“The dead are never as important as the living!” Jiang Yashuang smiled. His eyes seemed to have eternal ice, without any warmth. He stood with his hands behind his back. He wore a blue shirt and a jade belt, and his demeanor was elegant. He said calmly, “So after my eldest uncle and my third uncle conspired to murder my sister and her companions, you want to request grandfather and my youngest grand uncle to give the military power of the Western Army to your branches! Because you have sworn enmity against our fourth branch, if grandfather and my youngest grand uncle do not give you enough capital for your living, after my father intervenes, you will not be able to survive on your own!”
“For the same reason!”
“Although my second uncle and my fifth uncle who are blocked in Kui County are not allowed by my eldest grand uncle to be officials, after all, they are my eldest grand uncle’s sons! And it is you who mostly have caused the situation! Grandfather and my youngest grand uncle must have felt sorry for them, though they do not say so. After all, it was my eldest grand aunt who mistreated you and my eldest aunt, not them!”
“If nothing had happened, or if my eldest grand aunt had just complained to my second uncle and my fifth uncle, my grandfather and my youngest grand uncle might believe that even if you didn’t assist them, you would not get them in trouble…”
“But the death of my brothers has something to do with my eldest grand aunt. What will they think?”
Jiang Yashuang said cynically, “I just found out it was my eldest grand aunt who did it. It may be that she doesn’t trust you, so she wants to find a way for her sons to survive after she dies. However, you are indeed a family. You think in the same way!”
“With your temper, even though there is overwhelming evidence showing that my eldest grand aunt did all this alone and that my second uncle and fifth uncle have nothing to do with it, you will still blame them! Not to mention my second uncle and fifth uncle have so many children. They have served my eldest grand uncle for so many years! Even though they have achieved nothing, they still spare no effort! How can my grandfather and my youngest grand uncle not intervene?”
“So, if I tell them and show them the evidence, I guarantee that the first thought of grandfather and my youngest grand uncle is not to force my eldest grand aunt to death to avenge the second and sixth brothers, but to prepare a plan for my second uncle and my fifth uncle to protect themselves!”
At this point, Jiang Tianao had been paralyzed on the ground. But Jiang Yashuang still did not shut up, “But my eldest uncle,” he continued, “you have been an official for so many years! My second uncle and my fifth uncle are getting old, while they have never been county officials! Even if grandfather makes them premiers now, how can they be your rivals?”
“So, they must weaken your power!”
Jiang Yashuang smiled at Jiang Tianao, “Do you request to return to Kui County? If so, you can just go to observe mourning for my eldest grand aunt who murdered my second and sixth brothers! You have no chance to come back to the government! So, I have just told you that you will agree with my suggestion!”
He said gently, “See, I am so considerate for you!”
…When Jiang Yashuang ill-treated Jiang Tianao, the fourth branch was amid the laughter.
Madame Zhuang tenderly looked at Ling Zui, “I have only one daughter, Zheng’er. You rescued her so you rescued me. Even if she didn’t write to me, I am willing to make you be my godson!”
Ling Zui was already to leave after being a testimony of a witness. But when he walked out of the study, Mrs. Chang, who was waiting for him, respectfully stopped him. She told him that Madame Zhuang wanted to appreciate the savior of her daughter. He already knew that how doughty Madame Zhuang was. So, he dared not to refuse. When he stepped into the house, he started to observe carefully. He was much better behaved than he was at home
When he heard Madame Zhuang’s words, he replied with trepidation, “Thank you, Madame! I did not do anything. Chunfu Princess overpraised me as she said that I was the one who rescued her! My bosom friend Chun Jun was the one who saved princess, Miss Ou, and me!”
“What a modest kid he is!” Madame Zhuang couldn’t be more satisfied. She smiled to her maids, “I always thought noblemen at your age were bossy! Now, you are wise and courageous and you haven’t said any disdainful words. You are so gentle. After all, you are the eldest Princess Royal’s son. You are a gentleman.”
