Reborn in Each Other’s Bodies: A Mother and Daughter’s Deadly Revenge - Chapter 102

The gate of the Begonia Court was smashed open.

The ten matrons newly assigned to Huang Yaning were the strongest among all of Sheng Minmin’s rough-work matrons. Ever since they first entered the residence, these ten had been stronger than the average man.

After several months in the residence, well-fed and cared for by Sheng Minmin, their strength had only increased.

Before going to the Pear Blossom Court, Sheng Minmin had given them explicit instructions: once they were by the Young Miss’s side, they were to obey her every command.

As long as the Young Miss wasn’t ordering them to kill anyone, they were to carry out all other orders immediately. If anything happened, the Madame would protect them.

So, when the Young Miss ordered them to break down the Begonia Court’s gate, secure it afterwards, and not let anyone from Begonia Court out or anyone else in, they had come prepared with handy tools.

The group arrived at Begonia Court and, with a few hefty heaves, broke the gate open.

Huang Yaning hadn’t washed or changed; she was still wearing the same clothes, patched and repatched.

Yet, not a single servant dared to stop her or even utter a word of protest.

Because at this moment, she was radiating such murderous intent she seemed like a wrathful deity of vengeance. Some of the more timid servants were so frightened their legs gave way…

Huang Yaning advanced unimpeded straight into Sheng Mingzhu’s bedroom.

Her eyes immediately fell upon Sheng Mingzhu, lying on the bed, eyes red and swollen!

Sheng. Ming. Zhu!

Images from before her death flashed before Huang Yaning’s eyes.

In her previous life, Sheng Mingzhu had orchestrated an assassination attempt. Huang Yaning had been poisoned while saving Sheng Mingzhu.

There had been one antidote pill that could have saved her life, but Sheng Mingzhu pretended to also be poisoned and fought her for that single lifesaving pill…

The rest of the Sheng family, without hesitation, chose to let Sheng Mingzhu live and let her die.

Sheng Mingzhu could have just had the assassin kill her directly, but she didn’t!

She had to create this elaborate charade, just to make Huang Yaning see clearly that in the hearts of Sheng Yong and her own sons, she was nothing.

To make her realize, before dying, that her husband’s love and her sons’ love were all虚幻的泡沫 (xuànhuàn de pàomò – illusory bubbles), bursting at the slightest touch.

Her previous life had been a joke!

And Sheng Mingzhu had also caused Minmin’s death. Exactly how had Sheng Mingzhu tormented Minmin in their past life…

Thinking of all this, she felt her spirit and body being roasted over a fire. The pain was too much, too intense.

If she was suffering, Sheng Mingzhu was going to suffer even more!

Huang Yaning rushed forward, grabbed Sheng Mingzhu’s hair, and yanked down with vicious force.

“Ah— Ah— Ah—”

Sheng Mingzhu’s screams almost pierced the sky. It looked like her scalp was about to be torn off.

It was nearly that bad. Because Minmin’s body was accustomed to farm work from childhood, her hands were strong. This one pull tore out a whole handful of hair.

A small patch of scalp on Sheng Mingzhu’s left side was gone, and beads of blood welled up.

“I’ll kill you— I’ll kill you—” Sheng Mingzhu cried, trying to scratch Huang Yaning’s face.

But Sheng Mingzhu had been pampered since childhood, weak and incapable, with no experience in fighting.

Huang Yaning, during her time in Taohua Village, had not only been in fights herself but had often watched the Feng family brawl, and had already figured out the tactics.

When hitting someone, don’t waste breath on words. Wouldn’t it be better to use that energy to land a few more blows?

Huang Yaning climbed onto the bed in one fluid motion, pinning Sheng Mingzhu beneath her.

Smack, smack, smack—

She rained down slaps on Sheng Mingzhu’s face, left and right, the sound of palm meeting cheek incessant. No one knew how many slaps she landed. Streaks of blood appeared on Sheng Mingzhu’s cheeks, and Huang Yaning’s own palms began to go numb.

There were several of Sheng Mingzhu’s maids in the room. Initially frozen by the murderous aura Huang Yaning emanated, they were jolted awake by Sheng Mingzhu’s screams and tried to help.

