Jiang Xuening did not want to accept this marriage arrangement, but she, like her mother, had little say in the household. Grandmother did not take her words to heart. Not long afterward, she still had the elders of the clan step forward, open the Ancestral Hall, amend the genealogy, and register Jiang Xuening under Legal Mother Madam Zhou’s name.
Although she was now nominally the legitimate daughter of the Zhongcheng Residence, her identity could not withstand close scrutiny. A prestigious family like the Marquis’s Residence would certainly not be so easily fooled.
Jiang Xuening had assumed that the Marquis’s Residence would refuse to let her replace Fifth Sister in the marriage. Unexpectedly, they did not investigate the matter too deeply. After receiving her birth-date card, they simply returned Fifth Sister’s Eight Characters of Birth.
The marriage between the two families proceeded as planned, with the wedding date set for the beginning of the eighth month, three months away.
However, with Jiang Xuening’s current qualifications, she was far from capable of becoming the Heir Apparent’s wife. She had been sent to the rural estate when she was six and had only studied for a few years at a private school. Her knowledge was limited, and she had never learned the zither, chess, calligraphy, or painting. She also knew nothing about incense-making or tea preparation.
Legal Mother Madam Zhou had specially hired a female tutor to teach her, but Jiang Xuening’s foundation was simply too poor. Three months was nowhere near enough for her to reach Jiang Xueqing’s level.
Nevertheless, three months later, when Jiang Xuening went to Grandmother’s courtyard to pay her respects, she still managed to make everyone’s eyes light up.
The young girl standing before them wore a jade-colored skirt. Her curves were soft and graceful, and her features were delicate and lively. Even standing there quietly, she was beautiful enough to leave people momentarily dazed.
She had been naturally beautiful from birth, with fair skin. It was only that, during her years of labor at the estate, she had been exposed to wind and sun, like a luminous pearl covered in dust. The harsh conditions had hidden her fair complexion and concealed her naturally radiant beauty.
A satisfied look appeared in the Old Madam’s eyes. Legal Mother Madam Zhou’s expression remained as gentle and warm as ever, but another gaze in the hall shot toward Jiang Xuening, sharp as a needle and blade.
Jiang Xuening followed that gaze and saw a strikingly beautiful woman with her hair styled in a drooping bun, glaring at her resentfully.
Ten years had passed, and Jiang Xuening could no longer remember the faces of many people. Yet she recognized this woman at a glance.
She was none other than Concubine Xia, who had forced her mother toward the pond ten years ago and suffered a miscarriage after Jiang Xuening pushed her away.
Concubine Xia had returned long ago. It was only because Jiang Xuening had been confined to Magnolia Courtyard, where she had been studying under the female tutor, that the two had not encountered each other.
After stepping forward to pay her respects to Grandmother and Legal Mother, Jiang Xuening also gave her Birth Mother, Su Shi, a shallow bow. She deliberately ignored Concubine Xia.
She then heard Concubine Xia let out a cold laugh.
“Heh, just because you’re going to marry into the Marquis’s Residence and become the Heir Apparent’s wife, you think you can look down on your elders?”
Jiang Xuening had studied under the female tutor for three months, yet she still had not learned how to put on a false smile and exchange empty pleasantries with others. Faced with Concubine Xia’s sarcasm, she turned to look at her.
“Concubine Xia, you’re mistaken. I’ve always respected my elders. It’s just that you’re not worthy of my respect.”
The smile on Concubine Xia’s face immediately froze. Clearly, she had never expected Jiang Xuening to retort so directly. Her anger intensified, and in her fury, she began speaking without thinking.
“How dare you speak to me like that? Don’t think that becoming a legitimate daughter and marrying the Heir Apparent of the Marquis’s Residence makes you so important! With such crude manners and an illegitimate background, you’ll be despised by the Marquis’s Residence sooner or later…”
Unexpectedly, Jiang Xuening was not angry after hearing this. Instead, she repeated Concubine Xia’s words and turned toward the Old Madam seated at the head of the hall.
“Grandmother, Concubine Xia is right. My manners are crude, I come from the countryside, and I’m not a true legitimate daughter. Sooner or later, the Marquis’s Residence will despise me. Therefore, I think I shouldn’t marry Shen Heir Apparent after all. Please choose someone else, Grandmother!”
