Chapter 334 – The Red Wedding Dress (7)
A low-profile and simple carriage stopped at the corner gate of the Liu Residence.
“Lady Hui, we have arrived at the Liu Residence.”
The gentle call of the maid outside pulled Hui Jun back from her dreamy thoughts.
She pressed her lips together, suppressing any unnecessary expressions on her face, revealing the perfect smile she had meticulously trained over the years as she stepped down from the carriage.
Before her stood a completely unfamiliar estate. A few years ago, she had still been A Cao, the pitiful, casual slave who could be bought for a mere coin. Entering such a luxurious residence was beyond her wildest dreams; even getting close would have sent her fleeing under the scorn and shouts of the young servants.
“Lady Hui?” the maid called softly.
“I’m fine, just feeling a bit overwhelmed at the thought of meeting the Young Master,” A Cao, now Hui Jun, shyly smiled.
Hiding her entire face behind the heavy curtain, she extended her hand to the maid, allowing her support as she entered through the gate.
She knew she was a companion maid to the Liu Residence’s legitimate daughter, but considering the energy and investments the Liu Residence had poured into her over the years—everything from her food and clothing to her education in literature and the arts—she didn’t believe she would merely be a pawn to help someone charm their husband.
They quietly arrived at a courtyard, where Hui Jun spotted the Liu Residence’s second son, someone she had met years ago.
Jiang Pengji looked at Hui Jun, momentarily taken aback.
Even she hadn’t expected that the A Cao, who had been carefully nurtured over the years, would grow to possess such extraordinary beauty.
Her glossy hair and elegantly arched brows swayed rhythmically with the jade hairpin, and her beauty was so profound that even the most mundane movements seemed laden with hidden meaning. As she walked, her grace resembled that of tender green willows budding in the warm spring, leaving a lasting impression.
Gone was the once frail and timid figure; now, there was only gentle serenity and noble demeanor.
“Ah, the saying ‘a girl matures by eighteen years’ really holds true.”
Jiang Pengji gazed at Hui Jun with admiration, acknowledging that she truly was a rare beauty.
While she might not quite reach the level of the legendary beauties, she could easily enchant an entire city.
Hui Jun forced herself to straighten her back, summoning all that she had learned over the years.
Despite maintaining her composure on the surface, she felt her heart racing like thunder; her palms were damp with sweat, a warm tension enveloped her back, and her breath quickened slightly at the sight of Jiang Pengji, as if the air itself had thinned.
Calmly seating herself, Hui Jun unveiled her most perfect smile and performed a greeting with textbook precision.
“Servant Hui Jun pays her respects to the Young Master.”
“No need to be so tense,” Jiang Pengji chuckled lightly. Seeing Hui Jun’s demeanor made her feel like a headmaster, while Hui Jun appeared to be a nervous student awaiting a pop quiz. “You’ve done well over the years. The promise I made to you still stands.”
Hui Jun let out a quiet sigh of relief, realizing her back was already soaked with sweat.
“In that case, can the Young Master tell Hui Jun what you wish for her to do?”
She gazed into Jiang Pengji’s eyes, and although she had shed much of her inherent timidity over the years, being in front of Jiang Pengji still made her feel inadequate, wishing she could bury herself underground to escape being seen.
Jiang Pengji lightly tapped the table, the sound echoing sharply in the still room.
“Will you be willing to become a national calamity beauty?”
National calamity beauty?
Hui Jun’s heart jolted.
Before arriving at the Liu Residence, she had conjured countless scenarios in her mind.
Yet no matter how she guessed, she had not even brushed the surface of the truth.
Hui Jun gave a bittersweet smile, “No woman in the world, not even a lowly slave like me, would willingly admit to being less beautiful than others. But to be the national calamity beauty… I may hold some charm, but I hardly have the confidence to compare myself to the three thousand beauties of the palace.”
Jiang Pengji nodded, “That’s true enough.”
Currently, Hui Jun was indeed beautiful, but this beauty still belonged to the realm of mortals; if one looked hard enough, they could find others to rival her.
Hui Jun felt a sting in her heart, as if pricked by a needle.
Then, Jiang Pengji added, “However, I’m asking if you’re willing to become this national calamity beauty, not asking about anything else.”
Hui Jun quickly replied, “Of course, I am willing.”
Perhaps after enduring countless humiliations and bitterness since childhood, Hui Jun had always yearned for someone to rescue her from this sea of suffering.
This person before her had accomplished that.
Years ago, when she took the lives of those thugs who had bullied her at the mass grave, she had made a silent vow.
No matter the obstacle, even if it cost her life, she would unhesitatingly offer herself to this person who stood before her.
One must know gratitude and satisfaction; Hui Jun had preserved that sincere heart.
She understood that every day spent after escaping the brothel was a day stolen from fate.
How many songbirds met their end in a tragic fashion, leaving the world to shun their lifeless bodies?
Only she had enjoyed years of luxury, and perhaps there would be even more to come.
Why not be satisfied?
As soon as she finished speaking, she heard the young man before her say, “In that case, I will grant you a fortune!”
Hui Jun immediately knelt, only to catch Jiang Pengji off guard.
“Being a national calamity beauty isn’t easy; you may even face public scorn. So think carefully.”
Hui Jun shook her head, saying, “Young Master, you have it all wrong. What’s so bad about being a national calamity beauty? Aren’t they the most noble women in the world? They can grasp the finest things in the world with ease, live freely, untrammeled by others, and even bring those who once looked down upon them to their knees. When you look at it this way, what’s not to love? As for my reputation after death, who cares about storms and floods once one is gone?”
What did the public’s scorn even mean?
Looking through history, while no national calamity beauty had a happy ending, none had ever been restrained in life either.
No matter how they died, they had enjoyed a life steeped in riches while they were alive.
Jiang Pengji found herself momentarily speechless.
She hadn’t expected Hui Jun to think that way.
“It’s best that you think this way,” Jiang Pengji said, raising a hand to point to the steaming potion on the table. “Drink this.”
Hui Jun stood up, took a couple of steps, and without asking what the potion was, she lifted the bowl of bitter and foul-smelling liquid to her delicate neck and downed it entirely. Jiang Pengji offered her some sweets, and she willingly took them, quietly popping them into her mouth.
Once the bitterness subsided, she timidly spoke up.
“I have one wish; can the Young Master grant it?”
Thinking of her request made her tongue knot.
“Sure,” Jiang Pengji nodded in agreement.
“Could the Young Master give me a hug?”
She blurted it out, feeling a mix of hope and anxiety.
Jiang Pengji looked into Hui Jun’s eyes, understanding her thoughts, and opened her arms slightly.
Hui Jun nervously stretched out her hands, wrapping them around Jiang Pengji’s waist, leaning into her embrace. Her shy and anxious expression gradually turned pale, then slowly calmed down, her eyes reflecting a look of relief. “Th-thank you.”
