When Yuzhu arrived, Jiang Yao was recalling the plot of the book.
For some reason, after seeing Jiang Ying yesterday, she felt that something was very strange.
Why would Jiang Ying, as the female protagonist of the book, be so kind to her, a cannon fodder female supporting character?
Furthermore, when talking about the male lead, Jiang Ying didn’t show the shyness Jiang Yao had imagined; instead, she spoke as if discussing an unrelated stranger.
Jiang Yao reached out and patted her head. She had only read the book to pass the time back then. If she had known she would transmigrate into it, she would have done everything to memorize the entire text.
“Miss, Miss Yuzhu is here,” Xiazhu called out from outside the room.
“Who?”
“Someone who serves Old Madam,” Chunlan whispered.
Old Madam Jiang?
Jiang Yao’s heart skipped a beat. How could she have forgotten about Old Madam Jiang!
Old Madam Jiang was the backbone of the Jiang family. If Jiang Yao wanted to survive until the end, she definitely needed to cultivate a good relationship with this grandmother.
“Tell her to come in quickly.”
After Yuzhu entered, she curtsied and bowed to Jiang Yao before speaking. “Third Miss, the Old Madam has asked you to come over for the family banquet.”
Jiang Yao reached for a box of soft ointment on the table and very intimately took Yuzhu’s hand. She sighed, “Sister Yuzhu, are your hands feeling better? Although it is summer now, you must still be careful.”
The original book mentioned that Yuzhu grew up serving by Old Madam Jiang’s side. Even when she reached marriageable age, she was unwilling to leave the residence and marry out, choosing instead to continue serving the Old Madam, and she was highly valued.
According to the original book, Yuzhu had a difficult life before being sold into the Jiang Residence, having to wash a large family’s clothes even in bitter cold, which left a chronic problem with her hands.
Yuzhu was stunned. The Third Miss actually still remembers that her hands suffered from chilblains?
She instinctively withdrew her hand. “Thank you for the Third Miss’s concern. Your servant has delivered the message; please head over quickly, Third Miss.”
Yuzhu finished speaking, still feeling somewhat uneasy, and quickly retreated backward and out.
Jiang Yao looked at Yuzhu’s hasty, fleeing figure and sighed.
What to do? In this manor, it seems like I’m the weasel offering New Year’s greetings to the chicken, always with ulterior motives.
“Chunlan, let’s go.”
“Your granddaughter greets Grandmother. I apologize for causing Grandmother to worry these past few days.” Jiang Yao walked in and first paid her respects to Old Madam Jiang, who was seated in the place of honor.
Old Madam Jiang turned the prayer beads in her hand, scrutinizing Jiang Yao. Seeing that her complexion was normal, she subtly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Yao’er greets Mother, and greets Eldest Aunt.”
After speaking, Jiang Yao also winked at Jiang Ying, silently calling her “A-Jie.”
This was a perfect opportunity to boost her favorability rating.
Unexpectedly, before she could walk over, a pair of hands blocked her way.
“Yao girl, come over quickly and let your Eldest Aunt take a look,” Madam Liu reached out and lightly barred her path. “You’ve been confined for days, and you’ve worried your Eldest Aunt sick.”
Jiang Yao looked up at Madam Liu.
She had a pair of slender, willow-leaf eyebrows, which made her look extremely shrewd. Her head was decorated with various jewels and gold trinkets, and she wore two jade bracelets on her wrist.
She looked… like a nouveau riche person.
She spoke with great concern, but she hadn’t sent anything over during these three days.
“Eldest Aunt is too kind,” Jiang Yao subtly withdrew her hand.
The younger generation of the Jiang Residence was not large. In the Third Branch, besides her and Jiang Ying, there was only the youngest son, Jiang Wenxun, born of Madam Shen.
As for the First Branch, there was Second Miss Jiang Zhen, who, like Jiang Yao, was born of a concubine, and Fourth Master Jiang Wencan, born of Madam Liu.
The person sitting next to A-Jie must be the legitimate mother, Madam Shen.
Jiang Yao secretly observed her.
Madam Shen looked to be in her thirties. Although her appearance was not stunning, her features were balanced, giving off a comfortable and harmonious feeling.
Perhaps Jiang Yao’s gaze was too obvious, for Madam Shen looked over.
Meeting Jiang Yao’s eyes, Madam Shen’s mouth curled slightly into a faint smile, neither overly warm nor cold. “Come and sit down.”
Jiang Yao quickly lowered her head and replied, then lifted her foot to walk toward that direction.
Madam Liu’s eyes darted around, settling on Jiang Yao. She opened her mouth with a smile, “Why sit so far away? Yao girl, come and sit next to your Grandmother.”
The empty seat she pointed to was the one reserved for Jiang Mingji, right on Old Madam Jiang’s right side.
Jiang Yao was startled.
Was this Madam Liu intentionally digging a pit for her to jump into?
The original owner was merely a concubine-born daughter; how could she sit in the secondary position? If she truly agreed, this matter would spread throughout the entire capital by tomorrow.
“Eldest Aunt is joking. If Father is not here, how could this seat be for me to take?” Jiang Yao smiled bashfully.
“If Eldest Aunt wishes for Yao’er to be closer to Grandmother, why don’t you let me sit where you are?”
Upon hearing this, the smile on Madam Liu’s face noticeably diminished, and a hint of disbelief flashed in her eyes.
What did this fool just say?
Telling her, an elder, to yield her seat to a concubine-born daughter?
“Are you asking me, an elder, to yield my seat to you, a concubine-born daughter?” Madam Liu’s voice grew louder, temporarily forgetting her manners.
Madam Shen frowned instantly upon hearing this. Just as she was about to speak, Jiang Yao spoke first.
“Eldest Aunt keeps repeating ‘concubine-born daughter.’ If Eldest Uncle were to hear this, what would he think?”
Jiang Minghe was not born of Old Madam Jiang. However, since Old Master Jiang only had these three children in total, he simply raised them all by Old Madam Jiang’s side.
Although he was not her biological son, the years of nurturing and raising him had long made the bond stronger than that of a true parent and child.
Madam Liu’s heart tightened. She was about to continue arguing when Momo Feng, who was standing behind her, tugged at her sleeve.
Old Madam Jiang was still sitting there; this was not the time for an argument.
“Fine, then Aunt will yield a seat for Yao’er, so you can also fulfill your filial duty.”
Madam Liu glanced at the silent Old Madam Jiang. An idea suddenly formed in her mind. She rose with a smiling face and moved to a seat further to the side, using retreat as a means of advancement.
Seeing her strategy, Jiang Yao merely curved her lips and thanked her.
In any case, she was determined to build a good relationship with Old Madam Jiang, so sitting close was an unexpected bonus.
She just didn’t know if Old Madam Jiang would be willing…
Jiang Yao was lost in thought. Before she could open her mouth, she felt Old Madam Jiang’s gaze fall upon her.
Old Madam Jiang was past fifty, but her eyes were still clear, as if she could see into people’s hearts. Her expression was stern, without a hint of a smile.
Jiang Yao couldn’t help but swallow.
“Sit.”
Jiang Yao quickly answered, “Yes.”
“No matter what Yao girl was like in the past, she is still a proper daughter of the Jiang Residence. In the future, there is no need to speak such shallow, short-sighted words again.”
Madam Liu’s face instantly paled a few shades.
Although Old Madam Jiang did not look at her when she spoke, the words were clearly meant for her ears.
Old Madam Jiang spoke faintly, “Since everyone is present, let the banquet begin.”