Chapter 79 You gave her some pointers

Jiang Yu and Lu Yifang returned to the Duke of Chu's mansion. Jiang Yu went to the front courtyard to see the Duke of Chu, while Lu Yifang went to see Jiang Jiamu.

When the Duke of Chu saw that Jiang Yu had returned, he asked Marquis Anyuan what his attitude was after learning that Jiang Jiamu and Jiang Jiarong had been replaced, as well as that Marquis Jiangling had been involved in smuggling salt.

Jiang Yu sat opposite him and carefully recounted her conversation with Marquis Anyuan, concluding, "The Marquis Anyuan's household has a concubine's daughter who married a concubine's son from the Marquis Jiangling's household."

After hearing this, the Duke of Chu nodded and said, "She's just a concubine's daughter, it's not a big problem. Let her go home."

Jiang Yu lowered her eyes and hummed in agreement. She was actually a little uncomfortable with the way illegitimate children weren't treated well in large families. She had been raised with the idea that everyone was equal, but even in modern times, illegitimate children born to mistresses were looked down upon, let alone in ancient times.

However, if parents cannot provide their children with a complete personality and life, they should not have children. This applies to both concubines in ancient times and mistresses in modern times.

But this is just her idealistic idea. Whether it's a concubine in ancient times or a mistress in modern times, they all want to have children in order to secure their position.

Jiang Yu pondered for a moment, then heard the Duke of Chu say again, "The reason we didn't tell your maternal grandfather about your father's matter isn't because we don't trust him, but because the more people who know about it, the greater the risk of it leaking out."

“Yes, I understand,” Jiang Yu replied earnestly.

The Duke of Chu gave her a deep look, his satisfaction deepening. Women, compared to men, are more prone to acting on emotion. He could sense Jiang Yu's sympathy for the illegitimate daughter of the Marquis of Anyuan who had married into the Marquis of Jiangling's household, but she said nothing.

He was very satisfied with Jiang Yu's kind yet rational mindset. In this world, many things are not simply black and white; there are far too many things that evoke sympathy, regret, and resentment. But as the head of the family, one should know how to make choices and what is in the best interest of the family.

"Your eldest uncle and second uncle will be here in a little while. You will receive them here and tell them everything you can," the Duke of Chu added.

Jiang Yu sat up straight. "Yes."

The Duke of Chu nodded in satisfaction. Jiang Yu got up to pour him some tea, and the grandfather and grandson chatted about other things. A quarter of an hour later, Li Zhong came to report, "The eldest son-in-law and the second son-in-law have arrived."

Jiang Yu stood up and walked to the door of the study. He cupped his hands and bowed to his two uncles, saying, "Jiang Yu greets my eldest uncle and my second uncle."

Ning Yanfeng, the heir apparent of the Duke of Wei, and Cheng Jinchuan, the current Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, were both taken aback. They had not expected Jiang Yu to be here, much less to come and receive them.

Second Aunt's husband, Cheng Jinchuan, was the first to react. He smiled and said, "Please, no need for formalities."

Uncle Ning Yanfeng then asked, "Is my father-in-law inside?"

"Yes, Uncle-in-law, please come in." Jiang Yu gestured for them to enter. Ning Yanfeng and Cheng Jinchuan exchanged a glance, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes. However, neither of them said anything and followed Jiang Yu into the study.

Upon seeing the Duke of Chu seated on the couch, the two quickly bowed. The Duke of Chu waved for them to sit, and Jiang Yu sat down after they did.

Then the Duke of Chu said, "I have summoned you here today to inform you of two important matters."

He looked at Jiang Yu and said, "Let Yu'er tell you."

Ning Yanfeng and Cheng Jinchuan were both shocked again, but neither of them were naive young men, so they didn't show it on their faces, and then looked at Jiang Yu.

A young woman of about eighteen or nineteen years old appeared, dressed simply yet exuding composure. She began, "Recently, some things have happened in the manor. Firstly..."

In a calm voice, she recounted how Jiang Jiamu and Jiang Jiarong's identities had been switched and that Jiang Jiarong was already dead. Then she spoke of the Marquis of Jiangling's smuggling of salt.

This time, even the usually composed Ning Yanfeng and Cheng Jinchuan showed expressions of shock on their faces. Amid their astonishment, Jiang Yu continued:

"The matter of Jiamu and Jiang Jiarong being replaced is our own family matter, and we should resolve it properly. The key issue is the matter of Jiangling Marquis smuggling salt, which is a serious crime. If your two uncles have any dealings with Jiangling Marquis's mansion, it would be best to sever ties as soon as possible."

Ning Yanfeng and Cheng Jinchuan exchanged another glance. Cheng Jinchuan, the second uncle, said, "I have no dealings with the Marquis of Jiangling's mansion."

Born into a poor family, he passed the imperial examination and married the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Chu, using the Duke's influence to rise to his current position. Compared to the intricate network of connections among the powerful and influential in the capital, his social circle was much simpler.

Ning Yanfeng's expression was somewhat solemn. He said, "My second brother has some dealings with the Marquis of Jiangling, but we don't know exactly what they do on a daily basis."

The Wei State Duke's mansion is also quite complicated. The current Wei State Duke's first wife died in childbirth, and he remarried two years later. Ning Yanfeng was born to the Wei State Duke's first wife, and his second wife, the Wei State Duke's second wife, also gave birth to a son, who is the second brother Ning Yanfeng mentioned.

The two brothers were close in age, and the son born to the second wife, protected by his mother, had long coveted the position of heir apparent to the Duke of Wei. Therefore, the relationship between the two brothers was very tense.

Jiang Yu had heard about the situation at the Duke of Wei's mansion. After hearing Ning Yanfeng's words, she pondered for a moment and said, "Let's prioritize the overall situation."

In other words, even if the second master of the Duke of Wei's mansion had committed a capital offense, it had to be covered up now, and the entire family could not be put in danger for the sake of power and profit.

Ning Yanfeng looked deeply at Jiang Yu. In fact, for a moment just now, he had considered using this incident to completely ruin his good second brother. But Jiang Yu's words calmed him down.

At this moment, the Duke of Chu also said, "Yu'er is right. Even if Ning Yanming has done something wrong, this is not the time to focus on his mistakes. You can put righteousness above family ties, but what will others think? What will the Emperor think?"

They might think that the Duke of Wei's family had no choice but to sacrifice their own relatives for the greater good, and perhaps the entire Duke of Wei's family was involved.

Ning Yanfeng clenched his fist. "Xiao Xu knows. When you get back, tell your father about this. We need to prioritize the bigger picture."

Upon hearing his words, Jiang Yu said, "I think Uncle should investigate the matter thoroughly before informing the Duke of Wei. That way, there will be a clear and convincing evidence, and no one will accuse you of slander."

More importantly, having leverage over someone means having control over the situation.

“Yu’er is right,” said the Duke of Chu.

Ning Yanfeng blushed; he had been too anxious and had lost his composure.

“Yes,” he said, “I’ll check when I get back.”

Duke Chu nodded, then glanced at Jiang Yu and said, "Yu'er is young and has only been in the capital for a short time. If there are any problems in the future, please give her some pointers."

This meant they were to take care of Jiang Yu. Ning Yanfeng and Cheng Jinchuan were shocked again, but they still smiled and said it was their duty, saying that Jiang Yu was intelligent and would definitely have a bright future.

Jiang Yu treated the two of them with great respect. When they left, she saw them off to the door and watched until their sedan chairs disappeared from sight before turning back to her residence.