“She gave birth to a pair of dragon and phoenix twins for His Highness Prince Han. The royal family has acknowledged the two children but has not granted them a marriage. For now, she is staying at Hanwang Residence.” Madam Mu said this with a cold expression, having felt too embarrassed to go out these past two days.
She wanted to avoid being mocked by the other noblewomen.
“What does the royal family mean by this? Yunxi has already borne two children for Prince Han. He should marry her as his princess consort. I am going to the palace!” Jiang Jing’an said angrily, his face dark with rage. His daughter was not to be bullied.
“Stop right there!” Grandmother said with authority.
“Mother…”
“You’re still so impulsive. You should first understand the whole situation.” Grandmother was naturally pleased to see him so concerned about Yunxi, but she did not want him to act rashly.
Jiang Jing’an looked at Jiang Yunxi. “Daughter, quickly tell me what exactly happened.”
Jiang Yunxi had no choice but to explain the situation between her and Zhan Beiyuan. Then she said, “Father, it’s my own choice not to marry. Two people without feelings shouldn’t be forced together. Right now, I have more important matters to attend to.”
Jiang Chenyu sneered inwardly. Was it really that she didn’t want to marry?
Wasn’t it rather that Prince Han was unwilling to marry her?
“But…” Jiang Jing’an still hoped his daughter would have a good future. He admired Prince Han and never imagined there was such a connection between him and Yunxi. Wasn’t this fate?
“Yunxi has children now; everything else is up to her. As for Chenyu, her marriage is the important matter. You should carefully consider which young master is suitable for her.” Grandmother seized the opportunity to shift the topic to Jiang Chenyu.
“Mother, are you planning to marry Chenyu off?” Madam Mu frowned.
Grandmother looked at her with displeasure. “What do you mean by ‘marry her off’? She is twenty-two now. Other noble ladies have long since married and had children. It’s time for her to get married, unless she plans never to marry in her lifetime.”
“It’s fine if she doesn’t marry. Yingguo Gongfu can certainly afford to support her.” Madam Mu said lightly. With Jiang Yunxi’s return, suddenly pushing Chenyu to marry felt like driving her out.
“Mother, although Yingguo Gongfu can support Chenyu for a lifetime, a woman should ultimately marry, just as Yunxi will also marry someday.” Jiang Jinghuai said gently.
“Elder brother is right. Now that everyone knows Jiang Chenyu is not a member of Yingguo Gongfu, if she remains unmarried and stays here her whole life, who knows what the common people will say about her.” Jiang Yunxi said.
The more Jiang Chenyu didn’t want to marry, the more Jiang Yunxi insisted she be married off.
“Let them talk. Is Yingguo Gongfu afraid of that? You just…” Madam Mu said unhappily.
“Chenyu has indeed reached marriageable age. We should arrange suitable matches for her. Yingguo Gongfu will prepare a dowry for her as if she were our own daughter.” Jiang Jing’an interrupted Madam Mu. He couldn’t help but feel she didn’t like Yunxi.
Grandmother looked at Jiang Chenyu and said earnestly, “Grandmother is not driving you out. The girls from the second and third branches who reached the appropriate age have all married. Grandmother hopes you too will have a good future. Do you understand?”
“Grandmother, I am willing to marry, but could you allow me to wait until I find someone I truly care for? Just as Yunxi sister said, two people without feelings shouldn’t be forced together. I don’t want to settle for a lifetime.” Jiang Chenyu pleaded, her eyes reddening.
“No. You must marry within three months.” Jiang Yunxi set a deadline for her.
Wait until she found someone she liked?
By then, couldn’t she use that excuse to delay marriage indefinitely?
“What do you mean? I understand now—it’s you. You want to drive Chenyu out. Why can’t you accept her? You’ve been targeting her since the very first day you returned!” Madam Mu could no longer contain her outburst, her eyes icy as if she wanted to devour someone.
