Chapter 7 Protecting You for a Lifetime of Peace and Safety
The gazes directed at Jiang Shiyao all changed color.
Back then, she got pregnant by climbing into someone's bed, and was eventually made a concubine.
Zhou Wanqing wanted to say something, but Zhou Wanhui forcibly pulled her away.
"Good sister, go away! What good will it do you to get involved!"
Both of them were illegitimate daughters. The third sister's protection of Song Jiyun had already displeased the legitimate mother, and now she was also interfering in the punishment of Mingyu.
Don't forget, their marriages are still in the hands of their stepmother!
Zhou Congxian also frowned as he looked at the woman behind the crowd.
Jiang Shiyao stepped forward slowly and slapped Mingyu across the face.
Her face was filled with grief. "I considered you a sister. I never thought of you in any way, and yet you did such a thing! How could you do this to me, and to Fu'er who loves you!"
Mingyu covered her burning face, unable to believe that this was still the timid and cowardly Jiang Niangzi.
Jiang Shiyao knelt down and turned to Zhou Congxian, pleading, "Mingyu was wrong. Please, Your Highness, spare her life for the sake of the three or four years she has served me!"
The anger in Zhou Congxian's eyes seemed to intensify. "You want me to spare her?"
"Yes." Jiang Shiyao met his gaze.
But a moment later, tears welled up in her eyes.
“Mingyu was specially chosen by the madam, and it’s already beneath her to serve me…”
These words struck Mingyu like a blow to the heart.
She jumped up and shoved Jiang Shiyao to the ground, saying, "I don't need your pretense!"
Jiang Shiyao looked shocked, her eyes filled with disbelief.
Mingyu gritted her teeth, her eyes brimming with resentment, "What do you think you are? Just a maid in the laundry room—ah!—"
Before she could finish speaking, Zhou Congxian kicked her away.
For a moment, Jiang Shiyao almost forgot to cry.
Zhou Congxian was a cold and aloof person; when had he ever been seen to lose his temper?
"Has no one arrived yet?!"
"They're here!" The steward arrived with several servants, wiping the sweat from their brows.
Mingyu was dragged away with her mouth covered.
Zhou Congxian bent down and picked Jiang Shiyao up in his arms.
Jiang Shiyao hissed.
She scraped her elbow.
Jiang Shiyao was gently placed on the low couch, where there was an open book on a small table.
"Bear with it."
Zhou Congxian glanced at her, then pushed his sleeve up to his elbow, revealing the striking red marks on her snow-white skin.
Having faced life and death, these minor injuries were no big deal to Jiang Shiyao.
But she needs pain.
Jiang Shiyao bit her lower lip and timidly twitched her arm, "I...I'll go back and apply the medicine myself..."
"Don't move."
Zhou Congxian restrained her arm with one hand, and with the other hand, he reached across her chest and pulled out a small drawer from under the low table.
The small medicine bottles were neatly arranged inside.
He was the commander of the Yanwei Camp, and getting injured on the training ground was commonplace for him. He always kept medicine for injuries in his house.
A quiet atmosphere lingered between the two.
Jiang Shiyao's other intact hand gripped the edge of the low couch.
The room was still furnished as always; she hadn't been there since she moved to a different courtyard.
It was Zhou Congxian who went to her little courtyard.
Mingyu was right; since entering the manor, she had been doing all the hard work in the laundry room.
Later, she learned embroidery from Granny Chang and then started working in the embroidery workshop.
She couldn't just meet the prince's identity casually.
If it weren't for her bringing him the newly made clothes that day, and the prince's drunken outburst...
Mingyu was indignant that a maid who served closely in the prince's courtyard had been beaten to it by a maid from the laundry room.
Despite all the grievances, she shouldn't have harmed her daughter for her own selfish desires!
White powder was sprinkled on the wound.
The slight sting brought her back to her senses.
Jiang Shiyao belatedly let out a soft "hiss".
"Now you know what pain is, but when it comes to meddling in other people's business, why don't you know how to avoid it?"
Zhou Congxian released her hand with a cold expression.
For some reason, Jiang Shiyao had a slight feeling that he was angry because she was injured.
Jiang Shiyao smiled gently, "Your Highness, Mingyu has been with me and Fu'er for several years, and I cannot bear to abandon her."
