"Brother He Rui?"
Jiang Sheng was both surprised and delighted as she leapt over, "I didn't see you last time when I went to Leisure Residence. Where did you go?"
As a waiter at Leisure Residence, He Rui's cleverness had given her a fresh impression of him. Although their relationship was not particularly close, they were familiar faces to each other.
She felt rather nostalgic upon this reunion after a long separation.
"Miss, I'm here to pick you up," He Rui laughed awkwardly with hunched shoulders. Suddenly recalling something, he straightened his back, "From now on, I'm your driver."
He was originally a waiter at Leisure Residence. And now, he was driving the Jiang family's carriage over.
It was obvious who had arranged this.
The smile on Jiang Sheng's face faded away as her hands unconsciously fidgeted.
He Rui sighed, "Miss, hurry up. The young masters will all be back soon."
Only then did Jiang Sheng recall the main issue. She no longer dwelled or grieved over it. Instead, she nimbly clambered onto the carriage shaft, lifted the carriage curtain, and rushed into the carriage.
With a shout, the carriage steadily moved forward.
It was truly and utterly steady without any bumpy jolts or dizzying sways. She could not even hear the sound of the carriage wheels.
She could only realize she was in the carriage by lifting the small curtain and gazing at the retreating scenery.
"It feels exceptionally stable right?" He Rui's voice traveled in from outside. "This carriage is custom-made. The carriage wheels are wrapped in a layer of cotton that needs changing every trip. The inside is also padded with layers upon layers of cushions, which are all made of satin."
Jiang Sheng subconsciously touched the seat. It was indeed slippery and comfortable silk satin. She immediately sucked in a breath of cold air.
This was silk satin!
The Dayu Dynasty had stipulations that merchants were not allowed to wear silk satin. Even the flamboyant Zheng Ruqian could only buy more ostentatious plain silk. The rest of her family could only afford to wear cotton clothes.
Yet, the Jiang family used silk satin as butt pads. Jiang Sheng felt she needed to revise her perceptions of wealthy people upwards by quite a bit.
She recalled Wang Fufeng's carriage and tentatively pulled open the small wooden table in front. As expected, she drew out an exquisite wooden drawer filled neatly with over a dozen elegant pastries.
There were familiar ones, unfamiliar ones, pastries from Jiuzhen Store, and delicacies from Delicious Pavilion. All the famous pastries of Fengjing were here.
Jiang Sheng stretched out a fingertip and gently caressed the surface of the pastries.
Mm, very soft and fresh.
"Miss, if you're hungry, have some pastries. There's water to drink opposite you. Tan Yue brewed chrysanthemum tea for you. You can wrap yourself in the small blanket if it turns cold," He Rui's voice traveled in again.
As if electrocuted, Jiang Sheng swiftly retracted her hand and closed the drawer. She took out the pastries that had turned somewhat cold from her bosom and nibbled on them in small bites.
She ate very carefully, not dropping a single crumb onto the silk satin for fear of soiling this expensive carriage.
After finishing the pastries, they had also arrived at the imperial city gates.
He Rui enthusiastically lifted the curtain and took the chance to sneak a few peeks into the carriage.
Upon discovering that the inside remained as pristine as new with the pastries untouched, tea undrunk, and blanket neat and tidy, he sighed once more, "Miss, please disembark."
Jiang Sheng pretended not to know. She nimbly leapt out of the carriage and accurately singled out Wen Zhiyun and Chang Yan within the crowds. She sprinted over on little legs.
"Fourth brother, fifth brother, you villains. You didn't call me along," dissatisfaction tinged the young lady's voice.
Chang Yan and Wen Zhiyun turned around simultaneously.
Several other teenagers around them also turned around.
Besides Qi Huai and company, there were also three Jiang family sons.
They were namely Jiang Chengyuan, Jiang Chengfeng, and Jiang Chengyu respectively.
"Jiang Sheng has arrived."
"Our younger sister is here."
Everyone greeted warmly, with only the three Jiang sons remaining motionless like door gods.
Jiang Chengyu jabbed his elder brother Jiang Chengyuan's arm with an elbow, forcing his voice out through gritted teeth, "Greet the guest."
Jiang Chengfeng nursed his left chest while gnashing his teeth, "Greet!"
How was he supposed to greet her?
Jiang Chengyuan didn't know where to place his hands. His handsome face had flushed beet red before he finally managed to open his mouth, "You've arrived, little Jiang Sheng."
Jiang Chengyu and Jiang Chengfeng simultaneously held their foreheads. If there was a hole in the ground, they would rather burrow into it than continue standing beside this fellow.
Jiang Sheng could actually understand their awkwardness. She also knew they had secretly ogled her before. As blood relatives who were not terribly familiar, feeling uncomfortable was only natural.
However, the most important matter today was her elder brother. Her entire heart was tied to her big brother. Hence, she did not think too much about the others.
Or perhaps in Jiang Sheng's world, other than her brothers and aunt, no one else was ranked.
Facing the three confounded youths, she tranquilly bared her teeth in a smile. "Thank you all for coming and for helping my brother."
Jiang Chengyuan's blood coagulated.
That was his little sister who should be sweetly bouncing around and calling him big brother.
Yet now, she called someone else brother. She thanked others.
Jiang Chengyuan listlessly staggered to the corner. Both hands hung by his sides, clenching and loosening repetitively.
Someone sighed. The sigh dissipated amidst the winds.
Finally, Jiang Sheng could bound to her brothers' side. She anxiously clutched Chang Yan's hem and babbled incessantly with her little mouth, "What's the situation? What was said? Can we get it back? Will the Fang family retaliate against us?"
"I'm afraid there will be some tug-of-war for now," Chang Yan frowned. "Your big brother is no longer the main character in today's Golden Sacred Hall."
This was an opposition between the powers of two prominent families, a verbal skirmish between civil officials, an unyielding debate based entirely on reason, and also the emperor's most difficult decision.
"Wow, it must have been intense then," Jiang Sheng felt regret at not witnessing the scene personally. "Would they be exceptionally eloquent? Were their words clever and persuasive? Was the battle exceptionally fierce with endless back and forth disputes and no willingness to concede?"
Chang Yan glanced at her without speaking.
Don't think too fancifully.
Because the actual situation was...
"That failed candidate may be eloquent and persuasive. If he exerted such capabilities in writing essays instead, I dare say he could attain not only the rank of top scorer in the provincial exams, but possibly even first place in the imperial examinations." The Zhu family patriarch waggled his beard. "Rather than here, engaging in sophistry and seeking to pilfer what does not belong to him."
"You are spouting nonsense," Jiang Jizong's expression was impassive.
"The Jiang family is a prominent one, yet they are actually muddying the waters in civil service examinations. Who knows if it's in preparation for the Jiang descendants? Once such a precedent is set, there will no longer be any lack of accolades and honors for the Jiang sons. They can simply wrest and usurp through force without bothering with the proper paths," the Zhu family patriarch's voice screeched louder.
"You are spouting nonsense," Jiang Jizong's expression was impassive.
"The Jiang family is actually helping some failed candidate frame the Fang family when both are prominent families of Fengjing. Something smells fishy if there aren't any ulterior motives!" The Zhu family patriarch was nearly vomiting blood.
"You are spouting nonsense," Jiang Jizong's expression was impassive.
The Zhu family patriarch almost couldn't catch his breath as his extended, trembling finger kept twitching. "Sir Jiang, is that the only line you know?"
Now Jiang Jizong's face revealed an expression, an eerie smile. "Guess?"
With a thud, the Zhu family patriarch collapsed.
