The Female Regent’s Daily Guide to Spoiling Her Wife - Chapter 1

“Sister, bear with it… please. I’m going to find a doctor for you.” The young girl’s eyes were bloodshot, tears streaming down her face. She bit her ruby-red lip so hard she drew blood, trying to stifle her sobs. Her body trembled uncontrollably, a mixture of terror and agonizing heartache.

On the bed, the woman moaned in pain. When she spoke, her voice was wretchedly hoarse. “Xiaxia… come back.”

She struggled to grab a corner of the girl’s sleeve. As she moved, the thin quilt slipped, revealing her bare body. Her pale skin—on her chest, her neck—was covered in horrific red bruises, unmistakable evidence of the ordeal she had just endured.

Yun Xia’s face was ghost-white. Her beautiful fox-like eyes were filled with hatred, her long lashes trembling. She took Yun Qiu’s thin, frail hands into her own and choked out, “Sister… it was Yang Yuan, wasn’t it?”

At the mention of that name, every bone in Yun Qiu’s body seemed to ache. She closed her eyes in agony and nodded.

Yun Qiu and Yun Xia were the concubine-born daughters of Xu Xin, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Their birth mother, Zheng Yin, had been the personal maid of the primary wife, Lady Yang. While Lady Yang was pregnant, Xu Xin had taken Zheng Yin as a bedchamber maid. Because of her extraordinary beauty, she was favored for years and gave birth to the two sisters, but she died of a severe illness when Yun Xia was only five.

After their mother’s death, life in the manor became increasingly difficult. Fearing the power of Lady Yang’s family, Xu Xin never bothered to intervene. The world only knew of the Vice Minister’s legitimate son, Xu Yunshan, and his legitimate daughter, Xu Ruoxiang; few even knew that the concubine-born sisters, Yun Qiu and Yun Xia, existed.

“Sister, I will get justice for you!” Yun Xia hissed, her eyes crimson with rage. “That beast Yang Yuan… how dare he? You are in the middle of marriage negotiations with Cousin Pei…”

Yun Qiu’s body swayed as if she might collapse. Her face grew paler, her eyes staring blankly into the distance. Her swollen lips trembled for a long time before she spoke with utter despair: “Xiaxia… I’ve failed Pei Shu. It’s over between us.”

Yun Xia pulled her sister’s thin, fragile frame into a tight embrace. “Sister, what are you saying? Cousin Pei is a man of noble character. If you tell him the truth, he will only ache for you. He would never think ill of you.”

Pain flickered between Yun Qiu’s brows. She had known Pei Shu since childhood and knew his character well, but how could she bear to drag him down? If Pei Shu passed the imperial examinations and entered officialdom only to have a wife who had been defiled, how would he ever hold his head up?

Having made her decision, Yun Qiu said softly, “Xiaxia, let’s not talk about this. The pain is too much. Lock the door and stay with me while I sleep.”

Yun Xia carefully wedged a chair against the door and locked the windows. She lay down gently beside her bruised sister. Yun Qiu’s messy hair was spread across the pillow; her face was swollen, her brow furrowed even in sleep.

Yun Xia’s heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a cold hand. Yang Yuan was Lady Yang’s nephew. He had been staying at the Xu manor while preparing for his exams in the capital. Usually, his lecherous eyes—cold and slimy like a snake—made Yun Xia deeply uncomfortable. She never expected him to be bold enough to violate her sister.

Yun Xia pressed her cheek carefully against her sister’s swollen face. Tears surged from her eyes, wetting Yun Qiu’s ink-black hair. Soon, she began to sob, the muffled sound like a wounded animal. It wasn’t fair. Her sister should have married the man she loved and escaped this heartless home. Now, everything had changed.

…

The next day, as soon as Xu Xin returned to the manor, Yun Xia rushed to his study.

