“It’s all my fault for upsetting my mother. A few days ago, my brother sent me some Ganoderma lucidum, and my daughter-in-law had them all sent to my mother to help her recover.”
Ms. Jin quickly admitted her mistake.
Madam Jiang sat up and said, "You and your daughter have done such a disgraceful thing to the reputation of the noble family. From now on, you shall hand over the key to the household and keep it for me. If you have nothing to do these days, you shall not leave the mansion!"
This means a complete stripping of power and confinement.
"We'll discuss the marriage between this rebellious son and the Seventh Prince when the Marquis returns!"
Madam Jiang was already reluctant to let Jiang Xue become the sickly prince's consort, and now it's even better that this little wretch has run into it herself.
"Pfft—"
Jiang Jiaojiao laughed out loud. Her grandmother's scheme was probably overheard by her father in the imperial court.
What do you mean by "key to the household"? Everyone knows that the Yongchang Marquis's mansion has long since fallen into ruin, with only a gate remaining. If he hadn't married the eldest daughter of the richest family, Jin, where would he be living such a wealthy life today?
The entire estate of the Marquis's mansion was brought over by my mother from the Jin family, yet she has the audacity to ask for the key to the mansion!
"You unfilial son—what are you laughing at!"
Madam Jiang said angrily.
Jiang Jiaojiao scoffed, "Of course I'm laughing at Mother. Why didn't you agree to such a good thing? The Hou Mansion's storeroom is old and dilapidated and is no longer suitable for displaying Mother's dowry. Now that Grandmother is so considerate in taking it over, Mother can take this opportunity to properly organize the Jin family's dowry."
Madam Jiang's expression changed drastically.
Jiang Jiaojiao's eyes darted around, and she added, "Could it be that Grandmother didn't mean that? Could it be that she's eyeing Mother's dowry and wants to take it for herself..."
"presumptuous--"
If word got out that she took her daughter-in-law's dowry for herself, how could she ever face anyone again?
"Our Marquis's mansion is of noble birth; how could we possibly deign to look upon such vulgar things!"
Jiang Jiaojiao readily agreed, saying, "Grandmother is right."
"Mother, hurry up and go to the storeroom to clean up and move those unsightly and vulgar things away, so as not to offend Grandmother's eyes!"
"oh--"
Jiang Jiaojiao took a deep breath and stared at the various valuable ornaments in the room.
"And this peacock screen with its eight treasures and inlaid pearls is too dazzling. Mother, you should move it away quickly. And that—that dressing table with its jewels and glass is too insulting to the status of the old lady of the Marquis's mansion!"
"And that one—"
"this--"
Jiang Jiaojiao started giving orders right there in the room. Old Madam Jiang was heartbroken, but she was rendered speechless by Jiang Jiaojiao's repeated use of terms like "refined and noble" and "old lady of the Marquis's mansion."
He watched helplessly as Jiang Jiaojiao directed her maids and servants to wash away all the valuable items in the room.
Jiang Jiaojiao looked at the empty room and nodded in satisfaction. "Only in this way can she live up to the status of the noble old lady of the Marquis's mansion. Grandmother is truly of noble character and integrity, and does not lose her noble status!"
After saying that.
Then, looking at Jiang Xue who was so shocked that she forgot to wipe her tears, she said, "My sister has always taken Grandmother as her role model. I suppose she should also despise those mundane things like Grandmother. Perfect timing! There's no time like the present. I'll help my sister clean up today!"
"Let's go—let's go to the Orchid Courtyard and help the Second Miss tidy up properly!"
“Grandmother, we have many things to do today, so we won’t disturb your rest any longer. Mother, let’s go.”
Jiang Jiaojiao ignored the old lady Jiang's trembling fingers.
He took Jin's arm and left.
Before even stepping out the door, she exclaimed loudly, "Mother, if I don't find these mundane things an eyesore, could you give them all to me?"
