Jiang Shu understood: "Your Highness is saying!"
"In my opinion, Weixing and Yuyan are a perfect match." Princess Linchuan ran her finger over the marriage certificate. "Tomorrow we'll ask the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to match their horoscopes."
Mrs. Peng slumped in her armchair. She had planned everything to find a good match for her stepdaughter, only to be outmaneuvered. If Peng Yuyan really married into the Mei family, what would become of Peng Xuanyue's future marriage?
"I don't want it!" Peng Yuyan suddenly screamed, "This engagement is invalid!"
"It's not up to you!" Princess Linchuan slammed the table. "Do you think the Princess's Mansion is a market?" She glanced at the trembling Madam Peng. "Minister Peng is not a good parent. I will definitely report him!"
Dusk drifted over the eaves of the flower hall. Jiang Songyi, holding the lacquer box, got into the carriage. Jiang Shu gently stroked her head: "Do you understand?"
"I understand." Jiang Songyi played with the Dongzhu Yingluo. "Love is vain. Profit is the root."
Outside the carriage curtain, Mei Weixing was being dragged aboard by Hu. The young man looked back at the moon, his infatuation captured Jiang Songyi's gaze—resembling the Marquis of Yongding, who had been obsessed with Jiang Yuyao in his previous life and ultimately had his entire family executed.
The clatter of horse hooves faded into the distance, and a figure quietly emerged from the corner gate of the Princess's residence. The man in black looked in the direction of the carriage, the silver bell on his waist matching the one on Jiang Songyi's wrist. "Little fox, we'll see you soon."
The candlesticks flickered, and Jiang Yuyao stared at the gilded lacquer box in Jiang Qinghe's arms. The jadeite headpiece Princess Linchuan had gifted her shone in the candlelight, fueling the jealousy in her eyes. Why were Jiang Songyi and her daughter rewarded, while she, a respectable young lady from the Yongding Marquisate, was forgotten?
“Bang!”
The sudden slap in the face startled the entire room into silence. Jiang Yuyao stumbled, knocking over a blue and white porcelain vase, the broken pieces ripping the hem of her crimson skirt. Her left cheek burned with pain, and she looked up to meet Hu's distorted face. "You vile creature!"
Mei Weixing strode forward, his black robe sweeping across the mess on the ground. "Mother!" He protected Jiang Yuyao behind him. "If you want to hit me, hit me!"
Jiang Yuyao's ears buzzed, and she pinched her fingertips into her palms to suppress the urge to fight back. Liao Xianxian snickered from behind the pillars. She caught a glimpse of the slave's gloating expression and wished she could tear her mouth apart immediately.
Princess Linchuan slowly blew away the tea foam: "Mrs. Hu is so angry."
"Your Highness, please forgive me for making a fool of myself." Hu's gilded armor almost pierced through the brocade handkerchief. "This girl is instigating my son!"
"Madam, please be careful with your words!" Jiang Yuyao suddenly knelt down, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Yuyao only said something fair, how can it be considered instigation?" She raised her red and swollen face. "If Sister Yuyan commits suicide because her reputation is damaged, wouldn't the prince be harming her by saving her?"
Peng Yuyan's heart warmed when she heard this. She rushed forward and took Jiang Yuyao's arm. "Yuyao always thinks about me. Why is Madam Bo taking her anger out on her?" She turned and glared at Mei Weixing. "Say something!"
Mei Weixing looked at Jiang Yuyao infatuatedly, tears on his eyelashes, and blurted out: "My son wants to marry Miss Peng!"
"You!" Hu raised her hand to hit him, but was blocked by Peng Yuyan. The girl raised her chin: "If you want to hit someone, hit us, my husband and I!"
“Bang!”
The second slap landed on Peng Yuyan's face. Hu sneered, "Do you really think you're such a big shot?" She pointed at Jiang Yuyao, "If it weren't for this bitch hooking up with Wei Xing!"
"Mother!" Mei Weixing suddenly shouted, "Miss Yuyao is about to enter the Fourth Prince's residence. Please be careful with your words!"
Peng Yuyan took a half step back in shock at these words. She stared blankly at the way Mei Weixing defended Jiang Yuyao, and suddenly felt a bitter taste in her throat - it turned out that he was not protecting her, but...
Jiang Yuyao sneered, her fan covering her lips. Last night, she'd deliberately let Mei Weixing see her and the Fourth Prince admiring the moon. The fool had actually believed her story of being forced into marriage. The more he defended her now, the more his own tactics looked shrewd.
