"My poor daughter..."
Old Madam Jin hugged Jin Shi and wiped away her tears with heartache. "It's all my fault. I was blind and didn't see through that beast's true colors. Now that we've finally left that den of wolves, why don't you come home?"
“Mother, Lingtian and Jiaojiao are both grown up. How can they keep living at their maternal grandparents’ house? Don’t worry, Mother, we have a place to stay.”
The dowry that Ms. Jin brought back included several houses.
Although the location isn't the best, it's big enough for the mother and her two children to live in.
"Grandpa—"
"Madam—"
"The palace...the palace has sent someone, with an imperial edict!"
The butler rushed in in a panic, shouting loudly.
A royal decree?
The people in the room all changed their expressions. Could it be that the divorce had gone too far and damaged the reputation of the Marquis's mansion, and the Emperor had issued an imperial edict to reprimand them?
“I’ll go pick her up! I’ll just… I’ll just say that I forced her to divorce me, and that Wan’er was just being filial and listened to me!”
The old lady held Jin's hand tightly, her voice trembling.
The fear that businessmen feel when facing the powerful and wealthy is ingrained in their very being.
Not to mention the imperial edicts that even the powerful and wealthy feared.
The old man straightened his clothes with trembling hands.
Like soldiers heading to the battlefield.
"Let's go together! If His Majesty wants to punish, the whole family should be punished!"
The men, young and old, all responded in unison.
"Yes! Let's do it together! It's worth it even if we get a beating if our sister can escape that den of wolves!"
"I'll take the blame for my sister!"
"I'll take Jiaojiao's place on the board!"
With fierce momentum and a willingness to die, they all stepped forward.
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree was so frightened that he almost dropped it, especially after hearing the repeated "thump-thump" sounds of people kneeling on the ground.
My heart trembled.
How come accepting a reward feels like having your home confiscated?
He was so frightened that he swallowed back his congratulations and quickly announced the imperial decree.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The daughter of the Jin family is virtuous, gentle, and dignified, and of a kind nature. She is hereby granted the title of Fifth-Rank Lady, and is bestowed with a pair of jade ruyi scepters, ten bushels of pearls, and a Lady's Mansion. The Jin family is benevolent and wealthy, and of noble character, and is qualified to be imperial merchants. Therefore, she is hereby granted a plaque and a residence..."
"..."
A deathly silence.
The imperial eunuch rolled up the imperial edict, along with the Emperor's reward, and handed it over with a smile. "Please accept the decree, Your Highness. The Empress specifically instructed that you and the eldest daughter go to the palace to express your gratitude tomorrow."
"Pleasant...pleasant?"
Ms. Jin couldn't believe it. "This...this is for me?"
Not a reprimand?
Is it a reward?
A fifth-rank official?
Jin's eyes gradually reddened. She was worried that her divorce would affect Jiao Jiao's marriage to the Seventh Prince. Unexpectedly, His Majesty not only did not hold it against her, but also bestowed upon her the title of Yiren and granted the Jin family the title of Imperial Merchants!
This is to save face for himself and to support Jiaojiao!
This marriage is excellent.
The title of Imperial Merchant is something the Jin family has always dreamed of.
The old lady, the old master, and all the men, young and old, stared wide-eyed like wooden figures, stunned by this enormous reward.
It was Lady Jin who reacted first, saying, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty, and thank you, Eunuch."
He then handed over a heavy money bag, saying, "Please have some tea, Father-in-law."
The imperial eunuch, after weighing the matter, grinned from ear to ear.
"Congratulations, Yiren! Congratulations! I won't disturb you any longer; I still need to deliver an imperial decree to the Marquis's residence next door."
Jin was taken aback, "The Marquis's residence?"
"It's good news! It's great news! Hasn't the eldest young master told you he's back yet?"
The imperial eunuch continued to offer his congratulations.
The Jin family is truly on the rise.
"Jing Tian? Jing Tian is back?"
Jin was so happy that she forgot about her eldest son. Is everything alright now? Does His Majesty not blame her?
The Marquis's residence next door.
Jiang Jingtian stared blankly at the empty courtyard.
What's going on?
He only stayed one night in the palace, and suddenly everything changed at home?
My mother is gone, and so are my younger sister and brother.
The once grand mansion had been robbed by bandits and was now empty; even the screen in the main hall had been taken away.
