“Why are you so talkative today, even caring about a young girl?”
Old Mrs. Xiao wore a meaningful expression, making Xiao Jing shift his gaze uncomfortably as he lowered his head to take a sip of tea.
“It just came up in conversation. If Mother doesn’t want to hear it, I’ll keep quiet.”
“Enough!” Old Mrs. Xiao tossed a walnut at him, feigning anger. “Usually, you wouldn’t say a word even if prodded three times, and now you’re getting worked up just because I teased you a little.”
The walnut landed beside him. Old Mrs. Xiao had controlled her strength, and Xiao Jing, being thick-skinned, didn’t feel any pain.
But seeing his stubborn, unyielding demeanor, Old Mrs. Xiao felt her chest tighten with frustration.
“I wonder who could ever rein in that rebellious streak of yours. That girl from the Xu family is sweet and likable—don’t you go bullying her.”
“The Xu family girl… Xu Yun?”
Xiao Jing frowned, not expecting to hear Xu Yun’s name from Old Mrs. Xiao. Seeing the old lady’s suggestive expression, he understood everything.
The old lady was playing matchmaker, mistakenly thinking there was something between him and Xu Yun.
“Yes, that little girl has such a sweet smile—just seeing it makes people like her.”
Old Mrs. Xiao picked up a candied fruit and popped it into her mouth, her eyes narrowing as she said the word “sweet.”
“I have little to do with her. In the future, please don’t say such things again—it’s not good for her reputation.”
Pah!
Old Mrs. Xiao inwardly scoffed. Reputation? You’re the one who invited her to the Xiao family’s private room. No one else has ever received such treatment.
Old Mrs. Xiao instinctively excluded Jiang Fu from consideration, especially since the young girl had just broken off her engagement with Xiao Yuzhang. She couldn’t imagine Xiao Jing having any interest in her.
“Fine, fine. I know you want to keep it hidden. I’ll pretend I don’t know, but don’t drag it out too long. This old bones of mine still wants to hold a grandchild.”
The old lady was already convinced there was something between him and Xu Yun. Any further explanation from Xiao Jing would only make it seem like he was trying to cover it up.
For a moment, he even considered directly confessing that it was Jiang Fu he liked. But their statuses were too far apart, especially given Jiang Fu’s previous engagement to Xiao Yuzhang. If he were to propose to her, others might not say much about him, but Jiang Fu wouldn’t be so fortunate.
Gossip could be deadly. No matter how capable he was, he couldn’t guarantee absolute safety.
So, to marry Jiang Fu, he needed a legitimate reason.
Xiao Jing’s face turned cold, his frustration welling up. He lost interest in continuing the idle chatter, stood up, bowed, and left.
“That brat!”
As soon as Xiao Jing stepped out the door, Old Mrs. Xiao hurled a walnut at him. After throwing it, she caught her breath and ordered a maid to retrieve it.
“Wasting my walnuts on him isn’t worth it.”
Old Mrs. Xiao picked up the walnut and continued, “Third Brother has always been deep and secretive. Even now, I can’t guess half of what he’s thinking. Whether he likes Miss Xu or not, only he knows. Today’s matter stays between us—if even a hint of it leaks out, I’ll have the culprit beaten and sold off!”
“Don’t worry, Madam. We servants keep our mouths shut.”
“Hmm.”
As Xiao Jing left He Song Garden, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. His attendant, caught off guard, nearly bumped into him.
“Master?”
“Go and send her some apricots… No, have someone tidy up the courtyard at the princess’s estate, especially the area near the Jiang residence.”
With that, Xiao Jing strode decisively toward the third household’s quarters.
The attendant followed behind, his mind in a whirl.
The master had never stayed at the Chang Princess’s estate before. Now, he wanted the courtyard cleaned up…
Is he coming in person to deliver the apricots?
The servant stroked his chin, never expecting his master, usually so cold and detached, to be such a romantic.
After Jiang Fu had Bai Xing return the apricots, she waited for any movement from next door.
She rarely left the Jiang residence, so naturally, she didn’t know who the Princess was and had never seen the people living next door.
To be honest, it wasn’t until the steward shouted that day that she first realized someone lived there.
Jiang Fu didn’t want to cause trouble over a craving, so she had been on edge these past few days, afraid someone might come knocking.
Fortunately, after waiting several days, no one showed up. Instead, she received news of a banquet hosted by the main branch.
“I’m going too?”
When Mama Wang came to deliver the message, Jiang Fu couldn’t help but ask.
Although the Jiang family had declined, they still had social engagements, but these had nothing to do with Jiang Fu.
In the past, when the main branch hosted guests, she was told to stay in the second branch’s courtyard and not disturb the visitors.
The restrictions were so strict that even Bai Xing couldn’t sneak out to fetch meals.
Jiang Fu was used to being excluded, but this time was different.
As Madam Yan’s most trusted steward, Mama Wang naturally knew the purpose of the banquet.
She sized up Jiang Fu a few times and chuckled behind her hand.
“What are you saying, Fourth Miss? You’re a young lady of the household. Of course, you must attend the banquet. Tonight, you must dress up nicely and not neglect the guests. Who knows, perhaps your fortune will change after tonight.”
Mama Wang’s eyes were full of mockery.
What use was Fourth Miss’s beauty? She was still going to be given as a concubine to an old man by the master.
They said he was a fifth-rank official, and she’d become a concubine as soon as she entered his household. But their Fourth Miss, delicate as a flower, would be ruined by that half-dead old man. It was nothing but pitiful.
Mama Wang felt a pang of pity, but the smile on her lips grew wider.
She couldn’t wait to see Jiang Fu trampled into the mud.
Summer days were long, but the Jiang household lit the lamps as soon as dusk fell.
The main branch sent over clothes and jewelry, and even Bai Xing sensed something unusual.
“Miss, which family’s guests has the main branch invited to make it so grand? And they’re even willing to outfit you properly.”
The dress was made of fine cloud-smoke gauze, a single bolt of which cost a hundred taels of silver. Madam Yan was actually willing to have a dress made for her.
“I don’t know,” Jiang Fu shook her head.
“Well, no matter which family it is, it’s a good thing Madam is willing to let you meet people. I just wonder if there’s a trick behind it. Later, just focus on eating and don’t say much else. Madam probably won’t embarrass you in front of the guests.”
However, both mistress and maid guessed wrong this time.
As Bai Xing helped Jiang Fu into the main branch’s banquet hall, they saw a thin, short, elderly man seated inside.
The room was lit with hundreds of candles, bright as daylight, illuminating every wrinkle on the old man’s face and, naturally, the lust in his eyes.
From the moment Jiang Fu appeared, Academician Lin couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Beautiful, truly beautiful.”
Jiang Zhi hadn’t lied to him.
“Uncle, Aunt…”
Jiang Fu rarely interacted with men outside the family. Even Xiao Jing, the closest to her, had never looked at her with such lecherous eyes.
She paused at the threshold, unwilling to take another step.
Madam Yan’s face darkened, displeased with Jiang Fu’s hesitation. “What are you standing there for? Come in at once.”
“Exactly, quickly take your sister to her seat. I see there’s a spot right next to Academician Lin. Since Academician Lin is a guest, it’s only natural for my sister, as the host, to attend to him a bit.” Jiang Yao raised her voice to call for someone, and upon hearing this, the little maid hurriedly pulled Jiang Fu to sit down.
“I don’t…”
Jiang Fu wasn’t foolish; by now she had understood the malicious intent of the main branch.
But before she could break free, Master Jiang also spoke up.
“A-Fu, be obedient.”