What is the quickest way to make a person in a miserable situation happy?
To let them see someone worse off than themselves.
Jiang Yan stared in disbelief as his uncle headed toward his second uncle’s room, a smile unexpectedly creeping onto his lips. He even thoughtfully had Yufeng prepare the ink, paper, and brush, placing them beside Jiang Shen.
“Are you serious?” Jiang Shen’s temples throbbed. “You even came personally?”
Jiang Xuanjin elegantly pinched his sleeve and handed the brush to him: “I heard that Second Brother wants to divorce, so I came to advise you.”
Jiang Shen: “…” He really couldn’t see any intention of advice in his demeanor!
The brush tip touched the paper and then paused. Jiang Shen pursed his lips: “Father said that Jiang’s family sons cannot easily divorce. If I write this divorce letter, will it invite a round of family law punishment?”
Jiang Xuanjin shook his head: “Second Brother need not worry. Father already knows that Jiang Xu Shi left on her own. Even if Second Brother divorces, Father will not blame you.”
“Wouldn’t it still tarnish my reputation?” Jiang Shen murmured. “I’ve been a flirt, but I never intended to abandon my wife.”
“If you truly don’t want to abandon her, then why not keep her?” Jiang Xuanjin glanced at him sideways. “If you sincerely want to keep her, Jiang Xu Shi wouldn’t have left.”
“Who knows what she’s thinking?” Jiang Shen said gloomily. “She used to be so easy to coax, but this time she won’t listen to anything.”
Jiang Xuanjin paused, looking down at his own hands, and softly said: “Then she must have truly been hurt.”
Jiang Shen irritably set down the brush: “I know what she’s upset about, and I’ve admitted my mistakes. She doesn’t even look at me anymore; what else can I do?”
“Coax her a few more times,” Jiang Xuanjin said seriously. “Keep coaxing until her heart softens.”
Don’t suddenly stop coaxing.
Jiang Shen listened to this and felt something was off, but with his matters at hand, he had no time to dwell on it. He stared at the letter paper and murmured: “How could I keep coaxing her? She has admired me for years; it’s not like I’ve admired her for years. If she wants to leave, should I keep coaxing her? Wouldn’t that be losing face?”
Glancing at him, Jiang Xuanjin said expressionlessly: “Then Second Brother should just write the divorce letter.”
His fingers stiffened, and Jiang Shen laughed helplessly: “Third Brother, we are of the same root; why rush to harm each other? Our situations are similar; can’t we offer each other some comfort?”
Jiang Xuanjin gave him a cold look: “Does Second Brother not remember? I am the one who was abandoned, unlike Second Brother.”
Jiang Shen: “…”
The third son of the Jiang family remembered his grievances. He was indeed quite formidable.
“It’s getting late; Second Uncle, hurry up,” Jiang Yan urged from the side. “Yufeng should be leaving soon.”
“I don’t want to write,” Jiang Shen said. “But I’ve never written one of these; how should I begin?”
This was true; which Jiang family member had ever written a divorce letter? He wouldn’t know, and they certainly wouldn’t either!
However, upon hearing this, Jiang Xuanjin took out a letter titled “Release Letter” from his sleeve and said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes: “Just write it like this.”
Jiang Shen: “…”
Both were fallen from grace; to fall more thoroughly would count as being human.
What sin had he committed to provoke the third brother?!
Half an hour later, Yufeng set off with the divorce letter. Jiang Xuanjin stood with his hands clasped behind his back, watching him leave. He turned to Jiang Shen and cupped his hands: “Congratulations, Second Brother, on regaining your freedom.”
Jiang Shen chuckled: “Yes, I’m free now. In the future, if I fancy any young lady, I can directly marry her as my main wife.”
“The Jiang family girl is also free now,” Jiang Xuanjin said slowly. “Perhaps she can remarry and find a good man who will treat her wholeheartedly.”
Remarry? Jiang Shen paused, then sneered: “Are there really that many devoted men in this world?”
Jiang Xuanjin quietly looked at him.
“…Just because you are pure-hearted doesn’t mean others are,” Jiang Shen waved his hand. “Just wait; she will regret it!”
If a man doesn’t have multiple wives and beautiful women in his embrace, he will eventually tire of looking at the same face. Xu Chuniang is too greedy; he doesn’t like greedy girls.
