Jiang Lingzhi thought about visiting the shop Jiang Xun had given her, wanting to calculate how much silver she had on hand.
After instructing Di Qing and Di Hong to take good care of Xiao Jingyi at the manor, she went out with her maids.
On Yong’an Street, the busiest street in the capital, the flow of people was endless, and every shop was bustling with thriving business.
Instead of going directly into Láncuì Xuān, Jiang Lingzhi chose the equally lively teahouse across the street, planning to observe the shop’s business first.
“A pot of Biluochun and a plate of Yunpian Cake.”
“Right away!”
Just as Jiang Xun had said, the renovated shop was indeed doing booming business. In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, many people came and went, all wearing smiles as they left—clearly very satisfied with their purchases.
Jiang Lingzhi silently marveled at Jiang Xun’s generosity.
She and her servants were chatting idly when, before long, the conversation in the adjacent private room grew increasingly heated.
“…Hey, I heard that Xiao Yan, the eldest grandson of Duke Xiao’s Manor, violated the second young lady of Jiang Minister Residence on their wedding day… Tsk tsk, and now he’s denying it and refusing to marry her…”
“Is that true?”
“Of course it’s true! Otherwise, why would the eldest Jiang young lady have switched places in the marriage?”
Jiang Lingzhi: “…”
Xueying widened her eyes in shock. “Madam, didn’t the Old Madam already suppress this matter? How could there still be rumors circulating?”
Jiang Lingzhi sneered. Why? It was undoubtedly because Chu Shi and Jiang Lingyuan were being cornered.
Lu Shi had been forced to return the dowry and was certainly displeased. In retaliation, she was pressuring the Jiang family to send the dowry back.
Otherwise, why would the entire Jiang family have confronted her so uniformly on her return visit, urging her to agree to a Héli?
Wasn’t it precisely so that when she divorced, the dowry could be moved back to the Jiang family and then passed through Jiang Lingyuan’s hands to Lu Shi?!
Both Lady Jiang and Chu Shi prided themselves as matriarchs of prestigious households, well-versed in all the underhanded tactics of the inner residence. They believed they could easily devour an innocent country girl, leaving not even a trace of bone behind.
Yet they never expected Jiang Lingzhi’s bones to be so tough they’d chip their teeth.
Their schemes had fallen through, driving them to desperate measures.
Jiang Lingzhi was even somewhat curious—why was Lu Shi so greedy? To reclaim the dowry, she seemed to disregard even Jiang Lingyuan’s pregnancy.
As the chatter next door grew more absurd, she lost interest in listening. “Let’s go take a look at the shop.”
“Yes.”
Da Yong had liberal customs where women could engage in trade. The manager of Láncuì Xuān was a clever and spirited married woman known as Liu Sanniang.
Seeing Jiang Lingzhi enter, she warmly greeted her, “Madam, please come in! What kind of jewelry are you looking for? Let me show you some suitable pieces.”
Noting Liu Sanniang’s friendly and kind demeanor, Jiang Lingzhi handed over the jade pendant to reveal her identity. “I’m not sure if Second Young Master Jiang mentioned it to you—he’s given this shop to me.”
Liu Sanniang glanced at her, carefully examined the pendant, and smiled. “Yes, yes! Yesterday, the second young master specifically sent word that the shop had been transferred to the Fourth Madam of the Duke’s Manor.”
Jiang Lingzhi smiled. “That simplifies things.”
Liu Sanniang escorted her inside. “Proprietor, this shop has been here for many years and has always done well. Let me show you around, and I’ll have the account books brought for your review shortly.”
Jiang Lingzhi thought to herself, Jiang Xun wasn’t wrong—this Liu Sanniang really handled matters with great competence.
With this jewelry shop in her hands, what did she have to worry about? All she needed to do was sit back and count the money!
She replied amiably, “I won’t check the account books today. From now on, just visit the Guogong Fu once a month to report the accounts to me.”
Liu Sanniang readily agreed, “Alright, rest assured, Boss.”
Jiang Lingzhi nodded, took a stroll around the shop, and then stepped out.
By then, the sky was gradually darkening. As she turned her head absentmindedly, she spotted the sugar-coated haws vendor—the same one she had seen on her return visit that day.
Without thinking, she called out, “Sugar-coated haws seller, come over here!”
“Coming!” The vendor cheerfully lowered the skewers from his shoulder. “Madam, take a look. Which one would you like? I’ll get it for you!”
The vendor’s sugar-coated haws were exquisitely made, with the hawthorns alone crafted into various styles.
Some were pitted, some weren’t, and some even had walnut kernels stuffed inside. Jiang Lingzhi had never tried any of them and didn’t know how to choose.
After hesitating for a while, she simply asked for one of each type and let her maid pick the ones she wanted to try as well.
The street was crowded, and Jiang Lingzhi felt too embarrassed to eat the sugar-coated haws right there, so she decided to return to the carriage to taste them.
But just as she reached the carriage, a hand shot out from the side, grabbing her arm and knocking the several skewers of sugar-coated haws from her hand.
Jiang Lingzhi stared in shock as the round, crimson sugar-coated haws traced an arc through the air before crashing heavily to the ground.
They were smeared with mud, trampled underfoot by passersby, and even drew complaints for sticking to someone’s shoe.
Her eyes reddened as she turned to glare at the culprit. “Second Young Master Jiang, if you’re sick, go get yourself treated!”
Jiang Xun sneered, “How dare you act tough with me? The rumors about Ling Yuan and Xiao Yan are everywhere, and it’s all your doing!”
Jiang Lingzhi found him utterly ridiculous. Glaring back, she retorted, “What does this have to do with me? Did you even investigate before accusing me?”
“You’re still denying it?” Jiang Xun felt as though he was hearing the biggest joke of all. “If it wasn’t you, then who? Who else would go to such lengths to harm Ling Yuan?”
Jiang Lingzhi mocked, “If you don’t know who it is, why not report it to the authorities? How dare you pin the blame on me so casually? What, are you planning to drag me back to the Jiang family and enforce the Jia Fa?”
Jiang Xun grew increasingly agitated. “Do you think I wouldn’t dare?”
In fact, that was exactly what he had initially intended.
He had first gone to the Guogong Fu but failed to find her, which was why he had come to Láncuì Xuān.
On the way, he had resolved that no matter how much Jiang Lingzhi cried, made a scene, or even threatened to hang herself, he would punish her severely with the Jia Fa.
But now, he felt as though he might be under some spell. Staring at Jiang Lingzhi’s face, he found he couldn’t bring himself to be harsh.
She looked too much like the mother he remembered.
Jiang Xun’s voice was muffled. “Was it really not you?”
Jiang Lingzhi held back her tears, refusing to let them fall. “If you don’t believe me, why even ask?”
Jiang Xun gave her a deep look. “Fine, I’ll investigate this matter. If I find out it was you, you’ll pay for it.”
Jiang Lingzhi replied coldly, “If there’s nothing else, I’d appreciate it if Second Young Master Jiang would let me go.”
Jiang Xun silently released her arm.
Jiang Lingzhi stared at her empty hands and instinctively turned to look for the sugar-coated haws vendor, but he had long vanished.
Her tears could no longer be held back, falling in large, heavy drops.
Random recommendations: Witch King’s Son-in-Law, Peerless Emperor, The Strongest Tribe Across Worlds, Shen Nancheng and Gu Xingchen, The逆天驭兽狂妃 (Heaven-Defying Beast-Taming Enchantress), Open Flirtation and Secret Seduction, Walking the Underworld Chronicles, Xiao Fan and Su Qian, Azure Fantasy Township