Of the twelve gentleness villages in the capital, the most beautiful was Hundred Flowers Tower.
The Hundred Flowers Tower was located in the most prosperous Ruyi Alley on West Street. It was built magnificently. Each of the women in the Hundred Flowers Tower had their own specialties. The men in the capital were so enthralled that they forgot about home and home. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they made a fortune every day.
The Peony Lady of the Hundred Flowers House was the golden signboard of the Hundred Flowers House. This woman was charming and flirtatious, and proud to the bone. Because she had a bit of Hu Ji blood in her, her facial features were deep, making her even more beautiful. Not only that, he was bold and shrewd, but he was also a gifted scholar. All these contradictions added to her charm. How many people were willing to throw away large sums of money in order to win a beauty's affection? Unfortunately, Miss Peony only sold her skills and not her body. Tonight, however, was the first time in the three years since she had entered the Hundred Flowers Tower that she had sold her virginity.
At this time, the Hundred Flowers Tower was already packed with people. The hall with the swaying beaded curtains was filled with young masters from noble families. Everyone wanted to be Miss Peony's guest.
Sitting in the middle was a young master dressed in green. He was in his early twenties, and his appearance could be considered handsome. However, the dark circles under his eyes were nauseating. One look and one could tell that it was caused by excessive indulgence. He waved his folding fan with one hand and said rather flirtatiously, "Why hasn't Miss Peony come out yet? You've made everyone wait for quite a while."
Beside him stood a young woman in the prime of her youth, dressed in a thin pink muslin skirt. Her jade-like arms picked up a small cup of wine on the table and gently fed it to the green-clothed gentleman's mouth. "Sister Peony is dressing up. Young Master Li's words make this servant sad. Could it be that I only recognize Sister Peony?"
This young man in green was the eldest son of Prime Minister Li Dong. Li Dong had two sons. His eldest son, Li Yang, was ignorant and incompetent. He spent his days in the brothels and loitering around the willows. He had learned seventy percent of Li Dong's lecherous nature. His son, Li An, was smart and talented. At such a young age, he had already achieved great things in his career.
Tonight was Li Yang's first night at the Hundred Flowers Tower, wanting the peony.
In a seat not far from Li Dong, there was another person with a dazed look in his eyes. His bright blue coat was stained with wine, and beside him was a burly manservant. On the other side, another beautiful lady was pouring wine for him. It was Jiang Chao, who came here after drinking.
Jiang Chao's gaze was dark as he pulled the woman who was pouring wine into his arms and said, "I heard that the peony in your brothel loves scholars the most?"
Caught off guard, the woman was pulled into his arms. Just as she was about to put on a bashful expression, Jiang Chao suddenly asked her this question. The women of the brothel naturally knew how to read a person's words and body language. Although they didn't know how, judging from Jiang Chao's upper-class clothing, he should also be from a wealthy family. She didn't dare to slight him and softly said, "Not all of them. It's just that most of the people that Sister Peony has chosen are talented and learned." She laughed delicately. "Look at Young Master's appearance. You're a true scholar. You must be very talented and knowledgeable."
It would have been better if she hadn't said it, but the moment she said it, Jiang Chao's expression changed. The image of Liu Min sitting leisurely on a tall horse appeared before his eyes. He immediately pushed the woman away and coldly drank a mouthful of wine. The woman didn't understand why Jiang Chao was angry. She cursed in her heart and left with a smile.
Right at this moment, a clear and melodious voice rang out from upstairs. "Miss Peony has arrived."
Immediately, the surroundings flared up. Li Yang, who was fanning himself, heard the noise and narrowed his eyes to look upstairs.
He saw a woman with a veil covering her face appear upstairs. She wore a black and yellow hibiscus embroidered robe with a phoenix pattern, a patterned slanted skirt that dragged the ground, and a silk cloth with blue clouds embroidered on it. She had long black hair that was piled up into clouds and was coiled into an elegant and unique double immortal bun. A copper buyao with twisted rose threads was inserted into her hair. Her creamy white hand wore an agate bracelet, and a long ribbon was tied around her waist. A fragrant pouch of folded flowers hung from it. She wore a pair of lotus flower embroidered shoes. Her entire person was as dazzling as a spring peach.
Because she was wearing a veil, the crowd couldn't see her appearance clearly. However, seeing her graceful figure, they felt an unbearable itch in their hearts. They wanted nothing more than to rush forward and tear off that veil.
The woman was rather magnanimous. She stood on a small platform on the second floor and leaned against the pavilion. Suddenly, she let out a light laugh. Her voice was like a silver bell, clear and melodious, yet also carrying a hint of wildness. She extended a pair of tender, jade-like hands and gently took off her veil. Immediately, a face that could outshine the moon and put flowers to shame was revealed.
