Chapter 101 Zhang Yumo goes on a hunger strike to win Jiang Fenghua's love; Jiang Fenghua berates the sober-minded.
Jiang Fenghua had a heart-to-heart talk with her mother for a while, and soon after, the visiting card from the Duke of Zhang's mansion was delivered to Jiang Fenghua.
Jiang Fenghua took it. "Madam Zhang wants to see me? Where is she?"
The butler said, "It's already in the front hall."
Jiang Fenghua and Madam Jiang quickly tidied themselves up and rushed to the front hall, assuming it must be about Zhang Yumo.
Upon seeing Jiang Fenghua, Madam Zhang immediately prepared to perform a solemn kneeling ceremony, saying, "This old woman greets Princess Heng."
"Madam, there's no need for such formalities." Jiang Fenghua personally took her hand and led her to the main seat. "Madam is about the same age as my grandmother. Such a grand gesture is too much for Fenghua. Madam, what brings you here to see Fenghua all of a sudden?"
"I had no other choice but to swallow my pride and come here." Old Madam Zhang was heartbroken over her granddaughter's situation. She glanced at Madam Jiang and said, "It's all because of my good-for-nothing granddaughter."
Madam Jiang looked guilty. "This matter should have been handled by my Jiang family, but my good-for-nothing son is only focused on business and has now obtained an official position. He doesn't care about this matter at all." She didn't dare to mention Princess Pianpian's matter, because Jiang Jinyan and she were both fine.
Feng Jingyuan was also angry with her son, but then she thought about what was on his mind and couldn't bear to scold him. She wanted to say that they should let it go, that Miss Zhang was a good woman, and that her Jinyan was not fortunate enough to have her. But Feng Jingyuan just couldn't bring herself to say these words.
Jiang Fenghua smiled awkwardly, "Madam, please speak frankly."
"I came here today to ask Young Master Jiang if he has found a girl he likes. I heard that she has already moved into the Jiang residence." Old Madam Zhang did not believe that the Jiang family could do such a thing without seeing it with her own eyes. After all, the Jiang family is a scholarly family, and Young Master Jiang is a teacher who educates people. How could he allow such an affair to happen in the Jiang family?
But then rumors spread that the Jiang family was about to have a happy event, and that the girl had already moved in.
“A girl has indeed moved into the Jiang residence, but they are not in that kind of relationship yet. As for who my elder brother likes, Fenghua may have to ask him about that.” She was not sure about Jiang Jinyan’s attitude towards Sang Yupianpian.
Madam Jiang suddenly said, "I heard that Miss Zhang is already discussing marriage with the eldest son of the Minister of War."
Tears welled up in Madam Zhang's eyes. "To be honest, Madam Jiang, my Yu Mo hasn't eaten or drunk anything for two days because of this. She doesn't want to marry into the Li family. She's so stubborn! If your eldest son finds a woman he likes, she says she's willing to be a concubine... otherwise, she'll never marry and will become a nun. Her grandfather is both angry and heartbroken. It's a pity that Mo'er's parents died so young. The old lady and the Duke raised her single-handedly, and she's so disappointing."
Jiang Fenghua quickly handed her a handkerchief, "I can only say that my brother and that girl really have no relationship now."
"Then why..." Old Madam Zhang's eyes were full of anxiety.
Jiang Fenghua couldn't say much, but she said, "Shall I go with the old lady to try and persuade her?"
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Upon arriving at the Zhang residence, Jiang Fenghua asked Lianye to wait for her outside the door, and then went into Zhang Yumo's bedroom alone.
When she saw Jiang Fenghua arrive, she quickly got out of bed, "Fenghua..."
Jiang Fenghua noticed that she had lost weight and her eyes were red. "It's the most unwise thing to degrade your body for a man."
"I won't marry into the Li family." Zhang Yumo covered her face and cried again.
Jiang Fenghua felt a bit disappointed, but everyone has been young and foolish. She was able to let it go because she had been through it, but Zhang Yumo was different.
