The news of Xiao Shao hugging and kissing Jiang Ruan while he was drunk spread throughout the entire Jinying Wang fu the next day. The servants of Jinying Wang fu admired their master's actions once again. Look, this is called boldness! Although everyone was well aware that they had never seen Xiao Shao drunk after living for so many years, they all thought that his Highness really amazed the world with a single brilliant feat.
Jiang Ruan, on the other hand, did not know when Xiao Shao had fallen asleep last night. Jiang Ruan had asked Tian Zhu to come over and help Xiao Shao to his room to rest. A multitude of thoughts ran through her mind that night, and she had not been able to sleep well. When she left Jinying Wang fu the next day, there were faint dark circles under her eyes.
After leaving Jinying Wang fu, she did not return to the palace. After some thought, she ordered the coachman to turn the horse around and return to the Jiang fu. Now that Jiang Xin Zhi's matter was known throughout the city, it was impossible for the Jiang fu not to have received the news. Coincidentally, she also wanted to see if the net she had cast had any results.
…
In the Jiang fu, Jiang Quan was in the fu today, which was a rare occurrence. In the study, Jiang Chao sat opposite Jiang Quan with a somewhat solemn expression.
"You said that His Eighth Highness wants to marry Ruan niang?" Jiang Quan frowned, "Why would His Eighth Highness have such thoughts?" If it was about marrying Jiang Su Su, Jiang Quan's heart would still be a little warmer, and he might even be looking forward to it. Now that he heard that Xuan Li wanted to marry Jiang Ruan, Jiang Quan's heart was beating like a drum.
A trace of imperceptible gloominess flashed across Jiang Chao's eyes, "His Highness indeed has such intentions."
"Then what about Su Su?" Jiang Quan's expression was not worried, "She has also reached the age of marriage. Earlier, His Eighth Highness also tacitly approved of the matter with Su Su. Su Su has not yet been engaged, how could she suddenly be changed?" As he said this, Jiang Quan's words revealed his dissatisfaction with Xuan Li.
A few years ago, the Jiang family intended to tie themselves together with the Eighth Prince, so they had intentionally or unintentionally probed Xuan Li's intentions. The Jiang family only had two di daughters, and in terms of love, Jiang Quan naturally doted on Jiang Su Su more, so it was reasonable for him to want Jiang Su Su to be Xuan Li's Imperial Consort. Because of this idea, Jiang Su Su's marriage had not been decided. Now, it had been delayed until now. If it were to be delayed for a few more years, she would become an old lady. Originally, she had thought that it was a done deal. At the very least, based on her relationship with Xiahou fu, she could become a side fei. But now, how did it suddenly become Jiang Ruan?
In Jiang Quan's eyes, even the most brainless Jiang Li was stronger than Jiang Ruan. He did not know why, but Jiang Quan always had a kind of unknown fear towards this elder daughter of his who always smiled warmly. Perhaps it was because of his guilty conscience towards Zhao Mei, or perhaps it was because Jiang Ruan's eyes seemed to be able to see through one's heart, but every time he met Jiang Ruan's gaze, Jiang Quan would feel very uncomfortable. In Jiang Quan's eyes, both Jiang Ruan and Jiang Xin Zhi would oppose him, and they were beyond his control.
If Jiang Ruan were to marry into the Eighth Prince's fu, who knew what kind of disaster she would bring to the Jiang fu once she gained power. Regarding Jiang Ruan, Jiang Quan had never trusted her.
Jiang Chao looked at Jiang Quan somewhat mockingly. His expression was well concealed, so Jiang Quan did not see it. Jiang Chao said, "His Eighth Highness specifically wants Eldest Younger Sister. No matter how dissatisfied Father is, it can't be that we can negotiate with His Eighth Highness to exchange Second Younger Sister with him?"
It was not that Jiang Chao did not have any complaints towards Jiang Quan. As early as the matter with Xia Yan, Jiang Chao had understood that although Jiang Quan spoke of love, when it came to his family's life, he did not dare to take a gamble for them. He clearly knew that Xia Yan had been slandered, but as a husband, he had listened and believed. Now, Jiang Chao was a popular person in front of the Eighth Prince, but his colleagues would inevitably look at him with ridicule. All of this was due to his father, who could not see clearly. How could Jiang Chao not have any complaints?
Ever since Xia Yan's incident, the relationship between Jiang Chao and Jiang Quan had become increasingly estranged. They were more polite than intimate. It was not known whether Jiang Quan was aware of this problem. Perhaps he was aware of it, but he was just pretending not to know.
"You-" Jiang Quan also heard the faint sarcasm in Jiang Chao's words. Just as he was about to get angry, he suddenly thought of something and his tone softened, "What are you saying? Su Su is also your biological sister. Don't tell me you want her to live a bad life?"
