Chapter 118 Getting Along

After the old lady of the Jiang family returned to the capital, she made a scene outside Ning Pavilion.

Then, in the ancestral hall, he brazenly expelled the eldest and third branches of the family, along with Jiang Yuerou, the daughter of the divorced Shang family, from the family tree.

It was like throwing ice water into boiling oil, instantly causing an uproar in the capital.

But overnight, this matter became the hottest topic of conversation on the streets, in teahouses and taverns.

Its popularity even overshadowed the sporadic battle reports from the border in recent days and the affair of a certain official taking a concubine.

"Have you heard? The old eunuch of the Jiang family opened the ancestral hall yesterday and crossed out General Jiang, who was guarding the border in Lingnan, his three most outstanding children, and the divorced daughter of the third wife, from the family tree!"

A man in shorts was spitting in the teahouse, as if he had seen it with his own eyes.

"Really? That's the eldest son's lineage. General Jiang defended the border for the country. I heard he endured seven or eight years in that malaria-ridden area of ​​Lingnan, right?"

"His eldest daughter, Jiang Qingning, although divorced, now lives in Ning Pavilion and her business is thriving. Even the Duke of Qin looks up to her. Isn't this cutting off one's own arm?"

A young man who looked like a scholar shook his head in disbelief.

"you do not say."

An old man holding a birdcage nearby twisted his beard, his face filled with grief. "What's the most important thing for a century-old family? It's inheritance, bloodline, and talent. General Jiang's lineage is the true pillar of the Jiang family."

"Even though it's far away in Lingnan, it's still the Jiang family's face. That old lady is so foolish and greedy that she actually did something so foolish that it would make her family sad and her enemies happy. I think the Jiang family's luck has run out."

"Hey, what do you know?"

A well-informed idler interrupted with a wink,

"My cousin's second uncle works for the Jiang family. I heard that it was Jiang Ruyi, the second wife of the second house who married into the Anping Marquis's mansion as a successor, who instigated this. That lady and the Ningge lady are sworn enemies."

"Plus, the old lady is notorious for favoring the second and third wives. General Jiang from the eldest wife is not favored by the old lady, and his children have suffered as a result. This time, the relationship has been completely torn apart."

"Tsk tsk, what a sin! Hasn't Mrs. Jiang been living in seclusion in the manor? Why did she suddenly come back and do such a foolish thing? Could it be that she was mad at those two good-for-nothing sons?"

"Furious? I think it's karma!"

A woman carrying a vegetable basket curled her lips and said, "I heard that her two favorite sons are gamblers. They almost lost all the family property after the division. They even stole and pawned the old lady's dowry."

"The old lady only found out about this after she finished drawing the family tree. She was so angry that she vomited blood and fainted on the spot. Now the Jiang family mansion is in chaos and the creditors are blocking the door. She really deserves it!"

"Oh my God, there's still this kind of thing. It's really just a case of bringing disaster upon oneself!"

"So, as a person, you must accumulate virtue. If your heart is biased, God will be watching!"

"Then Miss Jiang from Ning Pavilion and her sisters, being expelled from the family tree, won't they become rootless duckweed?"

"Floating like a rootless duckweed? What a joke."

The scholar sneered, "He's capable, with a Ning Pavilion-sized estate to his name, and the Duke of Qin's son looking after him, both overtly and covertly. His life is infinitely better than being stuck in the Jiang family's quagmire."

"I think being kicked out of the family tree is actually a good thing for them. Maybe they're secretly happy about it."

"Prince Qin?"

The idle man's eyes lit up, his gossip fire burning. "Right, right, right! Speaking of this, have you noticed? Prince Qin has been going to Ning Pavilion quite frequently lately!"

"This morning, I saw one of his close associates carrying a large three-layer food box with the Baiweizhai logo printed on it. That's the most expensive dim sum shop in the capital. The aroma can be smelled from far away!"

"It's more than just snacks."

Another tea drinker also became interested. "A few days ago, I passed by the back alley of Ning Pavilion and saw the servants of Duke Qin's mansion carefully carrying flowers into the courtyard. They were all precious peonies. They were so considerate. I wouldn't believe it if I said that Prince Qin didn't have some interest in Miss Jiang!"

"But what about Princess Shanyang?"

Someone lowered their voice and said, "The jewel in the crown of Prince Ping's palace is still unmarried at the age of twenty in order to wait for the Crown Prince Qin."

"Everyone in the capital knows that she's deeply in love with Prince Qin. Some time ago, at the banquet at Prince Ping's mansion, Prince Qin seemed to have even given the princess a break in order to protect Miss Jiang. Isn't this new love and old love going to come to blows?"

The old man looked like he had seen through the world. "Princess Shanyang is a daughter of a wealthy family, of noble status, but who is Prince Qin? He is a killer who has fought on the battlefield with real swords and guns."

"What he has decided on, even the gods may not be able to change it. Besides, Miss Jiang's demeanor and skills, who dares to say that ordinary ladies can compare to her?"

"So what if she was divorced and expelled from the family tree? She's still living a prosperous life. The prince has a very sharp eye!"

"But will the princess... be willing to accept this?"

"What can I do if I'm unwilling? Matters of the heart cannot be forced. I just feel sorry for the princess's infatuation."

"Alas, this capital city is going to be bustling again!"

Ning Pavilion.

Jiang Qingning continued to handle various industrial affairs in an orderly manner and taught his sisters how to manage the household affairs, as if yesterday was just an insignificant farce.

However, Qin Xiu's presence permeated in a powerful way that could not be ignored.

Every morning, the Ning Pavilion's doorman would receive an exquisite food box.

Sometimes they are the various dim sum freshly baked from Baiweizhai, such as crystal shrimp dumplings, crab roe soup dumplings, rose pastry, almond Buddha’s hand… The varieties are never repeated, and they are all the flavors preferred by Jiang Qingning and her sister.

Sometimes it was seasonal fresh fruit delivered by express horses from Jiangnan: lychees, bayberries, loquats, each one plump;

Sometimes it is a nourishing soup, made with exquisite ingredients and precisely cooked. You can tell at a glance that it is made by a famous chef from the Duke's Mansion.

There was not a single word, only the emblem of the Duke of Qin's Mansion on the food box.

At first, Jiang Qingxi was curious and wondered what would happen today, while Jiang Yuerou smiled and said nothing.

Jiang Qingning remained calm and only instructed his servants to keep the food and distribute it to everyone as needed.

But Zi Su and other trusted maids found that when the eldest lady ate these snacks and fruits, her brows seemed a little softer than usual.

In addition to food, Ning Pavilion's guard force has also been significantly enhanced.

On the surface, there are elite guards transferred from the Duke's Mansion on duty in shifts, and secretly there are secret guards carefully arranged by Qin Xiu lurking.

Whenever Jiang Qingning went out, whether to check accounts or attend a banquet, there were people who closely protected her, both openly and secretly, to ensure that she would not be harassed in any way.

There was even one time when the shaft of the carriage Jiang Qingning was riding in accidentally broke in a busy city.

Before she could get out of the car to check, several strong men who looked like passers-by quickly appeared.

The replacement of the spare shaft was done neatly and quickly without disturbing anyone, and the efficiency was astonishing.

Qin Xiu also came more frequently.

But he is very tactful and most of the time he uses the excuse of discussing serious matters.