Although her master has an otherworldly and otherworldly face, he is proficient in cooking and can make many delicacies that are not available in the Western Wei Dynasty.
Rouge rice is indeed delicious, but the emperor was too stingy, giving only so little. I even had to come to my grandmother's house for meals to taste this delicacy. I remember the days when I lived with my master in the mountains. The hybrid rouge rice he cultivated in his experimental fields was enough for us to enjoy for half a year during each harvest season. Those were truly a paradise-like time.
Madam Jiang almost dropped the bowl from her hand.
Rouge rice can only be grown in the royal fields and is extremely precious. Where did Jiang Songyi's master come from? How could he be able to cultivate rouge rice, and it sounds like the harvest is so abundant that it is enough for daily supply?
At this moment, Bi Yue, the maidservant beside the old lady, lifted the curtain and walked in.
"Madam, the doorman reported that the Duke of Huguo's mansion sent someone to visit my aunt."
When Jiang Shu heard the name of the Duke of Huguo's Mansion, she felt a little irritated. "If you don't see me, just say that I have a lot of dreams during pregnancy and I am content with life in the Marquis' Mansion. Tell the Duke to stop patrolling the gate every day and go take good care of his terminally ill mother."
Bi Yue quickly interrupted, "Auntie, the person who came wasn't the Duke of Protectorate himself, but a slightly older woman who claimed to be his cousin."
Jiang Shu frowned involuntarily when she heard this, "Xia Zhiyu?"
Jiang Songyi sipped her delicate rouge rice porridge, her ears never leaving the conversation between Jiang Shu and Bi Yue, secretly mocking herself: "Isn't this the cousin who's even more obsessed with love than Hao Ren? She's lived under the care of others in the Duke of Huguo's mansion for years, desperate to become Hao Ren's concubine. However, because of her pockmarked face, she's never been able to win Hao Ren's favor. Instead, she's repeatedly used as a tool for him to show off his affection. If she weren't so unattractive, how could Hao Ren be so calm towards her?"
Jiang Shu's fingers involuntarily clenched the handkerchief in her hand.
Xia Zhiyu was the niece of her mother-in-law, Xia Shi. Ever since Xia Shi entered the Marquis's residence, she had repeatedly urged Hao Ren to take Xia Zhiyu as a concubine and provide her with a home. Later, when Jiang Shu gave birth to three daughters, Xia Shi, citing the lack of an heir in the Marquis's residence, urged Hao Ren to marry Xia Zhiyu as a concubine to continue the Duke's bloodline.
However, Hao Ren always refused coldly, insisting that he only treated his cousin as his own sister and had vowed to marry only Jiang Shu and never take anyone else in his life. At that time, Jiang Shu was moved by his loyalty. Whenever Xia Zhiyu's entanglement made her feel annoyed, she would think of Hao Ren's loyalty and endure it.
However, behind Hao Ren's sweet words, he was secretly having an affair with another woman and even had two children. All of this made Jiang Shu feel disappointed and angry.
As Song Yi said, he rejected his cousin's proposal not because of her personal reasons, but because her appearance was plain and unattractive, and the one who really moved him was the beautiful woman named Liao. As for her, she was just an excuse for him to shirk his responsibility.
However, she bore the notoriety of jealousy and arrogance many times because of this, helped him create a beautiful image of loyal love, and even became a shield for his true love Liao!
"Then I will send her away immediately."
Jiang Shu stopped Bi Yue and said softly, "Wait a moment, let her in."
Jiang Songyi, who had already eaten and drunk his fill and was planning to leave quietly, had no choice but to sit back in his original seat.
[Haha, the prosperity and bustle of the Protectorate's mansion is truly enticing! I'd love to see that infatuated cousin in person! That infatuated cousin and the infatuated Protectorate, they're a match made in heaven!]
Jiang Shu thought to herself that perhaps Jiang Songyi wasn't right, and that she really should help Hao Ren and Xia Zhiyu. For so long, she'd been playing the role of a jealous, evil woman, and now it was time to change things up and try being a virtuous and good wife.
Xia Zhiyu is a few years younger than Jiang Shu and still keeps her girlish hairstyle, but her figure is no longer that of a young girl. Instead, she is full of the grace and allure of a mature woman.
Her face was covered in thick foundation, but even so, the dark spots scattered across her face were still visible. However, if you ignore these blemishes, her facial features are still quite good.
Xia Zhiyu behaved elegantly and greeted the old lady generously, then walked intimately to Jiang Shu and gently took her arm.
"Why did Sister Shu stay at her parents' home for so long? Mother was seriously ill, and you took Qingzhi and the others back to her parents' home. The Duke of Protector's Mansion lost its backbone, and my cousin had no choice but to temporarily hand over the housekeeping power to me. But after all, I am not the main wife of the Duke of Protector's Mansion, and it seems a bit unreasonable for me to manage the affairs of the mansion." Xia Zhiyu deliberately revealed a helpless expression, implying that in front of the mistress Jiang Shu, she had obtained the housekeeping power that was originally only possessed by the mistress.
In the past, Jiang Shu would certainly not be able to suppress her inner indignation. Once provoked, she would be furious and return to the Duke of Huguo's Mansion angrily to take back the housekeeper power that should have belonged to her.
But now, she was avoiding the Duke of Protectorate Mansion, which made her feel disgusted and disgusted!
Jiang Shu gently patted the back of Xia Zhiyu's hand and said gently, "Then please, Sister Zhiyu, take care of the many trivial matters in the mansion on my behalf."
Xia Zhiyu had been prepared, expecting Jiang Shu to angrily push her away and curse at her. However, Jiang Shu's attitude was unexpectedly so kind that she couldn't help but get goose bumps on her arms.
What happened to Jiang Shu? Did she take the wrong medicine?
Xia Zhiyu slowly withdrew her hand, gently covering her lips with a handkerchief, and let out a light laugh. "I'm glad Sister Shu doesn't blame me for overstepping my authority. However, I can still manage the disputes in the Duke's Mansion, but I can't interfere in my cousin's affairs. That night, my cousin had a frightening dream, and I went to take care of him with medicine. He actually mistook me for his sister and hugged me tightly, not letting go of my sleeve until daybreak."
As Xia Zhiyu spoke, a blush appeared on her face and her eyes revealed a look that was both shy and provocative.
Seeing this, Madam Jiang couldn't help but frown.
If it were in the past, with Jiang Shu's hot temper, she would have slapped Xia Zhiyu without hesitation and scolded her for being shameless.
But at this moment, although Jiang Shu still thought that Xia Zhiyu was shameless, the anger in her heart was not as strong as before.
Jiang Songyi watched from the side and shook her head repeatedly.
Hao Ren has never truly touched Xia Zhiyu, and he doesn't know what she has to boast about. In my opinion, if she truly wants to be Hao Ren's wife, she should boldly take the initiative, force Hao Ren to take responsibility.
Old Madam Jiang and Jiang Shu suddenly felt that Xia Zhiyu seemed to still retain a last bit of shame.
Jiang Shu sighed deeply: "Sister Zhiyu, you are my mother-in-law's niece after all. Even though the Xia family has declined and you are living alone in the Duke's Mansion, you shouldn't belittle yourself and follow the Duke without any status."
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