Chapter 31 Chapter 31 As soft and tender as a peach
Yang returned home in frustration and anger. As soon as she entered the house, she heard the servants report that the second young lady refused to eat and had spilled the food on the floor.
Nothing in the world is bigger than her daughter. Without caring about the passing of time, Yang rushed into the side room.
Jiang Ran lay listlessly on the bunk bed, with a bandage wrapped around his forehead. His face was pale and his eyes were dull, with no trace of his former spirit.
"My son, the matter is done. Why torture yourself? If you are sensible, you should cheer up.
If you live a good life, that bitch Jiang Shu won't dare to look down on you. If you just live in a daze, wouldn't that just be what she wants? "
The logic is correct, but when Jiang Ran thought of Zheng Zuhe's arrogant and domineering face, he shuddered.
Zheng Zuhe treated her as a toy and didn't cherish her at all. How could she have a good life after entering the Zheng family?
She suddenly threw herself into Yang's arms, crying and saying, "Mother, I'm scared. I don't want to go to the Zheng family. What is a concubine? A decent one is half a master, but an undecent one is not even as good as a maid."
I've been planning this for so long, and I've only set my sights on the position of wife of the Zheng family's heir apparent. I don't want to be a concubine to Zheng Zuhe at all!"
Yang knew very well what Jiang Ran was thinking, but unfortunately, Zheng Zuhe was too strong and Jiang Ran had lost her innocence. For the sake of the Jiang family's reputation, no matter how much she loved Jiang Ran, she was powerless.
To reassure Jiang Ran, Yang didn't respond to her question and instead said, "It's hot in summer. Since you don't want to eat, why not drink a cup of Nine-Bend Lychee? These lychees were picked in the early morning and are very sweet."
Mrs. Wu was very skillful. As soon as Yang finished speaking, she brought the Nine-bend Lychee Sweet Soup to Jiang Ran.
Jiang Ran stared at the sweet soup for a long while, then suddenly burst into laughter. He threw the sweet soup to the ground with a wave of his arm and shouted, "My life is almost gone, why should I drink this sweet soup?
Since Mother has decided to send me to the Zheng family, she should stop pretending to care about me and just let me starve to death. This way, we can save a few grains for the family and fill Mother's private treasury a little more."
Jiang Ran's voice grew louder and louder, her face twisted and distorted, as if she were insane. Her words became increasingly outrageous, implicitly blaming Yang for her poor treatment.
Yang stared at Jiang Ran, her eyes full of disbelief. She always thought of Jiang Ran and loved him even more than her only son. She loved Jiang Ran like her own daughter, but now all she got was resentment.
Yang was both heartbroken and disappointed, tears welling up in her eyes. She raised her hand to wipe them away and said to Mrs. Wu in a deep voice, "The second young lady is ill and shouldn't be exposed to the wind. Hurry and get her to bed."
With red eyes, Yang came out of the wing room and walked to the corner, where she saw Lin's mother and daughter sitting in the shade of the corner, knitting.
Lin's allowance was small and she was short of money, so she often took Jiang Rong to make lace. In the past, Yang didn't find it annoying to see her making lace.
Now that Jiang Shu was married into the Marquis's mansion and Jiang Rong was engaged to a wealthy family, Lin's status also rose. Jiang Wenhuan often rewarded her with money and property, so she no longer needed to make lace to make a living.
She acted like this, clearly to seduce Jiang Wenhuan's pity.
Yang was furious. She stormed over to Lin and kicked over the needlework basket at her feet, cursing angrily, "You shameless thing! Why are you sewing in broad daylight? Don't even think of using this as an excuse to seduce the master.
The Jiang family is a family of scholars and poets, and will not tolerate someone so fickle as to bring disgrace upon themselves. You cannot live in the back house anymore. You should pack up and move to the farm in the suburbs tomorrow!"
Lin was a soft persimmon and never dared to speak in front of Yang. She only hated herself for poking Yang's eye socket. She put down the work in her hands and kowtowed repeatedly to admit her mistake.
Jiang Rong was also very scared, but Jiang Shu once told her that blindly tolerating others would only make them become more demanding, and that only by standing up on her own could she stand on her own feet.
