……
Today’s weather is sweltering hot.
Old Lady Jiang arrived at the Provincial Capital.
Witnessing the mansion of the Jiangs in the Provincial Capital, she found it much grander than their humble abode back in Ming County.
The entrance plaque of their Ming County home was shabby and worn, each absence from the house led to ransack and robbery, leaving it in a state of squalor.
The entrance couplets were skewed.
Within the courtyard, the traces of neglect were evident due to the laziness of the servants.
However, the Jiang Mansion in the Provincial Capital gleamed with new paint, the entrance couplets fresh and upright, reflecting prosperity and growth.
Old Lady Jiang felt a pang of regret.
She wished she had acted sooner to eliminate the nuisance. She now wouldn't have had to move into this place.
Whereas Jiang Huaisheng, amidst the rising waves, persisted in his Buddhist chants.
He had decided to become a monk.
However, he still couldn't find inner peace.
Wan'er, who he had fondly watched grow up, had now disappeared. Dead or alive, he had to see her, which brought him here.
The striking entrance didn't evoke any emotions in him though.
What's the use of such grandeur?
Like the white clouds in the sky, a gust of wind and everything scatters and fades away.
……
Jiang Changtian approached the two young masters.
Young Master Liu was clad in a pale green robe.
Young Master Chu donned a dark green robe.
Young Master Liu looked somewhat naive, whereas Young Master Chu bore a demeanor of nobility.
A top-notch jade plaque hung around the waist of Young Master Liu.
Young Master Chu had a block of wood carved into a plaque, evidently made of agarwood, unpretentious but undeniably more valuable than jade or gold.
The two stood together, their disparities in demeanor noticeable.
Young Master Liu was clearly the younger brother.
Chu Xi shared a resemblance with Chu Yi.
Qin Luoxia didn't recognize them; she didn't remember faces of the vanquished.
But Jiang Changtian did.
His mind was sharp.
Taking in the contrasting figures, with bits and pieces of information relayed by his scout, he made an educated guess about the man's identity.
He had also deduced why Jiang Wan left Young Master Liu’s side.
Chu Xi had arrived in Jingzhou.
Jiang Changtian took a detailed look at the man in the dark green robe. Handsome, slightly elongated face, the perfect haircut balancing the look, oozing maturity and calm with an astonishing regal aura. The epitome of aristocracy.
His entire being exuded an inescapable sense of nobility.
Jiang Changitian moved forward to greet them.
He mentioned that he had seen the girl.
Young Master Liu’s face lit up with excitement.
While Chu Xi, facing both of them, was inexplicably tense.
And quite astounded.
Because of Chu Yi's death, Jiang Wan had written a letter to her aunt that essentially recreated the scene at the time, except for the part where she ordered Chu Yi to kill Jiang Changtian.
The rest of the details were accurate, unemotional, and logically clear. The letter was indeed an impressive piece of writing.
The Seventh Prince was not pleased with the response.
Being a man of great patience, the death of his son would surely lead him to seek revenge.
Hence, Jiang Rong was also killed.
Chu Xi had an image of Jiang Changtian and his wife in his mind. He thought the former was a man who had gained a sudden fortune, the latter a crude woman from the country.
Yet, standing before him were two distinguished men, one of whom upon closer inspection turned out to be a woman.
Unlike his mother, who oozed charm in her arrogant ways, they exuded a graceful sternness.
Swift and decisive, they indeed radiated the aura of action takers.
And there they were, standing right in front of him. Chu Xi felt a surge of nervousness, which quickly turned into the realization that he shouldn't be the one feeling uneasy.
Jiang Changtian smiled and said, "Young Master Chu, it turns out we are relatives. You should call me 'uncle,' though you may not acknowledge the queen as your mother, making me quite an unreachable uncle."
Chu Xi's face soured. How could a man speak in such a sarcastic tone?
He always made sure to please his mother, and if these words were to get back to her, it would surely lead to trouble.
Moreover, his whereabouts were not usually public, yet he had been recognized.
Was Jiang Changtian that idle?
To think that he would be caught in a storytelling teahouse at such a time!
Chu Xi feigned surprise and respect, indicating that he had just arrived and had planned to visit with a greeting card, but unexpectedly ran into them here.
Jiang Changtian warmly took the two gentlemen back to his residence.
They happened to meet Old Lady Jiang and Jiang Huaisheng.
Old Lady Jiang, accustomed to being domineering in front of Jiang Changtian, often burst into curses, but in front of outsiders, seeing the two elegant young men, she restrained herself, though her face was still terribly dark.
