The marriage back then? Wrongly blamed?
Jiang Yushu smiled faintly, instantly recalling the despair and despair she had endured before Miss Jiang's suicide. Fury seethed in her, a smile barely visible above the corners of her mouth and eyebrows. Her eyes were indifferent as she asked slowly, "Sister, I don't understand what you're saying. Why are you bringing up 'our marriage' when we were just chatting? How have I wrongly accused you?"
"well."
Jiang Yushan sighed, her sobs pausing as she bit her lip. She spoke with a touch of regret, "Sister and Cousin Pei were childhood sweethearts, deeply in love. But when you were about to get married, something unexpected happened... Marriage has always been the decision of parents, and children can only obey. So, you and Cousin Pei were torn apart, and you married Mr. Guo, the Second Young Master, instead."
Jiang Yushu nodded, "Yes, that's indeed the case."
"When the incident happened, I immediately panicked. Just as I was about to ask for information, my parents forbade me to say a word and sent me to my grandmother's house that night." Jiang Yushan sobbed, observing the other party's expression as she cried, and confided, "In the end, I never expected that the Jingyang Marquis's Mansion would suddenly cancel the engagement, and the second young master would hastily marry my sister! During that time, I kept wanting to go home to inquire, but I was so anxious that I fell ill. My aunt and others tried to dissuade me, so I couldn't send my sister off to marry—"
Jiang Yushu's patience gradually wore thin. She waved her hand generously and interrupted, "Oh, so it's about this? It's an old story. I let it go long ago and didn't take it to heart at all. It's not worth my sister's tears!"
"You, you don't mind?" Jiang Yushan opened her eyes wide and looked at her stepmother and sister suspiciously, not believing it at all.
"What's the big deal?"
Jiang Yushu came prepared and at her ease, saying, "Girls should get married when they grow up. It's the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. I obeyed and got married because I believed the elders' arrangements were for the good of the child. Why would I mind?"
"Then, what about Cousin Pei?"
Jiang Yushan's eyes were filled with tears. She acted cautiously and spoke vaguely, "Alas, my father has always admired my cousin. After my sister and him didn't get along, he considered me instead. Unfortunately, my cousin and I are not compatible, so it didn't work out either. I heard that my cousin still hasn't married. I guess he's still thinking about my sister."
"Sister, you're wrong! My cousin has lofty ambitions and is completely focused on his official duties. He's definitely not someone obsessed with romance."
Little girl, no matter what you want to instigate, you've found the wrong person! Jiang Yushu has always had only pity and helplessness towards Pei Wenfeng and Miss Jiang, without any other thoughts. She asked seriously: "Besides, as you just said, marriage is a matter of parents' decision. My cousin's marriage is already arranged by his elders. As an official appointed by the court and a young talent, why should he worry about not being able to marry a virtuous wife?"
Jiang Yushan choked and couldn't refute it. "Well, that's true."
Jiang Yushu stood in front of the couch, her eyes fixed on him. She said gently, "Sister, don't worry about your cousin. Focus on your own wedding first. I heard from my father that you will be marrying into the Dongqin Marquis's mansion. We are so far away from home, and I'm afraid your brother-in-law and I won't be able to return to the capital for the wedding. I would like to congratulate you and your husband on your happy marriage. I wish you a happy marriage and a long life together."
"you--"
Jiang Yushan's face turned pale instantly, as if she had suffered a great humiliation. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. She gasped for breath, and her pale face quickly turned red, then ashen. She gritted her teeth and denied, "That marriage is no longer possible! Sister, please don't mention it again."
"Oh?" Jiang Yushu raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "Whether it succeeds or not is not up to you as my sister. Ultimately, it depends on what our parents think. Just like what happened to me back then, marriage is such a big deal that I can't make the decision on my own."
"In short, in short, it's impossible, absolutely impossible!" Jiang Yushan was extremely worried and hated Xia Zhenyun. She regretted her decision and raised her head, sobbing, "Please, sister, please be magnanimous and help me because I came thousands of miles to visit you. Please persuade father not to force me to marry someone with the surname Xia."
