Jiang Jiaojiao didn't expect that Jiang Shuyue's heart was as firm as a rock, and she still had no intention of forgiving her.

She was completely stunned. Wasn't Jiang Shuyue very close to the Su family?

Why is it different from what my aunt said?

Her mind raced; if she couldn't recognize herself, she had to recognize Su Peng.

As long as she has a connection with the Su family, it's only a matter of time before they accept her.

When Su Peng heard Jiang Shuyue say that she had mistaken someone for someone else again, he suddenly remembered that she had said many people she had mistaken for others that day.

This restaurant is quite valuable; even if my cousin were still alive, she couldn't afford it.

He quickly cupped his hands in apology: "I'm sorry, you really do look too much like my cousin."

At this moment, a waiter came up and said, "Master, Manager Nangong is in the accounting office."

Jiang Shuyue didn't even glance at Jiang Jiaojiao, and walked straight ahead with the waiter.

Qiu Ju glared at Jiang Jiaojiao and Caiyan, then quickly followed.

Jiang Jiaojiao walked out of Juxian Pavilion, full of doubts.

"Miss, let me help you into the carriage." Caiyan put the bundle in her hand into the carriage and then reached out to support Jiang Jiaojiao's arm.

"Didn't you say there would be a bridal sedan chair?" Jiang Jiaojiao was so angry that she barely suppressed the urge to lift the bridal veil.

"My goodness! This carriage is much more spacious than the bridal sedan chair. If the bride doesn't believe me, she can go up and see for herself."

"That's right, the carriage is decorated with red silk, just like a bridal sedan chair. The bride should hurry up and get on, lest she miss the auspicious time."

The two matchmakers, working in tandem, tricked Jiang Jiaojiao into getting into the carriage.

Once seated in the carriage, Jiang Jiaojiao noticed that Caiyan remained silent, so she lifted her bridal veil.

The carriage was simply furnished, with no festive red silk decorations whatsoever.

Jiang Jiaojiao's face darkened. If it were before, she would definitely have refused.

"Miss, please put down your bridal veil. There are two red silk ribbons hanging in front of the carriage."

Caiyan immediately recognized that the carriage had been hailed from the street. It wouldn't cost more than a few coins to get from here to the north of the city. In order not to anger her mistress, Caiyan pretended not to know.

Jiang Jiaojiao refused to listen to Caiyan and simply removed her bridal veil and set it aside.

"Caiyan, do you think that bitch is deliberately trying to anger me? She clearly doesn't want to part with the Su family, but she's pretending not to know them."

Caiyan shook her head, "This servant doesn't understand either. The eldest young lady and her mother have never neglected her maternal grandparents' family before. I don't know why she has suddenly become so heartless."

"Could it be that Auntie made a mistake?"

Jiang Jiaojiao looked distressed. There was no turning back now; it was too late to call off the engagement.

It wasn't that she was unwilling to risk it, but rather that the two strong and robust matchmakers outside wouldn't let her leave.

"Second Miss, don't think too much about it. Things will work themselves out. I think the young master is quite good. He's handsome and talented, no less so than the Third Young Master Wei."

"Well, even a wrecked ship has three thousand nails. Let's take it one step at a time."

Jiang Jiaojiao could only comfort herself, thinking that if Jiang Shuyue really ignored the eldest branch of the Su family, it wouldn't be bad to acknowledge the second branch. They were connected by blood, and given time, things would eventually get better.

To save a day's inn expenses, she arranged for the Su family to come and fetch her in the morning.

I've already spent quite a bit of money staying at the inn for several days.

Upon entering the Su family home, the silence was eerily profound.

With Caiyan's help, she and Su Peng completed their wedding ceremony and were quickly led into the bridal chamber.

When the bridal veil was lifted, Jiang Jiaojiao was dumbfounded.

The groom was handsome, but all the furniture in the house was made of cheap cypress wood.

The wardrobe wasn't even painted.

Jiang Jiaojiao stared wide-eyed in disbelief, "Su Peng, is your family really that poor?"