Ling Zui almost knocked over his tea bowl. As the youngest trueborn son of Princess Royal Maode and Earl of Jingchuan, he was loved by all his eldership. But even Princess Royal Maode, the most indulgent of all, had not been praising him like that. And from Madame Zhuang’s expression, it was evident that she was not talking a lie. She really thought so!
Qiu Yelan almost burst out laughing. She stifled a laugh and said solemnly, “Right, mother! Brother Ling always values love and justice. Even I have been taken good care of by brother Ling all these years because he and my brother are friends.”
She was not surprised that Madame Zhuang would regard Ling Zui as a gentleman. Her mother-in-law, after all, had stayed in Beijiang for many years. Besides, it was not convenient to correspond. So, she didn’t have time to find out about the gossip in Jing City. Even on this return, she had urgent business to attend to, not to mention that she had been busy and seriously ill since she got back!
How could she possibly have the time or energy to get to know the dudes in Jing City?
In addition, Jiang Qi Zheng spoke highly of Ling Zui in the letter, while Madame Zhuang was the kind of mother who would rather doubt the people worldwide than challenge her kids. So, she definitely would have a good impression on Ling Zui!
When she met him, she saw Ling Zui was handsome and modest. With the letter written by her daughter and her expectation of him, she loved Ling Zui so much. She even thought that Ling Zui was the model of everyone in the world!
So, she decided to ask him to be her godson. “And then you ought to be part of our branch! If you don’t mind, from today on, I will be your godmother! And my kids’ father is also your godfather!”
Ling Zui was indifferent to whether he had a godfather or a godmother. But it was good to take some pressure off his parents. Besides, Madame Zhuang’s attitude was far less terrible than hearsay. He got up to kneel, took some tea from the tray that Mrs. Chang had brought out, and gave it to Madame Zhuang, “Please have some tea, mother!”
“Good boy!” Madame Zhuang happily took the tea and took a sip. And then she ordered Mrs. Chang to take out the greeting gift she had prepared for Ling Zui. She told servants to help him stand up. She said smilingly, “Now, you are my child, too. But I am sorry to make you feel bad! I am supposed to have a banquet for you to receive this cup of tea, but I had to cancel it because something terrible happened in my family. I hope you won’t mind it!”
Ling Zui wiped the cold sweat and smiled, “You are too welcome, mother. I never thought I could be your godson. So never mind.”
Perhaps Madame Zhuang was the only person in the world who dared to call the deaths of Madame Dou, Jiang Yayue, and Jiang Yaqing as something unlucky! Even Jiang Tianchi dared not to say such words in public!
“You’ve just come home from a long journey. You need to take care of yourself!” Madame Zhuang loved him more when she saw his good behavior. She had always been generous to the one she liked and then she sent Ling a pile of precious herbal medicine, telling him, “If you eat up, come to me. I have plenty of it! If I am not in Jing City anymore, ask your sisters-in-law for them!”
Ling Zui carefully said yes. Madame Zhuang said again, “It is not convenient to ask your mother to talk here. I will ask Mrs. Chang to pay my respects to her.”
Ling Zui didn’t take what she said thoughtfully so he gave a superficial answer. But Qiu Yelan had been around her mother-in-law for a long time so she knew a little about her mother-in-law. Thus, she was surprised.
Madame Zhuang asked Ling Zui to stay to have lunch with them. After that, they chatted for a while. When Jiang Yashuang came back from the first branch, she asked her son to send him back. Sure enough, after they left, she dismissed all the maids and let Qiu Yelan stay alone to talk, “I heard that you were familiar with Ling Zui before you married to my son.”
“Yes!” Qiu Yelan now knew her mother-in-law was not narrow-minded. So, she replied honestly, “When my brother just came to Jing City, he met Ling Zui by chance. After that, brother Ling treats me like his own sister. So, I am familiar with him.”
And then she smiled, “When my brother went to the west, he requested brother Ling to take care of my cousin and me. However, he was sent by his mother to the south to steel himself. After he returned to Jing City, he visited my cousin and me first. After that, he just went to his mother’s mansion to visit her. His mother even got angry about that!”
