In a corner of the palace, Jiang Dan changed her usual leisurely attitude and became somewhat anxious. Even her personal palace maid could see that something was wrong with her. She forcefully sat down on the chair again and slowly grasped the back of the chair. The palace maid finally could not help but say, "Your Ladyship is worried about Minister Jiang's matter? Your Ladyship should pay attention to your body. If His Majesty knew, he would also be worried. "
Jiang Ruan's expression changed. She reluctantly squeezed out a smile and sighed, "I just did not expect Da Jiejie to be so heartless. In any case, he is my biological father. How could he be so heartless? Although ben gong and father are not very close, it is still somewhat unbearable to watch him fall into such a situation. "As she said this, she seemed to be worried and pressed the center of her forehead.
"Your Ladyship is too kind," the palace maid could not help but advise, "It's just that right now, you should take good care of yourself."
Jiang Dan waved her hand and shook her head, "Ben gong understands. You can withdraw first."
The palace maid looked at Jiang Dan worriedly and retreated, leaving Jiang Dan alone in the large hall. She occasionally used her nails to slide down the armrest of the chair, her expression somewhat sinister.
Jiang Quan had already been sent to prison. She did not expect that Jiang Ruan's ability was so great that after so many years, she could still produce evidence. At present, it was only Jiang Quan who was involved, but at that time, Butterfly also knew that she had worked for Xia Yan. Why did she not reveal this matter? Butterfly naturally would not keep it a secret for Jiang Dan. In fact, Jiang Dan had already guessed the possibility that Jiang Ruan had deliberately suppressed this fact. She already knew that she was the one who had poisoned her and Zhao Mei.
As soon as she thought of this, Jiang Dan felt extremely guilty. She was very clear about Jiang Ruan's methods. From the di daughter of a mountain village that no one had ever paid any attention to, to the current Jin Ying wangfei that no one dared to look down on, Jiang Ruan had practically swallowed up the Minister's fu bite by bite, eradicating the people who opposed her. Jiang Ruan did not recognize even her own kin and haggled over every little thing. How could she let her off? The reason why there was no movement now must be because she had a backup plan?
The more Jiang Dan thought about it, the more afraid she became. She could not help but bite her lower lip. After a moment, she suddenly ordered her trusted aide, Zhu Er, to come in and said, "I have something to tell you."
…
At the same time, on the horse carriage on the way back to the fu, Jin San asked Jiang Ruan in puzzlement, "Since Young Furen knows that Jiang Zhaoyi is also the culprit who harmed Furen, why did you not take advantage of the situation and let the butterflies bite her out? Even for imperial concubines, as long as the life of an official's wife was involved, they would have to go through the trial themselves. Even the Emperor could not intervene. Why did Young Madam let her off? "
"I won't let her off." Jiang Ruan smiled faintly, "I just don't want to let her off so easily. There were too many loopholes in Butterfly's story. The reason why Jiang Quan had been caught was because Xiao Shao had interfered in the matter. Moreover, Jiang Quan's career seemed to have reached its end. He did not have much influence in the imperial court, so His Majesty would not have too many objections to this. However, Jiang Dan had been implicated. She was currently favored, and if someone were to carefully examine this case, it wouldn't be difficult to find suspicious points. Don't forget, the butterfly and the so-called evidence were all created by us. It's impossible to not leave any traces behind. "
Jin San thought for a while before he nodded and said, "Even so, it would be a pity to give up on this opportunity. Does Young Madam already have a good idea? "
"Jiang Dan has a suspicious temperament. Although her actions are ruthless, after so many years, she is still cowardly and timid. She is afraid that the matter will be exposed, so she is probably running around in circles in the palace right now. In her anxiety, how could she have the time to ponder over the strangeness of this case? Her mind is probably filled with thoughts on how to avoid being discovered. Jin San, after we return to the fu, arrange a few Embroidered Uniform Guards to protect Jiang Quan in secret. Before Jiang Quan is sentenced, he cannot be silenced. "Jiang Dan instructed.
