Chapter 37: Nominal Uncle
The sky was clear on the day I returned to Beijing.
The housekeeper had brought people to wait at the ferry early in the morning and saw Jiang Lan and Qi Wuhan get off the boat together.
After the two stood together and talked for a few words, Jiang Lan bowed to him and thanked him. Qi Wuhan then sent her to the carriage, and then he also got on a low-key carriage and entered the city with her.
After entering the city, the two walked together for a while, and then separated at an intersection. Qi Wuhan's carriage went towards the palace, and Jiang Lan's carriage went towards the Shangshu Mansion.
On the way, Jiang Lan learned from the housekeeper that her stepmother's brother, Master Zhang, who could be considered her uncle in name only, had set off early with his family and would arrive in the capital in two days.
Before she went to Sangcheng, Zhang received a letter from her brother, saying that he was going back to Beijing to take up his post. Jiang Cheng planned to let his brother-in-law and his family stay in the mansion temporarily and move there after the house in Beijing was tidied up.
Jiang Lan didn't know about this, and Zhang deliberately kept it from her, fearing that if she knew about it in advance, something unexpected would happen and she would fail just like last time.
After returning to the mansion, Jiang Cheng and Zhang came out to greet her. This time Jiang Rui was also there, and he called her "Second Sister" in a flattering manner, which was completely different from his usual perverse attitude of "pretending not to see anything" towards her. Jiang Lan even suspected that he had mistaken her for Jiang Yao.
Zhang also asked her about her well-being and acted very caring, but in fact, she felt very angry when she saw her rosy complexion.
Ever since Jiang Lan went to Sangcheng, Zhang prayed day and night in her heart that the brother and sister would be reincarnated as soon as possible. As a result, not only did they come back safely, but they also looked much better, not at all like the sickly and short-lived ghosts they had before. She didn't know what they ate in Sangcheng to get better. If she had known this, she would not have let Jiang Lan go.
It was too late for Zhang to regret at this time. She immediately cheered up. Her brother and his family would arrive in two days. She must facilitate the marriage between Jiang Lan and her nephew, so that Jiang Lan would be controlled by her sister-in-law for the rest of her life and would never have a chance to make a breakthrough.
......
After entering the palace, Qi Wuhan reported to the emperor everything that happened in Zhangzhou, including the incident where the old tutor was almost kidnapped.
After listening to him, the emperor asked him whether the mastermind behind the attack on the academy was the rebels of the Black Lotus Sect or someone else.
Qi Wuhan bluntly said, "Your Majesty, the princes have grown up and are becoming more mature. It's hard to guarantee that they won't have other thoughts."
Upon hearing this, His Majesty's expression darkened, and his face was filled with rage. After a long silence, he said, "Retreat."
Qi Wuhan then took his leave.
On the way out of the palace, he happened to meet the two princes, Prince Rui and Prince An. He did not go up to them to greet them, but bowed to them and left.
"I wonder what the emperor will reward him this time?" The person who spoke had a gentle and clear voice, and his face looked younger and more handsome. He was the emperor's sixth son, His Royal Highness Prince An.
"He's just a dog raised by my father." The person who spoke sneered and stared at Qi Wuhan's back with a sinister look as he walked away. It was the emperor's third son, His Royal Highness Prince Rui.
It was not until Qi Wuhan's back disappeared around the corner that Prince Rui withdrew his gaze and left with Prince An.
…
In the evening, Jiang Lan asked Qing'er about Master Zhang's family.
Before, she only knew that her stepmother's brother was an official in a foreign country, that there were two sons in the family, and that she didn't know how many daughters there were. She didn't know anything else about the rest.
Now, she learned from Qing'er that Master Zhang used to be an official in Xuzhou, and his wife was the eldest daughter of the local famous family Du. His two sons were both born to Mrs. Du, and he had four or five daughters, all born to concubines.
As for how many concubines he had, Qing'er was not very clear.
The eldest son is Zhang Kui, who got married two years ago. The youngest son is Zhang Hua, who is also of marriageable age.
Qing'er also told Jiang Lan that she had heard Zhang mention the eldest sister-in-law, Mrs. Du, before. She was a powerful figure with extraordinary means. She controlled all the concubines in the mansion and also had a firm grip on her daughters-in-law. She always set rules for the eldest daughter-in-law. The two sons were soft-hearted and had no opinions of their own. They listened to their mother, Mrs. Du, in everything. It was conceivable how depressed the new bride would be if she married into the family.
Zhang was still making a wishful calculation, thinking that Jiang Lan knew nothing. When the time came and they lived under the same roof, she would let Zhang Hua behave well in front of Jiang Lan and try to win her over first. Then, the marriage would be a done deal, and she wouldn't have to worry about the marriage failing.
Little did he know that Qing'er had already told Jiang Lan everything.
Jiang Lan also probably knew what her stepmother was planning.
After breakfast the next day, Jiang Lan brought Qing'er and Gui'er to pay their respects to Zhang. Zhang praised her two nephews from her mother's side for being so outstanding. She especially praised her little nephew Zhang Hua to the skies, saying that he was better than the gods in heaven.
Jiang Lan also nodded in agreement, but let it go in one ear and out the other.
Zhang was still convinced that Jiang Lan had listened to her, and she thought she would get twice the result with half the effort, and that it would be easier for her nephew to be coaxed into doing it.
On the way back, Jiang Rui suddenly jumped out from behind a rock, scaring the master and his servant.
Seeing that it was Jiang Rui, and he was smiling at her ingratiatingly, Jiang Lan felt that his temperament was becoming even more weird.
To be honest, she didn't have much affection for this younger brother. They didn't say a word to each other all year round. When they occasionally met on weekdays, Jiang Rui pretended not to see her and turned away. She had nothing to say to him. The relationship between them could be said to be more distant than that of strangers.
Yesterday, Jiang Rui, contrary to his usual behavior, called her "Second Sister" in a flattering manner. Today, he suddenly jumped out from the side of the road and smiled at her in a flattering manner. Jiang Lan always felt that he was harboring something bad in his heart...
"Second sister, I heard that it was Marquis Jin'an who sent you back?" The ingratiating smile on Jiang Rui's face became even more ingratiating.
Jiang Lan exclaimed in her heart, "Oh~", so that's how it is. He came to get close to her just for the sake of Marquis Jin'an.
"Just passing by." She replied in a normal tone.
Jiang Rui obviously didn't believe it, and begged flatteringly: "Second sister, next time you go to see the Marquis, can you take me with you?"
Jiang Lan's face darkened. "If Fourth Brother wants to see the Marquis, go see him yourself." She was about to leave when Jiang Rui grabbed her skirt, startling Qing'er and Gui'er. They told him to let go, but he acted like a rogue and said, "If Second Sister doesn't agree, I won't let you go."
"Father!" Jiang Lan shouted forward, scaring Jiang Rui so much that he immediately withdrew his hand. She quickly took Qing'er and Gui'er away.
Jiang Rui glanced around in panic and found that he had been tricked. His face turned extremely gloomy in an instant. He stared at the direction where Jiang Lan left, his eyes as cold as a poisonous snake.
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