Zhiyu removed all the jewelry from her head.
“Aunt, is this alright?”
At this moment, Jiang Zhiyu had delicate features, wore a green dress, and only had a green hairband left on her head.
Although not wealthy, she was like a secluded orchid in a deep mountain valley, pleasing to the eye. Even
Fan Suwan, who was used to seeing beauties, couldn’t help but marvel.
No wonder she was a member of the Marquis’s family!
Her appearance and demeanor were indeed unmatched.
Fan Suwan nodded, “This is good, but it’s a bit too plain.”
As she spoke, she looked at Granny Bai, “Go and get the set of jade jewelry from my dressing case.”
Granny Bai didn’t dare to hesitate at all, agreed, and quickly went into the inner room with a pile of gold jewelry.
Not long after, Granny Bai came out of the inner room with a box.
Granny Bai opened the box, and a set of jade jewelry was revealed to everyone.
The set of jade jewelry was very simple in design.
Two hairpins, a pair of teardrop-shaped earrings, and two bracelets.
Although the design was very simple, the materials were of exceptional quality. The jade
was a clear, translucent green, without the slightest impurity.
Each piece seemed to hold a pool of spring water, its beauty soothing to the eye.
Wearing such a set of jade jewelry on a hot summer day was incredibly comforting.
Fan Suwan personally helped Jiang Zhiyu put on each piece, then stepped back to examine it closely.
Jiang Zhiyu was already breathtakingly beautiful.
These pieces of jewelry further accentuated her elegance.
She stood there quietly, saying nothing, her gentle smile captivating all who beheld her.
As Fan Suwan admired her, Jiang Zhiyu looked up at her, her smile radiant, revealing her pearly white teeth, and she even twirled around with her arms outstretched.
“Aunt, how is it? Does it look good?”
Fan Suwan, “…”
Beautiful, yes, but unfortunately, she had a mouth.
If she didn’t speak, she would truly be a rare beauty.
Fan Suwan sighed inwardly, but still nodded. “It looks good. It’s getting late, the Marquis is still waiting for us up ahead. Let’s go!”
“Oh.”
Jiang Zhiyu got up to follow, but saw Fan Suwan looking at Granny Bai.
“Granny Bai, you don’t need to come to the palace today. Think it over carefully, and I’ll tell you when I get back.”
Granny Bai felt a chill run down her spine, but dared not argue, and quickly lowered her head. “Yes! This old servant understands!”
From beginning to end, Fan Suwan didn’t look at Jiang Jingshu.
There was no reprimand, but there was also no usual concern.
This cold treatment silently expressed her dissatisfaction.
Jiang Jingshu lowered her head slightly, her hands clasped together, wishing she could tear the handkerchief in her hands to shreds.
Saying that she cared about and liked her the most was all a lie!
Making Jiang Zhiyu dress up like that, Jiang Zhiyu would at most be a little embarrassed, but Fan Suwan was so angry, and even treated Granny Bai coldly.
Sure enough, it’s different to treat one’s own children!
Front courtyard.
Jiang Zhong and his two sons had been waiting for a while.
Seeing that Fan Suwan was only now arriving with her entourage, he was slightly displeased. “Why are you so late?”
“Something came up,”
Fan Suwan replied, not elaborating.
Jiang Zhong glanced at Jiang Zhiyu.
It must be related to her again.
Stared at by Jiang Zhong, Jiang Zhiyu blinked. “Uncle, why are you looking at me like that? Just now—”
“Alright!” Fan Suwan interrupted Jiang Zhiyu. “Hurry up and get in the carriages! Don’t be late! Zhiyu, you and Jing Shu ride in the same carriage!”
“Okay!” Jiang Zhiyu replied, not mentioning what had just happened.
Jiang Zhong flicked his sleeves and boarded the first carriage first.
Fan Suwan followed closely behind.
As soon as she sat down, Jiang Zhong looked at her. “What exactly happened?”
Fan Suwan knew she couldn’t hide it from Jiang Zhong, and seeing him ask again, she didn’t conceal anything this time and told him directly.
“…Granny Bai has served me for decades and wouldn’t do this on her own initiative. It must have been Jing Shu’s doing. I know Jing Shu must have some concerns, which is why she’s making these small moves. I’ll have a good talk with her when I get back from the palace.”
Jiang Zhong said with a serious face. “I’ll talk to her properly and make sure she doesn’t hold a grudge. She’s the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Zhongyong’s mansion now, while Jiang Zhiyu is just a cousin. We’ll give her a generous dowry and send her on her way.
She doesn’t need to pay any attention to Jiang Zhiyu, and she doesn’t need to make these small moves. It’ll only tarnish her reputation, dirty her hands, and delay her entry into the palace for the imperial concubine selection.”
“Yes.” Fan Suwan quickly agreed. “I will talk to her properly. However, my lord, I think Zhiyu isn’t entirely useless…”
“What do you mean?”
“I think that Prince Chen seems to have some interest in her. If she could enter the Prince Chen’s mansion, wouldn’t that be a help to our mansion?”
“Prince Chen…”
Jiang Zhong hesitated slightly.
Although Prince Chen is the emperor’s own brother and the empress dowager’s youngest son, he currently holds great power and enjoys immense prestige.
Sometimes, however, he felt that the Emperor’s attitude towards Prince Chen was somewhat ambiguous.
