After Transmigrating, I Was Kidnapped By A Scheming Beauty Into The Bridal Chamber - Chapter 1

In the dimly lit main hall of Jiang Manor, a man in his forties sat upright, his face illuminated by the flickering candlelight. A young woman, barely past her teenage years, stood before him, her delicate features radiating a youthful radiance.

Her beauty was tinged with a hint of purity, like a flower bud yet to bloom, still glistening with morning dew. Her figure was far more mature than her age suggested, made her the center of attention wherever she went.

“Father, why have you summoned Chenyu so late?” The girl’s voice was like polished jade, though a trace of impatience, barely perceptible, lingered in her tone.

“Didn’t your father just return from Yang City? I wanted to give you your gift right away, so I asked Nanny Wu to fetch you. Were you already asleep?” Wu Daoyuan scrutinized his stepdaughter under the candlelight. The girl had grown increasingly captivating, bearing no resemblance to her plain, unremarkable mother.

“Chenyu thanks Father for his thoughtfulness,” the girl replied, deliberately deepening her voice to conceal its natural melodiousness.

“Come, let me help you try it on!” Wu Daoyuan rose and stepped forward, his towering frame casting a shadow over the girl. His large hand casually settled on her delicate shoulder, while his other hand made a pretense of measuring her head.

“Father must have bought the finest quality hairpin,” Jiang Chenyu thought, watching their shadows cast on the window paper, resembling an embrace. A wave of humiliation and disgust washed over her, and she unconsciously retreated two steps.

Wu Daoyuan inserted the pearl hairpin into her waterfall of dark hair, his large hand, which had been resting on her shoulder, withdrawing at the same moment.

“Chenyu is such a sensible girl. You’re my only daughter; of course I want to spoil you!” He clasped his hands behind his back, adopting the dignified demeanor of an elder.

“Come, sit here. I have something to discuss with you.” He patted the space beside him.

Jiang Chenyu cursed this wolf in sheep’s clothing inwardly, but she reluctantly moved toward the luohan couch. She couldn’t let him see she was on guard, lest he become desperate and lash out.

“What is it, Father?” she asked calmly, sitting an arm’s length away.

“Ah, you’re sixteen now, a grown woman. Since your mother passed, I’ve raised you with such care, nurturing you into the graceful young lady you’ve become.” As he spoke, he casually patted her thigh twice.

Jiang Chenyu’s skin prickled with alarm.

“Father, these fruits on your table look freshly delivered. Why don’t I have any?” She quickly rose and walked to the table, picking up a large, round apple.

“Nanny Wu prepared those this afternoon. If you like them, take them all!” Wu Daoyuan’s expression softened into a benevolent smile.

“Did you call me here for something important, Father?”

“Indeed. Do you remember Young Master Zhang, your betrothed since childhood? We agreed to marry you off after the New Year, but fate has dealt that unfortunate boy a cruel blow!” Wu Daoyuan spoke slowly, his tone unhurried.

“What happened?” Jiang Chenyu’s anxiety surged. This arranged marriage was her lifeline, the only reason she could endure living under the roof of this wolf in sheep’s clothing. Once the year passed, she would marry into the Zhang family, escaping this twisted household forever.

“Ah, what a twist of fate! I happened to visit Danyang County recently and thought I’d pay the Zhang family a visit. But when I arrived, their gate was draped with red silk. Upon inquiring, I learned that Second Young Master Zhang had been caught dallying with a virtuous woman. The woman, now pregnant, had come to their door demanding justice.” As he spoke, a faint smile flickered across Wu Daoyuan’s face, though the dim candlelight made it difficult to discern clearly.

Jiang Chenyu’s face drained of color as she heard the news. She sank onto a stool, her fingers clenching tightly around the large apple in her hand. Normally, such talk from a man to a young woman—about seduction and pregnancy—would be highly inappropriate. But Jiang Chenyu was too distraught to care about propriety.

“But even if she’s pregnant, why didn’t he take her as a concubine?” she asked, her face pale. She had no real affection for her fiancé, having only met him once as a child. But in the past two years, after sensing Wu Daoyuan’s intentions, she had pinned all her hopes on this betrothed.

“His family wanted her as a concubine, but the woman had a relative working in the government office. In the end, she knew better than to fight the authorities and accepted her fate. But… my poor daughter, you’re the one who suffers!” he said, feigning pity.

