The following scene depicts the hardships Huang Cui faced after arriving in Shan Yuan County.
Wherever she went, there were people secretly cursing behind her back.
They said things like how an outsider woman would bring disaster to the county and so on.
Not only did they curse her, but they also cursed Jiang Changqing for being ignorant, for bringing an outsider woman back.
Upon reaching Jiang's house, Jiang Song appeared and drove Huang Cui out with a cane.
Jiang Changqing stood by, not daring to intercede.
Huang Cui left Jiang's house and couldn't go anywhere, even the county's inn wouldn't accommodate her.
As she was leaving, Jiang Changqing mentioned a pavilion outside the county where she could wait.
At this point, Huang Cui's voice sounded.
Wearing a mask that concealed her expression, her tone was filled with bitterness.
"He said for me to return to Jinling."
"To bring you all the way here and then ask you to leave?" Lin Ji couldn't believe it.
Huang Cui nodded.
"I threatened to die, he got scared, that's why he said for me to stay."
In the midst of their conversation, the scene around them changed once again.
It was a joyous day at the Jiang household.
Although it was called a joyous occasion, there were no festive decorations.
It was just a small courtyard in the backyard of the Jiang household, with a 'joy' character pasted on the door.
The guests were only Jiang Changqing's friends from the county.
By evening, the wedding banquet dispersed.
In the room of the small courtyard, the candlelight shining through the red 'joy' character still exuded a hint of newlywed atmosphere.
Huang Cui sat by the bed with a red veil covering her head, her face filled with nervousness and joy.
She tightly closed her eyes.
Feeling the veil being lifted, her body began to tremble.
She was pushed down, and everything unfolded as she had anticipated, she finally gave herself to the one she liked.
Suddenly, the scene in Lin Ji's eyes spun.
It was after the event.
Huang Cui opened her eyes, Jiang Changqing lifted the bedsheet, only to find no signs of blood.
"What's going on?" Jiang Changqing questioned with a grim expression.
"I swear to the heavens, you are my first man!"
"Then how do you explain this?"
Huang Cui looked bewildered, unsure, because she was certain this was her first time in this life!
"You wretch!" Jiang Changqing, no longer the weak one, slapped her, then stormed out.
Left alone, Huang Cui sat at the edge of the bed, weeping with her face covered.
Not long after, another person entered the room, and like before, pushed Huang Cui down. Huang Cui, still dazed, thought it was Jiang Changqing again.
Later, Huang Cui realized that the person lying on top of her was not Jiang Changqing but a friend of Jiang Changqing from the wedding banquet earlier that day.
Her face pale, feeling ashamed, she quickly pushed the man away, wrapped herself in the blanket, unable to say a word through her tears.
Her heart was ashen, unsure how to face the situation before her.
"An outsider woman who came as a wilted flower, your husband has agreed, what's wrong with playing around?" The man left with these words.
Then Jiang Changqing appeared.
Jiang Changqing, seemingly aware of what had happened, cursed the woman relentlessly.
At this point, Huang Cui could no longer cry, but she still managed to drive Jiang Changqing out with all her might.
She dressed, not in wedding attire, but in a yellow dress she had brought from Jinling.
Wiping off the makeup on her face, removing the phoenix hairpin from her head.
The wedding dress was torn, the belt tied to the beam.
The scene before her abruptly stopped.
Huang Cui's dim eyes looked through the mask at Lin Ji.
"What do you think? Should someone like this be killed?"
Lin Ji was speechless.
All he could do was remain silent, a surge of anger stuck in his chest, making him extremely uncomfortable.
He didn't know what to say, he couldn't say anything.
"I'm seeking revenge on them, is it too much?"
"I don't know," Lin Ji shook his head.
After a long silence, it was Huang Cui who spoke first.
"Do you know why I wear a mask?"
Lin Ji looked up.
"In fact, I'm not dead yet."
"Not dead?"
Huang Cui raised her hand from the wooden bed, revealing a dark insect corpse in her palm.
