"You knew someone would die, yet you still came. Get out of here!"
As everyone was having a good beating, Meng Yunniang's words were drowned out by the sounds of their beatings and curses in the peach grove.
The nuns in the nunnery work all day long and are not as delicate as young ladies in their boudoirs. When they strike, they are ruthless and accurate, and the blows from the sticks are excruciatingly painful.
The Right Chancellor was being chased and dodging left and right. In his panic, a peach branch scratched his face, causing a sharp pain.
After falling several times, he scrambled away in a panic.
"Sister Meng, he didn't do anything to you, did he?"
Seeing the man run away in a disheveled state, the nuns surrounded Meng Yunniang and asked her with concern.
Meng Yunniang didn't want to explain her past with the Right Chancellor, and shook her head, saying, "It's nothing, I'm fine, thank you all for your help."
It wasn't until Madam Su sent someone to deliver the fabric that Meng Yunniang learned the truth about the Right Chancellor's arrival.
She told everyone that the imperial court would soon be distributing silver.
The nuns were so moved that tears welled up in their eyes, and they said repeatedly, "Moon Goddess is truly kind-hearted. She has done a great thing for us. From now on, we will never have to worry about how to survive again."
"Yes! If it weren't for Yue Niang pleading for us, the Emperor would never know how hard we were struggling to survive."
When the Right Chancellor returned, he learned that his face had been scratched in several places by peach branches.
His body was covered in bruises and injuries, but fortunately no bones were broken.
He wrote a memorial explaining the situation and sent it to the palace to request a few days' leave.
Xiao Jingzhao had anticipated this outcome and immediately ordered local officials to compile a roster of nunneries in various places. After verification, the money was distributed monthly.
Upon learning this, Jiang Shuyue secretly gave Xiao Jingzhao a thumbs up in her heart.
Jiang Shuyue's efforts to improve the lives of her nuns have been widely circulated among the people.
Even storytellers turned her deeds into tales to spread, and her stories inspired the dreams of young women. Some girls traveled long distances to Jishetang to study female medicine.
Because there were too many people, Jishetang could not accommodate so many girls, so Jiang Shuyue simply started a women's medical school.
Upon learning of the Women's Medical School, Xiao Jingzhao immediately dispatched several imperial physicians to the school to see if there was anything they could do to help.
Upon seeing the imperial physicians arrive, Jiang Shuyue felt as if a pillow had been delivered to someone who was sleepy. Without any hesitation, she kept the physicians to teach them medical skills according to their areas of expertise.
As a monarch, he is meticulous in important matters and clear-headed in minor ones; such execution is rare and truly admirable.
...
Since the Liang Kingdom had a crown prince, the Nanzhao Kingdom, seeing no hope of annexing the Liang Kingdom, refused to send troops again no matter how much Mo Ziyan urged them.
As the border wars gradually subsided, the retired emperor began to withdraw his troops back to Yannan.
With the border regions stabilized, the ministers began submitting memorials again, urging the emperor to select a concubine.
Xiao Jingzhao immediately declared that he had already had a princess consort and a son when he was the crown prince in Yannan, and was only waiting for the princess consort to agree to move into the Jiaofang.
His news shocked the ministers.
There are actually women in the world who are begged by the emperor to become empress.
From then on, Xiao Jingzhao began taking Sui Sui to the morning court session and, without fail, going to the Jiang residence for dinner in the evening.
No one in the capital could threaten Sui Sui's safety anymore, and Jiang Shuyue allowed him to arrange Sui Sui's life and studies.
She was happy to have some free time and focused all her attention on the women's medical school and her business.
The Zhen family suddenly realized that their guess was correct; Sui Sui was indeed the Emperor's bloodline, and Jiang Shuyue's identity was indeed extraordinary.
Upon hearing the news, the old lady secretly guessed that Jiang Shuyue's refusal to go to the palace must be due to a rift between her and the emperor.
He immediately prepared gifts and went to the Jiang residence to act as a peacemaker.
Jiang Shuyue received the real old lady in the flower hall.
When the old lady saw Jiang Shuyue, she was about to perform a grand ceremony, but Jiang Shuyue quickly grabbed her arm and said, "Old lady, you mustn't do that. You're making my daughter feel too embarrassed."
The old lady was filled with shame. "It was all because I was blind and didn't know that Yue Niang was a noble person. Back then... sigh, it's all in the past, let's not talk about it."
From the moment Xiao Jingzhao revealed the identity of Prince Sui Sui to the public, Jiang Shuyue knew that some things could not be hidden from the real family.
She didn't explain, but invited the real old lady to sit down.
The old lady held her teacup and drank one sip after another, thinking for a long time but not knowing where to begin.
Jiang Shuyue inquired about her health with concern and even took her pulse.
Looking at the gentle and kind Jiang Shuyue, she felt a surge of emotion.
“Moon Maiden, you are a good girl. Looking across Wanling, only you are worthy of that position.”
"Madam, you flatter me. There are many fine young ladies in Wanling." Jiang Shuyue smiled warmly, as if she hadn't said anything, yet it seemed she had said everything.
The old lady gently shook her head. "I have lived through three dynasties and witnessed three emperors. The emperor is a rare wise ruler. If he has a virtuous wife like Yue Niang, it will be a blessing for the people of Wanling."
Jiang Shuyue smiled faintly, "Your Majesty is a good emperor. Yue Niang is just an ordinary little woman. I'm afraid she doesn't have the magnanimity to tolerate others. That position should be given to a virtuous and broad-minded woman like Xian Niang."
After some subtle questioning, the old lady probably understood where the rift between her and the emperor lay.
As a woman herself, the old lady understood Jiang Shuyue's feelings.
No one would want to share a husband with a group of women, but other women would naturally be willing for wealth and status.
Jiang Shuyue was exceptionally talented and independent; wealth and glory held no appeal for her. Even the old lady was worried for the emperor.
The Emperor's path to winning back his wife was arduous.
After a cup of tea, the old lady exchanged pleasantries for a while before getting up to take her leave.
Qiuju personally saw the old lady out of the mansion.
A moment later, Qiuju returned and said worriedly, "Miss, won't people find out your identity soon?"
Jiang Shuyue shook her head: "No, only a few people know. Don't think too much about it. Go pick up Miss Zhan. We'll meet outside the Jingzhao Yin area in a bit."
"Why go to the Prefect of the Capital?"
"Look at your memory, you almost forgot about it when we got busy after we got back. Go and find out about Miss Zhan's fiancé. She must know his name by now."
Qiuju gave an embarrassed smile, "I remember now, I'll go right away."
When Jiang Shuyue changed her clothes and arrived at the main street outside the Jingzhao Yin's residence, she saw the Jiang family's carriage parked by the roadside.
When Gao Mu saw Jiang Shuyue get off the carriage, he smiled and pointed to the carriage behind him.
Jiang Shuyue walked over with a light smile.
"Sister Jiang, you've finally arrived."
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Zhan Shuzhen saw that Jiang Shuyue had also boarded the carriage. She couldn't wait to pull Jiang Shuyue into the carriage and sit down.
"So, do you know their name now?" Jiang Shuyue asked with a smile.
Zhan Shuzhen nodded repeatedly, "I know, it seems to be something like thanking someone."
"Xie Yunchen?" Jiang Shuyue and Qiu Ju asked in unison.
Zhan Shuzhen nodded and said "Mmm," then asked, "Do Sister Jiang and Sister Qiuju know this person?"
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