“Don’t be too upset,” he continued, his tone shifting to righteous indignation. “We’re better off without such a treacherous scoundrel. Your father can certainly afford to support you. A daughter of the Wu family can stay home her whole life, and I’ll still provide for her.” He spoke these absurdities with a show of righteous anger.

“Father, I’m tired. I’ll go back now. We can discuss this later,” she said, her head bowed and voice weak, as if utterly defeated.

“It is indeed late. You should retire for the night. I’ll visit you again tomorrow.”

“Your daughter takes her leave,” she said, turning to exit the main hall.

Wu Daoyuan’s gaze burned into her graceful, full-figured back as she departed, a sinister smile curving his lips. He harbored dark, unspoken plans.

Back in her room, Jiang Chenyu’s hands and feet were icy cold, her heart filled with despair. That damned Zhang Er! Why couldn’t he hold out? Just as I suspected—young and old, they’re all worthless!

What was she to do? What was she to do? Her fate was in another’s hands. How could she escape this living hell?

Jiang Manor was renowned throughout Qingyuan County for its wealth. Jiang Chenyu’s maternal grandfather had amassed a fortune through decades of merchant trading. Yet he had only one daughter, who, after marrying, was scorned by her husband’s family within six or seven years for their impoverished circumstances.

Upon learning of this, Old Master Jiang, risking his reputation, severed ties with his daughter’s in-laws. He sacrificed a substantial dowry to secure her divorce, bringing his five-year-old granddaughter back to Qingyuan Town.

Fortunately, he had been shrewd enough to reserve three-quarters of his wealth, allocating only one-quarter as her dowry, a precaution against the arrogance of wealthy families who looked down on merchants.

Now that the family were reunited and living comfortably, they should have been content. But Old Master Jiang had a daughter late in life, and she was now nearly twenty-five, while he and his wife were approaching sixty. They worried deeply about their daughter, who seemed listless and dispirited.

Later, their daughter took a fancy to a scholar who had failed the imperial examinations, Wu Daoyuan. Old Master Jiang reluctantly agreed to the marriage, fearing that his daughter and granddaughter would have no one to care for them after he and his wife passed away.

At the time, Wu Daoyuan was ambitious and diligent, studying tirelessly to prepare for future examinations. But after Old Master Jiang and his wife died, he abandoned his studies, claiming the family’s business needed his attention, and took over the Jiang Family’s affairs.

Mother Jiang was a frail woman. Remarrying was already the most daring thing she had ever done, so she naturally deferred to her husband in all matters. For six or seven years, she and Jiang Chenyu lived with this second, live-in husband. But her health, weakened by years of mistreatment in her first marriage, deteriorated further under the new husband’s relentless demands.

Eventually, she passed away, leaving thirteen-year-old Jiang Chenyu an orphan.

From then on, Scholar Wu ruled Jiang Manor with an iron fist. He brought his relatives, including Nanny Wu, to live in luxury at the manor, enjoying fine clothes, lavish meals, and a retinue of servants.

Scholar Wu treated Jiang Chenyu, the Jiang Family’s sole heir, with both overt and covert kindness, earning praise from neighbors and relatives who lauded him as a man of compassion and righteousness, deserving of all the Jiang Family’s wealth.

Yet after her mother’s death, Jiang Chenyu sensed her stepfather’s sinister intentions. Having witnessed her mother’s suffering under her grandmother’s abuse and her father’s indifference to his concubine’s cruelty, she had grown cautious and perceptive.

Upon detecting these ominous signs, she feigned ignorance, continuing her life with outward calm, clinging to the hope that the three-year mourning period would soon end, allowing her to marry into the Zhang family and escape her stepfather’s wolfish nature.

But the news Wu Daoyuan delivered today plunged her into an icy abyss. Her marriage had been arranged by her maternal grandfather, and now that ravenous wolf would never allow her to marry.

He had long claimed Jiang Chenyu was frail, a delicate young lady like her mother. Yet, by heaven’s grace, her health was robust; she hadn’t needed a single bowl of medicinal soup all year.

Truly, his heart deserved to be condemned.

That night, Jiang Chenyu tossed and turned in bed, sleepless. With Second Young Master Zhang gone, she was desperate. Where could she find another man to take his place?

