Chapter 409: Denial

On the first day of June, Jiang Lizhu helped Dou Zhao to go to the house where Jiang Yan was temporarily staying.

Jiang Yan wore a lake-colored Hangzhou silk jacket with a snow-white lace skirt underneath. Her jet-black hair was tied up with a plum-blossom silver hairpin. She looked fresh and elegant, like a small daffodil, and Dou Zhao couldn't help but nod secretly as he looked at her.

Jiang Lizhu took a long while to come back to her senses, and murmured, "It looks like her, so like her! It's exactly the same as the portrait of my aunt when she came of age! If it wasn't in broad daylight, I would have thought my aunt had come back to see me."

Dou Zhao was moved when he heard this, and said to Jiang Yan: "After all, you are going to meet the elders, and your clothes are too plain. Why not change into the stone blue one with pink plum blossom embroidery, which is more formal. After meeting the elders, go back to the room and change into this one."

Wearing slate blue on a hot day?

Jiang Lizhu was surprised.

Jiang Yan just said "oh" obediently, and was helped by the maid to go into the house to change clothes.

Dou Zhao said to Jiang Lizhu, "I remember the portrait of my mother-in-law at home. She was wearing a dark blue jacket with silver and white plum blossoms embroidered on it."

Jiang Lizhu suddenly realized, and said, "It turns out that my cousin's wife has already made preparations!"

"That's not the case." Dou Zhao said, "Because we told outsiders that Sister Yan was returning home after losing her husband, I looked for a piece of darker-colored fabric to suit the occasion, and I just happened to have a piece of this material."

Jiang Lizhu sighed: "Maybe this is God's will!"

As they were talking, Jiang Yan came out, supported by a maid.

Dou Zhao thought of the wine glass-sized red gold peony flower that Mrs. Jiang wore on her collar in the painting. After thinking for a while, he found a yellow jade osmanthus buckle ornament from the jewelry box and put it on Jiang Yan. After looking him up and down, he got into the sedan chair with Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan held the handkerchief tightly all the way.

Dou Zhao spoke to her in a gentle voice.

Jiang Yan slowly relaxed, but when the sedan chair entered the gate of the Duke of England's mansion, she became tense again.

Dou Zhao had no choice but to pat her hand gently and lead her out of the carriage.

Song Mo specially had someone open the gate of the Duke of Ying's Mansion to welcome Jiang Yan. The important stewards and maids in the family also stood inside and outside the hanging flower gate to welcome Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan was so frightened that he was trembling with fear, his eyes darting around like a deer, but he suppressed his fear and walked into the Chuihua Gate with Dou Zhao with his head held high.

Dou Zhao secretly praised her and gave her an encouraging look.

Jiang Yan forced a smile and followed Dou Zhao to the Osmanthus Courtyard.

Song Yichun and Song Mo both had a day off today. Song Yichun was blocked in the room by Song Mo early in the morning, saying that he wanted to discuss with him the estate of the Duke of Ying in Daxing. He listened absentmindedly until Song Han came to pay his respects to him. Song Mo's topic was still about how much income the estate had every year.

He suddenly became impatient and asked, "What do you want to say?"

Song Mo smiled and said, "I think that farm is only two or three miles away from the farm that the emperor gave me. Father, why don't you just give it to me? This way, I don't have to arrange two managers to take care of a farm of only more than 2,000 acres."

Song Yichun was so angry that he stamped his feet.

The estate that Song Mo was given was only fifty acres, while the estate of the Duke of Yingguo was two thousand two hundred acres, and it was given by Yu when Emperor Taizu was still alive. Even if they were to be managed together, Song Mo's estate should have been merged into the estate of the Duke of Yingguo. Why was his estate merged into Song Mo's? Song Mo was clearly trying to seize his property!

His face darkened and he called out to Song Han, "Tian'en, your brother wants me to give him the 2,200 mu of farmland in Daxing for free. What do you say?"

Song Han looked confused and said, "Will not all of this Duke of Ying's Mansion belong to my brother from now on? Is there anything wrong with giving the farm in Daxing to my brother?"

Song Yichun was so angry that he almost fell over.

I've seen stupid things, but I've never seen anything stupider than this.

He said unhappily, "According to the imperial law, titles are not divided, but property can be divided equally."

Song Han said "Oh" and said foolishly, "So Daddy is going to divide the farmland in Daxing equally between me and my brother?"

Song Yichun covered his chest and didn't say anything for a long time.

Song Mo watched coldly, sitting there drinking tea leisurely.

Song Han came over like a puppy and said, "Brother, is this tea delicious? Can you give it a taste?"

"This is the tea in father's room." Song Mo said calmly, and asked the maid in the room to make a cup for Song Han as well. "If you think it tastes good, ask father for it."

Song Han happily replied “Yes”.

Song Yichun cursed "idiot" in a low voice and stood up to go to the study.

Song Mo forced him to express his opinion: "What do you think about the farm? Otherwise, I will give the order directly."

Song Yichun was secretly puzzled.

Although my son is very capable, he has never cared much about money. What happened today? Is he up to something again?

He felt uneasy, so he went back to the hall and sat down, saying, "The emperor has said before that your estate in Daxing is your private property; the estate in the Duke of Yingguo's mansion is public property, so it's better not to mix them up."

Song Mo said aggressively, "I remember my mother once said that when my grandfather passed away, he also divided part of the public property to my father as private property. It can be seen that the public property is not untouchable."

