As for why Jiang Wanwen was so confident, it naturally stemmed from her profession in her previous life—she had been an agriculture professor.
In that era filled with eminent figures, she might not have been particularly remarkable. But in this age of a foolish emperor where commoners struggled to survive, Jiang Wanwen felt quite assured of her expertise.
Especially with the looming threat of nationwide chaos—where wasn’t food scarce? Once she perfected the liangzhong and improved cultivation methods, wouldn’t her eldest son—so determined to become emperor—have to treat her with utmost reverence?
By then, all she wanted was to protect her only nephew. Jiang Wanwen refused to believe she couldn’t manage even that.
Though Jiang Wanwen had plans for the future, they remained vague. The immediate priority was preparing to flee—only by surviving could she earn the right to discuss tomorrow.
In the following days, Jiang Wanwen ordered the main gate of the Wangfu sealed, publicly declaring mourning for Prince Pingwu.
She paid little attention to the court debates over whether Prince Pingwu deserved merit or blame.
Even if the Emperor truly intended to eliminate the prince’s remaining family, surely he wouldn’t act before the seventh-day funeral rites!
Moreover, Prince Pingwu had been a celebrated war hero during his lifetime, deeply beloved by the people. His recent death occurred on a foreign battlefield—though the Jiasheng Kingdom lost that war, the prince had fallen!
Jiang Wanwen suspected the Emperor would at most interfere when the Shizi inherited the title, finding excuses to delay her eldest son’s succession.
But now that Fu Xuanrui had rebelled, who cared about smooth succession?
Despite the sealed main gate, Jiang Wanwen and her maids Ruhua and Ruyue were tirelessly busy. She dispatched them to secretly procure medicinal herbs, grains, seeds, and other supplies.
All purchases were discreetly transported to her dowry Zhuangzi near Baohua Temple outside the city.
Besides its proximity to the temple, the estate backed against a large mountain and stood beside the official road—ideal for swift evacuation in any direction.
While Ruhua and Ruyue handled these tasks, Jiang Wanwen spent days agonizing over finding a plausible excuse to visit her maiden home, the General’s Manor.
Beyond retrieving treasures stored there, she needed to meet someone—the crucial key to their safe passage to the fiefdom.
She had been caressing the jade token of trust in her hand for a long time.
The challenge was her heavy mourning period—suddenly visiting her empty ancestral home would arouse suspicion.
Finally, she settled on using her five-year-old nephew as justification, hoping the child would prove convincing.
Having decided, Jiang Wanwen summoned Jiang Ping’an to the main courtyard.
Upon hearing his aunt’s call, the boy immediately set aside his primer and hurried over.
Entering the courtyard, Jiang Ping’an bowed like a miniature adult. “Ping’an pays respects to Aunt!”
Seeing his precocious demeanor didn’t please Jiang Wanwen—instead, it pained her. People only learned to act mature when they had no one to rely on.
Just look at that scoundrel Fu Xuanchen, already ten years old yet daring to attack his own mother. Not a trace of maturity in him.
Jiang Wanwen beckoned to Jiang Ping’an, “Come over here to your aunt, An’er.”
Seeing his aunt’s expression, Jiang Ping’an knew she was feeling sorry for him again. His aunt always thought he was still a child who understood nothing, but he understood.
Ever since he was three years old, when his grandmother and mother held his hands and urged him to live well, he felt he had suddenly grown up and understood many things.
Since both his grandmother and mother wanted him to live well, he would live well and not disappoint them.
However, Jiang Ping’an liked this aunt. Back when his parents, uncles, and grandmother were gone, many clansmen came to live in the general’s residence, hinting that he should hand over the contents of the storerooms to the clan.
It was his aunt who brought people to intimidate them and gave him a place of shelter.
From that moment on, he decided that when he grew up, he would definitely take good care of his aunt.
So when his aunt beckoned him over, Jiang Ping’an immediately went and sat beside her.
Jiang Wanwen found it amusing to see the “what can I do with you” expression on Jiang Ping’an’s little face. She couldn’t help but reach out and pinch his cheek.
“Aunt, I’m five years old now. You can’t pinch my cheeks anymore,” Jiang Ping’an said, but he didn’t turn his face away, allowing Jiang Wanwen to continue pinching.
Jiang Wanwen thought this nephew was so adorable, ten thousand times cuter than the grandchildren she had in her previous life. Who wouldn’t love such a well-behaved child!
Jiang Wanwen carefully began, “Aunt wants to discuss something with our An’er, okay?”
“What is it?” Jiang Ping’an tried to maintain a serious, adult-like expression on his face, but inside he was thrilled. Could he really be someone his aunt would discuss matters with?
Although Jiang Wanwen meant well, she still wanted to consult An’er’s opinion. She couldn’t use his youth as an excuse to do things that might frighten him, even if she claimed they were for his benefit:
“Aunt wants to move the things in the general’s residence to another place. What do you think?”
Jiang Ping’an agreed without hesitation, “Okay, whatever you say, Aunt.”
Jiang Wanwen… “Silly child, aren’t you afraid Aunt might keep those things for herself? You should know that wealth can tempt anyone.”
“I’m not silly! Grandmother said you were given plenty as a dowry, so you don’t lack those things. Besides, if you like them, you can have them all. If you don’t, I’ll find better ones for you when I grow up.”
Despite his small stature, Jiang Ping’an had big ambitions. He always remembered his grandmother and mother’s words: a real man should be able to build his own fortune. Inherited wealth was just the icing on the cake.
After speaking, Jiang Ping’an looked at Jiang Wanwen with confident eyes.
Jiang Wanwen reached out and hugged the child’s small body, “Good, Aunt will wait for our An’er to grow up and take care of me. But for now, Aunt will keep these things safe for you and give them to you when you’re older.”
Jiang Ping’an didn’t doubt his aunt’s words at all, but he still couldn’t help advising, “Aunt, you have many things to do. Just find a place to pile them up. Don’t bother managing them—it’s too tiring.”
“Okay, Aunt will listen to our An’er.” Looking at this thoughtful little nephew, Jiang Wanwen couldn’t help but compare him to her eldest son who disregarded the family’s welfare and her third son who showed no respect. The more she compared, the more heartbreaking it felt.
After whispering quietly for a long while, Jiang Wanwen picked up the tea cup beside her and smashed it on the floor, producing a sharp, loud sound.
Shortly afterward, the servants waiting in the courtyard saw the young master running out in tears. When they bowed to greet him, he completely ignored them and immediately left with his personal attendants.
This was something that had never happened before.