She couldn't live under the protection of her elder sister forever, so she had to learn to protect herself and her aunt.
Jiang Rong took a deep breath, picked up the sewing basket with trembling hands, and whispered to Yang, "Mother, you've misunderstood Auntie. She laces to supplement the family income, and she has no other intentions. Why are you making such a fuss and trying to kick her out?"
Good, good, she really turned against Tiangang. A concubine's daughter dared to talk back to her. Yang has been rampant in the Jiang family for more than ten years. How could she tolerate Jiang Rong challenging her?
She raised her arm and slapped Jiang Rong on the cheek, but unexpectedly the slap did not hit Jiang Rong, but was blocked by He Pozi beside Jiang Rong.
That woman He was bought by Jiang Shu to serve Lin's mother and daughter. Her indenture was in Jiang Shu's hands, so she was not under the control of Yang and naturally did not need to be servile to Yang.
She puffed out her chest and said loudly, "The Second Miss is already engaged. She's only waiting to marry Minister Lin when she reaches the age of marriage. If Madam hurts the Second Miss, not only Master, but even the Lin family will probably not approve."
Look, look, Jiang Rong and Minister Lin are engaged, and she is so arrogant that she doesn't even care about her, her stepmother.
After all, he is a lowly child born to a concubine. He has never seen the world and even disregards the rules of filial piety and brotherhood.
Yang gave Jiang Rong a sidelong look. If she could agree to Jiang Rong's marriage, she could also cancel it. It was unreasonable for her daughter to be a concubine and Jiang Rong to be the mistress of the house.
Yang sneered and said to Jiang Rong, "Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you have the Lin family as your backing. I'm canceling the marriage today. Let's see how you can still act so arrogantly."
Mrs. Yang was a quick-tempered person, and she was so angry that she couldn't wait even half a minute and went out at noon.
She knew that Jiang Wenhuan liked this marriage. In order to prevent Lin from going to the yamen to inform Jiang Wenhuan, she specifically ordered the doorman to guard the gate before leaving, and not to let even a fly out until she returned home.
Yang rushed out of the house, and Lin was so anxious that she kept stamping her feet. She cried and blamed herself: "It's all my fault for not being tactful. I should have avoided the lady when I saw her. How could I have angered her?
Sister Rong finally secured this wonderful marriage, and if it's delayed because of my fault, I'd rather die than just run into a wall."
"Auntie, mother is obviously finding fault with me. It has nothing to do with you. Stop blaming yourself." Jiang Rong wiped the tears from Lin's eyes as she spoke. She turned to Mrs. He and said, "Mother He, I heard from my eldest sister that you have some skills. Can you climb over the wall and tell my eldest sister that mother has broken off the engagement with the Lin family?"
The Jiang family's gate was small, and the walls were low. He Po could easily climb out with a little effort. She said, "Second Miss, don't worry. I will definitely bring the news to the Crown Prince's wife."
Jiang Rong hurriedly opened the door and went to the backyard with He Pozi. He watched He Pozi climb over the wall with his own eyes before returning to the back room.
Jiang Rong knew that Jiang Wenhuan could make the decision for Yang, but she didn't know whether Jiang Wenhuan was willing to offend Yang for her. The situation was critical and there was no room for any mistakes. She could only pin all her hopes on Jiang Shu.
After all, her elder sister loved her more than her father did. She only hoped that her elder sister could turn the tide and save her marriage.
She had never seen a gentleman as gentle and modest as Lin Yunzhi. If she missed this opportunity to marry him, she would rather cut her hair and become a nun than give herself to anyone else.
On this side, Mrs. He hired a carriage and rushed to the Xinyang Marquis Mansion, reported Jiang Shu's name and entered Xinchun Garden.
"Second Madam, the fire is burning my eyebrows. Please hurry up and go out with me. Madam Yang has taken a carriage to the Lin family to cancel the engagement. Fortunately, the distance between the Jiang family and the Lin family is far. If you hurry, you may be able to catch up."
Jiang Shu was shocked. She didn't expect that Yang would go against Jiang Wenhuan's words for her own selfish desires. Is she crazy?
Jiang Shu jumped up from the chaise longue and said to Zhu'er, "Hurry up and call Wang Lu from the courtyard to go with me to Yushu Street."
