Chapter 375 Wanting to Marry into Jiangnan
Although Jiang Chengye didn't care much for his illegitimate daughters, he had been tricked before and knew that people with ulterior motives would stop at nothing to exploit you. He considered his illegitimate daughters even less capable than himself, and easier to manipulate.
So, upon hearing Lu Yifang's instructions, he immediately went to do it.
...........
After returning to the courtyard, Jiang Yu went straight to the study and asked Xia He, "Why is Prince Rui nearby?"
Upon hearing this, Xia He immediately replied, "Qingyan said that Prince Rui sent him to deliver a gift to you. When Qingyan arrived near the gate of our mansion, he saw that the Crown Prince was being stopped outside, so he immediately went back to report, and then Prince Rui arrived."
As she spoke, she took out an exquisite box and handed it to Jiang Yu. Jiang Yu took it and opened it, revealing a gold-inlaid jade hairpin. The simple gold patterns inlaid on the creamy white jade gave the hairpin an elegant yet noble look.
She raised the corners of her lips, picked up the hairpin and played with it in her hand, saying, "Does he have anything to say?"
Xia He: "Qingyan said that His Highness Prince Rui said that if you need him to intervene, you should talk to him."
Jiang Yu smiled and put the hairpin aside. "Tell Steward Li to tighten the security around the mansion these days. Keep the outside loose but the inside tight. Not a word of what happened today can be spread."
"Yes." Xia He responded and hurried out. Jiang Yu then said to Dong Shuang, "Have Granny Liao go and talk to the governesses in the mansion, and have those governesses talk to the young ladies in the mansion about what would happen to them if they didn't have the support of their families."
"yes."
After Dongshuang left, Jiang Yu picked up the hairpin that Prince Rui had given him and played with it in his hand. After a while, he summoned the commander of the secret guards and said, "Investigate the Crown Prince and see if he has any more romantic affairs."
If the crown prince does the first thing, don't blame her for doing the fifteenth. It's only fair that they reciprocate.
........
Orders were passed down one after another until Jiang Yu felt that nothing had been missed, then she got up to take a bath and rest.
This night at the Duke of Chu's mansion was destined to be anything but peaceful. In the small flower hall of the second young lady Jiang Shan's courtyard in the backyard, Jiang Chengye frowned as he looked at the pale-faced Jiang Shan and asked, "Do you know anything about her?"
Jiang Shan shrank back in her chair and shook her head. Seeing her like this, Jiang Chengye frowned even more and asked, "You haven't noticed anything unusual about her before?"
Jiang Shan shrank back and shook her head again. Jiang Chengye lost his patience. "As her older sister, how do you usually discipline her?"
These words struck a nerve with Jiang Shan. She slowly looked up at Jiang Chengye, her eyes red, and asked, "Discipline? My daughter is only a year older than her. How can I discipline her? Father, have you ever disciplined her? Who have you ever disciplined?"
Jiang Chengye opened his mouth, unsure how to answer. Just as he was about to scold Jiang Shan, her voice rang out again: "Auntie only tells us that we must please Father and strive to be the best in everything so that we can marry into a good family in the future. Father, do you think Auntie is right?"
Jiang Chengye: "......."
“Of course it’s wrong. If those words were true, Jiang Ling wouldn’t have ended up like this.” Jiang Shan was in tears. “I don’t blame my mother. She didn’t teach us, but she didn’t harm us either. I only resent being born a concubine’s daughter, unable to be like the Duke.”
When Jiang Chengye heard her mention Jiang Yu, his anger flared up immediately. "You complain about being born a concubine's daughter, but why don't you complain about your own incompetence? Yan Fengju from the Yan family entered the Heavenly Crafts Bureau and is now an official. She is also a concubine's daughter."
After Yu'er inherited the title, five or six tutors were added to the household, some teaching arithmetic, others the Four Books and Five Classics. In the entire capital, which household has more tutors for girls than ours?
"Then what brings Father here to his daughter?" Jiang Shan roared at Jiang Chengye. "Tell your daughter not to seek revenge? Father, rest assured, even if I did have the ability, I know that it wasn't the Duke who killed Jiang Ling, but her own stupidity."
“You…you know that’s enough.” Jiang Chengye said, pointing a trembling finger at Jiang Ling, and then took a step to leave. Jiang Ling’s voice sounded behind him, “Please ask Father to tell Mother and the Duke that I wish to marry into a family in Jiangnan and leave the capital.”
Jiang Chengye looked back at her for a moment and said, "Okay."
He strode away, and Jiang Ling frantically wiped away her tears, but they wouldn't stop. Just then, her maidservant said, "Miss, why did you tell Master you were going to marry someone from Jiangnan? That's so far from the capital! What if you're bullied?"
“My mother and the Duke are worried about me staying in the capital.” Jiang Ling gave a bitter smile. “They’re overthinking it. I really won’t avenge Jiang Ling.”
The maid let out a long sigh...
.........
The lights were on in Jiang Jiamu's courtyard. Wu Zhengyan helped Jiang Jiamu lie down, but her hands were trembling. Jiang Jiamu took her hand and asked, "Were you frightened?"
Wu Zhengyan shook her head and then nodded, "I know my younger sister did the right thing, but I'm still scared."
Jiang Jiamu patted her shoulder and said, "My younger sister is a woman who inherited a title and is now a close minister to the emperor. If she had been a little softer, she would have been dead long ago, and the Duke of Chu's mansion would have been completely divided up."
"I know." Wu Zhengyan smiled, indicating that she was alright.
“My mother is kind-hearted and easily swayed,” Jiang Jiamu added. “When you assist your mother in managing the household, you must not be as soft-hearted as she is.”
"I...I understand." Wu Zhengyan knew she wasn't much better off than her mother-in-law, and her face flushed slightly. "My younger sister has really had a tough time."
Jiang Jiamu sighed and lay down. "This is her mission."
.........
Prince Rui's Mansion
Qingyan helped Prince Rui change his clothes, recounting what he had seen: "...At that time, the Duke of Chu kicked the guard in the stomach, and the guard was kicked back several steps. The Duke of Chu took the opportunity to pull the maid out, and then killed her with a sword. I saw...blood splattered on the Duke of Chu's face."
At this point, Qingyan glanced cautiously at Prince Rui, wondering if his lord would back down because of the Duke of Chu's ruthlessness. Actually, he truly admired the Duke of Chu; his skills were exceptionally agile.
Seeing that his master's expression had not changed at all, he added, "This servant personally handed the gifts to Xia He, so I suppose the Duke of Chu has already seen them."
Prince Rui hummed in agreement, walked to the edge of the bed and sat down, "Have someone follow the Crown Prince and see what he does every day."
"Yes." Qingyan was quick-witted and immediately realized that his master wanted to find something to use against the crown prince. He sighed inwardly, thinking, "Ah, people who have fallen in love!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
