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“Hui Niang? But isn’t she the one from Sister-in-law Village who was burned to death by High Heat!” Xing Ruyi said, her eyes darting around before finally landing on Wang Yanxing: “Could it be that this gentleman is Hui Niang’s Husband! Oh, I misspoke; it should be that man who passed the imperial examination, became a high official, and then divorced his first wife, even neglecting his own children!”
Wang Yanxing’s expression grew increasingly grim, yet he stubbornly replied, “Sort of!”
“Is or isn’t? What does ‘sort of’ mean, Lord Wang?”
“Ruyi, do you know that Hui Niang from before?” Madam Wang also picked up on the sarcasm in Xing Ruyi’s words and couldn’t help but question her.
“Not an acquaintance from before!”
“Then is there a familial relationship?”
“Fox Demon and Hui Niang are not related!” Xing Ruyi continued, glancing lightly at Wang Yanxing and added, “If there were any ties, based on Fox Demon’s character, he wouldn’t let Hui Niang suffer such humiliation.”
“What do you mean by that, Miss?”
“Nothing much; I just heard Hui Niang’s story while in Sister-in-law Village, and thought she was a bit foolish.”
“Foolish?” Madam Wang raised an eyebrow: “Don’t you feel pity or sympathy for Hui Niang?”
“Pity? Sympathy! Why should I pity her or sympathize with her just because she was suddenly divorced? Does she really think that the heartless man would return to her after abandoning their impoverished home? If he valued their marital bond, he wouldn’t have easily divorced her. Moreover, he already has a beautiful new partner and a bright future; how could he possibly think of her, a mere discarded wife? As the saying goes, those who are pitiful must have something to be hated for. Hui Niang is foolish for not recognizing her own position and understanding her identity. She is just an ordinary farmer’s daughter; being matched with a Scholar might be acceptable, but with a top scholar, that’s inappropriate. Besides, being divorced isn’t something shameful; the heartless one is that man. He should be the one facing public condemnation. What wrong has Hui Niang done? Why cling so stubbornly to him? In the end, she harmed not only herself but also her child. If I were her, while still young and beautiful, I would find someone better. Even if he’s not a top scholar but just a butcher who can provide stability and loyalty, that would be good enough. Madam, don’t you agree?”
At this moment, Madam Wang felt somewhat awkward because the man Xing Ruyi referred to was indeed her husband. Yet she found herself agreeing with Xing Ruyi’s words; although they were shocking and unconventional, they sounded quite refreshing.
Xing Ruyi fell silent for a moment, as if just realizing that the male master she mentioned was standing right in front of her. She quickly stood up and apologized, "Please don't think too much of it, sir. I was just speaking my mind without intending to point fingers at you!"
Wang Yanxing's face changed colors, turning pale, then flushed, appearing quite dramatic. However, in light of Xing Ruyi's recent remarks, even with his scholarly talent, he found himself unable to refute her. His thoughts were consumed by the death of Hui Niang and the loss of his child.
"Since you have been to Sister-in-law Village and have quelled the matter of the villagers being possessed, could you share the details with me?"
"What you want to ask about is likely the death of Hui Niang and whether it is related to the villagers' possession, correct?"
"You are perceptive, young lady. Please enlighten me!"
"I'm not Li Siniang, nor do I possess her vengeful temperament. So please, take a seat. This story is a bit lengthy, and you should listen along with your wife."
"You need not be so polite. What I wish to know is whether Hui Niang had any unfulfilled wishes at the time of her death. I have always felt that Hui Niang sought me out to help fulfill her wishes rather than to harm me."
"A foolish wife like her would never wish harm upon her husband, especially since you are merely Hui Niang's ex-husband. As for your nightmares, I've heard a saying: 'What one thinks during the day will manifest in dreams at night.' You likely feel guilty towards Hui Niang, which breeds suspicion. Of course, these are just my speculations; please do not take them to heart. As for Hui Niang, she was mad when she died."
"Hui Niang was mad?" Wang Yanxing exclaimed in surprise.
Over the years, he had inquired about Hui Niang but had not delved too deeply due to family considerations. He only knew that after being divorced, she had been taken back by her parents but later returned to the village for reasons unknown and remained there until her death. He thought Hui Niang clung stubbornly to the past because of her feelings for him until the fire broke out in their home. Little did he know that Hui Niang had actually gone mad!
