Jiang Luoluo held incense sticks with both hands and respectfully offered them to each of the Jiang family's ancestral tablets. The smoke from the burning incense rose and enveloped the tablets on the offering table.
When it was time for the last stick of incense, she was about to insert it into the incense burner in front of Jiang Yuelan's memorial tablet when Yao Shiyu suddenly rushed forward like a madwoman and knocked the incense out of her hand.
"You vile woman, why are you putting on this act? You're the one who killed my mother!" Yao Shiyu shouted hoarsely, her eyes filled with resentment.
As the incense ash fell, some landed on Jiang Luoluo's hand, instantly turning her slender, jade-like fingertips red and causing a slight stinging sensation.
Seeing this, Dingdang was furious and was about to step forward to teach Yao Shiyu a lesson, but Jiang Luoluo stopped her with a raised hand.
With a calm expression, she bent down to pick up the fallen incense sticks, relit them, gently inserted them into the incense burner, and respectfully bowed to all the memorial tablets on the offering table. Her expression was composed, without sorrow or joy.
After doing all this, she slowly turned around, her gaze sweeping over Yao Shiyu. "You, come out with me."
Seeing that Jiang Luoluo had allowed herself to be insulted earlier, Yao Shiyu felt even more smug. She snorted coldly and followed her out of the ancestral hall without hesitation. She wanted to see what Jiang Luoluo was really up to.
The two stood on the veranda, the snow wind was slightly cool, and it blew the wind chimes on the eaves, making a crisp tinkling sound.
Suddenly, a loud slap rang out!
Caught off guard, Yao Shiyu was slapped hard by Jiang Luoluo. Her head turned to one side, and a red mark instantly appeared on half of her face, her ears ringing.
She was stunned for a moment, then became furious and raised her hand to retaliate.
But Jiang Luoluo was prepared. She easily grabbed her wrist and flung her to the ground!
Yao Shiyu fell awkwardly onto the bluestone ground, and when she looked up, she met Jiang Luoluo's condescending gaze, which was filled with a hint of mockery and sarcasm.
"You killed your own mother, Yao Shiyu," Jiang Luoluo said coldly. "If you hadn't encouraged her to use those underhanded methods against me, she would be living a life of luxury in the General Weiyuan's mansion."
How did I end up confined to Yunhua Temple, suffering this fate?
Yao Shiyu's expression changed drastically, and she felt a chill run down her spine. Being exposed by Jiang Luoluo in public made her regret her initial scheming, but she still stubbornly refused to admit defeat.
He glared at Jiang Luoluo through gritted teeth, his voice sinister: "Why? Why can you break through every scheme I meticulously set up? Are you...?"
Her eyes were bloodshot, her expression ferocious, and the next moment, she almost ground her teeth to powder, "Did you also get reborn?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Luoluo was taken aback at first, then suddenly chuckled, her laughter playful, but her eyes revealed a coldness.
"What rebirth nonsense?" She slowly leaned closer to Yao Shiyu, her tone light yet every word piercing, "Why would I need to be reborn to deal with a clown like you?"
Yao Shiyu clenched her fists so tightly her nails almost dug into her palms. Knowing she wouldn't get an answer from Jiang Luoluo, she slowly stood up, a twisted smile playing on her lips.
Tears streamed down her face, bloodshot and raw, as she muttered a mad curse: "Jiang Luoluo, don't be so smug. What goes around comes around. You'll get your comeuppance someday!"
Jiang Luoluo smiled instead of getting angry, took a step forward, her eyes deep and unfathomable, and slowly said, "So you also know that fortunes change?"
She raised an eyebrow slightly and smiled meaningfully, "Unfortunately, the feng shui has now turned its back on me."
Gu Boyuan waited in the hall for a long time, but Yao Shiyu never returned from the ancestral hall. He became suspicious and came looking for her.
As soon as he stepped into the corridor, he saw Yao Shiyu screaming hysterically, her whole body like a caged beast out of control, her eyes full of resentment and unwillingness.
Standing opposite her, Jiang Luoluo remained calm, her eyes and brows both beautiful and aloof.
Gu Boyuan subconsciously wanted to step forward and say something for Yao Shiyu, but he stopped abruptly after taking only half a step.
For some reason, he didn't want to go forward anymore.
His gaze fell on Jiang Luoluo, the woman he once thought to be willful, capricious, and unruly, but now she was calm, composed, and sharp.
He had assumed that Jiang Luoluo would do everything in her power to stop Yao Shiyu from keeping Jiang Yuelan's memorial tablet at the Weiyuan General's Mansion.
Just now, he overheard the servants talking in the front hall that Jiang Luoluo had personally offered incense to Jiang Yuelan, showing perfect manners and no disrespect whatsoever.
His previous understanding of Jiang Luoluo was almost entirely based on Yao Shiyu's descriptions, so no matter what she did, he habitually viewed it with prejudice.
But during this time, he finally became willing to observe for himself and discovered that the real Jiang Luoluo was completely different from what he had imagined.
She is passionate and decisive, able to take things in stride, clear-headed and resolute, and lives a life more insightful than anyone else.
Such a dazzling woman was ultimately missed by him.
*
Winter has arrived, and heavy snow is falling in Beijing, turning the world into a silver-white wonderland.
Jiang Gan has also returned from distant Jiaozhou, stepping into this city of intrigue and power struggles, weary from his journey.
At the same time, good news also came from the Minister of Works' residence: the wound on the little granddaughter's forehead had healed completely without leaving a scar.
The Minister of Works and his wife were extremely grateful, knowing that their granddaughter's recovery was entirely due to Jiang Luoluo's excellent medical skills. They personally prepared generous gifts and paid a visit to express their gratitude.
After Jiang Gan returned to the capital, Jiang Luoluo moved back to the residence of General Weiyuan and has not set foot in the Jiang residence since.
Xie Yizhi had not seen Jiang Luoluo for many days, and his longing for her grew stronger. However, with the wedding date approaching, the two were not allowed to meet according to custom for good luck.
After much thought, he invited Jiang Gan to a small gathering at Zuiyue Tower under the guise of welcoming him back, and also to inquire about Jiang Luoluo's recent situation.
On his return to Beijing, Jiang Gan not only brought back specialties from Jiaozhou, but also an even more important gift.
A handwritten reply from Mr. and Mrs. Jiang Chengfeng to Xie Yizhi.
Xie Yizhi took the letter, opened it, and read it carefully word by word. By the end, a smile had appeared on his face. Everything was progressing more smoothly than he had expected.
With only two days left until New Year's Eve, he couldn't wait to marry Jiang Luoluo and bring her into his household so that he could be with her every day and only then could he truly feel at ease.
The heavy snow had been falling for many days, as if it were setting the stage for this joyous occasion, and it finally stopped the day before New Year's Eve.
Both the General Weiyuan's Mansion and the Prince Yi's Mansion were adorned with red silk and illuminated by lanterns, creating a festive atmosphere throughout.
The servants were busy preparing for the wedding, with lanterns and decorations everywhere, and the air was filled with excitement and joy.
Xie Yizhi stood in the mansion, watching the servants bustling about, his gaze falling on the bright red festive colors, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips.
In just one more day, he will be able to welcome her into his mansion and spend the rest of his life with her, even if it is just a contractual marriage, it is still a marriage.
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