The Liao family's backer is the Jiang family. As long as they remain related by marriage, people will always have to consider the Jiang family's reputation.
Unless... the Jiang family turns around and supports the Liao family's rival.
For example, Jiuzhenfang, which also sells lychees.
“Jiang Sheng has been back in the Jiang family for so long but has not yet acknowledged her ancestors. Part of the reason is General Jiang’s absence, and part of the reason is that Old Madam Jiang wants to protect her.” Chang Yan tapped his right hand on the back of his left hand. “Old Madam Jiang only announced that the original legitimate daughter was a fake, but she has never announced the real legitimate daughter to the world.”
This means that, in the eyes of outsiders, Jiuzhenfang has no connection with the Jiang family.
When Zheng Ruqian delivered lychees to the Jiang family, he only received orders from some acquaintances, such as the Yao and Zhao families, or some orders with ill intentions, such as the Fang and Zhu families. He did not completely open up the market for the Fengjing aristocratic families.
If Zheng Ruqian were to send lychees to the Jiang family a second, or even a third or fourth time, the Fengjing aristocratic families would mistakenly believe that the Jiang family's stance had shifted from the Liao family to Jiuzhenfang.
This is a case of leveraging someone else's power, just like their relationship with Magistrate Pang of Yunshui County when they were using his influence to their advantage.
But the ultimate goal is not to use someone else's power to bully others, but to squeeze out all the Liao family's backers and leave them isolated and helpless.
“The Jiang family has no relationship with Jiuzhenfang, but they are closely connected with Jiang Sheng,” Xu Mo continued. “As long as we bring Jiang Sheng on a visit, the Jiang family will definitely not turn away Jiuzhenfang.”
But this means that their sister, whom they have been so careful to protect, will now have to come into contact with the Jiang family.
She might even be able to return to being the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family.
“No way.” Zheng Ruqian, who had just been all smiles, suddenly turned grim. “I can visit the Jiang family with lychees and try to persuade them with business and profits, but I absolutely cannot let Jiang Sheng go.”
But the Jiang family is still Jiang Sheng's blood relatives. Is it really a good thing for her to be completely cut off?
Chang Yan and Xu Mo both remained silent.
Only Zheng Ruqian was particularly agitated. "My sister is mine, she belongs to us. We can't give her back to the Jiang family. They lost her back then, and now that she's grown up, they want to take her back? Dream on! Where was the Jiang family when things were at their worst? Since they didn't take care of her when she was little, why should they own her now that she's grown up?"
These words were not only for Jiang Sheng, but also for himself.
Of the six siblings in the courtyard, only two, despite being related by blood, still struggle to survive.
Whether it's Xu Mo, Fang Heng, or Wen Zhiyun, although they lost their parents, they will always remember the legacy of their beliefs; they are children who grew up in love.
Only Zheng Ruqian and Jiang Sheng, when recalling the past, felt a bitter taste.
“We have already passed the worst time. The Jiang family finally returned our sister. We must not send her back again.” Zheng Ruqian said, emphasizing each word. “We can give up the Liao family’s business and the lychee business, but we cannot give up our sister again.”
You can let him go, but first step over Zheng Lao Er's corpse!
"Second brother, don't get agitated," Wen Zhiyun whispered to him. "He didn't say he was giving his sister away, he just went back to visit her."
Zheng Ruqian grinned sadly, "We can't go back. What if the Jiang family regrets it? We can't beat them."
So that's what you were afraid of.
Chang Yan and Xu Mo found themselves in a state of bewilderment, both amused and deeply moved.
Jiang Sheng's whereabouts indeed depend on the Jiang family, because of the prestige of the aristocratic family, because of their absolute power and influence, because of their unbalanced status, and because they have no say in the matter.
Being in a high position certainly brings many troubles, but it also allows one to avoid many troubles.
Every ambitious person who strives to climb higher must have something they want to protect.
Just like Xu Mo's imperial examination.
For example, if Zheng Ruqian were to do business.
“Since Second Brother is unwilling, let’s find another way,” Changyan said slowly. “Or we could go through the trouble of fighting a business war with the Liao family for a few years.”
Zheng Ruqian sniffed and was about to get up to find a handkerchief.
Jiang Sheng, who was deep in thought, suddenly spoke up, "I'll go."
Now, the courtyard's attention returned to the courtyard.
Zheng Ruqian was so shocked that he couldn't even sniffle; instead, the snot slid down his philtrum. "Little Jiang Sheng, what are you saying? You want to go back to the Jiang family? Are you crazy? You don't want us anymore?"
"Does my sister not want us anymore?" Wen Zhiyun's eyes also began to glisten with tears.
These two are such tearjerks.
Jiang Sheng grinned and explained softly, "No, it's because I miss my grandmother, and I want to go back and see her."
For the past twenty days, they have been busy in the workshop, busy at Jiuzhenfang, busy moving things around, busy preparing new varieties of pastries, so busy that they haven't had a moment to rest.
Jiang Sheng only realized then that she missed her grandmother, Tan Yue, the old woman's kind and gentle hands, and the quiet and peaceful De Ren Tang.
Eleven years have passed.
Jiang Sheng has very few relatives. Apart from her brother and aunt, only Sister Yao and her grandmother have been kind to her. Even though she didn't return to the Jiang family voluntarily at first, the warmth she received over three or five days was enough to warm her heart.
She couldn't bear to let go of someone who had been so good to her.
That was the warmth that young Jiang Sheng longed for most on countless cold nights, the care she prayed to Buddha for for many, many years, but never received.
“Although I don’t have fathers and mothers, it’s good to have a grandmother.” She blinked her bright eyes. “Besides, the Jiang family’s master chef is so skilled, and the food he makes is so delicious.”
Without the whirlwind rice bucket, the chef's enthusiasm for cooking would be halved.
Just like the few days after Jiang Sheng left the second courtyard, Aunt Zhang didn't buy any pork knuckles. The uncle at the pork stall thought something had happened and repeatedly advised her to take it easy.
"Pfft." Wen Zhiyun, who was the easiest to coax, laughed so hard that she blew a snot bubble.
Zheng Ruqian's complexion improved somewhat, and he used his narrow sleeve as a handkerchief to rub his face haphazardly.
Jiang Sheng took the opportunity to summarize, "Tomorrow I'll go back to the Jiang family to visit my grandmother, and my second brother will deliver lychees. It's perfect for both of us."
Xu Mo nodded slightly without saying a word.
Chang Yan did offer a suggestion: "It would be best if you did not enter the Jiang family at the same time. Wait until Jiang Sheng obtains Old Madam Jiang's consent before having your second brother visit."
Jiang Sheng returned to the Jiang family because of family ties, and she couldn't let Old Madam Jiang misunderstand it as being for personal gain, thus damaging the already limited family bond.
It's true that people with many shrewd ideas are comprehensive; they consider things beforehand, whether they're important or not.
The advantage is that it is thorough in its considerations, but the disadvantage is that it is easy to overthink things.
Although Jiang Sheng felt it was unnecessary, she still nodded in agreement.
Just then, Zhang Xianglian developed several new lychee-flavored pastries. She pre-ordered five boxes and personally strolled around the market three times, buying many gifts.
Old Madam Jiang has one, Tan Yue has one, and even that talkative little maid has one.
The next day, the lychees, which had gone through many twists and turns, were sorted into basins, with ten catties reserved for the Jiang family, and the rest sent to various prominent families in batches.
Jiang Sheng also picked up the prepared gifts and, along with Jiang San and Jiang Si, arrived at the Jiang family home.
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