Chapter 67 The more arrogant they are now, the more they will collapse in a moment.
After hearing Xie Ning'an's words, Xie Yun narrowed his eyes and remained silent for a long time before saying, "I don't know why Jiang Jinglan has suddenly become so sharp, but if he really treats us the way he treated Lord Qingshan..."
"They should have already made their move," Xie Ning'an said.
Xie Yun nodded, "Yes, they should have already taken action."
"What will he do?" Xie Ning'an murmured.
Xie Yun: "Using someone else to do the dirty work."
"Yes." Xie Ning'an said solemnly, "Although we have evidence that Jiang Chengye bought boats to smuggle salt, the boat captain, the eldest son of the Chen family, and Lan Mudan are all in his hands. Our evidence is almost non-existent, and the Duke of Chu can deny it outright. But they may have important leverage over us."
Xie Yun nodded, and Xie Ning'an added, "However, the Duke of Chu doesn't dare to reveal our weaknesses, because he doesn't know how much we have against Jiang Chengye."
Xie Yun looked at him approvingly and urged him to continue.
Then Xie Ning'an continued, "So, he can only use someone else to do his dirty work. But whose knife will he use?"
Xie Yun pondered for a long time before slowly saying, "Marquis Cheng'en, Marquis Anling."
“Or perhaps it’s the sixth prince, Prince An,” Xie Ning’an said.
Xie Yun's expression grew even more solemn, and neither the grandfather nor the grandson spoke again. After a long while, Xie Ning'an stood up and said, "I suppose Grandfather has made a decision."
Xie Yun sat there for a long time without saying a word. Finally, he waved his hand and said, "It's late, you should go and rest."
Xie Ning'an bowed to him, then walked away...
Jiang Yu slept soundly through the night. The next morning at breakfast, Li Zhong came over and said, "The Duke wants you to have breakfast and then go to the front hall."
Jiang Yu nodded knowingly. The Duke of Chu was going to announce that Jiang Jiamu and Jiang Jiarong's identities had been switched.
"The Duke also said," Li Zhong added, "that you should keep an eye on the Heir Apparent's wife, as he is afraid she might not be able to accept it."
“Tell Grandfather I know,” Jiang Yu said.
After bowing, Li Zhong left. Jiang Yu continued eating, then led Xia He and Chun Xue towards the front courtyard. On the way, they encountered Lu Yifang and Zhang Xiangling. Upon seeing her, both asked why the Duke of Chu had summoned everyone.
Jiang Yu said, "You'll know when we get there."
Lu Yifang didn't say anything after hearing this, only muttering that she wondered how Jiang Chengye and Jiang Jiarong were doing. Zhang Xiangling's expression, however, was quite unpleasant. She looked at Jiang Yu and said:
"If anything happens, please let us know in advance, so that we don't suddenly receive some information and not know what to do."
Jiang Yu glanced at her and was about to speak when Zhang Xiangling said again, "Little sister, don't pretend you don't know. You go to the Duke's place every day. Is there anything you don't know?"
"Xiangling, how can you speak like that?" Lu Yifang's expression also darkened. "Regardless of whether Zhu'er knows what the Duke wants to say, the Duke hasn't even said it yet, so how can she say it?"
Zhang Xiangling remained silent with a cold face. Jiang Yu looked at her and said, "Sister-in-law, some things are bound to happen, and they have already happened. Even if you had known earlier, there would have been nothing you could have done. Because it's something you can't handle."
Hearing this, Zhang Xiangling's expression darkened even further. At this moment, Wu Zhengyan helped Jiang Jiamu over, and the two bowed to Lu Yifang, saying, "Mother."
Lu Yifang glanced at the emaciated Jiang Jiamu. Although she was somewhat displeased, she couldn't help but ask, "Have you been taking your medicine properly?"
Wu Zhengyan lowered her head and remained silent. Jiang Jiamu bowed again and said, "You've been eating on time, but you still haven't gotten better."
Lu Yifang wanted to suggest that since his condition wasn't improving, they should see another doctor. However, considering that he wasn't her biological son and that she might cause trouble if she tried to manage his illness herself, she didn't say that. Instead, she said, "Make sure you get plenty of rest."
"Yes, thank you for your concern, Mother." Jiang Jiamu bowed to her again, and Lu Yifang waved her hand, "Let's go."
Jiang Yu took Lu Yifang's arm, and Zhang Xiangling walked behind them. She was in a bad mood, and seeing Jiang Jiamu and Wu Zhengyan made her feel even worse. She said:
"Why didn't my second brother and sister-in-law bring Yun Kang today? Maybe if the Duke sees him a few more times, he'll take a liking to him. Then our young master's status will be different."
Even with her good temper, Wu Zhengyan couldn't hold back when someone said it to her face. She opened her mouth to retort, but Jiang Jiamu held her arm tightly. She turned her head and saw Jiang Jiamu shaking his head at her.
Wu Zhengyan gritted her teeth and remained silent, lowering her head to support Jiang Jiamu as they walked forward. Jiang Jiamu saw her moist eyes and tightened his grip on her hand. This was all he could do to comfort her; as a dying illegitimate son, all he could do was endure. If he didn't endure it, how would Wu Zhengyan and her child survive if he were to pass away one day?
Hearing the commotion behind her, Lu Yifang frowned. She was somewhat displeased with Zhang Xiangling's behavior earlier. Although she disliked Jiang Jiamu and his family because of Aunt Zhao, Jiang Jiamu and his family usually kept quiet and lived like invisible people in the mansion, so there was no need for Zhang Xiangling to target them at every turn.
However, with so many people around, she couldn't very well reprimand her. Jiang Yu, on the other hand, curled her lips into a mocking smile; the more arrogant she was now, the more she would crumble in a moment.
Jiang Yu had previously felt some sympathy for Zhang Xiangling, after all, she was also a major victim in the exchange of legitimate and illegitimate children. As the legitimate daughter of a marquis's family, she should never have married an illegitimate son. She had even considered giving her a compensation plan, but of course, this plan required the Duke of Chu's approval.
But some people just like to act up, ruining all the goodwill others have for them.
The group soon arrived at the main hall in the front yard. The steward, Li Zhong, was standing at the door and quickly bowed when he saw them coming.
Zhang Xiangling also asked Li Zhong what the Duke of Chu wanted to say to everyone, but Li Zhong smiled and replied, "This old servant really doesn't know."
Zhang Xiangling's face was unpleasant again, but she dared not vent her anger on Li Zhong, who was a man of the Duke of Chu.
After everyone sat down, a maidservant brought tea. A short while later, the Duke of Chu arrived. Everyone in the room stood up. The Duke of Chu walked to the head seat, sat down, and then waved his hand, saying, "Please sit down."
Everyone sat down, and the Duke of Chu looked around at everyone before saying, "Give everyone a copy of the evidence."
As soon as he finished speaking, Steward Hu came over with a stack of papers and handed one to each person. Jiang Yu took it and looked down. It was evidence that Aunt Zhao, Jiang Jiarong, and Lan Mudan had conspired to buy medicine to poison Jiang Jiamu.
Upon seeing this, Lu Yifang's eyes widened in shock, and she murmured, "How is this possible?"
She felt it was impossible for Aunt Zhao to drug Jiang Jiamu, and it was also impossible for Jiang Jiarong to cooperate with Aunt Zhao.
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