Chapter 56 Annihilating Jiang Shiyao
Wutong Lane is located on the street. Jiang Shiyao glanced at it when she got out of the car.
There are quite a few people on these streets, so if a fire breaks out, it will probably be put out very quickly.
She needs to find time to buy more flammable materials.
Zhou Wanqing had given Liu Minghan a sachet before, so she knew that Liu's residence was nearby.
Suddenly she stopped and turned to look at Jiang Shiyao, "Your brother and Lord Liu are classmates and good friends, why don't you stay at Lord Liu's house?"
"Otherwise, staying in the Duke's mansion's guest quarters would be fine. Why rent a separate house?"
Just as Jiang Shiyao was about to say that the girl had finally figured it out, she suddenly had a look of sudden realization on her face.
"I understand. Brother Jiang is going to take the imperial examination, and it's best not to disturb him at this time. He should stay in a separate room to avoid being disturbed by others!"
"Lord Liu is indeed very thoughtful!"
Jiang Shiyao: "...Yes, you're right."
Zhou Wanqing stepped forward and knocked on the door, then paused, "No one lives here, I'll knock..."
Before she could finish speaking, the door creaked open inside the room.
She watched helplessly as Liu Minghan walked out from inside.
He even had stubble on his chin, looking as if he hadn't slept all night and was in a state of dejection.
Zhou Wanqing was stunned for a long time before she reacted, "Lord Liu?"
Liu Minghan's gaze swept over Jiang Shiyao behind Zhou Wanqing, and then landed on the things they had bought on the ground.
He stepped back, making room for the doorway. "Come in."
After the group entered, they found the place to be quite simple and unpretentious.
There wasn't even a single blanket or quilt to sleep in.
As if preparing for her own brother, Zhou Wanqing kept muttering about what was missing while asking Ping'er to send some more of the missing items tomorrow.
She turned to Liu Minghan and said, "Lord Liu, this house you rented has nothing. Why don't you ask me to have Madam Jiang ask my elder brother? He can lend you a nice and secluded house without spending any money."
Liu Minghan looked into Jiang Shiyao's eyes and said, "Madam Jiang probably doesn't need this house anymore."
Jiang Shiyao: "Yes, of course I want it. It's a token of Lord Liu's goodwill."
Liu Minghan's lips twitched slightly. "Since Madam Jiang needs it, I will leave the key here."
Zhou Wanqing looked around and said, "There isn't even a stool here."
Liu Minghan said, "So what if we don't have stools? When my brother Jiang and I were young, we didn't even have tables. We pawned everything we could to pay for medical treatment."
His eyes swept over Jiang Shiyao, "It also includes people."
Zhou Wanqing pursed her lips. She knew that Jiang Shiyao used to be a maid in the mansion before becoming her elder brother's concubine.
Jiang Shiyao didn't respond to Liu Minghan's words. Instead, she picked up the keys, turned to her, and said, "Third Miss, let's go."
Zhou Wanqing glanced at Lord Liu; she wanted to say a few words, having finally run into him…
When Jiang Shiyao came out, her expression had already changed drastically.
They are all hypocrites with empty titles.
She walked extremely fast, and Zhou Wanqing behind her could hardly keep up.
"Lady Jiang, wait for me!"
Seeing her serious expression, she said, "You asked me to come with you, and I spent so much money on this. You can't do this."
Jiang Shiyao snapped out of her reverie, remembering the important task ahead, and her expression grew even more somber.
"Third Miss, thank you for coming with me. You don't need to buy anything."
Zhou Wanqing was completely confused. "You're not renting it anymore?"
"If you're not renting it out, take the house I just bought back with you. Don't leave it to that stingy landlord who has nothing in the house."
Jiang Shiyao just kept shaking her head.
Zhou Wanqing saw through the carriage window that Liu Minghan was standing at the alley entrance, still looking dejected.
I'm getting more and more confused.
What kind of riddle are you playing?
"Could it be that your brother failed the exam this time, Madam Jiang?"
Jiang Shiyao, “…”
Forget it, she couldn't expect Zhou Wanqing to make any further connections.