Young man Wang Lu is young, but he is very skilled in martial arts and has the ability to fight ten people at the same time. With him around, even ten members of the Yang family can stop him.
Zhu'er whirled into the yard like the wind and whirled back like the wind, saying hurriedly, "Miss, Young Master Wang Lu is not feeling well today and has asked for a day off."
"What?" Jiang Shu's face turned pale with anxiety. "Since he's not here, let's go to Yushu Street on our own. We can't let Yang ruin Rong'er's good marriage."
Zhu'er still had some rationality. If she wanted to stop Yang, she would have to use brute force. How could a few women like them stop her?
She said to Jiang Shu, "Miss, why don't we borrow some servants from the Marquis's wife? The Marquis's mansion has so many guards, and the Marquis's wife can just assign one or two and they will be enough for us."
"No!" Jiang Shu refused decisively, "There must be a reason to ask the Marquis's wife to borrow someone. The Marquis's wife clearly distinguishes between legitimate and illegitimate children. If she knew that my mother and I were colluding, why would she send guards to me?
Not only will I not be able to borrow anyone, I will also have to eat and drink, and I don’t know when I can go out again.”
The matter was urgent, and Jiang Shu had no time to talk any more. She stopped talking and said to He Pozi, "Mother He, please go to the government office quickly to invite my father to Yushu Street. Fang Yu, you take the carriage to the escort agency to hire five escorts. You have to move quickly."
The government office and escort agency where Jiang Wenhuan worked were quite far from Yushu Street, and it was unknown whether they could catch up.
After Jiang Shu finished speaking, she rushed out the door with Zhu'er. When they reached the screen wall, Zhu'er suddenly stopped. Zhu'er tugged at Jiang Shu's sleeve and whispered, "Miss, the master is in front, and Mr. Cheng is right next to him. Even the top martial arts champion can't compare to Mr. Cheng's kung fu. Please ask the master to let Mr. Cheng come with us."
Jiang Shu was stunned, and then she saw Lu Changji walking along the corridor towards the main courtyard. He was still wearing his official uniform, and he had probably just finished his shift.
Logically speaking, Jiang Shu shouldn't bother Lu Changji anymore, but Rong'er's marriage was hard-won, and she couldn't afford to be willful.
"Uncle, please stay!" she shouted with all her courage.
Lu Changji paused slightly, then walked forward as usual.
Jiang Shu always felt that Lu Changji seemed to be deliberately avoiding her recently, and he would leave in a hurry every time they met.
She felt a little lost, but she didn't care about being sad. She ran after Lu Changji. She heard hurried footsteps behind her, and the sound was so anxious.
Lu Changji turned a deaf ear and continued to walk slowly forward. His gait was steady and his expression did not change at all, but Cheng Yong inexplicably felt that his breathing was a little disordered.
"Uncle, please stay!" Jiang Shu was determined to do it. Once the arrow is shot, there is no turning back. Even though she knew that Lu Changji didn't want to see her, she still tried her best to chase after Lu Changji.
"Uncle, I've encountered a difficult problem. Could you let Mr. Cheng go out with me?" She looked up at Lu Changji, her watery eyes full of hope.
Jiang Shu's face was full of worry, and the handkerchief in her hand was twisted into a ball. She was a calm person, and if she had not been in a desperate situation, she would not have begged Cheng Yong to go out with her.
Lu Changji originally wanted to draw a clear line between himself and Jiang Shu, but when the time came, he couldn't bear to see her in trouble. As a girl, what if she couldn't handle the difficult things and got bullied?
Lu Changji thought for a moment and said to Jiang Shu, "I'll go out with you."
With him by her side, she can always be kept safe.
The faint fragrance of green bamboo filled the carriage. Jiang Shu didn't expect Lu Changji to get in the carriage with her. Smelling the scent of green bamboo, Jiang Shu's nervous mood gradually calmed down.
He always made her feel at ease.
There is a shortcut from Xinyang Marquis Mansion to Yushu Street. That road is narrower than ordinary streets. In order to avoid taking a long detour, Jiang Shu asked the coachman to harness a small carriage.