Jin San was shocked, "She actually wants to silence him?" As he spoke, a trace of disdain flashed in his eyes, "This kind of woman, in order to protect herself, would actually do such a thing. It's no wonder that she would make a move against the former Madam. However, although Young Madam protected Jiang Quan, what will happen after that? "
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly, "I don't want to take the initiative to make a move. Once I take the initiative, I will be the first to expose myself. What I need to do now is to lure the snake out of its hole. The more anxious she is, the easier it is for her to make a mistake. I will lure her into taking action, but in the end, she will be the one buried in the grave. " Her words were gentle, but Jin San felt as if there was an indifferent chill in them. He could not help but feel a chill in his heart. Looking at Jiang Ruan's sweet smile, he understood that she had a well-thought-out plan, so he simply put his heart at ease.
When they returned to the Jiang fu, unexpectedly, there were a few unfamiliar guards at the fu's entrance. Although these guards were only dressed in the ordinary attire of the fu's imperial guards, Jiang Ruan could tell at a glance that there was something different about them. She had always been good at observing the details. These guards had solemn expressions and orderly appearances, and even the Embroidered Uniform Guards were not inferior. Jiang Ruan frowned. In any case, she had stayed in the palace for so many years in her previous life, and these people looked somewhat like the imperial guards.
Seeing her approach, the guards nodded their heads and said, "Your subordinates greet the Wangfei."
Jin San and Tian Zhu's expressions changed slightly. It was Steward Lin who had jogged over. When he saw Jiang Ruan, he was also slightly stunned, as if he had not expected her to return so early. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Young Madam, why are you so early?"
Pretending not to see the abnormality in these people, Jiang Ruan's manner was calm as she said, "I am a little tired. Steward Lin, I will go to the study to sit. If there is anything, let's wait for Xiao Shao to return first."
At the mention of the "study", Steward Lin paused again. Among the surrounding unfamiliar guards, the leader of the imperial guards suddenly spoke, "Wangfei, do you want to go to the study?"
Jiang Ruan ignored him, as if she had not heard him at all. She only lifted her feet and walked in the direction of the fu's study. The expression of the leader of the imperial guards changed, and he immediately blocked Jiang Ruan's way. In a low voice, he said, "Will the Wangfei please step aside."
Jiang Ruan looked at him quietly. Her gaze was calm, as if there was not a trace of prayer in it. She just looked at that person indifferently. That person was finally somewhat speechless under her gaze. Jiang Ruan then said indifferently, "Steward Lin, is this the new imperial guard? He does not know the rules. "
"This subordinate is not a new imperial guard." That leader of the imperial guards had been around for many years. What kind of high officials and nobles had he not seen? As long as there were some officials, they would still have to give him some face. This was the first time that he had unhesitatingly slapped someone's face. However, although he was somewhat embarrassed, his temper was still good. He did not have a one-track mind to argue with Jiang Ruan. His expression was also very humble.
"Is there something strange here?" Jiang Ruan smiled, "Since you are an imperial guard of the outer fu, you are an outsider. Outsiders still want to meddle in the affairs of Jinying Wang fu. Even if your master's influence is extensive, as long as his surname is not Xiao, he will not be able to meddle here." Jiang Ruan said indifferently.
That imperial guard was startled and looked at Jiang Ruan inquiringly. Jiang Ruan's expression was calm as she met his gaze. That person's heart became alert. He knew that Jiang Ruan roughly understood the identity of the person inside. But even so, how could she still dare to?
Jiang Ruan's heart was cold. She indeed seemed to have guessed the identity of the person inside. Although she did not understand, she felt more of a faint disgust. On a normal day, she would most likely just avoid it and walk away. But now that it was related to Jinying Wang fu, she was unhappy. Although the main culprit in her previous life was not that person, since then, she had always been extremely disgusted with the people of this ancestral shrine. In this life, she would avoid them if she could. Who would have thought that they would still be mixed together? But on what basis did he have the qualifications to meddle in other people's lives?
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly, but that smile was not gentle. It carried a trace of unquestionable strength, "This imperial guard of the outer fu, can you step aside now?"
"This …" That imperial guard originally wanted to directly refuse, but when he met Jiang Ruan's gaze, he suddenly could not bring himself to say anything. He recalled that the woman in front of him was even able to sue her own father in court. This kind of woman who did not put worldly etiquette in her eyes must have a very insolent temperament.