Jiang Yushu felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this. She instinctively crossed her arms, thinking to herself: Back then, Xu Shi wasn't sure when the Guo family would fall on hard times, and fearing her daughter would be implicated, she desperately wanted to break off the engagement. Mother and daughter conspired to frame Miss Jiang, tricking her into drinking drugged tea, thus completely ruining her reputation. Then, the younger sister flinched, feigning illness, allowing her parents to force her sister into a marriage that would lead to her downfall.
Humph, you were so selfish and cruel back then, and now you have the nerve to ask "Sister" for help? Jiang Yushu took a deep breath, and to avoid provoking her to desperate measures, she comforted her, "What are you afraid of? Parents always love their children. Since you are so unhappy and even ran away from home out of sadness, I think your parents won't force you anymore."
"Really?" Jiang Yushan was anxious. "But you should understand my father's temper. He never paid any attention to my pleas."
Jiang Yushu smiled and said, "Your mother will persuade him."
In her melancholy, Jiang Yushan didn't notice the words "your mother." Furious, she angrily said, "Don't even mention it! Humph, this marriage was arranged by my mother. She's really lost her mind!"
Jiang Yushu treated the other person as a stranger, and was neither anxious nor worried. "You ran away from home, and she must be the person in the world who is most worried about you. After this incident, I guess the Dongqin Marquis's Mansion will not be happy. When the time comes, the two families can discuss it and there will always be a solution." After she finished speaking, she yawned without waiting for the other party to answer, and said tiredly:
"I've been busy all day and I'm so tired. My mother-in-law is having her sixteenth birthday, and I have to get up early tomorrow to prepare the banquet. I'm so sleepy. Let's talk about this another day when we're free."
Jiang Yushan hesitated to speak, wanting to say more, but all the words were stuck in her throat. Feeling irritable and irritable, she replied listlessly, "Okay, sister, go and rest quickly. Be careful not to tire yourself out."
After just a cup of tea and a brief confrontation, Jiang Yushu left. As she returned to her room, she thought: I just hope the imperial envoy can finish inspecting Yongzhou as soon as possible so that he can take away the trouble as soon as possible. She can't hide her thoughts anymore, and they will be exposed sooner or later.
It is a shameful thing for a sister-in-law to love her brother-in-law. No matter how magnanimous I am, I cannot tolerate such a sister with evil intentions!
The ambassador of Xipingcang is still in the provincial capital, focusing on supervising the construction of the granary, while the special envoy and the deputy envoy are temporarily staying here to make plans because potatoes are currently in abundance in Heqin.
Therefore, Jiang Yushu was able to stay at home, take care of housework when she was free, and go to the government office to handle official business when she was busy.
July 15th, evening
The sun sets in the west and the wind grows cooler.
Jiang Yushu's waist ached from sitting for so long. She put down her pen, pounded her lower back, and slowly twisted her neck. Then she picked up the document, blew on the ink, and said cautiously, "The military storage warehouse is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Revenue. Of the two imperial envoys sent by the court this time, one of them, Lord Shen, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, may also come and inspect us. To prepare for a rainy day, I'll write a report on my work. Here, let me show you."
Zou Gui hurriedly took it and trotted to Wei Xu.
"Let me see." Wei Xu looked carefully.
Cuimei began to pack up and prepare to return home. Jiang Yushu stretched and reminded her, "You should also write a copy, just in case. This will let Lord Shen know what we have done after taking office."
"Okay." In fact, Wei Xu had already written it. Without even looking up, he jokingly said, "There's no need to be nervous. The other imperial envoy is your father. Even if we make a small mistake, Elder Jiang will definitely help smooth things over."
Jiang Yushu knew her father's personality well. She laughed and shook her head, then said righteously, "What? When it comes to official business, my father always sides with what's right, not with relatives! If something goes wrong, you'll get one scolding, but I'll get two. After Lord Shen's scolding, my father will most likely follow suit."
