The twenty-fourth year of Zhihe.

It was just the beginning of March, and the grass in the small courtyard of the Jiang family had sprouted tender green buds. A breeze blew by, and ripples appeared on the lotus pond, which was so clear that you could see the bottom of the pond.

The ripples spread out in circles, breaking the mirror-like tranquility of the pond and disturbing the face reflected in the pond, which was as delicate as a flower bud.

Xiaoqing came over with a red lacquer fruit plate, and her voice was sweet: "Miss, this is the cake that the old man just got from the prince's mansion, you try it."

The girl leaned against the pavilion, wearing a light green pleated Ruyi moon skirt, with complex and exquisite patterns embroidered on the neckline and sleeves, elegant and delicate.

A small face the size of a palm, adorned with eyes as bright and brilliant as gems, with dark eyes and long and dense eyelashes like butterfly wings. The face is smooth, the nose is straight, the lips are small and bright red, and the skin is delicate and fair.

Jiang Yuanyi looked at her face in the pond, a little dazed.

This is the third day of her rebirth.

After she swallowed the poison with hatred, she woke up again and found herself lying on the Luohan bed where she was taking a nap. Xiaoqing was making tea with tea leaves just shipped from Jiangnan, and the fragrant tea smell filled the room.

She was reborn two months before her coming of age. At this time, no one in the capital knew that the Jiang family had such a daughter. Everything had not yet begun.

Everything is still in time.

Xiaoqing looked at her young lady's indescribably beautiful profile and reminded softly, "Miss, if you don't eat it now, it won't taste good."

Jiang Yuanyi came back to her senses, took it with a smile, and moved to the stone table to eat it in small bites.

Although the Jiang family is a famous tea merchant, it can only be an insignificant existence in the capital city where the powerful and aristocratic families gather. The Jiang family's courtyard is not large, but it is extremely exquisitely decorated. Carved railings, rockery, and precious flowers and plants can be seen everywhere in the courtyard. The

Jiang family has a small population, with only more than 30 people including servants. The courtyard is usually quiet, but at this time, a lot of quarrels can be heard.

Jiang Yuanyi frowned: "What's wrong?"

Xiaoqing picked up her handkerchief, wiped the water stains on the corners of Yuanyi's mouth, and whispered in the young lady's ear: "The eldest lady quarreled with the lady again... because of the choice of a son-in-law..."

Jiang Yuanyi woke up as if from a dream.

She has not recovered in the past few days since her rebirth. She even forgot about her sister.

Jiang's father married two women in total. The legal wife Jiang and the concubine Liu Yi, who had three children in total. Jiang Ruchao and Jiang Yuanyi were born to the legal wife, and there was another daughter, two years older than Jiang Yuanyi, named Jiang Xirong, who was born to the concubine.

Jiang Xirong's biological mother died early, and Jiang was kind and treated Jiang Xirong as her own daughter. When she came to the capital, she always claimed that Xirong was her own daughter. People in the capital only knew that the Jiang family had three children, all of whom were legitimate children born to the legal wife.

In her previous life, Jiang Xirong married Gao Mingxuan, the illegitimate son of the Gao family. However, Gao Mingxuan had dozens of concubines and maids in his room, and he favored his concubines over his wife to the extreme.

Later, Jiang Xirong was pregnant, but the fetus was too big, so only one of the adults and children could be saved. The Gao family saved the child without hesitation. Unfortunately, her young sister died.

Before Jiang Xirong married Gao Mingxuan, she had already secretly promised her love to a poor student. However, her mother disliked his poor family background and his failure in the imperial examination, so she refused to marry her sister to him.

But Jiang Yuanyi knew. The man passed the imperial examination the following year and became a Jinshi. He had a smooth career in the government.

Moreover, he was kind and loyal. After learning that his sister had died, he did not care about his face and went to the Gao family to make a big fuss. It became an anecdote in the capital for a while.

Jiang Yuanyi quickly stood up and walked towards her mother's room.

After passing the path outside the pavilion and a long corridor, she reached the main courtyard where her parents lived.

Jiang Yuanyi stood at the door and saw the broken pieces of the teacup scattered all over the floor, with the water stains forming sharp edges. Jiang Xirong knelt beside her, sobbing with her head down. Her beautiful face was soaked with tears, and her eyes were red.

Her mother, who was sitting on a rosewood carved armchair, was also slightly flushed with anger.

The two of them were kneeling and sitting, and the atmosphere was a little stagnant.

Jiang Yuanyi walked over and helped her sister up, but her mother shouted at her: "Don't worry about her, just let her kneel down and know what the rules set by the ancestors are!"

Jiang has always been a person with a sharp tongue but a soft heart. As long as there are no outsiders around, she rarely restricts them with strict etiquette. Jiang Yuanyi exchanged glances with Jiang Xirong and helped her sister up.

Jiang snorted angrily, looking at Jiang Xirong's pitiful appearance, and stopped scolding her.

Jiang Yuanyi walked over and pinched her mother's shoulder: "Mother, father received a reward from Prince Hui this morning and brought cakes from the palace. Don't you always like to eat them?"

Xiaoqing came in from outside with a porcelain plate and walked to Jiang Xirong: "Miss..."

Jiang Xirong reacted and quickly took it, walked to her mother, squatted in front of Jiang, and said softly: "Mother, don't get angry."

Jiang's expression eased a little, took a piece of cake and ate it. After eating, she took the handkerchief and wiped the corners of her mouth, looking at Jiang Xirong: "This matter is not negotiable. Although my Jiang family is a small merchant, my two daughters are not as talented and beautiful as those ladies from aristocratic families.