The last two sentences caused everyone’s expressions to change drastically.
The wedding was only three days away. If she backed out now and said she would not marry, where could they possibly find another suitable bride?
The Old Madam glared fiercely at Concubine Xia before soothing Jiang Xuening.
“Don’t listen to her nonsense. Since your name has already been added to the genealogy, you are the legitimate daughter of this residence. How could your status be improper? After you marry into the Marquis’s Residence, as long as you speak and conduct yourself carefully, naturally no one will dare to despise you…”
It was rare for the Old Madam to lower herself enough to appease a junior. If it had been anyone else, they would naturally have accepted the opportunity to step down.
But Jiang Xuening refused.
She still shook her head.
“Grandmother, Concubine Xia bears a grudge against me. If I marry out, she will definitely take her anger out on my mother. My mother is gentle and kind and isn’t her match. Once I leave, my mother’s life in this residence will probably become even harder. So I can’t marry.”
“You wretched girl…” Concubine Xia’s face flushed with anger.
That wretched girl had called Su Shi gentle and kind. Wasn’t that just an indirect way of calling her fierce and vicious?
“Enough!” the Old Madam snapped.
Concubine Xia was furious but did not dare argue. She could only resentfully shut her mouth.
The Old Madam suppressed the anger in her heart and patiently said to Jiang Xuening, “Su Shi is your Birth Mother. Naturally, I’ll look after her a little more. With me here, no one will be allowed to bully her. You can rest assured…”
Jiang Xuening remained unmoved.
“Grandmother, I’m not reassured.”
Seeing that Jiang Xuening would not even give her face, the Old Madam’s anger began to rise as well. Irritation and impatience crept into her voice.
“Then what do you want?”
Jiang Xuening had been waiting for her to ask exactly that.
She raised her eyes and looked directly into her grandmother’s eyes, speaking each word clearly.
“I want my mother’s release document.”
Since her marriage into the Marquis’s Residence could no longer be changed, she had to use this marriage to gain something in return.
She and her mother had depended on each other for many years. Now that she was about to marry, the person she was most worried about was her mother.
Concubine Xia had resented the mother and daughter for years because of the pain of losing her child. Even if Grandmother promised to look after her mother in the future, there was still no guarantee that her mother would remain completely safe.
The best way to protect her mother was to let her leave this place.
“You… You really…” The Old Madam had never expected her to make such a demand.
Previously, seeing her remain quiet and reserved, the Old Madam had assumed she would be easy to control.
She had not expected her to have a mind of her own.
She had clearly been planning this all along. She had endured until now before making the request because she had accurately calculated that the Old Madam could not refuse her.
The Old Madam had lived for so many years, yet today she had actually been maneuvered into a corner by a little girl.
A suffocating feeling of frustration was trapped in her chest, neither able to rise nor dissipate. She pressed a hand against her chest and took a long while to calm herself before she could finally speak.
“Su Shi, what do you think?”
Su Shi stood up and walked to her daughter’s side. Though she was nervous, her voice was firm.
“Since Ning’er has already been registered under Madam’s name, there is no reason for me to remain in the residence either. I beg the Old Madam to grant my request and allow me to leave…”
Su Shi had only learned of her daughter’s intentions the previous night.
The night before, her daughter had asked her whether she was still willing to remain in the residence and serve her father.
Su Shi had also told her daughter the truth.
“Back then, you accidentally caused Madam Xia to miscarry. Madam Xia demanded that you pay with your life. Your father knew that she was the one at fault first, yet he still refused to protect you. Such a heartless man… I feel disgusted just looking at him.”
Her daughter had taken her hand.
“Then tomorrow, I’ll get you a release document.”
And that was how today’s scene had come about.
The Old Madam did not want to let Su Shi leave. Su Shi was Jiang Xuening’s Birth Mother. As long as she remained in the residence, even if Jiang Xuening became the Heir Apparent’s wife of the Marquis’s Residence, she would still be unable to escape the Zhongcheng Residence’s control.
But if she refused to agree to Su Shi’s release, Jiang Xuening would refuse to marry into the Marquis’s Residence.
Even if they forcibly sent her there, there was no guarantee she would not cause some kind of trouble.
Forget it.
For now, she would comply with her request. She could think of another way to control Jiang Xuening later.