"Hahaha~" Wei Xu laughed, "So, Minister Jiang is also so strict with his daughter?"
Jiang Yushu finished her warm tea and replied casually, "A strict father and a kind mother; without strictness, there can be no talent. If Lord Shen decides to conduct an investigation, you must be very careful and try not to make any mistakes, lest the news get back to the capital and you get scolded by your father."
Suddenly talking about his father, Wei Xu's face changed, disgust flashed in his eyes, he moved uncomfortably and changed his sitting position.
Jiang Yushu stood up and glanced at the other person. She inadvertently noticed that the other person's expression was different. She was stunned for a moment and her mind turned quietly: Judging from his expression, it seems that he is unwilling to talk about his father?
No one spoke for a moment, and there was an inexplicable awkwardness.
The next moment, Shitou, the Wei family's servant, rushed in, holding a few letters and happily reported: "Sir, there are letters from the capital! Oh, Master Jiang, you have some too. These are yours."
Zou Gui took it and handed it to Cui Mei, who then presented it to him. Jiang Yu Shu glanced at it and sighed, "Sent it nearly two months ago? That's too slow."
"We are too far apart. It's good enough that the letters can be delivered. If there is something urgent, I won't be able to make it in time." Wei Xu lowered his head, frowned and examined it, quietly crumpled up the letter in his father's handwriting, and threw it into the drawer, out of sight and out of mind.
Jiang Yushu ordered the letter to be put away, suppressed her doubts, and said with a smile, "It's getting late, I should go home. Tomorrow is my mother-in-law's birthday, and I respectfully invite Lord Wei to come and visit!"
"Sure!" Wei Xu acted calm and polite.
After the two sides said goodbye, Jiang Yushu and her two servants walked briskly out of the yamen and saw Guo Honglei riding his horse to the carriage parked under the shade of a tree.
Zou Gui trotted out, "Young Master!"
Cuimei smiled and said, "The master is here to pick you up."
Jiang Yushu smiled happily, thinking that her husband had come to pick her up specially. But when she got closer, she heard him say:
"The imperial envoy has arrived and has entered the city. Come with me to greet him!"
Jiang Yushu was stunned for a moment, "Huh?" Then she came to her senses, "I guess he'll arrive in the next two days. Let's go, let's welcome father together."
"No rush."
"There's something I need to tell you first." Guo Honglei dismounted and briefly explained, "After you left this morning, I escorted my sister-in-law and the others to a temple in the suburbs to pay homage. On our way back to the city, I met the imperial envoy—actually, I met not only my father-in-law, but also my mother-in-law, Mingcheng, and Young Master Xia."
"What?"
Hearing the three unexpected guests, Jiang Yushu tilted her head in confusion and asked in shock, "Mother-in-law? Mingcheng? Who is Mr. Xia?"
"The fifth son of the Dongqin Marquis's mansion, Xia Zhenyun, was mentioned in my father-in-law's letter. He is about to marry Yushan." Guo Honglei was also confused. "We were in a hurry just now, so it was not convenient to talk on the way. We can discuss the details after we are settled."
Jiang Yushu couldn't come back to her senses for a long time, "Okay, okay."
Guo Honglei urged, "I just sent my sister-in-law and the others home. Now I'm rushing to greet my father-in-law and settle my mother-in-law. Let's go."
"Wait a minute!" Jiang Yushu calmed herself down and quickly grabbed him. "The local government is responsible for receiving the imperial envoys. We don't need to worry about 'settling' them."
Guo Honglei shook his head and whispered, "This is what my father-in-law meant. The reason is hard to explain, but in short, my mother-in-law and her family shouldn't stay in the back hall or stay at the inn. It's more reasonable for them to stay at our house as a family visit."
The author has something to say: Jiang Yushu: Lively, this is simply too lively! [stunned]
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