Wang Yuru was also taken aback.
This was merely a simple marriage arrangement—how had it become entangled with the succession dispute?
Jiang Zhi spoke soothingly, “Father, do not blame Aunt Ru. She was not born into a noble family and does not understand the intricate connections and intricacies among the powerful. It is only natural that she cannot see so far ahead.”
“Recalling when Mother was alive, she managed the entire Jiang household for Father with perfect order and never a single mistake. How could she have been so shortsighted, seeking only immediate gains and rushing to achieve results? Aunt Ru still has much to learn about household management, lest she unknowingly jeopardize Father’s official career.”
Jiang Zhengting nodded.
This was one point where Jiang Zhi was not wrong.
His late wife, Feng, was the legitimate daughter of a prestigious family. The Feng family had deep foundations and held great prestige in Jingdu. Feng had been trained in etiquette and household management since childhood—something that Wang Yuru, who had come to it halfway, could never hope to match.
Wang Yuru was so furious she could barely breathe, nearly shredding the handkerchief in her hands.
Her father had merely been a minor clerk in the yamen. She had met Feng Lanzhen by sheer chance and used her as a stepping stone to climb into the Jiang family.
The two things she hated most in life were having her origins brought up and being compared to that woman.
Now, even after that woman had been dead for so long, her ghost still lingered, refusing to fade—it was enough to make Wang Yuru faint from rage.
Then she heard Jiang Zhi sigh again, “By the way, why didn’t Aunt Ru accompany Grandmother up the mountain yesterday? Grandmother has long suffered from palpitations. Fortunately, she was not startled by the Jinyiwei. Otherwise, if word got out, outsiders might think Grandmother and Aunt Ru are at odds, and who knows what they would say about Father.”
Wang Yuru had already cursed Jiang Zhi a thousand times in her heart, but she hurriedly explained, “My lord, it was Mother-in-law who prefers quiet and didn’t want anyone accompanying her. It was not intentional neglect on my part.”
“Enough,” Jiang Zhengting said, already quite displeased with Wang Yuru. “If Mother truly preferred quiet, why did she later agree to have Zhi’er accompany her?”
“These next few days, you should go pay your respects to Mother more often and attend to her. While you’re at it, you might also seek her guidance on household management.”
Jiang Zhi watched Wang Yuru’s expression, like someone who had just swallowed a fly, and felt immensely satisfied.
She knew her father all too well.
He valued his official career and reputation above everything else.
As long as Wang Yuru managed the inner household well and raised the children properly, Jiang Zhengting was happy to shower her with affection.
But if she failed to know her place and affected the Jiang family’s standing or his career, then Jiang Zhengting would certainly not let her off lightly.
Wang Yuru clearly understood this logic as well. Her nails dug deeply into her palms as she forced a smile and said, “Yes, this is my duty as a daughter-in-law. Even without you saying so, my lord, I would do it.”
Jiang Yunqian had originally been sipping her tea, watching Jiang Zhi make a fool of herself. She never expected the fire to spread to her own mother. Unable to help herself, she said with sarcasm, “Then can Sister tell us how you got that wound on your neck? Someone broke into your chambers late at night to search them, and you were injured. Could it be that Sister was already… taken by the Jinyiwei last night?”
Before Jiang Yunqian could finish her sentence, Jiang Zhi rose and stepped forward. Before anyone could react, a sharp “smack” echoed as her palm connected with Jiang Yunqian’s face—clean and decisive.
“Yun’er!” Wang Yuru cried out in shock.
Jiang Yunqian stood frozen, clutching her cheek. “You… you dare to hit me in front of Father?”
Jiang Zhi ignored her and turned to Jiang Zhengting instead. “Father, please don’t be angry. I have already fulfilled my duty as the elder sister and disciplined my younger sister on your behalf.”
“Disciplined on my behalf?” Jiang Zhengting felt that this daughter of his seemed different from before.
