I manage female characters in all the heavens.

Is it related to everyone in the Jiang family?

Could it be... that Yaoyue has finally gone mad again, regrets what happened back then, and sent people to wipe out my entire family?!

Otherwise, what could possibly be related to Yulang and Yufeng in the lofty and aloof Yihua Palace?

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, and he almost broke out in a cold sweat.

But his years of experience allowed him to maintain his composure and force a somewhat stiff smile: "Oh? Please speak freely, young lady."

Jiang Yuyan took a deep breath and took out a jade pendant from her bosom—it was a ring-shaped jade pendant that was entirely green, with a warm and smooth texture, and was carved with exquisite twin lotus flowers. It was clear at a glance that it was no ordinary item.

She presented the jade pendant with both hands, her voice trembling slightly: "Master Jiang, do you recognize this?"

Jiang Biehe took the jade pendant, held it up to the light for a closer look, and his expression immediately changed.

This jade pendant... was a token of love he gave to a woman when he was young!

The woman was his confidante whom he met while he was wandering, and the two had a brief affair.

Later, he returned to Jiangnan and never saw her again. He secretly sent people to look for her, only to find that she had moved away.

He had assumed she had already remarried or died in the face of the times, but he never expected...

He suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed on Jiang Yuyan, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief: "You...you are..."

Jiang Yuyan slowly removed her mask, revealing a face that was both exquisitely beautiful and covered with hideous scars.

But Jiang Biehe could still vaguely see a familiar shadow on that face.

At Yaoyue's request, he married Shen, but Shen was a jealous tigress who couldn't give him any tenderness. However, for the sake of his great cause as a chivalrous hero in Jiangnan, he could only endure it.

But his yearning for gentleness never disappeared. On one occasion, while performing a chivalrous act, he met a woman who was gentle as water and would softly call him Brother Crane. He immediately fell for her.

However, his career was still more important than a romantic relationship, so he abandoned the woman, leaving behind a jade pendant as he departed.

I never expected to see this jade pendant again after more than a decade.

Jiang Yuyan's eyes were filled with tears, her voice choked but firm: "Father, your daughter Jiang Yuyan."

The entire flower hall was deathly silent.

The teacup in Shen's hand crashed to the ground with a "smash," shattering into pieces.

Her face was ashen, her gaze piercing Jiang Biehe like a knife, her lips trembling, but she couldn't utter a single word.

Jiang Yulang's smile froze. He looked at Jiang Yuyan's scarred face, a flash of disgust crossing his eyes, which he quickly concealed, replaced by an expression of surprise and concern: "This...is this true, Father?"

Jiang Yufeng simply sat quietly in place, her eyes filled with complex emotions and deep sorrow as she looked at Jiang Yuyan's scarred face.

Jiang Biehe's hand holding the jade pendant trembled slightly.

He slowly lowered his head, looking at the twin lotus flowers on the jade pendant, as if he saw the gentle and tender woman from many years ago, smiling at him under the moonlight.

"This jade pendant seems to be part of my dowry from back then." Madam Shen's tone was dangerous, cold as a knife: "Jiang Biehe, speak!"

Jiang Biehe trembled, wanting to deny it, but faced with overwhelming evidence, he had no room for argument.

Faced with Shen's stern gaze, which was blazing with anger, Jiang Biehe thought it over and over, and finally admitted with difficulty: "It's... true."

His head was bowed low, and he didn't dare to look at Shen Shi even once.

Shen slammed her hand on the table, then grabbed Jiang Biehe's ear and twisted it hard, roaring, "I gave you everything, and you cheated on me with a mistress, and even had a bastard child?!"

"Jiang Biehe, how dare you!"

Jiang Biehe was in pain and begged for mercy repeatedly, showing none of the imposing manner of a great hero from Jiangnan. He acted like a grandson in front of Shen.

Not satisfied, Shen slapped Jiang Biehe across the face several times, swelling his cheeks.

This sudden turn of events left Jiang Yuyan at a loss. She never expected that the gentle and virtuous Shen Shi could turn into such an angry and ferocious person in an instant.

Seeing Jiang Biehe's miserable state, Jiang Yuyan immediately stood up, shouted "Stop!", and glared angrily at Shen.