Madame Zhuang laughed, “I am wondering why you think that he treasures friendship. He is indeed a good boy!”
And then she calmed down, “He is such a nice guy. Besides, he is so handsome. Why hasn’t he gotten married yet? Is he too picky?”
“Ling Zui, you mean?” Qiu Yelan thought in her mind, “He is the least picky one. He would flirt with any girl who is beautiful and young. He likes them all!”
How could a matching family be willing to marry their daughters, except the unvalued one, to him, who was so dissolute and unachieved? Princess Royal Maode would turn her nose up on the girls who were not beloved or who were not from a matching family. So, his marriage hadn’t been settled down yet!
But Ling Zui was her brother’s friend so Qiu Yelan would not speak ill of him. She replied, “In my opinion, it may be because his girl in destiny hasn’t shown up yet. After all, he is not an unapproachable guy.”
“Destiny?” Madame Zhuang thought for a while and then she muttered, “Yes. You are right. Man’er is such a nice girl. Your aunt said they introduced so many nice guys to her, but they didn’t make it. It is just because of the destiny.”
Qiu Yelan was shocked, “Mother, you mean…” She just guessed what her mother-in-law meant. Madame Zhuang had just mentioned that she would ask Mrs. Chang to visit Princess Royal Maode a few days later. She might want to ask about Ling Zui’s marriage. Otherwise, it would not have been Madame Zhuang’s disposition to send her most capable Mrs. Chang on a routine visit. After all, the Jiang family was in a mess now. Mrs. Chang was her most capable subordinates and so she was rather busy.
But she didn’t expect that Madame Zhuang liked Ling Zui so much that she even wanted to marry her favorite niece to him!
“My mother-in-law likes Ling Zui so much. He just met my mother-in-law for the first time today! But she’s going to marry her niece to him!” Qiu Yelan twitched her mouth, “It is fortunate that I have no sisters-in-law. Otherwise, I guess that my mother-in-law won’t ask him to be her godson. She will ask him to be his son-in-law directly!”
Zhuang Man was not just a common niece to Madame Zhuang! Qiu Yelan believed that Madame Zhuang treated her like her own daughter. She just came back several days while she always mentioned that her niece was similar to her.
Since ancient times, the elders beloved kids who were similar to them so much. Even an emperor would consider this point when dethroning a prince or choosing a crown princess!
Madame Zhuang thought that Zhuang Man’s behaviors and appearance were the same as her when she was young. So, it was evident that how important Zhuang Man was to her!
She loved her niece so much, while she planned to marry her niece to Ling Zui, who met her for the first time today. It showed that she had a super good impression of Ling Zui!
Qiu Yelan was surprised, “Would it be Ling Zui’s character after years of picking up girls that make my mother-in-law fond of him? My mother-in-law is not an innocent girl anymore! Or is he good at deluding married old ladies?”
“Your aunt came to see me the other day. She spoke of the marriage of Man’er in private. She asked me to help her find a nice son-in-law if it was convenient for me.” Madame Zhuang did not hide it from her daughter-in-law. “After all, I hear that your cousin has not had a perfect life after she married Jiang Yahong. Fortunately, now that Madame Dou has been dead, she can relax more in the future… Your aunt has only two daughters in all so I naturally hope Zhuang Man will marry a perfect man.”
“I am not going to stay in Jing City for long. How can I find a nice guy for Zhuang Man? I realize that maybe it is no need to find one. Ling Zui is suitable!”
“…” Qiu Yelan slightly opened her mouth, rapidly thinking. Now, if she exposed that Ling Zui had so many lovers and concubines and that if it had not been Princess Royal Maode who supervised him strictly, his kids born by his concubines would have been enough to open a kindergarten, would she irritate her mother-in-law who had just recovered?
Madame Zhuang had no idea of what she was thinking about. She was so happy, “As the old saying goes, within ten steps, there will be talents. If Man’er and Ling Zui can become a couple, I will be relieved.”
And then the members of the Zhuang Family would go crazy! Qiu Yelan was very confused. She prayed her husband to come back to help her figure out a way to solve it!
