Chapter 23 Chengyan

Qin Xiu raised his eyes slightly, tapped the windowsill with his fingertips, and there was a sharpness in his eyes.

"She still needs my guidance in every twist and turn, but in the near future, she will know that I am the most suitable person to spend her life with."

The next day.

"Today's weather is fine and sunny, it's really suitable for Miss to go out and express her gratitude."

Nanny Zhang lifted the door curtain and helped Jiang Qingning out with a smile.

"Yes."

Jiang Wanning looked around at the sky and felt very happy.

"Of course it's good. I don't have to get up before dawn to serve my mother-in-law every day for years.

Reciting scriptures, preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner for my mother-in-law, and taking time to copy scriptures.

Checking the young master's courses, preparing all the necessary items for the Earl of Anping, all the gifts for the guests, etc., etc., of course everything is fine!"

Zi Su walked down the corridor holding the cloth, and when she heard what the two said, she echoed them.

Jiang Qingning stood under the vermilion lacquered corridor in a long gown. The apricot-yellow cloud-patterned satin made her skin look whiter than snow. Two coral buttons were undone, revealing the white jade locket hanging around her neck. Her black hair was half tied up, and the kingfisher hairpin trembled as she walked.

"Is this the most fashionable material in the capital this year? The fabric is truly soft and the pattern is eye-catching."

Qingning stepped forward, touched the material in Zisu's hand, and said with a smile.

She turned her eyes and looked at the angry person, and said helplessly: "I just don't know why someone is so angry so early in the morning. If you don't know, you would think someone has offended her."

Zi Su stamped her feet in grievance, "Miss! You don't know that when I went to buy fashionable satin for you, I happened to meet a servant from the Anping Marquis's mansion.

They went to buy luxurious fabrics, saying they were going to buy new clothes for the Earl of Anping and Madam Bai, and they attended a palace banquet together a few days ago, and now these two are fooling around! "

Nanny Zhang was helpless: "Old Madam is truly foolish. How could a married niece accompany her recently divorced cousin to a banquet? Isn't this a slap in the face of Madam Bai's in-laws and ruining her own family's reputation?"

Jiang Qingning curled his lips indifferently: "Let them do whatever they want, but they won't embarrass me. Zisu, go back to the house and get the thank you gift. We will go and thank them in person."

"Miss, there's more! When the servants from the Anping Marquis's house saw me, they started to spread rumors about your faults.

Now I'm afraid everyone in the capital thinks you're a vicious woman who disrespects your mother-in-law, beats your own children, and contradicts your husband. They clearly don't want us to live a happy life!"

Zi Su was so angry that her eyes turned red and tears kept falling.

Jiang Qingning sighed, walked forward, took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, and teased Zi Su with a smile.

"You little crybaby, I've never seen you cry so much before."

Zi Su choked up and said, "This servant is really wronged for you."

"What ordinary people say is their business. After all, their mouths are on their bodies. But we can't really take other people's gossip to heart. Only when the life belongs to us and we live well can we be truly satisfied."

"Just like I planned to ask the kitchen to make you a pork elbow with soy sauce today. How could those nonsense people eat so much meat? Maybe they couldn't even smell the aroma of your meat. But you were able to happily eat this whole big pork elbow by yourself. Don't you think this is proof that we are living a happy life?"

"Besides, are they sure that I, Jiang Qingning, am a soft-hearted person who can be manipulated by anyone?"

Zi Su stopped crying and burst into laughter: "Miss, it seems to be true."

"Okay, go in and wash your face. I'll come back later to buy you some candied haws."

Jiang Qingning reached out and pinched her face, motioning her to go into the house to wash her face.

Nanny Zhang followed her and said with emotion, "Young lady, you have never treated us as real servants. Zi Su is like your younger sister, always doted on by you."

"I also consider Madam an elder. If I hadn't been separated from my family back then, I'm afraid my younger sister would be fifteen now. Calculating the time, it would only take a few months for her to reach the age of marriage."

Jiang Qingning sighed, "I don't know if Lingnan is bitterly cold, and whether I can hold a real coming-of-age ceremony for her. Zisu is only a few years older than my younger sister, and I really raise her as my younger sister."

Nanny Zhang held her hand and comforted her, "Don't worry, young lady. Along with the letter, there's also plenty of cloth and silver. It's enough for the master and mistress to live comfortably."

Jiang Qingning nodded: "I hope so."

Unable to sleep last night, she got up, ground ink, and wrote a letter herself in the middle of the night. She asked Nanny Zhang to deliver it at dawn.

The carriage slowly drove to the outside of the Jingzhao government office. As soon as Zi Su jumped off the carriage, she was seen by Zhang, a yamen runner who happened to come out.

"Miss Zisu, why are you here? Do you need any help?"

Yamen runner Zhang stepped forward quickly and greeted them, "Miss Jiang, Madam Zhang, good afternoon."

Jiang Qingning nodded and said, "Hello, Yamen Sergeant Zhang. I'm here today to express my gratitude to the Tongzhi. This is the thank-you gift I prepared. Please pass it on to me, Yamen Sergeant Zhang."

Yamen runner Zhang hesitated. "I'm afraid your Excellency won't accept it. Miss Jiang, you don't know, but since you took office a few months ago, you've handled cases big and small, but you've never accepted a single grain of rice from the people out of gratitude."

"Men and women should not touch each other. If you rashly ask for an audience privately, it will only jeopardize your innocence.

But I have received this good house from your Excellency, and you helped me out because of my father, and yesterday you also borrowed so many yamen runners to help me."

Jiang Qingning paused and said, "I am so grateful that I have found the recipe of snacks from your hometown and made a lot of them. I would like to invite everyone to taste some."

Zhang the yamen runner didn't react in time. The three people in front of him turned sideways and only then could they see the countless snack boxes behind him.

"We still have all these?" Zhang the yamen runner was stunned.

Jiang Qingning smiled dignifiedly: "Of course, but this basket is a little extra. Please ask the yamen runner Zhang to hand this basket over to the Tongzhi.

The rest will be distributed among the yamen runners on duty today. Please don’t be disgusted by them, as these are all wedding cakes I gave you for your housewarming.”

Yamen runner Zhang quickly bowed and said, "Thank you, Miss Jiang. I will go and give it to you personally."

After all the things were moved out of the car, Jiang Qingning and others turned around and went back.

"Miss, is it really feasible for you to do this?" Zi Su worried.

Jiang Qingning lowered the curtains, sat upright and said, "If the magistrate really wanted to help me, he would definitely come looking for us. If not, I wouldn't say anything. In short, I will definitely find the mastermind behind this."

Jiang Qingning must hold on to this helping hand to achieve the success she wants.

Aunt Zhang praised: "Young lady, you are very smart, but what if the Tongzhi is unwilling to help us?"

Jiang Qingning's eyes were cold and icy. "Then let's play a game of chess with the capital as the backdrop. I will be the chess player myself until I achieve my ultimate goal."

"The young lady has the demeanor of the old master." Nanny Zhang said with relief.

"I am the daughter of a military commander. If my parents had not wished for me to get married and live a good life before they left, I would have gone to Lingnan with them."