But… he seemed to have grown tired of the solitary phoenix and the snow; these past few days, he had no desire for even a hint of intimacy.
Should he welcome some newcomers? He thought, pulling Jiang Yan.
“Having come to Yinping for so long, you haven’t strolled through the streets; will you go with Second Uncle?”
Jiang Yan looked at him disdainfully: “Does Second Uncle want to go to that place of flowers and willow?”
“People should be flirtatious while young; while you’re still young, Second Uncle wants you to experience the pleasures of this world!” Jiang Shen laughed heartily as if he hadn’t taken the divorce letter to heart at all, pulling him toward “Chunfeng Du” in Yinping.
Yinping was supposed to be chaotic, but with Jiang Xuanjin’s military power pressing down, County Magistrate Ning Zhendong directly fled. Now this place was under Jiang Xuanjin’s direct control. The old madam, who knew a thing or two, immediately treated guests with the surname Jiang as honored guests.
“You two have come at the right time; we have many new girls here; take a look and see if any catch your eye!”
Jiang Yan, having learned from his uncle, wasn’t very interested in women, but to be fair, the girls here were not bad-looking and should be able to please Second Uncle.
However, Jiang Shen sat in the main seat, staring blankly at the girls below, not pointing at anyone.
There were beautiful ones, slender ones, those with autumn waves in their eyes, and those with spring water in their gaze. If it were usual, he would have been excited, writing poems for these beauties and taking them to the spring night’s bed to enjoy each other’s company.
But now, as he looked, he suddenly thought of Xu Chuniang.
If she were standing here, she would surely be the most ordinary and dull one, not saying a word, not flattering him, at most carefully helping him back when he was drunk, gently wiping his face with a handkerchief, and taking off his clothes and shoes to let him sleep comfortably.
He rarely paid attention to her; in the past, he was always captivated by the solitary phoenix, indulging in affection and intimacy, and after the clouds cleared, he would go to her room and sleep soundly.
Xu Chuniang had never complained even once. No matter how reckless he was, as long as he restrained himself in front of her, she would pretend not to know anything and take good care of him. Her room always had a pleasant fragrance, allowing him to sleep soundly every time.
She was too gentle, so he spoiled him, thinking he didn’t need to consider her feelings. This person wouldn’t get angry anyway. Even if she did, a few coaxing words would make her obedient again.
A child who doesn’t cry rarely gets candy; a person who doesn’t vie for affection rarely receives his love. Jiang Shen suddenly realized that after being married to Xu Chuniang for so many years, the number of times they had consummated their marriage was truly few.
Without offspring, it was not her fault.
The solitary phoenix and the snow were both from the mundane world, accustomed to playing tricks in bed. Xu Chuniang was shy and proper; every time they consummated their marriage, she would blush all over, needing him to take the initiative.
At that time, his heart was wild, and he didn’t like her boring demeanor. But now, thinking back, he felt a tightness in his throat.
“Which one do you fancy?” the old madam asked him with a smile.
Jiang Shen came back to his senses, thought for a moment, and asked: “Are there any girls who are new to the world and don’t understand the rules?”
The old madam was taken aback, her eyes darting around, and she nodded: “Yes, please follow me.”
Jiang Yan stood up: “Second Uncle, if you want to stay, then I’ll take my leave first.”
“Why are you in such a hurry?” Jiang Shen pouted, turning to the old madam: “Find him a good girl too; teach him the ropes.”
“Alright!” The old madam smiled ambiguously, waving her handkerchief, and several girls standing behind stepped forward, surrounding Jiang Yan tightly.
“Second Uncle!” Jiang Yan shouted in fright.
Jiang Shen covered his ears and walked out: “I can’t hear, I can’t hear.”
In the next room, incense had already been lit. The old madam invited him in, and soon a rather plain girl was sent in. The girl had an above-average appearance and stood before him, bowing: “I greet the young master.”
The attire was proper, but the light in her eyes was not very clean, clearly not a naive girl.
Jiang Shen chuckled lightly: “A thousand-year-old fox, what sheep’s clothing are you wearing?”
The girl was taken aback, clearly not expecting to be exposed so quickly. She awkwardly said: “Young master, what you said… what’s so good about a novice? I’m not at all perceptive. My skills can be tried by you; I guarantee you will be satisfied!”
Losing interest, Jiang Shen leaned against the window, looking at the clear weather outside, and asked in a faint voice: “Can you make Eight Treasure Rabbit Ding?”