To tell the truth, although Peony was born beautiful, she wasn't a national beauty that could cause the downfall of a city. For example, Jiang Su Su or Jiang Ruan of the Jiang family, she definitely couldn't compare. However, she won in that exotic style. Her complexion was slightly dark, but it didn't seem rustic. That pair of azure eyes were like sapphires. With just a glance, the hearts of more than half of the men present would be hooked away. Li Yang murmured, "This kind of natural beauty, if I could obtain it, I would definitely indulge in pleasure. Peony, I want you!"
Although Jiang Chao normally wasn't as lecherous as Li Yang, he was still a man in his bones. Moreover, he had drunk a little wine. Now that the smell of alcohol had risen, and Peony was a natural beauty, a ball of fire sprang up in his heart.
Peony was also an expert. All the men in the capital wanted to play with her, but in the end, no one knew who was the one playing with who. She lightly tossed the veil downwards. Immediately, the men rushed forward like a swarm of bees to snatch it. In the end, the young man who managed to snatch it placed the veil under his nose and lightly sniffed it. His gaze revealed a trace of infatuation.
Li Yang frowned, but Peony lightly laughed from upstairs. She said, "Gentlemen, Peony is here. Now, you can start bidding."
Her posture and tone were bold, and her hot tears immediately caused the audience below the stage to go crazy. Li Yang's gaze was fixed on her. "I wonder what kind of ecstasy it would feel like in bed with such a wonderful person."
He waved his hand at the manservant beside him, and the manservant immediately joined the bidding team.
Li Yang had a well-thought-out plan. In terms of wealth and honor in the capital, their Li family was absolutely second to none. His old man, Li Dong, had once done something like bidding for a brothel girl. To him, money was only a small matter, as long as he could bring home a beauty.
Although there were many young masters below the stage, those who came to the brothel to bid were mostly ignorant and incompetent. Even if they had a bit of skill, they were all afraid of their family elders finding out. Using their own money, they were ultimately fearful. However, he didn't care about the inside or the outside. In any case, he wasn't afraid that his father would find out. Perhaps if his father found out about this, he'd have to come another day and have him taste that unparalleled beauty.
Li Yang was inwardly pleased. The bidders were fierce at first, but they slowly calmed down later on. This was because the price was no longer something ordinary rich families could raise. Peony smiled brightly, watching the silver increase bit by bit.
In the end, there were actually only two people bidding. One was the manservant beside Li Yang, and the other was a big and burly man.
Li Yang beckoned for the manservant to return to his side. Seeing that the price had already reached three thousand taels of gold, he lazily extended four fingers. "Four thousand taels."
The big and burly man retreated behind Jiang Chao and said in a low voice, "Young Master, that fellow is clearly provoking us."
Jiang Chao was depressed and indignant. Originally, he was determined to obtain Peony today. Although he was already drunk, he vaguely understood that four thousand taels of gold was not a small sum. He simply didn't have that much silver. But hearing Daniu say that that person was provoking him, Liu Min's arrogant and disdainful gaze appeared in Jiang Chao's mind again. He clenched his teeth. "Five thousand taels!"
As soon as these words came out, the surrounding people were shocked. In the whole world, there was no famous courtesan who could pay five thousand taels of gold for a night. Li Dong snorted and looked Jiang Chao up and down seriously. Although Jiang Chao's clothes were not cheap, in the end, he still couldn't compare to himself. In his heart, Li Dong was certain that Jiang Chao was trying to look impressive at his own cost. Unconcerned, he waved his hand. "Six thousand taels."
"Seven thousand taels." Jiang Chao clenched his teeth. When he looked at Li Yang again, he only felt that the person on the seat had changed. It was the proud scholar who had ridden his horse through the streets today. In his heart, there was only one thought: compete, he must compete with him.
"Eight thousand taels." Li Yang said angrily.
"Nine thousand taels!" Jiang Chao smashed a teacup.
Li Yang was extremely angry. He could also see that this person was deliberately opposing him. He said, "Add a bushel of pearls."
Jiang Chao saw that he was no longer just calling for gold. Looking at the wine cup in front of him, he suddenly became more clear-headed. No matter what, he could not take out nine thousand taels of gold. Not only that, if Jiang Quan found out about this, he would definitely beat him until he couldn't get out of bed. But now, under the watchful eyes of so many people, could it be that he had to just give up with his tail between his legs? At this moment, his competitive spirit had already been aroused by Li Yang. His actions were always faster than his reason. He raised his head, just in time to see Peony's gaze on him from the second floor. That gaze was full of smiles, as if it was a gentle encouragement, but also a silent mockery. His heart swayed, and heroically said, "Ten thousand taels!"
