Chapter 8, The Child Doesn't Understand
"Ziyuan, shut up..." Zhang quickly stepped forward and covered her son's mouth.
"Fine, fine, fine! My Jiang family has raised a pair of ungrateful wretches!" Old Madam Jiang was furious.
"A second-marriage woman, entering my Jiang family, actually wants to drive out the Jiang family bloodline, how wonderful!" Old Madam Jiang looked coldly at Zhang Shi and the two children.
"Madam, Ziyuan is still young and doesn't understand. He's just talking nonsense. Please don't take it to heart!" Madam Zhang quickly explained.
“It’s just a joke. If outsiders hear this, they’ll only say that your Zhang family has no manners. It’s not a big deal if your Zhang family loses face, but I’m afraid that it will be our Marquis’s mansion that loses face.”
“Zhang Shi, this child still needs to be disciplined properly. Let them know their place and the hierarchy in the mansion, and not to be disrespectful!” As a top-notch mouthpiece, Granny Yun naturally knew what the old lady was thinking.
These words made Zhang's face turn pale, but she could only suppress her anger and dare not retaliate.
Who's superior and who's inferior? Isn't it just that her child comes from a humble background?
[Ding dong, congratulations host, you have gained 100 debt collection points, balance 800]
Jiang Ruanruan... secretly made a heart shape with her hands for her grandmother.
"Ruan Ruan, would you like to go to the Imperial Academy to study and learn to read?"
"Yes!" Jiang Ruanruan raised her little hand, her expression incredibly devout.
Madam Jiang's words caused Zhang's expression to change drastically, and she spoke up somewhat recklessly.
"Madam, my husband has already agreed to let Ziyuan, Zirou, and Zichen study at the Imperial Academy. The Jiang family has no more places available."
"Besides, Ruan Ruan is a woman after all, and she doesn't need to take the imperial examinations. She's also in poor health. It would be better to bring back a female teacher to teach her. It would be enough if she could just recognize characters."
"A woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent. Zichen and Ruanruan have such a good relationship, their childhood friendship is incomparable to others. In the future, when Zichen becomes successful, he will marry into the Marquis's family and become Ruanruan's husband. Wouldn't it be better for him to protect Ruanruan? Ruanruan, why don't you give your place in school to Zichen? Isn't he your best friend?"
After Zhang finished speaking, Old Madam Jiang's face grew even more unpleasant.
"You wish! How could your nephew be worthy of the pearl of my Marquis's mansion? All three spots are for Zhang's child. What a clever scheme!" Old Madam Jiang laughed in anger.
Jiang Ruanruan patted the old lady's hand, telling her to calm down.
"No way, why should someone else have my spot?"
“Auntie, your face is swollen from being hit…” Jiang Ruanruan’s words stunned Zhang Shi.
"Ruanruan, don't act like a child. Didn't you used to like Zichen the most? You even said that you would marry Zichen when you grew up. Ruanruan, is that true?"
Zhang didn't really care, assuming that Jiang Ruanruan hadn't seen Zhang Zichen for a few days and had forgotten about it, and was just throwing a childish tantrum.
Jiang Ruanruan is a fool. As long as you coax her gently, once she agrees, you will never give her a chance to go back on her word. When the news spreads, everyone will know, and for the sake of her reputation, Jiang Ruanruan will have no choice but to marry him.
"Pah! I don't like that scoundrel, that ugly freak!"
"Auntie, I haven't finished speaking yet, and you interrupted me. That's so rude!" Jiang Ruanruan pouted.
“I mean, you’re putting on a brave face, you’re really arrogant. You’re acting like you’re in charge here, and Grandmother hasn’t even spoken yet, but you’re overstepping your bounds and doing things your own way. This is unfilial…”
Jiang Ruanruan spoke with righteous indignation; if it weren't for the need to appear obedient in front of her grandmother, she would have already stepped forward to beat someone up.
"Madam, I didn't! Ruan Ruan, how could you say that to me? I've always treated you well. It's true what they say, being a stepmother is hard. Waaah, I was only doing this for your own good!" Zhang looked hurt and started sobbing again.
"Pah, what a wonderful aroma of green tea!"
"I don't need you to be nice to me. I already have a childhood sweetheart. If being my childhood sweetheart means I can go to the Imperial Academy, then it should be Brother Pear who goes. What does it have to do with that Zichen!"
“Look, isn’t he a hundred times better looking than your son Chen?” Jiang Ruanruan pushed Li Yunzhi in front of everyone.
"Child...adopted husband...?" Old Madam Jiang felt a sudden darkness before her eyes. What was going on?
This silly child, does he know who this person is? He's become a child groom.
"Little sister, you're still young, why are you looking for a man?" Jiang Huai'an was speechless. Could it be that his little sister was still love-obsessed all her life?
Cold winter...
“Yes, Ruan Ruan said I’m good-looking and asked me to be her fiancé…” Li Yunzhi’s face flushed slightly and he felt a little awkward. Jiang Ruan Ruan held his hand and stood there. He really couldn’t bring himself to say “childhood sweetheart”. “Fiancé” was a better word.
"This won't do... We don't know anything about this person, how can he be allowed into the Jiang family? Ruan Ruan, tell your aunt if he's lying to you!"
Zhang was anxious and tried to reason with Jiang Ruanruan, explaining that she had already spoken with her brother and sister-in-law and that they couldn't let someone else steal her away.
"Since Ruan Ruan likes it herself, then Ruan Ruan can decide for herself!" Old Madam Jiang breathed a sigh of relief. Since the young master had no objections, what else could she say?
Maybe he's just playing with a little girl. What does a child that age know? It's all Zhang's fault for constantly talking about her child groom, which has corrupted her good child.
"Madam, you can't do that! This matter needs to be decided when the Marquis returns..." Madam Zhang was anxious. This child is so ignorant, how can the adults be so ignorant as well?
"Shut up! What the old lady decides is none of your business." Receiving the old lady's glare, Granny Yun stepped forward and slapped her again.
"Ah..." The slap was loud, and Zhang let out a scream.
[Ding dong, congratulations host, you have gained 100 debt collection points, balance 900]
Jiang Ruanruan... her grandmother was the goddess who softened her heart.
"Grandmother, I want to go to the Imperial Academy with both of them?"
Jiang Ruanruan looked very satisfied.
Who does this Zhang look down on? Who is deceiving whom? It's still uncertain.
Jiang Huai'an remained silent. In his previous life, he had no chance to study at the Imperial Academy. The three spots in his family were given by Zhang to her two children and nephew.
Despite being Jiang Hou's biological son, he had no place in the school and could only attend an ordinary school, where he lived a life of debauchery and dissipation with a group of spoiled brats.
This must be Zhang's purpose: to ruin him.
"No, Father has already agreed to let my brother, cousin, and I study at the Imperial Academy. You are not allowed to go." Lu Zirou was anxious. She had already announced to her friends that she would be studying at the Imperial Academy.
If the spot is snatched up at this time, wouldn't that be embarrassing?
"Grandmother, I am Father's own daughter. Why can she go to school, but the three of us can't!"
Jiang Ruanruan's words made Old Madam Jiang sigh repeatedly.
"This is what it means to be a father. It's wonderful that he's already planning for other people's children!"
At this point, even the steward standing at the door was helpless; the Marquis was truly confused.
"Grandmother, didn't you like Rou'er a lot before? You even said Rou'er was obedient!" Lu Zirou grabbed Old Madam Jiang's arm and started to act coquettishly.
Madam Jiang pulled her sleeves out; compared to her beloved granddaughter, even her lovely child was an outsider.
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