There was no extra items in the carriage except for a bench. Jiang Shu and Lu Changji sat side by side on the bench. Because the carriage was narrow, the two of them sat shoulder to shoulder, very close to each other.
Jiang Shu could even hear Lu Changji's breathing.
She felt a little hot, so she picked up a round fan and fanned herself gently. In the meantime, she did not forget to take care of Lu Changji. For every ten times she fanned herself, she would always divert her attention to fan Lu Changji five times.
The carriage was running very fast and encountered a mud pit. Suddenly, there was a bump and the carriage tilted to one side.
Jiang Shu was not aware of it and her body tilted, with her entire upper body falling towards Lu Changji.
"Ah!" She gasped, and her cheek hit the junction of his thighs.
The strong masculine aura hit Jiang Shu in the face. She was a little dazed at first. She turned her head slightly. The place where her cheek touched was a little soft and seemed to have some elasticity. When she realized where this part was, Jiang Shu felt ashamed and embarrassed, and she wanted to burrow into the ground.
Jiang Shu hurriedly climbed up, and just as she sat up straight, the carriage bumped again and she bumped into that spot again.
Lu Changji lowered his eyes and saw that Jiang Shu's face was flushed, her cherry lips were slightly parted, and her breath was as fragrant as orchid, as if she wanted to touch that place.
Something was rising from within me.
Jiang Shu didn't dare look at Lu Changji anymore. She straightened her clothes while pretending to look outside the car. In fact, Jiang Shu had no idea what was happening on the street.
Only the thing that hit her face hard kept lingering in her mind.
Finally they arrived at Yushu Street. Jiang Shufei ran to the car, as if she had thought of something. When she lifted the curtain, she looked back at Lu Changji.
Sure enough, the clothes below his waist were still tight.
Jiang Shu coughed lightly and whispered, "Uncle, please rest in the car. If there is anything important, I will ask Mr. Cheng to let you know."
After saying that, she jumped out of the car nimbly.
Jiang Shu waited on the street for half an hour but Yang Shi did not show up. Even though Jiang's house was far from the Lin residence, Yang Shi had arrived by now.
There could only be one reason why she didn't see Yang, and that was that Yang had entered the Lin Mansion before she arrived.
Jiang Shu sat back in the carriage dejectedly, full of regret. It was all her fault for being too slow. If she had been faster, Yang would not have succeeded.
Aristocratic families are very particular about rules, and the hierarchy between legitimate and illegitimate children is basic. If Yang proposes to cancel the engagement, it will be of no avail even if Jiang Shu rushes to the Lin family. How can she, a concubine's daughter, disobey the order of her legitimate mother?
Jiang Shu leaned against the carriage in a daze for a moment, then whispered to Zhu'er, "Let's go back. It's all a wasted trip after all."
Jiang Shu was about to get in the carriage when she heard Cheng Yong say, "Second Madam, there's a carriage coming our way. It's probably the wife of my in-laws."
It was like sunlight breaking through the fog, and suddenly there was hope. Jiang Shu lifted the curtain of the carriage, and sure enough, the carriage opposite belonged to the Jiang family.
"Mr. Cheng, hurry up, stop that carriage." Jiang Shu was extremely happy, and her tone of voice was more cheerful than usual.
Cheng Yong said yes, ran to the other side swiftly, and stopped the horse pulling the cart with a stretch of his arm.
"What's going on?" Yang frowned and looked outside the car. If a person is unlucky, even drinking cold water will cause a toothache.
The carriage broke down on the way and took half an hour to repair at the car dealership. It was finally working, but as soon as we reached Yushu Street, it broke down again.
Jiang Shu got off the carriage and walked straight to Yang's side. She said in a cold voice, "Mother, what are you going to do in such a hurry?"
Jiang Shu acted bossy, and Yang felt a little guilty. She sat up straight and said timidly, "I'm your mother. Do I need to report to you before I do anything?"
"You ignorant fellow, why don't you quickly ask the servants of the Xinyang Marquis' Mansion to move out of the way? If you delay my business, don't blame me for being rude to you."
Jiang Shu stopped talking to her and said directly, "Mother, you'd better go home peacefully. I will definitely not let you go to the Lin family today."
