I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 266 A Jealous Woman Causes Chaos in the Household, A Small Faith and Wish

Upon hearing that her husband, who suffered from an unspeakable illness, had fathered a beautiful daughter with another woman, Zhang was stunned. Her face contorted, and her entire body began to tremble.

She was a strong-willed person, and from beginning to end she believed that the problem lay with Qiao Fang. Since he was keeping a mistress, she thought of having an affair with the coachman. Firstly, it would give her some pleasure, and secondly, getting pregnant would shut Qiao Fang up and make him settle down so that he would raise the child properly for her and the coachman.

But now, the coachman is telling her that it's not Qiao Fang who's sick, but her, the mistress of the house?
"If I can't have children, why can you?"

Zhang was furious, but she couldn't take it out on Qiao Fang. She was the one who wasn't laying any eggs, while Qiao Fang was crowing happily outside. If she broke up with Qiao Fang, she would definitely be known as a jealous woman. Not only would she be too ashamed to face anyone, but it would also be difficult for her to remarry.

That's just how it is these days; carrying on the family line is of paramount importance. If you can't have children, you have to compromise and give way.

Even as the first wife, one must be tolerant.

Similarly, if Qiao Fang had a secret illness, it would be commonplace for her, as the first wife, to have a child with someone else, and afterwards give money to the person who had the child to leave behind.

Let alone those from humble backgrounds, even the wealthy and powerful, those who rise to high positions, are no exception.

This matter concerns not only reputation, but also the inheritance of the family business.

But would Zhang be willing to pass on her family business to outsiders?

"Kong Youde, you have been a widower for many years, without a wife or children. I have often helped you and helped you relieve your loneliness. If you are grateful, shouldn't you repay me?"

Upon hearing this, the coachman immediately nodded and said, "I, Kong Youde, am not an ungrateful person. I will always remember that you do not despise my lowly status and are willing to humble yourself to accommodate me. Youde will obey any orders you may give."

"Fine! Then I'll let you kill that harlot and her bastard child. Will you do it?"

"This, how can this be!" Kong Youde's eyes widened. Seeing that Zhang's expression was not right, he quickly came up with a plan and said, "Madam ordered me to kill her and her daughter. If word gets out and the authorities find out, I'm afraid neither of us will escape death."

"Besides, that adulterous woman has no family ties and only associates with the master. It cannot be considered an affair. If the authorities investigate, the lady will not be in the right."

“You’re right! I need to vent my anger, but I can’t let myself get hurt!” Zhang was restless and couldn’t eat or sleep. She left the groom’s quarters and pondered for a day and a night, when suddenly she had an idea.

Early that morning, while the stableman was cleaning the stables, Zhang came to the backyard. The two of them did not say a word, and first engaged in a daytime debauchery. Afterwards, Zhang coaxed Kong Youde and said, "I have thought of a brilliant idea. In a couple of days, I will have the master bring that harlot and the wild girl into the mansion and give her the status of a concubine."

"With this title, she has a weakness."

Kong Youde asked in confusion, "What flaw?"

“Doesn’t Zheng Dadan, who works in the kitchen, have a mentally challenged son? Zheng Dadan often brings his son to the kitchen for special meals, and he can’t hide this from me.”

Kong Youde interjected, "How could Zheng Dadan dare to give his son special treatment? I think his son usually eats the same food as servants."

"So what? I don't like this idiot anyway. Once that hussy marries into the family, you'll figure out a way to bring the idiot to the woodshed. I'll have a way to trick that slut into going there. Then, once the door is closed, I'll accuse her of adultery. I'm not afraid I won't be able to deal with her!"

"There's one more thing. After breakfast, prepare the carriage. I'm going to Ziyun Mountain outside the city. I've heard that the Baosheng Temple there is extremely efficacious, and I need to go there to make a wish."

Kong Youde didn't think much of it, figuring that once Zhang had vented her anger and made her petition, the matter would be over.

About half a month later, Qiao Fang returned home with Ye Shi and her illegitimate daughter Qiao Tian. Zhang Shi showed the demeanor of a senior wife at their first meeting. She not only addressed Ye Shi as a sister, but also showed concern for the two- or three-year-old Qiao Tian. She even asked someone to order several brand-new dresses from the Chen family's cloth shop as gifts.

Qiao Fang knew Zhang's character very well. He had been very wary for the first two months, but when he saw that Zhang was truly devoted to her family, he relaxed.