Jiang Chao did not speak. He naturally knew that if Jiang Ruan really married the Eighth Prince, Xuan Li, based on the grudges between them and Jiang Ruan, it would only bring them harm and no benefit. However, Jiang Chao could clearly see that Xuan Li was determined to win Jiang Ruan. Apart from the Zhao family and Jiang Xin Zhi behind him as a bargaining chip, as a man, he naturally understood the way Xuan Li looked at Jiang Ruan. Xuan Li already had an interest in Jiang Ruan. That was a man's interest in a woman.
Jiang Chao smiled slightly, "Father, there is no need to worry so much. His Eighth Highness wants Eldest Younger Sister. If His Majesty agrees, we cannot not agree. If Father is worried that Eldest Younger Sister might say something that she shouldn't in front of His Eighth Highness, there is really no need. Because, if Eldest Younger Sister marries His Eighth Highness, she will also form a blood feud with His Eighth Highness. Even if she enters the Prince's fu, it will only make the accumulated hatred deeper and deeper. "
"You mean …" Jiang Quan's eyes lit up.
Jiang Chao smiled unhurriedly and stretched out a hand with only four fingers to slowly draw on the table, "His Eighth Highness wants to marry Eldest Younger Sister, and also has the intention of winning over Eldest Brother. However, if Eldest Brother is really accepted by His Eighth Highness, it may not be a good thing for our Jiang fu. "
Jiang Quan's expression froze. Jiang Xin Zhi and Jiang Ruan were of one mind, and both of them could not bear to see anything good happen to him. If he were to really be recruited by Xuan Li, and Jiang Xin Zhi was able to escape this calamity, he would be blessed with glory and splendor, and would wield great power. He would not be able to be mentioned in the same breath as before, and the Jiang family would become dispensable. If Xuan Li had to make a choice between Jiang Xin Zhi and the Jiang family, Xuan Li might not choose the Jiang family and abandon Jiang Xin Zhi. In this way, Jiang Xin Zhi's existence would be a great threat to the Jiang fu.
Jiang Quan looked at Jiang Chao. Jiang Chao's expression was gloomy, but his words were startling. "If something happens to Eldest Brother, and it is discovered that it was His Eighth Highness who did it, Eldest Younger Sister will certainly be at odds with His Eighth Highness. Since Eldest Brother has met with an accident, he will be of no use to His Eighth Highness. Eldest Younger Sister hates His Eighth Highness and will not let the Zhao family help. In this way, if His Eighth Highness still wants to win over the Jiang family, he will need a link. " He smiled slightly, "At that time, it will be easy to send Second Younger Sister into the Prince's fu."
The expression on Jiang Chao's face was too unfamiliar, with a few hints of cruelty that Jiang Quan was not aware of. For a moment, Jiang Quan stared blankly. After a moment, he regained his composure and said, "You say it lightly, but how will you let something happen to him? Moreover, even His Eighth Highness has been included in this matter. This is not appropriate. "
Jiang Chao was somewhat contemptuous of Jiang Quan's words. He disdained the weakness in his father's bones. If one was always overcautious and indecisive, how could one have a good future? Besides, he already had a plan in mind for this matter. Whether Jiang Quan agreed or not, it would be the same. Thinking of this, Jiang Chao felt that wasting time with Jiang Quan here was a dull and uninteresting matter, so he casually said a few perfunctory words. Jiang Quan saw that his son was absent-minded. Although he was somewhat angry in his heart, he also knew that this son of his was Xuan Li's trusted aide. He could neither beat nor scold him, so he could only let him be. After speaking with him for a short while, he let Jiang Chao go back first.
...
The carriage stopped outside the Jiang fu's gates. The guard at the gate opened the gates, and Jiang Ruan and the others walked in. As usual, they welcomed them, but their gazes were always somewhat sizing them up. Needless to say, it was obvious that they wanted to see how long she, as a Junzhu, could be complacent for.
When Jiang Ruan had been conferred the title of Junzhu, although her status was high, the one who called the shots in the fu was still Jiang Quan. The servants would not offend Jiang Quan in order to curry favor with Jiang Ruan. Now that Jiang Xin Zhi had met with a mishap, according to the current situation, it was only a matter of time before Jiang Ruan, the Hong 'an Junzhu, met with misfortune. Many of the retainers secretly rejoiced that they had made the right judgment in the beginning, and had not rushed to curry favor with Eldest Miss. Otherwise, they would not have been able to obtain anything good today.
Originally, every time Jiang Ruan returned from the palace, Hong Ying would always come to welcome her. But today, the one who came out to welcome her was Eldest Yiniang, who was dressed in plain clothes. Eldest Yiniang said to Jiang Ruan apologetically, "Eldest Miss, I am sorry. Fifth Yiniang's health is heavy, and it seems that she is about to give birth soon. It is becoming more and more difficult for her to move around. I hope that Eldest Miss will be more forgiving."