Shen immediately glared at her, disregarding Jiang Yuyan's status as a high-ranking member of the Yihua Palace. While cursing her as a slut, she unleashed her martial arts skills, which she hadn't used for many years, and drew her sword to kill Jiang Yuyan!

Jiang Yuyan had only been practicing martial arts for a few days. Although she was exceptionally talented and had received the "Iron Heart Orchid" initiation, she still couldn't surpass Shen Shi, who was almost forty years old, in such a short time.

After exchanging dozens of blows, all the tables, chairs, and benches were smashed to pieces. Jiang Yuyan was finally knocked to the ground. Shen Shi, filled with jealousy and hatred, raised her sword and thrust it straight at Jiang Yuyan's chest.

Jiang Yuyan was about to die under Shen's sword, and Jiang Biehe just stared blankly without making a move. Jiang Yulang was even less likely to stop his mother from killing the ugly woman.

Jiang Yufeng suddenly flashed in front of Jiang Yuyan, using her body to block her mother's sword.

Shen was immediately alarmed, but she couldn't stop her sword in time. She could only turn the blade and stab Jiang Yufeng in the left shoulder. Blood immediately stained Jiang Yufeng's pale yellow dress.

"What are you doing, Yu Feng!" Madam Shen roared in anger.

Jiang Yufeng turned around, still stubbornly standing in front of Jiang Yuyan, and said to Madam Shen with tears streaming down her face, "Mother, she is, after all, Father's own flesh and blood, my sister!"

She didn't really care whether she was a younger sister or not, but as the only conscience of the Jiang family, she couldn't stand by and watch the innocent Jiang Yuyan be killed by her mother.

The older generation made the mistake, so why should the innocent younger generation bear the consequences?

If you have conflicts, resolve them yourselves. If you can live together, great; if not, separate. What does murder matter?

Moreover, Jiang Yufeng had long been fed up with her mother's domineering and controlling nature, and she didn't know where her mother had learned it from. (Yaoyue: Are you tagging me?)

Normally she wouldn't have the courage to defy her mother, but today, seeing her already pitiful younger sister about to be killed by her mother, she suddenly found the courage.

Madam Shen was furious, pointing a trembling finger at Jiang Yufeng: "You traitor!"

Jiang Yufeng raised her head and said fiercely, "According to the law of the court, murderers must pay with their lives. Mother, don't let a small mistake lead to a bigger one, and make another mistake!"

The Shen family was speechless. "You're talking about law in the martial arts world?"

However, after Jiang Yufeng's interruption, Shen's anger did subside considerably, and she was able to use her brain again.

First of all, Jiang Yufeng is right. Jiang Yuyan is, after all, Jiang Biehe's biological daughter. If she were really killed with a sword, her already strained relationship with Jiang Biehe would probably break down, and she would probably have to guard against her husband killing her every time she sleeps.

Secondly, killing her directly would be too lenient; keeping her alive to torture her properly is the only way to vent our anger!

As for the identity of the people from Yihua Palace, who cares? Once we've tormented them enough, we'll quietly kill them and feed them to the dogs, erasing all traces. How can Yihua Palace possibly use magic to reflect the past?

No matter what, although Shen Shi is no longer in Yihua Palace, she is still Yaoyue's person. Without evidence, no one can "wrongly accuse" her!

Madam Shen dropped her sword and coldly snorted, "Since Yu Feng has pleaded for you, I will spare your life. You may stay, but not as a young lady of the Jiang family, but as a servant!"

"You have to do all these menial jobs: washing clothes, fetching water, chopping wood, sweeping, and repairing!"

Jiang Yufeng frowned. How could her younger sister do such things? She had to fight for Jiang Yuyan again.

Jiang Yuyan tugged at her skirt to stop her, stood up, looked directly at Madam Shen, and spoke in a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant:

“I don’t think those are lowly jobs, just normal housework, which I often do at home.”

Shen sneered: "A slut is a slut, she should do slutty things, then keep doing them until you die!"

Jiang Yuyan shook her head and sneered, "I think you're used to being high and mighty, and you think others should listen to you? Do you think I have to acknowledge this relative or stay in this family?"