The moment she entered, she fell to her knees with a heavy thud. Her slender, pale hands gripped the hem of his robe. “Father,” she cried, tears falling. “Since Mother passed, Sister and I have never come to you, no matter what grievances we suffered. But this time, I beg you to seek justice for her.”

Xu Xin frowned, his voice cold and irritated. “Stand up and speak. What is all this crying about? It’s disgraceful!”

Yun Xia pressed her forehead to the floor. “Yesterday, Sister was violated by Yang Yuan. I beg Father to seek justice!”

For years, the two sisters had lived lives worse than servants in the back courtyard. Everyone praised the Mistress for her “kindness” and the legitimate daughter for her “grace,” never knowing the bitterness the sisters endured.

“Sister Xia, don’t spread rumors before Father. It’s all a misunderstanding.”

A soft voice rang out. Xu Ruoxiang entered, supporting Lady Yang. From a distance, Ruoxiang had seen Yun Xia’s slender waist and trembling shoulders—a sight that would stir any man’s pity. Hatred flared in her heart. Like Yun Qiu, Yun Xia had a face born to seduce. But then she remembered that Yun Qiu was already ruined, and a smirk touched her lips.

Seeing them, Xu Xin immediately ignored Yun Xia and welcomed them in. “Madam, why did you come personally? You and Xiang’er are the most sensible ones here. Yuan’er is a bright boy; I knew there must be a misunderstanding.”

Lady Yang spared a cold glance at Yun Xia. “I heard it from Yuan’er. It was Yun Qiu who seduced him, hoping to climb her way into the Yang family. A maid’s daughter is indeed shallow and low-class!”

Blood rushed to Yun Xia’s head in a fit of fury. Her fox-eyes widened. “So, my Elder Sister and the Mistress intend to shield Yang Yuan? My sister wanting to marry into the Yang family? What a joke! Yang Yuan isn’t even fit to carry my sister’s shoes!”

Xu Xin looked at Yun Xia with disgust and slammed his hand on the desk. “Silence! You shameless girl! Distorting the truth!”

Ruoxiang patted her father’s back. “Father, don’t be angry. In my opinion, Brother Yuan’s only mistake was failing to resist temptation. Since Sister Xia has come to ask for an explanation…” She leaned down with a fake smile to pull Yun Xia up. “Sister, don’t kneel. Speak properly with Father and Mother. The Yang family is wealthy and influential—Imperial Merchants, no less. Taking a concubine or a maid is a small matter.”

Yun Xia violently yanked her hand away, revulsion filling her heart. She wanted to tear the mouths off the three people standing before her.

“Father,” Yun Xia sneered coldly, “since you refuse to seek justice, I will report this to the authorities. Let the whole capital see what has happened in the house of the Vice Minister! I wonder if it will affect your career?”

Crash! Xu Xin hurled the teacup at his feet onto Yun Xia. His eyes were like ice. “If you dare utter a single word outside, I’ll kill both of you!”

Lady Yang helped Xu Xin sit down, her face full of disdain. “Alright, enough. It’s not such a big deal. Xia, stop making a scene and upsetting your father. No one is perfect. It takes two to tango, and since it’s already happened, we’ll just let Yuan’er take Yun Qiu in. He’s a boy who knows how to dote on women; she won’t suffer following him.”

Yun Xia staggered from being hit but forced herself to stand. Her eyes were glazed with tears, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to let them fall. This was her “good” father. His daughter’s violation was a “small matter,” but his career was everything. Because he couldn’t offend the Yang family, she and her sister were disposable.

Her chest heaved. She clenched and unclenched her fists. Finally, she spoke with difficulty: “There is no need. Sister is already engaged to the Pei family. Cousin Pei is a man of integrity; he will not care about such things. As for the Yang family—we wouldn’t dream of climbing so high!”

Without looking back, Yun Xia walked out.

“You rebellious brat!” Xu Xin roared behind her. “Go to the back courtyard and reflect on your actions! No one is allowed to visit her! Without my command, she is not to leave the Falling Snow Pavilion!”