******

In a dilapidated temple outside the city, a young man lay sprawled on a pile of withered straw who’s clad in luxurious silk robes. His face was as flawless as jade, his brows as dark as ink, his nose slender and high-bridged, and his lips as red as cinnabar.

She lay dazed on the straw pile, a stark contrast to the dimly lit, dilapidated temple.

Shen Hetang felt as if her head was about to explode. She instinctively raised a hand to rub her forehead, struggling to open her eyes. All she saw was ruin.

Half-collapsed walls, a roof open to the sky—where was she? The scene before her left her utterly bewildered.

Just moments ago, she had been on her way to report to the police station. Shen Hetang had been specially recruited by the police force after winning first place in the provincial martial arts competition. As she approached the station’s entrance, she encountered a vengeful bandit strapped with explosives. Overwhelmed by a sense of duty, she grappled with the man. After that, her memories grew hazy, with only the earth-shattering explosion remaining as her final recollection.

She staggered to her feet, shielding her eyes from the blinding sunlight. Then, the wide, dark-blue sleeves embroidered with subtle floral patterns caught her eye. Startled, she immediately glanced down at her attire.

What is this? Her heart pounded like a stormy sea. She hurried out of the temple and scanned the surroundings: a dirt road, thickets, a horse-drawn carriage, and… Hanfu?

Had she transmigrated? 

If not, she would likely be in heaven right now. Compared to that, if she had truly transmigrated, it didn’t seem so unbearable after all.

She stood blankly by the official road, staring in a daze at the passing carriages and pedestrians.

“Young master, do you need a ride?” A coachman in coarse, short-sleeved clothing asked.

“Young master?” Shen Hetang repeated the coachman’s words, her voice slightly wooden.

“Yes, I’m talking to you,” the coachman replied. He found it odd that this young master, with his ethereal beauty and jade-like complexion, was so slow to react. Could he be a fool? His gaze toward Shen Hetang shifted, now tinged with suspicion.

“Ah… ah… yes, yes, thank you, brother!” Shen Hetang dazedly climbed into the coachman’s carriage, wondering if this ride would cost her any money.

She lowered her head to search for her money pouch but found nothing but a hairpin in her hair.

Remembering the coachman had called her “young master,” she discreetly felt around her body. She sighed in relief—thankfully, she hadn’t changed. She is still a woman. She wasn’t sure she could adjust to that.

The slender, pale hand had distinct knuckles, and its palm and the area between the thumb and index finger were slightly rough, bearing thin calluses.

She was familiar with these calluses. Years of martial arts training had naturally left her with hands that were far from soft and boneless.

“Young master, are you heading into town as well?” the coachman called out from the front.

“Mm, it’s along the way,” she replied vaguely.

“Are you visiting relatives, young master?” the coachman continued, proving to be quite talkative.

“Ah, to be honest, I was on my way to propose marriage when bandits ambushed me halfway there, stealing all my valuables,” Shen Hetang said, her voice dropping and her expression blank, making her look like she had just suffered a great misfortune. “Now I have no identity papers and no money. I don’t know what to do!”

“What terrible luck! But since you’re going to see your fiancée, I’m sure she can help you out of this bind. Money is a small matter, saving your life is what truly matters,” the simple farmer said, surprisingly adept at offering comfort.

“Brother speaks wisely. I was being stubborn,” Shen Hetang said, cupping her hands in a respectful bow.

“I’m worried about getting into the city without my household registration and travel permit. How strict are the gatekeepers these days?”

“The city guards have been busy repairing the walls lately, so they’re not as strict at the gates. You can just sit inside. I’m well-known on this official road, so they usually don’t give me any trouble,” the driver said, genuinely believing Shen Hetang’s story. Perhaps her noble bearing made her look nothing like a criminal.

“I never thought the saying ‘after the darkest night comes the dawn’ could be true. I’ve truly met a kind person!” she said, feigning deep emotion, her voice dripping with gratitude.

“It’s nothing much. Just sit tight, and we’ll be in the city soon!” The simple farmer’s heart swelled with pride at the praise, his heroic spirit ignited. He cracked his whip with a resounding snap.

Shen Hetang settled into the carriage, slowly gathering her thoughts. Finding her memory blank and without any clues, she gave up for now. I’ll figure things out once I’m inside the city. For now, I’ll just take things one step at a time.

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