Like smoke
Jiang Yan could no longer hear the footsteps of Liu Ruyan and her son, and smiled bitterly.
"Your Miss Ruyi's living conditions are really terrible!"
Huang Ying sighed helplessly and lit the candle: "The eldest young lady has a hard life, and she is kind-hearted. The master always sides with the madam and the second young lady. It's tough."
"Don't worry, I'm here for you! I'll give them a good talking to tomorrow!"
"Master, I trust you! There is anything you need me to do, and I will do my best to do it!"
Seeing the determined light in her eyes, Jiang Yan smiled and nodded: "Don't worry, I definitely won't let you down!"
Huang Ying looked at her with even more determination and admiration.
After a night, before Huang Ying had even woken up, Liu Ruyan's shouts rang out in the courtyard.
"Yellow Oriole! You think you're all grown up now? Daring to block my way? Get out of my way!!!"
"Second Miss, the mistress is still resting, you can't..."
With a sharp "smack," he shouted, "You've gone too far!!!" He shoved Huang Ying to the ground, lifted her skirt, and ran into the house.
Jiang Yan had slowly regained consciousness, but was not yet fully awake.
"Liu Ruyi!! You're so arrogant!!!" A sharp voice rang out, and the bed curtains were ripped open.
Jiang Yan was stunned for a moment, and before she could react, her face burned with pain.
"You hit me?"
"If I don't beat you, am I supposed to cater to you?" With that, Liu Ruyan raised her left arm, about to slap Jiang Yan again.
Jiang Yan quickly reached out his right hand and grabbed her left hand as she swung it down: "What's wrong with you so early in the morning?" He then pushed her back forcefully.
Caught off guard, Liu Ruyan staggered back four or five steps before finally stopping.
"Are you crazy? Why did you hit me for no reason?" Jiang Yan got out of bed, put on his shoes, and slowly walked towards her.
Huang Ying rushed in, looking disheveled: "Master, I'm useless! I couldn't stop the Second Miss."
Jiang Yan glanced at her: "It's not your fault, it's that this second young lady is too impolite!!"
"Who are you calling ill-mannered?" Liu Ruyan's tone suddenly became loud, and she shouted that she wanted to hit Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan suddenly raised his voice and glared fiercely at her: "If you dare take another step forward, I'll cripple you today!!"
Liu Ruyan was startled and stopped in her tracks, but she kept cursing under her breath.
"Liu Ruyi! You shameless and rude!! You don't even know to greet my mother and father!! Your life after marrying Prince Duan isn't so great either!"
Jiang Yan sneered, "Didn't you say that's your mother? Why should I greet her? As for my father, I can greet him whenever I want. Besides, whether my relationship with Prince Duan is good or bad is none of your business! Mind your own business!!" She glared at her, nudged her left shoulder, and walked towards Huang Ying.
Are you alright?
"I'm fine."
Jiang Yan then looked at Liu Ruyan: "Please leave if there's nothing else, don't spoil my mood!"
"Liu Ruyi! You are so vulgar! It's no wonder your mother was so uncultured to give birth to you!!" Liu Ruyan mocked, her contemptuous gaze deeply stinging Jiang Yan.
Although Jiang Yan is not Liu Ruyi, she will not allow anyone to curse someone else's mother for no reason!
"You blabbermouth!!" With that, Jiang Yan pounced on Liu Ruyan, pulling her mouth to both sides of her cheeks before she could react, all the while saying, "You bastard!! You were born of your own mother, why are you cursing someone else's mother? Today I'm going to teach you a lesson!!"
Liu Ruyan cried uncontrollably, afraid that Jiang Yan would really tear her mouth apart, and she thrashed about with her hands, hitting Jiang Yan with all her might.
Jiang Yan was hit four or five times by her, and was in great pain. Just as she was about to ask Huang Ying to hold her hands down, her dear mother arrived in a great hurry.
"Yan'er, my dear Yan'er, what's wrong?" Madam Liu rushed into the room and was so shocked that she froze on the spot. It wasn't until Liu Ruyan screamed again that she came to her senses.
"Yan'er!! My poor Yan'er!!" Instantly, two lines of clear tears slid down her cheeks.
Jiang Yan wasn't oblivious to the situation; upon seeing Madam Liu arrive, he released her hand and stood aside.
Huang Ying was very scared, but Jiang Yan gave her a reassuring look.
"Yan'er, where...does it hurt?" Madam Liu was so anxious that her eyes could pierce through Liu Ruyan's body.
"Mother! She, she's going to tear my mouth apart!!" Liu Ruyan cried, her face covered in snot and tears, looking at Madam Liu with a wronged expression and pointing at Jiang Yan.
