Chapter 53 Trying to Win the Duke's Favor
"The Duchess is in poor health," said Granny Liao. "After giving birth to the young master, her health deteriorated further, and she no longer had the energy to discipline him."
In those years, the Duke was always busy with court affairs, and the young master's temperament was gradually corrupted by a group of纨绔 (playboys) outside. He started frequenting brothels when he was fourteen or fifteen. Fortunately, the matter was kept secret, and the Duke was strict at the time, so the outside world was unaware of the young master's character.
The young master was handsome, and many young ladies took a liking to him. Later, the Duke arranged a marriage for him. But unexpectedly, the young master fell deeply in love with a courtesan and insisted on taking her into his household. The Duke almost beat the young master to death because of this.
However, not long after the young master and his wife's wedding, the young master still took the courtesan into his household.
"Is it Aunt Zhao?" Jiang Yu asked.
Granny Liao nodded, "The young master's wife had a big fight with the young master over this matter, and that's when the couple drifted apart. Fortunately, although this concubine Zhao is favored, she is never spoiled and has never caused any trouble since entering the mansion. Gradually, the young master's wife has let down her guard against her."
Jiang Yu nodded and said, "Second brother and eldest brother look to be about the same age."
“They’re not just similar in age, they were born on the same day,” said Granny Liao.
Jiang Yu stopped in her tracks. "Born on the same day?"
Granny Liao nodded. "That day was quite dangerous. Concubine Zhao had a difficult childbirth, and it just so happened that Madam was also giving birth. The young master made a mistake and insisted that the young master's wife's midwife deliver Concubine Zhao's baby, which caused quite a commotion."
Fortunately, our household had prepared two midwives for the Heir Apparent's wife, and the Marquis of Anyuan's household had also prepared two. The midwives from our household went to Consort Zhao's place, and only then did things proceed smoothly.
"I see!" Jiang Yu murmured as she walked forward.
Granny Liao sighed, "The young master's wife has had it tough too. The young master was like that, and then the eldest young master he raised was just like him. And then you were lost when you were three years old... Sigh!"
The one who deserves to die the most is actually Jiang Chengye.
This thought popped into Jiang Yu's mind, but Jiang Chengye was her biological father, and she couldn't decide his life or death.
Before she knew it, she had arrived at the Duke of Chu's courtyard, where the Duke was tending to his orchids. Jiang Yu walked over and called out to her grandfather. The Duke of Chu turned his head, smiled at her, and said, "Let's go inside and talk."
After entering the study and dismissing the outsiders, only the grandfather and grandson remained.
"What was the outcome of yesterday's trial?" asked the Duke of Chu.
Jiang Yu recounted in detail the interrogation of the three men yesterday, and then said, "The current result is that Kong Wenjie, the former transport commissioner of Jiangzhou, was indeed involved in the smuggling of salt. He should have had a supplier, but we don't know who it was. Indeed, someone deliberately set a trap for my father to buy a boat and participate in the smuggling of salt. The madam, Lan Mudan, didn't say who it was."
After hearing this, the Duke of Chu tapped his fingers lightly on the table and said after a while, "Jiang Jiarong has a problem."
Jiang Yu nodded. "He must have lied when I questioned him yesterday. Why did he lie? How much was he actually involved?"
The Duke of Chu leaned back on the soft couch in silence. After a while, he called Li Zhong in and said, "Investigate Jiang Jiarong and Lan Mudan of Qimenglou. Investigate carefully."
"yes."
Li Zhong walked away quickly, and Jiang Yu looked at the Duke of Chu, hesitant to speak. The Duke of Chu, seeing this, said, "Speak plainly."
Jiang Yu: "When I came here just now, I ran into my father's concubine, Aunt Zhao. She must have been waiting for me on purpose. She asked me about my father and elder brother being imprisoned. It's not that she cares about my father, but when I mentioned my elder brother, she seemed to care about him more than she cared about my father."