There was no more sound.
Everyone looked at him as if they were looking at an idiot, but Jiang Chao only stared at Li Yang. In his eyes, at this moment, Li Yang was the flustered and exasperated Liu Min, who could not do anything to him.
Although Li Yang was a hedonistic son of rich parents, he was well aware of the rules of the brothel. Although a beauty was good, ten thousand taels was too expensive. Ten thousand taels was already enough to buy quite a few clean young beauties. Thinking it over, it really wasn't worth it. Although he was furious in his heart, he still smiled and said, "Since that's the case, then this Young Master won't snatch what others like. Miss Peony, it's a pity." Finished speaking, he cupped his hands, turned around, and left. However, when he reached the door, he still couldn't calm down. With a pair of sinister eyes, he ordered the manservant beside him, "Investigate that person for this young master! Snatching my woman, I'll make him regret it for the rest of his life! "
After Li Yang left, Peony chuckled softly. "Peony's heart is truly moved that Sir is willing to throw away a thousand gold for Peony. I'll have to trouble Gongzi to deliver the money to Mama downstairs, and then come to Peony's boudoir for a small gathering. "
Silver notes? Jiang Chao abruptly reacted and looked at Peony's gentle blue eyes again. He didn't know why, but he actually broke out in a cold sweat. Of course, he knew that he didn't have any extra money to pay Peony, but Hundred Flowers Tower wasn't completely defenseless in the capital. What could he do if they made a scene?
At this moment, the burly manservant beside him, Daniu, said, "My young master left in a hurry today, so he didn't bring any silver."
As soon as he said that, everyone roared with laughter. He'd specifically come to buy Peony's first night, but he didn't bring any silver. Wouldn't it be a joke if it was said that?
Peony looked at him with great interest. "But Hundred Flowers Tower doesn't have the rule of credit. How about Gongzi first bring the silver, and then we can have a good talk?"
These words were ridiculing, and Jiang Chao was enraged in his heart. He'd already drunk wine, and he didn't have any taboos in his actions. Looking at Peony's face brimming with mockery, he immediately jumped up and cursed, "Nothing more than a whore in the flesh business! Eyes open at the sight of money, and you still say you love some gifted scholar? What a hypocrite! Slut! "
Peony's complexion changed, and a group of guards carrying sabers and staffs suddenly surged in the surroundings. Peony normally socialized widely, and high officials and nobles were also willing to give her face. Some of these guards were sent by nobles, and they were responsible for protecting Peony. At this moment, they tightly surrounded Jiang Chao, and Peony said indifferently, "It seems that Gongzi has come to make trouble, or perhaps you want to take advantage of the disturbance to renege on your debt? Hundred Flowers Tower treats customers who renege on their debts with old rules. "She nodded her chin, indicating for someone to come over." Does Gongzi want to keep his left hand or his right hand? "
Jiang Chao was startled, and immediately wanted to rush forward, cursing and swearing, "I'll kill you, slut!"
How could the guards be willing to tolerate him? In a few moments, they subdued him to the ground. Seeing this, Daniu panicked and said, "Miss, please be magnanimous! My family's Young Master doesn't want to renege on his debt. Would Miss please bring some people to the Jiang fu in the capital city? My family's Young Master is the second son of Minister Jiang's fu. Miss can bring Young Master's keepsake to get the money. "
The surrounding people began to discuss again. Minister Jiang's family was upright and upright, and they hadn't expected that his son would have such a scoundrel's face. Everyone couldn't help but recall the rumors about Jiang Su Su a few days ago during the Lantern Festival. Indeed, one could know a person's face but not their heart. It seemed that this Jiang family wasn't as upright and upright as they appeared on the surface.
Peony's eyes turned. "Since that's the case, Mama, please bring some people to the Jiang fu. Everyone present, please be my witness. This Young Master Jiang spent ten thousand taels here to buy Peony's tonight. When Young Master Jiang delivers the money, Peony will naturally have a long talk with Young Master Jiang through the night. "After saying this, she couldn't bear to look at Jiang Chao any longer, so she flicked her sleeves and left.
Although Peony was a prostitute in the capital city, she had many connections and knew many high officials and nobles. Many people still had to give her face. Thus, she really didn't put Jiang Chao's status in her eyes.
That night, Jiang Ruan closed her book and prepared to rest. She faintly heard the sound of crying coming from outside. She rubbed her temples. "What's going on?"
Bai Zhi got up and brought her some hot water. "I don't know. It was like this just now. Lu Zhu has already gone out to inquire."
As she spoke, Lu Zhu had already flashed into the room. Seeing Jiang Ruan and Bai Zhi looking at her, she said, "It seems to be someone from Bai Hua Lou. They said that Second Young Master owes them money."