There are so many young men who come to propose marriage now. If you marry a poor girl with nothing at home, "I'm a student from the Imperial College, if this gets out, where will I put my face?"

Jiang Xirong's eyes instantly turned red: "Mother, I know you love me and never treat me as a concubine's child, but Jiaqi is really a very good person. Although his family is poor, he has been studying hard. The palace examination will be soon, and he will definitely..."

Jiang slammed the table: "Enough! It's the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. I haven't argued with you about you and Yuan Jiaqi!

A girl who has not yet left the palace actually goes out for a tryst. If it gets out, how are you going to gain a foothold in the capital? ! Which young master would dare to marry you? The palace examination in Ning'an is not the same as before. It's not certain whether Yuan Jiaqi will pass it!"

After passing the joint examination and becoming a tribute scholar, one can take the palace examination personally by the emperor. Generally speaking, except for special circumstances, they will be on the list. That is to say, after passing the joint examination, there is no need to worry about the palace examination.

However, since the founding of Ning'an State, there have been many problems in the palace examinations over the years. When Emperor Taizong presided over the palace examinations, he would occasionally reject two or three people. After several generations, it became an unwritten rule in Ning'an State. In the most years, nearly seven people failed.

Although Yuan Jiaqi was already a tribute scholar and was considered a leader among the students, it was still unknown whether he could pass the palace examination. His family was poor, and if he failed the palace examination, Jiang would definitely not marry his daughter to him.

Jiang Xirong was about to explain, but Jiang Yuanyi quickly stopped her, rubbed her mother's back, and said softly, "Mother, my sister's appearance and character are good enough to marry into a very good family. Now there are so many young masters from aristocratic families proposing marriage, we have to choose carefully, and treating my sister well is the most important thing."

Jiang replied, "Of course."

Jiang Yuanyi took the cake from Jiang Xirong, put it aside, bowed to her mother, and said softly, "Mother, I'll go and persuade my sister, you take a rest first." After that, she took Jiang Xirong away.

The two sisters walked on the path. Jiang Xirong had already stopped crying and looked at Jiang Yuanyi: "Yier, do you also think that I should just find a young man from a noble family to marry?" The

warm spring breeze swept across the pond and green leaves, adding a bit of grass fragrance and coolness, and gently blew the soft hair beside the ears of the woman in front of her. Her eyes were moist, shining with water, and her eyes were soft and confused.

Jiang Yuanyi thought of her sister's experience in her previous life and felt extremely distressed. She reached out and held her sister's hand tightly: "Sister, this time don't listen to mother and don't compromise."

Jiang Xirong was a little surprised: "But you just..."

Jiang Yuanyi pulled her forward slowly and explained softly: "Mother is angry, and you know her temper. If you continue to confront her at this time, it will only make her angrier. Let's calm her down first, and then make a long-term plan." The two walked into Jiang Yuanyi's guest room. Jiang Xirong looked at Jiang Yuanyi and said, "Mother is angry now. You know her temper. If you continue to confront her, it will only make her angrier. Let's calm her down first, and then make a long-term plan."

The two walked into Jiang Yuanyi's guest room. Jiang Xirong looked at Jiang Yuanyi and said, " Mother, please help me." , took out a letter from his sleeve: "This is what Jiaqi sent to me the day before yesterday. He finally persuaded his mother, and is asking me to write a reply."

Jiang Yuanyi asked: "Does his mother also disagree?"

Jiang Xirong shook her head: "Before, Jiaqi brought his mother to the mansion to propose a marriage, but... his mother said a few words to him. His mother is also a person with temper, so..."

Jiang Yuanyi patted her sister on the shoulder: "It doesn't matter, you reply to him first, just tell him to wait for you for a few days, and you must try your best to persuade him."

"But..." Jiang Xirong hesitated, "...If, I can't persuade my mother, wouldn't that hurt Jiaqi's heart again..."

...In this life, no matter what, I will let you find a good person and live a happy and stable life.

Jiang Yuanyi held her sister's hand and said sternly, "Sister, your husband is the one who will accompany you for the rest of your life. If you marry someone you have never met, how can you know what he will be like after marriage? This time, you must not give in to your mother... and I will help you."

The little girl in front of her was still in her teens, with soft baby fat on her tender face. Her facial features had not yet fully developed, but it was enough to see her stunning beauty.

Her peach blossom eyes, which were rippling with waves, revealed wisdom and maturity that did not match her age.

Jiang Xirong couldn't help but reach out her hand and gently stroked her sister's long eyelashes: "Okay, sister listens to you."

Jiang Yuanyi came out of her sister's room and whispered in Xiaoqing's ear: "Xiaoqing, go out to No. 38 Liu Street to hire a few spies and ask them to investigate Gao Mingxuan, the illegitimate son of the Minister of Personnel Gao Xuan."

Xiaoqing looked at the young lady in confusion: "Miss, what are you investigating him for?"

Jiang Yuanyi whispered: "Do you want your eldest lady to marry a good husband?"

Xiaoqing said crisply: "Of course, the eldest lady is very good to us servants and often gives us some rewards. Knowing that I like to eat candied haws, she specially asked Xiaoyue to bring them to me."

Jiang Yuanyi smiled, her eyes curved into a beautiful arc, and a little light shone from her eyes. Xiaoqing was a little stunned.

Jiang Yuanyi patted her on the back of the head: "Remember to tell the spies to record the time when Gao Mingxuan was taken in as a concubine, their names, and the times she went in and out of the brothel."

Xiaoqing nodded and agreed: "Yes, Miss."

The sun was shining brightly.

Jiang Yuanyi raised her round fan to block the sun: "Go later."

The author has something to say: I hope everyone has seen it. If you like it, please collect it. I bow to thank you.