His tense face relaxed. "You're kind-hearted."
“I am Fu’er’s mother. I have nothing of value and nothing to teach her, except a kind heart.”
Zhou Congxian relaxed completely and even let out a soft sigh at the end.
"Being too kind is not necessarily a good thing. Fu'er is my daughter, and the person she marries in the future will definitely not be an ordinary family."
Jiang Shiyao tilted her head slightly, "Isn't her father still there? He will definitely protect her for the rest of her life!"
Zhou Congxian looked at the little woman in front of him, who was completely devoted to him, and reached out to pull her into his arms.
"Yes, I will protect her for the rest of her life and you for the rest of your life."
Jiang Shiyao rested her face on his shoulder, and where he couldn't see, a hint of hatred flashed in her eyes.
In her previous life, Fu'er lived with Song Jiyun in Zhou Congxian's courtyard, facing a thin child every day, yet showing no concern whatsoever.
Is this what he meant by "protecting a lifetime"?
The hand on her waist suddenly moved upwards, startling Jiang Shiyao so much that she jumped up from the low couch!
"Aww!—"
Zhou Congxian almost bent over, clutching his chin.
Jiang Shiyao covered her head, tears streaming down her face.
The next moment she realized, "I...I'm menstruating!"
Zhou Congxian stood up with a dark face. "If you're not feeling well, you should rest early. Why are you wandering around like this so late at night!"
The man flicked his sleeves and went to the side room.
Jiang Shiyao turned and walked towards the inner chamber in a good mood.
You still want her to serve you? No way.
Tomorrow, rumors will spread throughout the manor that the young master, in a fit of rage for his beloved, sold off the maidservant who had tried to climb into his concubine's bed.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Song Jiyun, in your previous life you were too docile and obedient. This time, let's see if you can still keep your composure.
When Shuangjiang saw that Lady Jiang was being carried back by the young master, she turned around and went back to her courtyard by herself.
The show was over, and she realized that Lady Jiang held a place in the prince's heart.
But in the future, there will be a mistress, and perhaps other concubines.
She didn't want to be one of them.
Although Zhang Lang was in dire straits, he was not only exceptionally talented but also a knowledgeable and sensible person.
Between the two options, she would rather be a poor woman's wife than a high-class concubine!
The next day, Jiang Shiyao deliberately slept in.
When she returned to the courtyard, Fu'er was sitting on the railing under the eaves, resting her chin on her hand and staring blankly into space, muttering something to herself.
The little girl's eyes lit up the moment she saw her mother.
"Mother!"
The little boy, as swift as a cannonball, rushed towards his mother.
"Oh my goodness—" Jiang Shiyao opened her arms and caught her daughter.
"Mother, Fu'er misses you so much! I think of you day and night!"
Jiang Shiyao smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Oh my, you have such a sweet mouth! Let your mother give you a kiss!"
"Huh? You actually yearn for someone day and night?"
Fu'er hugged her mother's neck and proudly raised her little face, "Sister Shuangjiang told me."
After she finished speaking, she seemed to remember something and covered her mouth, saying, "Sister Shuangjiang told me not to say it."
Jiang Shiyao looked at her daughter's cute little face and poked her protruding belly. "Alright then, Mother will forget what Fu'er just said."
Hearing the voices, Shuangjiang came out from the side room. "Madam, Mama Gao came by and said that the old lady invites you over."
She opened her mouth as if to say something but hesitated.
Jiang Shiyao put her daughter down, pretending not to know anything, "I'll go right now. The embroidery of the auspicious beast's head is just finished and I need to show it to the old lady."
Shuangjiang watched as Jiang Niangzi took the embroidery from the embroidery frame, and finally couldn't help but call out to her when she was almost at the door.
"My wife."
Jiang Shiyao turned to look at her. "Hmm?"
"I...I heard that Miss Song has arrived, she..."
Shuangjiang bit her lip, and after a moment, as if making up her mind, continued, "I once heard from the servants of the Song family that Miss Song is vengeful and holds grudges. You should be careful..."
Jiang Shiyao smiled and said, "I understand."
Finally, she added, "Thank you, Frost's Descent."
In her previous life, she had little contact with Shuangjiang. It was only after Song Jiyun married into the family that Shuangjiang moved in as a concubine and lived with her for more than ten days.
