Chapter 346: Concubine of Duke Jiang's Mansion
After being in this alien world for so long, five years, I suddenly discovered that there were other travelers like me in this world. How could I not be excited? Who wouldn't be excited?
Su Wan is particularly looking forward to tomorrow's meeting.
They had to watch the play and have dinner at Prince Xiang's Mansion before leaving. This was the rule, because most of the male guests had official business to attend to, but the female guests had to wait until the process was completed.
But fortunately, Princess Jiacheng got along well with her, so Su Wan's life was not boring.
While watching the play, Princess Xiang sat in the main seat, and her deputies on both sides were princesses from the other two princely palaces. Further down the row were the wives of two dukes' palaces, one from the Duke of Tang, the mother's family of the current queen, and the other from the Duke of Jiang, who held military power.
Among the aristocratic families, these two families are even more respectable than these royal palaces, but their status is lower than that of the royal family. Even the princess has to be polite to them when she sees them and dare not show them a cold face.
Nowadays, apart from the princes who have not yet been crowned as kings, there are only three royal palaces in Kyoto. Some have gone to their fiefdoms, and those who remain are those who supported the current emperor's ascension to the throne.
Therefore, in Kyoto, only those with power have the final say. Without power, no matter how prominent one's family background is, it is useless.
However, the two families were evenly matched in Kyoto and were always compared to each other. The ladies of the two families were always competing with each other wherever they went.
Su Wan and Jiacheng sat in the back row, and Su's mother and Shen's mother were also at the table next to them. They were all sitting at a table for two, with a small coffee table in the middle, on which were fruits and snacks.
Su Wan did not participate in the tea party with these noble ladies in the morning, so he was not very clear about who was who. It was only after Jia Cheng sat down that he slowly introduced them to Su Wan.
"The lady in crimson is the wife of Duke Tang, the sister-in-law of the current Empress, and a second-rank official. The younger one is the second wife of Duke Jiang."
Hearing that it was the Duke of Jiang's Mansion, Su Wan knew that this was Jiang Yu's home. The second wife was rarely mentioned in the original text, so she didn't know much about Jiang Yu's family affairs. She didn't know whether this person was a good person or a bad person. She only knew that he had a half-brother.
"Why is it the second wife?" Su Wan asked Jiacheng in a low voice.
Jiacheng also whispered to her head:
"Duke Jiang originally had a wife who was said to be an extraordinary woman. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also talented. Her sword dance was even famous in Kyoto. However, she was a commoner, not worthy of Duke Jiang. She was also short-lived and died young. She was always despised by Madam Jiang during her lifetime. This second wife was originally a daughter of an official, and was deeply loved by Madam Jiang. She asked Duke Jiang to take her as a concubine. Later, her mother's family committed a crime and was exiled. She was spared because of the face of the Duke's Mansion.
After Madam Jiang passed away, the old lady always wanted her to continue to be his concubine, but Duke Jiang was famous in Kyoto for his deep affection. For so many years, he had only one second wife in the backyard. And it was rumored that it was not Duke Jiang's wish to take a second wife, but he was forced to do so. No matter how the old lady threw a tantrum, Duke Jiang was unwilling to let the second wife become his principal wife.
However, although the Second Madam doesn't have the title of a principal wife, she now has the final say in the backyard of the Duke of Jiang's mansion. When she goes out, she always behaves like a principal wife."
Su Wan didn't know about these things and had to ask around to find out.
From this perspective, Duke Jiang is not bad. In this era, it is acceptable for him to take only one concubine and not give her a status because of his deceased wife.
I just don’t know why the relationship with Jiang Yu and his son is so bad?
The Second Lady, perhaps sensing that someone was talking about her, tilted her head slightly to glance behind her, and Su Wan happened to see it. With her aura, someone who didn't know her would really think she was the principal wife.
Jiacheng felt guilty about gossiping, so he turned his eyes away and touched his nose.
Su Wan was very calm. If nothing unexpected happened, they would have to live under the same roof in the future, so it would be nice to get to know them in advance.
Gu Yue sat in the seat behind the two of them, with a sister she knew well. She didn't know any upper-class ladies in this circle, and the people she dealt with were all daughters of fourth- and fifth-rank Beijing officials.
Because, although she was a county lady, her family was a merchant family. Among the four classes of scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, merchants always came last. Every time Gu Yue attended an occasion, she was dressed in gold and silver. They felt that she was full of the smell of money and were unwilling to play with her.
Anyway, all those who were unpopular went to play together, and few of the noble ladies were willing to deal with her.
When she saw Su Wan and Jia Cheng talking and laughing in front of her and walking so close to each other, she felt contempt and disdain in her heart.
It's because of the face of the two brothers of the Su family that they are willing to take her out to play. Otherwise, why would she?
Su Wan didn't pay any attention to her and continued discussing opera with Jiacheng until the opera was over and it was time for dinner.
But she felt that there was always someone watching her from behind, and she knew who it was without having to guess.
Jiacheng has already said that after Ruixue gives birth to kittens, he will give her a male and a female to make a pair.
During the meal, Su Wan prepared to sit at the same table with Su's mother and Madam Shen.
The second wife of Duke Jiang's mansion was supported by her maid as she passed by them. She suddenly stopped and looked at Su Wan.
Su Wan looked at her openly. She was a princess and much more noble than her, a concubine.
But this Second Lady looked her up and down with a look that was hard to understand, and then the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, so faint that it was almost invisible and disappeared in a flash.
It was a look of contempt, as if he looked down on Su Wan.
Su Wan thought to herself, who the hell are you, looking at me like that? She would not show any fear and looked into her eyes without any panic.
Su's mother didn't know who this person was. She was dressed so elegantly and gracefully, and it seemed that she was of high status. Moreover, her eyes and demeanor made people feel uncomfortable.
Mrs. Shen saw that something was wrong. She knew about Su Wan and Jiang Yu's affairs. She was about to speak out to ease the atmosphere when the concubine spoke up:
"I suppose this must be Princess Xuanle of the mansion of Minister Su, the new noble of the imperial court?"
Upon hearing this, Su Wan smiled generously and unconsciously brushed the dust off his sleeves.
"It's me, the princess. You should be the concubine of Duke Jiang's mansion, right?
I've just arrived in Kyoto and haven't met all the ladies in the circle yet. I'm afraid I've recognized the wrong person. If I've offended you, please forgive me!"
Su Wan didn't look at her when he spoke, as that was impolite, but she was the first to look at him with that look. She was a concubine and didn't even deserve an imperial edict. She was just relying on the fact that the Duke's Mansion had no main wife and that she was in charge now, so she was just taking advantage of the power of others. After all, she was a second-rank princess, so why should she have to look at her face?
Moreover, she even emphasized the word "side" on purpose. Her lazy tone instantly made the Second Lady's nostrils swell with anger. It was obvious that she was deliberately enduring it and was actually gritting her teeth.
It was only the first time the two met in front of outsiders, but the atmosphere was very tense.
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