"By the way, Uncle, the things you gave us are crystal clear, exquisitely crafted, and very pleasing. They must be quite expensive, right? Uncle and Aunt are away from home all year round, enduring hardship and toil. We've never done anything for you, so how could we accept such valuable gifts? I see that this porcelain vase is rare even in the capital, and so is this hair ornament. Uncle, you must know the current situation of the Cao and Ji families in the capital. I'm worried that someone might use this as a pretext to do something improper to our two families. I'm uneasy, and I hope Uncle and Aunt will tell me everything they know."
Ji Pengyu was taken aback, then understood and nodded to Madam Ruan. Madam Ruan then pulled Xiang Wan to a side room to talk.
“Wan’er, to be honest, you shouldn’t know these things. But since you asked, I’ll tell you. However, your maternal grandmother must never know about this.”
Ruan's expression was grave, and Xiang Wan knew that what she was talking about must be significant. Therefore, she instructed Zijuan to stand guard at the door to prevent any disturbance.
"Did you see that foreigner who sat at the same table as your uncle during lunch?"
Xiang Wan nodded.
"On our way back from the border, we encountered bandits in a mountain pass. Coincidentally, the merchant was also passing through there in a carriage. The bandits demanded money, but your uncle and I didn't have much silver between us. It was that merchant who exchanged his goods for our safety. He saved our lives, which is why your uncle invited him to stay at the Ji residence. That merchant wanted to trade in the capital but lacked connections, so he asked your uncle for help. Those goods were just a casual gift from him. We originally wanted to refuse, but he said that refusing them would mean not considering him a friend. Those goods are in the capital..." These are rare, and selling them will be quite a hassle. So, your uncle and I discussed it and decided to buy them on credit first. Once his business takes off, there won't be any trouble finding buyers. After much consideration, we decided that selling them through you is the most suitable option. You're almost of marriageable age, and we'll fill your room with glass items and have you wear those jewelry. The ladies and young women attending the ceremony will surely be delighted. If you're getting married, they can also be given as a dowry. We apologize for not explaining this clearly beforehand, causing you unnecessary worry. If you don't like them, we'll return them and find another way; it's the same thing.”
Lady Nguyen truly cared for her niece, but they were often away from home and unaware of the current situation in the capital. The court openly prohibited the private sale of foreign goods.
Xiang Wan paced around the room, frowning in thought. She needed to make Ji Pengyu and the others repay the merchant's kindness, but she also couldn't allow her own family to give others a handle against them.
After thinking it over, Xiang Wan asked, "Aunt, what is that merchant's name? Where is he from? Does he have a travel permit to trade in Cui Kingdom? Besides my mother and me, who else did you and Uncle give those things to?"
"This..." Madam Ruan hesitated, "He calls himself Ah San and travels between countries as a merchant. It seems he doesn't have any travel permits. As for those things, besides giving you a box, Shuang'er took a few things she liked to play with, and your grandmother picked out a few items, we haven't had time to give them to anyone else yet. Xiang Wan, what... what are you worried about?"
Xiang Wan sighed and said, "Aunt, you don't understand. Although there is no war between countries, the probing, suspicion, and infiltration between them have never stopped. These things are not ordinary; they could not be made without substantial financial resources. Don't you find it strange that that Indian just gave them to you so casually? When the imperial court has trade relations with other countries, it has signed trade agreements with the imperial court. Selling foreign goods privately is a serious crime if discovered. In the past, this could be settled by spending some money. The problem is that the current emperor may be suspicious of the Ji and Cao families."
"How could this be?" Madam Ruan exclaimed in shock, standing up from her chair. "Our Ji family has always been loyal to His Majesty..."
“Aunt, don’t forget how you married your uncle in the first place.”
Ruan slumped into a chair, utterly bewildered. She couldn't comprehend how the Ji family, already punished and nearly destroyed, could still harbor resentment.
Back then, the Ji family, along with the current Wu, Jiang, and Feng families, were all prominent clans, enjoying unparalleled influence and high status in the capital. However, a young Ji Pengyu, in a moment of impulsiveness, clashed with Jiang Yuanlang of the Jiang family, accidentally fatally injuring him. This incident sparked a bitter feud between the Ji and Jiang families. The Ji family fell into decline, while the Jiang family seized the opportunity to rise to power, gaining sympathy from the Emperor and bringing their sons into the Emperor's sights. The Jiang family is now vastly different from what it once was. The patriarch, Jiang Bo, is now a Grand Secretary, and his sons and grandsons also hold official positions, firmly surpassing the Wu and Feng families.
The Ji family had few descendants, while the Jiang family was numerous and prosperous. They destroyed the Ji family with the life of one person, leaving the Ji family with no chance of recovery.
Back then, under the Emperor's decree, the Jiang family's affairs were dropped. It was at that time that she and Ji Pengyu pledged their lives to each other, and have been together for so many years. In her heart, her husband was a good man of deep affection and loyalty, and there must have been a reason for what happened back then. She thought that the past had long since faded away, and that if she returned to the capital, she could serve the old lady with her husband and live out the rest of her life in peace.
"Xiang Wan, no, His Majesty has already issued an edict that the matter is over and no one can mention it again."
"If you really went there, how could you and your uncle have encountered bandits on your way back to the capital?"
"What?"
In a moment of agitation, Ruan knocked over the teacup beside her. The teacup rolled along the edge of the table before falling to the ground with a particularly jarring sound.
"Miss, Aunt, what happened?"
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