One day, Zhang mentioned that there was a liquor business deal that required Qiao Fang to personally go to the prefectural city, which would take at least ten days round trip.

Seeing Qiao Fang hesitate, Zhang said, "I think you don't think this business is bad, you're just afraid that after you leave, Sister Ye and Tian'er will be mistreated here, isn't that right?"

"Absolutely not! My wife is virtuous and kind; how could I possibly think such a thing? You are overthinking it!"

Because of the matter of taking Ye as a concubine, Qiao Fang always felt indebted to Zhang, so he listened to her advice and agreed to the matter.

After Qiao Fang left, Zhang turned around and found the stableman Kong Youde, and asked him to take off the clothes of the cook Zheng Dadan's mentally challenged son and lure him into the woodshed.

Zhang went to the Ye family's courtyard and claimed that Ye's daughter, Qiao Tian, ​​had been abducted into the woodshed by Zheng Dadan's mentally challenged son. The son was blocking the door of the woodshed, and no one dared to go in, fearing that it would anger the son and hurt the child.

"Don't worry, sister. I've already sent Kong Youde to the yamen to report to the authorities. Once the officials arrive, everything should be fine."

Ye only had this one biological daughter. When she heard that her daughter had been abducted to the woodshed by a mentally challenged man, she couldn't sit still. She immediately rushed to the woodshed.

There was no one outside, so she pushed open the door and went inside, calling out her daughter's nickname as she searched, but she couldn't find her daughter anywhere.

Only a idiot, naked and grinning foolishly while gnawing on a roast chicken, squatted in the corner, laughing uncontrollably.

Ye sensed something was wrong. Just as she was about to turn around, the door to the woodshed was locked from the outside.

Immediately afterwards, she heard someone outside shouting, "Second Mistress is cheating on someone! Second Mistress is cheating on someone in the woodshed!" The voice was neither Kong Youde nor Zhang Shi, but it sounded like the voice of the guard Qin An.

Before long, everyone in the Qiao family—the steward, servants, accountants, gatekeepers, maids, the newly hired foster mother, and the cooks and kitchen staff—came over upon hearing the commotion!

With Qiao Fang not at home, Zhang, as the head of the household, led everyone and ordered the guards to open the door to the woodshed.

Everyone craned their necks to look, and saw Ye Shi rushing out of the house in a hurry. Behind her, there was a naked idiot in the woodshed.

"Oh dear! Second Madam is taking advantage of Master's absence, feeling bored and restless, so she's come here to have an affair with that fool!"

These words came from Qin An, the guard, and everyone believed them to be true.

With this matter laid bare before us, how could it be false? Surely no one would force Second Madam to come to the woodshed?

Just as Ye was about to explain, a burning pain shot through her face.

The once 'tolerant, magnanimous, virtuous and kind' Zhang has now changed her tune.

"You shameless slut! You've utterly disgraced the Qiao family! Qin An, what are you standing there for! Quickly beat this whore to death!"

Before Ye could explain, Qin An attacked with deadly force. Zheng Dadan took off his apron and wrapped it around his mentally challenged son, protecting him behind him. As for Ye Er's wife, he ignored her completely.

In Zheng Dadan's eyes, his foolish son was innocent and naive, and must have been deceived by Ye Shi. Not only Zheng Dadan thought so, but everyone else thought so too.

Poor Ye Shi, a frail and delicate woman, could not withstand the beating from the strong and powerful guards. After a few punches and kicks, she was completely dead.

"Mother! Mother!"

No sooner had Madam Ye died than the old nanny who served Madam Zhang brought over two- or three-year-old Qiao Tian.

Zhang cursed, "What are you crying for, you little bastard! Your mother seduced a wild man and even brought him to our house. She deserves to be beaten to death. Even if this matter goes to the authorities, my Qiao family will still be in the right!"

Qiao Tian ran to Ye Shi and clung to her mother's body, crying. She was too young to understand Zhang Shi's words; all she knew was that her mother was gone.

Not long after Ye's death, Kong Youde arrived late with the officials. After questioning everyone in the household about what had happened, the officials learned that the deceased was a concubine who had been beaten to death by her master for having an affair, and hastily closed the case.

Kong Youde felt somewhat uneasy looking at Ye Shi, who had been beaten to death, and the little girl whose voice had become hoarse from crying.

He found Zhang and said angrily, "You could have just driven her away, why did you have to beat her to death?"

"I didn't kill her, Qin An did. Besides, she was a bitch, so what if she died? I just wish she had died quickly enough, it wouldn't have been enough to satisfy my hatred!"

