"A reckless man is a reckless man. He must have lost his mind from all that chopping and slashing on the battlefield!" Jiang Songyi sneered at the man's flushed face. "Who among the officials in the court didn't rely on their ancestors' influence? Do you really think you're some self-made hero from a storybook?"
Every word of these words stung Jiang Yihuan's heart, yet he couldn't refute them. He was well aware that his position as the legitimate son of the Marquisate was largely due to his position as commander of the Black Tiger Cavalry. Now, exposed in public by Jiang Songyi, he was so ashamed and angry that he blurted out, "It's better than someone like you..."
"Jiang Yihuan!" Xu slammed her Buddhist beads onto the table, cracking the sandalwood. The woman's usually gentle features took on a frosty expression. "Songyi's title was bestowed personally by the Emperor. If you have any objections, submit a petition to the Ministry of Public Security tomorrow!"
These words shuddered everyone in the hall into silence. Jiang Songyi lowered her eyes to hide her sarcasm—her good brother had probably forgotten why their father had requested a title for him. At seven, he'd saved the Crown Prince from falling from his horse; at twelve, he'd deciphered Prince Duan's secret letter plotting rebellion. Which of these achievements wasn't more significant than the few barbarians he'd slaughtered at the border?
"This humble general... greets the County Lady." Jiang Yihuan grumbled, his knuckles crackling as he clasped his fists. He stared at the golden lotus embroidery on Jiang Songyi's skirt, and suddenly remembered how Yuyao had wanted a pair of red coral earrings for her birthday last year, but was rejected by the Xu family as "exceeding the regulations." The imperial gifts this person possessed were enough to buy ten pairs of coral pendants.
Jiang Songyi accepted the greeting but didn't stop. She circled around Jiang Yihuan twice and suddenly laughed, "General Jiang, your etiquette is perfunctory. I'll ask the palace maid to teach you someday." She deliberately dragged out her words, "After all, in our mansion... we value rules, don't we?"
The last half of his sentence was clearly a parody of the tone he'd used to scold the servants yesterday. Jiang Yihan was about to explode when he saw the housekeeper rushing over: "Master, Miss Xue's carriage has arrived at the corner gate!"
The announcement was like a bucket of cold water, bringing Jiang Yihuan back to his senses. He cast a deep glance at Jiang Songyi, then turned to Madam Xu and bowed, "Mother, please arrange for Miss Xue to temporarily reside in Weiyang Garden. Once Yuyao returns home, I will find another place to live."
Xu fiddled with her broken Buddhist beads, her tone colder than the ice mirror in the corridor: "Since Weiyang Garden has been given to Miss Xue, there is no reason to change your mind every day. If Yuyao wants to come back..." She raised her eyes to look at the pomegranate tree in full bloom in the courtyard, "There is still a vacant side room in the west wing."
Jiang Songyi chuckled and gracefully departed under Jiang Yihuan's murderous gaze. As her crimson skirt brushed the threshold, she deliberately uttered her innermost thoughts loudly: "Oh my! My dear sister is staying in the side room, while my savior is staying in the main courtyard. Our young General Jiang truly is... a man of great loyalty and righteousness."
The autumn breeze tinkled the bronze bells in the corridor as Jiang Dinglian approached, stepping on a carpet of osmanthus petals that looked like golden fragments. A few dead leaves clung to the hem of his dark official robe, but a smile spread across his eyes when he heard the crisp, resonant "Dad."
"Father." Jiang Yihan saluted with his fists clasped, and a glimpse of the new coral bracelet on Jiang Songyi's wrist - it was a precious tribute from Nanzhao last month.
Jiang Dinglian slowly twirled the jade ring on his thumb: "As a gift to your sister."
"What?" Jiang Yihuan looked up suddenly, the silver hairpin clattering against the porch pillar. He stared at his father in disbelief, only to see him pointing at the jade pendant at Jiang Songyi's waist—a five-clawed coiled dragon pattern gleaming blood-red in the sunlight.
Jiang Songyi tilted her head and chuckled softly, her pomegranate-red skirt brushing the mossy stone steps. "Young General Jiang, are you going to disobey the Emperor's order?" She deliberately jingled the imperial jade pendant. [Are you foolish? I'm the Princess of Jiaqing County, personally appointed by the Emperor.]
Jiang Dinglian pressed his fist to his lips and coughed softly, hiding the curve of his mouth. Jiang Yihuan stared at the sword at his father's waist—it was the Seven Star Dragon Abyss, passed down from his grandfather. The sword tassel swayed slightly with its owner's good mood.
"Greetings, County Lady." The young general uttered a few words through gritted teeth, his armor clattering as he bent down. Jiang Songyi counted the ants crawling across three bricks before lazily raising his hand. "No need for formalities."
[It would be better if I could bend my waist lower. It would be best if I fell flat on my face.]
Jiang Dinglian suddenly coughed violently, and Jiang Yihuan's forehead veins throbbed as he stood up. Why would father be so partial to this girl today? Could it be...
"My Lord!" Bai Linxi ran from the moonlit gate, her skirt in hand. Her golden hairpin was entangled with Xue Xin's plain headband. She angrily yanked at her hairpin and said, "This woman insisted on living in Sister Songyi's Langhua Garden!"
Xue Xin timidly grasped the corner of Jiang Yihuan's sleeve, the exposed half of her wrist wrapped in blood-soaked gauze. "I was just thinking." She suddenly coughed violently and fell into Jiang Yihuan's arms. "Cough cough. The root of the disease in the northern border."
Jiang Songyi suddenly smelled a faintly sweet, fishy smell, the uniquely rancid odor of the Miao blood Gu. Memories of her past life flooded back like a tide—in the pitch-black dungeon, Xue Xin raised a silver knife and slashed her wrist. "Sister, just three more days of nurturing the Gu and it will mature."
“I promise.”
The entire courtyard was silent. Jiang Yihuan's hand, holding Xue Xin's, froze in mid-air. Bai Linxi's golden hairpin fell to the ground with a clatter. Jiang Songyi stroked the coral beads on her wrist, her eyes curved with a smile. "Miss Xue is so pitiful, I naturally have to take care of her myself."
A flash of surprise flashed across Xue Xin's eyes, and then he lowered his eyes and wiped his tears: "Thank you, County Master."
"No!" Jiang Yihan suddenly raised his voice, "Yuyao was that at the beginning." He stopped talking abruptly, but saw Jiang Songyi had already approached Xue Xin, and stroked the other's pale cheek with his slender fingertips.
"What a beautiful face." Jiang Songyi's fingertips lingered behind Xue Xin's ear. "I heard that women in the Miao area use poisonous insects to maintain their beauty. Miss Xue is so beautiful." She suddenly pinched the slender neck hard. "Could it be that she also raises something shameful?"
"Jiang Songyi!" Jiang Yihuan rushed to stop him, but the girl spun around and dodged. Xue Xin slumped to the ground, panting heavily, her cinnabar butterfly birthmark faintly visible at the open collar.
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