She turned directly to Jiang Biehe, her eyes filled with disappointment: "Father, you are the head of the family. Tell me, should I stay and serve you like a slave?"

Jiang Biehe seemed to have just come to his senses. When Jiang Yuyan asked him a question, his eyes were very evasive: "This... you should listen to your aunt."

Although Jiang Biehe was only learning about Jiang Yuyan's daughter for the first time, he was actually delighted, as she was the only child born out of love in his life.

However, he knew better how he had acquired his power and status, and he cared more about power and reputation. For the sake of his great cause, sacrificing his children was not unacceptable, and this was far from being a sacrifice.

He has no chance to resist the Shen family yet, so he can only make his daughter suffer for now.

"Is that so..." Jiang Yuyan shook her head in disappointment, and said self-deprecatingly, "It seems that I had too high expectations of you. Someone as cowardly as you is not worthy of the title of Jiangnan Hero."

Jiang Yufeng, clutching her bleeding shoulder, scolded, "Sister, you can't... say that about Father."

She was in so much pain that she was wincing, but she still cared more about her family than herself.

Jiang Yuyan's impression of her took a complete 180-degree turn; she was the only person who stood up for her in the face of "power."

"My sister..." she murmured to herself.

My sister may be a good sister, but this is not a good family, so I can only pretend that she doesn't exist.

Jiang Yuyan sighed, her tone turning cold: "Since the Jiang family doesn't welcome me, there's no need for me to stay any longer."

"The world is so big, the Jiang family is not the only place to stay."

She had actually guessed what was going on with her before she came here.

However, Shen's performance during the banquet misled her, making her think that the family reunion would go smoothly. That's why she chose to be honest with everyone instead of telling Jiang Biehe in private.

Who would have thought that Ms. Shen was just acting?

Or perhaps it wasn't an act, but rather she simply couldn't accept the appearance of someone who would destroy her marriage.

Jiang Yuyan didn't actually hate Shen; in fact, she felt some guilt. After all, Shen had married Jiang Biehe first and they even had children, while she was the result of Jiang Biehe's philandering.

This debt to the Shen family was incurred by her mother and Jiang Biehe together, and that must be acknowledged.

Now that her mother is dead, as her daughter, knowing that Jiang Biehe has his own family, she still comes to claim kinship. This is also a kind of humiliation for Shen, so it's normal for her to be furious.

But she was furious with Jiang Biehe. It was one thing to admit your own mistakes, but what was with you admitting them and then just watching the show?

Too greedy and too cowardly, wanting everything yet daring not to fight for anything, bullying the weak and fearing the strong—that's the Jiangnan hero.

Shit!

Jiang Yuyan was filled with disappointment as she prepared to leave.

But Shen narrowed her eyes and stepped in front of Jiang Yuyan:

"You little bitch, you think you can just leave like that? Do you think you can just come and go as you please?"

Jiang Yulang also jumped out at this moment, walked to Shen's side, pointed at Jiang Yuyan with his finger, and said arrogantly:

"You ugly monster, not only did you come to ruin my family, but you're also so ugly that you come out to scare people. I almost threw up the food I just ate. You're simply unforgivable!"

Jiang Yuyan stopped and looked coldly at the two of them: "What do you want?"

Madam Shen sneered: "Didn't I just tell you? Wash clothes, fetch water, chop wood, start fires, sweep the floor, and do repairs—work until you die!"

Jiang Yulang was extremely arrogant: "If you don't work until Mother is satisfied, you'll never leave the Jiang family for the rest of your life. Even if the Heavenly King himself came, it wouldn't make a difference!"

Jiang Yufeng asked incredulously, "What are you talking about? How could you go so far?"

"Father, please say something!" she cried anxiously to Jiang Biehe.

Previously, the actions taken against Jiang Yuyan could be described as the anger of the original wife. Although the behavior was somewhat excessive, it did occupy a morally superior position.

But now that they've given up on recognizing their relatives and are about to leave, you're preventing them from leaving and forcing them to stay and torment them. This isn't just a matter of morality and ethics; it's a violation of the law and has no moral justification!