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“The dead are never as important as the living!” Jiang Yashuang smiled. His eyes seemed to have eternal ice, without any warmth. He stood with his hands behind his back. He wore a blue shirt and a jade belt, and his demeanor was elegant. He said calmly, “So after my eldest uncle and my third uncle conspired to murder my sister and her companions, you want to request grandfather and my youngest grand uncle to give the military power of the Western Army to your branches! Because you have sworn enmity against our fourth branch, if grandfather and my youngest grand uncle do not give you enough capital for your living, after my father intervenes, you will not be able to survive on your own!”
“For the same reason!”
“Although my second uncle and my fifth uncle who are blocked in Kui County are not allowed by my eldest grand uncle to be officials, after all, they are my eldest grand uncle’s sons! And it is you who mostly have caused the situation! Grandfather and my youngest grand uncle must have felt sorry for them, though they do not say so. After all, it was my eldest grand aunt who mistreated you and my eldest aunt, not them!”
“If nothing had happened, or if my eldest grand aunt had just complained to my second uncle and my fifth uncle, my grandfather and my youngest grand uncle might believe that even if you didn’t assist them, you would not get them in trouble…”
“But the death of my brothers has something to do with my eldest grand aunt. What will they think?”
Jiang Yashuang said cynically, “I just found out it was my eldest grand aunt who did it. It may be that she doesn’t trust you, so she wants to find a way for her sons to survive after she dies. However, you are indeed a family. You think in the same way!”
“With your temper, even though there is overwhelming evidence showing that my eldest grand aunt did all this alone and that my second uncle and fifth uncle have nothing to do with it, you will still blame them! Not to mention my second uncle and fifth uncle have so many children. They have served my eldest grand uncle for so many years! Even though they have achieved nothing, they still spare no effort! How can my grandfather and my youngest grand uncle not intervene?”
“So, if I tell them and show them the evidence, I guarantee that the first thought of grandfather and my youngest grand uncle is not to force my eldest grand aunt to death to avenge the second and sixth brothers, but to prepare a plan for my second uncle and my fifth uncle to protect themselves!”
At this point, Jiang Tianao had been paralyzed on the ground. But Jiang Yashuang still did not shut up, “But my eldest uncle,” he continued, “you have been an official for so many years! My second uncle and my fifth uncle are getting old, while they have never been county officials! Even if grandfather makes them premiers now, how can they be your rivals?”
“So, they must weaken your power!”
Jiang Yashuang smiled at Jiang Tianao, “Do you request to return to Kui County? If so, you can just go to observe mourning for my eldest grand aunt who murdered my second and sixth brothers! You have no chance to come back to the government! So, I have just told you that you will agree with my suggestion!”
He said gently, “See, I am so considerate for you!”
…When Jiang Yashuang ill-treated Jiang Tianao, the fourth branch was amid the laughter.
Madame Zhuang tenderly looked at Ling Zui, “I have only one daughter, Zheng’er. You rescued her so you rescued me. Even if she didn’t write to me, I am willing to make you be my godson!”
Ling Zui was already to leave after being a testimony of a witness. But when he walked out of the study, Mrs. Chang, who was waiting for him, respectfully stopped him. She told him that Madame Zhuang wanted to appreciate the savior of her daughter. He already knew that how doughty Madame Zhuang was. So, he dared not to refuse. When he stepped into the house, he started to observe carefully. He was much better behaved than he was at home
When he heard Madame Zhuang’s words, he replied with trepidation, “Thank you, Madame! I did not do anything. Chunfu Princess overpraised me as she said that I was the one who rescued her! My bosom friend Chun Jun was the one who saved princess, Miss Ou, and me!”
“What a modest kid he is!” Madame Zhuang couldn’t be more satisfied. She smiled to her maids, “I always thought noblemen at your age were bossy! Now, you are wise and courageous and you haven’t said any disdainful words. You are so gentle. After all, you are the eldest Princess Royal’s son. You are a gentleman.”
