Old Madam Pei’s gaze swept over them.
Her voice was faint, but the authority in her words brooked no argument.
“When the late emperor was still alive, Miss Jiang’s grandfather and your grandfather both served as officials at court. During one of your grandfather’s southern inspection tours, he encountered a perilous situation and was hanging by a thread. It was Miss Jiang’s grandfather who disregarded the danger and saved his life.”
“To repay that kindness, our Pei family made a verbal betrothal at the time, arranged before birth, so that the children of the two families would become in-laws.”
At the time, Jiang Yingwan’s grandfather held a fourth-rank official post, while Old General Pei held a first-rank post. By becoming in-laws, the two families could both support the Jiang family and repay the life-saving favor.
“However, Miss Jiang’s grandfather was broad-minded and had spent his entire life doing good deeds. He did not care about such a favor. Although he accepted the verbal betrothal as if it were a joke, the Jiang family never brought up the marriage, since they had never taken it seriously.”
“Besides, the children betrothed before birth in both families were boys, so they could not marry each other. Our Pei family had considered choosing one of our daughters to marry Miss Jiang’s grandfather’s son.”
“But Miss Jiang’s grandfather’s son—in other words, the father of that girl from the Jiang family—had no interest in serving at court. He traveled everywhere conducting business, and before long, he met the daughter of a merchant family.”
“They fell in love, and within two years, they had arranged their marriage.”
“The verbal betrothal from all those years ago was therefore put aside.”
“Father Jiang spent most of his time away from home conducting business, while the Pei family served as officials at court. The two families went for a long time without seeing each other, and their relationship gradually grew much more distant.”
“But now, both of the Jiang girl’s parents have passed away, leaving behind only this one orphaned daughter. In consideration of both feeling and reason, our Pei family ought to lend a helping hand. We should also repay the life-saving favor from back then.”
“As for that marriage that was put aside—”
Old Madam Pei paused.
She looked toward Madam Chen, her eldest daughter-in-law, who had her eyes lowered as though she were lost in thought.
“Shuyin, logically speaking, this marriage ought to be between Yanchen and Yingwan.”
When Old Madam Pei suddenly mentioned her son, Madam Chen was stunned. Once she came back to herself, her first reaction was to object.
“Mother, although the Jiang family holds the status of Imperial Merchant, Jiang Residence has long since declined. They are simply not well matched with our Pei family. How could this—”
As his birth mother, and out of her own selfish maternal feelings, Madam Chen naturally wanted her beloved and prideful son to choose a noble young lady from a prestigious family of equal standing.
She did not want a marriage to appear out of nowhere and disrupt everything.
Old Madam Pei’s expression turned somewhat displeased.
Her gaze swept across everyone present. Every word she spoke, directly or indirectly, was protective of Jiang Yingwan.
“Our Pei Residence is a centuries-old aristocratic family. Our official standing is illustrious, and we rank at the very top among the great families. To say nothing of the fact that we have long since had no need to rely on marriage alliances between aristocratic clans to solidify our position.”
“Even speaking only of that girl from the Jiang family—although her parents have passed away, the girl is beautiful, kind-natured, dignified, steady, learned, and well-mannered. She is in no way inferior to the noble young ladies from prestigious families in the capital.”
Old Madam Pei had met Jiang Yingwan several times before.
Apart from the old history between the two families and the debt of gratitude, she genuinely liked the girl.
Moreover, Jiang Yingwan was perfectly matched with her own legitimate eldest grandson in both appearance and temperament. She truly wanted to bring about this marriage.
Madam Chen could naturally see her mother-in-law’s intentions. She took a step back and no longer mentioned whether the families were well matched. Instead, she said:
“I naturally agree with Mother’s judgment a hundredfold. It is only that Yanchen and Miss Jiang have hardly ever met. If we suddenly arrange a marriage between them, the two children may not be willing.”
“Especially Yanchen. He has no interest in matters of love. A few days ago, I tried to mention several suitable young ladies to him, but he rejected the matter before I had even finished speaking.”
“Younger people have their own views. If neither of them likes the other and they are forcibly bound together, then even if they marry, they will only torment each other. We would also be doing the young lady wrong.”
“Why don’t we set the matter of the marriage aside for now? Miss Jiang will be living in the residence from now on anyway. Let them spend a few days together first, then we can discuss it further?”
Old Madam Pei knew Pei Yanchen’s temperament. At the same time, she was also worried that rashly arranging a marriage for them would cause both children to resist. After thinking for a moment, she agreed.
……
The rain outside grew heavier and more urgent.
The sky was dark and oppressive, weighing on people until they could scarcely breathe.
After dealing with the greedy faces of the Jiang family’s collateral relatives and then traveling all the way from Yecheng to the capital, Jiang Yingwan felt utterly exhausted in both mind and spirit.
At that moment, she stood before the window. The carved window lattice was half open, and rain like mist mixed with the cold wind as it poured inside, yet she did not feel cold.
With her dark lashes lowered halfway, she stared distractedly at a thick, verdant plantain leaf outside the window.
She reached out to touch the leaf tip, which had been beaten by the rain until it swayed weakly. Her thoughts, already drained empty, gradually began to fill with something. Scene after scene from the past flashed before her eyes.
Many years ago, life for the Jiang family had actually been very good.
