Chapter 199 Obstacles
Madam Jiang held Chen Tang's hand, patted it twice, and smiled from ear to ear, "No matter whose is missing, Tang'er's can't be missing."
The maid brought a tray with a bulging purse on it. Madam Jiang took it and stuffed it into Shen Tang's hand.
Heavy.
Chen Tang asked, "Why is it so heavy?"
Jiang Li said enviously, "The one given to my cousin is the biggest."
Of course, it is what my cousin deserves. Without my cousin, the Jiang family would not be as prosperous as it is today. This purse is filled with golden melon seeds and peanuts. Even if the purse was filled with silver bills, it would be enough. It's just that the Jiang family does not have enough resources to fill it.
Shen Tang said happily, "Thank you, Grandma."
Chen Tang held Madam Jiang's arm, while Jiang Li excitedly talked about the announcement of the results yesterday. Jiang Ning sat aside, saying nothing, with red ears. Chen Tang saw this and said, "Why didn't cousin say a word? Did the number one scholar step on your feet again yesterday?"
boom.
Jiang Ning, whose ears were already red, turned even redder, like a cooked crab.
Jiang Ning stamped her feet in shame, "No, no! My cousin just knows how to tease me!"
Even though it was just a joke, there's no need to blush like this, right?
Something is happening.
Chen Tang looked at Jiang Li, and Jiang Li covered her mouth and laughed, "Cousin, you don't know, when the results were announced yesterday, Young Master Jiang gave you a jade pendant..."
Shen Tang raised his eyebrows.
It seems that the Jiang family has a grandson-in-law who is a top scholar.
Jiang Ning's face was red enough to make blood drip, and she angrily said to Jiang Li, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'm going to hit you!"
Jiang Li said, "I'm telling the truth."
What truth? Jiang Ning was so embarrassed that she wanted to hit Jiang Li. Jiang Li hid behind Chen Tang. Jiang Ning stamped her feet and said, "Cousin, don't listen to her nonsense. Young Master Jiang found the high school talisman I used to pray for my elder brother and wanted to return it to me. He was chased by someone at the time and took the wrong one in a hurry. He stuffed the jade pendant into my hand..."
Jiang Li said, "The talisman I prayed for my eldest brother to get into high school fell into the hands of Young Master Jiang. In the end, he got into high school, and the results have been announced. It's useless to return it."
On the day when the Jingyang Palace presented the betrothal gift, Mrs. Jiang went to the Pingyuan Marquis's Mansion to visit the old lady. Jiang Ning and Jiang Li went to the Jokhang Temple to pray for Jiang Mingxiu and Jiang Mingyuan, so they did not go with them.
They went to the Jokhang Temple. It happened that Master Jiang and several classmates from Wangzhou also went to the Jokhang Temple. When they saw Jiang Ning, Master Jiang remembered the day when the examination results were announced, when he accidentally stepped on Jiang Ning.
He had always felt guilty about stepping on the girl's foot, but he didn't know who the girl was, so he didn't apologize and didn't dare to visit her rashly. He didn't expect to meet her in the Jokhang Temple, so he had to apologize for his disrespect that day.
It was always embarrassing to have someone step on your feet. Jiang Ning was sweating from holding the high school talisman in her palm. She had a habit of pinching her handkerchief when she was nervous. She wished Young Master Jiang the best in the imperial examination and then left.
But when she was leaving, she accidentally dropped the high school entrance talisman she had prayed for her eldest brother on the ground. When Young Master Jiang saw it, Jiang Ning had already walked away with Jiang Li.
Young Master Jiang picked up the high school entrance examination talisman. Several classmates who were standing far away came over and said with a smile, "Brother Jiang was the first in the examination. He got a high school entrance examination talisman before he even went in to ask for it. The top scorer must be Brother Jiang."
Young Master Jiang said, "This is what the girl asked for on behalf of someone else."
"If you can even lose a talisman like this, you'll have no chance of becoming the top scholar," said the classmate with a smile.
Knowing that it was Jiang Ning who dropped it, and that it was dropped because he was apologizing, Young Master Jiang couldn't throw it away, so he held it in his arms.
Because he already had a high school entrance exam talisman on him, he did not ask for it again. He thought that on the day of the examination, Jiang Ning would go to see the results, and he would also take the high school entrance exam talisman with him.
Just as Jiang Li said, the results had been announced, and it was useless to return the high school entrance examination talisman, but he still took it with him. Then the same situation as in the imperial examination happened again. A bunch of people wanted to catch him and invited him to taste tea and appreciate flowers. Young Master Jiang did not dare to stay any longer, but just when he was about to leave, he saw Jiang Ning in the crowd.