Jiang Jingtian couldn't believe it. "You...you say that again?"
The servant reported everything in detail.
"The Marquis wanted to request that the Third Young Master be made the heir apparent, but the Madam refused and they divorced. The Eldest Miss and the Second Young Master also left with him, and all their belongings were taken away."
Jiang Jingtian's face darkened.
Please appoint Jiang Liu as heir apparent!
"You unfilial son—you dare to come back!"
Upon hearing the news, Jiang Qingyun rushed over and kicked Jiang Chengzhu to the ground. "How dare you kneel at the palace gate to beg for forgiveness! You're going to implicate my entire Marquis's mansion!"
"Why didn't you die in the palace? I'll beat you to death, you unfilial son, so you won't bring trouble to the Marquis's mansion!"
"Get out—get out!"
"The Marquis's mansion has no unfilial son like you!"
The thought of hearing the news of his eldest son kneeling at the palace gate to beg for forgiveness in the imperial court, the emperor's gloomy face, and the gloating expressions of his colleagues made him want to strangle his rebellious son!
He has ruined the reputation of the Marquis's mansion!
Jiang Jingtian wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
He stood up, leaning against the wall. "You... want to ask that my third brother be made heir apparent?"
"You still want to be the heir?! Look at you, what makes you worthy of being the heir of a marquis's mansion? You're unruly and mischievous, always fighting and brawling, good for nothing in literature and martial arts..."
"I thought that after joining General Weiyuan's tutelage, you would be more restrained, but who knew you would remain incorrigible and still dare to cause trouble at the palace gates!"
Jiang Qingyun shouted, venting all his anger towards Jin Shi and Jiang Jiaojiao, "I shouldn't have let you be born in the first place!"
"hehe……"
Jiang Jingtian laughed. Even if he was stupid, he could see that all that talk about being unruly and incorrigible was just a ploy to kick him out so that others could make way for him.
He grew up with a father who favored his third brother.
He made a fuss and argued, but all he got in return was beatings. He always thought that his father loved him deeply and was strict with him, and that his father should still love him.
But……
"Hehe... In that case, I'll stay with Mother. Father has three younger brothers, which is enough."
Jiang Jingtian wiped away a tear.
He turned and left.
Jiang Qingyun's face darkened, his fists clenched tightly. There was no mistake!
Jin and her three unfilial sons only cause trouble, making the Marquis's mansion a laughing stock in the entire city.
Xue'er is right.
Their noble household should not associate with lowly merchants. Only by getting rid of them can the household regain the trust of His Majesty and the Empress, and regain its pride and dignity!
Outside the door.
Supported by her nanny, Old Madam Jiang arrived, panting, "Where is he! Where is my good grandson?"
Jiang Qingyun quickly went to greet him, "Didn't Liu'er leave early this morning?"
"You're...you're confused! I'm talking about Jing Tian! Where's Jing Tian?!"
Grandma Jiang frantically searched everywhere for him, "Didn't they say he was back?!"
Jiang Qingyun was taken aback.
With a sense of foreboding, he stammered, "Go...go, Mother...didn't Mother tell her son to drive him away?"
"you--"
Old Madam Jiang rolled her eyes and fainted.
"Mother--"
Jiang Qing shouted, and the steward rushed in laughing, "Congratulations, Your Highness! His Majesty has bestowed a marriage upon the eldest young master and the fourth princess!"
"boom--"
Jiang Qingyun's vision went black, and she fainted.
The Jin family mansion next door.
Before the imperial eunuch could even leave the mansion, Jiang Jingtian burst in, wiping away tears and wailing, "Mother—waaaah!"
"Second brother, Jiaojiao—don't leave me behind!"
Jiang Jingtian cried like a 200-pound child.
The eunuch announcing the decree was taken aback.
Alright, no need to make another trip.
They might even receive another bonus.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Jiang Jingtian is commendable for his martial prowess and is a suitable match for the Fourth Princess. He shall be appointed as the Deputy Commander of the Palace Guards, effective immediately, and shall be responsible for the affairs of the Palace Guards. It is hoped that he will perform his duties diligently and live up to the Emperor's expectations. Furthermore, the Emperor bestows upon him a mansion for the Prince Consort, an imperial estate in the suburbs of the capital, and a thousand acres of fertile land. This is the imperial decree."
Jiang Jingtian held the imperial edict, laughing and crying at the same time.
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