"What? Miss Jiang has changed her mind? This marriage was arranged by your aunt herself. Do you think I wanted to marry you?" Su Peng retorted coldly.

Jiang Jiaojiao's face flushed red and then turned pale as she was rebuked. She felt extremely wronged, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"If you're not willing to marry me, then I'm not willing to marry you either. Get out! I'll change my clothes and leave." Jiang Jiaojiao seized the opportunity to back out of the engagement.

A hint of sarcasm flashed in Su Peng's eyes, "Want to break off the engagement and go find Young Master Wei? I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. Young Master Wei has disappeared somewhere, and his life is not even as good as my Su family's."

"you……"

"What do you mean, 'you'? Your aunt fooled my mother, but don't think you can fool me with your own mess. I run errands at my uncle's dye shop and know the teahouse staff. Don't try to deny it."

Speaking of this, Su Peng gets furious.

His parents told him to be patient, saying that Jiang Jiaojiao's dowry was generous, and if he didn't like her, they could leave her alone and take her as a concubine.

I only learned today that Jiang Jiaojiao's so-called dowry consisted of just a box of jewelry.

Su Peng's words were simple and straightforward, and Jiang Jiaojiao opened her mouth but had nothing to say.

Hearing the two arguing more and more fiercely, Caiyan outside the door was so anxious that she stomped her feet.

"Bang!"

Su Peng slammed the door and left.

Caiyan rushed in immediately, "Miss, today is your big day, it's bad luck to make a scene like this."

“Caiyan, did you hear that? What kind of nonsense is he spouting? He doesn’t care about arranged marriages or parental wishes, so why should I care?” Jiang Jiaojiao’s voice was trembling with tears.

"Miss, let's be patient. He's telling the truth. If we leave now, where will we go?"

Caiyan paused for a moment and then said, "This time, the marriage certificate has been stamped by the government, so we can't just leave whenever we want."

Jiang Jiaojiao covered her face and sobbed, "That scoundrel definitely won't give me a divorce agreement."

"Miss, calm down and think it over carefully. Which is better, life here or life on the estate?"

Jiang Jiaojiao immediately stopped sobbing and thought about it seriously.

Returning to the Jiang family is unlikely; my father would be unhappy.

At least he had some silver notes and a box of jewelry given to him by his aunt.

After a moment, she sighed and said, "Let's make do for now and figure out a solution later."

Caiyan said with some lingering fear, "Miss, should we ask Zhao Wu to come and serve us? I think the young master is quite fierce."

When Jiang Jiaojiao returned to the capital, Zhao Wu went to the Jiang family home with the coachman.

Jiang Jiaojiao shook her head, "No need. Even if he's fierce, would he hit me? Aunt has no one else to rely on. We brought Zhao Wu back, so Aunt feels more at ease using him."

As expected, the night ended with Jiang Jiaojiao spending the night alone in her empty room.

On the day of the return visit, Su Peng said that he was too busy with sexual matters to get away, and Qin Shi was even less willing to prepare a return visit gift, so Jiang Jiaojiao took Caiyan back to her parents' home alone.

This day happened to be Jiang Zhengming's day off.

Upon seeing Jiang Jiaojiao return, Jiang Zhengming eagerly asked, "Jiaojiao, did you see the eldest son of the second branch of the Su family?"

Jiang Jiaojiao was completely bewildered. "Dad, what do you mean? Aunt Su and Mother-in-law are only superficially friendly. Why would I go to see the second son of the second branch of the family?"

“My silly daughter! Your mother-in-law is not very bright. Don’t be confused. The eldest son of the second branch of the Su family has moved into your eldest sister’s big house. You must get along well with the second branch of the Su family.”

“Aunt, are you mistaken? I asked my mother-in-law, and she said that the Su family’s ancestral graves are not emitting any auspicious smoke.”

Yang panicked and grabbed Jiang Jiaojiao's hand. "No, your father knows that the second-place scholar is named Su Jin. That brat claims to be her cousin. There's no doubt about it."

Jiang Zhengming's face turned ashen. Had he made a mistake?