"To ask for money, they actually came to the fu." Bai Zhi couldn't hide the disdain in her words. She had always felt some conflict towards a place like Bai Hua Lou.
"Furen and Master quarreled fiercely," Lu Zhu smiled craftily. "Furen wanted to use money to redeem Second Young Master, but Master said that he didn't have that much money. Furen then cried and quarreled with Master. "
Jiang Ruan smiled. "Furen has really misunderstood him." Indeed, the Jiang fu did not have ten thousand taels of gold. This fu looked magnificent and majestic, but in the end, it was just an empty shell. Moreover, a few days ago, in order to bribe Official Zhao for Jiang Chao's imperial examination, the Jiang fu had spent a large sum of money. Although it was ultimately wasted, the money had actually been spent.
"Such a big thing has happened in the fu. As a daughter, how can I not go and take a look?" Jiang Ruan stood up. "Let's also go and take a look."
Lu Zhu and Zhou momo slept in the room next door. Jiang Ruan did not wake her up. Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi helped her put on a coat and a cloak. Just as they walked to the entrance of the courtyard, they saw Fu Rong supporting Jiang Dan. When Jiang Dan saw her, she jumped in fright. She hurriedly bowed to her and asked cautiously, "Da Jiejie, have you also heard about Second Brother's matter?"
Jiang Ruan nodded. "Although I don't know what exactly happened, I still have to go and take a look."
"I also think so," Jiang Dan shyly lowered her head. "After all, we are sisters."
Jiang Ruan glanced at her with a smile and said no more. The two of them then got up and walked towards the main hall. As soon as they entered the main hall, the first thing they heard was Xia Yan's crying. Jiang Ruan raised her eyebrows. She saw that all the yiniang were present. Jiang Li had a gloating look on her face, while Jiang Su Su's face was snow-white. If one looked closely, one could see the panic in her eyes.
Da Yiniang was cautiously persuading Xia Yan. "Furen, don't cry. What if you hurt your body?"
Xia Yan did not even look at her. She only tightly grabbed Jiang Quan's arm and cried, "Master, that is our flesh and blood. Do you really intend to ignore him?"
Jiang Quan pursed his lips and lowered his head to look at Xia Yan. At this moment, Xia Yan's hair was slightly messy. Her face, which had always been filled with the aura of a scholar, was streaked with tears, making her appear even more elegant. After all, she was a woman whom he truly loved. Jiang Quan supported her with one hand and sighed. "It's not that I don't want to save him, but the fu does not have that much money."
"We can go and borrow." Xia Yan was somewhat frantic. "Master, don't you know many bureaucrats? Just borrow some. It won't be long before I can go to my maternal family to borrow. Master, Chao 'er cannot fall into their hands. What kind of place is Hundred Flowers Tower, Master!"
"Nonsense!" Jiang Quan withdrew his hand. His gaze once again became cold and hard. "Borrowing money from colleagues? Do you think that my Jiang fu's face can be trampled on so casually?"
"Father, what's going on? What kind of place is Hundred Flowers Tower? "Jiang Ruan opened her mouth to ask. Only then did everyone see that she and Jiang Dan had arrived. Jiang Quan frowned. "What are you doing here?"
Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao pursed their lips. The fu's yiniang had come, but Jiang Ruan and Jiang Dan were not invited. Did they really think that they were transparent? Jiang Ruan said, "I heard the quarrel at night. I was concerned and came to take a look. But what happened? "
Her expression of concern did not seem to be fake. Jiang Quan stared at her with a complicated gaze. Under the light of the lantern, Jiang Ruan's features were picturesque. She wore a bright red Ruyi satin cloak, which made her look even more exquisite like a jade carving. He had also heard about the incident at the Lantern Festival a few days ago and had suspected Jiang Ruan. The young girl in front of him was slender and elegant. Looking at her carefully, she also had some resemblance to Zhao Mei's original appearance.
He was somewhat absent-minded. When Xia Yan saw Jiang Ruan, her eyes lit up. She rushed over and said, "Ruan 'er, Mother knows that you are the softest hearted and a kind child. Now that something has happened to your second brother, can you first take out the dowry that older sister left for you to save your brother? After a few days, Mother will return it to you. "
She looked at her expectantly. Jiang Ruan looked at her quietly. Was Xia Yan's brain damaged? She actually asked her for help. Unfortunately, she smiled slightly. "Mother, what are you saying? If I really had money, I would naturally take it out to save second brother. But Mother also knows that when I went to the rural residence five years ago, the evil servants there bullied the master. The dowry that Mother left for me had long been looted by those evil servants. "She sighed." Ruan niang really has the heart but is powerless. "
Xia Yan's hand loosened and she looked at her blankly. Jiang Ruan's gaze calmly met hers. She did not know whether Xia Yan was currently regretting her actions. After all, she was the one who had sent her to the rural residence! Now, she only had herself to blame!
