The commotion was so loud that it attracted everyone's attention.
Only Jiang Shumiao cheered inwardly.
[Well done, Third Brother.]
Jiang Yining was extremely pleased with herself, but on the surface she still pretended to be innocent and made witty remarks.
"I'm sorry, Yanhe and brother, I didn't mean to."
Jiang Shuman felt relieved, but pretended to scold him, "How could you be so careless?"
Jiang Yining lowered her head and obediently accepted the scolding, but the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.
Although Lu Yanhe was annoyed, he couldn't possibly argue with a five-year-old child, especially since the child was his own cousin.
"It's alright."
Jiang Shuman saw that his clothes were slightly disheveled and his face was covered in dust. Compared with the usually elegant and refined Young Master Lu, he looked really disheveled.
"Quickly, take the second young master to change his clothes."
Seeing that he had followed the maid to the guest room, Jiang Shuman brought her younger brother to the main hall to apologize to the two princesses.
Princess Huaiyang didn't care much. "He's a grown man. He fell down, but he didn't break any arms or legs. It's not worth making a fuss about."
[Later on, he really did have his hands and feet broken by the wife he begged for, and he was also castrated by the male lead. It was so tragic...]
This love-struck cousin is really clueless.
He has a fiancée, yet he still tries to seduce other women. If he doesn't like someone, he should just say so. Stop being so wishy-washy and dragging things out, only ruining his sister's reputation.
They deserve to be taught a lesson.
The reason the male lead treated her that way later on was partly to avenge her sister.
After the banquet, the guests left.
After watching her granddaughter fall asleep, the old lady said to Xiao Yitang, "The matter of Manman's marriage..."
Jiang Shumiao didn't mention Shen Zhixian in her thoughts, otherwise that would have been truly awkward.
The old lady raised Shen Zhixian for ten years and doted on her for ten years. Even though Jiang Sixian made such a big mistake, the old lady believed she was innocent and felt sorry for the suffering she had endured in the past.
Xiao Yitang pursed her lips and remained silent.
Princess Huaiyang is her own elder sister, and the two have had a very close relationship since childhood, which is why they are betrothed. If the engagement were to be abruptly broken off, not only would it damage their sisterly bond, but it would also be difficult to explain to the Empress Dowager. Most importantly, there's the matter of her daughter's feelings.
Just then, Jiang Shuman walked in.
"Mother, I want to call off the engagement."
Xiao Yitang was taken aback.
Her biggest reason for hesitation was knowing that her daughter had feelings for Lu Yanhe.
“You all heard my sister’s feelings. He has no interest in me, and I don’t want to pester him and use marriage to bind him.”
Jiang Shuman has practiced martial arts since childhood. He is an upright and unrestrained person who dislikes lingering ties.
She and Lu Yanhe were childhood sweethearts, inseparable since they were little. Lu Yanhe used to treat her very well, often bringing her novel little gadgets.
However, as she grew older, Lu Yanhe gradually felt that she was not gentle enough and that her personality was too strong and sharp, unlike Shen Zhixian's gentle and quiet nature.
She used to think she wasn't good enough, but after hearing her sister's thoughts today, she suddenly realized the truth.
It turns out that Lu Yanhe had already fallen for Shen Zhixian, no wonder he disliked her in every way.
Seeing her sister's grand and luxurious full moon celebration today, she must be feeling sorry for Shen Zhixian's hard work of observing mourning at home.
Ugh, what a scumbag!
Since you are heartless, I will leave.
It's no big deal.
Xiao Yitang pondered for a while and said, "Let me think about this matter carefully, after all, it would be bad to offend your aunt's reputation."
There are proper ways to annul an engagement.
Just as she was racking her brains over this, she heard that Shen Jiming had brought back his concubine, Aunt Fang, who had been meditating in the Buddhist hall, and had made her his official wife.
There are precedents in this dynasty for concubines being promoted to the rank of principal wife, but it is not a respectable practice.
Shen Jiming's support of the Fang family was perfectly justified.
He even submitted a special memorial requesting Emperor Hongde's permission.
This move may seem foolish, but it is actually shrewd.
The outside world was unaware of the cause of Jiang Sixian's death, but he knew that Emperor Hongde deeply hated this woman, and even if he were to give her a cup of poisoned wine to kill her, it would probably not be enough to quell his hatred.
Shen Jiming submitted this memorial to appease the emperor.
Emperor Hongde readily agreed and even bestowed upon Lady Fang the title of a fourth-rank imperial consort.
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager complained in her palace, "Everyone says women are petty, but I don't think men are much more petty. If Shen Jiming weren't just a mere Vice Minister with insufficient rank, the Emperor would probably have promoted Fang to a first-rank imperial consort, completely putting Qingping above him. For a dignified emperor to be so petty with a deceased person, isn't he afraid of being laughed at?"
Although both thunder and rain are expressions of imperial favor, marriage should also be based on mutual respect and affection.
She had consulted Shen Jiming's opinion when she arranged the marriage.
Shen Jiming's father died early, and his second uncle held power in the family. He wanted to use Jiang Sixian's identity to rise in status, so he readily agreed, only to be disappointed in the end. Over the years, the Jiang family hadn't offered him much help, and he probably harbored resentment, so he coldly observed Jiang Sixian's schemes. If things went smoothly, he would get some satisfaction. If they failed, he could just kick this woman aside and make his true love his wife.
He wasn't necessarily that affectionate towards Fang; he was only with her because she had a promising older brother who had joined the army at a young age.
He won't lose out either way.
The emperor trusted him because they both disliked the same woman and could understand and empathize with each other.
Although the Empress Dowager felt that this person was too cold-hearted, she did not want to go against the Emperor for the sake of an outsider.
Since they were mother and son who had married later in life, he couldn't interfere too much in many things.
At Princess Huyang's residence, Xiao Yitang received the invitation and, after careful consideration, said, "Our two families are relatives after all. Before we completely fall out, we should at least maintain appearances and prepare a congratulatory gift."
Jiang Shuman nodded.
"Since this matter has alarmed His Majesty, we must make a trip to comply with His Majesty's wishes, so that Uncle will not feel that we are dissatisfied with his previous handling of the matter."
After all, a ruler's heart is hard to fathom.
Jiang Shumiao waved her little arms, screaming wildly in her heart.
Take me there, take me there! I want to join in the fun too. I'm getting moldy from staying home all the time.
In the original storyline, Shen Jiming also promoted Fang Shi to the rank of official wife, but that was a year later.
Although Jiang Sixian was credited with reporting the Jiang family, Emperor Hongde felt she was too ruthless and wanted to secretly order her death. Wen Zhixuan intervened, saying that she was the descendant of a meritorious official and a married-out daughter, and that the matter had already implicated many people. If even someone who was willing to put aside her own family for the greater good could not escape punishment, then no one would dare to report her in the future.
Emperor Hongde then gave up.
Later, in order to please Jiang Shuman and win people's hearts, Wen Zhixuan exonerated the Jiang family and put Jiang Sixian and Qin Shi forward.
At that time, Shen Jiming and Wen Zhixuan helped Emperor Hongde reform the imperial examination system. Shen Jiming was appointed Minister of Personnel and was highly valued by the emperor. Naturally, he was not implicated. Fang was even granted the title of a third-rank imperial consort.
Xiao Yitang was helpless.
"See how excited your sister is? Well then, let's take her with us."
So the whole family went to the Shen residence in a grand procession.
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