Chapter 130 Returning Home
"What nonsense are you talking about? Who would be so magnanimous as to push their loved one out to gain fame? I'm not blind. Ever since that Zhou girl entered the Eastern Palace, do you think the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess are still as close as before?"
This kind of talk was not something a servant should respond to. Qing Yang lowered his head and pretended to be dead, and the queen sighed and murmured softly.
"Song Ziying, you were born to be a queen. Unlike me, it took me so many years to finally see the light. She was clear-headed from the beginning and knew what she wanted. Well, that's good."
"Master, you should be more relaxed when you are alive."
The taciturn Qing Liu has been with the Queen the longest, watching her slowly transform from the daring and passionate Qiao Yunshu into the virtuous and generous Queen Qiao.
The sadness of this matter cannot be told to outsiders.
"I know."
The queen lowered her eyes and drank tea quietly.
Jiang Wan rode non-stop from the palace gates. When she arrived home, the sun was still brightly set in the west. She jumped off the carriage, holding up her skirt, and headed straight for Qingping Residence.
"Mom, I'm back!"
Going home to look for mom first is a common practice throughout history.
However, Xu was not at home. Instead, Jiang Huailiang was sitting in the upper room drinking tea. Seeing his eldest daughter come home, he was so happy that he wanted to stand up to greet her, but she acted as if she didn't see him and just called him "mother".
"What are you looking for your mother for? Your father is sitting here, can't you see him?"
"I saw it, Dad!"
"Humph, that's more like it, you girl are really..."
"Where's my mother?"
Jiang Wan gave his father some face, but it was clearly not much. Jiang Huailiang stroked his beard in anger and glared at her.
"What do you want from your mother?"
"Nothing, I just haven't seen you for a long time. I miss you, okay?"
After searching the room and confirming that his mother was not there, Jiang Wan ran back in a hurry, but could only sit next to his father in a dejected mood.
"Where is my mother? Doesn't she know that I'm going home today for the day off?"
"So what if you know? Hehehe,"
Jiang Huailiang laughed with a gloating look.
"Are you dumbfounded? This time you're not your mother's only beloved child. You know, little girl, your cousin from the Xu family passed the exam with ease and directly became a juren!"
"real?!"
Jiang Wan widened his eyes in shock. Although he knew that Xu Hui was very smart, he didn't expect him to be so evil!
Those who struggle with classical Chinese and its clichés are having a headache, but he actually managed to pass the exam so easily?!
"A Juren, an eighteen-year-old Juren! The Xu family has hope this time!"
"Of course not! Your mother is so happy!"
Jiang Huailiang smiled with pride.
"She took your brothers and sisters back to her parents' home early this morning, but don't worry, she was still nagging that you should come back today. I guess they should be home soon too."
Ever since Jiang Huailiang returned to Beijing, Xu's mother and son moved out of the Jiang family. Although Jiang Huailiang, a rough man, didn't think it was a big deal, but as a scholar, he usually pays attention to the suspicion of being in a melon field and a plum tree.
So Old Jiang spent money and effort to help Xu Hui get the Xu family's old house back from someone else. Xu also arranged for a lot of servants to go back, and only then could he barely support the family for his niece's sister-in-law and nephew.
But things were different from then on. Xu Hui could stand on his own and support the Xu family!
Jiang Wan was also happy for them.
"Dad, you stay home by yourself. I'll go find Mom and the others!"
"Come back here!"
Jiang Huailiang slammed the table so hard that the teacups on it jumped twice.
"What? Do you need me for something?"
The filial daughter sat back obediently, looked at her father's rough face, and asked very sincerely.
"Did mother deduct your pocket money again? There's no point in asking me. I only have two taels of silver in my pocket. Do you want some?"
"Who are you looking down on, girl? Whose pocket money was withheld? Your father is a Duke, and you can get rid of him with just two taels of silver?"
"Oh, never mind."
The claws that were withdrawn were caught by the bear's paw. The small amount of silver was sensibly hidden in the bear's spacious purse.
"Hey, what's the point of carrying money on your body like a little kid? What if you lose it? Daddy will keep it for you."
Xiao Jiang glanced at Lao Jiang with amusement. Lao Jiang was thick-skinned and had a big beard to cover his shame, so he didn't feel embarrassed at all.
"Ahem! Um, big girl, just sit quietly. Your mother should be back soon. It's a good time for us to chat."
"What's up?"
Seeing his father's serious expression, Jiang Wan couldn't help but frown.
"It's nothing serious. Isn't your wedding date coming up soon? There are still two months left. Has the King of Qi sent you a letter telling you when he will arrive in the capital?
Also, although the dowry has been prepared for you for so many years, your mother said that there is not enough good stuff to show off, so I have been looking for it everywhere like a headless fly during this period.
So Dad wanted to ask you to see if you have any ghosts, isn't it a good idea?"
"What did I think you were up to? You scared me!"
Jiang Wan leaned back in the large chair and relaxed.
"Don't listen to my mother's nonsense. She wants to tear down the roof of our house and put it in my dowry.
I've already looked at the dowry list last time. It's more than enough and there's no need to add anything else. Don't worry."
"You know nothing!"
Old Jiang was not happy about the eldest girl saying something wrong about his wife. In his eyes, his wife had never done anything wrong. If she did, it was definitely because someone else had done something wrong first.
"You said you were marrying a prince, not a village butcher or blacksmith. Can you just marry him for a few bucks and a quilt?
Besides, you are the eldest daughter of my Lingguo Mansion, and the face of your parents in the outside world! I heard that when Old Song married his daughter, the scene was so grand that he even laid out a ten-mile red wedding, right?
He can show off so much respect in the Duke of Ping's Mansion, so what does my Duke of Ling need from him?"
Dad's competitive spirit was totally inappropriate and made Jiang Wan laugh and cry.
"Oh, Dad, the Song family only has one legitimate daughter, so of course he can afford the dowry. We have so many children, don't you have any idea of how to manage them?
If I take all the things away, where will you and my mother get the second son’s dowry?
As for the third and fourth sons, they will have to marry and have children in the future. How much financial resources have you prepared for them?
Our family is full of legitimate children, so if we make too few things, it won’t be worth looking at. If it gets out, it will make people laugh!"
Therefore, Jiang Wan has always been very clear-headed and does not blindly compare himself with others.
"Our family is poor, and we can't compare to other families who are rich and prominent. So we should just be honest and do our best!"
Jiang Huailiang looked a little embarrassed.
"Big girl, don't think your father is useless..."
"Nonsense! My father is the head of the noble family, the dignified Duke of Ling! How many people in this world are more useful than my father?
If it weren't for a good person like you who fought on the battlefield and built up our family fortune, we brothers and sisters would still be digging in the fields!"
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