In order to marry Jiang Quan, Zhao Mei had severed all ties with the Zhao family. Thus, there was not much dowry left. But in the end, she was still from a family of generals. Over the years, together with the jewels and ornaments she had collected, there were at least one or two thousand. In order to maintain her virtuous and virtuous appearance, Xia Yan had never had any ideas about this dowry. The things that had been stolen from the rural residence had long been returned when Imperial Censor Wang had sought redress for her grievances. However, at that time, Jiang Ruan had asked Lian Qiao to change everything into banknotes so that one day, when Xia Yan asked about the dowry, she could confidently reject it.
Xia Yan felt as if her entire body had been hollowed out. Her whole body went limp and she muttered, "My Chao 'er, could it be that he has really reached the end of the road?"
Seeing her in such a state, Jiang Su Su could not help but run to her side. Both mother and daughter burst into tears.
Jiang Li frowned. "Second brother is really too willful. The fu really does not have that much money, and he even angered Father."
Second Yiniang covered Jiang Li's mouth, knowing that now was not the time to add fuel to the fire. Sure enough, Jiang Quan fiercely glared at Jiang Li. Seeing this, Hong Ying walked forward. "Furen, don't just think about crying now. Although the fu does not have ten thousand taels of gold, there should still be a few thousand taels. Why don't you go and get it first, then talk to the people from Bai Hua Lou and have them release the people first. "
Jiang Ruan laughed in her heart and glanced at Hong Ying. Hong Ying herself had come from a brothel, so it was impossible that she did not know the rules of a brothel. The more popular a girl was, the higher her net worth. Not everyone could offend her. If one owed a large debt and was unable to pay it back, then one had to keep one's life. If one could not pay it all back, then there was absolutely no reason to put it on credit. If the people from the Jiang fu went to talk to Bai Hua Lou tonight and were only willing to fork out a portion of the money, then it would be tantamount to admitting that the Jiang fu could not afford the rest. Then, according to the rules, Jiang Chao would have to keep a portion of what he had on him.
This Fifth Yiniang looked gentle and graceful, but in the end, she had come from the streets. Her methods were no less ruthless than Jiang Ruan's.
Jiang Quan looked at Xia Yan and her daughter, who were crying themselves hoarse. His heart softened and he finally said, "Don't cry anymore. Housekeeper Zhang, go to the storehouse and get some money. Find a few people and make a trip to Bai Hua Lou."
Xia Yan's crying stopped, and she temporarily breathed a sigh of relief.
Jiang Quan then looked at Jiang Ruan and the others, "There is no point in you staying here. Go back to the courtyard and don't come out and walk around."
Jiang Dan hurriedly and timidly complied. Jiang Ruan nodded and left the hall with Jiang Li. Jiang Li's courtyard was in a different direction from Jiang Ruan's. Before they left, Jiang Ruan said to Jiang Dan, "I did not expect that Second Older Brother would actually commit such a grave mistake. If Zumu were to find out, I wonder how angry she would be."
Jiang Dan stared blankly. Jiang Li's footsteps paused, and she quickly left. Jiang Dan asked, "Does Da Jiejie mean that Zumu still does not know about this matter?"
"Did you see any trace of Zumu tonight?" Jiang Ruan said, "Since I did not see her, then naturally I do not know." She walked slowly with a smile on her face. Who knew if the Old Jiang Madame would wake up the next morning and find out that half of the Jiang fu's life's savings had been used to pay for Jiang Chao's wishful thinking?
And Jiang Chao was destined not to return in one piece.
That night, Jiang Ruan slept very deeply. When she opened her eyes in the morning, the sunlight from outside was already shining into the room. Seeing that she was awake, Bai Zhi smiled and said, "Miss slept very well last night, but you woke up late this morning."
"Mother has not ordered me to pay my respects, so there is no harm in being late." Jiang Ruan smiled.
"Furen is not in the mood for Miss to pay her respects now, she is too busy." Lian Qiao brought over some hot water, and as she helped Jiang Ruan wash her face, she said, "Mei Qing Yuan has been turned upside down."
Jiang Ruan took the handkerchief and asked, "How is it now?"
"Second Young Master's right pinky finger was chopped off." Lian Qiao said, "When he came back, he was dripping with blood. It was so scary." After a pause, she continued, "Now, the news has spread outside that Second Young Master went to Bai Hua Lou to throw away a thousand taels of gold in one go, but in fact, his pockets were empty. Our Jiang fu could not take out so much money at the moment, so we only gave five thousand taels. The people of Bai Hua Lou spared Second Young Master's life, and only chopped off his pinky finger."