"The life-saving Gu saved my life, I am from the Huang family of Wei Prefecture."
Huang Cui's voice was calm.
"The Huang family raises Gu insects, every legitimate descendant from a young age will have a life-saving Gu in their chest. If there is a life-threatening situation, this life-saving Gu will take the damage on behalf of the owner."
"Even so, after I hung myself, I still fell into a three-day false death. Do you know what scene I woke up to?"
Huang Cui removed her mask.
Her right face was beautiful, full of youthful vigor.
Her left face bore a hideous wound, somewhat healed but still showing traces of flesh and blood.
"I was thrown into the wilderness by the Jiang family like a wild dog. When I woke up, two real wild dogs were gnawing at my face."
Lin Ji tried to breathe deeply, the knot in his heart not dissipating.
He could only endure not looking at Huang Cui's face, lowering his head.
"So this dream is also caused by Gu insects?"
"Yes, I threw hundreds of Gu insects into the county. Any man bitten by them at night would enter a dream controlled by me."
A small insect appeared between Huang Cui's fingers.
About the size of an ant.
Who would care about a single ant bite?
"Isn't it said that if an outsider woman dies in the county, a vengeful spirit called Yan Niang will come for revenge? Well, as they wished, I am that Yan Niang, and none of them can escape."
Lin Ji sighed deeply.
"By doing this, you will attract the investigation of the Celestial Supervisory Bureau."
"I don't care, do you think I want to live?" Huang Cui's voice was flat, "I know the Celestial Supervisory Bureau will come! I am even prepared, when the cultivator who I can't resist catches me, how I will end my own life!"
Lin Ji pursed his lips.
"You are still young, with a long future ahead, you shouldn't lose your life for a few scumbags."
Huang Cui remained silent, shaking her head.
Lin Ji continued, "I promise you, I will give you an explanation for your situation, one that satisfies you."
"Your face is not beyond repair, the Celestial Supervisory Bureau has the Rejuvenation Pill, even severed limbs can heal, let alone the injuries on your face?"
"Keep a thread of life, there will be something to do in the future. I have avenged your grievances, I only ask you to stop now."
"You are the Chief Constable of Liang Prefecture, will you help me?" Huang Cui looked at Lin Ji.
Lin Ji nodded, then shook his head.
"First and foremost, I am a person of conscience, then I am the Chief Constable of Liang Prefecture."
As he spoke, Lin Ji clenched his fist with one hand, his veins bulging.
"These people from the Jiang family are truly heartless, they deserve to die!"
"Why are you helping me?"
"I just don't want you to die because of a few scumbags. Your current actions, even if I don't intervene, someone else will! Stop now before you cause a fatality."
Seeing Huang Cui still silent, Lin Ji continued, "Beside me is a wandering official from the capital, we are investigating your case. Give me one day, let me bring you justice."
"One day?" Huang Cui raised her head.
"One day," Lin Ji affirmed.
Huang Cui got up from the wooden bed, smiled, and put the mask back on.
"After one day, I will wait for you at the pavilion outside the city."
The images Lin Ji had seen earlier flashed in his mind again.
The next moment, the dream dissipated.
Lin Ji opened his eyes, sitting up directly.
It was already bright outside.
"How was it? Have you found out?" Lu Zha'er asked eagerly.
Lin Ji looked at Lu Zha'er.
"The people from the Jiang family deserve to die."
Lu Zha'er was stunned.
"What do you mean?"
"I promised a girl to help her seek revenge. I don't want her to die, so I took action for her."
"Huang Cui?"
"Yes."
Lin Ji briefly recounted the events of the dream to Lu Zha'er.
After hearing it, Lu Zha'er fell silent as well.
"This matter should involve all those implicated, and be judged by the law."
"The laws of Da Qin cannot reach these scumbags!" Lin Ji shook his head irritably, getting up and walking out.
"Not everything can be done according to the rules."
(End of this chapter)