*
No sooner had Jiang Shiyao's carriage left than Li Ruoshuang emerged from another alley.
She glanced at the departing carriage before whispering, "Lord Liu, my grandfather invites you to his residence for a chat."
Grand Secretary Li served three emperors and was a pillar of the court, with more than half of the court officials being his protégés.
Even a disciple's disciple.
Its position is of paramount importance.
Liu Minghan is the student he values most among all his current students.
He's smart and calm enough.
Most importantly, I have no ties to anyone.
It is the most suitable knife.
When Liu Minghan arrived at the Li residence, Grand Secretary Li had just finished taking his medicine and was feeling drowsy.
The old man's health has deteriorated considerably since the Li family was attacked at night.
Now, I can hardly even attend the morning court session.
If Grand Secretary Li were to fall at this moment, the Empress Dowager's faction would only become even more arrogant.
Therefore, Grand Secretary Li allowed Liu Minghan to get involved.
Zhou Congxian's plan cannot fail.
The death of an insignificant concubine brings peace to the court.
It is for the sake of the common people and the dawn of a new era.
"Grand Secretary."
Only when Liu Minghan approached did Grand Secretary Li slowly come to his senses.
He opened his eyes and saw that it was his student. He patted the stool next to him and said, "Sit down."
Just those two words caused him to cough again.
Li Ruoshuang quickly placed the spittoon on the ground.
Grand Secretary Li waved his hand, and after catching his breath, told his granddaughter to leave.
"Shuang'er, you go back first. I have official business to discuss with Minghan."
Li Ruoshuang glanced at the two of them before curtsying, "Yes."
After only the two of them were left in the room, Grand Secretary Li said in a calm voice, "Minghan, ask for leave for me tomorrow."
"If I can't hold on any longer and pass away, I will not hold a funeral. I will wait until Prince Zhou's matter is settled before holding one."
“Teacher…” Liu Minghan frowned.
Grand Secretary Li raised his withered hand, stopping him from saying what he was about to say.
"At this critical juncture, I can get sick, but I can't die."
“My illness can lull the Empress Dowager’s faction into a false sense of security, but if I die, they will lose their composure.”
"This balance will always be broken, and the best way is to centralize power."
He sighed twice.
“That Lady Jiang is a pitiful person. She was dragged into this for no reason, and it was all for the sake of the common people. Let’s hold a religious ceremony for her afterwards.”
Liu Minghan's eyelids drooped.
"yes."
Grand Secretary Li's hand landed on the brocade quilt. "Minghan, it's not that I don't think highly of you, it's just that Shuang'er..."
"I understand that Ruoshuang is my sister. As long as I live, I will protect her."
Grand Secretary Li nodded, then shook his head. "There's no need for such a heavy promise."
“My good-for-nothing son, if he can’t even protect his own daughter, he won’t have the face to go down and see me.”
"Go back now, just be a coward for the time being."
Liu Minghan slowly stood up.
He clasped his hands together and bowed deeply.
A faint smile played on Grand Secretary Li's lips. "Go back."
Liu Minghan slowly walked out of the Li residence.
The house behind them is a century-old residence bestowed by the late emperor, and it is said that several prime ministers of the previous dynasty lived there.
The house has stood for a century and is now an old man in his twilight years.
On his way back, Liu Minghan glanced at Wutong Lane again.
He stood at the alley entrance for a long time until his eyes were dry before turning around and going home.
*
Back at the mansion.
Under Zhou Wanqing's watchful gaze, Jiang Shiyao returned to her small courtyard with a somewhat heavy expression.
Fu'er has just returned from her classes at the main campus.
Her little nose, like a puppy's, smelled the chestnut cake as soon as she came in.
"Mother! There's chestnut cake!"
Jiang Shiyao smiled and picked her up, letting her open the lid herself.
When she saw the basket full of chestnut cakes, she happily kissed her mother several times!
"Mom is the best! So many chestnut cakes!"
She stayed in the main courtyard a few days ago but didn't get to eat a single chestnut cake!
She really wanted some fragrant chestnut cake!
Jiang Shiyao placed her on a small stool. "This was bought by my third aunt. If Fu'er wants to thank her, she can do so tomorrow."