Her ancestors had served as officials at court and accumulated a considerable network of connections. Although her parents conducted business, they were wealthy enough to dominate one region and were also Imperial Merchants. Even the prestigious families in the capital dared not look down on the Imperial Merchant Jiang family when it was mentioned.
Jiang Yingwan was the family’s only daughter. She had no elder or younger brothers. Her parents had only her, and they guarded her as dearly as their own eyes. She had been thoroughly pampered.
In those years, Jiang Yingwan had truly lived more freely and happily than the noble young ladies of those great and prestigious households.
Until three years ago, when everything changed.
Her parents met with an accident on their way to Nanjiang and never returned.
The enormous Jiang Residence was secretly seized by a group of greedy collateral relatives under the pretense of taking care of her.
She had only just reached fifteen at the time.
Overnight, both her parents had died. She was completely unable to accept it.
Taking advantage of her vulnerability, the Jiang family’s many collateral relatives used the excuse of caring for her to take all of Jiang Residence’s property into their own hands. To outsiders, they even claimed that she was too young to take over the family business, so they were merely helping her manage it temporarily.
When Father Jiang and Mother Jiang were still alive, these collateral relatives had maintained not only close dealings with the main family but also an exceptionally harmonious relationship with them.
During the period immediately after her parents’ accident, Jiang Yingwan had genuinely believed that these collateral relatives were simply extending a helping hand because she was young and they were relatives.
Until half a month ago.
Her three-year mourning period for both her parents had just ended,
when those collateral relatives impatiently tore away their false mask.
In order to swallow the family property left by her parents forever, they colluded with the magistrate of Yecheng and intended to send her over to become his concubine.
Fortunately, people from Pei Residence arrived in time. In front of them, they declared that the Jiang family had once shown kindness to the Pei family and that, to repay that past favor, they would personally bring the Jiang family’s daughter back to Pei Residence and care for her.
After the Jiang family had conducted business for several decades, aside from the main Jiang family, which had become Imperial Merchants, the other collateral branches had long since lost contact with the powerful and influential.
No matter how greedy and unwilling the Jiang family’s collateral relatives were, they still did not dare to oppose the Pei family—the foremost of the great aristocratic families and close subjects of the Son of Heaven.
They could only reluctantly break off the marriage with the magistrate and let her come to the capital with the people from the Pei family.
“Miss!” A voice suddenly sounded from the doorway, abruptly interrupting Jiang Yingwan’s thoughts.
Her maid, Ziyan, entered from outside carrying ginger soup.
Seeing her young mistress standing by the window in the cold draft, she hurried over.
Jiang Yingwan forcibly suppressed the greedy, vicious faces of those people in her mind. When she turned around, she saw Ziyan carrying the ginger soup and anxiously murmuring:
“You already caught a chill on the road today, Miss. How can you stand here in the cold wind again? I went to fetch some ginger soup. Come and drink some quickly.”
Jiang Yingwan casually closed the window.
She went to the table and accepted the ginger soup Ziyan held out to her.
Overnight, the news that Old Madam Pei had personally sent her trusted aide to bring the daughter of the Imperial Merchant Jiang family to live at the residence spread throughout Pei Residence.
After the rain stopped the next day, Old Madam Pei summoned the members of the first and second branches and introduced Jiang Yingwan to them in front of everyone.
Although Old Madam Pei was advanced in years, her position in the Pei family remained the highest.
Her undisguised partiality and protection toward Jiang Yingwan, in both word and implication, made no one throughout Pei Residence dare to look down on this daughter of their benefactor.
In the main hall, Old Madam Pei finished introducing Jiang Yingwan’s identity to everyone and repeatedly instructed them to take good care of her before allowing them to withdraw.
After everyone had left, she called Jiang Yingwan to her side, her face filled with affection.
Jiang Yingwan walked over and was just about to address her as “Old Madam” when Old Madam Pei interrupted her.
“Call me Grandmother.”
Old Madam Pei patted her hand. “‘Old Madam’ sounds too distant. The Jiang family once showed kindness to the Pei family, and Grandmother also likes you, child. Just call me Grandmother. Don’t stand on ceremony.”
Jiang Yingwan curved her lips and nodded. Her clear eyes were bright and lively as she obediently called out, “Grandmother.”
The delight on Old Madam Pei’s face deepened.
She was even more satisfied with this future granddaughter-in-law.
When Old Madam Pei had brought Jiang Yingwan back from the Jiang family, she had already known that Jiang Yingwan was unaware of the verbal betrothal with the Pei family. She only knew that her ancestors had once shown the Pei family some kindness.
Although Old Madam Pei liked this granddaughter-in-law and wanted even more to bring about the marriage, she was more worried that suddenly telling the girl about the betrothal would frighten her.
Thus, she had temporarily pressed the matter down without mentioning it.
She only held Jiang Yingwan’s hand and gently instructed her:
“Don’t worry about the Jiang family’s affairs. As for the property your parents left behind, Grandmother will have people take it back from those collateral relatives. I won’t let them seize it for nothing.”
“You can live peacefully in Pei Residence. If anything happens, just tell Grandmother. Grandmother will stand up for you.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a servant from the residence came from outside to report:
“Old Madam, the young master has returned.”
Old Madam Pei stopped speaking and looked toward the servant before giving her instruction:
“Tell Yanchen to come here for a while.”