Chapter 652 Bai Yuhan's Awkward Situation
Granny Kui rushed over, “Miss, why couldn’t you keep the young master? A young lady has come from outside. She’s quite pretty. You and the young master used to have a good relationship. Why are you so distant now?”
“That girl must be the woman Jiang Jinyan likes!” Zhang Yumo said, “He likes her so much, so why did he marry me! Granny Kui, what happened between us before Grandmother passed away? Why did he marry me? Granny Kui, please tell me.”
Granny Kui was completely baffled. Did the young master like Miss Bai? She couldn't tell. However, given the young master's status and position, it wasn't impossible for him to take a few concubines.
"Back then, Miss broke off her engagement with the Li family. I don't know why, but the Su family also came to propose marriage. Miss was unwilling to marry them. I don't know why she suddenly had a moment of despair and jumped into the lake. It was the young master who jumped into the lake and saved Miss. He even... personally gave Miss mouth-to-mouth resuscitation."
Oh dear, many people saw it. Madam Li was unhappy with our annulment of the engagement and said a lot of nasty things, saying that Miss was a woman whose body was defiled... It was so nasty. The young master said he wanted to marry Miss. At that time, even the old lady didn't believe it. After some maneuvering, Miss was touched and kissed by the young master, so of course he had to marry her.
I never imagined my son-in-law would be so good to me, treating my young lady so well. He's also become a high-ranking official, even a marquis. My young lady is truly blessed to marry him.
Hearing this, Zhang Yumo blushed slightly and said, "I see."
She found it strange. Back then, Jiang Jinyan rejected her grandmother's marriage proposal and was even so indifferent. He saved her, so he must have been afraid of gossip, which is why he married her!
There was no love between them.
Granny Kui said, "Now Miss is the master's wife. Even if Miss Bai were to enter the family, she could only be a concubine. Miss is the legal wife. Our Miss Xiao Chu is the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family. Miss must find a way to win the master's heart. As long as the master's heart is with Miss, and she gives birth to a legitimate son for the Jiang family in the future, our position will be secure. Miss is the wife of the Marquis of Wu'an. Who in Shengjing City doesn't envy Miss for marrying so well?"
Even Granny Kui thinks that Zhang Yumo is marrying above her station to Marquis Wu'an, no wonder so many people are gossiping about her.
Zhang Yumo changed her clothes and put on a cloak. She said in a deep voice, "Granny, I want to go to our shop to see how the dowry my grandparents prepared for me is doing now."
Granny Kui said, "Why does Miss suddenly want to go to the shop? You used to leave it to Manager Wu to manage."
“My grandparents have passed away. Since they have entrusted their property to me, I must not let them down.” The Zhang family is a large family with many brothers and sisters, but my grandmother gave it all to her.
These days, Zhang Yumo also learned that since she married into the Jiang family, her dowry has been managed by her own people. The Jiang family did not want her dowry, and the betrothal gifts given to her are still in her hands. If she and Jiang Jinyan are not truly in love in the future, she only wants to take her share.
Feng Jingyuan is still in charge of the Jiang family. Apart from Jiang Jinyan and Jiang Fenghua's private property, the Jiang family is not actually wealthy, given Jiang Huai's meager salary.
Jiang Jinyan's salary is now managed by Zhang Yumo, so Zhang Yumo is very rich.
A moment later, she came out of the inner courtyard but did not see Jiang Jinyan and Bai Yuhan. She did not ask where they had gone, but simply had a carriage brought and took her maid Qiaohui and Granny Kui to the street.
Jiang Ruochu went to Feng Jingyuan's courtyard. Feng Jingyuan was thinking that her son had finally returned, and that the couple's separation was like a new marriage, so she wanted them to spend time alone together.
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Bai Yuhan came to find Jiang Jinyan because of her past experience as a concubine of the emperor.
Jiang Jinyan, being a man, felt it inappropriate to explain himself, so he took Bai Yuhan to Feng Jingyuan's room and recounted what had happened.