Kim was still completely bewildered; how could she possibly disagree?
A large group of people carried the items to Jiang Jiaojiao's Plum Garden.
This isn't over yet.
Jiang Jiaojiao led her people into Lanyuan again.
Like a ransacking operation, all the precious furniture and ornaments were moved back to Plum Garden.
Jiang Xue looked at the empty room in front of her, and in anger, her eyes rolled back and she fainted.
Jiang Jiaojiao played with the exquisite ornaments in her hands, and the more she looked at them, the happier she became. With a wave of her hand, she put them all into her small storeroom. Disliking the name "Plum Garden" as she didn't like it, she directly changed it to "Golden Jade Garden"!
The house was filled with gold and jade, truly living up to its name.
When Madam Jin handed the house key to Old Madam Jiang, Old Madam Jiang was already too angry to get out of bed, and the key returned to Madam Jin's hands.
Madam Jiang is no fool.
Jin moved all her dowry items away. This house key is just an empty shell. If she relies on her son's salary to manage the household, how many days can it last?
With the key in the hands of the Jin family, they are in charge, and naturally, the money and goods will come from their hands.
The thought of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead is truly unbearable!
Old Madam Jiang was so angry that she vomited blood!
Looking at the empty house made me even angrier and more annoyed!
A merchant's daughter, who became the principal wife of a marquis, shouldn't she be grateful and voluntarily hand over all her dowry and property?
It's all that unfilial son's fault!
Madam Jiang suddenly realized that she had forgotten to punish Jiang Jiaojiao, so she immediately sent Granny Su over to make Jiang Jiaojiao kneel in the small Buddhist hall for three days!
Jiang Jiaojiao got the item and was humiliated! She was in a great mood!
Ignoring Jin's objections, he happily carried snacks, fruit, incense, and candles to the Buddhist hall to kneel as punishment!
When Marquis Yongchang, Jiang Qingyun, returned from court, Jiang Jiaojiao was already kneeling obediently in the Buddhist hall.
Jiang Jiaojiao was kneeling with genuine sincerity.
They offered a generous amount of sesame oil to each ancestral tablet!
Thank you, our ancestors, for allowing her to start anew!
The main courtyard of the Marquis's residence.
Jiang Qingyun smashed two blue-and-white porcelain pieces in anger, pointed at Jin Shi, and trembled with rage, "You...you actually dared to do such a thing!"
"You still dare to bring that unfilial son to Songheyuan and Lanyuan to show off your power!"
"Move all your things back right now!"
"You unfilial son—I should have drowned you when you were born, to avoid tarnishing the century-old reputation of my Marquis's mansion!"
Upon hearing him speak of his daughter in this way, Ms. Jin instinctively wanted to retort.
But then she remembered her daughter's instructions before she went to the Buddhist temple, and gritted her teeth and said, "Mother and Jiang Xue don't like those tacky ornaments, so I'll go outside and find something else."
“Jiaojiao knows she was wrong. Since things have come to this, if the Seventh Prince comes to propose marriage, the Marquis… the Marquis will agree.”
After saying this, she silently shed tears.
These words made her want to cry. She didn't know why Jiaojiao would agree to the marriage, but since Jiaojiao had instructed her to, she could only agree for the time being.
Jiang Qingyun was both angry and annoyed, but she couldn't find the words to refute him.
I can't exactly tell her that her mother and Jiang Xue like those luxurious and precious things, can I?
The noble and refined man of the Marquis's mansion would never allow him to utter such words!
And the seventh prince...
His Majesty said he would bestow Jiang Xue upon the Seventh Prince, but the imperial decree has not yet been issued. It's not impossible for him to swallow his pride and beg His Majesty to change the recipient.
Just thinking about the pointing and whispering looks from the officials in the same court made him want to strangle that rebellious son right now!
Jin remained silent, tears streaming down her face, which silenced Jiang Qingyun, preventing him from retaliating.
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