Chapter 21 Plot
Jiang Qingning trembled all over and asked with difficulty: "Xun Chen... does he know too?"
Having said that, the moment he asked, he was smart like Jiang Qingning.
Then he realized that he was probably the only one who was kept in the dark about what happened back then.
How could that be?
Xun Chen blamed her more than once, saying that her father and brother had offended the powerful and affected his son-in-law's career, so he was only a fourth-rank Censor-in-Chief for many years of flood control.
But he was just a commoner, and it was only thanks to his three generations of ancestors who had passed the imperial examinations and the help of the Jiang family in the past that Xun Chen was able to cross the threshold of the fifth rank and be officially noticed by the emperor.
But now...
Qin Xiu said that his father and brother were implicated in the case, and Xun Chen was the main judge of the case.
"The Earl of Anping didn't tell you that he was... not your husband?"
Qin Xiu smacked his lips. "You two were betrothed to each other since childhood. If he had told you about your uncle's accident, I'm afraid the marriage between the two families would have ended there and then."
Jiang Qingning's face was pale and his heart seemed to be bleeding.
If what Qin Xiu said is true, every word is true.
Then she turned out to be the one who misjudged people and married the real culprit who caused her father and brother to be exiled and prevented her family from being together for eight years.
She also gave birth to children for him and diligently managed the household affairs for eight years.
How many eight years can a person have in his life? How many eight years can she and her family spend together?
If it is true, Xun Chen, it must have been hard for her to hide it.
"I don't want to be wrong from the beginning. The Xun family has been hiding things from me from the beginning to the end."
Jiang Qingning twitched the corners of his mouth, his heart trembling with pain.
The Xun family wanted to gain a good reputation and did not want to take the initiative to add insult to injury, so they proposed to cancel the engagement, which led to her getting married.
The Xun family concealed the truth and watched her marry in a humble manner with a condescending attitude, while she compromised and tried to please them everywhere.
The scene yesterday in Xun Chen's study where the old lady wanted to say something but was stopped by Xun Chen flashed into Jiang Qingning's mind. He was shocked and almost couldn't breathe.
"If I hadn't been on the battlefield and unable to return to the capital, I would have definitely requested an imperial decree to thoroughly investigate this case."
Qin Xiu suddenly remembered something and asked, "But Miss Jiang, have you ever met your father and brother? They returned to Beijing to report on their work a few years ago. I heard they went to the Anping Marquis's Mansion. I guess it must be a family reunion..."
Jiang Qingning still had something to not understand. She was heartbroken: "I wasn't in the capital before the New Year."
Qin Xiu would definitely not lie to her about such a thing. Now that she knew about it, she only needed to make a few inquiries to find out whether her father and brother had really returned to Beijing.
If it's true...
Hatred appeared in Jiang Qingning's eyes.
"No wonder the Anping Marquis' Mansion said you were recuperating... Where were you at the time?"
Qin Xiu asked in a deep voice, hiding the sinister look in his eyes.
"The wife of the Earl of Anping asked a master to tell her that our young lady is an unlucky person. If she doesn't go to the Taoist temple to cleanse herself of her sins, she will be doomed to bring disaster upon her father, brothers, children, and husband. Three years ago, the young lady was sent to a Taoist temple on the outskirts of the city and only returned to the capital three months ago..."
Nanny Zhang couldn't stand it any longer and took out her handkerchief to wipe her tears.
Jiang Qingning twitched the corners of his mouth, unable to make any perfunctory expression.
It turned out that she had waited for her father and brother to return to Beijing, but unfortunately, the old lady of Anping Marquis's Mansion, her good mother-in-law, blocked her way, so she missed her father and brother.
"In the end, it's all in vain..."
Jiang Qingning just thought it was ridiculous. In the past, she didn't care about all kinds of right and wrong, but now this matter concerned her father and brother.
Jiang Qingning stood up and bowed solemnly to Qin Xiu. "Thank you for telling me about today's matter, but I dare not trouble you for help. I have already made up my mind about this matter."
Qin Xiu stood up and helped her up, his face serious and his tone deep: "I just can't bear to see you being deceived."
Seeing Jiang Qingning unable to hold back her tears, Qin Xiu felt as if a big hand was gripping his heart. His breath was choked and he almost couldn't control himself, so he wiped her tears with his own hands.
Zi Su walked in quickly: "Miss, everyone has finished eating, but you insist on continuing to work. I can't stop you, Miss?"
Seeing the two people in front of him almost holding hands, Zi Su blinked continuously, thinking that she had seen it wrong.
Jiang Qingning quickly retracted her wrist and raised her sleeve to wipe her tears. A handkerchief was handed to her, making her look up in surprise.
"Wipe your tears, otherwise others will think that Qin is too serious and scared Miss Jiang to tears." Qin Xiu changed the subject and joked with her.
Jiang Qingning burst into tears, and her mood improved. She stepped back a few steps and said to Zisu, "Since we can't stop them, just let them do what they want. Take the people to buy food now. Remember to buy more meat so that we can cook a good meal for everyone in the evening."
"Yes, I'll go right away!" Zi Su smiled secretly, turned around and left quickly.
Jiang Qingning lowered his eyes and said softly, "My Lord, please continue with your meal. I will take my leave first."
She left quickly with Nanny Zhang. Jiang Qingning didn't breathe a sigh of relief until they returned to her bedroom. She sat in the armchair, unable to recover.
Aunt Zhang asked, "Miss, do you have any concerns?"
Jiang Qingning came back to his senses, his heart was calm: "No one will lend a hand for no reason, unless it is profitable.
Xun Chen wanted to protect his reputation. He sent my father and brother to prison but married me regardless of past grudges. He gained a good reputation.
The old lady didn't like me in her heart, but she acted very pretentiously in front of outsiders and guests, just to get my dowry.
Zi Fu has served me for many years, but she wants to use me to get to the top and become Xun Chen's bedside companion. She is using me as a stepping stone.
Bai Qingyi loves Xun Chen, but because of their status, they can only be cousins. I am jealous and want to get rid of him as soon as possible.
Look, Mammy, they all think I am profitable. The magistrate may have really pitied me, so he sold this house to me at a low price.
But Qin Xiu is different. He is the Crown Prince of the Duke's Mansion, a close minister to the Emperor, and has countless people fawning over him. I couldn't guess what he wanted for a moment."
Aunt Zhang was horrified. "Young lady, you're right. We still need to take it step by step."
"But since he went to the extent of weeding and repairing the roof, I didn't dare to approach him easily."
Jiang Qingning's face was heavy and his heart was full of vigilance.
Aunt Zhang said with a heavy heart: "Don't worry, Miss. We will express our gratitude sincerely."
Jiang Qingning was worried: "Now that I have divorced Xun Chen, I have learned about the events of the past. It seems that I still need to find an opportunity to test Xun Chen.
Besides, Mammy, please find an opportunity to send someone to Lingnan to deliver a letter for me. I miss my father, mother, brother, and little sister so much."
"Now that we know that the Master and the Madam haven't stopped contacting us for eight years, but that vicious old woman has deliberately prevented them from contacting us, Miss, you must write down the whole story in the letter. When the Master and the Madam return to the capital, we will settle the accounts with the Anping Marquis' Mansion!"
Nanny Zhang's eyes were fierce, and she wished she could rush into the Anping Marquis's mansion, chop up Xun Chen and others into pieces, and throw them into the mass grave to feed the dogs.
Jiang Qingning curled his lips indifferently: "Don't let others know, unless you don't do it yourself, this is the truth."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