Yang clenched her cheeks, her eyes becoming sharp. She had clearly instructed the doorman to guard the door tightly, so how did Jiang Shu know that she was going to the Lin residence to break off the engagement? Could it be that there was a thief in the family?
We can talk about whether there is a thief in the house later. Today we need to get rid of Jiang Shu, the tough guy. She is the legitimate mother, and because of her status, she has some ways to deal with the concubine's daughter.
She said to Jiang Shu, "Since you know what I'm going to do, I don't need to hide it anymore. Minister Lin's fate is too difficult. He lost two wives in succession, which is obviously a sign of being unlucky in marriage.
A few days ago, I lost my mind and betrothed Sister Rong to him without thinking. These days, I have been tossing and turning and unable to sleep every night. I always feel that I have harmed Rong.
My dear sister, I cannot bring trouble to the Lin family. I will go to the Lin family and cancel the marriage. No matter how good Minister Lin's family background is, it cannot compare to the preciousness of my sister's life."
Despite her eloquent words, Yang's sinister intentions could not be concealed. Jiang Shu did not argue with Yang, but simply asked her, "Has mother discussed the cancellation of the engagement with father?"
This short question left Yang speechless. She felt uneasy, fearing that the night would drag on and she only wanted to cut the Gordian knot: "You, a junior, don't need to butt in on the elders' affairs. Get out of the way immediately. Otherwise, if a quarrel breaks out, it will bring shame to the Xinyang Marquisate."
Jiang Shu didn't buy her trick and refused to give in at all.
Yang was so angry that her chest ached. She glanced at the attendants and cursed, "Are you guys going to die? You saw someone blocking the way, why don't you just drive them away? What are you standing here for?"
Yang was careful when she went out. She not only took the coachman and the maid with her, but also brought Jiang Wenhuan's two followers.
Yang had accumulated a lot of power in the Jiang family. As soon as she finished speaking, the four followers jumped out of the car and wanted to fight with Cheng Yong. They thought they were outnumbered, but they didn't expect that before they could get close to Cheng Yong, they were knocked to the ground by Cheng Yong.
"This is outrageous! This is outrageous!" Seeing the situation was not good, Yang shouted at the top of her voice, "Everyone, come and see! A daughter has climbed up the social ladder, and now she is telling her mother what to do."
Her voice was sharp and loud, attracting many people to watch. Since the world is ruled by benevolence and filial piety, the onlookers did not ask any questions and started to scold Jiang Shu.
It felt like three thousand mosquitoes were buzzing in her ears, making her eardrums hurt. She did not argue, but let those people point fingers at her and refused to give in.
As more and more people gathered, someone recognized Jiang Shu and shouted, "Isn't this the wife of the Crown Prince of Xinyang Marquisate? She really is from a humble family, so short-sighted that she has abandoned her filial piety and righteousness after climbing up the social ladder."
At this time, another voice sounded: "I was wondering, how could any child dare to stop the carriage of their elder in the street? If it was the wife of the prince of Xinyang Marquis's Mansion, it wouldn't be surprising."
Everyone was talking at once, all pointing their fingers at Jiang Shu.
When Jiang Wenhuan arrived, everyone was surrounding Jiang Shu, pointing and talking. Conversely, Yang was standing by the carriage, crying bitterly. She covered her face with her sleeves and said, "Ah, it's all my fault for not being able to discipline my children well. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let a concubine's daughter ride on my head."
She only said that Jiang Shu was unfilial, and never mentioned that she was determined to cancel the engagement, which caused everyone to sigh. They just felt that she was pitiful for raising an ungrateful person.
Jiang Wenhuan didn't expect Yang to be so confused. Not only did she want to cancel the engagement with Jiang Rong for no reason, but she also deliberately slandered Jiang Shu. Jiang Shu had the Xinyang Marquis Mansion behind her, so how could she tolerate such slander?
If they accidentally offended Lu Changji, what good would the Jiang family have in store? In official circles, ability was secondary; the most important thing was to be cautious in what you said and did. You absolutely couldn't offend your superiors.
"Madam, what are you talking about?" Jiang Wenhuan shouted, raising his voice. "You only drank two extra bowls of yellow soup, why are you talking nonsense?"