Kong Youde suddenly frowned and said, "You wouldn't happen to be with Qin An, would you?"

"Kong Youde, you're just a stable boy. You need to know who's in charge in this house. What happens between me and Qin An is none of your business."

"Don't overthink it, we have a long life ahead of us!" Seeing Kong Youde's unpleasant expression, Zhang suddenly stepped forward, reached out and patted his chest, and said some comforting words.

After Ye died, her body was buried by Kong Youde in a mass grave outside the city. When Kong Youde left the city, Zhang made it clear: "A woman like this, who is promiscuous and has no morals, should be left in a mass grave to be eaten by wild dogs!"

Kong Youde verbally agreed, but when they arrived at the mass grave, he still dug a pit and buried the person with a roll of straw mat.

"Second Madam Ye, every wrong has its perpetrator, so don't come looking for me if you have any grievances or grudges. I never intended to kill you. This was all done by First Madam and Qin An in secret. If I had known that First Madam was so angry, I would never have taken off that fool's clothes and tricked him into going to the woodshed." After burning incense and kowtowing to Madam Ye, Kong Youde turned around and returned to the Qiao residence.

Here, Kong Youde had just returned to his residence when he was taken to the Ye family's courtyard by the guard Qin An.

Since Madam Ye died just the day before yesterday, everyone in the mansion is avoiding the topic and is unwilling to go near the courtyard where Madam Ye lived. So, no one usually comes here.

Kong Youde asked Qin An what he wanted from him, but the other man replied with a forced smile, "Youde, we're in the same boat as Madam. What you and Madam did, I did too. As long as you're willing to put in the effort in the future, we'll be in charge of the Qiao family sooner or later."

After saying that, Qin An looked behind the screen. Kong Youde had a vague feeling that something was wrong. He went closer and saw Zhang Shi talking to a little maid.

"Your mother often calls you 'good boy' because she wants you to be obedient. If you are obedient, you will be able to see your mother."

"If I behave, will I be able to see my mother?"

"Yes, I'm not lying. Just lie quietly in bed, close your eyes, and don't make a sound even if you feel uncomfortable. Once the discomfort passes, you'll be able to see your mother."

The little girl believed it and indeed lay down on the bed, closing her eyes.

Through the screen, Kong Youde could vaguely see Zhang Shi lift the quilt and cover the girl's head with it.

Then he used all his strength to press down on the little girl, preventing her from making a sound of resistance.

How could a little girl who was at most three years old have the strength to break free from Zhang Shi? Upon seeing this, Kong Youde exclaimed "Oh dear!" and was about to go around behind the screen to rescue the girl.

"This is an extremely immoral thing to do! You'll go to the eighteenth level of hell after you die, how could you be so heartless as to do it!"

Qin An, the bodyguard, had studied martial arts at a martial arts school and had some skills. He was quick-witted and subdued Kong Youde, saying in a low voice, "This girl is the master's child. If she lives, the family property will not fall into the hands of the madam and us."

"It's alright that this little girl is dead. Once Madam recovers and has our child, the Qiao family will be under our control!"

"Let me go!" Kong Youde shouted, "Qin An! Listen up! The master is not sick. It is the eldest mistress who is sick. If she gets better, the child she gave birth to will be the master's. How could it be your turn? If you don't let me go today, I will report you to the authorities and expose everything you have done!"

Upon hearing this, Qin An slapped Kong Youde across the face and said, "Don't forget, you were the one who lured Zheng Dadan's foolish son into the woodshed by stripping him naked and offering him a roast chicken. If you report this to the authorities, you won't get away with it either!"

Seeing that Kong Youde's struggles lessened, Qin An continued, "You and I committed adultery and murder, which of our crimes isn't a capital offense? If we end up in the yamen, do you think you'll leave alive?"

Kong Youde completely lost the strength to resist. By the time he came to his senses, Zhang had already picked up a limp, petite corpse and thrown it on the ground.

"Youde, that slut had an affair, and you're the one who disposed of her body. This little slut 'drown' herself while playing in the water, so find a secluded place to bury her too. Don't worry, I won't treat you badly in the future."

Kong Youde nodded in a daze. He left the Qiao residence and went to the mortuary, only to find that the Shi family's mortuary had already closed down.

Helpless, he followed the notice posted at Caishikou and went to Jingxia Street, where he ordered a small coffin from a mortician's shop.

The shopkeeper was a handsome young man who was very capable in his work, much like a seasoned master craftsman.

