Chapter 40 You are my legally married wife...

Jiang Si didn't expect that her small lie, which didn't implicate anyone, could cause trouble.

She didn't say anything, and didn't do anything. She just chatted and laughed with her husband, whom she had arranged marriage with through three matchmakers and six engagements, in public, and yet she still made people so angry that they tried every possible way to take revenge on her.

After the greetings, when it was time for the banquet, the guests were welcomed to the garden of the Bo's mansion and their meals were served in the warm room.

The male and female guests were separated, while the mistresses of each mansion were together.

Behind the screen were the seats for the younger ladies and girls, as well as for the young girls who had not yet reached the age of marriage.

There were many people at the table where Jiang Si was sitting, whom she had never met before. Or she had only heard of their names or met them a few times, but had never interacted with them in depth. They were all considered strangers.

Ladies, no matter whether the chairs you sit on have backs or not, your waists are straight, your posture is upright, and your manners are impeccable.

Those who are dressed in beautiful clothes have elegant smiles and calm manners.

The young ladies at the table were all of noble status, including the wife of the Crown Prince of Yongyi, the wife of the Minister of Rites Xiao, and the wife of the second son of Prince An. All of them had a prominent background.

Jiang Si's current status qualifies her to sit at this table, but she still feels out of place among a group of arrogant women.

They occasionally said nice words, but although they were few, one could not tell whether they were happy or sad.

From beginning to end, he spoke with a slight smile, politely but distantly, and in a low voice.

In theory, in such occasions, there is no need to worry about being embarrassed or looked down upon, as all of you young ladies and noble girls are respectable people.

However, his eyes frequently fell on Jiang Si, looking at her and sizing her up.

Although the look was indifferent and seemed to have no meaning, Jiang Si was the only one at the table who was treated this way.

She had never had any interaction with these distinguished ladies before. She had only heard of them occasionally and seen them from afar.

From what she had heard, these people's temperaments were not as cold as the indifference Jiang Si felt as they sat together.

She could guess their mentality.

They were not familiar with her before. Perhaps they had heard of her, but their friendships did not overlap. Logically, Jiang Si had no chance to sit here.

But by chance, she had the identity to sit here.

In the eyes of others, she should be more attentive, sweet-spoken, able to win people over, and please others so that they will accept her.

However, now sitting at the same table and dining together, Jiang Si was as usual.

It was her business-as-usual attitude that caused dissatisfaction among others.

However, the more this happened, the more Jiang Si was stared at with malicious eyes, the less she cared. She remained calm and acted as if nothing had happened.

In this contrast, Jiang Si seemed to be graceful and elegant, as if she was the most distinguished person at the table.

In addition, she was dressed in gorgeous clothes, a lapis lazuli blue kesi flowered jacket, the colors as rich as the strange paintings of mountains and rocks in thick ink. She was unparalleled in age, had a superior appearance, and was neither humble nor arrogant.

Instead, it made those who looked at her from time to time feel uneasy.

Minister Xiao's wife came up with an idea and took the opportunity to ask, "Madam Xie, the lapis lazuli blue material of this dress seems to have been sent as tribute from outside the Great Wall this year. It's not local material. Could you tell us about it?"

Everyone present lived a life of luxury and was well aware of the popular customs of food, clothing, housing and transportation in the capital.

The fabric on Jiang Si's body was most likely a gift from the emperor.

Anyone who can wear such material must be rich or noble, definitely not an ordinary person. Therefore, the person asking the question thought that given Jiang Si's status, she probably didn't understand the complicated origin of the material.

I said it on purpose to embarrass her.

When Jiang Si heard this, she understood the other party's purpose as clearly as a mirror.

The person asking the question didn't forget, but was deliberately not explaining it clearly to test her.

Knowing that she had never had access to such fabrics before, she could only wear such rare and precious items by marrying into the general's mansion and relying on the power of the general's mansion.

She couldn't answer and was embarrassed in front of everyone.

Mrs. Xiao, who asked the question, was very knowledgeable and hit the nail on the head.

The material for making clothes was sent by her mother-in-law Xia Rongyi. Jiang Si thought the color was beautiful, so she used it to make new clothes.

She couldn't recognize him, let alone tell his background and details. If she tried to answer stubbornly and made up a lie, she would bring shame to the Xie family.