She said softly, "Get up, wash and dress yourself, and I'll take you somewhere."
"Where to?" Zhang Yumo didn't want to go anywhere right now. She was determined to fight against her grandparents to the end. She would not marry into the Li family.
Jiang Fenghua had already seen through her thoughts. "You hurt yourself, but it is your closest relatives who suffer. If you die of heartbreak, outsiders will not feel the slightest pain, including my eldest brother. He will not be sad or upset, and the Li family will not be either. They will only think you are bad luck. But your grandparents who raised you will be burying their child. They will be in unbearable pain."
Zhang Yumo stared blankly at Jiang Fenghua, "My...grandparents..."
Jiang Fenghua's eyes were cold and deep. "Do you think I knew out of thin air that you hadn't eaten for two days? Do you think I care about you every moment and that my thoughts are always on you? Zhang Yumo, if I hadn't come today, and you had gone hungry for another half month, you might have really died. At that time, I would only go to your grave to offer you three sticks of incense and sigh, 'So young, you died just like that.' Two days later, I would forget you and live my life well. But you're dead, and your Zhang family might still have to bear some rumors and gossip. These are things that your relatives will have to endure."
"Dying is easy, but living is hard." Jiang Fenghua never tried to persuade anyone, but she cherished her own life. Her body was her own, and her life was her own, so she could live carefree and would live well to avoid future regrets.
Zhang Yumo stopped crying. "It was my grandmother who went to find you."
"Yes, she went to the Jiang family and even asked my mother to let you in as a concubine. Zhang Yumo, the people who love you the most are not Jiang Jinyan, but your grandparents. Your hunger strike hurts their hearts, not Jiang Jinyan's. Your desire to become his concubine damages the reputation of your Duke's Mansion, not the reputation of my Jiang family."
"Do you know that he's still out there having a good time with Yu Pianpian? He doesn't love you, he doesn't like you. Why are you ruining yourself like this? Wouldn't it be more meaningful to live well and live for your family?" I'm sorry, brother, I'm just trying to prevent Zhang Yumo from going down a dead end and from repeating the tragedy of her past life.
Jiang Fenghua said earnestly, "If you don't know how to love yourself, the only person you'll hate in the future is yourself. So Zhang Yumo, start loving yourself from now on!"
Zhang Yumo was stunned. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed, her eyes filled with guilt towards her grandparents.
Just as Jiang Fenghua was about to leave, Zhang Yumo said, "Fenghua, allow me to tidy up a bit."
Jiang Fenghua nodded and walked out the door. Duke Zhang and Madam Zhang stood cautiously outside the door. They had both heard Jiang Fenghua's words. They thought Jiang Fenghua would say something to comfort Mo'er, but instead she gave her a sharp scolding.
Duke Zhang's hair was already gray, and he looked even older than Old Madam Zhang. However, he felt a sense of respect for Jiang Fenghua. The little girl in front of him was only fifteen or sixteen years old, but she had said something that revealed the essence of life: if you don't love yourself, no one else will.
Madam Zhang even shed tears, saying, "Girl, thank you."
The fact that she called Jiang Fenghua "Yatou" shows that she genuinely liked Jiang Fenghua, because in her hometown, it is customary for elders to call younger people "Yatou" as a term of endearment for their closest relatives.
A moment later, Zhang Yumo came out in clean and tidy clothes. She threw herself into the arms of Duke Zhang and Madam Zhang, "Grandfather, Grandmother, Mo'er was wrong. Mo'er will never make you sad again."
Her eyes were red, but she didn't shed a tear. "But Grandfather and Grandmother, please give Mo'er a chance to find the answer. If he really doesn't like Mo'er, Mo'er will agree to marry Young Master Li and never think about it again." She wanted to put an end to her ten-year unrequited love. She wanted to give up completely. She wanted to say a final goodbye to Jiang Jinyan.
“Go! Grandmother trusts Mo’er,” said Madam Zhang.
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