"Young Madam, please enter." It was Steward Lin who spoke. He said, "The wang fu is your home. You can go wherever you want to go. Why can't you go to your own home? Young Master is in the study. Young Madam must have worked hard today. Later, this old servant will ask the kitchen to send some sweet soup. " Steward Lin spoke with a smile, but the leader of the imperial guards looked at him in disbelief and said, "You …"
"If there's anything, I will bear the responsibility." Steward Lin was somewhat impatient, "Besides, what Young Madam said is not wrong. The Xiao family's matters have nothing to do with you. It's better if outsiders do not interfere." These words were somewhat unyielding and could even be said to be rude. Although Steward Lin was usually unreliable when it came to Xiao Shao's matters, as a steward, he was still very tactful. It was very unusual for him to speak in such a merciless manner today.
The imperial guards behind the leader of the imperial guards were somewhat indignant, seemingly dissatisfied that their master had suffered such humiliation. They almost wanted to jump up and argue. Unexpectedly, Jin San and Tian Zhu suddenly blocked in front of Jiang Ruan. Their expressions were also slightly vigilant as they said to Jiang Ruan, "Young Madam, please go over first, in case you catch a cold by standing here."
Everyone in Jinying Wang fu knew that they were protective of their shortcomings, but they did not expect that they would be so protective of a wangfei who had just married. The imperial guards had never received such treatment in their lives, and for a moment, they were very angry. But to make a move in Jinying Wang fu was certainly not beneficial. There were countless secret guards of the Embroidered Uniform Guard here, so they could only watch angrily as Jiang Ruan swaggered away.
Steward Lin followed by Jiang Ruan's side, and as he walked, his expression was grave and stern. He had always been lively and cheerful, but this was the first time he had been so nervous. He said, "Young Madam, since you entered the wang fu, you are a member of the Xiao family. You are one with the Young Master. You should also know a little about the Young Master's matters. "
He had something to say, so Jiang Ruan did not speak and waited for Steward Lin to continue. Sure enough, Steward Lin continued, "These years, the Young Master has not had an easy time. Outsiders can only see his external glory, but this old servant has seen the Young Master's appearance since he was a baby. This old servant has watched him grow up. It's just that the Young Master is not used to telling everything. At that time, not long after the old wangye and wangfei met with an accident, the Young Master took over the Embroidered Uniform Guard and went to the Southern Frontier alone. He came back alive, but he was half dead. Xia Wu treated the scars on his body for three whole days without rest. "
"There are many people in the capital who want the Young Master's life. Some are from the Southern Frontier, some are from the Jin dynasty, and there are all kinds of people. In order to protect the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Young Master has suffered a lot over the years. Now, seeing him marry a wife, this old servant is very gratified. With his temperament, he probably doesn't care about anything and has lived his whole life for the sake of his mission. Now that he finally has something that he wants to hold onto, he appears to be a little more like an ordinary young man. " Steward Lin looked at Jiang Ruan and the beard at the corner of his mouth twitched, "Young Madam is a good girl. When I heard Jin San and the others say that the Young Master treated Young Madam differently, this old servant knew that only Young Madam could help him. Although our Jinying Wangfu is invincible and has stood tall in the Jin dynasty for so many years, there seems to be nothing that can knock it down, but there are too many things that it has to bear. Ordinary young ladies would not be able to bear it, but Young Madam can. "
As they spoke, the two of them arrived at the door of the study. Steward Lin stopped in his tracks and looked at Jiang Ruan seriously and solemnly, "Young Madam, in this world, only you are able to stand shoulder to shoulder with him."
Jiang Ruan followed suit and stopped in her tracks. The door of the study was not closed and was left ajar. Unexpectedly, there was not a single guard outside. It was obvious that they had deliberately sent everyone away to stop here.
The voice of the person inside clearly reached their ears. One of the voices was deep and abnormally familiar, with a kind of arrogance that came from someone who was used to bossing people around. However, at this moment, it was probably because he was exasperated that his voice was somewhat unsteady and had completely lost his usual grace. In a heavy tone, he said, "Don't persist in going about things the wrong way! What's so good about that woman? Now that all the civil and military officials in the court know that she has accused her biological father, how will the common people of the Great Jin dynasty view her? How will others view you? We originally thought that as long as you liked her, as long as she lived her days in peace, we would tolerate it. But look at her, how can she stir up such a big storm? Pushing you to the heart of the storm, how can you still look like a wife! "
As soon as he arrived, he heard the accusation against Jiang Ruan. Steward Lin blushed with shame and could not help but turn his head to sneak a glance at Jiang Ruan's expression. Jiang Ruan's expression was calm, and she did not feel the slightest discomfort from being scolded. Even when she heard the voice, she did not show the slightest bit of surprise, as if she had long known who the person inside was.
