As she spoke, Chunlan’s voice grew fainter, and she cautiously raised her head to look at Jiang Yao’s expression.
However, it now appeared that there was likely more to this matter than met the eye.
Jiang Yao still wanted to ask more about the past when she heard movement outside again.
A young servant came to deliver a message: “Miss, the Master has returned and asks you to go speak with him.”
Jiang Yao sighed, rose to straighten her clothes, and headed toward the study. All the way there, she recalled the original book’s description of Jiang Mingji and Jiang Yao.
The law of the current dynasty stipulated that fathers and sons could not serve as officials in the same court. Back when Old Master Jiang was still an official, Jiang Mingji, if he wished to enter officialdom, could only be posted to the provinces.
His marriage to his first wife, Madam Shen, was a union between influential families, and they generally treated each other with mutual respect.
When Jiang Mingji was posted away, Madam Shen had just conceived Jiang Ying. Fearing the hardship of travel would harm the fetus, she did not go along, only assigning two young maidservants to accompany him. If Jiang Mingji took a liking to one of them, he could simply promote her to a concubine upon his return.
Unexpectedly, an accident occurred in Qingshi County.
While serving as the County Magistrate of Qingshi County, Jiang Mingji met a “true love” named Qiu Yan (Autumn Mist).
Jiang Yao couldn’t help but sigh, observing that, whether ancient or modern, literati fundamentally loved rescuing those from the ‘dust of the world’. The two lived in harmony for a period in Qingshi County until Old Master Jiang retired from office, and Jiang Mingji was reassigned to the capital.
At that time, Qiu Yan was seven months pregnant. They had thought the fetus was stable and that traveling by carriage would be safe. Unexpectedly, they encountered heavy rain on the road. Due to the strain of the journey, the baby was born prematurely. Qiu Yan passed away shortly after giving birth to her, becoming his early-departed “white moonlight and cinnabar mole.” Jiang Mingji returned to the capital, holding his prematurely born daughter, and named her Jiang Yao.
The moonlight and the beautiful gardens resemble Yao; only the sound of insects is desolate on this night.
She didn’t know what the original host had said a few days ago to make Jiang Mingji so angry. According to Chunlan, the original host had quarreled fiercely with Jiang Mingji a few days ago, making him so upset that he moved to stay at the Ministry of Revenue the next day, citing official business. Why did she have to clean up every single mess left by the original host?
Inside the study.
Jiang Mingji sat upright in a carved huali wood chair. His countenance was firm. The fine lines at the corners of his eyes revealed the hardships he had endured. Though not yet forty, his dark hair was already streaked with silver. Jiang Mingji currently served as the Minister of Revenue. Usually indifferent to flattery, no matter how much was directed at him, he was now staring blankly in the direction of the entrance.
“Why is she not here yet? Is she sulking again?” Jiang Mingji asked.
Qingshan, standing at the door, continuously looked toward the long corridor, afraid of missing Jiang Yao’s figure. “Don’t worry, Master. Didn’t the Eldest Miss say that the Third Miss even went to Jingya Hall for dinner today?”
When Jiang Mingji returned, he happened to run into Jiang Ying, who was talking to Madam Shen. Jiang Ying, recalling what Jiang Yao had told her, subtly brought it up with Jiang Mingji. Jiang Mingji was overwhelmed with mixed emotions upon hearing it. His little daughter had grown up and now had someone in her heart.
If someone had told him half a month ago that his girl, Jiang Yao, and the Young Master Xie were in love, he would naturally have been overjoyed. Everyone knew that the Xie family in the capital enjoyed the deep trust and favor of the Emperor. And Xie Yunian grew up with his father in the military camp when he was young, having seen real battle and warfare. After returning to the capital, everyone who saw him had to call him Young General. To achieve so much before reaching the age of twenty… Furthermore, the Marquis Chengbo had only this one son. It was a certainty that he would be petitioned to be titled heir apparent once he came of age.