The girl: “…” Why come to a brothel to ask someone if they can cook? Why not go directly to a restaurant?
With a snap of his mouth, Jiang Shen murmured: “I suddenly really want to eat.”
Unfortunately, no one would make it for him.
He had written the divorce letter, released her, and it was he who had actively abandoned her, losing not a shred of face.
But it felt so empty, both beside him and in his heart, that it was unbearable.
She was an inconspicuous person; how could she affect him so deeply?
Another autumn rain fell, and Jiang Xuanjin stood under the eaves, watching the drizzling rain curtain outside, feeling a chill all over.
Cheng Xu stood beside him: “Ning Zhendong has escaped back to the capital. There are still remnants in the main city, and Lord Lu has received the news and is preparing to open the city to welcome His Majesty.”
Every city has the emperor’s people. Yinping was the most formidable; the county magistrate was the uncle of Ning Guifei. Fortunately, he had sensed it early; otherwise, if he had gone to their ambush, he might not have returned unscathed.
Li Huailin’s calculations were good, and his arrangements were meticulous, but he had forgotten one thing: Ziyang had his stationed troops, and the military talisman was in his hands. No one could do anything to him on Ziyang’s land.
So eager to send him to the underworld, he had to give a little return gift.
“Additionally… Qingsi has already arrived in Yixian City,” Cheng Xu said, glancing at him, his voice lowering. “According to the news from there, the Eldest Princess seems to have publicly announced her identity.”
Jiang Xuanjin listened and nodded: “Then send a letter to all the cities. Let the people of Ziyang be more cautious when going to Danyang.”
In the rumors, their emperor and the Eldest Princess of Danyang were sworn enemies.
Cheng Xu was startled and hesitantly said: “There hasn’t been any movement from the nearby fiefdoms.”
The news outside was spread this way, but most people found it hard to discern the truth. Issuing this letter would undoubtedly confirm the Eldest Princess’s identity. In this way, wouldn’t the emperor also be dragged into this storm?
“Now Pingling Jun is as timid as a mouse, and the nearby Changlin Jun is someone who enjoys a stable life; do you expect them to make any moves?” Jiang Xuanjin raised his eyes. “Do as this prince says.”
“…Yes.”
Raindrops hit the bluestone, splashing tiny droplets. He looked down, thinking that in Yixian City, where it had been dry for many years, she probably wouldn’t even see the autumn rain.
Indeed, she wouldn’t see it. The winds in Yixian City were cold, but the clouds that should have brought rain were absent.
Huaiyu sat in the county magistrate’s office, looking at the officials kneeling before her, asking: “Is there any dissent?”
“No,” more than a dozen portly officials shook their heads in unison.
Huaiyu smiled in satisfaction at Jiu Wu beside her: “See, I told you the officials are reasonable; how could they deliberately make things difficult for the kind merchants who bring grain? Look at their sincere attitude!”
Jiu Wu silently observed the purple and blue faces of these people, thinking to himself: How could they not be sincere? They had been beaten into such a state by her!
Li Huaiyu was indeed so overbearing and unreasonable; who would bring up those official rules with her? She would just come in swinging, and once they were subdued, they would listen. Greedy, huh? They wanted to take a cut from Lu’s grain shop, right? Whatever they had eaten would be what she could beat out of them.
Flipping through the account book beside her, Huaiyu sighed: “You gentlemen are truly kind-hearted; I thank you on behalf of the common people.”
The accounts were filled with gold, silver, and grain seized from various official residences, amounting to a considerable sum. Enough to feed the people of Yixian City for a year.
The man kneeling at the front cried out: “Your Highness, you can’t leave us with no way to live!”
The law does not punish the masses! These people were all officials of Yixian City; if they were pushed too hard… even if they couldn’t resist, what would happen to Yixian City? This rumored Eldest Princess, how could she not consider this even a little?
“A way to live?” Li Huaiyu thought for a moment and clapped her hands: “That’s easy to say; the border city of Danyang is still short of hands to dig the river; you can all go over there to earn a meal. How about that?”
“…Don’t bully us too much!” Hearing this, the officials couldn’t kneel any longer. An official standing behind stood up angrily and looked at her: “Who are you, a bandit! With the title of Eldest Princess, we let you have a little face, and you think you can do whatever you want?”
Huaiyu raised an eyebrow, propping her chin and looking at him: “What can you do to me?”
