As Jiang Shumiao headed northwest, Jiang Shuman was troubled by a dream.
In her dream, she wasn't just a spectator; she genuinely felt the profound sorrow and helpless despair.
She watched as the Imperial Guards surrounded the Princess's residence, dug out a rag doll with the Emperor's birth date and time written in cinnabar from under the paulownia tree in the courtyard, watched her newborn sister being brutally killed by being thrown to the ground, and watched her brother run to grab it, only to have his leg broken by a kick. The mother vomited blood…
She drew her sword and fought them, but was ultimately no match for them. She could only watch helplessly as her loved ones died or were maimed.
Why?
I heard that my father murdered the emperor in the palace and was executed.
The Jiang family, once known for its loyalty and righteousness, suddenly became traitors and rebels.
In the end, she was sent to the brothel.
The women inside were all taken from homes that had been ransacked; they had been reduced from high-ranking ladies to playthings of the powerful and wealthy.
She was slightly lucky; no one bothered her.
But her martial arts skills were crippled, and she suffered all kinds of insults and bullying every day.
The words "traitorous minister" are like an indelible stain, nailed to every member of the Jiang family.
Jiang Shuman had thought about dying, but she was unwilling to accept it.
The Jiang family was framed. The mother would not have cursed her uncle, and the father could not have assassinated the emperor.
She wanted to keep her life to clear the name of the Jiang family.
My second brother is still alive.
After spending three months in the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution), she was taken away and imprisoned in another cell.
The man was young, and he looked refined and gentlemanly.
Having experienced the upheaval in her family, Jiang Shuman dared not easily trust anyone again. People are used to adding flowers to brocade and kicking someone when they are down; those who offer charcoal in the snow are few and far between.
Why did this person save her for no apparent reason?
Sensing her resistance, the man seemed somewhat surprised. "Princess, don't you remember me?"
The Jiang family's property has been confiscated; she is now a government slave.
The word 'princess' is really ironic.
Jiang Shuman did not belittle herself. She had lost her martial arts skills and was weaker than an ordinary woman, so naturally she could not go head-to-head with a healthy man.
She remained silent, and the man's eyes darkened.
“My name is Wen Zhixuan. Last Mid-Autumn Festival, in Wuyi Lane, you saved my life.”
Jiang Shuman was most familiar with the Duke of E's mansion in Wuyi Lane. Jiang Shuman immediately remembered that last Mid-Autumn Festival, she had indeed saved a boy from Gu Jinchuan. However, the boy was so badly injured at the time that his face was bruised and swollen, and his appearance was completely obscured.
She took the person to the clinic, paid the money, and left.
After all, she understood the importance of maintaining proper boundaries between men and women.
Wen Zhixuan took out the sachet, "I tore this off in my confusion back then."
Jiang Shuman's expression changed as soon as she saw the sachet.
She knew the name Wen Zhixuan.
"Are you the Imperial Advisor?"
Wen Zhixuan nodded.
These days, Jiang Shuman didn't just wallow in her grief; instead, she repeatedly pondered the ins and outs of the whole affair. The doll was most likely placed there by that heartless Jiang Sixian, but that alone wasn't enough to convince her uncle that the Jiang family harbored any rebellious intentions.
His brotherly love with his mother, his classmate relationship with his father, and his mother-son relationship with his grandmother were all genuine.
My father is loyal and would never act rashly and assassinate the king just because the Jiang family has been framed.
She thought of one possibility.
Is it possible that the father is being controlled by someone?
Who has such ability?
Taoist priest!
The current imperial advisor is a member of the Xuanmen (Taoist school).
Wen Zhixuan is a rising star who has no conflict of interest or past grudges with the Jiang family, so why would he do this?
Although Jiang Shuman had suspicions, she wouldn't accuse someone out of thin air.
The sachet instantly reminded her of the time she saved the person; Shen Zhixian was with her. The doll was placed there by Jiang Sixian; could Shen Zhixian, as her daughter, be innocent?
But if Shen Zhixian conspired with Wen Zhixuan to harm the Jiang family, why would Wen Zhixuan still save himself?
She did not let her guard down.
"You want to repay a debt of gratitude?"
"Um."
Wen Zhixuan looked at her with pity and reluctance, "Princess, rest assured, I will definitely clear the name of the Jiang family."
Jiang Shuman is not a sheltered, ignorant lily; having experienced family upheavals, she is only more clear-headed.
She did not let her guard down.
"The Jiang family has been accused of deceiving the emperor, and the evidence is irrefutable. How can the Imperial Advisor be so sure that the Jiang family is innocent?"
Wen Zhixuan said, "I have heard that the Jiang family drove out the Hu people thirty years ago, and almost all of their sons died in battle. They were loyal and righteous men. Moreover, your father and His Majesty not only had the duty of a subject to the emperor, but also the affection of brothers. It is impossible for them to commit regicide and rebellion. The princess is also a chivalrous person, otherwise she would not have saved a stranger back then. I believe that the Jiang family is innocent."
Jiang Shuman clenched her fingers tightly into her palm.
The pain kept her conscious.
"What are your thoughts, Imperial Advisor?"
Crying is useless. Since the person in front of her wants to repay her kindness, she must seize the opportunity. If Wen Zhixuan is lying, she must not panic.
Conceal your hatred and wait for the right opportunity to strike.
Wen Zhixuan said, "The rag doll found in the princess's residence was shown to me by His Majesty. A true sorcerer can indeed use puppets to harm people, to borrow their luck, lifespan, or even their lives. But that rag doll was just an ordinary toy, with no trace of any magic. On the contrary, your father, on the day he returned to the capital, had a private audience with His Majesty, without anyone else. His Majesty also told me afterwards that your father initially only defended the Jiang family, but later the two got into an argument, and in his anger, your father cursed His Majesty and even tried to assassinate him, but was surrounded and killed by the Imperial Guards..."
Jiang Shuman's eyes were red.
"Impossible. Even if Father was angry that Uncle listened to slanderous words and spoke recklessly in a moment of indignation, he would never have murdered the emperor."
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