Chapter 47 Marrying Liu Minghan
Seeing his displeasure, Jiang Shiyao immediately said, "What I mean is, write it right away!"
Zhou Congxian clutched the book tucked into his sleeve. "Well, I still have some official business to attend to."
Jiang Shiyao bowed and said, "Yes, I respectfully see the Crown Prince off."
As if remembering something, she asked, "Young Master, do the clothes still fit?"
"Hmm? Oh, it fits perfectly."
Zhou Congxian had just returned home when he noticed the unusual bookshelf; he had no time to try on the clothes to see if they fit.
Jiang Shiyao nodded, "It will fit perfectly."
Zhou Congxian took the Records of Mountains and Rivers back with him.
He tossed the book to Wei Xun and went to try on the inner garment.
"Your Highness, I think... um, Your Highness, are you alright?"
Wei Xun walked over from the study next door and saw Zhou Congxian craning his neck, struggling to unbutton his shirt.
Zhou Congxian lowered his hand, turned his head with difficulty, and asked, "What is it?"
The specially elongated collar sat stiffly at his chin, and his broad shoulders made his head appear even larger and his neck even shorter.
Zhou Congxian unbuttoned the button around his neck and only then did he feel relaxed.
If he had known earlier, he wouldn't have been so quick to say it fit.
Wei Xun looked away, afraid that he might accidentally burst out laughing.
“The items haven’t been touched, but they’re still there. I don’t think the manor is safe now.”
Zhou Congxian thought for a moment, "After some time, when we send Jiang to the Dongshan Manor, we will take the opportunity to move there."
"Prepare early to avoid arousing suspicion."
Wei Xun nodded. "Yes."
"Your Highness, we just received intelligence that the Li residence has been attacked."
Zhou Congxian's eyes darkened slightly. "The world is finally about to change."
"Change into night clothes and go to the imperial palace."
"yes."
The next day.
Jiang Shiyao took the written "letter" with her and headed to the post station.
Going to the post station was a pretext; the real purpose was to check the granary.
As soon as I stepped through the second gate, I met Zhou Wanqing, who had a shy smile on her face.
Upon seeing Jiang Shiyao, her smile froze, followed by an awkward twitch of her lips.
Jiang Shiyao pretended not to understand, and after exchanging greetings, prepared to leave.
After struggling internally for a while, Zhou Wanqing still called out to her.
"Wait a minute, where are you going?"
Jiang Shiyao was puzzled. Zhou Wanqing had always followed Ji Yun's lead, so why would she care about her today?
"Third Miss, I'm going to the post station to send a letter home to my brother."
Zhou Wanqing blurted out, "I'll go with you."
Um?
The sun rose in the west?
She then realized she had been abrupt and flinched.
But then she thought, she's Miss Zhou, accompanying a concubine to the post station, is she supposed to be picky?!
"What, is that not allowed? Do you have something you're hiding that you're ashamed of?"
Jiang Shiyao's expression turned slightly cold. "Third Miss, you speak so blatantly, where do you place the young master?"
Zhou Wanqing choked for a moment. In the mansion, her father did not care about anything, and her stepmother was strict but never mistreated her. Although she was a concubine's daughter, life in the Duke's mansion was not bad.
Last time her older brother slapped her, she felt wronged and angry.
That experience also made her realize that even as a concubine, she was still her elder brother's woman.
Moreover, Father himself has spoken, saying that once Sister Jiyun enters the household, she will be offered the title of Concubine.
Even if Sister Jiyun fights her to the death again in the future, Jiang's position in the mansion will not be shaken in the slightest.
But when Zhou Wanqing saw Jiang Shiyao's expression, she felt that the dignity of the third young lady of the Duke's mansion had been trampled underfoot.
She instinctively looked up and said, "What does this have to do with my older brother? If you have nothing to hide, then let me come along!"
Jiang Shiyao didn't want to engage in a pointless argument with her. Spending too much time with Song Jiyun had dulled her brain, and saying another word would be a waste.
"If Miss San thinks I'm shameful, she can go and complain to me."
After saying that, he walked straight past her and headed outside.
Zhou Wanqing was stunned. Was this still the same Jiang Shi who was used to being humble and subservient?
As she watched Jiang Shiyao leave, she thought of the portrait her stepmother had sent through the matchmaker.
Zhou Wanqing gritted her teeth, stamped her foot, and followed after him!
The carriage is ready to depart.
Jiang Shiyao frowned and rubbed her stomach. She had been experiencing menstrual cramps for several days, but her period had not yet come.
The curtain was lifted, and Zhou Wanqing came up.
The small carriage, which already carried two people, became even more crowded.
She looked up and saw Jiang Shiyao frowning, and she also raised her chin and snorted.
"I'm sticking with you!"
Jiang Shiyao, “…”
Another wave of abdominal pain struck, and her already irritable mood instantly turned sour, making her lose patience with Zhou Wanqing. "Since Miss Song dislikes Third Miss, I don't have time to play with Third Miss."
“You!—” Zhou Wanqing’s eyes widened.
Turning his head to think about the portrait, he withdrew his fingers, snorted, and turned away again.
Today, my stepmother sent over some portraits, and the first one was of Lord Liu Minghan.
Last time, I stood up for my elder brother and spoke out for him.
I heard that he was also a classmate and good friend of Jiang Shiyao's brother.
The young man in the portrait was handsome and refined, and the matchmaker also described him as a dashing gentleman.
Her stepmother was initially dissatisfied, but her stepmother said that this person was now a newly rich man, and only because of his humble origins could she still choose him.
