Old Mrs. Jiang was also startled by Jiang Zhen’s loud roar.
The murderous aura from his battlefield experience made her heart skip two beats.
But…
Soon, Old Mrs. Jiang regained her composure.
Why should I be afraid?
I’m his mother!
“What are you yelling for?!”
“Do you think I would wrong her for no reason?”
“That Yao girl has always bullied Ning Ning on ordinary days. As her grandmother, can’t I discipline her a little?!”
Jiang Zhen was so angry he almost laughed.
“Yao Yao bullying others? Look at how thin and weak our Yao Yao is. Who could she possibly bully?”
His own daughter was so frail she didn’t have three ounces of meat on her entire body.
While that Jiang Yuening across from her was stout and broad-shouldered.
How could Yao Yao possibly injure the other girl without getting a single scratch herself?
Jiang Zhen reached this conclusion based on his battlefield experience – in combat, physical strength and power were the foundation of victory.
But…
He didn’t know that fights between young girls relied more on timing and… who was more ruthless.
Obviously, those who didn’t know couldn’t inform Jiang Zhen, and Jiang Yueyao, who did know, had no intention of reminding him either.
Instead, she looked at her cheap father with starry eyes as he stood up for her.
[Go for it, Dad!]
[Go for it, ganbade, fighting~~]
“Back then, Mother insisted that Yao Yao was too frail to follow us to the battlefield and demanded she stay in the capital, saying you would take good care of her for us.”
“But over these years, all the children who went to the border regions have grown strong and healthy, while our Yao Yao… not to mention compared to Yuehua, she’s even thinner than Eldest Brother’s Yuening by a whole size.”
“Mother, is this how you’ve been taking care of our Yao Yao?!”
All the silver and various tonics he had sent back over the years – who had they actually been feeding?!!
Old Mrs. Jiang flushed red at Jiang Zhen’s blunt words.
She had kept Jiang Yueyao by her side not to raise her well, but to use the girl to control her second son.
As First Aunt Jiang had said, the second son’s family was all outside, and with all those military achievements, they must have received many rewards.
If they didn’t keep a child in hand, what connection would they have with those rewards?!
Indeed, just as First Aunt Jiang had predicted.
With Jiang Yueyao as their leverage, they had obtained plenty from the second son’s family over the years.
So now, faced with Jiang Zhen’s questioning, Old Mrs. Jiang genuinely felt somewhat guilty.
But…
“What are you yelling for?!”
“Haven’t I been taking care of Yao Yao? This girl has been frail since childhood. Do you know how much effort I’ve put into raising her properly?”
“Do you think the tonics you sent back over the years were enough? Do you know how much silver we’ve spent just on doctors for this girl?!”
“Fine! I helped raise your child, and now I have to suffer your accusations of mistreating her? I… I don’t want to live anymore!!!”
Old Mrs. Jiang burst into loud wails, as if Jiang Zhen had committed some heinous crime.
Coming from a merchant family background, Old Mrs. Jiang was quite skilled at making scenes and throwing tantrums.
Eldest Uncle Jiang and First Aunt Jiang immediately went to comfort the old lady, saying things like “We know how hard it’s been for you, Mother,” “Second Brother didn’t mean it,” and “Mother, you’ve had such a hard life,” which only made Old Mrs. Jiang cry even louder.
Jiang Zhen, standing to the side: …
Though he had been completely reasonable moments before, Jiang Zhen now appeared flustered and at a loss in the face of his mother’s tears.
He hadn’t said anything wrong, had he?Why does it seem like he’s committed some heinous crime now?
Jiang Yueyao sighed.
[Oh my dear father, don’t you understand? You can’t reason with women]
[Especially with your own mother—there’s no logic to be found there]
[If you try reasoning with her, she’ll appeal to family bonds. If you appeal to family bonds, she’ll resort to shameless tactics]
[First comes crying, then making a scene, then threatening suicide—enough to make any straightforward man want to end it all]
[It seems my dear father means well, but isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed]
[When it comes to harem schemes, we’ll probably have to rely on mother]
[I wonder what level mother’s skills are at?]
Jiang Yueyao completely gave up on her father and turned hopeful eyes toward her mother Zhou Qiongying.
However, Jiang Yuehua nearby was already shaking her head, wanting to persuade her younger sister not to get her hopes up.
Their mother could wield weapons on the battlefield, draft military reports with literary skill, and even cook meals for her children—but harem schemes?
Forget it, don’t even think about it.
Sure enough…
Zhou Qiongying was filled with righteous indignation and tried to speak several times, but was blocked each time by First Aunt Jiang.
Great.
She couldn’t even get a seat at the table.
Jiang Yueyao worriedly rubbed her forehead.
Then she suddenly stood up.
The round stool beneath her was knocked over with a loud crash, plunging the room into momentary silence.
“If it’s just kneeling in the ancestral hall? I’ll go then!”
“If it’s just giving all my clothes, jewelry, and nice things to Fifth Sister? I’ll give them then!”
“Anyway… I’m already used to it.”
The thin girl spoke with detached indifference, scanning everyone in the room before finally settling her gaze on Jiang Yuening.
“Fifth Sister, isn’t it just that you’ve taken a fancy to this cloak I’m wearing?”
“How many times have you used this trick—deliberately injuring yourself then falsely accusing me before grandmother when I won’t give you what you want? Aren’t you tired of using it? I’m certainly tired of seeing it.”
“Next time you want something, could you just take it directly instead of falsely accusing me again?”
Jiang Yuening’s eyes widened sharply.
“You… you’re talking nonsense!”
“You’re the one who hit my face!”
In her life, Jiang Yuening had only ever falsely accused others—she’d never been falsely accused like this to her face!!!
Jiang Yueyao sighed.
“Yes, yes, whatever you say, I’m the one who hit you.”
“Not only did I hit you, I also kicked you into the lotus pond. All the bad things were done by me, alright? I apologize to you.”
As she spoke, she reached out to perform a ceremonial bow.
Jiang Yuening: “You’d better remember that, it was originally…”
“CRACK!!”
A teacup was smashed heavily on the floor, shattered porcelain flying everywhere. One piece narrowly grazed First Aunt Jiang’s face, making her scream in fright.
But when she glimpsed Jiang Zhen’s face, which was so dark it seemed about to drip water, she forcibly swallowed the curses that were about to escape her lips.
Jiang Zhen stood up and walked to Jiang Yueyao’s side, gently taking her hand.
The young girl’s skin was fair, her wrist extremely slender.
And on that slender wrist was a very noticeable red mark.
“Good Yao Yao, what happened here?”
[Oh father, you finally noticed]
[My efforts to stretch out my hand weren’t in vain]
Jiang Yueyao cheered inwardly, but on her face suddenly appeared a trace of grievance.
“Fifth Sister grabbed me, Father. It really hurts.”