Jiang Qingyue’s face instantly flushed red all the way to her ears.
“I’ve tolerated you again and again, Jiang Qingran, yet you’re shameless enough to say such things!”
Jing Mofeng was the Emperor’s legitimate son. With his status, what kind of woman couldn’t he have? If she hadn’t used a few tricks, how could she have made him so devoted to her?
“It was you who was sneaking around with a man in the middle of the night. How did I become the shameless one?” Jiang Qingran sneered. “Qinghe, go gather a group of beggars right now and spread word throughout the imperial city about Fourth Miss’s seductive little tricks.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Jiang Wenxiang’s eyes widened like bronze bells as he pointed at Jiang Qingran and cursed, “You wretched creature! How dare you!”
But before his words fell, Qinghe had already leaped over the courtyard wall.
Jiang Qingran smiled faintly. Her eyes curved into crescents, and in the dim light she looked dreamlike, almost ethereal. She pulled a folding fan from her waist and toyed with it casually. In a soft voice, she said, “Why wouldn’t I dare? What can you possibly do to me?”
Jiang Wenxiang drew in several sharp breaths, his eyes glinting with malice. “Hmph! Aren’t you only acting so arrogantly because I still need you to marry into the Seventh Prince’s Manor in someone else’s place? Jiang Qingran, once you’re married off, I’ll skin you alive!”
Jiang Qingran said nothing. Instead, she burst into laughter. “Hahaha…”
Suddenly, the folding fan snapped open and spun through the air toward Jiang Wenxiang. Before anyone could even see what had happened, a thin red line appeared across his neck. The fan then flew neatly back into Jiang Qingran’s hand.
“Ah!” Jiang Wenxiang cried out in pain. He touched the spot on his neck and found his hand stained with blood.
Old Madam Jiang and Shen Ruoliu were both shocked out of their wits.
“Wenxiang!”
“Master! Are you all right?”
Ignoring them, Jiang Wenxiang stared at Jiang Qingran, fear and murderous intent flashing in his eyes. “You unfilial daughter! Are you trying to kill your own father?”
The estate servants had all said that for the past ten years she had done little more than eat and sleep. How had she developed such formidable martial skills?
Jiang Qingran smiled. Her voice remained gentle and unhurried. “Patricide would bring down heavenly punishment, so I wouldn’t dare do that. But crippling you and leaving you half-paralyzed would be effortless. So I advise you, Prime Minister, to face reality sooner rather than later and stop provoking me.”
“Jiang Qingran!” Jiang Qingyue shouted furiously. At some point, she had already drawn her sword. “You’ve tarnished your own sister’s reputation and behaved with such outrageous disrespect. Tonight, I’m going to teach you a proper lesson!”
Jiang Qingyue had always been regarded as the most outstanding young lady among the noble and influential families of the imperial capital. Yet today, Jiang Qingran had humiliated her again and again, that lowly bringer of misfortune. The anger she had been suppressing was already boiling over. She had assumed that Jiang Qingran was nothing more than a pretty face, an arrogant fool who didn’t know her place. She never expected her to have genuine skills, too. Jealousy was driving her nearly insane. She had to crush Jiang Qingran’s arrogance once and for all!
Jiang Qingran crooked a finger at her. “Come.”
“Ah!” With a ferocious expression, Jiang Qingyue thrust her gleaming sword straight at Jiang Qingran.
Jiang Qingran leaped lightly into the air and kicked her in the arm. With a loud clang, Jiang Qingyue and the sword in her hand crashed to the ground together.
“Yue’er!” Shen Ruoliu hurried over and helped her daughter up. Deep down, she was shocked. Her daughter had started studying martial arts at seven. How could she fail to withstand even a single move from that little wretch Jiang Qingran?
Jiang Qingran smoothed the hem of her robe. “All right, I’m sleepy. I’m going to bed. In the future, don’t bother me anymore. In my eyes, you’re nothing more than a bunch of monkeys. When I’m bored, I’ll play around with you a little for amusement.”
Jiang Qingyue clenched her fists so tightly that her long nails dug deeply into her palms. “Jiang Qingran, don’t get ahead of yourself! So what if you’re the legitimate daughter? So what if your martial arts are superior to mine? In three days, I will become the Third Prince’s Consort, the future Empress. As for you, you’ll be the wife of that useless Seventh Prince. I will have your entire family seized and exiled, and make sure you’re tortured to death on the journey!”
Jiang Qingran narrowed her eyes and laughed softly. “I’m looking forward to it, Third Prince Consort. Hahaha…”
The final laugh carried a deeper meaning, dripping with mockery and ridicule.
That night, among the Jiang family, Jiang Qingran was the only one who slept peacefully.
Early the next morning, the women of the Jiang household were all dressed to impress.
Jiang Qingyue in particular was resplendent. Her pale goose-yellow gauze dress was cinched at the waist and adorned with delicate feathers and strings of lustrous pearls. In her hair, a kingfisher-feather gold butterfly ornament seemed ready to spread its wings and take flight with every step.
After breakfast, they waited for a full hour before Gao Jian, the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Household, finally arrived at a leisurely pace. “The Imperial Edict has arrived. Jiang Qingyue, receive the decree!”