Chapter 247 Divorce is impossible
Shenmiaojun moved out of the Jiang family home that night, intending to keep it a secret, so few people knew about her divorce from Jiang Lihui. This made Jiang Hongsheng feel much better, but at the same time, he felt regretful again that such a good daughter-in-law had left him.
The affair between Su Yuezhen, Jiang Lihui, and Cao Xin caused quite a stir in the capital, and the funeral of the old Duke of Chu was over. However, Jiang Yu hadn't expected that Qi Yuanhong's mother would kneel at the gate of the mansion, weeping and begging to see her.
Because Su Yuezhen was in the eye of the storm, Jiang Yu did not want the Duke of Chu's mansion to be involved, so she had someone bring her to the hall.
Two years had passed, and Qi Yuanhong's mother had changed a lot. In her forties or fifties, her hair was almost completely white, and she had many more wrinkles on her face. Clearly, she had not been doing well these past two years.
When Qi Yuanhong's mother, Madam He, saw Jiang Yu, she was also taken aback. The current Jiang Yu was so different from the one she remembered. The current Jiang Yu was indifferent and dignified. Just by sitting there and looking at him calmly, he felt a great pressure.
"You've come to see the Duke, why aren't you kneeling down?"
Xia He's voice rang out, and Madam He was stunned for a moment before kneeling down and beginning to sob. She talked about how good the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was before Jiang Yu divorced Qi Yuanhong, how much she missed Jiang Yu, and how Qi Yuanhong was bewitched by Su Yuezhen. She also said that Qi Yuanhong's choice was forced by the Qingshan Marquis's family, and so on.
Jiang Yu became impatient after listening for a while and said, "Just say what you have to say."
Madam He wiped away her tears, knelt on the ground, and looked up at Jiang Yu, saying, "A day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. I really had no other choice but to come to you for help. Su Yuezhen did such a shameful thing, and we didn't divorce her, we only asked for a divorce, which is already more than enough. But that Uncle Qingshan said that Su Yuezhen is one of our family now that she married into our family. Even if she is shameful, she is only shameful to the Qi family. He also said that a divorce is impossible, and even if my Yuan Hong dies, Su Yuezhen will still be a member of the Qi family."
"Jiang Yu, I beg you, you are now the Duke of Chu, please persuade the Earl of Qingshan to agree to Yuan Hong and Su Yuezhen's divorce. We truly cannot bear this shame any longer."
She kowtowed repeatedly, and Jiang Yu said impatiently, "This is a matter between you and the Qingshan Marquis's Mansion, I can't interfere, you can leave. Don't even think about kneeling at the gate of my Chu State Duke's Mansion and forcing me to agree. You can find out what happens to the people who displease me."
Madam He flinched. She had heard about Jiang Yu carrying the blood-soaked Marquis of Qingshan to the palace. That's why she thought Jiang Yu wasn't afraid of the Marquis of Qingshan's family, which was why she came to beg Jiang Yu. Now it seemed that Jiang Yu still hated Qi Yuanhong.
Jiang Yu ignored what He Shi thought and strode out. He Shi knelt on the ground, unsure of what to do next. Xia He felt a mixture of pleasure and disgust at the sight of her.
She looked at Madam He and said, "You should leave now. The Duke's mansion is not a place for someone like you."
Madam He turned to look at Xia He. This girl used to be so respectful to her, but now she spoke to her in a domineering manner. She was displeased but there was nothing she could do. Xia He was the personal maid of the Duke of Chu. Not to mention a peasant woman like herself, even some low-ranking officials had to curry favor with her.
He felt resentment again, resenting Qi Yuanhong for abandoning Jiang Yu and marrying that harlot Su Yuezhen.
She stood up and staggered out of the mansion. After leaving, she looked back at the majestic gate of the Duke of Chu's mansion. If she weren't... she would be the Duke of Chu's mother-in-law, and how glamorous her life would be.
......
Xia He watched He Shi leave before returning to report to Jiang Yu. Her voice was filled with satisfaction and catharsis as she reported, and Jiang Yu smiled slightly upon hearing it. Before, she had felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that Qi Yuanhong's family was suffering. But now, so much time had passed, and Qi Yuanhong's family was long gone; their well-being was no longer her concern.
What she's thinking now is that someone may have already petitioned the emperor to allow her to observe the mourning period. In ancient times, when an official's parents died, the official had to temporarily resign from his post and return home to observe the mourning period, unless the official was specially favored by the emperor, who would then grant him permission not to observe the mourning period.
Although Jiang Yu is the granddaughter of the Duke of Chu, she inherited the title. It's plausible that someone would use filial piety to pressure her. The mourning period is three years, during which time she will no longer have a place in the court.
When she re-enters the court, she will have to start all over again.
She was devastated by the death of the late Duke of Chu, but she would not observe the mourning period out of so-called filial piety. After thinking for a while, she picked up a pen and wrote several letters, handing them to Dongxue and asking her to send them out. Fighting court intrigues alone was not advisable; the Duke of Chu's network of connections would be used when necessary.
Dongxue left with several letters, and Jiang Yu said to her, "Go to the Xie residence and invite Xie Ning'an over."
Whether she could avoid the mourning period ultimately depended on the emperor; she needed to prepare him for the possibility that she wouldn't be allowed to observe it. The regulations for reforming Jufeng Money Shop and the trading company were almost complete; she needed to draft them as soon as possible and submit them to the emperor. If the emperor approved them, they would be implemented. Naturally, she was responsible for implementing the regulations she had drafted.
Xie Ning'an arrived quickly. Jiang Yu received him in the old Duke of Chu's study. Without exchanging many words, she went straight to work, asking, "How do the more than thirty branches of Jufeng Trading Company usually cooperate?"
Xie Ning'an hadn't expected her to ask about work right away. But after thinking about her current situation, he immediately understood. He answered each of Jiang Yu's questions carefully, and when he encountered something he didn't know, he called over the person from the Xie family who had previously managed Jufeng Money Exchange and the trading company.
As night deepened, the study was brightly lit inside and out. Lu Yifang stood at the courtyard gate and asked Xia He, "When will this be over?"
Xia He shook her head. "I don't know."
"Even when you're busy, you still have to eat!" Lu Yifang said as she walked inside. When she entered the study, she saw Jiang Yu writing something with his head down, while asking Xie Ning'an questions. Several stewards of the Xie family stood respectfully to one side, waiting for Jiang Yu's questions.
Seeing this, Lu Yifang didn't know when to suggest that Jiang Yu eat first. After standing there for some time, Jiang Yu looked up and saw her, quickly standing up and asking, "What brings you here?"
"It's well past dinner time. Let's eat first and then get back to work," Lu Yifang said.
Hearing her say that, Jiang Yu realized that she was also hungry, so she said, "Have someone bring the food to the study."
This meant they would eat in the study. Lu Yifang felt sorry for her being so busy, but said nothing and immediately went to make the arrangements. After eating a simple meal, Jiang Yu continued working until 4:45 AM.
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