Chapter One: The Truth

  In a few more days, Han Jiangxue will be seventeen years old. Although her marriage has not been settled yet, it does not bother her at all.

  It wasn't until today when she was stopped by Li Xingming, the Second Young Master of the Zhuang Family Manor, on the street that she realized trouble had arrived!

  "Han Jiang Xue, what's with that expression? The engagement ceremony is about to take place, don't you know? As the legitimate son of a noble family, I'm more than worthy of marrying a lady from a prestigious family like yours! With your wild and untamed personality, which is even more unbridled than a man's, it's already a blessing that you can marry into our family. What's there not to be pleased about?"

  Li Xingming sat in the carriage, openly embracing Huamanlou's head plaque girl in his arms, with a lustful smile on his face as he looked at Hei Lian sitting on horseback in front of him, feeling an indescribable sense of pleasure.

  "Thinking back to the times when I was bullied by Han Jiangxue and her deadbeat brother, it's even more satisfying: 'Haha don't worry, once you're married to me, I'll train you every night, and within half a month, even if you were a fierce tigress, you'd be reduced to a gentle stream under my control...'"

  "Shut your stinking mouth! Even if I end up being an old maid for the rest of my life, I'd never marry a scumbag like you!"

  Han Jiangxue was furious, her anger boiling over. She was really enraged by Li Xingming's shamelessness. Of course, what made her most angry was this so-called marriage.

  She pulled on the reins and without hesitation prepared to bypass the horse-drawn carriage blocking her way, riding straight home to ask her father for a clear explanation!

  Seeing Han Jiangxue so flustered, Li Xingming laughed even more complacently and effortlessly threw out another vicious and shameless remark. The onlookers couldn't help but break a cold sweat upon hearing it. If one were to compare shamelessness, then in the entire capital city, Li Xingming would be second to none, with no one daring to take the first place.

  "Despicable person!" Han Jiangxue cursed loudly, raising the horse whip in her hand and directly lashing it at Li Xingming's face. "Slap" - a loud noise as she hit her target squarely, without holding back in the least.

  Then she rode past with an expressionless face, ignoring the chaotic mixture of screams and shouts that resembled the cries of pigs being slaughtered.

  Back home, Han Jiangxue threw the horse whip aside and rushed straight into the study without saying a word.

  She must ask her father what's going on, if she really has to marry a scoundrel like Li Xingming, even if it means risking her life to overthrow the Han and Zhuang families!

  "What's wrong with you, bursting in without even knocking? What kind of behavior is this?" Mr. Han looked up at his furious daughter, his eyes filled with disappointment.

  Han Jiangxue snatched the book from her father's hand and loudly asked, "Did that bastard Li Xingming say you want to marry me off to him? Is this true?"

  The father was taken aback for a moment, and suddenly understood where his daughter's anger came from. The dissatisfaction in his eyes also dissipated somewhat.

  Just as he was about to speak, a servant who usually accompanied his daughter on outings rushed in, panting and hastily reported: "Old master, it's not good! Young Miss has beaten the Second Young Master of the Zhuang Prince's Manor!"

  Han's father changed his face immediately after hearing this, but before he could scold him, Han Jiangxue glared at the servant and said in a very unhappy tone: "What are you shouting about? He just got whipped once, such a fool deserves to die, who told him to speak dirty words in public..."

  "Shut up!" Mr. Han slammed his hand on the table, directly cutting off Jiang Xue's words, clearly furious. "If he's a fool, I think you're even more foolish! Look at yourself now, what makes you look like a noble lady or a young mistress from a good family? You're arrogant and rude, spoiled and unrefined, reckless and notorious! He's already lucky to be willing to marry you, what qualifications do you have to despise others here?"

  In an instant, the study fell silent. Father's one-sided accusations made Han Jiangxue feel deeply wronged, and what she couldn't accept was that her father actually wanted to marry her off to a scoundrel like Li Xingming.

  "I may be a rascal myself, but I've never been as despicable as him, a rascal who bullies others!"

  A moment later, she stubbornly suppressed her grievances and didn't bother to explain much, but instead declared without hesitation, "Father will cancel this engagement immediately, I absolutely won't marry him!"

  "Marriage is a serious matter, not a child's play. You should listen to your parents' orders, where do you get the audacity! From today on, I will no longer let you act recklessly! Now follow me to the Zhuang family's mansion to apologize to the second young master, otherwise..."

  Han's father hadn't finished speaking, but Han Jiang Xue turned her head and said: "Fine, I'll go! I'll go kill that bastard right now and see if he still dares to marry me!"

  After speaking, Han Jiang Xue really rushed out of the study room in a hurry, with an anxious look on her face as if she was going to find someone to fight with.

  Father Han was so angry that he almost died, and he hurriedly shouted loudly towards the outside: "From now on, no one is allowed to let the young lady step out of the Han family's gate. If she dares to force her way out, break both her legs for me, lest she bring disaster to the entire Han family!"

  The servants standing outside saw that the old master was serious this time, and naturally did not dare to disobey, so they hurriedly stopped the young lady and persuaded her with kind words.