The Duke of Chu seemed to be deep in thought. "Go on," he said.
Jiang Yu: "A few days ago I ran into Yun Kang in the garden. He was playing alone in the garden. I took him back to my second brother's courtyard. It turned out that it was Zhao Yiniang's maid who was playing with Yun Kang. But I don't know where that maid went."
The Duke of Chu's expression grew even more solemn. Jiang Yu continued, "Afterwards, my maid Xia He told me that she thought Yun Kang looked somewhat like my maternal grandfather, Marquis An Yuan. Just now, Granny Liao told me that my eldest brother and second brother were born on the same day, which caused some confusion at the time."
You mean...?
"I'm just guessing."
The room fell silent for a moment, then the Duke of Chu called in a steward and said, "Bring Yun Kang here so I can see him."
After the steward left, the Duke of Chu fell silent for a while before saying, "If it's true, then someone has played a grand game in my Duke of Chu's mansion."
........
Over here, Steward Hu quickly arrived at Jiang Jiamu's courtyard. Upon seeing Jiang Jiamu, he bowed and said, "Second Young Master, the Duke wishes to see Young Master Sun."
Jiang Jiamu was taken aback, but Wu Zhengyan looked delighted. "Does the Duke really want to see Yun Kang?"
"Yes, the Duke is waiting," said Steward Hu.
"I'll go right now..."
“Yun Kang is reading,” Jiang Jiamu interrupted Wu Zhengyan, “Let’s go and call him over.”
He stood up, and Wu Zhengyan quickly helped him up. The two of them left the hall together.
Wu Zhengyan whispered, "I can go and call Yun Kang myself. You should stay with Steward Hu. I heard that Steward Hu is the second most important person in the Duke's courtyard, after Steward Li."
Jiang Jiamu sighed, "Things are not as simple as you think. There was such a commotion in the front yard yesterday, and today the Duke wants to see Yun Kang. I don't think it's a good thing."
Wu Zhengyan disagreed with him, "I think it's a good thing. It must be that the Duke is extremely disappointed with those two and has thought of our Yun Kang."
Jiang Jiamu stopped and said, "Don't even think about it. Even if the Duke is utterly disappointed in them, it's not Yun Kang's turn."
"Why?" Wu Zhengyan's voice was aggrieved and somewhat angry.
Jiang Jiamu looked at her seriously and said, "Because Yun Kang is too young. You know the Duke's health. Does he have time to raise Yun Kang? Will he wait for Yun Kang to grow up? Besides, I am born out of wedlock, and my aunt came from a brothel."
Wu Zhengyan was completely deflated. "Then why does the Duke want to see Yun Kang?"
Jiang Jiamu shook his head, "I don't know, I'm going with Yun Kang."
“I’ll go too,” Wu Zhengyan said immediately.
Jiang Jiamu thought for a moment, then said, "Okay."
The couple agreed, and when they arrived at the study, they saw Jiang Jiamu practicing calligraphy. The little boy sat at the large desk, looking both funny and adorable. Both of them smiled.
Wu Zhengyan walked over and patted his head. Xiao Yunkang raised his head and called out, "Mother."
Seeing Jiang Jiamu behind him, he smiled and called out, "Father."
Jiang Jiamu also went over and said, "The Duke wants to see you. Hurry up and get ready. Your mother and I will take you there."
Jiang Yunkang blinked his big eyes and said, "Should I try to behave well so that the Duke will like me?"
Hearing this, Jiang Jiamu and Wu Zhengyan felt heartbroken. Wu Zhengyan's eyes welled up with tears, and she turned her head away to secretly wipe them away. Jiang Jiamu stroked Xiao Yunkang's head and said, "Just be like you are normally, and that's how things will be when the time comes."
After listening, Jiang Yunkang thought for a moment, then nodded heavily, "I will try my best to make the Duke like me."
PS:
Jiang Yu: Since you're already here, leave a comment and urge me to update before you leave.
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