Last time, he had not thought that there would be another intersection, and he did not ask who the girl came from, nor did he want to be abrupt. This time, the situation was not appropriate to ask. While running away, Young Master Jiang reached into his arms to grab the talisman. In a hurry, it was easy to make mistakes, so he stuffed the jade pendant in his arms into Jiang Ning's hand.
Young Master Jiang picked up Jiang Ning's high school talisman and found it difficult to throw it away. Young Master Jiang had stuffed a jade pendant into it by mistake, so Jiang Ning found it even more difficult to throw it away, so she took the jade pendant back home.
The jade pendant was like a hot potato in her hand. Jiang Ning didn't know how many times she blushed because of the jade pendant. Afraid that Chen Tang would tease her, Jiang Ning quickly changed the subject, "A few days ago, there was a rumor on the street that Prince Ning was my cousin. This matter..."
When this matter was mentioned, Old Madam Jiang waved her hand and sent all the maids and servants out of the room.
This is also what Old Lady Jiang wants to know.
If it weren't for the palace examination interrupting the event, and if Prince Ning hadn't attended court for the past few days, the rumor would have probably already come to light.
I don’t know who leaked this information, or whether it has reached the ears of Princess Ning. It is impossible for Prince Ning to avoid attending court all the time.
Jiang Ning and Jiang Li already knew that Prince Ning was their cousin.
Chen Tang shook his head, "I don't know either. I didn't ask my father. Old Prince Ning didn't go to court, so the rumors should not have reached Old Princess Ning's ears."
The only obstacle for her eldest brother to trace his ancestral roots was that he was afraid that the old Princess Ning would not be able to bear the blow, nothing else mattered.
If it were any other rumor, such a big thing as the imperial examination could definitely dilute it, but this matter... was suppressed for a few days by my father using the palace examination, and now that the results have been announced, it definitely can't be suppressed.
Old Prince Ning has been avoiding the court for several days. If he does not attend court tomorrow, it would be tantamount to admitting that the rumors are true.
If it was fake, why didn't Prince Ning go to court if he was not sick or in any pain?
Old Prince Ning was also worried about this matter. He had kept it secret for a long time, and it suddenly became a hot topic before he could prepare. Fortunately, it did not reach the ears of Old Princess Ning. He issued a gag order, and no one dared to let Old Princess Ning know.
But the truth will eventually come out.
Princess Ning suddenly wanted to go to the Jokhang Temple to burn incense, but her personal nanny said, "It's hot, and your health is not good, so you'd better not go."
Princess Ning said, "It's not the hottest time yet. If we don't go now, we have to wait until autumn."
As she spoke, Princess Ning felt something was wrong.
She seldom went out a few times a year. Usually when she went to the Jokhang Temple, Nanny Zhao was happy and thought she should go out more often. Why didn't she make arrangements today instead of obstructing her?
Princess Ning asked, "Are you hiding something from me?"
Aunt Zhao shook her head, "No, no..."
"You've been with me for decades, how could I not know that you stutter when you lie?" said Princess Ning.
"Don't ask me to guess. Just tell me."
Aunt Zhao said, "It's really nothing. I, I just..."
Old Princess Ning looked at her, and Nanny Zhao slapped herself on the mouth.
I have never told a lie in my life, but when I tell a lie I stutter.
Princess Ning asked, "Are you trying to drive me crazy?"
Zhao Ma Ma knelt down and said, "It's not that I don't want to tell you, but the old prince has issued a gag order, fearing that some rumors outside would upset you."
Who dares to spread gossip about the Ning Palace? There are only the two old bones and Huan'er left in the Ning Palace. The old Princess Ning asked, "Did Huan'er get into trouble?"
Aunt Zhao shook her head.
Princess Ning was in poor health and would cough when she was anxious. "Do you really want to drive me to death? I already know. Even if you don't tell me, I will find a way to know it."
Either the secret is kept secret completely, or even if there is a slight leak, it will be impossible to keep it secret.
Besides, it is impossible for Princess Ning to stay at home again.
Madam Zhao said stiffly, "I don't know who spread the rumor that our Prince Ning's mansion's prince is the eldest young master of the Marquis Pingyuan's mansion who has been missing for more than ten years..."
Old Princess Ning was startled and her face turned pale.
Aunt Zhao was frightened. "It's just a rumor. Don't take it seriously..."
Old Princess Ning raised her hand to interrupt her, "Go and invite the old prince."
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