Just as Jiang Zhong was about to answer, Fan Suwan tugged at his sleeve.
Fan Suwan shook her head slightly at Jiang Zhong, signaling him to remain silent.
She then smiled warmly at Jiang Zhiyu and spoke gently, “It’s nothing. Just follow your heart
when interacting with Prince Chen.
However, you must remember that Prince Chen is of noble status and cannot be offended casually.
Otherwise, if you anger him, we won’t be able to save you.”
Looking at Fan Suwan’s smiling face, Jiang Zhiyu felt a sense of unease.
Fan Suwan, having been a Marquis’s wife for so many years, was no fool.
Was Fan Suwan’s current admonition because she thought Jiang Zhiyu’s “naive and innocent” nature had won Prince Chen’s favor, and therefore wanted her to maintain it, hoping to gain his complete favor?
But her identity was merely that of a cousin of the Marquis of Zhongyong.
Even if Prince Chen took a liking to her, she couldn’t become his princess consort!
Could it be that for Fan Suwan, as long as she could enter Prince Chen’s harem, she didn’t care whether she was a concubine or a secondary consort.
Having figured this out, Jiang Zhiyu wasn’t angry at all; instead, she smiled inwardly.
This was… perfect!
They had no feelings for her, so she wouldn’t be so restrained in her actions!
All these thoughts flashed through her mind in the blink of an eye.
Jiang Zhiyu smiled brightly at Fan Suwan, “I’ve remembered what Aunt said.”
Hearing the word “aunt,” Fan Suwan’s smile stiffened slightly.
Fan Suwan deliberately ignored the word “aunt” and simply smiled, saying, “Since Prince Chen
said you should attend the flower-viewing banquet hosted by the Empress Dowager, then you must go. Starting tomorrow, I will arrange for Granny Bai to teach you the palace etiquette.
Study hard.”
Thinking of the Empress Dowager, Jiang Zhiyu’s smile became more genuine.
This time, she didn’t cause any trouble and readily agreed, “Okay.”
“It’s getting late, you should all go back and rest early! Jing Shu, you stay.”
Jiang Jing Shu had been feeling uneasy, and now that she heard Fan Suwan ask her to stay, her heart tightened even more, but she still immediately agreed, “Yes.”
After everyone else had left, Fan Suwan beckoned to Jiang Jing Shu.
“Jing Shu, don’t overthink it! You’ve been by my side since birth, and your father watched you
grow up! Your father and I know your personality and character perfectly well. We won’t hold a grudge against you because of a few words from others.”
Jiang Jing Shu’s eyelashes trembled slightly, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Mother!”
Fan Su Wan raised her hand and wiped Jiang Jing Shu’s tears with a handkerchief, her voice
becoming even gentler.
“Good child, don’t cry! The flower viewing banquet is in two days. If your eyes are red and swollen then, it won’t look good! With the selection of concubines approaching, this opportunity to enter the palace is a good thing. The Emperor will definitely be there at the flower viewing banquet. If the Emperor notices you beforehand—”
“Mother!”
Jiang Jing Shu called out again, but this time it was more of a coquettish tone, her cheeks flushed.
Seeing Jiang Jingshu blush, Fan Suwan stopped talking and gently patted Jiang Jingshu’s hand.
“Alright, alright, Mother won’t say anymore! Mother has had new clothes and jewelry made for you, and will have them sent to you tomorrow. You should go back and rest early!”
Jiang Jingshu took a step back and gave a curtsy.
“Father, Mother, then Jingshu will take her leave.”
As she left Ronghua Hall and walked into the night, the shyness and emotion in Jiang Jingshu’s eyes gradually disappeared, and her gaze became increasingly gloomy.
No matter how nicely she was described, she wasn’t their biological daughter.
The estrangement had already formed long ago.
…
The next morning.
Jiang Zhiyu had just finished breakfast when Granny Bai arrived.
“Miss!”
Granny Bai gave a proper bow, neither perfunctory nor obsequious.
“Madam has instructed this old servant to teach Miss Bai the palace etiquette. Time is short, and the rules are complex, so my requirements will be stricter. Please don’t be offended.”
Jiang Zhiyu smiled, her eyes crinkling.
“I won’t be offended! Just teach me, Granny!”
Hearing Jiang Zhiyu’s reply, Granny Bai felt a little relieved.
Yesterday, Jiang Zhiyu had been making surprising remarks, and she had worried that Jiang
Zhiyu wouldn’t cooperate.
Now, she could relax a bit.
However, Granny Bai soon discovered that Jiang Zhiyu was incredibly intelligent and quick to learn.
She not only learned those complicated etiquette rules immediately, but her movements were also standard and graceful, as if she had practiced them a thousand times.
Granny Bai had originally thought it would take two days to teach her, but unexpectedly, she had
already taught everything in just one morning.
“Miss Bai is so intelligent, this old servant has nothing more to teach. Why don’t you come with me to see Madam? She will surely be pleased.”
Jiang Zhiyu didn’t refuse and agreed with a smile,
“Alright!”
The two went to the main courtyard together.
Coincidentally, Jiang Jingshu and Jiang Zhenzhou were also there.
Seeing Granny Bai and Jiang Zhiyu enter together, Jiang Zhenzhou scoffed,
“Weren’t you supposed to be learning etiquette? Why are you in the main courtyard? Is she some kind of blockhead that Granny Bai can’t teach?”
Jiang Jingshu covered her mouth and chuckled,
“Zhenzhou, don’t say that about your cousin! She used to live in the mountains and never learned etiquette, so it’s normal that she doesn’t learn it well right away. Cousin, I’m free this afternoon.
If you have any questions, you can ask me.”
Jiang Jingshu was so engrossed in teasing Jiang Zhiyu with Jiang Zhenzhou that she didn’t notice
Granny Bai’s hesitant expression.
“Questions I don’t understand?”
Jiang Zhiyu shook her head,
“I don’t have any questions! I’ve already finished learning!”
“Finished learning?” Jiang Zhenzhou laughed heartily. “So many rules! My elder sister spent a long time learning them before she could achieve such graceful posture. You finished learning them in just one morning?
What could you possibly have learned? Granny Bai, is she just spouting nonsense?”
Granny Bai didn’t want to answer this question.
She knew that answering would offend Jiang Jingshu.
But Jiang Zhenzhou had asked, so she had no choice but to answer.
“Reporting to the Second Young Master, Miss Bai has indeed finished learning. This old servant has nothing more to teach her, which is why I brought her here to report to Madam.”
Fan Suwan, who hadn’t spoken until now, finally opened her half-closed eyes, her face showing surprise. “Granny, are you telling the truth?”
Granny Bai bowed respectfully. “Madam, Miss Bai is extremely intelligent and grasps things instantly. She has indeed finished learning! Madam can test her.”
Fan Suwan didn’t believe Jiang Zhiyu, but she wouldn’t doubt Granny Bai.
Granny Bai was her dowry maid, completely on her side, and wouldn’t lie to her.
So, there was only one possibility.
Jiang Zhiyu was far more intelligent and clever than she had imagined.
That was even better!
She would be more useful to the Marquis’s household!
“Oh? She’s finished learning already? Perfect, let’s have lunch together!”
In the palace, not only were there rules for bowing, walking, and speaking, but also for dining.
Having lunch together would naturally reveal how well Jiang Zhiyu had learned.