Chapter 11 Playing the Role for Real
"Mother."
Little Fu'er struggled to climb over the high threshold of the main hall, her pink and white dress covered in dust.
Jiang Shiyao picked up her daughter. "Where's Daddy? Why are you all alone?"
Fu'er obediently hugged her mother's neck, "Father said he's looking for Mother."
Jiang Shiyao peeked inside and saw Song Jiyun standing behind Zhou Congxian with a wronged look on her face, while Zhao seemed to be saying something intensely.
She hugged her daughter tightly, "It's not fun here, Mommy will take you to see the little fish."
"Okay! Little Fish!"
Fu'er smiled broadly; today was the happiest day of her life.
To the west of Baima Temple, there is a clear spring. It is said that in the past, it was a pool of mud that never dried up.
After a monk traveling west preached here, the muddy pool turned into a clear spring.
Beside the pond stands a straight pine tree, like a loyal servant guarding the pond.
Therefore, it is also said that during the previous dynasty, a wealthy merchant's daughter and the accountant in the mansion fell in love.
The young lady secretly pawned her jewelry to help her husband go to the capital for the imperial examination.
When the gentleman returned from high school, ten years had passed. Only then did he learn that three years after he left, the young lady had been forced into marriage by a wealthy businessman and had attempted suicide at the White Horse Temple.
The high school accountant was in great pain and eventually transformed into this pine tree by the pond, waiting for the young lady for all eternity.
They are all good stories.
However, what Xiao Fu'er wants most right now is to bring Xiao Yu'er home as well.
"Mother, Fu'er wants this little fish."
Her little hands gripped the large rocks by the pond, her eyes gazing longingly at the little red fish in the water.
As soon as she finished speaking, she heard a noise coming from the pine tree by the pond.
The mother and daughter both turned their heads to look to the right of the pine tree.
A girl with slightly red eyes walked out from behind the railing.
Jiang Shiyao's eyes widened. "Miss Li?"
Then a simply dressed scholar stepped forward.
Her eyes looked even bigger.
Li Ruoshuang seemed completely unafraid of being seen, turning to the scholar and saying, "She is Lady Jiang from the Duke of Ying's mansion. Since she has been seen, Lord Liu must give me an explanation!"
Jiang Shiyao immediately picked up her daughter, who was still trying to catch fish, and said, "I...I didn't see anything..."
Li Ruoshuang quickly grabbed her, "You have to see this."
"Jiang Shiyao".
The scholar pronounced her name accurately.
Jiang Shiyao turned around. The scholar had a handsome face, but she searched her memory and couldn't recall him.
She immediately looked at Li Ruoshuang, "Miss Li, please don't misunderstand, I don't know her!"
Liu Minghan stepped forward and said, "Jiang Xingyao is your elder brother."
"I am Brother Jiang's classmate and friend of many years."
His gaze fell on the baby in her arms. "Brother Jiang invited me to his home. You were still young then, so you may have forgotten."
Jiang Shiyao gave a stiff, forced smile. "It must be that I... forgot."
"I won't disturb you two any longer, I'll be going now."
Before Liu Minghan could say anything more, she had already hurriedly bowed and left, carrying her daughter.
He pursed his lips. Although Brother Jiang said that his sister was a maid in the mansion, she wore a woman's hairstyle and the child in her arms looked exactly like her.
Jiang Shiyao's steps were hurried, so fast that Fu'er could sense her mother's emotions.
"Mother, don't be sad."
She blinked before leaning against her daughter's small face, "No, Mother isn't sad."
When she sold herself into servitude, she placed the money next to her brother's pillow, and he angrily threw the silver away.
"Go away! If you go, you'll no longer be my sister, Jiang Xingyao's sister!"
She still left.
Not only was the older brother waiting for money to save his life, but the father was in the same boat.
Without her father and brothers, how could she, at such a young age, possibly survive?
Rather than let the whole family wait to die, it's better to sell her alone.
Her brother wrote her many letters, saying that he would redeem her from servitude once he had saved enough money.
She was also waiting for this day.
In her previous life, she thought she would spend her whole life in that little courtyard.
She has now been given a second chance in this life; this is a new opportunity given to her by God.
Once they were out of this cage, she would take Fu'er to see her uncle. Her brother was a very good person, and he would definitely like Fu'er.
Jiang Shiyao almost bumped into someone as she walked through the corridor.
"Are you blind? You almost bumped into my young lady!"
Zisu stood in front of her young mistress.
Fu'er then hugged her mother tightly, burying her face in her mother's neck. These two women were so fierce, she was scared.
Jiang Shiyao stepped aside, protecting her daughter, and said, "It was I who offended Miss Song. Miss Song, please go first."
Song Jiyun was in a good mood, especially after her brother Xian made it clear in front of Zhao that he would only marry her.
But now, seeing the child in this lowly concubine's arms, I am reminded of what Master Huineng said earlier.
If this girl is a lucky star, what about her future children?
Must everyone make way for this concubine to bear a child?
Song Jiyun raised his chin slightly. "So it's Lady Jiang. Zisu, you've forgotten the rules again. Don't forget, Lady Jiang will also be your mistress in the future."
Zisu immediately knelt down, "Yes, this servant knows her mistake."
Song Jiyun then took two steps forward and affectionately patted Fu'er's back.
The little girl twisted like a snake, as if she didn't want anyone to touch her.
Jiang Shiyao, holding her daughter, stepped aside and said, "Miss Song, the child is a little sleepy."