Ling Zui almost knocked over his tea bowl. As the youngest trueborn son of Princess Royal Maode and Earl of Jingchuan, he was loved by all his eldership. But even Princess Royal Maode, the most indulgent of all, had not been praising him like that. And from Madame Zhuang’s expression, it was evident that she was not talking a lie. She really thought so!
Qiu Yelan almost burst out laughing. She stifled a laugh and said solemnly, “Right, mother! Brother Ling always values love and justice. Even I have been taken good care of by brother Ling all these years because he and my brother are friends.”
She was not surprised that Madame Zhuang would regard Ling Zui as a gentleman. Her mother-in-law, after all, had stayed in Beijiang for many years. Besides, it was not convenient to correspond. So, she didn’t have time to find out about the gossip in Jing City. Even on this return, she had urgent business to attend to, not to mention that she had been busy and seriously ill since she got back!
How could she possibly have the time or energy to get to know the dudes in Jing City?
In addition, Jiang Qi Zheng spoke highly of Ling Zui in the letter, while Madame Zhuang was the kind of mother who would rather doubt the people worldwide than challenge her kids. So, she definitely would have a good impression on Ling Zui!
When she met him, she saw Ling Zui was handsome and modest. With the letter written by her daughter and her expectation of him, she loved Ling Zui so much. She even thought that Ling Zui was the model of everyone in the world!
So, she decided to ask him to be her godson. “And then you ought to be part of our branch! If you don’t mind, from today on, I will be your godmother! And my kids’ father is also your godfather!”
Ling Zui was indifferent to whether he had a godfather or a godmother. But it was good to take some pressure off his parents. Besides, Madame Zhuang’s attitude was far less terrible than hearsay. He got up to kneel, took some tea from the tray that Mrs. Chang had brought out, and gave it to Madame Zhuang, “Please have some tea, mother!”
“Good boy!” Madame Zhuang happily took the tea and took a sip. And then she ordered Mrs. Chang to take out the greeting gift she had prepared for Ling Zui. She told servants to help him stand up. She said smilingly, “Now, you are my child, too. But I am sorry to make you feel bad! I am supposed to have a banquet for you to receive this cup of tea, but I had to cancel it because something terrible happened in my family. I hope you won’t mind it!”
Ling Zui wiped the cold sweat and smiled, “You are too welcome, mother. I never thought I could be your godson. So never mind.”
Perhaps Madame Zhuang was the only person in the world who dared to call the deaths of Madame Dou, Jiang Yayue, and Jiang Yaqing as something unlucky! Even Jiang Tianchi dared not to say such words in public!
“You’ve just come home from a long journey. You need to take care of yourself!” Madame Zhuang loved him more when she saw his good behavior. She had always been generous to the one she liked and then she sent Ling a pile of precious herbal medicine, telling him, “If you eat up, come to me. I have plenty of it! If I am not in Jing City anymore, ask your sisters-in-law for them!”
Ling Zui carefully said yes. Madame Zhuang said again, “It is not convenient to ask your mother to talk here. I will ask Mrs. Chang to pay my respects to her.”
Ling Zui didn’t take what she said thoughtfully so he gave a superficial answer. But Qiu Yelan had been around her mother-in-law for a long time so she knew a little about her mother-in-law. Thus, she was surprised.
Madame Zhuang asked Ling Zui to stay to have lunch with them. After that, they chatted for a while. When Jiang Yashuang came back from the first branch, she asked her son to send him back. Sure enough, after they left, she dismissed all the maids and let Qiu Yelan stay alone to talk, “I heard that you were familiar with Ling Zui before you married to my son.”
“Yes!” Qiu Yelan now knew her mother-in-law was not narrow-minded. So, she replied honestly, “When my brother just came to Jing City, he met Ling Zui by chance. After that, brother Ling treats me like his own sister. So, I am familiar with him.”
And then she smiled, “When my brother went to the west, he requested brother Ling to take care of my cousin and me. However, he was sent by his mother to the south to steel himself. After he returned to Jing City, he visited my cousin and me first. After that, he just went to his mother’s mansion to visit her. His mother even got angry about that!”