“Then I’m leaving now; what can you do to me?” The fat official glared at her, and as he spoke, he charged toward the door, filled with a fierce aura, like a reckless thug, directly shoving past Qing Xian and Bai Ai at the entrance.
Jiu Wu frowned, just as he was about to step forward to stop him, he heard a loud “bang.”
The fat official, who had just taken half a step out the door, was kicked in the chest and sent crashing back to the spot where he had been kneeling.
Huaiyu’s eyes brightened as she looked toward the entrance.
Qingsi stepped through the door, dressed in a dark long robe, looking sharp and neat. There wasn’t a trace of injury on her face; instead, she appeared even more robust. She stepped forward and knelt before Huaiyu, cupping her hands: “This servant greets Your Highness!”
“You finally made it,” Huaiyu smiled, pulling her up. “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
Bringing this up, Qingsi’s face showed some annoyance as she looked up: “This servant didn’t know the princess was in Yixian City; if I had known, I wouldn’t have wasted time in the capital.”
“Hmm?” Huaiyu was taken aback. “Wasted time in the capital? Didn’t you get caught in the Tingwei Prison?”
Qingsi looked puzzled: “Who told you that? This servant has been in the Jiang residence all along.”
What? Li Huaiyu was shocked: “Aren’t you supposed to have been arrested for assassination?”
“This servant thought about taking the emperor hostage to rescue you, but… before I could act, His Majesty noticed and then confined me to a separate courtyard.”
So, Jiang Xuanjin’s claim that Qingsi had been captured was a lie, just to scare and threaten her? Huaiyu was furious, slamming her hand on the nearby table: “You said you wouldn’t lie, and now you’ve deceived me!”
Qingsi looked confused: “This servant hasn’t lied.”
“Not you,” Huaiyu waved her hand, feeling both angry and amused.
What was Jiang Xuanjin doing? Wasn’t he the one who hated her lying the most? Yet he was also good at deceiving people; she had truly fallen for it.
But fortunately, there were no serious consequences; she would just consider it a momentary whim.
“Have you heard any news in the capital?” Huaiyu asked.
Qingsi glanced at the officials kneeling below and whispered in her ear: “Sima Jing has been pardoned by His Majesty and has gained control of an additional thirty thousand imperial troops. There have been many changes among the officials in the court; many who supported Ziyang Jun and you have fallen.”
“Is this a serious injury?” Huaiyu scoffed. “The young people are bold, but with this, the order in the court will surely be chaotic.”
Li Huailin was no longer considering the order of the court. Having released two tigers back into the mountains, if he didn’t quickly consolidate his power in the capital, how could he sleep peacefully?
The officials who had been kicked down by Qingsi were groaning on the ground, and Huaiyu glanced at them: “Send these gentlemen back to the capital; they have nowhere else to go.”
“Your Highness, this…” Wouldn’t this be directly challenging the emperor?
“Huailin thinks that what his father taught him is right and good,” Li Huaiyu smiled. “Then I’ll tell him that Li Shan’s methods cannot stabilize this country!”
If she was going to challenge, then she would challenge; as the elder sister, she couldn’t let her younger brother be looked down upon.
Jiu Wu nodded, and with Qing Xian and the others, they began to escort the dozen or so officials out. Anyone who tried to resist would be beaten.
Thus, this group of people obediently set off on the road back to the capital.
Grain began to be distributed in Yixian City, and the common people, hearing the news, rushed over to see the rice, with no thought of lining up. They all came to snatch it. Generally, those distributing grain were good people; even if they stole and looted, they would endure it, at most just advising a few words. When human malice arose, their behavior became quite frantic.
However, the first person to carry three bags of rice and try to leave the distribution point was knocked down by a pole.
Qingsi expressionlessly held the long pole: “Put it back.”
The man who fell to the ground stared at her for a moment, angrily saying: “You’re distributing grain, yet you won’t let people take it away?”
“Line up, and you can take it,” she pointed to the people beside her, coldly smiling. “Try to snatch it.”
The man was unconvinced, relying on the fact that there were many people behind him. He was about to charge outward.
“Be careful!” Xu Chuniang, who was distributing grain, exclaimed.
Unhurriedly, Qingsi swung her long pole horizontally, seemingly gently but heavily sweeping across the legs of this group of people. As many as came, as many fell, unable to get up for a long time.