Fu'er's eyes sparkled as she nodded vigorously, "Yes! Tomorrow I'll use my rabbit kite to thank my third aunt!"
Shuangjiang squatted down next to Fu'er and gently brushed the hair off her shoulders to the sides.
"Since my daughter loves to eat so much, wouldn't she be easily swindled out of her money for a single meal of pastries if we were out in town?!"
Who got scammed?
A figure walked in.
Fu'er immediately smiled and handed the chestnut cake in her hand to her father, "Father, would you like some of Fu'er's chestnut cake? Auntie bought it for me!"
Zhou Congxian smiled and patted his daughter's head.
Then he said, "Shuangjiang, take Fu'er out to play for a while."
Shuangjiang glanced at Jiang Niangzi subconsciously. After Jiang Niangzi nodded, she took Fu'er's little hand and went out.
Zhou Congxian glanced at Shuangjiang's retreating figure and said, "This girl is much better than your previous one."
Jiang Shiyao smiled, "Wasn't that the one Madam prepared for you, Your Highness?"
"She's here to serve you, but you've forced her to serve your concubine. How can she possibly accept that?"
There's nothing to say about people who are unrelated.
Zhou Congxian took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to her, "Take a look at this."
"What's this?"
Jiang Shiyao took it with a puzzled look.
She froze instantly upon seeing the above content.
Zhou Congxian noticed her unusual behavior and assumed she was frightened by the contents of the document.
He gently comforted you, "Don't be afraid. Letting you impersonate General Meng's granddaughter was also to protect you."
"Isn't your elder brother still going to take the imperial examination? With the Meng family behind him, it will be beneficial for your brother in the court in the future."
Jiang Shiyao blinked, then looked up at him, her voice trembling slightly.
"You're letting me claim it fraudulently?"
"Given the courtesy His Majesty showed to General Meng, do you realize that this is a capital offense of deceiving the emperor?"
Zhou Congxian's lips twitched.
He could not say whether this was His Majesty's intention.
He paused, then said, "I did it so that you could live."
"Survive?" Jiang Shiyao found it amusing.
"I, Jiang Shiyao, am just a poor man from Dahe Town in Chuzhou, so poor that I can't even afford to eat, so poor that I have to sell myself!"
"How have I interfered with your court affairs!"
"Song Jiyun wants me dead because she thinks I stole her man!"
She pointed her finger at Zhou Congxian.
"And you?"
"Did I steal your political achievements? Or did I block your career advancement?"
"If I can't survive with my name Jiang Shiyao, do you think I can survive with my name Meng Shiyao?!"
She tore the paper to shreds.
"Shi Yao..."
Zhou Congxian opened his mouth, but could not say anything else.
Jiang Shiyao is becoming more and more energetic, and the more energetic a person is, the further away he is from her.
Last time, it was because Song Jiyun killed someone in the street.
This time, he wanted her to impersonate someone else.
They are all trying to erase Jiang Shiyao's existence.
How are his actions any different from those of Song Jiyun?
"Get out!"
Jiang Shiyao's eyes were slightly red, and she pushed him away!
With a loud "bang!", the door slammed shut in front of Zhou Congxian!
Jiang Shiyao, who was inside the house, collapsed to the ground.
She bit her lower lip and gasped for breath; sweat beaded on her forehead.
The paper just now contained information about General Meng's daughter who had run away from her arranged marriage years ago.
Based on her age, it is indeed possible that she has a granddaughter of similar age.
Jiang Shiyao slowly raised her hand and pinched the jade pendant on her chest.
Most importantly, it's this jade pendant.
It's about 70-80% similar to the painting above!
Chuzhou, jade pendant.
The information above is scarce, yet it matches remarkably well.
She can't admit it!
If it's really such a coincidence, she absolutely cannot admit it!
The day before yesterday, Zhou Congxian asked her if she remembered her mother when she was a child. It turned out that this was about this matter!
One ordinary chess piece is not enough.
Now we need a pawn with enough status?
The things Zhou Congxian brought back have probably already been leaked!
Jiang Shiyao slowly stood up.
She couldn't wait any longer.
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