Madame Zhuang laughed, “I am wondering why you think that he treasures friendship. He is indeed a good boy!”
And then she calmed down, “He is such a nice guy. Besides, he is so handsome. Why hasn’t he gotten married yet? Is he too picky?”
“Ling Zui, you mean?” Qiu Yelan thought in her mind, “He is the least picky one. He would flirt with any girl who is beautiful and young. He likes them all!”
How could a matching family be willing to marry their daughters, except the unvalued one, to him, who was so dissolute and unachieved? Princess Royal Maode would turn her nose up on the girls who were not beloved or who were not from a matching family. So, his marriage hadn’t been settled down yet!
But Ling Zui was her brother’s friend so Qiu Yelan would not speak ill of him. She replied, “In my opinion, it may be because his girl in destiny hasn’t shown up yet. After all, he is not an unapproachable guy.”
“Destiny?” Madame Zhuang thought for a while and then she muttered, “Yes. You are right. Man’er is such a nice girl. Your aunt said they introduced so many nice guys to her, but they didn’t make it. It is just because of the destiny.”
Qiu Yelan was shocked, “Mother, you mean…” She just guessed what her mother-in-law meant. Madame Zhuang had just mentioned that she would ask Mrs. Chang to visit Princess Royal Maode a few days later. She might want to ask about Ling Zui’s marriage. Otherwise, it would not have been Madame Zhuang’s disposition to send her most capable Mrs. Chang on a routine visit. After all, the Jiang family was in a mess now. Mrs. Chang was her most capable subordinates and so she was rather busy.
But she didn’t expect that Madame Zhuang liked Ling Zui so much that she even wanted to marry her favorite niece to him!
“My mother-in-law likes Ling Zui so much. He just met my mother-in-law for the first time today! But she’s going to marry her niece to him!” Qiu Yelan twitched her mouth, “It is fortunate that I have no sisters-in-law. Otherwise, I guess that my mother-in-law won’t ask him to be her godson. She will ask him to be his son-in-law directly!”
Zhuang Man was not just a common niece to Madame Zhuang! Qiu Yelan believed that Madame Zhuang treated her like her own daughter. She just came back several days while she always mentioned that her niece was similar to her.
Since ancient times, the elders beloved kids who were similar to them so much. Even an emperor would consider this point when dethroning a prince or choosing a crown princess!
Madame Zhuang thought that Zhuang Man’s behaviors and appearance were the same as her when she was young. So, it was evident that how important Zhuang Man was to her!
She loved her niece so much, while she planned to marry her niece to Ling Zui, who met her for the first time today. It showed that she had a super good impression of Ling Zui!
Qiu Yelan was surprised, “Would it be Ling Zui’s character after years of picking up girls that make my mother-in-law fond of him? My mother-in-law is not an innocent girl anymore! Or is he good at deluding married old ladies?”
“Your aunt came to see me the other day. She spoke of the marriage of Man’er in private. She asked me to help her find a nice son-in-law if it was convenient for me.” Madame Zhuang did not hide it from her daughter-in-law. “After all, I hear that your cousin has not had a perfect life after she married Jiang Yahong. Fortunately, now that Madame Dou has been dead, she can relax more in the future… Your aunt has only two daughters in all so I naturally hope Zhuang Man will marry a perfect man.”
“I am not going to stay in Jing City for long. How can I find a nice guy for Zhuang Man? I realize that maybe it is no need to find one. Ling Zui is suitable!”
“…” Qiu Yelan slightly opened her mouth, rapidly thinking. Now, if she exposed that Ling Zui had so many lovers and concubines and that if it had not been Princess Royal Maode who supervised him strictly, his kids born by his concubines would have been enough to open a kindergarten, would she irritate her mother-in-law who had just recovered?
Madame Zhuang had no idea of what she was thinking about. She was so happy, “As the old saying goes, within ten steps, there will be talents. If Man’er and Ling Zui can become a couple, I will be relieved.”
And then the members of the Zhuang Family would go crazy! Qiu Yelan was very confused. She prayed her husband to come back to help her figure out a way to solve it!
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