"Shu'er has always been filial, so why don't you slander her with such sweet words?"
Jiang Wenhuan's voice was so loud that everyone turned their attention to him again. He smiled sheepishly and continued, "My wife loves to drink. She drank five cups in a row during lunch. She got drunk and confused, and she insisted on going to Jucheng to play polo."
"Polo is dangerous. Shu'er was worried that her stepmother would get hurt, so she drove to stop the man. Shu'er's filial piety has caused everyone to misunderstand her."
Yang didn't expect Jiang Wenhuan to come to Yushu Street. She felt uneasy, so even though she knew Jiang Wenhuan was talking nonsense, she didn't dare to say anything and got into the carriage in a whisper.
Seeing her reaction, everyone was confused and started to blame Yang again.
"I thought she was pitiful, being bullied by her own daughter, but it turns out she's an alcoholic who confuses right and wrong."
"The legitimate mother and the concubine's daughter are already separated by a belly, so how can they treat each other sincerely? Even when Madam Jiang was drunk, she still tried to discredit the concubine's daughter. It's obvious that she is not an easy person to get along with."
"It's really hard for the Crown Prince's wife. Her filial piety was nearly slandered by her stepmother. Born into such a family, she is truly unlucky."
Finally, Yang was stopped, and Jiang Shu got back on the carriage.
The car was quiet. She secretly glanced at Lu Changji again. Lu Changji's face was a little red, and his clothes below his waist were finally straightened.
Yang had lived for nearly forty years and had never been scolded like this. She leaned against the wall of the car, gasping for breath in anger. If she hadn't been concerned about Jiang Wenhuan being present, she would have gone out and scolded those nosy people.
After all, she had done something wrong. Yang was both angry and worried. Her heart was hanging in her chest, swinging back and forth, with no idea where to go.
The journey that originally took an hour seemed to be shortened by half in an instant. Before Yang could calm down, the carriage turned back to Jiang's house.
She hesitated in the carriage for a long time before reluctantly stepping into the flower hall. Jiang Wenhuan had changed his clothes and was sitting upright on the armchair, waiting to question him.
Yang trembled as she sat across from Jiang Wenhuan, trying to turn the tables: "Master, things are not..."
"Shut up!" Jiang Wenhuan slammed the cup in his hand onto the tea table and scolded angrily, "Zhu'er has already explained the whole story clearly. What else do you have to quibble with?"
"It's a great thing that Rong'er can be related to the Lin family. The Lin family is a family of scholars with a deep foundation. Even if our family continues to run the business for three generations, we can't even reach the edge of theirs.
Marrying into such a family would also be beneficial for Bin'er's career in the government. You are like a blind cat, wanting to cancel the engagement for no apparent reason. What are you planning?
Is it because you think life is too good and you want to ruin the Jiang family's fortune?"
Everything Jiang Wenhuan said made sense, and even if Yang wanted to defend herself, she had no way to do so. She was stubborn, and even if she reached a dead end, she had to struggle.
He just felt sorry for Jiang Rong and was afraid that she would be killed by Lin Yunzhi, so he thought of breaking off the engagement.
Jiang Wenhuan had slept with her for decades, so how could he not understand her temperament? "You treat Rong'er worse than the maid beside you, so why would you care about her life or death?
I don't care what you're up to, but I definitely have bad intentions. It's not easy for our Jiang family to get to where we are today, and we absolutely cannot let a vicious woman like you harm us."
"From now on, you don't have to be the head of the household anymore. Just stay home and reflect on your actions. Even if I have to take care of both official and family matters, I have to support the Jiang family." He actually wanted to take away her housekeeping power. Yang was so angry that tears streamed down her face. She slapped her thighs twice and cursed, "Jiang Wenhuan, you heartless thing! Have you forgotten how impoverished the Jiang family was? If I hadn't brought a thick dowry with me when I married in, how could we be in such a situation today?
Now that you've been promoted, you're thinking of getting rid of me. Nothing in the world is so easy. Even if I have to take the case to the government office, I'll..."
Yang's words hit Jiang Wenhuan right in the gut. Anyone who had received favors from his wife would be most afraid of his wife using this favor to blackmail him when he had achieved success.