But in the end, they couldn’t help at all. Instead, they were beaten by Qing Tian and the matrons until they howled in pain.

Qing Tian harbored a desire for personal revenge under the guise of duty. Having suffered so terribly at Sheng Mingzhu’s hands before, she was determined to get payback this time.

Moreover, the Young Miss she served now was the real千金 (qiānjīn – daughter of a noble family). This Young Miss was not weak or easily bullied, so Qing Tian felt she must keep pace with her mistress’s ferocity, lest the Young Miss think her useless!

So, Qing Tian fought fiercely with all her might, scratching faces, pulling hair, even biting the servants of Begonia Court. She could take on two at once.

The ten matrons followed Huang Yaning’s lead unquestioningly.

Knowing the Young Miss wanted to vent her anger, and suspecting the Madame had sent them for the same purpose, they held nothing back.

Aside from the four guarding the gate, the others made quick work of subduing all the servants in Begonia Court.

For a time, the Begonia Court was filled with the sounds of wailing and misery.

Huang Yaning was counting the time, estimating that Sheng Yong would probably get the news and come soon. Remembering what Qingying had said back in the Pear Blossom Court, the corner of her mouth lifted slightly.

During the incident at Chunshan Temple, hadn’t Minmin wanted to cripple Sheng Mingzhu’s leg?

If it was something Minmin wanted, she would naturally help Minmin achieve it.

Would Minmin forgive her just a little bit if she knew…

“Y-You… wha’ are ‘ou doin’…”

Sheng Mingzhu sensed an extremely dangerous signal and trembled in fear, asking.

Her face was so swollen from the beating, her mouth full of blood, that her words were slurred and unclear.

Then, Sheng Mingzhu saw the other girl’s face twist into a vicious, malicious smile as she grabbed her jade pillow and raised it high.

“Sheng Mingzhu, what you owe us, I will make you repay a hundredfold, a thousandfold in this life!”

By now, Sheng Mingzhu realized what the other intended to do. She felt a sensation of plummeting into hell.

The moment she realized she was a fake, Sheng Mingzhu thought she understood despair and agony.

But only at this very moment did she truly comprehend despair.

As long as Prince Qi liked her, her father would surely do his utmost to protect her. Even if she wasn’t biologically the legitimate daughter, she could still be the nominal legitimate daughter of the Sheng family.

But if she became a cripple, her life would truly be ruined!

Not only would she have no chance of becoming a Princess Consort, she wouldn’t even qualify to be a concubine—

She wanted to scream for help, but fear choked her, preventing any sound from escaping…

Who would come save her?

“Zhuer! (Pearl)” It was at this moment that Sheng Yong burst in. The scene before him made his eyes nearly burst with rage. “You vile girl— Stop this at once—”

Huang Yaning responded with a smile of utmost mockery and defiance, then brought the object in her hand down with great force.

Sheng Mingzhu let out another piercing, agonized scream before fainting on the spot.

…..

A short while earlier, Sheng Yong had been in the Peony Court.

After returning to the Peony Court and issuing a few orders, Sheng Minmin had completely taken to her bed, “fallen ill.” She lay there, her face pale and exhausted.

Sheng Yong sat by the bed, his gaze sharp and icy.

He replayed the events of the day in his mind, estimating that by now, what happened in the court hall had already spread throughout the capital.

Even if he sent someone to silence the Feng family and destroy the witnesses, it would be useless.

Because that wretched girl’s face was the most powerful evidence.

But, Zhuer hadn’t lost yet!

Everything was done by that vile servant, Tao Niang. What did it have to do with Zhuer? Zhuer was just an infant at the time! Zhuer is pure and innocent.

As long as he acknowledged Zhuer, as long as Zhuer’s name remained on the Sheng family register, Zhuer could still be a young lady of the Sheng family.

He had always felt Zhuer was a little lucky star, and now he believed it even more.

Born in the countryside yet ending up as an official’s daughter in his household—wasn’t that proof she was a “lucky star”?

He could hire people to steer public opinion, portraying Zhuer as a “lucky star,” which would surely help salvage some of her reputation.

This was also the reason Sheng Yong had come to the Peony Court immediately after calming Zhuer down. He needed “Huang Shi” (Madame Huang) to formally acknowledge Sheng Mingzhu.