After Jiang Ruan finished washing her face, she returned the handkerchief to Lian Qiao and asked, "What else?"
"Miss is really amazing," Lian Qiao said, "Old Furen somehow found out about this matter, and flew into a terrible rage. Furen and Second Miss are grounded. Now, the physician has just finished seeing Second Young Master and wants to take Old Furen's pulse. "
"Third Younger Sister's actions are so fast." Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, "Has this matter spread throughout the capital?"
"Of course." Lu Zhu came in from outside. When she heard Jiang Ruan's words, she casually added, "Now, everyone knows about the story of Second Young Master throwing away a thousand taels of gold for a beauty at Bai Hua Lou last night, and even had his finger chopped off. Everyone says that the Jiang fu is actually very poor." As she said the last sentence, she looked at Jiang Ruan's expression with some embarrassment. However, she saw that Jiang Ruan did not take her words to heart in the slightest. Instead, she asked about another matter, "How is Father now?"
"Master is extremely angry. If Second Young Master was not currently bedridden and unconscious, he would have rushed up to beat him up. It seems that he has encountered an extraordinary event. "
Jiang Ruan lowered her head and took a sip of the tea that Bai Zhi handed to her. The Jiang fu's reputation, after Jiang Chao's ruckus last night, could be considered to have been completely destroyed. For a person like Jiang Quan, who valued his reputation, this was undoubtedly a huge blow. After this incident, the Imperial Censor's report would inevitably be against him. This would also be a hindrance to his official career.
Of course, the most important thing was the conflict with the Li family in the capital. Since Jiang Chao had won the championship after throwing away a thousand taels of gold last night, he was bound to offend Li Yang. Li Yang was a narrow-minded person. How could he leave the matter at that?
Jiang Ruan looked out of the window. Jiang Chao had dominated the title of the Jiang fu's di son for so many years that the world had almost forgotten that the Jiang family still had Jiang Xin Zhi. This debt, let her collect it on Jiang Xin Zhi's behalf. Jiang Chao, was this painful? From heaven to hell was only a step away, but this was just the beginning.
In the study, Xia Yan looked at Jiang Quan in panic, "Master, you can't lock Chao up, why don't you let him go to the Imperial College?"
"Unfilial son!" Jiang Quan was unable to restrain his anger, "Listen to what the outside world is saying about my Jiang fu. Going to Bai Hua Lou to learn how to throw away a thousand taels of gold, my Jiang fu has raised him for so many years in vain! He failed in the imperial examinations and only knows how to drink all day. What a good son you have raised! "
"I know that Master is angry," Xia Yan knelt down, "but Chao 'er is young and ignorant. Who hasn't made mistakes? Chao 'er is also a son that I carried for ten months. When Chao' er was young, people scolded him for being a bastard son. Master, have you forgotten? Everything Chao 'er did was to bring glory to the Jiang family. His failure this time caused him to feel extremely uncomfortable in his heart, which is why he made such a big mistake. Now, hasn't he already received his punishment? Chao 'er has already lost a finger. Please, Master, take pity on him. "
Jiang Quan looked at Xia Yan kneeling on the floor and took a deep breath. This was the woman he loved, but he had made her bitterly wait for several years to become his wife. Jiang Chao had been born a bastard son, so no matter how much he compensated, it was of no use.
Xia Yan continued, "Master, don't tell me you don't even want your only son anymore?"
Jiang Quan's heart thumped heavily. Jiang Xin Zhi's life and death had been unknown for five years, so he had the right to pretend that he did not have this son. Xia Yan was right, Jiang Chao was now his only son. He sat down in front of the desk and said in a dispirited tone, "I am doing this for Chao 'er's own good. Last night's matter has caused him to form a grudge with the son of Prime Minister Li's fu. If he does not lie low, I am afraid that Li Yang will not let him off easily."
Xia Yan stared blankly, "Prime Minister Li, who is Li Yang? How could Chao 'er form a grudge with them? "
Jiang Quan sighed and explained the ins and outs of the matter to Xia Yan. There was one more thing that he did not tell Xia Yan. Li Dong was a person by the Eighth Prince's side. Now that he wanted to curry favor with the Eighth Prince, he had provoked Li Dong for no reason. If Li Dong got in the way, in the future, the big tree that was the Eighth Prince would not be able to tolerate him. Moreover, Li Dong's influence in the imperial court was extensive, so no matter what he said, it was not a good thing.
Hearing Jiang Quan's words, Xia Yan muttered to herself, "Master, are you saying this because you don't want to become enemies with the Li family?"
