“You…”
Lady Su was about to say something more, but Su Ruyue pushed her out of the room: “Mother, Brother’s heart is set on Sister Yunxia. No matter how much you press him, he won’t say anything. It’ll only strain your relationship with Second Brother. Why bother?”
“Ever since he met that jinx from the Jiang family, he hasn’t had a single smooth day. What’s wrong with me not agreeing to this?” Lady Su shouted loudly from the doorway. “Your Second Brother used to be the most obedient to me, but now he’s completely changed. For the sake of a woman, he doesn’t speak a single honest word. Do they really think I don’t know they eloped? I’m not exposing them just to save some face.”
“Mother…”
Su Ruyue led her away by the hand and said, “Isn’t this exactly what we wanted? Don’t be angry with Second Brother anymore.”
Fourth Miss Pei has always seen the Jiang family as a thorn in her side. Once Jiang Yunxia enters the Su household, she won’t have an easy life.
What does Second Brother’s affection matter?
A man’s world is in the court and outside. He doesn’t understand the intrigues of the inner chambers.
Hmph!
Both Elder Brother and Second Brother have always doted on her. Even after Elder Brother’s marriage, she was still his priority, with his wife taking a backseat. Jiang Yunxia hasn’t even married in yet, and she’s already snatched away her favorite Second Brother. She absolutely won’t allow such a woman to manipulate Second Brother.
“Yes, we need to act quickly.”
Lady Su’s eyes flickered with a mix of emotions: “With the Empress Dowager’s passing, weddings and marriages are forbidden for three months. The Pei family has already exchanged birth dates with us. The Minister of Rites has consulted the Imperial Astrologer, and the fifteenth day four months from now is an auspicious time. We’ll have plenty of time to prepare. Four months… Jiang Yunxia will be reduced to a pariah…”
Her lips curled into a cold smile: “This concubine position, she’ll take it whether she wants to or not.”
Shortly after, she arranged for people to spread rumors everywhere, claiming that Jiang Yunxia hadn’t attended the New Year’s banquet because she had found her way to the Su family that night, begging Su Erlang to elope with her.
Su Erlang, being soft-hearted, saw the young lady weeping in front of him like a pear blossom bathed in rain. As a woman with whom he had once been betrothed, his head grew hot, and he impulsively took some valuables and eloped with Jiang Yunxia.
However, they were unlucky. As soon as they left the city, they encountered bandits who not only stole Su Erlang’s valuables but also sought to dishonor Jiang Yunxia.
Su Erlang, being both loyal and righteous, was injured by the bandits while trying to save her. Luckily, they were rescued by passersby.
But after being saved, Jiang Yunxia fled alone in the carriage, leaving the seriously injured Su Erlang behind in the wilderness. It was only after walking from dusk till dawn that he managed to return home, collapsing at the gate of the Su residence.
This wasn’t fabricated. Many people near the Su family had actually witnessed it.
Those who were gossiping and inquiring about what had happened felt they had solved the mystery. It turned out to be the fault of the Jiang family’s daughter.
Forcing a man to elope with her was already shameless enough, but the fact that he had sacrificed his noble status for her could still be seen as a mutual love story, something to be moved by.
But after he was injured saving her, how could she abandon him and run away?
That was too unjust. What if Su Erlang had died?
But, on the other hand, why did the Su family break off the engagement?
“Who knows? But Su Erlang is known for his noble character and gentle temperament among the aristocracy. There’s no way he would break the engagement without reason. The Jiang family is of merchant origin, and their daughter forced him to elope with her. It must be a matter of poor morals. The Su family simply didn’t approve.”
“Even that wasn’t enough? The Minister of Revenue and the Governor of Qin Province are related, aren’t they? I heard the two brothers are very close, and the Minister of Revenue’s family even produced a Noble Consort. She might even ascend to the throne in the future.”
"How can that be the same? The Minister of Revenue is just a collateral branch of the Jiang family. He separated from the Jiang family in Yizhou when he was only in his teens. It was the Jiang family's old matron who supported him by washing clothes. In the end, only study is noble. The Minister of Revenue is a scholar who rose through the imperial examinations, how can he be compared to the Governor of Qin Province, a mere merchant's son?"
If it weren’t for the Minister of Revenue’s patronage, he would have been hunted down and killed by the previous magistrate of Qin Province long ago. How could he have had the chance to become an official?
Now, clinging to the Noble Consort’s influence, he’s been promoted rapidly, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are of lowly merchant origin. A merchant’s daughter is most adept at reading the situation and is full of the stench of money. How can she compare to the Noble Consort, a refined lady from a scholarly household, nurtured since childhood?
When Jiang Xinyue led the emperor through the gates of the Jiang family, the rumors had already spread wildly.
No wonder she had lingered in Hexi Palace, leaving the palace at a later time.
Only by breaking can one rebuild. Only by blocking can one allow flow. Only by stopping can one allow progress.
Today, the rumors needed to be even more rampant so that she could crush them all at once. Otherwise, if these rumors kept popping up in the future, the Jiang family’s daughters would have to constantly prove their innocence, which would be exhausting.
The Su family didn’t know that the emperor would bring Jiang Xinyue home discreetly today, so they were still busy spreading rumors.
Although the first day of the new year couldn’t see grand banquets, it was still acceptable for two families to gather together for a reunion meal.
Jiang Xinyue had just taken her seat beside the emperor when she asked, “Why didn’t I see my two cousins?”
Jiang Yanxi forced a smile that looked more like a grimace: “Sister Xia isn’t feeling well, and Sister Yun is staying with her in the room. It’s fine, their meals will be sent to them by the servants. Your Highness, the Noble Consort, please don’t worry.”
Lying!
If it were just a common cold, there would be no need for someone to stay with her. A few doses of medicine would suffice. Even if the eldest Jiang daughter didn’t want to pass on her illness to Jiang Xinyue, that would still make sense.
But what about Lady Sun, who was standing nearby, clearly wanting to say something but being repeatedly stepped on by Jiang Yanxi?
How did he know what was happening under the table?
Because Jiang Yanxi had stepped on the “dragon foot” of the emperor.
But apparently, Jiang Yanxi didn’t realize it. He even continued to shake his head and give Lady Sun signals.
“Jiang Qing?”
The Xuanwu Emperor took the wine cup handed to him by Jiang Xinyue with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, his gaze fixed on Jiang Yanxi: “Your Majesty’s shoes are about to be crushed by you.”
“Clang!”
Jiang Yanxi’s wine cup fell to the ground, and he immediately knelt on both knees, trembling: “Your Majesty, forgive me, I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Lady Sun also thought the emperor was angry and hurriedly knelt down, her expression filled with fear: “Your Majesty… Your Majesty, please forgive us. My husband didn’t do it on purpose. He… He… It’s just that the Su family is too much. They’re pushing my daughter to her death! They said their Second Son admires my daughter and wants to marry her. Then they said my daughter’s reputation is bad and want to break off the engagement. We didn’t make any trouble for them; they said whatever they wanted. Now they’re spreading rumors to ruin my daughter’s reputation. Isn’t this forcing her to die?”
As she spoke, her words turned into genuine sobs, and she wailed: “I come from a small merchant family. I don’t have all these twists and turns in my heart. I can’t compete with these noble ladies from well-bred families. I never knew they were playing with us like this, just to force my daughter into becoming a concubine.”
“Master, the eldest Miss… the eldest Miss has jumped into the river!”