Jiang Ruan listened silently. The person inside was indeed as she had imagined, the current Emperor. At that time, even before she and Xiao Shao had gotten married, she had felt that the Emperor treated Xiao Shao differently, including Empress Dowager Yi De. However, what was certain was that these two people's attitudes towards Xiao Shao were extremely tolerant. This was also why even though the Old Jinying Wang couple had committed the crime of rebellion, Xiao Shao was still safe and sound, and even had the Emperor's trust. Although she was not clear about the reason, Jiang Ruan could faintly guess that this was not because the Emperor was a wise ruler of his generation, appointing people based on talent. How could he allow others to sleep soundly on his side couch? In fact, no Emperor would tolerate the descendants of rebellious ministers to enter the court alive and become officials. There must be a reason for this.
Following the Emperor's furious voice was Xiao Shao's cold and indifferent voice, "Your Majesty, this is this official's family matter."
"Shut up!" The Emperor seemed to have been stabbed, "Don't forget what your surname is, your surname is not Xiao. The blood that flows in your body is the blood of the Xuan family. What family matter, your family matter is Zhen's family matter!"
Jiang Ruan's eyes widened in shock. Even though she had never revealed her emotions, she could not help but be absent-minded when she heard these words. The words of the person inside were incomparably clear, and there was almost no possibility that she had heard wrongly. She had thought of thousands of possibilities, but she had never imagined that it would be like this. Xiao Shao, Xuan Shao?
"Your Majesty, why do you insist on acting your own way?" Xiao Shao's tone was indifferent, "This official has no relationship with the imperial family. Your Majesty, please be careful with your words." His words were also very cold, almost very provocative.
"This is not up to you to decide!" The Emperor snorted coldly, "Zhen has done so much for you, hiding you in Jinying Wang fu for so many years without restoring your identity and secrets, all in order to pave the way. There will be a day when the empire of the Great Jin dynasty will be handed over to your hands. You will be a member of the imperial family, the future heir to the throne of the Great Jin dynasty! How dare you say that there is no relationship? "
Housekeeper Lin lowered his head, not daring to look at Jiang Ruan's expression. Jiang Ruan clenched her fists and slowly calmed down. Yes, in her previous life, Xiao Shao had finally killed Xuan Li and sat on the throne. So that was the case, so he was originally a member of the Huang family, and the Emperor had originally intended to pass the throne to him?
"There is a difference between a ruler and a subject," Xiao Shao was still unmoved, "Your Majesty's empire should be handed over to a more talented person. I will not accept Your Majesty's arrangements. "
"You … stubborn and thick-headed!" The Emperor was so angry that he stomped his feet. Suddenly, he thought of something and changed the topic, "Is it because of that girl that you insist on refusing the throne? We have heard that you only dote on her, how can this be? We originally thought that you were young and did not understand the pros and cons. Since you truly like that girl, then marrying her would be fine. But now that you only dote on her, how will you convince the masses in the future? The people of the Jin dynasty do not need an Emperor who is only infatuated with the love between a man and a woman! "
"I have already said this," as if mentioning Jiang Ruan made Xiao Shao somewhat unhappy, his tone suddenly became more serious, "I do not agree with your arrangements, Your Majesty should choose another brilliant one."
Not only was Xiao Shao somewhat unhappy, but Housekeeper Lin's face also showed some displeasure. What kind of existence was Jiang Ruan in Jinying Wang fu now? She was the Young Madam that everyone publicly acknowledged and greatly admired. What did the Emperor mean by beating someone to death with a stick? Even the Emperor could not casually deny a person's merits. Moreover, this was the Young Madam that everyone unanimously agreed was perfect.
Inside and outside the room, the three people were all unhappy. Only Jiang Ruan was the calmest. She was not sad because of this. Since ancient times, she had been disliked by the Emperor, and she did not care about it in this life or in the past.
"Ah Shao," the Emperor's tone suddenly softened, as if admitting defeat, "Could it be that you have forgotten your father? We have promised him … "
"Your Majesty," Xiao Shao interrupted him, his tone suddenly becoming sharp, "You have also promised my mother."
The Emperor abruptly stopped speaking.
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