It wasn't that Jiang Su and Lin Shi didn't want to come, but the Jingbei Army's garrison was different from the outside world. They had to write a letter three days in advance and submit it to the Ministry of War, which would then report it to the Crown Prince. Only after the Crown Prince approved it could they come.
Four or five kung fu moves is already quite fast.
Jiang Su and Lin Shi were extremely grateful. If the Crown Prince hadn't arrived in time, Jiang Zhenlin and Lin Qingwan would have been sliced into pieces like Tong Di.
When Lin found out, she was so frightened that she almost fainted. Her husband pinched her philtrum to keep her conscious.
On the way here today, Lin's legs went weak several times, and she was able to stand up only by relying on her husband.
Zhao Cong first showed them Lin Qingwan. The couple only glanced at her and said nothing, repeatedly pressing Jiang Zhenlin for answers.
Zhao Cong said, "Miss Qingwan has injuries on both arms from saving Tong Di."
Lin's pupils tightened, and she looked over with red eyes, "Qingwan."
Lin Qingwan knew the Crown Prince meant well, but she felt that being reminded of something didn't mean he was sincere. She coldly told Madam Lin, "Your Highness is too kind. I'm already better."
Zhao Cong raised an eyebrow. "This morning, Physician Zhu was scolding your maid for insisting on doing it herself, which caused the wound to reopen."
Lin had seen Lin Qingwan's arm before, and the thought of the dense scars made her tremble as she said, "Qingwan, come here, let me take a look."
Jiang Su added, "You always like to overdo it, but you can't joke around with your own health."
Lin Qingwan's eyes were full of insincerity, and she couldn't be bothered to respond.
The couple felt somewhat embarrassed.
"Father, Mother!"
Jiang Zhenlin was helped in by soldiers, and as soon as he entered, he was embraced by Madam Lin.
"Ah Lin, my son!"
"You scared your mother to death! I was so afraid something might happen to you..."
Unable to control herself, Lin cried so hard that she abandoned all semblance of decorum.
Jiang Su's eyes also reddened, and he never took his eyes off his son.
Although he is usually serious and likes to scold Jiang Zhenlin, his affection at this moment is genuine.
Jiang Zhenlin didn't think much of it at first, but when his mother started crying, he couldn't bear it anymore. "Mother, I'm perfectly fine."
"Don't worry."
Lin was sobbing uncontrollably, holding her son tightly and refusing to let go.
Lin Qingwan turned her face away, but she couldn't hide the disappointment in her eyes.
Zhao Cong said indifferently, "With such a big difference in Madam's attitude towards them, I thought Lin Qingwan was adopted."
Jiang Su and Lin's expressions froze.
“Ah Lin is mischievous and has been with her mother since she was little, so her mother spoils her more.” Jiang Su said politely without hesitation, “The Crown Prince has been kind to the Jiang family. If you ever ask me for anything in the future, I will do my best to help you.”
Lin Qingwan scoffed, thinking that her father could always find a way to benefit himself, no matter where he was.
Jiang Mingting was determined to drag the Prime Minister's mansion down with him even in death. Consort Ning didn't consider Jiang Su's situation when she did this; he was trying to completely turn against the Crown Prince.
And he and Jiang Zhenlin just happened to pave a perfectly reasonable path for him.
Lin Qingwan was truly impressed.
Zhao Cong's face remained expressionless. "Jiang Yanwan was also among the beauties sent to Pingning Palace yesterday."
"If I remember correctly, she and my seventh brother are engaged."
Jiang Su said, "The Jiang family does indeed have a marriage agreement with Prince Jing."
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingwan's heart pounded.
Sure enough, the next second Jiang Su said without batting an eye, "Your Majesty and Consort Ning have informed me that Prince Jing must have Qingwan."
"Moreover, Qingwan is the eldest daughter of the legitimate wife, and this marriage was originally arranged for her."
Lin Qingwan stood up abruptly and said sternly, "I will not marry!"
Jiang Su had anticipated her reaction, but he hadn't expected her to lash out in front of the Crown Prince.
He was unhappy, but his expression remained unchanged. "I am unwilling too. But the imperial decree is hard to disobey. Even if I die, you must bear the surname of the King of Jing."
"Fortunately, the prince promised that he would treat you well."
"He promises you the position of principal wife and will never marry a concubine. You will be his only wife for the rest of his life."
"Qingwan, although you have suffered a lot before, it is not necessarily a bad thing that the prince is willing to turn back."
Jiang Su's earnest and painstaking manner was truly disgusting.
Lin Qingwan felt a surge of anger, or perhaps it was the pent-up emotions from returning to the Prime Minister's residence finally flaring up. Her sharp gaze locked onto Jiang Su, "If it's such a good thing, why not let Jiang Yanwan go?"
"If this was supposed to be my marriage contract, why wasn't it returned to me when I returned to the Prime Minister's residence? And they all advised me not to covet it and not to compete with Jiang Yanwan!"
"Now that you know that Prince Jing is a ruthless killer, you can't bear to see Jiang Yanwan suffer."
She forced a desperate, broken smile, a smile that stung Zhao Cong's eyes, yet he couldn't look away.
"I still think that Consort Ning and Prince Jing are unreliable. They want to give their most valuable and beloved adopted daughter to the Crown Prince, but they don't want to offend Prince Jing. Meanwhile, they can still squeeze some benefits out of me, their biological daughter who was abandoned by you from the beginning."
Jiang Su's face was ashen. "Qingwan, you're overthinking it. This is not up to us."
Lin Qingwan's eyes were filled with tears as she clenched her fists tightly to hold them back. "From beginning to end, I was the only one who had no choice."
"I should have known long ago that if I weren't still useful, my father would never have agreed to reveal my true parentage and return my position as the eldest daughter to me."
Ironically, she thought she was no longer at his mercy, only to fall into another abyss.
She forced back her tears, "I...won't...marry."
Jiang Su's face was icy. "We'll discuss this further when we get back."
Lin Qingwan stiffened. Yes, she had nowhere to go; she had to return to the Prime Minister's residence.
All the struggles were in vain.
Zhao Cong suddenly spoke up, "Prime Minister Jiang, I will not choose Jiang Yanwan."
Compared to Lin Qingwan's questioning, the Crown Prince's rejection weighed heavily on Jiang Su's mind.
*
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