Granny Qin stared in astonishment at Jiang Shan's ambiguous smile, and trembled with rage at her outrageous and rebellious words.
"Ignorant wild girl! How dare you speak ill of the Minister's mansion? Do you think a country girl like you can enter the gates of the Minister's mansion? What kind of noble ladies can't a family like that have? If it weren't for their concern for the young master...!"
"Who sent you? The Minister's wife? Minister Fu? Or Young Master Fu?" Madam Jiao interrupted Granny Qin, her eyes turning completely cold.
Only then did Granny Qin vaguely sense that something was wrong. This country family did not respect her as much as she had imagined. They did not react when they heard the name of the Minister's Mansion. Instead, they seemed quite angry.
She wasn't invited by the Minister's Mansion, but rather by the Pei family, who used the Minister's Mansion's name to invite her to teach etiquette to the woman chosen by Young Master Fu. She was only willing to condescend to come all this way because she was attracted by the Minister's Mansion's reputation, but things didn't turn out the way she expected.
"This old woman...this old woman is..."
"What did they send you here for? They won't let me into the Minister's residence and they want to impose rules on me. Whose idea was this? Did they ask me?" Jiang Shan's dark eyes narrowed slightly, and his aura suddenly turned cold and fierce.
In the capital, Qin Mama was used to being fawned over. Many officials and families wanted her to teach etiquette to their young ladies, but she couldn't find a way. She had never been treated so coldly before, let alone questioned like this by a country girl she looked down on from the bottom of her heart.
Thinking about it this way, Granny Qin felt even more that this girl was not presentable, so she sneered and said, "A family like the Minister's mansion, you are not qualified to be a concubine! It's not your place to be picky now. Learn the rules first, and you'll be useful in the future!"
"You want my daughter to become someone's concubine? To learn the rules and then serve others?" Jiao's mother's voice suddenly rose eight decibels, her eyes seeming to spit fire.
Qin Mama glanced at Jiao Mama with disdain, wanting to say something, but seeing her strong reaction, she swallowed her words and changed her tone.
"There's no need to serve anyone else, just take good care of Young Master Fu. There's no need to go back to the capital."
Jiang Shan laughed, leaning back in her chair and saying indifferently, "So that's what it means to not be able to enter the Minister's mansion! All I have to do is stay in Guyang County as a concubine for Young Master Fu. I don't need to enter the Minister's mansion, nor do I need to return to the capital to serve the Minister's wife. To put it more bluntly, it means I have to be Fu Qiyuan's mistress for life, someone who can't see the light of day, right?"
That's roughly the idea, but Granny Qin wouldn't say it so bluntly. She wanted to embellish the meaning in a more subtle way, but Jiang Shan wouldn't give her the chance.
"A mistress, not even a concubine, certainly doesn't need to worry about disgracing the Minister's mansion. Good idea!"
Jiang Shan clapped his hands forcefully, stood up, walked to Granny Qin, picked up the tea in front of her, casually poured it on the ground, and said coldly, "I used rose syrup in this tea, it's a waste to give it to you!"
Granny Qin's face instantly darkened. She slammed her hand on the table and stood up, but was grabbed by Madam Jiao and dragged out.
"Please leave. Please tell the master of the Ministry of Rites that their standards are too high, and we are not interested!"
Granny Qin was thus kicked out of the Jiao residence.
She stared in disbelief as the girl pushed her out and slammed the door shut in front of her, nearly spitting out a mouthful of blood.
I really don't know how the young master of the Fu family could have taken a fancy to such a vulgar country girl!
When Jiang Shan returned to the living room, Jiao's mother was secretly wiping away tears.
"Mother, really? You're actually angry about someone like that?" Jiang Shan asked in astonishment.
Jiao's mother's eyes were slightly red. She twisted the handkerchief in her hand tightly and said resentfully, "I will never let you become someone's concubine!"
Jiang Shan said nonchalantly, "You're overthinking it. Not only have I not thought about getting married now, but even if I do want to get married in the future, it will definitely be to a man who truly loves and respects me. Even if all the good men in the world died, I would never become someone's concubine. Do I look like that kind of person?"
Jiao's mother held Jiang Shan's hand, her eyes filled with unspeakable pain. "Shan'er, don't worry, Mother will stand up for you..."
What right do I have to make decisions? As a foster mother? I'm afraid I'm not qualified.
Jiang Shan curled his lips and said, "Mother, Fu Qiyuan is Fu Qiyuan, and Jiang Shan is Jiang Shan. Just because he has that idea doesn't mean I have to accept it. Don't worry, I will explain it to him."
Jiao's mother never dreamed that Fu Qiyuan would harbor such despicable thoughts. The child she had raised with her own hands had been blinded by power and wealth, and had actually trampled on her and her daughter like this. It was heartbreaking!
Jiang Shan sat with Jiao's mother for a while before going to find Jiang Huai. Jiang Huai was playing ball with Xi'er when he saw Jiang Shan. He took Xi'er's hand and stumbled towards them.
"Miss, have the guests left?" Xi'er picked up the ball and handed it to Jiang Huai, asking casually.
Jiang Shan nodded, then suddenly put Jiang Huai in Xi'er's arms and said, "I'm going out for a bit, I'll be back soon."
Seeing Jiang Shan leave in a flurry, Jiang Huai called out a single word with melancholy: "Sheep...!"
Jiang Shan knew perfectly well that her ambiguous feelings for Fu Qiyuan had dissipated a month ago. Compared to the future path that she and her two children would have to take, that little bit of disappointment was nothing.
She had originally thought to just let it go, but the inexplicable humiliation she had suffered today made her very unhappy. She wanted to have a clear talk with Fu Qiyuan once and for all. Since they were not on the same path, they shouldn't force themselves to be family!
As the carriage approached the county government office, Jiang Shan lifted the bamboo curtain.
Before he could even sort out his thoughts, he saw a woman dressed in red and green coming out of the county government office.
"Oh, sir, you're too kind! No need for that! Please tell your lord, young man, that I, Wang the matchmaker, am determined to be the matchmaker. I'll be waiting for your good news in the capital!"
"Thank you so much, Matchmaker Wang. My master will reward you handsomely once the matter is settled!"
"Oh, thank you so much, sir!"
Jiang Shan watched coldly as Fu Shu saw the woman off, his hands clenched into fists.
They've even found a matchmaker; they've really gone all out!
"Turn around and go back!"
After seeing off Matchmaker Wang, Fu Shu returned to his study with light steps, grinning and saying, "Young Master, you're really something! You can spend so much time with someone like Matchmaker Wang. Are you really planning to ask her to be your matchmaker? She was hired by the Pei family!"
Fu Qiyuan said without looking up, "Didn't you say that Matchmaker Wang is very famous in the capital? Didn't you say that she can't arrange any marriages? Just keep an eye on things in the capital, it might come in handy someday."
Fu Shu pursed his lips and muttered under his breath, "You can't make it sound so mysterious. What talented woman, beautiful and charming, whom I admire and dream of marrying... That matchmaker Wang might actually think she's a noble lady from some noble family in the capital!"
Fu Qiyuan glanced at him indifferently.
With just one glance, Fu Shu fell silent and quietly slipped out.
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