When Yun Jiao treated Jiang Erlang, she thoughtfully removed his cotton-padded jacket. The young maid helped him dress before arriving, so no one noticed he still had injuries.
Upon hearing his words, Jiang Hua quickly fetched an oil lamp to illuminate the scene.
Yang then lifted the quilt and unfastened Jiang Erlang’s cotton-padded jacket.
Following that, Yang let out a wail, "My son!"
Everyone saw that Jiang Erlang’s white coarse cloth undergarments were soaked with blood.
The young maid was so frightened she quickly shrank back, unaware that Jiang Erlang had so many injuries.
After he fled, he hid at home for nearly an hour before sneaking out again, intending to check the commotion.
Unexpectedly, he came over only to see Jiang Erlang lying on the ground.
Seeing Jiang Erlang’s clothes disheveled, he hastily dressed him and carried him over to the Jiang Family.
Fearing further questions from the Jiang Family, he quickly retreated a few steps, then slipped away.
Mr. Jiang’s lips quivered as he called Jiang Hua, "Old Three, quickly call Da Lang’s wife to check on Erlang."
Jiang Hua agreed and was about to put down the oil lamp to leave when Jiang Erlang on the bed struggled to speak, "Don’t call her, all these injuries were caused by her!"
"What?"
Everyone in the room looked at Jiang Erlang in disbelief.
Yang screeched, "Jinx, I’ll go chop her up!"
Mr. Jiang sternly said, "Wait!"
He looked at Jiang Erlang, "How could Da Lang’s wife, a young girl, beat you?"
"You’re covered in injuries, surely you weren’t just standing still for her to chop at?"
Jiang Erlang recalled the terrifying feeling of being immobilized, "She, she pricked me twice, and I couldn’t move; she definitely smeared some drug on the knife."
He said weakly, "Let’s not talk about it now, quickly find a doctor for me."
Jiang Hua put down the oil lamp and ran outside, "I’ll go to town and ask Doctor Xu to come."
Jiang Rong slammed the table, "Gu Yun Jiao, that wicked woman, I’ll go settle accounts with her!"
He said this while rushing out.
Yang continued cursing "jinx" and "wicked woman," also rushing out with him.
Mr. Jiang sat inside, his gaze deep as he watched the two rush out, saying nothing.
Jiang Rong rushed across and saw all the doors of the east wing tightly closed.
Jiang Rong kicked the door angrily and shouted, "You Gu Family slut, get out here!"
"If I don’t beat you to death today, my surname won’t be Jiang!"
The wooden door made a loud noise, and then the window of the adjacent room suddenly opened. Jiang Youzhi poked his head out, "Second Uncle, I’d advise you to calm down, unless you want Erlang to be exiled."
Jiang Rong was stunned and rushed to Jiang Youzhi’s window, his face twisted, "What nonsense are you talking?"
Jiang Youzhi snorted lightly, "Do you not know why Erlang provoked Yun Jiao?"
In his heart, he added, how shameless can you be to come here!
Then Jiang Youzhi lowered his voice, "Second Uncle, go check the Great Chu Law, Article twenty-seven, the crime of attempted rape carries the death penalty."
"Attempted but not completed, whipped one hundred times, exiled three thousand miles."
Jiang Rong choked, trying to speak when he heard Jiang Youzhi continue, "This is Erlang’s second time."
"Second Uncle ought to think, two hundred lashes, would he still be alive?"
Jiang Rong’s face was grim, "You say it was attempted rape, so it was? Who can prove it?"
"Moreover, I don’t believe that wicked woman would shamelessly go to the county to report! Isn’t she aware of her reputation?"