If she couldn't answer, she would be exposing her own weaknesses.

This is the principle of birds of a feather flock together. Jiang Si usually socializes with people and is not close to these noble ladies who are exposed to the most fashionable food, clothing, housing and transportation in the capital all day long and use them as topics of conversation.

Her friends all knew that she understood something, but she didn’t pursue it.

She has never been able to say a word to these people, and now that she is sitting with them, she doesn't want to blend in.

Everyone looked at her, waiting for her reply, but Jiang Si was not fooled.

She frankly admitted, "This material was actually tribute? I didn't know it, I just thought it looked nice, so I had my servants take it and make me a dress."

Jiang Si was not afraid of losing face or revealing her ignorance, so she skillfully rejected the probing words.

Next, the maids from the Bo's mansion came in one after another and served the hot dishes. The table was ready, so it was not convenient to talk anymore.

Everyone else found her boring and stopped paying attention to her.

Jiang Si didn't care, and she herself didn't want to fit in.

As long as these high-ranking ladies didn't say anything unpleasant openly or deliberately embarrass her, she would pretend nothing happened and not take it to heart.

As long as it saves face, it's fine.

Her calm and relaxed attitude made those who were waiting to laugh at her laugh extremely bored.

They ignored her and finished the meal following the rule of not talking while eating or sleeping. The relationship between them was clear.

Afterwards the banquet was over, and everyone formed groups with acquaintances to go out and have fun elsewhere, playing mahjong, tossing pots, or hammer balls in groups of three or five.

When Jiang Si saw Madam Xiao, who had just come to test her with the fabric, gathered with other young ladies, Liu Weining and the others, she understood.

I see.

No wonder this person, who had never met her before, came up to her and found some boring things to embarrass her. It turned out that he came prepared.

Jiang Si touched the expensive fabric on her body, smiled sarcastically and shook her head.

So what if she didn't recognize it? She could wear it, so what did it matter whether she recognized it or not?

She didn't steal or rob, so this is the treatment she deserves.

She didn't need to recognize it, didn't need to talk about it, it was people who wore clothes, not clothes that tied people up.

In Jiang Si's opinion, these "noble ladies" with a little status are still not of high enough level of character.

A group of people were talking about her in the distance.

Liu Weining's eyes were filled with expectation as she asked Madam Xiao, "How is it? Is she unable to answer?"

Madam Xiao shook her head and sneered, "It's true that she can't answer, but she's very comfortable and not embarrassed by it. She just said she doesn't know her. You said she's so stubborn, what can you do to her? I advise you to stop trying to cause trouble for her in the future. She's not an ordinary person. Don't bother her and end up getting yourself into trouble. Besides, she's already married to General Xiao Xie. No matter how you try to provoke her, it won't change anything."

What Mrs. Xiao said was obvious, with a hint of resentment in her words.

She blamed Liu Weining for instigating her to cause trouble for Jiang Si, but ended up getting nothing in return.

The other man looked around and said, "Never mind, it's just a trivial matter, not a big deal. In my opinion, she really doesn't deserve this level of status. I heard that General Xie and his men went on this expedition under the emperor's order. If they return victorious, there will be a generous reward, and Jiang's status will also rise accordingly."

Although this person was trying to persuade the peace, his words showed envy.

Everyone was speechless for a moment, and all they could think of was envy and regret.

Another person whispered, "The position of General Xie's legal wife has finally been taken by Jiang. In my opinion, Miss Wen is the most suitable."

The Miss Wen that everyone was talking about was the eldest granddaughter of Master Wen. She was the one that both the Xie and Wen families had intended to marry and was planning to marry Xie Yunshuo.

Not only they said this, but others also said it.

Jiang Si and Xie Qinghan were strolling in the garden when they heard someone comparing her to Miss Wen across a banana tree-covered rockery.

The Wen family did not come to the Lai Bo's house for the banquet today. The Wen family was not there, and because it was Jiang Si's first appearance in public, she was particularly likely to attract attention.

Furthermore, the Xie family is now in an important position and is bound to become the focus of attention and the center of conversation.

But she didn't expect that she, the real person, happened to hear it.

Xie Qinghan quickly pulled Jiang Si away. She was afraid that Jiang Si would be sad. But when she looked up, she saw that her sister-in-law was smiling. She didn't know what she was thinking.