After the two set a date, Kong Youde returned to the Qiao residence.

Madam Zhang, the eldest daughter-in-law, sought out Kong Youde again and questioned him, "I told you to dispose of that little hussy's corpse, why haven't you done it yet?"

Kong Youde said, "No one goes to Second Madam Ye's courtyard. Let's leave it for a day or two until the coffin I ordered is ready, then we'll bury her."

"A coffin? Who told you to order a coffin? Just throw her in a cemetery like her mother, why are you being so kind!"

Kong Youde frowned and said, "This child has no criminal record. If we just leave him outside, aren't you afraid that the authorities will find out and investigate the household?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhang agreed, saying, "You should pay attention. I always feel uneasy having that little hussy's corpse in the mansion."

That night, while Zhang was resting, she could faintly hear the shouts of children coming from inside the mansion.

"Mom, where are you? Be a good girl."

Madam Zhang was terrified and broke out in a cold sweat. She called her maid over and asked if she had heard any sounds. The maid replied tremblingly, "Madam, that sounds like Miss's voice."

"Didn't she drown?"

The maid's voice trembled as she said, "Perhaps... perhaps it's haunted."

"What can a little brat do to rebel against heaven?!"

Zhang was both afraid and resentful. The next morning, she took Qin An and Kong Youde to the front of Grandma Ye's courtyard.

At this time, all the servants in the mansion thought that the young lady had accidentally fallen into the water and her body had been lost. However, the three of them still hid the young lady's body in the courtyard of Second Madam Ye.

Unlocking the gate, Zhang glared at Kong Youde and said, "A lowly servant girl, just bury her anywhere, why do you need to prepare a coffin!"

"If they had been sent out of the manor for burial earlier, the family wouldn't be in such turmoil."

Kong Youde was in a daze and didn't pay any attention to what Zhang said.

The group entered the courtyard and went to the room where Guai Guai's body was kept. Zhang asked Qin An to find an old, worn-out box.

However, the box was only a little over two feet long, and it was not long enough to fit the little girl's body.

"The coffin I ordered will be ready tomorrow, so Madam might as well wait a little longer."

Zhang's face twisted as she said, "I feel suffocated if this little hussy stays in the manor for even a moment longer. You can wait, but I can't wait a single second longer!"

After saying that, Zhang seemed to be possessed by a demon, and drew Qin An's knife, then slashed at the little girl's legs!
"Grandma, you!" Kong Youde's mouth dropped open, and he stood there dumbfounded.

Qin An was also taken aback, but did not stop him.

Zhang, appearing almost delirious, said:
"This is my residence. You wild girl who came here to beg for food should die out there with your mother. How dare you cause trouble and scare me! In this world, if you want your injustice to be redressed, only the Goddess of Life Protection can appear and personally avenge you. Otherwise, even if you go to your own father, it will be useless."

After cutting off the little girl's legs, Zhang, with red eyes and panting heavily, mumbled nonsense to bolster her courage while cursing loudly.

"You've gone mad! You've gone mad!" Kong Youde staggered a few steps, looking at Zhang Shi as if he had seen a ghost. He backed away towards the door and said, "You will be punished for what you've done."

Seeing that Kong Youde was about to run away, Qin An immediately snatched the knife from Zhang's hand and, without hesitation, chased after him and slashed him!

Zhang had never seen such a scene before. The groom's blood splattered on her face, instantly silencing her.

Qin An wiped his knife, spat, and turned around, saying, "Madam, this Kong Youde is unreliable. Who knows, once he leaves this door, he might go to the yamen to report to the authorities. It would be better to kill him!"

On the ground, Kong Youde lay with his mouth still opening and closing.

Judging from the shape of his lips, it seems he is still saying the word 'retribution'.

In the mortuary of the yamen, Xu Qing's face was extremely gloomy.

No wonder that little girl followed Chen Liuer to Baosheng Temple, no wonder she knelt before the statue and kept praying for the miracle of Baosheng Goddess.

It turned out to be because of what Zhang said when he cut off her legs—

'In this world, if you want your grievances cleared, only the Goddess of Life Protection can intervene and personally avenge you!'

The little girl was only two or three years old; how could she know to report to the authorities? Even if she got to the yamen, the menacing aura of weapons would keep her at bay.

So she remembered the words her mortal enemy had said.

The words that the Goddess of Life Protection could help her became the little girl's only belief, supporting her as she wandered in the mortal world until now.

(End of this chapter)