“Good child, don’t hold it against your second sister. She’s just stupid. You’re the most capable one in our family. You have to help her when something happens, especially that little peach blossom. Your second sister has lost so much face because of her. We are all blood relatives in the Jiang family. If one of us is harmed, we are all harmed. You must help her…”
As she spoke, Madam Song mentioned Xiao Taohong again, her face contorted with hatred and gritted teeth.
Clearly, Xiao Taohong is an obstacle she can never overcome.
For her, taking pity on women and men was a normal thing for men to do.
What man doesn't have multiple wives and concubines?
But Xiao Taohong was a prostitute who caused trouble at the mansion and was pregnant. No family with any sense of shame would tolerate such a person.
Along with that, she also came to hate Pei Lingyu.
In other words, Jiang Yao is a stubborn, inflexible person who would never get off Pei Lingyu's rotten branch.
Especially now that Jiang Shuwan has been granted the title of County Princess, given the Marquis's mansion and Jiang Shuwan's current status and position.
Jiang Yao's second marriage would probably be better than Pei Lingyu's; she wouldn't have to suffer in that awful place, the Earl's Mansion, every day.
The only good thing about the current Earl's Mansion is that the Earl's wife treats Jiang Yao better than ever before.
But so what?
A tree lives by its bark, and a person lives by their face.
Jiang Yao lost face, and the Jiang family also lost face.
...
Thinking of this, Song felt a surge of hatred that made her grit her teeth.
She hated Pei Lingyu, that despicable and wicked scoundrel.
She also hated Jiang Yao for being so stupid; it was just her bad luck that she had to hang herself on Pei Lingyu's crooked tree.
Not only did they refuse to divorce, but they also kept saying that Pei Lingyu would be the top scholar in this year's imperial examination...
No, after returning from Red Robe Lane, he swore to the heavens that he would prepare well for the imperial examinations, but less than a month later, he couldn't stand the loneliness and started hanging out with Xiao Tao Hong...
How could someone like that become the top scorer in the exam...?
I'm afraid all the scholars in the world have died.
While inwardly complaining, Song recalled Jiang Yao's confident tone when she spoke of Pei Lingyu's future success and his status as the top scholar in the imperial examination.
Where does her silly girl get her confidence from...?
Could it be that Pei Lingyu truly possesses this genius...?
A jumble of information raced through Song's mind, and she recalled the autumn examination.
Before the autumn examination, Pei Lingyu spent his days idly at the Imperial Academy, not studying seriously. He ranked low in the autumn examination, but still passed.
Moreover, the poem he wrote for the autumn examination was indeed highly praised.
If that's the case, Pei Lingyu must also have some talent. He's handsome and young, and if he's lucky, he might even be among the top scorers in the imperial examinations.
A top-ranking student of the emperor in his early twenties, plus the support of a marquis's family—all things considered, such a son-in-law doesn't seem so unacceptable.
As long as she can get into the top tier, even if she's one of the last few in that tier, she won't try to persuade Jiang Yao to divorce her.
The attempt to mediate failed, and it even damaged the relationship between the mother and daughter.
Yes, that's it.
Thinking of this, Madam Song felt somewhat relieved, and of course, she continued to urge Jiang Shuwan to eat and drink her food.
She finally understood that whether Jiang Yao divorced or continued to live in the Earl's mansion, if Jiang Yao wanted to be rich and powerful, she would have to rely on her older sister, Jiang Shuwan.
Why!
Why did she withhold food and clothing from Jiang Shuwan when she was little...?
They really shot themselves in the foot.
As Song thought this, her feet, hidden under the table, seemed to experience a phantom pain as if they had been hit, causing her to grimace in pain.
Jiang Shuwan ate her meal slowly, talking to her father as she ate.
She has indeed prospered now, and this benefits the Jiang family as well.
But the capital city, especially at this time of year, is not a place where a family like the Jiang family can act arrogantly.
Everything must be kept low-key. The clansmen must be disciplined and cannot be allowed to run amok in her name.
"Don't worry about that. Not only the clansmen, but even I, your father, am more careful and cautious in my actions than before."
As he spoke, Jiang's father put down his chopsticks and began to talk to Jiang Shuwan about recent events at the Ministry of Rites.
Jiang Shuwan has always been intelligent. Even at a young age, when she was not even as tall as a table, she could speak of the principles of "cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world." Therefore, her father never looked down on her.
Of course, constrained by his mindset and long-term education, he would not specifically discuss matters of the court with Jiang Shuwan.
Jiang Shuwan is different now. She went directly from being the wife of the Marquis's heir to becoming a member of the imperial family. Although she is only the adopted daughter of Consort Rong, she is still a person listed in the royal register.
The heir apparent's wife was naturally noble and powerful.
But the county princess, that is a "ruler".
Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, and Teacher.
To put it simply, although he is still a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites, because of Jiang Shuwan, the county princess, even the Minister of Rites has to greet him with a smile.
Many banquets that he was not qualified to attend are now being eagerly and shamelessly invited by others.
Even at the palace banquet on the first day of the Lunar New Year just a few days ago, he didn't even have the right to sit at the end of the table. He could only watch others enter the palace to attend the banquet. But he dared to say that next year, he would definitely have a place at the banquet.
His family is the maternal family of the county princess!
To be even more vain, he and His Majesty the Emperor were practically brothers.
God……
He's so beautiful.
Although I only dare to think this way when I dream at night, it does count in a way.
Especially during the last grand court session, when he attended court, the emperor specifically pulled him aside for questioning.
Although it was just a casual greeting, it was only the second time he had spoken to the emperor since he became an official.
The first time was more than ten years ago when he passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi. The emperor addressed all the Jinshi, and he knelt down below, not daring to raise his head. Now the emperor was chatting with him casually.
The whole family ascended to heaven.
However, having served as an official for over a decade, and with no connections in the Jiang family, he had risen from an outside official to a position in the capital entirely through his own hard work. Jiang's father knew all too well that he couldn't afford to be arrogant at this point and needed to remain calm.
So, without waiting for Jiang Shuwan's instructions, he had already warned his clansmen and also told Jiang Shuwan about the recent movements of the Ministry of Rites.
The Lunar New Year is the busiest time for the Ministry of Rites. Even after the New Year is over, there are still many things to do, especially since there is another major event coming up: the triennial imperial examination.
The imperial examinations were of great significance to the court. If he participated in them, even if it was just a matter of copying anonymously or doing odd jobs like supervising the examination halls, it would be a significant political achievement for him.
At that time, his position will also be able to change.
Sigh, he's been a junior official in the Ministry of Rites for several years now. He even said he wanted a promotion, but he hasn't gotten one yet.
Now we have the opportunity.
"The Imperial Examination? Father wants to go to the Imperial Examination to supervise the examination halls?"
Jiang Shuwan looked at her father in surprise.
Stroking his beard, Father Jiang smiled and said, "Of course I've wanted to, but I just haven't had the chance before."
Presiding over the imperial examinations was a lucrative job that allowed him to boost his political achievements; it was something he had never been offered before, and he had never even dared to dream of doing.
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