Jiang Wantang scoffed: “Is that so? Such a ‘good thing’ is not something I desire!”
“The marriage contract can be annulled, but the imperial decree cannot be disobeyed…”
“You can keep this ‘good thing’ for your precious Fu’er.”
Her words were filled with coldness and disdain.
Seeing Jiang Wantang slipping out of control, Madam Qin grew anxious: “Wantang, you cannot continue making mistakes!”
“You are now at the age for marriage, and we are doing this for your benefit.”
“The current Emperor is peerless in appearance, young and accomplished. Entering the palace for the Imperial Selection is your best choice.”
Jiang Wantang stared at her intently, then suddenly laughed.
Madam Qin felt a chill down her spine. After ten years apart, she was no longer the obedient and gentle little girl of the past.
Jiang Zhixu’s eyes were fierce, veins bulging on his forehead: “This matter is already decided, and you have no choice.”
“Either obediently enter the palace for the Imperial Selection, or die. Choose for yourself!”
The smile on Jiang Wantang’s face remained, but her eyes were icy cold: “Even a vicious tiger does not devour its own offspring. Prime Minister Jiang is worse than an animal.”
“Uh…”
As she finished speaking, a sudden gust of wind swept past. Jiang Zhixu pushed Xiuzhu aside with one hand and forcefully grabbed Jiang Wantang’s neck, his eyes filled with malice and obvious rage: “You are seeking death!”
“Miss!”
Xiuzhu exclaimed and rushed forward, but Jiang Wantang signaled her with her eyes to stay calm.
What she hadn’t expected was that Jiang Zhixu, a civil official, possessed martial skills, and his abilities were not low.
Hidden depths?
Interesting…
But this old beast doesn’t follow martial ethics, resorting to sneak attacks.
Jiang Wantang curled her lips, smiling sarcastically: “Uh… cough, go ahead and strike. If everyone in Shengjing knows I was killed just after returning to the capital, would you dare gamble whether you can still remain unscathed and preserve Prime Minister Jiang’s reputation…”
“Uh uh uh…”
Jiang Zhixu’s hand tightened inch by inch, his eyes filled with intense killing intent and fury: “You dare threaten me?”
Jiang Wantang deepened her smile, speaking clearly: “I not only dare to threaten…”
“If you have the guts, strike… ah!”
Her seductive peach blossom eyes curved deeply, her smile radiant, the beauty mark at the corner of her right eye vivid and almost bewitching, captivating hearts.
Jiang Zhixu looked as if he had seen a ghost, immediately releasing his grip and pushing her away.
Jiang Wantang gasped for breath heavily, a faint yet extremely mocking curve forming at her lips.
Despite Jiang Zhixu’s efforts to suppress it, she still sensed his trembling hand hidden within his sleeve.
Jiang Wantang playfully curled her lips, a shallow smile lingering at her mouth: “Jiang Zhixu, you must endure!”
“After all, if I die, the only one entering the palace will be your precious daughter.”
Jiang Zhixu closed his eyes, remaining silent.
Madam Qin could not bear to see her revered husband suffer such humiliation. She rushed forward, raising her hand to strike Jiang Wantang.
“Rebellious daughter, how could I have borne such a heartless and ungrateful creature!”
“Madam Jiang,” Jiang Wantang grabbed her wrist, sneering as she spoke, “then consider that you never bore me.”
After saying this, she pushed her away.
Madam Qin was furious, her eyes filled with rage: “You wish!”
“Since we gave birth to and raised you, as a member of the Jiang family, you should contribute to the family’s rise and fall when necessary.”
Birth and upbringing?
Jiang Wantang smiled scornfully, her eyes icy and frosty: “If you want me to enter the palace, it is not impossible. I have two conditions.”
“First, I have just returned to the estate and already face such treatment from all of you. It is truly disheartening. Either all of you kneel and kowtow to apologize, or compensate me with one hundred thousand taels in silver notes.”