Who would have thought that during this hunt, he would fall from his horse? He was still unconscious. How did Yao’er get involved with him…?
“Master, Master, the Third Miss has arrived!”
Jiang Mingji snapped back to attention. He looked out through the window, his fists instinctively clenched, showing a touch of nervousness. The moonlight, like water, spilled onto the blue flagstone path. Jiang Yao was wearing a silver-white cloud-patterned skirt embroidered with gold thread. The hem of the skirt swayed gently with her steps, like ripples spreading across a water surface. The orchids embroidered on the skirt appeared exceptionally vibrant in the moonlight, as if they might drift away at any moment with the wind. Her hair was coiled high and secured with a jade hairpin, which was inlaid with a pearl that emitted a faint halo. A few strands of dark hair fell to her shoulders, adding a touch of softness.
In a trance, Jiang Mingji saw once again the young woman who used to gather herbs in the mountains. He still remembered that day. The sky was gloomy, and the air was filled with a light mist, making the view hazy. He had just arrived in Qingshi County then, during the phase of a new official’s fervent reforms. In such weather, he dared to venture alone into the deep mountains. As a result, he accidentally stepped into a hunting trap set by the hunters to catch wild beasts on the mountain path. If Qiu Yan hadn’t discovered him while gathering herbs on the mountain, he would likely have lost his entire leg. To be honest, Jiang Yao’s features were not similar to Qiu Yan’s, but those eyes… They were the spitting image of her mother’s.
“Father?” Jiang Yao reached out and waved her hand in front of Jiang Mingji.
“Ah, ah! Come quickly and sit down,” Jiang Mingji’s thoughts returned, his face full of loving kindness. “Why are you only wearing a single jade hairpin, Yao’er? Are you short of jewelry? Tomorrow, your father will go with you to buy some more.” His voice was gentle and cautious, as if dealing with a precious piece of porcelain, afraid it might shatter with a careless move.
Jiang Yao shook her head and refused. She had five boxes of jewelry just on her desk, not even counting what was in the storeroom. Moreover, going shopping with the father who doted on the original host the most—it would be a miracle if she didn’t reveal her disguise. It was clear that Jiang Mingji was truly good to the original host. As the Minister of Revenue, he was still willing to spend an entire day accompanying his daughter on a shopping trip.
Jiang Mingji waved his hand, dismissing the maids and servants in the room, even sending Chunlan and Xiachan away. When Jiang Yao sat down on the soft couch, she saw Jiang Mingji looking at her expectantly.
“Father… what is it?”
Could he have discovered something?
Jiang Mingji hesitated, wanting to bring up that distressing matter but afraid of getting an undesirable answer, feeling the classic parental anxiety of a child growing beyond their control.
“I heard from Ying’er that you and that fellow from the Xie family…?” Jiang Mingji couldn’t bring himself to say the rest.
Seeing him like this, a trace of awkwardness flashed across Jiang Yao’s face. She had never even met Xie Yunian; she was only doing this to avoid the original book’s plot and to prevent getting involved with the Regent Prince, Xiao Jing…
Jiang Yao lowered her head and quietly replied, “Mm.” In Jiang Mingji’s eyes, this appearance was that of a young girl whose secret affection had been exposed, causing her shyness. He was instantly heartbroken internally.
“But that fellow from the Xie family is still unconscious…”
“Then why don’t you first allow Yao’er to make a trip to the Xie Residence? Yao’er wishes to visit Young Master Xie personally.”
“This, this absolutely will not do! You are a young lady; to go to the Xie Residence without reason—if word of this gets out, your reputation will be ruined!” Jiang Mingji frowned and refused outright. “If you are truly worried, I can send someone to the Xie Residence to make inquiries for you.” Although he could support his precious daughter for a lifetime, he feared Jiang Yao would be unable to bear the gossip and slander from outsiders.
“Oh, Father! Just let your daughter go herself!”