Bai Zhi frowned, while Lian Qiao pursed her lips. Originally, before the incident, they had been very diligent in walking around. Those who did not know would have thought that they were mother and daughter. Now, seeing that the situation was not right, they had distanced themselves from each other, for fear of bringing trouble upon themselves. No wonder it was said that prostitutes were heartless, and actors had no righteousness. This woman who was born in a brothel, no matter how much she pretended to be virtuous and virtuous, in the end, she could not hide her nature of changing the direction of the wind.
But now that she had said so, what else could she do? Jiang Ruan smiled and said, "It's alright, Yiniang had no other choice. If Little Brother was injured, I would also feel guilty."
Eldest Yiniang smiled even more warmly. Jiang Ruan glanced at her and said, "Now that Fifth Yiniang's health is heavy, I think that the matter of managing the household is not as good as you wish. These days, it has been hard on Eldest Yiniang."
"This lowly concubine does not dare to claim credit." Eldest Yiniang was as modest as ever, "I only helped out."
As Jiang Ruan walked, she said, "Yiniang is too modest."
Eldest Yiniang waved her hands again and again, and only when they reached the entrance of Ruan Ju did Eldest Yiniang leave with a smile.
After Eldest Yiniang left, Lu Zhu could not help but say, "Miss, Fifth Yiniang is clearly making things difficult for Miss."
Now that Hong Ying was acting as Jiang Ruan's mistress of the household, Hong Ying did not come out to welcome Jiang Ruan. Instead, she used such a clumsy excuse that everyone could see, to remind the servants of the Jiang fu's attitude towards the matter of Jiang Xin Zhi. Jiang Ruan had once helped Hong Ying deal with Xia Yan. Now, Hong Ying's actions were indeed somewhat unkind.
"She is an intelligent person," Jiang Ruan said lightly, "she just likes to act smart."
In order to please Jiang Quan, Hong Ying naturally had to show her disgust towards Jiang Ruan. Originally, when she saw that Jiang Ruan still had some value to be used, she naturally wanted to please her, at least not openly become hostile. But now that Jiang Xin Zhi had met with an accident, Jiang Ruan no longer had any value, so Hong Ying just kicked her aside. It was just that Hong Ying seemed to have forgotten one thing, and that was whether the seed in her belly was real or not.
Since Hong Ying had already become dizzy with pride, she did not mind making her even more dizzy. In the past, she had already been given the opportunity to choose. Since Hong Ying had chosen the path to walk, she could not blame others for the outcome.
Lu Zhu still felt somewhat indignant, "She's just a yiniang, but now she looks like the mistress of the household. Also, Eldest Yiniang, always following around, treating herself like a servant. "
Jiang Ruan looked at the porcelain cup in front of her, "She is not a servant."
"Miss?" Bai Zhi could tell that something was amiss, and asked, "Is there a problem with Eldest Yiniang?"
Jiang Ruan thought about it. In both her past and present lives, her impression of this Eldest Yiniang was very shallow. She only knew that she was not favored, was given the cold shoulder, and did not care about worldly affairs. Perhaps it was because she had originally been promoted from a tongfang servant girl to a yiniang that she knew her place. When Zhao Mei was still alive, she was still quite lenient towards this Eldest Yiniang. Later, when Xia Yan entered the fu, Jiang Quan only doted on Xia Yan, and Eldest Yiniang had even less of a foothold. However, Xia Yan did not make things too difficult for Eldest Yiniang, perhaps because she felt that an unfavored Yiniang with no good looks or background was not much of a threat. When the servants bullied the three of them, mother and sons, Eldest Yiniang was as polite as ever.
In her past life, after she entered the palace, she did not hear any news of Eldest Yiniang. Now that she thought about it, for so many years, Eldest Yiniang seemed to be an invisible existence in the Jiang fu.
Living a stable life, acting humbly, this was Eldest Yiniang. If it was in another fu, then it would have been fine, but it just had to be in the Jiang fu. In one's life, one would always have their own desires. Just like Hong Ying's desire was to become the matriarch of the household, Xia Yan's desire was to have everything under her control, and Zhao Mei's desire was for Jiang Quan to treat both mother and son better.
However, Eldest Yiniang seemed to be a person without any preferences, without any special characteristics, and was almost forgotten. She did not deliberately curry favor with others, and was still able to live peacefully until now. If one were to say that she was truly a person without any schemes or tricks, wouldn't that be too strange?
"In the future, just pay more attention to her, and don't be too obvious." Jiang Ruan said, "I hope that she is not the one who hides the deepest."
If there really was a problem with Eldest Yiniang, the patience and purpose of a person who had concealed herself for more than ten years was indeed a little too terrifying.
