After waking from a nap, Jiang Qingran distinctly felt the weather had turned gloomy and cold.
Just after washing her face, Qinghe came to report: “Miss, Prime Minister Jiang has arrived. He says he has important matters to discuss with you.”
“Hmph, he’s undoubtedly here to blame and interrogate me. Since I’m bored anyway, let him wait in the main hall.”
Jiang Qingran changed her clothes again, dawdled for quite a while, and only then went over.
Seeing her arrive so belatedly, Jiang Wenxiang grew even more furious inside.
“Jiang Qingran, do you think just because you know a little amateur martial arts, you have heaven-defying abilities?”
After hearing about her actions in the palace, he felt like burying her alive.
Jiang Qingran walked over and sat down in the main seat. “Prime Minister Jiang, seeing the Wang Fei without paying respects, and shouting and yelling—are you truly preparing to rebel? Then why bother letting your precious daughter settle for being a side consort? Wouldn’t it be better for her to be a princess directly?”
“You…” Jiang Wenxiang could only lower his head resentfully, saying with extreme reluctance: “Your subject pays respects to the Seventh Princess Consort.”
Jiang Qingran leaned back lazily, taking out a folding fan to play with in her hand.
“Prime Minister Jiang, what brings you here at this time?”
“Aren’t you asking what you already know? Jiang Qingran, do you think I don’t know what you did in the palace today?”
“Heh…” Jiang Qingran raised her head and laughed. “I thought you came for your third son, but it turns out it’s for Luo Shumin. I was originally brooding over your cold-blooded cruelty toward me, but now I suddenly feel a bit more balanced. It seems you don’t love any of your children—what you love is only your power and status.”
He doted on Jiang Qingyue, didn’t he, simply because he believed her destiny was to be the mother of the nation?
If in the future the one to ascend the throne is not the Third Prince but another prince, then Jiang Wenxiang would become the biggest joke of all.
Jiang Wenxiang glared. “Stop changing the subject. You dared to threaten to beat and kill in front of the Empress, and you hold a Pardon Token in your hand. Jiang Qingran, all these years, have you secretly joined some organization behind my back?”
If she didn’t have even a bit of backing, he didn’t believe this Zaixing would dare to be so arrogant as to disregard the royal family.
Jiang Qingran glanced at him lightly, her smile full of mockery. “What does it have to do with you? No… I must thank you. If you hadn’t driven me out of the mansion back then to fend for myself, I couldn’t have achieved what I have today. If I had grown up in Chengxiangfu all along, there would have been nothing but endless humiliation and pain, nothing else.”
Jiang Wenxiang angrily slammed the table. “Ungrateful daughter! I’m talking to you about offending the Empress—why do you keep diverting the topic?”
Jiang Qingran coldly raised her voice. “Didn’t I say it already? What does it have to do with you? Even if this country were destroyed, you’d just be a fleeing refugee. Do you think you still have any say?”
Old fool, with no self-awareness at all.
Jiang Wenxiang took several deep breaths. “Fine, it has nothing to do with me. Then let’s sign a document severing our relationship right now, so you won’t implicate my Prime Minister’s Mansion in the future!”
Before, he never understood how a mere young girl could be a Zaixing.
Now he knew—this little wretch is arrogant and domineering, committing crimes worthy of family extermination. Sooner or later, she’ll cause a catastrophe.
To preserve Chengxiangfu, he must immediately draw a clear line with her.
“Excellent, that suits me perfectly. However, this document is not about severing ties with you alone, but with the entire Chengxiangfu!”
Jiang Wenxiang sneered, “Even better!”
Qinghe brought over brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. Once the document was written, both parties signed and stamped it.
Fearing any unexpected changes, Jiang Wenxiang rushed to the government office despite the evening hour to have the official seal affixed.
With the severance document in hand, Jiang Qingran was in high spirits.
Gazing at the gloomy sky where sporadic snowflakes began to fall, she said, “Qinghe, tonight Ben Fei wishes to have charcoal-grilled fish and copper pot lamb hotpot.”
“Understood, Miss. This servant will go prepare them right away.”