Feng Jingyuan was speechless upon hearing this. The Emperor's actions back then were far too reckless. She said, "Miss Bai, don't worry. Have you explained things clearly to your family?"
Bai Yuhan's eyes were red. "It's hard to explain. Madam Jiang doesn't know my family's temperament. They know I entered the palace, married the emperor, and became a concubine, so they think I've risen from humble beginnings to become a phoenix. My Bai family has been in business for generations. Among the four classes of people—scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—merchants are the lowest. So, the fact that I was able to enter the palace makes them..."
She was too embarrassed to say that the Bai family had already built a temple for her in Jiangzhou; it was quite a joke.
She added, "I don't even dare to go home now."
Although she served as Consort Han in the palace for a period of time, she was still a virgin.
Feng Jingyuan frowned and looked at Jiang Jinyan. He really couldn't handle this, and the key was that she couldn't help her either!
Bai Yuhan said, "To be honest, I also relied on relatives in Shengjing, but after they found out that I faked my death and left the palace, they all complained that I was stupid. But am I really stupid? What's so good about staying in the palace? Just look at what happened yesterday when the Empress led all the concubines to send off the concubines in the harem. Entering the palace is a matter of life and death. It's really too terrifying."
She also hid in the crowd yesterday to watch the funeral procession. Three coffins. Just thinking about it made her heart sink. Besides, no matter what, the emperor would never like her. The Bai family just didn't understand.
Jiang Jinyan said, "Why don't you go talk to the Empress about this and ask her to find a way to help Miss Bai?"
"No matter how Ruan Ruan helps, it's all the Emperor's own doing. He doesn't consider the consequences at all. Even if he wants to anger Ruan Ruan, he can't use a girl's reputation for his amusement."
Feng Jingyuan was outspoken. Besides being the emperor, the emperor was also her son-in-law. She added, "My Ruan Ruan will not take the blame for him, and we cannot get involved in this matter. If things go wrong, the empress will be gossiped about."
Feng Jingyuan added, "I think he's just taking advantage of the fact that he's the emperor."
Jiang Jinyan wanted to say, "Isn't he just taking advantage of the fact that he's the emperor?"
"Mother, it's fine if you complain a few times here, but don't say anything out of line in front of the Emperor," Jiang Jinyan reminded her.
Feng Jingyuan said, "Your mother isn't stupid. Of all the people in the world, you should never offend the emperor. Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger!"
She held Bai Yuhan's hand and comforted her, "Miss Bai, don't cry. You don't dare to go home to see your parents, and you're not staying with any relatives right now. So where are you staying?"
"I'll be staying at the inn for now."
“How can a young girl like you stay in an inn all by herself? It’s too dangerous!” Feng Jingyuan said.
“I’m desperate, that’s why I’ve come to Lord Jiang for help. In Shengjing, Lord Jiang is the only person I know.” She said, “I can ask Miss Lin Yu to take me in. She and I are friends.”
Jiang Jinyan said, "Lin Yu went to the border and won't be back for a while. If you don't have anywhere to go for the time being, I can arrange for you to stay at Xiangya Tower for a few days. I'll also send someone to Jiangzhou to bring your parents to Shengjing. Explain the situation to them and ask them to dismantle the temple. In time, everyone will forget about it..."
"Although my Bai family is not noble, it is still a large family and has a good reputation in Jiangzhou. My parents know that I have entered the palace, and this matter has already become known to many people in Jiangzhou. Even if I go back to Jiangzhou, it is impossible for me to remarry." She said calmly, "If I go back and am pointed at and gossiped about, I might as well become a nun."
Jiang Jinyan was at a loss. "Mother, let's go ask Ruan Ruan for help! Ruan Ruan is at Jishan Hall right now and hasn't returned to the palace yet."
Feng Jingyuan said, "That's the only way. But we shouldn't make a fuss about this. If things get out of hand, it will be bad for Miss Bai's reputation and the Emperor's reputation."
She couldn't let Jiang Huai know yet; if those intellectuals who liked moral criticism found out, things would get complicated.
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