Song Jiyun's hand, which was suspended in mid-air, stopped, and her eyes changed slightly.
"Is Lady Jiang being wary of me?"
Jiang Shiyao clenched her teeth to prevent any emotion from showing.
Her hand was clearly protecting her daughter. "Please forgive me, Miss Song. Fu'er is young and doesn't know any better. I'm just afraid she will cry and make a fuss later."
Song Jiyun withdrew his hand, a hint of contempt flashing in his eyes. "She's already so old and still so immature. It seems that Madam Jiang doesn't know how to raise children."
Without turning her head, she instructed, "Zisu, remember this: when you return to the manor, choose two governesses."
Before she could finish speaking, she saw Zhou Congxian coming from around the corner.
Her eyes flashed, and then she said in a very soft voice, "Madam Jiang should know that children born out of wedlock should be raised by the mistress of the house. Naturally, I will prepare the best tutor for Little Lucky Star."
"Good, give birth, teach, raise!"
The last few words pierced Jiang Shiyao's heart like needles.
She suddenly looked up and stared directly into Song Jiyun's eyes.
It was as if, at this moment, she could see through the barriers of time and space and see the eyes of Song Jiyun from her previous life.
Her daughter, whom she had lovingly cared for, became not only emaciated but also timid under the tutelage of her governess.
She held her daughter tightly, her teeth seemingly chattering.
"You actually harbored malicious thoughts so early on!"
"As long as I'm here, you won't get away with this..."
"Jiang Shiyao, what are you doing?!"
Jiang Shiyao's voice stopped abruptly.
She turned her head and saw Zhou Congxian striding towards her.
Song Jiyun had changed his tune. "Brother Congxian, I just saw that Madam Jiang was too tired from holding the child, so I wanted her to rest in my room for a while."
"But Lady Jiang thinks I want to harm Fu'er."
She clutched her handkerchief, tears streaming down her face. "Madam Jiang, you've misunderstood me. Last time, Fu'er didn't call me, and I didn't blame her. This time she's avoiding me, but I won't hold a grudge against a child."
"But how could you call me vicious... Waaaaah..."
Jiang Shiyao had her back to her, and Fu'er was leaning on her shoulder. When Zhou Congxian walked over, he saw that Fu'er was not asleep.
He reached out and pulled Fu'er up. "Fu'er, how could you be so rude?"
Fu'er was forced to raise her little face. Looking at the solemn expression on her father's face, she was immediately a little scared and pouted her little mouth in grievance.
“Zhou Congxian!” Jiang Shiyao blurted out.
Song Jiyun never expected that Jiang Shiyao, who was always timid and submissive, would be so different at this moment.
Zhou Congxian frowned. "What did you call me?"
Jiang Shiyao took two steps back while holding her daughter, her hands and feet trembling.
His stepmother persecuted him, but his father protected him.
Did this kind of thing happen to your daughter every day in your past life?
"She is your daughter." Jiang Shiyao's eyes reddened. She wanted to ask him why he turned a blind eye to the torment he suffered for his daughter in his previous life!
"She's only three years old! What did she do wrong!"
Zhou Congxian didn't know why she suddenly became so agitated. "She did nothing wrong, you were the one who was wrong."
"If you cannot teach well, from today onwards, please ask the teaching nanny to teach you."
Jiang Shiyao looked at Zhou Congxian, and for the first time since her rebirth, she could not suppress the hatred in her eyes.
"You will never be able to touch my daughter!"
She took two steps back, picked up her daughter, and turned to walk towards the mountain gate.
Her steps were hurried, as if she were about to create a gust of wind.
It seems that this way, she can take her daughter away from the nightmares of her previous life.
Fu'er hugged her mother's neck tightly with her two little hands, and her small voice whispered in her ear.
"Mother, I'm scared."
"Fu'er, don't be afraid, Mother will protect you. This time, I will definitely protect you!"
*
The moonlight was as clear as water.
The little yellow dog we bought from Baima Temple was curled up asleep at the door, with a square soft pillow under it and a blanket that seemed to be the same one Fu'er had when she was a baby.
A long figure stood motionless for a long time.
Wei Xun said, "Young Master, aren't we going in to take a look?"
Zhou Congxian: "No, I scared them today. They finally fell asleep, so I won't go in."
Wei Xun muttered to himself, "Your acting is a bit too realistic. The girl is still so young..."
Zhou Congxian pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "If a fake play isn't made real, how can one achieve great things?"
"Your Highness, besides Lord Liu, Prince Cheng also went to Baima Temple today."
Wei Xun hesitated for a moment, "Isn't this too much of a coincidence?"
Zhou Congxian glanced at him. "If it weren't for my mother's meddling, I wouldn't have gone to the White Horse Temple today. Isn't that just a coincidence?"
He understood what Wei Xun meant, "However, whether it's a coincidence or not, we can't let our guard down."
"Without the support of his maternal clan, Prince Cheng will likely be granted a fiefdom and leave the capital this autumn."
"There's no need to focus too much on him for now."
He glanced one last time at the closed doors and windows, then turned and walked toward his own yard.
"But this Lord Liu is a rising star in the last two years, and also a favorite student of Grand Secretary Li."
"Last year, Grand Secretary Li spoke frankly on behalf of Prince Jin, which already made his stance clear, but this Lord Liu..."
Zhou Congxian put his hands behind his back and said, "Here's what we'll do. Send an invitation to Lord Liu tomorrow."
“I’m going to meet this ‘iron-faced and impartial’ young master Liu.”
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