Xie Qinghan asked doubtfully, "What are you laughing at, sister-in-law?"

She must have heard what others had just said, saying that Jiang was not as suitable for Miss Wen and General Xie.

Now that you've heard it, how can you still laugh?

Jiang Si took Xie Qinghan's hand and explained with a smile: "As long as my third sister protects me, I am satisfied."

There was no one around at the moment, so she asked, "Were you familiar with Miss Wen?"

Xie Qinghan shook her head: "She looks weak and delicate, I don't like her. I think it's best for you to be my sister-in-law."

When the aunt and the sister-in-law talked in private, they spoke frankly, regardless of whether it was about food or not.

It’s really thoughtful.

Jiang Si smiled even deeper.

Although children's words are innocent, they are the true words from the heart. With her third sister's words, what else can she not figure out?

She doesn't care about outsiders at all, she cares more about the families of both surnames.

Those people thought that she was not worthy of being Xie Yunshuo's wife, but she insisted on sitting in this position and refused to give up an inch.

Jiang Si didn't mind Miss Wen either, because her relationship with Xie Yunshuo had not yet developed to the point where they would mind such things.

What she said to Xie Qinghan that she didn't mind was true and she was not showing off, at least for now.

The time after lunch was perfect for the ladies to socialize, but Jiang Si couldn't find anyone she wanted to make friends with. It would be better for her to take Xie Qinghan back to her mother-in-law to broaden her horizons and listen to the conversations of the ladies.

These ladies are all mistresses and heads of household in the high-ranking mansions in the capital, and their words are meaningful.

Sitting with them and listening to everyone talking about family matters and household affairs is more rewarding than chatting with others outside about silks, satins, jewelry, and pearls.

All the capable ladies were Jiang Si's future targets, and she met many of them while following Xia Rongyi.

There are stern elders with serious faces, those with kind faces and gentle words, or those who always smile like living Bodhisattvas but rarely speak.

The various forms of life allowed Jiang Si to witness scenes that she had never seen before as a girl in the boudoir.

She listened attentively, and the other ladies occasionally glanced at her.

In such occasions, there are not many younger generations willing to stay with their elders. Their daughters and daughters-in-law all take advantage of the banquet to have fun.

Especially for the daughter-in-law who has just married into the family, the relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is difficult. It is rare for a daughter-in-law to take the initiative to stay with her mother-in-law and sit quietly to listen to people talking.

After sitting for a long time, they gradually noticed the harmonious relationship between Jiang Si and Xia Rongyi, and they couldn't help but feel curious.

Unexpectedly, the Xie family had a marriage with the Jiang family by accident. The new bride, Jiang, was sensible and modest, studious, not impetuous, and not petty.

Looking at her appearance, she doesn't seem to be someone who only cares about love affairs. She is so devoted to following her mother-in-law to gain more experience. Perhaps in the future she will be able to take on important responsibilities and become a smart and calm mistress. That would be a good idea.

The reputation that Jiang Si received for her actions was once again polarized. The ladies praised her for being humble and studious, but in the eyes of her peers, she was unsociable, ignorant, and only knew how to please Xia Rongyi.

It didn't matter what others thought. Jiang Si only remembered that after the banquet, she went home and Xia Rongyi always treated her with a smile.

Finally, he said to her in a friendly manner, "I just remembered that I have a square makeup box full of mother-of-pearl, which is exactly what young people like. Good morning tomorrow, you can take it home and play with it."

She said this to reward Jiang Si with something good, but in fact she meant to praise her for her good behavior today.

Jiang Si did not refuse and said, "What my mother-in-law gave me must be a good thing. I will not keep it for fun. I will keep it by my side and enjoy it every day."

Her humorous and exaggerated tone made Xia Rongyi laugh: "You, you!"

A set of treasures is nothing. Everything that happened today was so bad that even the picky Xia Rongyi could not find any fault with it.

After meeting Jiang Si, the ladies from the noble families recognized her as their daughter-in-law, which finally put Xia Rongyi's heart at ease.

She has always had various concerns about the marriage between the Xie and Jiang families.

I am worried that Jiang is not good enough to handle the important task.

He was also worried that if he married this daughter-in-law, she would not know the etiquette outside and would bring shame to the general's mansion.

Now I can finally feel at ease.

Jiang was intelligent and graceful. Apart from the discord between her eldest son Xie Yunshuo and his wife, there was nothing wrong with her in other matters.