“That’s right. The wound on my neck was accidentally scratched by a tree branch when I went up the mountain yesterday, yet my sister spoke recklessly and dared to fabricate stories about the Jinyiwei. If such words were overheard by their spies, wouldn’t it bring disaster upon the Jiang family?”
Jiang Zhi then looked at Jiang Yunqian and said, “Moreover, the one who personally led the search last night was Lu Yuan, the Commander of the Jinyiwei. Sister, do you think he abused his power and took advantage of me out of lust?”
Jiang Yunqian was rendered speechless by her questioning, not daring to respond.
Who were the Jinyiwei? How could she not know?
Better to face the King of Hell than the Jinyiwei.
As the Commander, Lu Yuan wielded immense power—a single word from him could easily decide the fate of a person, or even an entire family.
If he found out she had been speaking such words behind his back…
Jiang Yunqian’s heart immediately raced with panic.
Wang Yuru hastily defended her, “Your sister is young and speaks without thinking. It was merely a joke between sisters—nothing to take seriously.”
Jiang Zhengting snorted coldly. “Look at what your indulgence has turned Yun’er into! If she behaves this way at home, that’s one thing, but if she goes out and speaks so recklessly, won’t she bring calamity upon the Jiang family? Have her stay in her room for the next few days and reflect on her mistakes!”
“Yes, Master. I will certainly teach her well—she will never behave like this again.” Wang Yuru had tried to scheme but ended up losing instead. She twisted her handkerchief into a tight knot, wishing she could tear Jiang Zhi’s mouth apart.
After leaving the front courtyard, Jiang Zhi’s previously gentle gaze turned icy cold.
Though she had managed to buy some time by using the Crown Prince as an excuse, it was not a long-term solution.
Soon the Crown Prince would wake, and the assassin would be brought to justice. Then she would have no more excuses to fall back on. She needed to find a permanent solution.
She had already formed a plan in her mind and said to Qingxing, “Let’s go see how the one at Zhizhixuan is doing with his illness.”
“Is Miss going to deliver silver again?” Qingxing asked.
The one at Zhizhixuan was Shen Ci’an, the son of her father’s distant cousin—a poor scholar whose family had fallen from grace and who now lived under someone else’s roof.
Previously, when Miss had taken pity on him and sent silver over, he had returned it all untouched.
“No, this time I have business with him.” Jiang Zhi curled the corners of her lips.
In her previous life, she had little interaction with this distant cousin.
After he returned her gifts twice, Jiang Zhi had angrily called him a hypocrite and stopped paying him any attention.
Not long after, she heard he had fallen gravely ill and was sent to a manor in the outskirts by her father, who found his presence inauspicious.
It wasn’t until Jiang Zhi entered the Zhongqin Bojue Mansion that she learned from idle gossip that Shen Ci’an had placed first in the Imperial Examinations, entered the Hanlin Academy, and become a favored figure before the Emperor. Many families had already sent matchmakers to propose marriage alliances.
When he learned she was in trouble, Shen Ci’an had sent her money through a messenger—a repayment for the help she had given him at the Jiang residence.
Unfortunately, she was confined to the inner courtyard, and Shen Ci’an had no way to intervene or truly help her.
Now that she had been given a second life, she naturally intended to seize this opportunity.
The Zhongqin Bojue Mansion was a den of tigers and dragons, and the Wuyi Marquis Mansion where Xie Qi resided was no paradise either.
She did not wish to marry into a prestigious family, nor did she harbor any illusions about finding a good husband. She only wanted a way out—a place to call her own.
Shen Ci’an’s parents had both passed away, leaving him with a clean and simple background. He was diligent and ambitious, and though his temperament was somewhat aloof, he carried himself with pride. If she were to marry him in the future, he would never stoop to despicable acts.
Even without affection between them, as the legitimate daughter of the Minister’s household, Shen Ci’an would not dare to slight her.
He could be said to be the best candidate for a husband.