Jiang Sheng walked in, and the other woman guarding the door came back.
Hearing the words "Miss Jiang Third", she was somewhat puzzled. Didn't Miss Jiang Third just lead someone in? How did she come back again?
But these nobles, no one would dare to impersonate, so she let down her guard again and chatted laughing with the woman across.
Inside Yuzhen Store.
Jiang Sheng was also confused. Since when did the Jiang family have a third young miss? She knew of a Jiang San, but he was a bona fide little boy!
As she pondered, she looked around Yuzhen Store for Qiao Yuhe.
She didn't notice the scowling looks coming from the two graceful figures ahead.
"We just got here, and someone's already impersonating us. Anshui Prefecture really is a backwater, where even such despicable acts are committed!" someone said sarcastically.
Jiang Sheng looked up in puzzlement, not recognizing them, so she lowered her head to continue searching.
"Hmm, she's even learned to play dumb. Truly a lowly place raises lowly people, an inferior person unfit to be seen in public." That person seemed to tremble with anger.
She tattled to the person beside her, "Miss, this lowly girl is impersonating your name. Won't you do something?"
Hearing this, Miss Jiang Third stared coldly at Jiang Sheng, as if she would explode in anger at any moment.
Little Jiang Sheng was no stranger to such looks.
In the past when she stole food or drink and was caught by the owners, nine times out of ten she would get such a look, followed by a severe beating.
After many beatings, Jiang Sheng learned that instead of resisting or begging for mercy, she just had to grit her teeth and endure. Blink once, blink again, and it would be over.
If she was smarter, kneeling to take the blows would be even better.
But after being doted on by her five brothers for so long, influenced by her eldest brother's sense of dignity, Jiang Sheng suddenly felt her legs go stiff. It seemed...she couldn't kneel down.
Just as Jiang Sheng struggled between taking a beating and keeping her dignity, while Miss Jiang Third's gaze grew colder by the second.
A figure suddenly rushed in.
"Huanhuan," he said brightly, standing in front of Miss Jiang Third and dispelling the gloom around them, "don't keep sulking. Your parents have come from Fengjing to get you."
Miss Jiang Third was startled, then quickly smiled, tears rolling down her cheeks as she smiled.
She whispered hoarsely, "I thought...Father and Mother didn't want to recognize me. They would abandon me..."
"No, you'll always be our Jiang family's Third Miss, our parents' most beloved daughter," Jiang Chengyuan comforted her. "You've been in Anshui Prefecture for three whole months this time just to defy our parents. They miss you dearly and want you to come see them right away."
"You mean Father and Mother are right outside?" Miss Jiang Third was both startled and delighted. "I'll go this instant."
Having said that, she hurriedly walked out.
But after two steps, timidity overcame her. She turned back and pulled Jiang Chengyuan along, "Eldest Brother, come with me."
"Alright," Jiang Chengyuan readily agreed, his face full of indulgence.
They left happily, even forgetting the maid.
Jiang Sheng breathed a long sigh of relief, finally poking her little head back out. She vaguely felt someone's gaze on her. Turning back, she saw Qiao Yuhe standing in the corner, looking at her sympathetically.
What a chance!
Jiang Sheng reached out and pinched her own waist. Her round eyes instantly brimmed with tears. She staggered over to Qiao Yuhe and said just two words, "Mother..."
According to Jiang San's investigation, Qiao Yuhe's eldest daughter was around the same age as Jiang Sheng.
Perhaps it was the earlier bullying that made Qiao Yuhe take pity, or loving the house extends to the crow, but in any case, Jiang Sheng soon found herself settled in the rest area of Yuzhen Store.
Qiao Yuhe sat across from her. On the round table were stacks of osmanthus cakes that little girls loved, and two cups of honey tea.
"Thank you, madam," Jiang Sheng said sweetly, grabbing an osmanthus cake and taking two bites.
Qiao Yuhe's eyes were full of gentleness. "Eat slowly."
Jiang Sheng nodded as she wolfed it down. When it went down the wrong pipe, she washed it down with the honey tea.
All this while, Qiao Yuhe remained tranquilly gentle, without any impatience.
Jiang Sheng's heart settled back in her stomach. She swallowed the last bit of cake, tipped her head back obediently and sweetly. "Auntie, I have something I want to say to you, just between us."
At first Qiao Yuhe paid it no mind, until Jiang Sheng took out a slip of paper from her sleeve. Seeing the two words "Qin Feng" written on it, her expression changed drastically. She made excuses to send the maids away.
Just as Xu Mo had judged, a decade of luxury hadn't made Qiao Yuhe forget her roots. She still remembered that she was Qin's daughter-in-law, and the one she loved was a cheerful young master named Qin Feng.
She stayed with the Sun family for the sake of her parents and seven or eight siblings, hoping her parents could live out their twilight years in peace, hoping her brother and sister-in-law could live safely, hoping her nephews and nieces could grow up healthy.
But now, she finally knew that her family had become victims of the blade a decade ago.
Qiao Yuhe was shocked, wept, panicked, anxious, regretful, trembling.
But no matter what, the past could not be undone, nor could the dead be brought back to life.
With the maids and passersby outside, she didn't even dare wail aloud, only clamping her mouth as tears streamed down her face.
"Madam," Jiang Sheng also felt pained, choking up as she said, "The dead have passed. You must bear your grief."
Qiao Yuhe shook her head blankly, tears flying.
After a long while, when she finally regained control of her emotions, she looked to Jiang Sheng. "Speak. What do you need me to do?"
She really was clever, knowing no one would stir up old business for no reason.
"No matter what you need me to do, I will do it," Qiao Yuhe's eyes turned icy cold. "As long as it can avenge a dozen lives of the Qin and Qiao families, I will do it."
By now, Jiang Sheng's mission was accomplished.
The rest - probing whether Qiao Yuhe still cared for the two children, whether she truly sought vengeance, and how to take revenge - were Eldest Brother Xu Mo's matters.
She hopped off the stool and chirped sweetly, "Then thank you for the treats, Auntie."
Qiao Yuhe wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and called towards the door, "Pack two more servings of osmanthus cake to take away."
Outside Yuzhen Store.
Jiang Sheng hugged two servings of piping hot osmanthus cake, and discovered quite a crowd gathered outside.
Afraid the cakes would get crushed, she propped both arms in front of her chest and skipped outside.
Just as she stepped out of Yuzhen Store, the crowd began to move.
The carriage driver whipped the horses. Maids and guards flanked both sides - the procession was even grander than the county magistrate's.
But this had nothing to do with Jiang Sheng. She immediately spotted Fang Heng in the crowd wearing a cone hat, and happily waved to him repeatedly. "Third Brother!"
At the same time, the carriage began to move.
Inside, the four members of the Jiang family smiled contentedly as they passed by Jiang Sheng clutching her osmanthus cakes.