Yang tore off Jiang Wenhuan's face and stomped on it. How could Jiang Wenhuan tolerate this? He turned to his attendants and said in a deep voice, "Madam has gone insane. Send her back to her bedroom immediately. No one is allowed to let her out without my order."
This is what the closest couple say. Yang stared at Jiang Wenhuan, gritting her teeth in hatred. As she was carried to her bedroom by the servants, she scolded him, "Jiang Wenhuan, you ungrateful thing, you will get your comeuppance, you will get your comeuppance."
Jiang Wenhuan was so annoyed that he had the doors and windows nailed shut. Not only could Yang not leave the house, but even her voice could not be heard outside, which reduced the rumors.
Soon it was Jiang Rong's birthday, and since Yang was under house arrest, Jiang Wenhuan asked Jiang Shu to prepare a birthday gift for Jiang Rong. Jiang Shu had experienced hardship and knew the value of money. In addition to buying Jiang Rong clothes and jewelry, she also gave her two hundred taels of silver notes.
A girl is considered an adult at the age of fifteen.
Jiang Rong knew that the Lin family would come to ask for an appointment after her birthday, so the originally grand birthday party was added with a bit of the charming fantasy unique to her little girl.
After the guests left, Jiang Rong tried on the clothes Jiang Shu gave her one by one. Her appearance was like the white jasmine quietly blooming in the misty rain of Jiangnan. It was inconspicuous at first glance, but after looking at it for a long time, she found that there was a freshness and elegance in it.
Bright colors like rouge, rosy purple, and plum blossom do not suit her. On the contrary, elegant colors like coupling, clear sky after rain, and wakakusa bring out her unique charm.
Aunt Lin looked at her graceful little daughter and couldn't help but shed tears.
Her daughter had grown up and was betrothed to a wealthy family as a concubine's daughter. Logically, she should be relieved, but when she thought that after Jiang Rong got married, she would have to stay alone in the Jiang family, without even someone to talk to, she felt lonely and desolate.
Jiang Wenhuan didn't care about the fate of Minister Lin, who was unlucky in marriage, but she did. Her good daughter must be healthy!
Jiang Rong saw Lin's sorrowful look through the bronze mirror. She put down the new clothes in her hands, took Lin's hand and comforted her gently, "Don't be sad, Auntie. The Lin family is in Bianjing City, not far from our home. I can go back and forth in half a day, and I can see you often!"
Look at my elder sister. Although she is married, she still comes to see you every now and then. Even tomorrow's banquet is hosted by her. My daughter will definitely be like my elder sister in the future."
Jiang Rong comforted Lin's heart. Lin held Jiang Rong in her arms and whispered, "The Lin family is a good place to go, but Auntie is always worried about those rumors. Minister Lin has an unlucky horoscope. Auntie is afraid, afraid of you..."
"Auntie!" Jiang Rong interrupted Yang before she could finish her words. "How could you believe in such nonsense? My marriage was arranged by my elder sister. She is kindhearted. Would she harm me?"
In Jiang Rong's heart, no one is more capable than Jiang Shu, and whatever Jiang Shu does must be right.
After being scolded by Jiang Rong, Lin stopped talking. Although she was the biological mother of two children, she was indecisive. If it were not for Jiang Shu's protection over the years, she would have been kicked out by Yang long ago.
If she doesn't trust Jiang Shu, who else can she trust?
The next morning, Mrs. Lin came in with the matchmaker. It was supposed that the man's mother should have taken care of such an important matter as setting the date for the wedding, but unfortunately Mrs. Lin was worldly-wise and refused to step out of the temple. Mrs. Wen, the sister-in-law, had no choice but to take care of everything.
The large red paper book contained the birth dates of Lin Yunzhi and Jiang Rong. Lin spread the book out in front of Jiang Shu and said with a smile, "Master Fang from the Imperial Observatory is a close friend of my master. He personally divined Yunzhi and Sanniang's birth dates and said they were a perfect match.
They are a perfect match made in heaven and should be married soon. Why don't you, the Crown Prince's wife, choose an auspicious day and arrange their marriage?"
