Chapter 38 Spring Banquet (Part Two)
"Oh my, isn't this Madam Jiang?"
Several women stepped past Jiang Wanru and the others to greet them, saying, "This is truly a rare sight."
"We thought Madam Jiang wouldn't be coming this year either."
Ms. Zhou responded with a smile, "I was unwell a few years ago, but thanks to my daughter, she has helped me get better."
"So I thought I'd take the opportunity to get some fresh air."
"Ningning, Zhizhi, come and meet her." Madam Zhou pulled Jiang Wanning along and introduced her, "This is the wife of Minister Qi, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works."
"Greetings, Madam." Jiang Wanning and Shen Ruzhi curtsied slightly.
"This is the mistress of the Earl of Qingyuan's mansion."
"..."
Jiang Wanning and Shen Ruzhi bowed to each other.
"Oh my, Ningning really takes after Madam Jiang. From a distance, I thought Madam Jiang had secretly obtained the secret to staying young all these years."
“Since you’re here, Madam Jiang, please come with us and sit down. Let the children play by themselves.” Countess Li smiled and took Zhou’s hand.
Jiang Wan Ning wanted to keep up.
Zhou gave him a look that stopped her, and said in a low voice, "Don't worry."
Jiang Wan Ning had no choice but to give Shao Yao a look, signaling her to follow from a distance.
Jiang Wanru stepped forward and took Jiang Wanning's arm. "Big sister, I didn't see your carriage when I came. I thought you had arrived a long time ago."
“You’re blind. The carriage is right in the stable,” Shen Ruzhi retorted.
Jiang Wanru immediately filled her eyes with tears, "Miss Chen, I...I really didn't see it."
"Stop trying to sow discord between me and my sister."
"Hmph, sister, you're calling me so affectionately now, but in a while, you'd better start calling me mother-in-law."
“Even though my sister and I married into the royal family at the same time, how can our generational order be confused?”
"Sister, are you right?"
Jiang Wanning looked at Jiang Wanru and smiled, "You're right."
"We really can't mess up the seniority system."
Jiang Wanru felt a surge of pride, but the next moment she heard Jiang Wanning say, "When Aunt Liu entered the mansion, she was already pregnant."
"And the identity of a concubine..." Jiang Wan Ning deliberately hesitated, "Well, it's just that Father is a very straightforward person."
"However, since my younger sister grew up in my manor, it is an honor for her to call me 'elder sister'."
"But if you go to the Prince's mansion later, you should still call her Mother-in-law."
Jiang Wanru was stunned for a moment upon hearing Jiang Wanning's words, "You..."
What she meant was that it wasn't certain whether she was a woman from the Marquis's household.
"Big sister." Jiang Wanru immediately shed two lines of tears. "Big sister, I know you blame me."
"But you've already punished me for this."
Jiang Wanru was crying and looked so weak that everyone around her turned to look.
Jiang Wan Ning tilted her head and slightly curled her lips, "Little sister, if you cry again, your makeup will come off."
Jiang Wanru was stunned for a moment, then quickly wiped away her tears and looked back at the fish tank. Thank goodness.
Jiang Wan Ning ignored them and walked towards the direction where Zhou's family was.
"Who is this? He's really good-looking."
"You haven't been in the capital for a long time, so you don't know. This is Jiang Wan Ning, the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Ningyuan."
"Is she the one who got engaged to the heir of the Prince of Langya but then married the Prince of Langya himself?"
It's her.
"If you're saying she thinks she did it on purpose to get revenge on the Crown Prince, then although the Prince of Langya is good-looking, he's physically weak."
"I also think that Jiang Wan Ning is pretty, but she's stupid."
"It's better to have Jiang Wanru. It's said that the young master initially favored Jiang Wanru, but Jiang Wanning interfered."
"Later, the Crown Prince had some regrets, which is why he wrote many letters to Jiang Wanru."
"Really? Who told you that?"
“Jiang Wanru just mentioned it herself, and I don’t think what she said sounds like a lie. Look at how she was facing Jiang Wanning just now.”
"......"
Hearing the loud chatter around her, Shen Ruzhi felt an urge to confront them.
Jiang Wan Ning stopped her; she already knew why Jiang Wan Ru had come so early.
The women who were standing with Jiang Wanru just now were either unfavored concubine daughters or had unkind stepmothers.
Furthermore, there is an older sister who is difficult to meet.
These people would then be more inclined to side with Jiang Wanru in terms of their status.
It's really kind of her to come so early just to do these things.
"Oh dear, Madam Jiang, don't be modest. Everyone here knows how skilled you were at playing the pipa back in the day."
How many men in this capital city have been captivated by you? Today, let us witness your former glory. What do you all say?
Lady Li, the wife of the Earl of Qingyuan, said with a smile.
"Yeah yeah."
"Madam Jiang, please play a song."
"Let these younger generations hear it too."
"......"
Jiang Wan Ning saw Zhou Shi being pulled by the Lady of Qingyuan Earl towards the pipa.
He immediately stepped forward and went to Zhou's side, "Mother."
"Oh, it's Miss Ning! You suddenly appeared and startled me."
“You’ve come at the right time. Talk to your mother and tell her not to keep teaching only you, but to teach these girls too.”
Jiang Wan Ning looked up at Li Shi with a cold gaze.
Feeling uncomfortable under her gaze, Li said, "I...I'm doing this for everyone's sake, aren't I?"
"We always missed your mother so much when we couldn't see her. Now that we've finally met her, we're so happy..."
"So you were thinking of having my mother play a piece for you?"
Jiang Wan Ning said coldly, "My mother once swore never to play the pipa again, and I'm sure Madam Li knows that."
Back then, Aunt Liu entered the Marquis's mansion as a courtesan, and she was a very good dancer.
Zhou always heard laughter and gossip outside, saying that after Marquis Jiang Zheng returned home, his mistress played music and his concubines danced.
But it's more comfortable than being in a brothel or a pleasure boat.
No wonder the Marquis never goes to brothels; he's brought the brothel into his own home.
Zhou then vowed never to touch the pipa again in her life.
“This… Ning girl, I am, after all, an elder. How can I be so rude?”
"The fact that your mother came out to attend the banquet today makes us think that what happened before is over. Your mother knows best that vows cannot be taken seriously."
"Didn't the Marquis make a solemn vow back then, but he still didn't keep it?"
"So we just took it as a joke that they weren't playing the pipa."
"Smack!"
"You...you actually dared to hit me?" Lady Qingyuan covered her face with one hand and stared at Jiang Wanning in disbelief.
Jiang Wan Ning shook her hand, "Madam has misunderstood."
"There was a bedbug on your face just now, look!"
Jiang Wan Ning pointed to a black insect corpse on the ground, "It's strange, aren't bedbugs usually found in outhouses?"
"How did it end up on Madam's face?"
"No wonder the Earl would rather take a concubine older than you than share a room with you."
"This attraction to bedbugs must be a sign of something wrong with you, Madam. I happen to be studying medicine recently; would you like me to take your pulse?"
Jiang Wan Ning spoke with a serious expression.
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