Xing Ruyi rubbed her nose without any semblance of a lady's demeanor and said, "How could she not go mad? Life was going well until her husband unexpectedly became successful overnight and won first place in the imperial examination. While winning such an honor is indeed good news, a poor couple can only share hardships and cannot enjoy prosperity together; sure enough, her husband changed his heart and even produced a complete divorce document against her. It would have been fine if they divorced; every woman encounters a few scoundrels in life and can pick herself up to find another good man to marry. But just then, Hui Niang discovered she was pregnant with her ex-husband's child. Naturally, she felt compelled to give birth because she naively believed that once the child was born, that unfaithful husband would return for the sake of the child. Unfortunately, she was mistaken; for most unfaithful men, wealth and status outweigh children. Moreover, the man Hui Niang encountered was no ordinary one; he had already prepared a new bride before writing her divorce letter. As for the child, if Hui Niang could give birth, so could his new wife."
At this point, Xing Ruyi deliberately paused and looked up at Madam Wang and asked, "May I ask how old your son or daughter is this year? Have they started school yet?"
Madam Wang turned her face away, feeling embarrassed. Xing Ruyi then raised her face to ask Wang Yanxing, who awkwardly coughed and said, "My wife and I have yet to have children!"
"Oh, infertility. I wonder if it's the lady's issue or Mr. Wang's?" Xing Ruyi rested her chin on her hand, pretending to think. "Since Hui Niang has given birth, it seems Mr. Wang has no problem. But this isn't definitive; after all, a man's body is greatly influenced by his state of mind. If he is not deeply in love, it can be difficult to conceive. As a Fox Demon, I consider myself somewhat of a Female Doctor, so I hope the lady won't take offense at my more personal questions."
Madam Wang felt that Xing Ruyi's words were laced with barbs and seemed to target them specifically. However, upon reflection, a girl who runs a Rouge shop and has only recently arrived in the capital wouldn't have much connection with Hui Niang. She thought it was her own emotions clouding her judgment, and after many years of marriage without children, it truly weighed on her heart. Seeing Xing Ruyi bring it up made her feel somewhat relieved.
"I have heard about your situation, as Purple Bamboo mentioned that you once treated the son of Liu Zhanggui from Jishengtang and helped them deliver a child. Therefore, regarding offspring, if today weren't such an inappropriate time, Purple Bamboo would have liked to ask for your help." Madam Wang adjusted her posture. "Though I don't fully understand the terms you used like 'scumbag' or 'infertility,' my husband and Hui Niang are part of the past. My husband divorced Hui Niang before she had children. Moreover, during those years, my husband was often away for the imperial examinations; whether those children born to Hui Niang are truly his remains to be seen. So I ask Ruyi to be a bit more careful with her words; after all, my husband is an official. You may not mean anything by it, but if others hear it and spread rumors about my husband, it would reflect poorly on him and even worse on your Rouge shop."
As expected from an official's daughter, she delivered this lesson with precision. Xing Ruyi listened without taking it too much to heart. She was originally just a girl from an ordinary family; she had never received formal etiquette training nor strict education in speech. Even if she were to pretend to be a refined lady, she would only end up making herself a laughingstock.
There's an old saying: it's easy to become wealthy but hard to maintain status in high society. Self-cultivation cannot be achieved merely through a few books or stories; it requires an environment that subtly influences one’s character. Furthermore, today Xing Ruyi was intentionally mocking Wang Yanxing; though it might seem petty, she was enjoying herself and figured neither the fox nor Yin Yuan would mind. As for Madam Wang, she was someone else's wife; there was no need for the owner of Ruyi Rouge shop to cater to her expectations. Thus, when she heard Madam Wang's words, she merely smiled and replied, "The Fox Demon is just an ordinary person who doesn't recognize many characters. Madam's insistence on rigor is something I find quite puzzling; I'm truly unsure how to speak rigorously or tell rigorous stories. Besides, here in this shop today, apart from you and your husband, there's only this girl named Winter Spring present. Do you doubt Winter Spring's trustworthiness? Do you think she would leak what we've discussed today? I see that Winter Spring is quite discreet and doesn't seem like someone who would gossip or spread falsehoods."
Upon hearing Xing Ruyi's words, Winter Spring suddenly lowered her head and knelt before Madam Wang: "Winter Spring swears before you both that not a single word of today's discussion will leave my lips. If I break this oath, I am willing to accept any punishment from you both!"
"Get up! You are my personal maid; I know your character well enough," Madam Wang said upon witnessing this scene. She understood Xing Ruyi's nature and turned around with a softened attitude: "Please don't take my earlier words too seriously! Let's continue discussing Hui Niang's matters; after all, they involve my husband and Purple Bamboo here is also concerned and anxious."
"Since Madam feels this way, then the Fox Demon will continue discussing it. As for the issue of childbirth for the lady, we can talk about it again once Mr. Wang is done with his matters," Xing Ruyi said as she stood up and walked toward the door, slowly closing it and even hanging up a sign that read "Closed Today Due to Matters!"
Madam Wang looked at this and secretly breathed a sigh of relief; she couldn't help but feel some regret over her earlier reprimand.
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