Given time, when Liu Minghan is on par with Grand Secretary Li, even his father will have to treat him with more respect.
This is far better than those embroidered pillows among the scions of noble families!
Moreover, marrying Liu Minghan meant no mother-in-law/daughter-in-law conflicts or sister-in-law disputes, which she felt was the best possible outcome.
Jiang Shiyao was from the same hometown as her, and she had wanted to ask her about her. She just hadn't expected her to act like she was on steroids today.
She can't even find a good reason to speak now.
Jiang Shiyao didn't understand what this spoiled young lady wanted to do. She originally wanted to use the excuse of "going to the post station" to go and see the granary.
Now that she has such an informant, how can she go anywhere?
Shuangjiang glanced at the two who were locked in a tense standoff, and neither of them spoke again.
She reached out and knocked on the side of the carriage. "To the rest stop."
Jiang Shiyao looked at the scenery outside the carriage window, knowing she couldn't really go to the post station.
She could only patiently continue, "Third Miss, what exactly do you want to do?"
Zhou Wanqing initially wanted to play hard to get, but she was afraid that Jiang Shiyao wouldn't tell her anything.
"Alright, since you asked me, I'll tell you anyway."
Jiang Shiyao, “…”
Zhou Wanqing moved a little closer to Jiang Shiyao, and the two got even closer together.
"I heard that Liu Minghan is from your hometown, or is he a classmate and friend of your brother?"
Jiang Shiyao stepped back a little, creating some distance between them.
Why are you asking this?
The shyness from before reappeared on Zhou Wanqing's face, and her voice became even softer.
"I just want to know what kind of person Lord Liu is."
"He's a good person," Jiang Shiyao said truthfully.
Zhou Wanqing, "..."
Shuangjiang bit her lower lip and lowered her head, barely managing to stop herself from laughing.
She now finds Jiang Niangzi increasingly interesting.
Sometimes even the heir apparent is helpless, let alone the third young lady.
Zhou Wanqing gritted her teeth, "How could I not know he was a good person?"
"I mean other things, his temperament, his personality."
Jiang Shiyao glanced at her, "Third Miss is being strange, asking me about the temperaments of other men. Are you trying to convince me that I am not presentable to others?"
Today, Zhou Wanqing finally experienced what it means to lift a rock only to drop it on your own foot!
She bit her lip, moved a little closer, and even reached out to grab Jiang Shiyao's hand.
"Lady Jiang, just tell me."
Jiang Shiyao withdrew her hand as if she had seen a ghost. "Third Miss, are you still the Third Miss?"
As she spoke, she frowned and said, "I was wondering why Miss Song's side had been so quiet lately. Turns out she's been eyeing you."
Zhou Wanqing didn't understand what she was talking about. "I haven't seen Sister Jiyun for almost half a month, nearly a month!"
She thought for a moment, "It was before the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet."
She pouted again, "The day my elder brother was detained, I went to the Song residence hoping Lord Song could help me, but I didn't see her."
Jiang Shiyao chuckled.
Zhou Wanqing turned around angrily, "What are you laughing at!"
Jiang Shiyao smiled and said, "I'm not smiling about anything, I just think that the Third Miss calls me 'elder sister' very warmly."
I offered my warm welcome but was met with indifference.
Zhou Wanqing's forehead twitched. In the past, she only thought Jiang Shiyao was a doughy person without any personality.
Looking at it now, it's not a dough ball at all, it's clearly a chestnut ball!
"Laugh if you want. Sister Jiyun and I have been friends since childhood. She just happened to be absent that day."
Jiang Shiyao suddenly became very curious: how could someone as vicious as Song Jiyun become friends with Zhou Wanqing?
"You've known each other since childhood, haven't you noticed anything?"
Zhou Wanqing was a little confused. "What did you see?"
"Sister Jiyun wasn't always in the capital. I remember that after the Song family's incident, she and Aunt Song went back to their hometown and only returned to the capital in the last two years."
She paused, then realized what she was saying.
"Why should I tell you all this? Anyway, she'll be marrying into the family in a month!"
Jiang Shiyao pursed her lips and said nothing more.
She didn't know what Zhou Wanqing's fate was in her previous life, but she hadn't married yet, and it seemed she had some disagreements with Song Jiyun.
Zhou Wanqing pinched her fingers and said, "Madam Jiang, I inquired about Lord Liu because my stepmother wanted to find a match for me, saying that Lord Liu is a rare talent..."
Her voice grew softer and softer, and her ears turned bright red.
Looking at her youngest daughter's expression, Jiang Shiyao said, "I told you he's a good person, and that's the truth."
"And it's the only truth."
Zhou Wanqing blushed, and she even said such embarrassing things truthfully.
That's all I got in the end!
"Jiang Shiyao! You!—"
"bump!"
How do you drive?!
The driver gripped the reins tightly and couldn't help but curse.
If Zhou Wanqing hadn't instinctively grabbed Jiang Shiyao, she would have rolled out of the carriage.
She climbed out of the carriage, just about to ask the driver how to drive it.
The angry expression on her face froze instantly.
For a moment, things even became a little strange.
"Is this young lady injured? My servant didn't drive the carriage properly."
Liu Minghan clasped his hands in a fist salute, and the servant behind him also knelt down.
"Please forgive me, Miss. I don't know how the horse just went out of control."
Zhou Wanqing never expected that she would meet Liu Minghan for the first time under such circumstances.
Her ears turned slightly red. "N-nothing..."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Shuangjiang's terrified voice came from inside the carriage.
"My wife, what's wrong!"
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