  Han Jiangxue was furious, but he knew his father wouldn't give in so quickly, so he didn't bother saying more and decided to go find his stepmother Liu to discuss it with her.

  Although Liu was her stepmother, she had a kind heart and had always treated her and her older brother with great affection since they were young. Last year, when her older brother unfortunately passed away, Liu cried so much that her eyes almost went blind.

  Relying on this emotional bond, she believed that her stepmother would definitely help her, not to mention that six months ago, she voluntarily gave up the marriage contract that should have belonged to her, allowing her younger sister born by her stepmother to marry the eldest son of the Zhang family and thus avoiding the fate of entering the palace selection.

  I was worried when I saw this, and I wanted to follow her, but Han's father scolded me, saying: "Don't bother with her, just guard the gate well and don't let her out of the house!"

  Han Jiangxue was disappointed with her father's ruthlessness and, holding back tears, hastily retreated to the backyard.

  As I walked through the small garden, I didn't expect to trip on something and sprain my foot. It's really true that when you're unlucky, even drinking water can get stuck in your teeth!

  She had to squat down to check how serious the injury was, looked up and saw no one else around, so she moved to a nearby banana flower cluster and directly took off her shoes and socks.

  No bones were hurt, but it has already started to swell. I'm afraid that for the next few days, I can only stay still and move less. After putting on my shoes and socks again, I was about to get up when I heard someone whispering something not far behind the banana flower cluster.

  Realizing it was her stepmother and sister, Han Jiang Xue was about to call out for someone when she suddenly heard her sister mention her marriage. Her sister's tone was an extremely unfamiliar kind of gloating, and she subconsciously stood still on the spot listening in.

  "Han Jiang Xue has been spoiled by me to the extreme, and her temper and reputation have reached a new low. Originally, as long as she continued to listen to me, I was even planning to find her a better marriage arrangement. But this girl's nature is unusually clever, not only did she detect that her brother's death was suspicious, but she also dared to investigate the matter, it's simply seeking her own death!"

  The stepmother's cold and ruthless voice was so unfamiliar that it was terrifying, Han Jiangxue's face changed instantly, she simply didn't dare to believe her own ears. She had been thinking of seeking help from Liu Shi, but she never expected things to turn out completely beyond her expectations.

  Her heart sank into an ice cellar instantly. It turned out that under the hypocritical skin of Liu's family, there was such a vicious heart hidden for so many years!

  "Why bother with all this trouble, Mother? Why not just get rid of that stinky girl directly? A useless and good-for-nothing young lady who would be ridiculed by anyone who sees her. I really don't know what Zhang Hao sees in her to be so infatuated!"

  The voice of sister Han Yajing came again, with a strong sense of disgust and hatred.

  Han Jiangxue's head was buzzing again, and it was another clear sky thunderstorm. How could even the kind-hearted and pure sister of the past, who was as gentle as a snow lotus flower, be so vicious?

  All the affection, all the trust collapsed in an instant, she felt her heart was about to jump out, her blood boiling, a torrent of anger filling her entire body, her hands unconsciously clenched tightly...

  "Han Jiangxue's marriage to the Zhuang family is already a done deal, and killing someone is never the best method unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let them get away with it for over a decade. You just wait patiently to marry into the Zhang family, and whether you can capture Zhang Haicheng's heart in the future, or whether the Zhang family will become another Han family, all depends..."

  Before she could finish speaking, Liu suddenly stopped and her gaze abruptly turned to the nearby banana grove. Her voice was exceptionally cold as she shouted: "Who's there? Come out!"

  At the critical moment, she was discovered by Liu's family. Han Jiangxue didn't have time to think more and subconsciously got up to find her father. However, after running for two steps, she fell to the ground again, and her previously injured foot immediately put her in a desperate situation.

  Seeing that the eavesdropper was Han Jiangxue, Liu's mother and daughter immediately revealed their murderous intentions. No matter how much this dead girl had heard, she absolutely could not be left alive!

  "Since you're so eager to go underground to find your short-lived mother and elder brother, then I'll fulfill your wish!"

  Liu said as she rushed up and grabbed Han Jiangxue's neck, her movements were incredibly fast, and Han Jiangxue was instantly subdued.

  "If you kill me... Father will surely find out..." Han Jiangxue struggled with all her might, unwilling to be killed by Liu just like this.

  Liu's strength was incredibly great, and while exerting force, he coldly sneered: "Starting from your mother, so many people in the Han family have died over the years, but I haven't seen your father notice anything! Rest assured, I will do it cleanly, and your father won't shed a single tear for you, this unfilial daughter!"

  "You..." Han Jiang Xue was pinched to the point where she couldn't make any more sounds, her breathing became increasingly difficult, and with a desperate glare in her eyes that were wide open due to suffocation, they were filled with endless hatred and unwillingness.

  She wanted to tear the devil in front of her into a thousand pieces, but her consciousness was getting more and more blurred. What flashed before her eyes were Liu's face twisted to the extreme with coldness, as well as Han Ya Jing's extremely sinister and painful mouth.

  Suddenly, she summoned up her last bit of strength and reached out to grab Liu's face. As her fingertips scratched across his vicious face, she finally took her last breath.