Jiang Yunxi looked at the two little ones, her eyes brimming with confidence and a bright smile on her face. “When has your mother ever failed?”
Mianmian gazed at her with admiration. “Never! Mother is the best!”
“Mother, you said the other day that Father would definitely marry a princess consort. Will that be you?” Momo stared at Jiang Yunxi with his clear, innocent eyes, more concerned about this matter.
Back at Qingxu Temple, whenever they saw other parents bringing their children to burn incense and pray for blessings, it would be a lie to say they weren’t envious.
But Mother had said that Father was dead, so they could only feel regret.
Who would have thought that Mother would suddenly say Father was still alive?
And they had finally gotten to meet him. So far, he seemed like a good person.
All these years, Mother had taken care of them alone, which must have been very hard. It would be nice if someone could help share the burden so she wouldn’t have to work so hard.
“Son, let’s change the subject,” Jiang Yunxi said with a smile.
She had calculated that Zhan Beiyuan would not marry until three years later. As for whom he would marry, no one could predict that.
Moreover, his fate was quite unusual. She could only see superficial aspects; anything deeper was beyond her ability to explore.
“Will you marry Father?” Momo asked seriously.
Jiang Yunxi: “…”
Son, can we still have a pleasant conversation?
“Mother, why aren’t you saying anything? Why aren’t you answering?” Mianmian looked at her expectantly, silently cheering for her brother in her heart.
Zhan Beiyuan watched Jiang Yunxi leisurely, already guessing her response.
She would definitely say she wouldn’t marry.
“No one knows what will happen in the future. We’ll talk about it then,” Jiang Yunxi said after some thought, giving an ambiguous answer. She had raised her son and daughter herself, so how could she not know what they were thinking?
It was better to give a vague response.
“So, you want to marry this prince?” Zhan Beiyuan looked at her with a deep gaze.
“Perhaps it will be you who proposes to me?” Jiang Yunxi replied with a half-smile.
Zhan Beiyuan: “…”
He had seen narcissistic people before, but never one this narcissistic.
He had never been interested in women. In his twenty-six years of life, he had rarely interacted with them, and marriage had never been part of his life plan.
Momo and Mianmian exchanged a glance. There was hope!
“How many wells are there in the capital? You should be able to find out, right?” Jiang Yunxi asked the man.
“Yes,” Zhan Beiyuan nodded. It was a simple matter.
“Please have someone compile a list and tell me the locations of all the dry wells. I’ll go check them one by one,” Jiang Yunxi said, thinking this would be more efficient than wandering around like a headless fly searching for dry wells.
Zhan Beiyuan said calmly, “Do you think Marquis Wenxin would casually seal the souls and spirits of the Xie family in just any dry well?”
Jiang Yunxi thought for a moment and replied, “Of course not. If it were that simple, the Xie family would have found it themselves long ago. Why would they need us to search? Although I am a disciple of the Mystic Gate, I am not omnipotent.”
“You’re quite honest,” Zhan Beiyuan said, not expecting her to admit her own limitations.
“Naturally.”
“However, it’s best if this prince doesn’t discover that you’ve lied to or deceived me.”
Jiang Yunxi met his sharp, eagle-like eyes, her heart trembling slightly. She sighed with an innocent expression. “Why does Your Highness always suspect me, as if I’m some great villain?”
“Intuition,” Zhan Beiyuan said after a moment of thought.
Jiang Yunxi: “…”
This conversation could not continue.
After breakfast.
Jiang Yunxi had Zhan Beiyuan take the two children to the military camp. Just after seeing off the father and his three children, someone from Yingguo Gongfu arrived—none other than her second brother, Jiang Jingyan.
“What brings you here?” Jiang Yunxi asked in a neutral tone.
“Father and eldest brother sent word that they will arrive in the capital today. Grandmother asked me to come and take you back,” Jiang Jingyan explained his purpose.
“Oh, let’s go then,” Jiang Yunxi replied readily.
Since Jiang Jingyan had come on foot, the siblings had no choice but to walk home.
In truth, Jiang Jingyan had deliberately not taken a carriage, hoping to stroll through the streets with Jiang Yunxi. Though this sister felt unfamiliar to him, she was right in saying they were connected by blood. He should treat her well.
Upon reaching the bustling main street.
Jiang Jingyan, who had been holding back for a while, said with an unnatural expression, “You… what do you like? I’ll buy it for you.”
Jiang Yunxi was not one to spoil the mood. Since her second brother was taking the initiative to show goodwill, she naturally gave him an easy way out. “I like beautiful hairpins.”
“I know where to find them,” Jiang Jingyan said, a bright smile spreading across his handsome face when she didn’t refuse.
A short while later.
The siblings entered a shop specializing in women’s goods—rouge, powder, and all kinds of jewelry, dazzling and overwhelming to the eye.
“Shopkeeper, bring out the best hairpins in your shop,” Jiang Jingyan said grandly to the shopkeeper behind the counter.
The shopkeeper quickly agreed and personally brought out a tray of the finest hairpins in the shop—ten in total, each with a different design, craftsmanship, and material, yet all exquisitely beautiful.
“Young master, these are the best hairpins in our shop, each one unique. Feel free to choose.”
“Pick whichever you like. If you like them all, I’ll buy them all,” Jiang Jingyan said generously. Though buying them all might strain his finances, if she truly liked them, he would go all out.
She had grown up wandering outside, and he had never treated her well before. Now, he should make it up to her.
“Really, you can buy them all? These ten hairpins don’t look cheap,” Jiang Yunxi said with a smile.
Jiang Jingyan straightened his back and boasted, “So what? I can afford it!”
Jiang Yunxi was satisfied with his words. “Shopkeeper, I don’t like any of these. I’ll look around myself.”
“Feel free to look. The others are also quite exquisite,” the shopkeeper said with a beaming smile, not showing any displeasure at their refusal.
“Shopkeeper Zhao, someone who grew up in the countryside can’t appreciate fine things. How could you show her such good items?” a woman’s voice said with a mocking tone.
“Shopkeeper Zhao, not everyone is worthy of the best things in Qingcheng Pavilion.”
“Now you can bring out all the finest items in the shop.”
“…”
Several noblewomen chimed in, their voices dripping with undisguised superiority, their gazes at Jiang Yunxi filled with disdain.
So what if she was the legitimate eldest daughter of Yingguo Gongfu? She grew up in the countryside.
So what if she gave birth to dragon and phoenix twins for Prince Han? The royal family acknowledged the children but gave her no status.
Moreover, who knows what underhanded methods she used to secretly give birth to Prince Han’s children.
How scheming!
“What are you all saying!” Jiang Jingyan’s anger surged as he listened to their mocking and sarcastic remarks. Even if his sister had grown up in the countryside, it was not their place to criticize her.
“Second Young Master Jiang, we are merely stating the facts. Was she not raised in the countryside? Qingxu Temple is unheard of,” Yu Qingwan said with a faint, mocking smile.
Lin Weiwei was her close friend, yet on the very day of the wedding, Prince Han had her sent back.
If it weren’t for Jiang Yunxi causing trouble, she would now be Han Wangfei.