"Ah Lin, we have an agreement, you don't need to start a fire once you go inside."
"Miss Qingwan almost lost her life. Please, don't say anything bad, even if it's not good. I'm begging you." Gao Peng clasped his hands together and bowed as if praying to a Bodhisattva.
Jiang Zhenlin frowned. "When have I ever not been the one to provoke me? Do you think I'm crazy, that I have to pick a fight with her?"
Gao Peng wanted to say that he was just crazy, but when he thought about how Gao Peng had gone to the flower nursery to demand people that day, he swallowed his words and said, "It's my fault, I misspoke."
The courtyard in the east of the city wasn't large, but it was quiet and peaceful.
When Mu Xue saw Jiang Zhenlin enter, she nearly dropped the tray she was holding. "Young...Young Master?"
Jiang Zhenlin saw her holding a bowl of red date and longan soup, and remembering Lin Qingwan covered in blood, he suppressed his anger and said, "What's with that expression? Do you think I'm a ghost?"
Mu Xue lowered her eyes, "This servant dares not."
Jiang Zhenlin saw a medicine stove set up outside the main house, as if it was constantly decocting medicine all day long. He felt uncomfortable and also complained that Lin Qingwan hadn't returned to the mansion for so long. How could she recover well while she was away?
Gao Peng, fearing he would get angry, immediately stepped in front of him and smiled at Mu Xue, "I brought a lot of blood-tonifying herbs, and I've already had the servants deliver them to the side room."
"Is Miss Qingwan feeling better?"
Mu Xue said respectfully, "Miss's wound has only scabbed over today, and she was just able to get out of bed."
Gao Peng felt so sorry for her, but he didn't want to say anything, so he just said, "Then we'll just talk to Miss Qingwan for a bit outside. Will that disturb her rest?"
Mu Xue glanced at Jiang Zhenlin, "Young Master Gao, please wait a moment, this servant will go and ask Miss."
"good."
Gao Peng didn't think anything of it, but Jiang Zhenlin couldn't stand being treated like an outsider! What kind of talk is this? She didn't go home, deliberately making her family worry, and then she came to see him, and he had to use the word "disturbance"?
So, someone who climbed up to the Crown Prince so quickly has now set up their own faction and taken charge?
Gao Peng didn't notice that his anger was rising. Mu Xue had only taken two steps when she felt a strong wind sweep past her. The next second, Jiang Zhenlin had already reached the steps. He thought he had already given Lin Qingwan enough face by not going in directly.
"Now that you can get out of bed, quickly pack your things and come back to the Prime Minister's residence with me."
Although Mu Xue was scared, she still stood in front of the door and said, "Young Master, please don't shout so loudly."
Jiang Zhenlin glared at her with a livid face. "Get out of my way! I don't have time to settle scores with you. Instead of persuading her to go back, you're living with her outside. Your indenture is with the Prime Minister's mansion, not with Lin Qingwan!"
"Young Master Jiang, please have some self-respect."
Ruan Tinghuai came out from inside, his face cold as he stared at Jiang Zhenlin.
Jiang Zhenlin was taken aback. "Who are you?"
He felt that even if there was someone inside, it should be Tong Di!
Mu Xue hid behind Ruan Tinghuai and called out tremblingly, "Mr. Ruan."
Jiang Zhenlin immediately realized what was happening, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes. "My men haven't returned to the capital yet, what are you doing here?"
Upon hearing this, Ruan Tinghuai understood that the group of people who initially found him were sent by Jiang Zhenlin.
His eyes flickered. "Naturally, it was Miss Jiang who brought me to the capital."
Jiang Zhenlin felt a surge of blood and qi, "Sister?"
Ruan Tinghuai said in a gloomy tone, "You call her elder sister, but you call Qingwan by her first name."
"Your so-called elder sister took me away from you and tricked me into coming to the capital under the pretense that the Prime Minister wanted to kill me to protect Qingwan's innocence. She then drugged me at Yan Gui Lou and made me reveal my past with Qingwan to Prince Jing."
“Prince Jing locked me up until Qingwan went to the flower garden and refused to take poison and water the flowers with her blood. Then he threatened Qingwan with my life.”
Jiang Zhenlin's eyes suddenly turned icy cold. "What nonsense are you spouting!"
"Did Lin Qingwan tell you to say that? She's always trying to frame my sister."
Upon hearing this, Ruan Tinghuai was first surprised, then his face was filled with disappointment and anger. "It's understandable that Qingwan doesn't want to go back. You are not worthy of being her family, not worthy of being waited for by her for fifteen years."
"Get out."
"Qingwan doesn't want to see you, and she doesn't need you."
Jiang Zhenlin's temples throbbed, and he chopped away Ruan Tinghuai's finger, which was almost poking his forehead, with a palm strike. "Who do you think you are?"
"You're the one who tarnished her reputation by eloping with someone, and you even beat her up until she was covered in bruises. I'm here to break your legs and avenge her!"
"You've come here now because you're after the wealth and status of the Prime Minister's mansion? Hmph, I'm not as foolish as Lin Qingwan; I won't believe a word you say!"
Ruan Tinghuai's pupils constricted. "When did I ever hit Qingwan?"
Jiang Zhenlin grabbed his collar, "When she returned to the Prime Minister's residence, her body was covered with old and new whip marks. What else could it be but the whippings you gave her!"
Ruan Tinghuai blushed with anger; so that's what he was talking about.
He scoffed, "Who said I hit her? Her adoptive mother, Madam Cheng?"
Ruan Tinghuai composed himself. "I remember when your people found me, they asked me the same question. I said that even the dogs in Shuiyuan Town know that Cheng Shi is a madwoman. She takes her anger out on Qingwan whenever she's unhappy. The sound of the whip hitting her can be heard by everyone next door."
Jiang Zhenlin had clearly sent people to inquire and had clearly told his mother, but now, looking at Ruan Tinghuai's resolute and cold gaze, he didn't want to admit it.
"Nonsense! Madam Cheng and my mother were like sisters. She was willing to die for my mother and even let her daughter die in place of Lin Qingwan. She would never mistreat Lin Qingwan!"
"You know she's dead, and there's no way to verify the truth, that's why you're slandering her like this!"
"You and Lin Qingwan are both trying to slander my sister, aren't you!"
Ruan Tinghuai looked at Jiang Zhenlin with a calm yet mocking gaze, as if she had heard a joke, which only made Jiang Zhenlin angrier.
"If you hate Qingwan so much, why are you here? She owes you nothing, nor does she owe the Jiang family anything. She just woke up and is still weak. If you have any conscience, get out of here right now and don't disturb her recovery!"
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