But if he really considered it, each and every one of these actions showed that the Emperor valued Prince Chen.
Jiang Zhong couldn’t figure it out for the time being and could only put it aside for now.
“Going to the palace today is an opportunity to see if Prince Chen is truly interested in her. If so, helping her enter the Prince’s residence wouldn’t be bad.”
Regardless of the Emperor’s feelings for Prince Chen, the Empress Dowager valued him the most.
If Jiang Zhiyu could really catch Prince Chen’s eye, then their Zhongyong Marquis’s residence would be relying on the Empress Dowager!
The Emperor seemed gentle, but in reality, he was ruthless.
He had only been on the throne for three years, yet he had already quietly replaced his confidants with important positions.
Many of the officials whom the late Emperor had relied on had their homes confiscated, were demoted, or exiled.
He, the Zhongyong Marquis, who had been highly valued by the late Emperor, even though he repeatedly expressed his loyalty to the Emperor, was not sure if the Emperor truly trusted him.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have attached so much importance to this selection of consorts.
Only when the emperor has someone by his side who speaks for the Marquis of Zhongyong’s family can he feel at ease!
Jiang Jingshu and Jiang Zhiyu, one is his adopted daughter whom he raised for seventeen years, and the other is his biological daughter whom he just found.
One of them has entered the current emperor’s harem, and the other has ingratiated herself with the Empress Dowager through Prince Chen.
With the two sisters, how could his position be unstable?
Thinking this, Jiang Zhong raised his hand and gently grasped Fan Suwan’s hand.
“Madam is meticulous and thoughtful. With Madam’s help, I can truly sleep soundly!”
Fan Suwan smiled gently. “The Marquis and I are husband and wife, this is what I should do!”
The couple smiled at each other, their affection even stronger than before.
…
The Imperial Garden.
The Empress Dowager has not yet arrived, but there are already quite a few people here.
Looking around, the ladies and young ladies of various families are either standing or sitting, chatting and laughing with acquaintances.
As soon as Fan Suwan led Jiang Zhiyu and Jiang Jingshu over, acquaintances came over to greet them.
“Why are you so late? This is not like you!”
As she spoke, the elegant and noble woman had already grasped Fan Suwan’s hand very familiarly, but at the same time her eyes were looking at Jiang Jingshu and Jiang Zhiyu.
“It’s been a while, and Jing Shu has grown even more beautiful! And who’s this next to Jing Shu? I’ve never seen her before!”
“Princess, this is the daughter of a distant relative. She just came to the capital to seek refuge a couple of days ago, and I haven’t had a chance to tell you yet!”
Princess Shunhua stared at Jiang Zhiyu for a while, her smile growing brighter. “I see! No wonder she looks a bit like you! How old are you? What’s your name?”
Fan Suwan looked at Jiang Zhiyu. “The princess is asking you a question, so speak properly!”
Jiang Zhiyu stared straight at Princess Shunhua, showing no fear whatsoever. Her smile was radiant, and her voice was clear and bright. “My name is Jiang Zhiyu, and I’m seventeen years old. My birthday is the fifteenth of the first lunar month.”
“Seventeen? Your birthday is the fifteenth of the first lunar month? Isn’t that the same day, month, and year as Jing Shu? What a coincidence!”
Princess Shunhua’s tone was surprised, but her expression was intriguing.
Fan Suwan forced a smile, “Yes! It is indeed a coincidence!”
As she spoke, she secretly glared at Jiang Zhiyu.
Who asked her when her birthday was?
Why bring that up!
Was she doing this on purpose?
Jiang Zhiyu pretended not to see Fan Suwan’s gaze and continued to smile at Princess Shunhua, “It is indeed a coincidence!”
Seeing that Jiang Zhiyu showed no fear whatsoever, Princess Shunhua released Fan Suwan’s hand, walked to Jiang Zhiyu’s side, and took Jiang Zhiyu’s hand in hers.
“They say that a peerless beauty not only needs a beautiful face and figure, but also beautiful hands. They must be both delicate and slender, with skin like jade and fingers like scallions. I used to think that was just those gentle poets exaggerating, but now, seeing your hands, I know it’s actually true!”
Princess Shunhua praised, gently patting the back of Jiang Zhiyu’s hand.
Hearing these words of praise, Fan Suwan subconsciously looked at Jiang Zhiyu’s hand.
When they saw Jiang Zhiyu’s hands, they were surprised to find that what Princess Shunhua had said was true.
Jiang Zhiyu’s hands were indeed extremely beautiful.
No matter how you looked at them, they didn’t seem like the hands of someone used to farm work.
At this moment, Jiang Zhiyu opened her palms and sighed, “Your Highness’s praise makes me a little embarrassed. I’m not that good. I’ve done too much farm work, and these calluses on my palms are impossible to get rid of!”
Hearing this, everyone looked at Jiang Zhiyu’s palms at the same time and indeed saw the calluses.
Princess Shunhua gently rubbed the calluses with her fingertips, her face showing a hint of heartache, “Such beautiful hands, yet you have to do farm work. Is your family poor?”
“My biological parents passed away a long time ago. I live with my adoptive mother and brother. My family farms. I started working in the fields when I was three or four years old!”
Hearing Jiang Zhiyu say that her parents had passed away a long time ago, Fan Suwan’s lips twitched, and she almost lost her dignified and proper expression.
Is Jiang Zhiyu cursing her and the Marquis?