As they spoke, they heard a third-rank servant girl report from outside, "Miss, Fourth Young Lady has arrived."
Jiang Dan had arrived. Jiang Ruan raised her eyebrows. Jiang Dan's movements were rather quick, was she here to see her make a fool of herself? She smiled, "Welcome her in."
"Da Jiejie." Jiang Dan called out as soon as she entered, the corners of her lips curled into a smile. Today, she was wearing a light orange muslin gown with plum blossom patterns. Her entire person seemed to have taken on a new look, fresh and elegant, and already had a somewhat delicate and pitiful charm.
She sat opposite Jiang Ruan and put on a distressed expression, "Da Jiejie, I heard that Eldest Brother …. Is there any news from the palace, how is Eldest Brother now? "
At this point, Jiang Ruan was too lazy to even feign civility with her, and only looked at her with a smile that wasn't a smile. Knowing that Jiang Dan was somewhat uneasy, she asked, "Da Jiejie, did Dan Niang say something wrong?"
"Of course she did." Jiang Ruan casually poured herself a cup of tea, and lightly said, "The matters of the frontier war are naturally confidential, how can it be easily known by others? If someone with ulterior motives were to make a fuss about it, wouldn't it be a great disaster?"
"Da Jiejie," Jiang Dan's expression was stiff, and her tone carried a little grievance, "Dan Niang is not someone with ulterior motives, what can she do with this information?"
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly, "It is not difficult for Fourth Younger Sister to know these things. Three days later is the day to enter the palace." She smiled meaningfully, "Fourth Younger Sister will naturally be able to hear a lot. If you can obtain His Majesty's grace, you can even find out more recent news. At that time, who knows, I might even need to ask Fourth Younger Sister for information."
When Jiang Dan heard these words, it was unclear whether the expression on her face was happy or sad. She smiled somewhat strangely, "Da Jiejie, stop teasing Dan Niang. There are so many talented and beautiful women in the palace, and Dan Niang is only a shu daughter." She looked towards Jiang Ruan, "If it were Da Jiejie, then it would definitely be the Jiang fu's fortune."
"Forget it," Jiang Ruan smiled and said, "Since Father has allowed you to enter the palace, then you must have your own uniqueness. Entering the palace is like a meteoric rise, even if one's birth is more noble than yours, as long as you obtain grace, won't you still have to stand aside? Moreover, behind you is the Jiang fu, with Father supporting you. " In her previous life, when she had learned that she was going to enter the palace, these nominal relatives of the Jiang fu had all comforted her like this. Now, she had returned all these words to Jiang Dan, but she did not know how Jiang Dan would feel after hearing them.
These words were said with some sincerity. For a moment, Jiang Dan could not figure out what Jiang Ruan was thinking, so she forced a smile and said, "Da Jiejie, do you know that Furen has gone mad and was taken out of the fu by Eldest Young Master to recuperate in the countryside? Second Jiejie also went to the Xiahou fu, saying that the Marquis Furen is ill and has returned to visit her. "
"Second Older Brother is considerate." Jiang Ruan said, "The Marquis Furen's health has always been poor, so it is only right for Second Younger Sister to return."
Jiang Dan frowned, somewhat disappointed that she did not get the reaction she had expected. However, after a short while, she said carelessly, "But it is not good to recuperate anywhere, and yet she still has to go to the rural residence. The journey there is bumpy, I do not know if she can bear it …"
"Second Older Brother has his own plans." Jiang Ruan did not respond to her words, but instead blocked them off. Jiang Dan was helpless, but she could also hear the meaning behind Jiang Ruan's words. She said a few more words, then stood up and said with a smile, "Dan niang still has to go back to prepare some things to enter the palace, so I will not delay Da Jiejie any further. I will return to the courtyard first, I will come back to see Da Jiejie later."
After sending Jiang Dan off, Lu Zhu came over to pour tea for Jiang Ruan and said, "She is really pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger. Once she gains the upper hand, her eyes look up to the sky." In the eyes of the few servant girls, Jiang Dan's visit to Ruan Ju today was nothing more than to show off and conveniently add insult to injury. Looking at Jiang Ruan's current predicament, the so-called despicable person in the world was probably someone like Jiang Dan.
However, Jiang Ruan's mind was not on Jiang Dan. Just now, Jiang Dan's words, whether intentionally or unintentionally, had revealed a meaning. The prey that had endured for a long time finally could not help but walk to the edge of the trap. Should she wait for the prey to fall in or should she push it?
Jiang Dan wanted to borrow her hand, but she had mistakenly treated everyone in the world as fools. However, looking at it now, she did not expect that the first person to lose his cool would actually be Jiang Chao.
She slowly took a sip of tea and said, "Tian Zhu, go and find out which rural residence Xia Yan is at. Jiang Chao is about to make his move. "
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
