The old madam fell into deep thought, her wrinkled face resembling a plump, white steamed bun.
She murmured, “Forming a marriage alliance with the Meng family should be a good thing. With such a powerful backing, how could our estate be framed? As the saying goes, prosperity and decline are shared. The Duke Chengguo Estate shouldn’t stand by and watch their in-laws suffer without lifting a finger.”
Jiang Yixi sneered inwardly. No matter how clever or calculating one might be, if blinded by wealth and status, they become foolish. That great advantage—without considering whether their own family could handle it or whether the other party was truly willing to give it—if they took what they shouldn’t, it would lead to great misfortune.
That was exactly what happened in her previous life.
She had died, and half a year before her death, she heard that Lord Jiang had been stripped of his title and dismissed from office due to a mistake, and Third Master Jiang had also been demoted as a result…
Jiang Yixi reminded her, “Grandmother, forming a marriage alliance is about building goodwill. If it breeds resentment, it will backfire. Third Young Master Meng is Madam Wei’s only son and one of the most outstanding among the noble youths. He passed the county-level imperial exam at a young age and is waiting to pass the provincial-level exam next year. The Duke Chengguo Estate intends to use him to form a marriage alliance with a prominent family. Forced to marry an orphan girl like me from a less distinguished family, would he be willing?
“This isn’t their true intention. It must be the old lord remembering my father’s kindness and forcing them to agree. If we accept this marriage proposal, we will incur the hatred of the Duke of Chengguo and Madam Meng. Not only will they not help our family, but they will also try to ruin us. Moreover, if we decline the marriage, the rumors about a Jiang family girl clinging to Third Young Master Meng will be dispelled, and the negative impact on our family will be minimized.”
In her previous life, Third Young Master Meng was forced to marry Jiang Yixi. Unhappy about it, he neglected his studies. The following year, during the autumn imperial exam, he failed to pass the provincial-level exam, and Madam Meng and others blamed Jiang Yixi for it…
Old Madam Jiang thought it over and realized this made sense. The old Duke of Chengguo was advanced in years, no longer involved in affairs, and it was uncertain how long he would live. Old Madam Meng was a kind-hearted person who rarely managed household matters. The actual authority in the Duke Chengguo Estate lay with the Duke of Chengguo and his wife. If they insisted on marrying Xī girl into the family against their wishes, not only would they receive no benefits, but it was unclear how they might retaliate against her two sons.
Thinking of her second son, Old Madam Jiang’s eyes reddened slightly. She knew that among her three sons, the second had been the most promising. What a pity he died young. In truth, she had loved him dearly as a child, but as he grew older, he stopped listening to her. He insisted on marrying that shameless woman. Even after her death, he refused to remarry and wouldn’t even take a concubine…
The old madam suppressed her emotions and turned her gaze to Jiang Yixi. Her eyes roamed over the girl, from the top of her head to the hem of her skirt, before settling on her face.
Her features were exquisite, her skin as fair as snow, her eyes bright, and her demeanor as elegant as an orchid. Even standing quietly, she exuded a unique charm, as if she had stepped out of a painting. With such qualities, even among the noble young ladies of the capital, she would rank among the best.
The old madam had always known that Jiang Yixi was the most beautiful of her granddaughters, but today she realized the girl had blossomed into such a radiant beauty, and with such foresight.
The young girl had grown up, far exceeding her expectations…
Such a valuable pawn—it would be a shame to waste her.
A smile spread across the old madam’s face as she beckoned, “Good child, come sit by your grandmother.”
Jiang Yixi walked over and sat beside the old madam, who took her hand and placed it on her own knee.The old lady was stern; such affectionate gestures were only ever bestowed upon her eldest granddaughter Jiang Yihui and her young grandson Jiang Fei. The dry, trembling hand made Jiang Yixi extremely uncomfortable, and she struggled to suppress the urge to pull her hand away.
The old lady asked, “In your opinion, if the Duke and Duchess of Chengguo truly come to propose marriage tomorrow, how should we refuse? If they don’t come, how should we respond?”
Jiang Yixi deliberately pursed her lips in feigned distress and shook her head. “I am foolish and do not know the specifics of how to handle this. Grandmother, with your vast experience, and with Uncle and Third Uncle having served as officials for many years, you surely have more insight than I do. I only know that since my father paid a dream visit, it is better to believe it than not. For the sake of this family and for my own sake, I absolutely will not marry the Third Young Master of the Meng family.”
If the Duke and Duchess of Chengguo came to propose marriage tomorrow, the old lady would surely believe even more in Jiang Chen’s dream visit and would not dare agree to the marriage. How to refuse and how to mitigate the anger of the Duke and Duchess would then fall to the old lady and Lord Jiang.
As for the possibility that the Duke and Duchess did not come to propose, hadn’t the old lady already decided to send her off to the estate?
Jiang Yixi foresaw that regardless of whether the Duke and Duchess came to propose, as long as she did not marry into the Duke Chengguo Estate, the old lady would send her to the estate to avoid trouble—only the treatment would differ. There was another benefit: with this scandal, the old lady would not be in a hurry to arrange a marriage for her…
The old lady looked at Jiang Yixi, thinking she was a girl who cared for the family.
She patted her granddaughter’s hand. “Do not speak of your father’s dream visit to anyone. Alright, you may go back now.”
Jiang Yixi rose, curtsied slightly to the old lady, and turned to leave the room.
The rain was still falling, pattering softly, though lighter than before.
Shui Lu held an oil-paper umbrella as the two walked along the Covered Corridor toward Brilliant Garden. The corridors connected throughout the estate, so only a short stretch of the path would expose them to the rain.
Red lanterns hung at intervals along the corridor, casting a flickering crimson glow in the wind and illuminating the misty rain in those spots with particular clarity.
Jiang Yixi’s lips curved slightly as she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The difficulty she had pondered for three days and nights was now half resolved…
This was the advantage of foreknowledge.
The old lady closed her eyes and pondered for a long while before opening them and saying to Lu Liu, “Go, have someone carry Lord Jiang here. I have an urgent matter.”
Third Master Jiang was stationed at the Western Military Camp in the outskirts of the capital. It was dozens of li from home, and he only returned on his days off. In urgent matters, the old lady could only consult her eldest son.
If it truly turned out as the girl Xī had said, and the Duke and Duchess of Chengguo came to propose tomorrow, their family absolutely must not aspire to such a high match. While refusing, they would also need to find a way to lessen the Duke and Duchess’s fury—and preferably gain some benefit in the process…
Jiang Xun waited at a corner not far from the Hall of Auspiciousness. When he saw his sister approaching, he stepped forward and asked, “Sister, how did Grandmother punish you? Is she really sending you to the estate?”
Seeing her living, breathing brother standing before her, Jiang Yixi’s nose tingled with emotion.
She took a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped the rainwater from his hair, smiling. “After that incident, I also want to stay at the estate for a while. When you have a day off, come find me there.”
Seeing that his sister was willing to go to the estate, Jiang Xun stopped feeling resentful. And when he heard her invite him to visit, he grinned from ear to ear. His sister had changed; she had grown fond of him.
Jiang Yixi added, “Come to Brilliant Garden for lunch tomorrow. I’ll have someone prepare your favorite dish—pig intestines.”
In her previous life, Jiang Yixi had always despised Jiang Xun’s fondness for pig intestines, finding them filthy and disgusting—even the mere mention of their name made her nauseous.
But after being reborn, she finally understood: since her younger brother loved them, why shouldn’t she accommodate him? The same thing, approached with a different mindset, might lead to a different outcome.
Jiang Xun grinned from ear to ear, repeatedly expressing his delight.