During that time, Shuangjiang was gloomy every day and rarely spoke.
On the day Shuangjiang died, she learned that he had been beaten to death for having an affair with a man outside the family.
The old lady made the decision to elevate the concubine during the Frost's Descent solar term. The young master had never even been to her room, yet he died because of Song Jiyun's jealousy.
Several koi carp were put into the newly built pond in the old lady's courtyard.
Whenever someone passes by, it will swim over.
The main hall is spacious, with a small Buddhist shrine right next to it.
At that moment, the sound of chanting came from the small Buddhist hall, where Song Jiyun was chanting with Old Madam Zhou.
As Jiang Shiyao approached the door, she saw that Old Madam Zhou was chanting sutras in front of the Jade Guanyin statue, while Song Jiyun was yawning behind her.
When Gao Mama went in to report, the sound of Old Madam Zhou chanting scriptures had not stopped, so Gao Mama knew that the Old Madam wanted to curb Jiang Niangzi's arrogance.
She felt that Madam Jiang was the same as usual, but Miss Song's aggressive demeanor was even more pronounced.
She's not even married yet, and she already wants to be the master of the prince's household. I'm afraid Lady Jiang's life won't be easy in the future.
Jiang Shiyao stood at the door with another maid, her expression serene.
Mrs. Gao always felt that Madam Jiang was somewhat different from before.
Although she was the only concubine by the Crown Prince's side, she was so inconspicuous that people rarely thought of her.
But now, it seems that nothing has changed from before, yet she seems to be shining brightly in her own corner.
I don't know how much time passed.
The wooden fish in Old Madam Zhou's hand finally stopped.
"Please come in. Do you really intend to become my lotus boy at the gate?"
Jiang Shiyao entered carrying the embroidery and bowed respectfully, saying, "This concubine greets the old lady."
"These are the embroidered pieces I've been making these past few days..."
Old Madam Zhou said, "Take it back and re-embroider it."
Jiang Shiyao looked up in astonishment, "Why..."
Song Jiyun slightly raised his chin and glanced at the embroidery in her hand with some disgust.
“Grandmother, Yun’er said long ago that all the embroiderers in the embroidery shop outside are innocent girls, and any one of them is suitable to make such a sacred birthday gift!”
Jiang Shiyao frowned. "Miss Song, what do you mean by this? How is the Duke's Mansion not a respectable family?"
"When did I say that the Duke's mansion was not an upright family?!" Song Jiyun almost cried out in surprise.
"I'm talking about you, Lady Jiang!"
Jiang Shiyao feigned ignorance, "Me?"
In her previous life, she was embroidering a longevity picture. When she was offering it in the small Buddhist hall, Song Jiyun's maid Zisu accidentally sprinkled incense ash on it, and the scalding ash burned the embroidery.
Taking the opportunity, Song Jiyun presented an even more intricate design of auspicious beasts offering peaches.
She embroidered it for seven days straight without sleep, finally finishing it the day before the Empress Dowager's birthday.
In this life, she only stayed one night in Zhou Congxian's house before she couldn't sit still and jumped out.
Song Jiyun stood up. “When preparing a birthday gift for the Empress Dowager, Lady Jiang did not know how to purify herself and instead defiled the gift.”
“Grandmother, Yun’er has something even better for you to see. This is something Yun’er painstakingly drew yesterday.”
She glanced disdainfully at the embroidery in Jiang Shiyao's hand, a design she had bought from Jinxiuzhuang at a high price!
The original plan was to let Jiang Shiyao finish embroidery, then destroy her work and use the picture to make things difficult for her.
When the situation reached a stalemate, she would take out the auspicious beast painting she had bought from the embroidery shop to resolve the predicament.
If it weren't for that slut seducing me...
Since she's too free, she'll give her some challenges and see if she still has time to seduce Congxian!
"Yun'er, why did you take Jiang Niangzi's design?"
Madam Zhou frowned.
"Wh-what?" Song Jiyun almost thought he had misheard.
Jiang Shiyao also unfolded her embroidery, saying, "Although I don't know where Miss Song got my design from."
"However, I am also extremely happy to have won Miss Song's favor."
Her smiling gaze met Song Jiyun's shocked eyes.
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