"Climbing up the Li family and the Jiang family is a good thing," Jiang Quan shook his head, "I originally wanted to find an opportunity to build a connection, but now that Chao 'er is like this, I have instead formed a grudge."
Xia Yan was silent for a moment, a thought emerging in her mind. She said, "Master, do you know what is the most stable relationship?"
Jiang Quan looked at her. Xia Yan said, "What if there is a marriage alliance with the Li family?"
"Li 'er's conduct is too flamboyant, and Dan' er is too young." Jiang Quan frowned, "Don't let your imagination run wild."
Xia Yan shook her head, "After all, Li 'er and Dan' er are concubine daughters, and their statuses do not match, so they cannot be the official wife."
"Could it be that you are thinking of Su 'er?" Jiang Quan frowned, "What kind of place is the Li family? Father-Son marriages happen from time to time. Even if I want to curry favor with the Li family, I will not send Su 'er into such a fiery pit. "
"Master, what are you saying?" Xia Yan walked a few steps towards Jiang Quan and nestled against him, her pair of jade hands gently massaging his shoulders, "Su 'er is also my flesh and blood, how could I think of her so? What I mean is Ruan 'er. " She looked at Jiang Quan's stunned expression and continued, "Ruan 'er has a calm temperament. Although I am also worried, doesn't the Li family still have a younger son? That younger son is very intelligent, and if he takes a fancy to Ruan' er, and their statuses are also suitable, wouldn't that mean we have a good relationship? In this way, we can make amends, and presumably that Li Dong will not make things difficult for us. "
Hearing this, Jiang Quan suddenly realized, "I actually forgot about Li An. You are right, that Li An's future prospects are limitless. If Ruan 'er marries him, the Jiang fu will have a helping hand. However, "he said with some hesitation," such a good marriage, you actually did not consider it for Su 'er? "
"Ruan 'er's life is bitter," Xia Yan said gently, "In any case, Su' er has me to worry about her, but Ruan 'er is a child without a mother. Both are daughters of the Jiang fu, could it be that I would deliberately harm her? Besides, I still want to keep Su 'er by my side for a few more years. The marriage is not urgent, we can take our time to choose. "
Seeing the smile on Xia Yan's face, Jiang Quan's expression finally softened, and he embraced her in his arms, "I know that you are a person who understands the big picture, and marrying you in this life is my good fortune. Don't worry, I will definitely find an excellent marriage for Su 'er, and in this life, I will not let her feel wronged. "
Xia Yan smiled and agreed. The two of them talked for a while before Jiang Quan said, "Since that's the case, I will first send an invitation to the Li family, and let them come to the fu for a chat."
Xia Yan smiled and said, "Then I will not disturb Master, I will go see Chao 'er." She closed the door, the smile on her face disappearing in an instant. She walked through the corridor and into the courtyard, where Cui Yu was taking care of Jiang Chao. Seeing her enter, she hurriedly got up and retreated to one side.
Jiang Chao was lying motionless on the bed, and Xia Yan sat down beside him. She pulled up the hands that were wrapped in white cloth and placed them by her lips, softly saying, "Chao 'er, don't worry, Mother will definitely avenge you."
Lin Lang stood to one side and asked, "Furen, are you really going to be a matchmaker for Eldest Miss and Second Young Master Li?"
"How could that be possible," Xia Yan smiled sinisterly, "I want her to be Li Yang's concubine for the rest of her life. She can forget about the title of official wife. I want her to lose all standing and reputation, and become a plaything for the Li family's father and son. I want her to marry into the Li family and suffer for the rest of her life!"
Lin Lang could not help but shiver. She only heard Xia Yan lightly laugh and say, "Second Young Master Li's official wife? In your dreams! "
The incident at Bai Hua Lou in the capital seemed to have spread overnight through the streets and alleys. These past few days, the Jiang family had become the hottest topic of discussion in the capital, but in the end, it was all just a joke.
In Jinying Wang fu, a young man dressed in an ink-colored rain-patterned crane cloak stood by the window, making his posture even more tall and straight like jade. A snow-white pigeon flew in from outside the window and landed in the palm of his hand. From the pigeon's leg, he removed a note tied with a red thread. The pigeon's red bean-like eyes stared at him. He stretched out his finger and stroked the snow pigeon's head. The snow pigeon chirped happily, flapped its wings, and flew into the blue sky.
Xiao Shao unfolded the note and lightly frowned. He knocked on the table, and suddenly, two men dressed in black appeared in the room.
"Master," one of them took the lead to speak, "We have investigated. This subordinate followed the errand boy of the Imperial College. The letter came from the upper echelons of Jiang Quan fu in the capital, and the person who delivered the letter was Eldest Miss Jiang's personal maid. However, we did not find any connection between the two. "
"I understand, you may leave," Xiao Shao said lightly.
