Chapter 62 All Wanted
Aunt Zhang nodded excitedly: "If we have the Jiang family's ancestral property, we will have a legitimate foundation for building a house!"
After all, whoever holds the Jiang family's ancestral property is more of a member of the Jiang family, right?
The smile on Jiang Qingning's lips was like thin ice in early spring.
"I haven't seen you for eight years. Have you gotten to this point?"
She repeated it softly, her voice so light that it seemed like just a wisp of wind blowing through the corner of the carriage, but it carried a heavy weight that hit Nanny Zhang's heart.
Nanny Zhang felt that the air in the carriage suddenly became stagnant, and even the creaking sound of the shaft turning became vague and distant.
The memories of that year flooded into the minds of several people. The teenage Jiang Qingning was pushed out by the second and third wives of the Jiang family without hesitation to ward off disaster. She was married off early to please the Anping Marquis' Mansion in exchange for peace for everyone in the Jiang family.
It was clear that this disaster had nothing to do with her from the beginning to the end, but because her parents were not around and she had no one to rely on, she was pushed out in the most straightforward way.
Although Jiang Qingxi only had a vague understanding of what happened back then, he could still feel that Jiang Qingning was sad.
She raised her hand and held Jiang Qingning's hand, calling softly: "Sister..."
"I'm fine."
Jiang Qingning shook his head slightly, his eyes lowered to the small rosewood box beside him.
Her index finger, wearing a white jade ring, tapped the lid of the box unconsciously and lightly, each tapping deeply into people's hearts.
"What else did Shopkeeper Liu say?"
She finally spoke, breaking the suffocating silence.
Jiang Qingning's voice had returned to its usual clear and steady state, without any trace of emotion.
Nanny Zhang almost came to the edge of the curtain, her voice was very soft, with a barely perceptible hint of excitement.
"Going back to the boss, Manager Liu said that what they are selling are all good things left by the Jiang family's ancestors.
Those prime silk shops in the West Market and the two lucrative farms outside the city show that the Jiang family is truly in decline."
Jiang Qingning's fingers that were tapping the wooden box paused.
She still kept her eyes closed, and her thick eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyes, covering up any emotions that might be revealed.
However, the knuckles of the hand resting on the rosewood box were slightly tense, and the coolness of the jade ring seemed to penetrate the skin more deeply.
After a long time, Jiang Qingning slowly raised his eyes.
His eyes were bottomless, like a frozen pond that had been frozen for a thousand years, so calm that it was frightening.
"OK."
She uttered a word softly, with an indifference that was none of her business, "Since it's ancestral property... then let Manager Liu handle it."
"Just take it at the price of waste paper."
"Yes, I will pass on the message right away."
Nanny Zhang felt relieved and responded immediately, quickly lowering the curtain and whispering a few instructions to the coachman.
Three days later at dusk, Jiang Qingning did not go to the back hall of Hengtong Pawnshop in person.
She sat in the elegant room on the top floor of Fumanzhai, the highest building in the city, which belonged exclusively to her.
Whenever she feels upset, she often stays here to relieve her boredom.
The afterglow of the setting sun shines through the huge window sill, dyeing the expensive rosewood furniture in the room and the famous calligraphy and paintings on the wall a rich golden red, so brilliant that it is a bit dazzling.
The air was filled with the cool scent of fine agarwood, mixed with the unique smell of new ink and paper, and a faint, inevitable odor of old copper that belonged to piles of silver and money.
Shopkeeper Liu stood with his hands hanging in front of a huge rosewood desk, his back slightly hunched, with beads of sweat oozing from his forehead.
He held a long list in his hands. The edges of the paper were slightly curled, obviously having been repeatedly touched.
"Boss, this is the final list of properties that the second and third wives have confirmed they want to sell."
Shopkeeper Liu's voice was respectful as usual, but also contained a subtle tension.
"As you instructed, we lowered the price to the lowest possible. They were quite reluctant at first, but after a few days of wrangling, they finally agreed."
Jiang Qingning did not take the paper immediately.
She sat back in a large armchair, looking relaxed, one hand casually resting on the smooth armrest, the other holding a small and exquisite white jade teacup.
The tea soup is clear in color, reflecting the jade rings on her fingertips, making it look even warmer.
She just glanced at the list with the corner of her eye, as if it was just a piece of insignificant waste paper.
"Um."
She responded softly, her voice like the wind blowing across the ice, and it was impossible to tell whether she was happy or angry.
She took a leisurely sip of tea before slowly putting down the teacup.
The list starts with a rough paper texture.
Jiang Qingning's gaze slowly moved from top to bottom, taking in the silk shop, the farm, and a few decently located houses...
Lines of ink words passed by her eyes, as if she was reading an ordinary catalog of goods.
The list was long, and the pages rustled slightly under her fingertips.
"Boss?"
Shopkeeper Liu asked cautiously, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.
"Shopkeeper Liu."
Jiang Qingning spoke, her voice still not loud, even a little steadier than before.
"Go and pass the message to the second and third rooms."
She spoke each word clearly, "Just say that I want everything on the list."
Shopkeeper Liu looked up in surprise, almost thinking he had misheard.
Want them all?
According to the price of waste paper?
This... has the boss changed his mind? Or...
Before he could figure it out, Jiang Qingning's second half of the sentence fell like thunder:
“But there is a condition.
Three days later, have them personally bring all the land deeds and property deeds to me for face-to-face delivery. One less person, one less piece of paper, and this deal is off."
"Don't worry, boss. I will definitely do a great job on this matter." Shopkeeper Liu nodded, turned around and walked out.
Silence returned to the elegant room, leaving only the last rays of sunset dancing on the glazed windows, dyeing the room a sad blood red.
Jiang Qingning was still sitting in the large armchair, motionless.
She casually threw the long list on the desk like a useless piece of waste paper, but her eyes slowly moved to a corner of the desk.
There lay quietly an open rosewood box, covered with crimson velvet, and on top of the velvet was a silver hairpin of simple style.
The hairpin head has no complicated carvings, and is simply inlaid with a small piece of warm, pure white jade.
The quality of the jade is not the best, but it has a warm luster that has been accumulated over the years.
This was the souvenir her mother left for her when she passed away in a hurry. She said it was the only item left from her maternal grandparents' family.
At that time, Jiang Ruyi coveted her jade very much and tried to snatch it many times.
Jiang Qingning stretched out his hand, his fingertips trembling slightly without him even noticing, and with extremely gentle movements, he brushed across the cool and smooth hairpin, finally stopping on the small piece of white jade.
The unique warm touch of jade came from under my fingertips, strangely overlapping with the temperature of my mother's fingertips in my memory.
The candle had been quietly lit by the maid at some point.
The dancing flames cast flickering light and shadows in her bottomless eyes.
She stared at the hairpin, and the corners of her lips slowly curled up.
The smile was extremely beautiful, yet it was completely cold, chilling enough to chill one's bones.
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