Lin had made every possible preparation. As soon as she finished speaking, the matchmaker presented several auspicious dates, saying, "These are all extremely auspicious dates, perfect for marriage. Madam, please pick one!"
The Lin family acted very humble, and Jiang Shu didn't want to act arrogant. She looked at the dates presented by the official media. The latest one was in August, the middle one was in October, and the latest one would not be until February of next year.
Time is prone to change over time, and it would be a bit hasty if it was too close. Jiang Shu picked up the red sign for October 6th and said gently, "Let's choose this date. It's the golden autumn of October, and the temperature is suitable."
In this way, the wedding date was set, and the Lin and Jiang families became in-laws.
Lin Yunzhi was thoughtful and specially booked a table at the Banquet Hall and invited the entire Jiang family to have dinner there.
The meal was lively with lots of laughter and conversation. Although Lin Yunzhi and Jiang Rong did not sit next to each other, they often exchanged glances.
Jiang Shu was really happy that her younger sister had found a good home. She drank two more glasses unconsciously. She had a low alcohol tolerance and felt a little dizzy. Even with the ice jar in the room, she still felt stuffy.
Things were going great, and Jiang Shu didn't want to spoil the fun, so she whispered the reason to Lin and then slowly left the room.
Walking along the corridor to the backyard, one sees exquisite pavilions and waterside terraces. The summer breeze mixed with moisture hits the cheeks, and the mind suddenly becomes clear, but the body is still a little weak. Jiang Shu leans against the fence and sits softly on the wooden bench, staring at the water in boredom.
The Governor-General of Shaanxi and Gansu came to Beijing for many days and sent more than a dozen visiting cards. He finally invited Lu Changji to the Banquet Hall. During the banquet, he repeatedly expressed his desire to join Lu Changji, but Lu Changji calmly rejected his demands.
Learning from history can always make people more vigilant. Lu Changji, as the Prime Minister, has reached a position where he cannot be promoted or rewarded any more. If he were to recruit military generals from this position, it would surely incur the emperor's suspicion.
He easily sent the Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu away and walked along the corridor alone.
From a distance, I saw a beautiful woman leaning against the waterside pavilion. Her face was flushed and she looked weak and delicate. I'm afraid she was even more charming than the legendary Xi Shi.
It was obvious that he had drunk some wine.
Lu Changji's heart began to beat wildly, and he felt an indescribable emotion, and at the same time, he was a little angry.
Could it be that Jiang Shu didn't know that she was a troublemaker? She came out to have a meal, so why did she drink? Drinking would be fine, but why did she go out alone?
Although Bian Jing was at the feet of the emperor, some places were not absolutely safe. Moreover, a man had a lot of flesh down there, and Jiang Shu was so beautiful that some lecher might see her and be blinded by lust and do something crazy.
Lu Changji's heart was pounding. He knew he was possessed. He didn't dare look at Jiang Shu any longer and turned around as if escaping.
In the end, she didn't dare to go far away. What if there really were some bad guys and she was drunk, how should she deal with it?
Lu Changji stood there with his back to Jiang Shu, enjoying the breeze for about a quarter of an hour. Suddenly, he heard footsteps. He thought Jiang Shu was going back to the private room, but unexpectedly, a man's voice came into his ears.
"That lady by the water is so charming, like a peach. I wonder what it would taste like if I ate her."
The person who was speaking was named Bao Jia. He was the brother-in-law of the Dali Temple Minister. Relying on his high position and power, he often did things that violated laws and regulations. In order to please him, his friends often gave him advice.
His good friend Ding Yang glanced at Jiang Shu and thought he had seen a goddess. His heart beat faster and his face flushed.
What bad luck! If he hadn't gone with Baojia today, this beautiful lady would have been in his pocket. Unfortunately, he still had something to ask the Dali Temple's Minister for help, so he had to give this beautiful lady to Baojia.
Ding Yang walked up to Bao Jia and urged him, "Brother Bao Jia has always been brave. Since you like that young lady, why not take advantage of the fact that no one is around to drag her into the inner room and have some fun with her?
A woman who has lost her virginity would be too busy trying to cover it up, and certainly wouldn't dare to make a scene. So, what is there for you, Brother Baojia, to hesitate about?"
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