling den. On the way, Liang Sheng Rong inquired about her recent activities and also mentioned the convenience of borrowing from moneylenders, along with the Liu family’s search for a maid. Jing Ao Xue appeared to listen closely but was actually processing her thoughts: the Liu family was known for its scholarly reputation and had a high-ranking official relative in the capital. They commanded respect in the town. For some impoverished families, sending their daughters to serve the Liu family wasn’t uncommon. With their wealth and power, even being a maid there was preferable to starvation elsewhere. However, Jing Ao Xue would never agree. Never once had she lowered herself to bow or kneel, not even in the survivor’s base, where her abilities and skills earned her a place with the leadership. Naturally haughty, she would never send her daughter to be anyone’s slave. Liang Sheng Rong's nature was all too clear to her now; he wouldn't propose anything without an ulterior motive. Feigning camaraderie as they reached the casino, Jing Ao Xue immediately noticed one of the burly men at the entrance—the very gang she had single-handedly defeated a few days prior. A playful smile graced her lips. What a coincidence. Her mood being somewhat foul that day, she was genuinely worried she might lose control and kill Liang Sheng Rong too swiftly. What fun would that be? Revenge, after all, was best served incrementally, ensuring each moment brought added suffering. She stood behind Liang Sheng Rong, watching him greet the thug warmly before entering. As she followed, the thug recognized her, his face instantly turning an ashen shade. Jing Ao Xue gave him a cold glance and softly ordered, "Keep your mouth shut." The thug faltered, his mouth moving but no words escaping. Satisfied, Jing Ao Xue patted his shoulder lightly. What seemed like a gentle pat was actually imbued with substantial strength, causing the thug to grimace in pain. Instantly, he dared not make a move. He could only watch helplessly as Jing Ao Xue walked inside. Chapter 11: The Gambling Den Jing Ao Xue walked straight to the counter, handing the hundred-tael banknote to the manager and requesting it be exchanged for cash. The manager, a man in his thirties with the typical amicable smile of a businessman, was a stark contrast to the coldness the original owner remembered. The original owner had frequented the gambling den a few times, and every time she lost everything, this very manager would unceremoniously kick her out. The manager clearly recognized her. He glanced at the hundred-tael note before his gaze lingered on Liang Sheng Rong, who stood beside her.