Jiang Yunxi looked at her with a cold gaze. “If I couldn’t accept her, I would have made her leave on the very first day I returned to Yingguo Gongfu. On the contrary, since I came back, you haven’t given me a single kind look. There should be limits to your favoritism!”
“I…” Madam Mu glared.
“Be quiet! Since Yunxi returned, you truly haven’t given her a single kind look, nor have you spoken a single word of concern for her.” Grandmother sharply interrupted her, her gaze piercing.
Jiang Jing’an frowned, looking at Madam Mu and saying, “What’s wrong with you? I know Chenyu grew up by our side, and our feelings for her are special, but Yunxi is our daughter. At the very least, you should treat them equally.”
“Mother, if what Grandmother says is true, then you have indeed gone too far.” Jiang Jinghuai’s gentle face suddenly tightened, clearly disapproving of his mother’s actions.
“Father, Eldest Brother, it’s all Chenyu’s fault. Within three months, I will find a suitable person to marry. I don’t want you to argue because of me.” Jiang Chenyu’s eyes brimmed with tears, her voice choked with sobs.
Madam Mu’s heart ached at the sight of her like this. “Chenyu, you…”
“Mother, I am indeed of marriageable age. Moreover, I am not of Yingguo Gongfu’s bloodline. I cannot stay here forever. I am willing to marry.” Jiang Chenyu’s tears streamed down her face, her heart filled with hatred.
It was all because of that bitch Jiang Yunxi!
She was the one who drove her out of Yingguo Gongfu!
And Grandmother—why did she suspect that she wasn’t of Yingguo Gongfu’s bloodline? In the end, it was proven true, pushing her into an abyss of despair. Otherwise, she would still be the noble and carefree legitimate eldest daughter of Yingguo Gongfu.
Madam Mu’s eyes reddened, but she knew she couldn’t stop it. However, it might be for the best that Chenyu married now. At least she would still bear the identity of a daughter of Yingguo Gongfu, and they would prepare a sufficient dowry for her.
Jiang Yunxi watched Jiang Chenyu with a calm gaze, thinking how her demeanor made it seem as though Yingguo Gongfu had wronged her.
Suddenly.
A servant hurriedly ran in.
“Master, someone from the Jingzhao Yin Office has come, saying they are looking for the Third Young Lady.”
“They’re looking for me? Let them in.” Jiang Yunxi raised an eyebrow, surprised that the Jingzhao Yin Office would come looking for her so quickly.
Madam Mu, already seething with anger, heard that the Jingzhao Yin Office had come to Yingguo Gongfu and said expressionlessly, “What have you done outside to make the Jingzhao Yin Office come looking for you?”
“Whatever it is, we’ll know when the people from the Jingzhao Yin Office arrive. Why are you so hostile toward Yunxi, assuming she’s done something wrong outside?” Jiang Jing’an snapped angrily, his face darkening. How had she become so unreasonable?
“Well said, Father.” Jiang Yunxi clapped with a smile.
Madam Mu took a deep breath and, meeting Jiang Jing’an’s gaze, fell silent.
A moment later.
“Greetings, Grandmother, Yingguo Gong.” Qu Xinwen bowed. He had originally gone to Hanwang Residence to look for Jiang Yunxi, but the servants told him she had returned to Yingguo Gongfu, so he had no choice but to come here to find her.
“What brings Qu Daren here?” Jiang Jing’an asked with a smile.
“Miss Jiang went to the Jingzhao Yin Office to beat the Drum of Injustice, claiming that ten years ago Marquis Wenxin caused the death of his principal wife. However, when we investigated the Marquis Wenxin Estate, we found no evidence. Marquis Lu says Miss Jiang is falsely accusing him,” Qu Xinwen stated succinctly.
Ten years had passed; he truly did not know how to investigate further.
Madam Mu felt her anger rising. “What exactly is going on with you? You just returned and immediately stirred up trouble at the Marquis Wenxin Estate. Ten years ago, you didn’t even know where you were—how could you possibly know that Marquis Wenxin caused his wife’s death?”