In this way, Xia Rongyi would not be able to find any fault with Jiang Si's words, deeds and interpersonal relationships, so she would be lenient with the young couple and relax her requirements for them.

Xia Rongyi had originally hesitated about whether to do anything about the conflict caused by their failed marriage consummation, but now she had completely given up the idea and decided to let the two younger generations deal with it on their own.

There are some things she can't control even if she wants to, and if she tries to intervene rashly, she will only end up making things worse.

After a day outside, everyone was tired. Xia Rongyi didn't ask the younger generations to say good night, and everyone went back to their rooms to rest.

Jiang Si and Xie Yunshuo were walking together.

Looking up at the sky, the scattered clouds in the pink-blue sky looked like egg droplets, leisurely and quiet, just like the distance between the two of them that was neither far nor near.

Neither unfamiliar nor overly intimate.

Jiang Si walked slowly. Xie Yunshuo noticed her strolling pace and slowed down as well, staying by her side.

He asked, “How was your day?”

When he got off the car at Guifu, he saw Jiang Si with a smile on her face, looking relaxed and in a good mood.

And her mother also said that she would reward her with something. Xie Yunshuo thought that his question would be answered with a response that would please both parties.

Nice things like, "It was pretty good, the banquet was great, and everyone I met was friendly and kind."

The sky is clear and the air is fresh, the sunset is tranquil, and saying a few words to relax your mood, even if it is perfunctory nonsense, can make people feel good if they can chat for a few minutes.

Unexpectedly, after hearing his question, Jiang Si sighed.

"Why--"

Xie Yunshuo became alert. Could it be different from what he expected?

He asked, "Is someone bullying you?"

Jiang Si turned her head and smiled at him. There was a sense of helplessness in that smile, and there was also a sense of irony that could only be seen upon closer inspection.

Xie Yunshuo couldn't help but stop.

Seeing Jiang Si's smile, his heart began to beat fast, and then he felt stunned.

"What are you standing there for? Come on."

Jiang Si asked him to walk into the yard together and talk as they walked.

"I didn't expect that even at the Bo's birthday banquet, all these noble ladies and girls gathered together would gossip. I thought they were so reserved, polite, noble and peaceful, and that they would be friendly to others, but I didn't expect them to be just like ordinary people. It's true that where there are people, there are disputes about status and closeness."

Jiang Si did not hide anything and told Xie Yunshuo everything that happened today in general and in detail.

She said that others asked her where the material of her clothes came from, and she also heard people criticizing her, saying that Jiang was not as good as the girls from the Wen family.

Finally, Jiang Si concluded, "Since they find it difficult to tolerate me, I won't force it. Otherwise, no matter how much others dislike me, I will appear to be lacking in reserve, bringing shame to the General's Mansion and causing others to look down on me. Isn't that right?"

Xie Yunshuo, who was originally walking beside her, stopped again.

She saw him standing still out of the corner of her eye. Jiang Si looked towards him, only to see that he had a stern face and a dark complexion, and was obviously angry.

Xie Yunshuo's reaction was even stronger than Jiang Si's who was embarrassed in front of him.

As soon as Xie Yunshuo opened his mouth, his tone was indeed angry.

"It's just a piece of rag. What if I don't recognize it? Not to mention wearing it on you, even if it burns, it's none of other people's business."

He frowned, a look of cruelty and annoyance lingering between his brows.

Looking at his expression, Jiang Si felt a little strange.

She didn't expect that Xie Yunshuo would be angry about the trouble she was caused by others, and he was very angry.

Xie Yunshuo was puzzled: "You are my legally married wife, why do they still look down on you so much?"

There was a hidden meaning in the unfinished words, and Jiang Si understood that Xie Yunshuo didn't understand why others didn't show some leniency to her, the bride, for his sake, but instead made things difficult for her.

Jiang Si said frankly: "Why is it so hard to think about this? Because they think you won't stand on my side."

The two of them were not a loving couple, but rather a temporary couple. Others treated her like this simply because they felt that Xie Yunshuo would not support her as the new bride.

On the contrary, they might even think that making things difficult for Jiang Si is helping the Xie family vent their anger.

Xie Yunshuo's face turned pale, and he asked in a deep voice, "Who said that?"