A breath of foul air rolled in Song Yichun's chest: "I'm not dead yet! When I die, it won't be too late for you to take over Mogongzhong's business!"

"I don't like what father said." Song Mo said indifferently, "How come my own family's business is called 'greedy'? Father likes to put accusations on people! Last time he said I was 'unfilial', this time he said I was 'greedy'. It turns out that in father's eyes, I am just such a person..."

He and Song Yichun were arguing with each other, and Song Han had no choice but to stand by and watch.

A servant ran in and said, "Duke, Prince, Second Master, Madam, and the twelfth aunt of the Jiang family and their cousin are here to kowtow to you."

Song Yichun was surprised and asked, "Which cousin of the Jiang family came to Kyoto?"

Song Mo didn't say much, just said: "You will know when you see it."

Song Yichun frowned.

Song Han's face turned pale.

Song Mo just smiled without saying anything and stood at the door to greet him.

Song Yichun couldn't just push Song Mo away and leave, right?

He had no choice but to sit on the armchair and wait.

Soon, Dou Zhao and Jiang Lizhu accompanied Jiang Yan to the door.

Seeing that Jiang Yan looked so weak that she was about to collapse, Song Mo helped her into the hall.

Song Yichun, who was about to drink tea, was stunned when he saw it, and the teacup in his hand fell to the ground with a clang.

"Huisun," he stared straight at Jiang Yan, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, "You, why are you here? Aren't you dead?" He murmured, suddenly jumped up, and backed away, "We are separated by Yin and Yang, you are a ghost, and I am a human, don't mess around, or you will be scared to death..."

Behind him was the incense table in the main hall. He had no way to retreat, but he bumped into the tea sets and tripods on the table, causing them to fall to the ground with a bang.

Dou Zhao and Song Mo couldn't help but look at each other.

Song Yichun and Mrs. Jiang are husband and wife. Even if they are separated by life and death, does he need to be so scared?

Jiang Yan's lips turned pale.

Although her sister-in-law didn't say it explicitly, her words hinted that it was all her father's fault that she was in this situation. She couldn't believe it before, but now her father was avoiding her like a ghost... her sister-in-law didn't lie to her!

Although she understood, her eyes still turned red with sadness and she lowered her head.

Jiang Lizhu, who had been paying attention to her, hurried forward and shook Jiang Yan's hand, sighing quietly in her heart.

Just as my cousin's wife said, my uncle was only friendly to the Jiang family on the surface, but he didn't like them in his heart.

That's fine.

The British Duke's House will continue to follow his Yangguan Road and be the first family of his nobles; the Jiang family will follow the Jiang family's single-plank bridge and be a country gentleman who does not compete with others.

She whispered to comfort Jiang Yan: "It's okay, you look too much like your aunt, the Duke must be scared."

Jiang Yan nodded somewhat woodenly.

Song Han jumped out.

He grabbed Song Yichun, shouted "Daddy" loudly, and said anxiously: "What's wrong with you? Jiang's cousin is waiting to kowtow to you, don't scare Jiang's cousin!"

Song Yichun was stunned and came to his senses.

His eyes swept across the expressionless Song Mo and slowly fell on Jiang Yan's face.

Jiang has always been confident and arrogant. How could he be so timid as he is now?

And the age is wrong.

When she painted that portrait, it was not long after she gave birth to Song Mo, and the little girl in front of her was at most just coming of age.

Song Yichun breathed a sigh of relief.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead, sat down on the armchair, and put on a haughty expression, like a majestic duke, and scolded Song Mo: "Since she is a female relative, just let Dou receive her. It is not proper to bring her to me. Why don't you leave quickly!"

Song Mo winked at Chen He.

Chen He hurriedly took Jiang Lizhu and Jiang Yan back.

Seeing this, the servants in the room hurriedly followed them out, leaving only Song Yichun, Song Mo, Dou Zhao and Song Han in the huge hall.

Song Mo smiled and said, "So that father knows, this girl's surname is not Jiang, but Li, and her maiden name is Yugui. She is the daughter of Li Tiao Niang..."

Before he finished speaking, Song Yichun's face was already filled with shock.

"A few days ago, Li Liang came to me and said that the hermit was my sister and asked me to bring her home. I know that Li Tiao Niang was once your mistress, but you and her broke up seventeen years ago. How come I have a sister now? When I saw the hermit, I was even more puzzled: Why did the child born by Li Tiao Niang look like my mother..."

"Who is Li Liang?" Song Yichun interrupted Song Mo angrily, "He just found someone who looks a bit like your mother and you took her as your sister. Do you have any brains? And you brought that girl home. You are not afraid of being laughed at, but I am afraid of being laughed at! Why don't you send that girl away!" He added, "Where is Li Liang? Hand him over to me. He can't escape the charge of 'impersonating an official relative'! He blackmailed me back then, but I let him go for the sake of Li Tiao Niang. I didn't expect that he was so evil that he actually found you! You don't have to pay attention to him, just beat him to death. I will plead for the government!"

Even though he knew this would happen, Dou Zhao still couldn't help feeling a little sad when he heard what Song Yichun said.

Fortunately, she had instructed Jiang Lizhu to take Jiang Yan away in advance, otherwise if Jiang Yan heard what Song Yichun said, he would probably prefer to follow Li Liang rather than step into the Song family's door.