The room resumed its silence. Ye Feng stood behind Xiao Shao and thought for a moment, "The previous rumors were also spread by this Eldest Miss Jiang. Master, this Eldest Miss Jiang's identity is really suspicious."
"She is not a traitor," Xiao Shao said. When he had found out that it was Jiang Ruan, he had also been very surprised. Generally, only the people close to the Emperor knew about the Emperor's palace examination questions. Jiang Ruan was only a girl in her boudoir. In any case, it was impossible for her to be a traitor in the palace. However, there were indeed many things about her that did not make sense. For example, previously in Assistant Minister Shen fu, she even knew about the most secretive secret passage. He had three hundred thousand Embroidered Guards under him, and there was never any information that he could not collect. However, he could not find anything suspicious about this Eldest Miss Jiang who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It was as if she should have known all those secrets.
He had also heard about the incident at Bai Hua Lou in the capital last night. Recently, the Jiang fu had been in a lot of trouble, and it seemed that it had all started with this Eldest Miss Jiang's return to the fu.
As it turned out, the Embroidered Guards found the manservant who had been by Jiang Chao's side last night at Bai Hua Lou. He also admitted that he had taken someone's money and deliberately lured Jiang Chao there. In the end, the spearhead was pointed at Jiang Ruan.
He could not help but frown, "There are some things that don't make sense. Continue to investigate and see what relationship she has with Eighth Brother. "If she was Xuan Li's chess piece, then it was a different matter.
Ye Feng thought for a moment, "What about the Second Miss of the Jiang fu? She came again a few days ago, and Steward Lin chased her out."
"Don't bother with her," Xiao Shao said lightly.
Ye Feng shrugged and did not speak anymore.
At home, when Li Dong received Jiang Quan's invitation, he also shook his head and said, "Strange, what does Jiang Quan mean by this? Normally, we don't have much of a relationship, so why would he suddenly send an invitation? "
Li Dong had a big belly, and the beautiful concubine beside him was feeding him grapes as she said, "Perhaps he wants to cling onto Laoye."
Li Yang's lecherous eyes were currently looking at Li Dong's newly entered concubine. When he heard this, he said, "That won't do. Yesterday, it was this Jiang Chao who caused me to lose face. I must find an opportunity to properly tidy him up. "
"Enough," Li Dong said, "Your younger brother will be returning to the capital in a few days, so don't give him any trouble. What kind of person is that Jiang Chao, that he is worthy of you bickering with him. "
Li Yang still wanted to say something, but the beautiful concubine giggled when she heard this. "This servant does not know what kind of person Jiang Chao is, but before this servant entered the fu, this servant had heard of the Jiang family's two daughters. Both of them are peerless beauties."
When Li Yang heard this, his eyes brightened, "Is what you said true?"
"Of course it is true. This servant would not dare to deceive Young Master." The beautiful concubine smiled tenderly and said, "The Eldest Miss of the Jiang family is as charming as a demon, while the Second Miss of the Jiang family is as elegant as a fairy. Moreover, their talents are unparalleled. This is a fact that everyone in the capital knows. Eldest Young Master usually disdains the daughters of noble families, so I presume that you do not know this. "
"I did not expect that Jiang Chao would have such two younger sisters. I would like to have a look at their elegance." A strange look flashed in Li Yang's eyes. "Father, when did Jiang Quan send the invitation?"
"Tomorrow." Li Dong looked at his son's eyes and knew full well, "Why, you also want to go to the Jiang family?"
"With such beauty, I naturally want to have a look at their elegance. I want to see if the people in the capital are lying. " Li Dong laughed somewhat vulgarly, "Jiang Chao caused me to miss out on a peony. If these two younger sisters are beautiful enough, I will not bicker with him."
"You better open your eyes," Li Dong said, "The Jiang family's young lady's status is there, and cannot be casually toyed with. I see that you are not young anymore, when are you going to marry a wife? Just in time, when you go to the Jiang fu tomorrow, if you really take a fancy to any one of them, you can marry them and bring them home. "
"I still do not want to marry a wife," Jiang Chao's face fell. After thinking for a while, he asked the beautiful concubine, "How are the temperaments of these two sisters of the Jiang fu?"
"The Eldest Miss of the Jiang family has just returned to the capital and is not familiar with her. However, I have heard that she is also very graceful in her conduct, and looks gentle and graceful." The beautiful concubine smiled and said, "The Second Miss of the Jiang family is naive and unaffected, and is ignorant of the ways of the world. Everyone in the capital knows this."
"Their temperaments are both not bad," Jiang Chao licked his lips, "If I really want to marry a wife, it would be better to have the blessings of having two wives, which is also a wonderful thing."
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