He looked like he was going to seek revenge, and Jiang Si's heart tightened.

She began to regret that she shouldn't have told him everything. It would be bad if Xie Yunshuo acted recklessly and caused trouble.

The reason why Jiang Si told him was that she thought Xie Yunshuo wouldn't care too much, but since he asked, she told him.

At this point, Jiang Si had no choice but to comfort him: "It's nothing. I didn't say anything unpleasant. I just asked about the fabric, and I said I didn't know, and that was it. Don't mind it, it's nothing. You know, if someone said something excessive, with my temper, would I still swallow my anger in public?"

"This..." Xie Yunshuo was speechless, but he was still angry.

Jiang Si burst out laughing, leaving Xie Yunshuo baffled: "What are you laughing at?"

Jiang Si said frankly, "I didn't expect that you would care so much when I didn't take it seriously. It makes me happy. This way, I won't be angry anymore."

She spoke so frankly that Xie Yunshuo was stunned. He had never seen anyone speak so bluntly.

Xie Yunshuo said bluntly, "Although it's not a serious remark, if you were a princess, would they still say such things to you? You are my wife now. If others look down on you, they look down on me. How can I not care? Husband and wife are of the same blood and are connected by the same branches."

These words surprised Jiang Si, even to the point of being delighted.

She couldn't hide her joy: "I didn't expect you to be so fair-minded. It was me who thought too much of you."

Xie Yunshuo sneered and glanced at her.

"How petty do you think I am? I know that with your temper, if you encountered something like this outside, you would pretend not to care and frankly say that you didn't know them and didn't make a fuss about it. It's also because you are now a wife of the Xie family and don't want to cause trouble and bring trouble to the Xie family. You are so magnanimous, how can I lose to you?"

The two men spoke so rapidly that the confidants who were following them all stared.

How could this be?

The two masters were just talking to each other with concern, and the atmosphere was very good, but in the blink of an eye, they started competing with each other again.

When Jiang Si heard what he said, she also glared.

"What do you mean by losing to you? Why can't I say it? You have an impatient temper and are definitely not as flexible as I am."

In the blink of an eye, the two of them started arguing from talking to each other intimately, and they kept arguing until they reached the door of Xian Yi Ju.

However, this time the argument between the two was not like a rivalry as before, but was a bit joking.

As they talked, both of them had smiles on their faces.

In the tense atmosphere, if you savor it carefully, you can find a hint of sweetness.

After several rounds of arguments, Xie Yunshuo was no match for Jiang Si and had no choice but to compromise.

"Okay, okay, you're generous and intelligent. I'm not as good as you. Marrying you is my great honor. Okay?"

Jiang Si, who never quibbled with words, didn't mind the last few unpleasant words. She nodded and agreed, "Indeed, you put it very well."

It made Xie Yunshuo furious, but also made him laugh.

After laughing, he felt a little uncomfortable.

To be fair, what Jiang Si said was true. After she married into the Xie family, except for treating him poorly, she did everything perfectly and properly.

He is widely praised both by his superiors and his subordinates.

The only one who said something bad about her was Xie Yunshuo.

But what's wrong with them?

They simply didn't give him any food, occupied his house, and were both cruel and ungrateful to him.

And kicked him off the bed.

It looks just like a porcupine covered in thorns.

But Jiang Si was born with a good appearance and a good figure, just like the large cluster of roses in the East Garden, which are beautiful and dazzling, but also prickly.

Thinking of this, Xie Yunshuo remembered that he was kicked out of the main house the night before.

He also thought that Jiang Si probably wouldn't experiment with him again, at least not in the near future.

Xie Yunshuo knew this was the case, but he felt uncomfortable and was unwilling to accept being abandoned.

The restlessness in his heart prompted him to connect today's events.

"Jiang Si." He changed her name.

Jiang Si raised her head, frowning in confusion, "What do you want to call me for?"

Xie Yunshuo clenched his fists under his robe.

He was still a little uncomfortable about what he was about to say, but the urge to speak prompted him to open his mouth.

"In that case, you should be more splendid, so that others can see you. Even if they don't know what those things are, you can wear the best and use the best. You are my, Xie Yunshuo's, first wife, and you deserve the best in the world."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Yunshuo regretted it.

Why does this sound like something a fool says?

As expected, his words made Jiang Si laugh.

She looked at him as if he were a fool.