Upon hearing Jiang Changtian introduce the gentleman as the eldest son of the Seventh Prince, Old Lady Jiang suddenly adopted the demeanor of a kind old lady, almost wanting to embrace Chu Xi and weep, thinking that his politeness was due to her influential connections.
If it were the Old Lady Jiang of the past, Chu Xi would have been willing to play the role of a filial son, as she was quite a beauty despite her age, well-maintained and obviously a lady of high status.
But now, with deep wrinkles and suffering from illness, her fierce appearance was far from beautiful.
Even though she tried to appear kind, Chu Xi couldn't bring himself to feign a sobbing embrace.
He hadn't expected Old Lady Jiang to look so fierce.
Jiang Changtian told Chu Xi, "I was just joking earlier. I've been disowned by the Jiang family, so you don't have to recognize me as your uncle. But Old Lady Jiang is indeed your maternal grandmother, and this is truly your grand uncle. You should acknowledge that."
Looking at the fearsome Old Lady Jiang and Jiang Da in his monk's robes, Chu Xi suddenly felt that bringing these two back might just make his mother cry tears of joy.
His mother always praised her brother for his literary and martial prowess, and spoke of Old Lady Jiang as the kindest person, who prayed and fasted daily. She claimed her niece Jiang Wan was famously talented. She always praised her family to the skies.
They had no official family status, so naturally, there were no family members to speak of.
Old Lady Jiang was there to look for Wan'er, but unexpectedly encountered a noble.
The son of the Seventh Prince, Old Lady Jiang was indeed eager to forge a good relationship.
For a moment, there was a rare peaceful coexistence.
Jiang Huaisheng appeared utterly tranquil.
The Jiang family's guest hall was quite large.
Liu Tong, anxious about Qing Qing, eventually couldn't help but ask, "Master Sima, may I inquire where Miss Qing Qing might be?"
"Don't worry, I have already sent someone to invite her," Jiang Changtian said.
Old Lady Jiang inquired, “Where is Wan'er?”
Jiang Changtian replied, "I have already sent someone to fetch her, there’s no need to rush."
Jiang Huaisheng glanced at his brother.
Old Lady Jiang, struggling to contain her fury, was certain that her granddaughter must have been snatched by these brutes.
Jiang Changtian bid everyone to take a seat.
Qin Luoxia left to change her clothes.
A servant poured tea.
Liu Tong was the most anxious.
Chu Xi was a bit puzzled.
Old Lady Jiang was infuriated.
Jiang Huaisheng felt uncomfortable.
Although he was constantly chanting Buddhist scriptures, he felt uneasy sitting in this residence.
He could never have imagined his brother, who was once skinny as a stick dressed in ragged clothes, was now a man of authority, sitting upright, quite intimidating.
The atmosphere was tense. In fact, Old Lady Jiang still wanted to have a meaningful discussion with Chu Xi, to ask about Yu Luan's condition.
But she was also worried about Wan’er, she decided to meet Wan’er first.
Upon seeing Chu Xi, a person of talent, and considering their cousin relationship, Old Lady Jiang started to have additional thoughts.
As for that young man, who was in such a rush to find Qingqing, seemed very frantic and irresponsible. Old Lady Jiang didn't appreciate seeing him.
Everyone was on edge, none in the mood to drink tea.
Luckily, it was just the ordinary refreshing tea that was being served.
Everyone waited for a while before a haggard-looking girl was brought out.
Although she was tired, it didn't hide her beauty. Instead, it added a fragile charm which was utterly breathtaking.
She walked up with somewhat of a daze, as if her head wasn't entirely clear.
The brightness outside made her uncomfortable, and she didn't know where she was being led.
Soon as she was brought out, Liu Tong, unable to contain his excitement, rushed over. Showing anticipation of a young man in love and having been separated, Liu Tong cherished her even more. Overflowing with intense emotion and sincerity, he quickly pounced and embraced Jiang Wan, crying out, "Qingqing, Why would you leave me like this? How could you be so heartless, to discard me? Without you, who else matters in my life?"
Jiang Wan, held in a warm embrace, slowly regained her senses. Recalling her terrifying experience, she couldn't help but burst into tears.
When she lifted her head, she could see through Young Master Liu's shoulder a man dressed in dark green robe - Chu Xi, who was frowning at her.
Jiang Wan's tears, dripping onto her cheeks in shock, then fell on the ground, splashing around.
...