“I’ll give you the one hundred thousand taels.” Jiang Zhixu made the choice almost without hesitation.
The smile at the corner of Jiang Wantang’s lips grew wider, its sarcasm more pronounced.
“Second, since I am taking Jiang Wanfu’s place to enter the palace, then let her also spend ten years at that mountain wilderness estate before returning…”
“Impossible!”
Before she could finish, Jiang Zhixu sharply refused, leaving no room for negotiation in his tone.
Jiang Wantang didn’t mind, as if she had long anticipated this outcome.
“You truly dote on her!”
“Then how about this: looking at Jiang Wanfu’s attire and expenses, all of which are extravagant, for ten years, Prime Minister Jiang shall convert her ten years’ worth of spending into one hundred thousand taels in silver notes and give it to me.”
“Altogether, that makes two hundred thousand.”
Jiang Zhixu’s face darkened, and he fell silent.
Madam Qin was both shocked and furious: “Jiang Wantang, have you ever seen silver before? How dare you make such an outrageous demand!”
Hearing this, Jiang Zhixu also intended to rebuke her, but then he heard Jiang Wantang say coldly: “One more word, and I’ll add another hundred thousand taels.”
The words on his lips were forcibly swallowed back.
Jiang Wantang looked at their gloomy faces and smiled brightly: “What, can’t bear to part with it?”
“Then let your Fu’er or He’er enter the palace instead.”
With that, she turned to leave with Xiuzhu.
“I agree,” Jiang Zhixu said through gritted teeth.
Then, he shifted his tone: “But—”
Before he could speak further, Jiang Wantang cut him off directly: “Don’t give me nonsense about not having the silver on hand temporarily.”
“Even if you have to borrow it, you must get it for me today.”
“Though I come from the countryside, I am not as easily deceived as you think.”
Indeed, that was exactly what Jiang Zhixu had initially planned.
He had originally intended to abandon Jiang Wantang in the rural wilderness, letting the manor tenants torment her at will, so that she would inevitably become a weak, incompetent, and obedient pawn in the future.
Thus, upon her arrival, he had wanted to start by intimidating her, establishing rules while testing her obedience.
But who could have imagined she would develop such a rebellious spirit, like an untamed wild horse that had broken free from its reins.
Yet he couldn’t simply have her killed outright.
“You’re trying to drive us to our deaths!” Madam Qin exclaimed, pounding her chest and stamping her feet with exaggerated expressions.
Jiang Wantang sneered: “This is driving you to your deaths?”
“Unwilling to part with your precious daughter, unwilling to spend the money—wanting all the benefits for yourselves while wishing all the troubles onto others…”
“There is no such logic in this world!”
“Father, Mother, give it to her.” Jiang Wanfu, who had been standing aside for a long time, finally spoke.
Isn’t it just about silver?
Their Xiangfu has plenty of silver.
She’s just afraid she might have the life to take it but not the life to spend it…
She walked slowly to Jiang Wantang, looking at her with an arrogant expression.
“Jiang Wantang, with your current behavior, going so far as to tear all pretense with our Xiangfu, do you truly believe that entering the palace will allow you to soar to the branches and become a phoenix?”
“That you no longer need us?”
“Hmph, in this Jingcheng, without our Chancellor’s Estate, who do you think you are?”
“As your elder sister, I advise you: don’t celebrate too early; the higher you climb, the harder you fall.”
“Some people, I’m afraid, have ambitions as high as the sky but a fate as thin as paper!” Jiang Wanfu’s eyes were filled with disdain as she mocked without restraint.
“Oh~” Jiang Wantang drew out the syllable, smiling as she said, “Then as your younger sister, I’ll return these words to you as well.”
“Whether your fate is fragile remains unknown, but unfortunately, my fate has been robust since childhood. If it were even slightly fragile, I probably wouldn’t be standing here today.”
Jiang Wantang’s smile grew even brighter, grating on the nerves.
She said, “The disliked live a thousand years!”
“You…” Jiang Wanfu was furious.