Jiang Zhixu acted swiftly and immediately went to the Duke's mansion.
The old lady was naturally delighted to see him. She helped him up, and the mother and son sat down. She said, "You've been gone for over a year. You've finally returned safely. Otherwise, I would never have felt at ease."
More than thirty years ago, the Jiang family suffered heavy casualties in that battle. Even after so many years, she still feels heartbroken whenever she thinks about it.
Jiang Zhixu knew about her mother's heartache.
"Now that the border is safe and there will be no more war for the time being, your son has been living in the capital for a long time and can come back to visit his mother often in the future. The princess also said that Aqing and Aning should move back so that they can keep you company and relieve your boredom."
The old lady paused for a moment, then said, "I was foolish back then and hurt the princess's feelings."
“Mother is kind-hearted, but she was instigated by treacherous people. The princess and I both understand this, so Mother doesn’t need to hold a grudge.”
Thinking of Jiang Sixian, the old lady still felt sad.
Jiang Zhixu paused for a moment, then continued, "I still remember some things from my childhood. When you married into the family, you were still a naive and innocent child. Your eldest and second aunts treated you like sisters and mothers, and you had a very good relationship with them. Later, your uncles and brothers died in battle, and your second aunt committed suicide with her sword. Your eldest aunt was already old when she gave birth to Qingping, and she was injured in childbirth. She was also greatly affected by the bad news. She didn't last two years before she passed away."
"The only thing she couldn't let go of before she died was Qingping. You always kept your promises, and once you promised to take care of Qingping, you never broke your word. Even though you knew she had made a mistake back then, you still did everything you could to save her."
Recalling the past, the old lady could not hide her grief.
“But Mother, more than thirty years have passed, and you have done enough.” Jiang Zhixu said solemnly, “Qingping’s execution was her own fault, and you have done nothing wrong to her. Zhixian cannot stay in the Duke’s mansion any longer.”
The old lady looked up at him.
Jiang Zhixu's gaze was frank. "When you were young, you didn't understand human nature and always treated people with sincerity. Now, don't overestimate human nature either. Zhixian is, after all, Qingping's daughter. No matter how much they have a grudge, blood is thicker than water, and there's no guarantee she won't hold the Jiang family accountable. The fact that she dared to hide her pregnancy from Qingping at least proves that she's not weak and incompetent, someone who can be easily taken advantage of. Keeping her by your side is always a potential problem."
He would say what Xiao Yitang couldn't say.
“She has lost her mother, but she still has her father. You don’t need to worry about everything.”
The old lady finally nodded slowly.
"good."
Jiang Zhixu said, "Since you've made up your mind, let's not delay. You arrange for someone to pack her things, and I'll take her home now."
The old lady was taken aback.
"So urgent?"
Jiang Zhixu smiled and said, "There's no time like the present."
He knew his mother's temperament: overly kind-hearted and easily swayed. If he let Shen Zhixian find out and cried in front of her, she might just soften again.
Hesitation will inevitably lead to harm.
Seeing her son's resolute attitude, the old lady didn't say anything more and packed Shen Zhixian's luggage overnight.
Shen Zhixian didn't even have time to cry before she was put on a carriage.
To be honest, although it was a period of mourning, she felt more at ease at the Duke of Anguo's residence than anywhere else. The bed was luxurious, the food exquisite, and the servants attentive. The residence was quiet and peaceful; no one disturbed her. The Shen residence, on the other hand, was far more complicated.
But since Jiang Zhixu came to her door in person, she had no choice but to comply, no matter how unwilling she was.
The carriage arrived at the Shen residence, where Shen Jiming personally came out to greet them.
"I am deeply sorry for not being able to greet you properly, Lord Jiang."
Jiang Zhixu also had no good feelings towards Shen Jiming, and said in a detached tone, "Lord Shen, you don't need to be so polite. I'm here to take your daughter home."
Shen Jiming was taken aback.
The carriage door opened, and Shen Zhixian, supported by a maid, stepped out of the carriage. Her eyes were still a little red, and she whispered, "Father."
Jiang Zhixu said, "The life on the estate is rather austere. She's a young woman who doesn't know martial arts, so it's not safe for her to be out there. It's better for her to stay at home."
Shen Jiming snapped out of his reverie. "Yes, Your Excellency has considered everything very thoroughly. I am deeply grateful. Please come in and have a cup of tea, thank you for your trouble..."
"It's late, so I won't bother you any longer. Farewell."
Jiang Zhixu rode away, his figure gradually disappearing into the night.
The smile on Shen Jiming's face also disappeared.
The Jiang family members all have an inherent arrogance.
Jiang Sixian was like this, and so was Jiang Zhixu.
He didn't even glance at Shen Zhixian before turning and walking inside.
"Come in."
Shen Zhixian lowered her head and followed, seemingly lost in thought.
**
Jiang Yiqing and Jiang Yining both breathed a sigh of relief when they learned that Shen Zhixian had been sent away.
Jiang Shumiao gnawed on a large pig's trotter while swinging her short legs.
Fortunately, my father is sensible, while my grandmother is too indecisive and can be manipulated by anyone.
Jiang Zhixu found it strange; her youngest daughter was eating all the time. Could her stomach handle it all?
So he said, "Miaomiao, you've eaten enough today. If you eat any more, you'll upset your stomach."
I'm hungry.
Jiang Shumiao's mouth was covered in grease. "Eat more so you can grow taller."
She was always mocked by the gods for being short and stocky, because mortals grow faster than gods, and she wanted to grow taller quickly.
Let's see who dares to laugh at her now.
Xiao Yitang smiled and said, "Don't worry about her. She has a good appetite. I've also asked the doctor. She's fine."
She had observed during the day that her husband could hear their daughter's thoughts, so she spoke to him about it at night.
Jiang Zhixu thought that the father and daughter were of one mind, but it turned out that listening to their innermost thoughts could lead to wholesale business.
"No wonder Miaomiao said the Imperial Advisor wasn't a good person. Today he even tried to use some kind of puppet technique on me in front of His Majesty, but he suffered a backlash and was seriously injured. A-Tang, tell me, just who is our daughter? How come she's so powerful?"
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
