Ji Shihuan never listened to a single word she said.
If he had really heeded her advice, he wouldn't have imprisoned her for a whole year.
He wouldn't have known they were uncle and niece, known that their relationship was incestuous, known that there was no hope for their future. Yet he still demanded her every night and sank madly into lust.
Staring at the bronze mirror, Ji Jianxue was lost in her own thoughts again.
The maid who was dressing her hair beside her sighed and put down the comb in her hand.
"Madam, your hair is done."
The maid knew Ji Jianxue's status as a bastard daughter, but she didn't dare to show any disrespect to her.
What they feared, of course, was not Ji Jianxue, but Ji Shihuan.
Ji Shihuan was definitely no good person.
The maids on duty in Dream Garden knew this well.
A slight mistake would lead to a severe punishment.
Ji Shihuan once declared that if they dared to reveal the secrets inside Dream Garden, the lighter punishment would be to cut off their tongues and hands, and the heavier one would be to beat them to death and throw them into the mass grave.
However, this hot - tempered master paid several times more monthly wages than ordinary families. They did this job with their lives on the line.
Jianxue then came back to her senses. She looked into the bronze mirror. Her head was adorned with jewels and pearls, extremely gorgeous.
Ji Jianxue frowned and felt an inexplicable disgust for herself like this.
She only had her heart left undefiled.
If she dressed so gaudily just to please Ji Shihuan now, how was she any different from the women in Tianxiang Tower?
"I don't like this. Undo it for me. Just tie it up simply."
The maid was obviously in a dilemma.
Today was the day when Ji Shihuan would come to see his wife.
Last time, Ji Shihuan had severely scolded the servants because his wife always dressed simply.
Even if the madam didn't like it, she didn't dare to undo it.
Just as the maids were about to persuade the madam, they suddenly heard a voice from outside the door, which sounded like it came from hell and made people tremble with fear.
"Didn't you hear what the madam said?"
This voice was so familiar, like the soul - fetching voice from hell, with a fatal temptation.
Exceedingly beautiful, yet deadly.
Just like, just like Ji Shihuan.
These maids were not new to working in Dream Garden. Even if they were deaf and dumb, they wouldn't forget Ji Shihuan's voice.
Especially the maid who was in charge of dressing Ji Jianxue's hair. Her hands were trembling.
She was afraid that she would become one of the sisters who had been driven out of the Ji Mansion and become a bloody lesson in Dream Garden in the future.
Although afraid, when the maid saw the man's figure reflected in the bronze mirror, her heart still skipped a beat.
The Ji family always produced handsome men.
This was recognized by everyone in Huang City.
First, there was Ji Shisu, as handsome as Pan An. He had caused quite a stir in Huang City and was a well - known handsome man in Chen State.
Although the reputations of Ji Shijun and Ji Shijian were not as loud as Ji Shisu's, they were still recognized as handsome men.
So after the Ji family's sons came of age, matchmakers who came to propose marriage could almost break down the threshold of the Ji Mansion.
It was just that the Ji Mansion produced handsome men and infatuated souls.
Ji Shijun was determined to be with Zhao Luoyu and refused to take concubines no matter what.
Ji Shisu and Zhao Luoning had secluded themselves from the world.
Those who were still active were mostly their children. Although they were young, their behaviors all had the style of their parents.
And the only one who died on the battlefield, Ji Shijian, there were also rumors that, like Ji Shijun at that time, he had eloped with a woman.
Although outsiders didn't know, the people in Dream Garden knew very well that Ji Shihuan was domineering but also whole - hearted towards his niece in Dream Garden, who was about the same age as him and only knew to chant scriptures and worship Buddha.
For so many days, he had never been seen bringing a second woman into Dream Garden. All of Ji Jianxue's food, clothing, and daily necessities were of the highest quality.
It was no exaggeration to say that a piece of cloth on her was enough for a poor family to exchange for a year's worth of rations.
However, Ji Jianxue was cold - hearted.
No one knew if she had a grudge against Ji Shihuan in her heart. Since she entered Dream Garden, she had never been seen smiling, and she hardly ever spoke.
She never opened her mouth unless it was necessary.
And Ji Shihuan was impatient. He was the least patient person. He was reluctant to hurt Ji Jianxue, so it was hard on the maids around her.
None of the maids who served her had lasted for more than a month.
In this year, nearly twenty maids had been replaced around Ji Jianxue.
And this one had only been here for less than three days.
If it weren't for her younger brother's illness at home and the urgent need for life - saving money, she wouldn't have volunteered to be Ji Jianxue's personal maid.
When Ji Shihuan walked into the room with a cold and fierce aura, whether they had made mistakes or not, all the maids knelt on the ground with a thud.
The only one sitting in the room was Ji Jianxue.
With a face full of gorgeous makeup, there was no trace of joy on her face.
The bright red rouge and the golden ornaments on her head made her face look even paler.
That melancholy look in her eyes that made Ji Shihuan dare not look directly at became even more sad.
The empty look in Ji Jianxue's eyes without a single tear, that emptiness as if she had lost all hope, suddenly made Ji Shihuan's heart clench, and he felt a dull pain.
His heart felt like it was being slowly fried in a pan.
It hurt bit by bit, strand by strand.
"Get out of here!"
Before the maids could come to their senses, their feet moved faster than their brains. They all exited the room in an orderly manner and habitually pulled the door shut for them.
The maids walked a long way before they came back to their senses. This time, the "King of Hell" didn't punish them but let them leave easily?
After dodging a bullet, they still felt lingering fear.
He didn't punish them this time, but who could be sure that the nit - picking "King of Hell" wouldn't settle new and old scores together next time!
Naturally, the maids complained about the hair - dressing maid.
If it weren't for her, they wouldn't have to be so scared this time.
But that maid had her own hardships and couldn't say them out. Taking care of the madam was really not an easy job.
In the room, Ji Shihuan was already losing his temper.
"Are you so reluctant to stay by my side? Who are you showing this sour face to?"
Ji Jianxue didn't answer. She was used to Ji Shihuan making a fuss every time he came.
She hadn't spoken for ten days or half a month in Dream Garden. She was already used to dealing with everything in silence.
But Ji Shihuan didn't think so.
He was used to seeing her plain - faced. Suddenly seeing her so heavily made - up, he should have been a little amazed.
But before he could enjoy it properly, he was already heart - broken by Ji Jianxue's coldness that kept people at a distance.
Ji Shihuan originally thought that she just looked pale because she dressed simply, but in fact, Ji Jianxue's heart was not as cold - blooded as she seemed on the surface.
But today, he realized that it was all self - deception.