Chunlan was stunned for a moment, then a look of sudden realization flashed in her eyes.
So, Miss intends to catch Nanny Chu red-handed!
Chunlan was quick-witted and immediately understood that the Miss did not intend to cover for Nanny Chu.
Jiang Yao lightly patted Chunlan’s head, her tone carrying a hint of playfulness. “The little girl is quite smart.”
Chunlan slightly pouted, a little unconvinced. “I’m two years older than Miss!”
Nanny Chu, relying on her age, had been acting high and mighty in the courtyard for quite some time. Unfortunately, the original owner had trusted her and never once doubted her.
She didn’t even notice that the private vault’s jewelry was almost emptied.
But now, Jiang Yao was here.
What belonged to her, no one could take away unless she wished to give it up.
In the courtyard, sunlight scattered onto the sparkling pool surface, appearing dappled and shifting.
Jiang Yao wore a long dress, the hem swaying gently with the breeze.
She held an exquisite fish food spoon in her hand and stood by the pond, quietly watching the water.
The pond water was crystal clear. A few colorful koi fish swam freely in the water, occasionally leaping out to snatch the fish food, splashing rings of ripples.
The sunlight shone on the side of her face, outlining her delicate features. Her eyes reflected the glittering ripples, making them look even clearer and brighter.
“Miss, the fish can’t be fed anymore…” Chunlan couldn’t help but advise.
The Miss had been coming to the pond to feed the fish three times a day for the past few days, for reasons unknown. The fish were about to turn into spheres.
“…Just wait a little longer,” Jiang Yao put the fish food spoon back, looking at the somewhat bloated koi in the pond, and sighed.
“Wait for what?” Chunlan asked, confused, her gaze moving between Jiang Yao and the pond, trying to understand her Miss’s intention.
The book only said these next few days, but it didn’t specify which day exactly…
Suddenly, Jiang Yao spotted a figure walking through the covered corridor in the distance, seemingly holding something in her hand.
She looked closely and recognized Dongling, Jiang Ying’s maid.
Here it comes, finally!
Jiang Yao’s heart stirred. She quickly walked up and called out, “Dongling, is Elder Sister back?”
Jiang Ying had accompanied Shen Shi (沈氏) to offer prayers at Jing’an Temple two days ago. It was about time for her to return.
Hearing the voice, Dongling quickly stopped, turned, and bowed. “Reporting to Third Miss, our Miss returned this afternoon. However, she was fatigued from the journey and is only just waking up.”
Jiang Yao nodded, her gaze falling on the post in Dongling’s hand.
The post bore the princely manor’s crest. It was clearly a visiting card from the Prince of Jin’s manor.
“I was just about to look for Elder Sister. I’ll go with you,” Jiang Yao said brightly.
“Yes,” Dongling replied.
The Third Miss often clung to their Mistress after recovering from her illness. Dongling had initially found it strange, but now she was accustomed to it.
The two walked toward the courtyard. Before they even stepped through the entrance, they heard the sound of a qin (a zither-like instrument) emanating from inside.
The qin music was sometimes high-pitched and passionate, like a waterfall cascading down a mountain, and sometimes low and graceful, like a gurgling stream in the forest.
In the pavilion, Jiang Ying wore a pale purple long dress, embroidered with exquisite patterns that subtly glittered in the sunlight as she moved.
The hem of her skirt gently touched the ground, swaying lightly with the breeze, making her look elegant and ethereal.
She truly is the Female Lead, Jiang Yao gave a mental thumbs-up.
“Elder Sister is truly worthy of being the Capital’s Foremost Talented Woman!” Jiang Yao’s voice was filled with pride. She turned to Chunlan and instructed, “Chunlan, go get the ‘Quiet Valley Orchid’ qin from my vault and present it to Elder Sister.”
“Yes,” Chunlan dutifully replied, turning to withdraw.
Jiang Ying stopped playing, looked up at Jiang Yao, and a hint of a teasing smile played in her eyes. “I don’t practice the qin for that title. On the other hand, weren’t you the one who loved that qin the most?”
Jiang Yao chuckled shamelessly. “My qin skills… let’s just forget it. If anyone else heard it, they’d want to stab their own ears. Even dogs scratch their heads when they hear it.”
The original owner hadn’t actually liked playing the qin. She just wanted to compete with the Female Lead for that specific instrument.
In a moment, Chunlan brought over the “Quiet Valley Orchid” qin.
This qin was worth a fortune. The body was made of high-quality paulownia wood, the lacquer was smooth as a mirror, and the body was carved with an orchid pattern, so intricate that even the veins of the orchid were clearly visible, as if one could smell its faint fragrance.
Jiang Ying took the qin, gently plucked the strings, and tested a few notes. The strings emitted a clear and pleasant sound.
“It’s a fine qin,” Jiang Ying nodded approvingly, then waved a hand, signaling for Qiuzi (秋梓) to put the qin away safely.
“Speak. Is something the matter?”
Jiang Yao chuckled. “I knew I couldn’t hide anything from Elder Sister!”
“I saw from a distance that Dongling is holding a visiting card from His Highness Prince Jin, right?”
Jiang Ying slightly raised an eyebrow and motioned for Dongling to bring the visiting card over.
She quickly scanned it. “It is indeed a card from His Highness Prince Jin. He has invited me for a spring outing in the suburbs in a few days.”
Her tone was calm, yet carried a bit of puzzlement.
It’s already July. What “spring outing”?
“Elder Sister, I asked you the other day what you thought of His Highness Prince Jin, and you still haven’t answered me!” Jiang Yao asked, tugging on Jiang Ying’s sleeve.
She needed to find out beforehand.
Jiang Ying slightly frowned and pondered. “His Highness Prince Jin, you ask…?”
The Emperor’s health was currently poor, and he had no sons since ascending the throne. Xiao Wuheng, as the Emperor’s younger brother, was logically the most likely person to take that position once the Emperor passed away.
However, the Prince of Jin had never been involved in court affairs. Despite being a prince, he lived a ridiculous, carefree life.
If not for the Jiang family’s sake, Jiang Ying would never have agreed to marry him.
Jiang Yao casually added, “Elder Sister, when will you two get married?”
She remembered that the day the original owner climbed into the Regent Prince’s bed was the day the Female Lead got married. She was determined to stay far away from that Regent Prince until after that day.
“It will be in the eleventh month (Winter Month),” Jiang Ying said.
No matter what, a prince was still a prince. His marriage had to strictly adhere to the rites, be planned by the Ministry of Rites, and would take a long time.
The eleventh month?
That’s it then. Soon after the wedding, the Emperor would become gravely ill, the Regent Prince would seize power, and a series of events would force Xiao Wuheng to become embroiled in conflict immediately after getting married.
“Then… Elder Sister, what do you think of the Regent Prince?” Jiang Yao asked cautiously.
“The Regent Prince?”
Jiang Ying was momentarily stunned, then waved her hand to dismiss the servants on both sides.
“The Regent Prince, Xiao Jing , although also born of the imperial family, is different from His Highness Prince Jin.”
Before the Former Emperor passed away, the current Emperor was only seventeen years old. The Former Emperor decreed that his younger brother, Xiao Jing, be named the Regent Prince to assist the young Emperor until he came of age.
The Former Emperor knew that the power dynamics in the court were complicated and feared the young Emperor would have difficulty managing them. Thus, in his last testament, he specifically emphasized that the Regent Prince must loyally assist the Emperor and harbor no selfish motives.
He even gave an edict to the then-Empress, now the Empress Dowager, stating that if the Regent Prince ever plotted treason, he was to be executed without mercy.