Madam Liu was naturally furious as she looked at Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan wasn't afraid: "You can't blame me for this! I'm Ruyan's older sister after all. She insulted me so early in the morning without any respect for elders. It's not wrong for me to teach her a lesson, is it? By the way, we definitely can't let Prince Duan know about this, or things will get really serious!"
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Madam Liu's eyes slowly began to smile, though her expression remained stiff.
"These are all trivial matters, why make such a fuss? We sisters should look after each other and love one another." Looking at Liu Ruyan, he pretended to be serious and said, "Yan'er, your elder sister is now the concubine of Prince Duan, you must not be rude!"
"Hmph! Just a concubine, what's with the arrogance?"
“Look at Yan’er, she’s been spoiled rotten by her mother.” Madam Liu looked at Jiang Yan apologetically.
Jiang Yan said indifferently, "Ruyan is your own daughter. If you don't dote on her, who will?"
Madam Liu's expression subtly darkened again: "Alright, Ruyi, hurry up and get ready. Your father and the prince have been waiting in the hall for quite some time." Without even glancing at Jiang Yan, she pulled Liu Ruyan away.
Jiang Yan did not bow or try to stop them, letting them go.
"Master, Madam is angry."
"I know, so what if she's angry? It's none of my business. Just do my hair and makeup."
When Jiang Yan arrived at the hall, everyone was discussing matters.
Liu Xiangyi had a big smile on her face, as did Madam Liu, while Liu Ruyan lowered her eyes shyly.
Shangguan Zeyu turned his right cheek to look at Liu Xiangyi.
Jiang Yan stepped forward and nodded slightly: "Greetings, Your Highness, Father, Mother, and Little Sister."
"My beloved concubine has kept us waiting for so long!"
That sound...
Jiang Yan's expression changed drastically. She looked at Shangguan Zeyu in disbelief and couldn't help but ask in a trembling voice, "It's you?"
"How dare you be rude!!" Liu Xiangyi suddenly shouted sternly.
Jiang Yan glanced at him blankly, then frowned and looked at Shangguan Zeyu, as if asking: Zhang Qin, how dare you impersonate Shangguan Zeyu?
"Ruyi, how can you be so rude as to look directly at the Prince? Why don't you take a seat?" Liu Xiangyi's displeased voice rang out again.
Jiang Yan glanced at Shangguan Zeyu again, puzzled, and sat down to his left.
Shangguan Zeyu smiled and said, "My beloved concubine is quite attached to me. I suppose I've missed her dearly since we last met last night." He then looked at Jiang Yan with a smile.
Jiang Yan had always thought he was a fake Shangguan Zeyu, so she rolled her eyes at him and looked away.
Liu Xiangyi observed her every move and was quite puzzled: "Ruyi has been spoiled by me, Your Highness, please don't take it to heart."
Spoiled?
Hmph, how dare you say such a thing!
If it were me, I would feel so uneasy!
Shangguan Zeyu: "Master Liu has done a good job in educating his daughter. What's wrong with that?"
Madam Liu then smiled and chimed in, "Yes, as long as Ruyi is liked by the Prince, you are a good teacher, Master. That's right, that's right."
Jiang Yan looked at her with a forced smile, but met Liu Ruyan's gaze, who was staring at her with a fierce expression.
What deep-seated hatred did Liu Ruyan have for Liu Ruyi?
Such a fierce look?
It was as if they wanted to strangle Liu Ruyi to death!
Liu Xiangyi: "Madam, please take your two daughters and go down first."
Jiang Yan didn't want to stay here either, so she immediately stood up.
Shangguan Zeyu smiled and looked at her: "My beloved concubine, don't miss me too much."
Jiang Yan couldn't help but glare at him again before following Madam Liu out.
She hadn't gone far from the hall when Liu Ruyan couldn't bear it any longer.
"Liu Ruyi!! Are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for me?"
Jiang Yan smiled speechlessly: "Are you alright?"
"Hmph! You're the one who's in trouble! So what if you're a concubine? What's so great about that?"
"Such a sour tone...you're jealous, envious, and resentful, aren't you? Oh, I see, you also want to be some kind of concubine, don't you?"
Liu Ruyan blushed instantly and exclaimed in alarm, "You're talking nonsense!!"
"Am I talking nonsense?" Jiang Yan smiled and looked at Madam Liu. "Mother, does Sister Ruyan really not want to be a princess?"
Madam Liu laughed coldly: "How could that be? If you, Ruyi, can become a concubine, why can't Ruyan marry the prince?"
Want to be the principal wife?
With her jealous nature, she'll probably be killed before she even gets comfortable in her position as the principal wife!
"Oh, that's great! If Ruyan marries the prince and becomes a princess, my mother and father will be proud!" Jiang Yan said, giving Huang Ying a look before they quickened their pace and walked away.
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