"What a loving relationship!" Princess Linchuan suddenly clapped her hands. "I want to see if the Fourth Prince finds out that the concubine has an affair with a minister!"
"Your Highness, please judge!" Jiang Yuyao kowtowed suddenly. "The subject and the prince are innocent!" She pulled Peng Yuyan's sleeve. "Yuyan can testify!"
Peng Yuyan nodded blankly, the palm print on her cheek burning with pain. She suddenly saw the word "Yu Yao" on the inside of the jade pendant on Mei Weixing's waist, and her heart suddenly tightened - the so-called token of love was just...
"That's enough!" Mrs. Hu pulled her son over and said, "Go back home!"
Mei Weixing struggled to turn around and saw Jiang Yuyao leaning against a porch pillar, wiping away tears. The dusk cast a thin veil over her, making her as beautiful as the paintings covering the walls of his study. He suddenly shook his mother off: "I have to wait for Yu!"
“Bang!”
A third slap cut his foolish words short. Hu's nails scratched blood on the side of his neck. "Are you awake?" She dragged her son out. "How dare you covet the Fourth Prince's woman!"
Peng Yuyan stood there in a daze, the jade pendant clanging and shattering to the ground. Jiang Yuyao gently waved her round fan, the magnolia leaf stained blood-red by the setting sun. "Sister, what's wrong?"
"You knew it all along!" Peng Yuyan pointed at the broken jade with a trembling hand, "You used me!"
Jiang Yuyao leaned over to pick up the fragments. "What did you say, sister?" She pressed the engraved side into Peng Yuyan's palm. "This is the token of love the prince gave you."
The sharp edges of the broken jade pierced her skin, but Peng Yuyan felt no pain at all. She looked at Jiang Yuyao's graceful back as she walked away, and suddenly burst into laughter—laughing at her own stupidity, at Mei Weixing's foolishness, and even more at the hypocrisy of the whole room.
Dusk drifted over the eaves of the Princess's Mansion. Jiang Qinghe paused outside the red gate and looked back. Jiang Shu gently stroked her daughter's head: "Can you see clearly?"
"I see clearly." Jiang Qinghe stroked the jade hairpin in the lacquer box. "My daughter, in the future, I must find someone who only has eyes and heart for me."
The evening breeze blew her plain cape across the floor, scattering the lingering fragrance of broken jade. The two characters "Yu Yao" on the jade pendant were soaked in blood, gradually blurring into a dark shadow.
Mrs. Hu was so angry that she was shaking all over. If Mei Weixing hadn't grabbed her arm, she would have slapped Peng Yuyan again: "My son saved your life with good intentions, but he saved a disaster? What other girl is as shameless as you, insisting on marrying someone even though you know he's already engaged? You are really a wild girl without a mother's education!"
Mrs. Peng's forced smile suddenly darkened, and she placed her teacup heavily on the table. "Madam Jingkang, please be careful with your words. This is the Princess's residence. Yuyan is young and speaks rashly. It is my fault as a stepmother for not being able to discipline her properly. I will give her a stern reprimand when I return home."
"Discipline?" Mrs. Hu sneered as she shook off her son's hand. "Didn't she just say she wanted to marry into the Mei family? How could I, your future mother-in-law, discipline her?"
The resolute look on Jiang Shu's face as she tore up the marriage certificate in public was still fresh in her mind. Mei Weixing and Jiang Qinghe's marriage was completely off. Although Hu Shi was filled with hatred, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and accept the marriage to the Peng family - having already offended the Jiang family, she could not make enemies with the Peng family again.
At this moment, she was deliberately venting her anger. After all, the Peng family was in the wrong. Even if she slapped the girl a few more times, as long as she agreed to the marriage, the Peng family would still have to put on a smile.
As expected, Mrs. Peng's expression softened slightly upon hearing this, and she reached out to pull Peng Yuyan behind her. Unexpectedly, Peng Yuyan shook off her stepmother's hand, covering her swollen face and hiding next to Jiang Yuyao. Both girls had bright red palm prints on their faces, making them look like sisters who had shared a common affliction.
Princess Linchuan looked at the farce coldly, picked up the green jade teacup and sipped it: "Since the marriage has been agreed upon, I will not keep you here." The gilded armor made a harsh sound as it scraped across the table, and the maids waiting in the corridor immediately lifted the curtain and came in to see the guests off.
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