Chijin and the others also came to help, and their methods were completely unlike those of good people.
The distribution point, which had been noisy, gradually quieted down.
“Come, take it,” Xu Chuniang politely handed a small bag of rice to the person in front of her.
The person receiving the rice was a little girl, trembling as she looked at the people being beaten nearby, asking with a quivering voice: “Can I take it?”
Gently stroking her head, Xu Chuniang said: “Good people don’t need to be afraid of them; they won’t make things difficult for good people.”
This big sister was on the same side as those fierce people, yet she was as gentle as a Bodhisattva. The little girl calmed down, smiled sweetly at her, and then carefully hugged the rice bag and walked away.
Everyone watched, seeing that the little girl truly left safely, and they obediently began to line up, no longer daring to cause trouble.
“What kind of people are these?” A commoner in line whispered, “They’re too fierce.”
The poor scholar in front replied: “If I’m not mistaken, they must be the Eldest Princess’s people.”
“The Eldest Princess?!” Upon hearing this name, everyone turned pale.
No wonder they were so ruthless; the Eldest Princess’s people were all ruthless!
But…
The girl distributing grain was truly gentle, always smiling, not minding the dirt of the poor, and patiently comforting the anxious children, explaining that there would be more tomorrow, so there was no need to worry.
As the grain distribution came to an end, the person standing in front of Xu Chuniang suddenly shouted: “Bodhisattva sister!”
Startled, Xu Chuniang smiled helplessly: “You can’t call me that; it’s blasphemous to the deities.”
After receiving the rice bag from her, the little girl smiled and said: “You are the Bodhisattva sister!”
After saying that, she ran away.
Feeling warmth in her heart, Xu Chuniang said apologetically: “Huaiyu did a good deed, and the credit all goes to me.”
The nearby Chijin looked at her and handed her a handkerchief: “On your face.”
Nodding, she took it and wiped her face, realizing that she had unknowingly smeared a lot of dirt on her face.
“Do I look terrible?” she laughed, “How can a Bodhisattva look so disheveled?”
Chijin shook his head: “Bodhisattvas are not worshipped for their looks.”
Having traveled together for so long, they had come to understand Xu Chuniang. She was a girl taught well by General Xu, compassionate and proper, capable of cooking and treating guests. If the princess was a proud peony, she was a gentle orchid; her appearance might not be stunning, but her virtues were precious.
Such a person, if Jiang Er Gongzi didn’t cherish her, he must be blind.
“Miss Xu,” Jiu Wu came over, his expression complex as he held out an envelope, “There’s a letter for you.”
A letter? Xu Chuniang stiffened.
The only person who would write her a letter was Jiang Shen. It had been more than half a month since she last saw him; what could he suddenly be writing about?
Wiping her hands on her skirt, Xu Chuniang let Chijin take her place and walked over to open the letter.
The people in line to receive grain saw the kind girl tremble and slowly squat down.
“Why is the Bodhisattva sister crying?” A child couldn’t help but leave the line and surround her, asking anxiously, “What’s wrong, sister?”
“It’s nothing,” Xu Chuniang said hoarsely. “I’m just happy because I finally got what I wanted.”
“Liar!” The child frowned. “My father said that when people are happy, they smile; only when they are sad do they cry.”
Taking a deep breath, Xu Chuniang raised her head and smiled at them: “See, I’m smiling now, right?”
She smiled, but such a smile made people feel sad.
Jiu Wu shook his head: “Miss Xu, it’s not worth it.”
“I know, I know,” Xu Chuniang nodded. “This is what I asked him for; I was prepared for it long ago.”
But after all, they had been married for many years; it was only natural to feel sad.
Jiu Wu felt helpless and ran to take over Chijin’s duties, pouting: “Go think of a way.”
Chijin was at a loss; what could he do? They had learned everything in Feiyun Palace, but they hadn’t learned how to coax women, after all, the princess didn’t need to be coaxed.
After a moment of silence, Chijin asked: “What do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you.”
Xu Chuniang was taken aback, looking up at him. Her eyes were slightly red and filled with tears, clear as day.
Chijin felt a bit uncomfortable and turned his head away: “How about Eight Treasure Rabbit Ding? You seemed very interested in that dish.”
Xu Chuniang looked at him in confusion: “You… will make it for me?”
“Mm.” Chijin nodded. “You saved us from the capital; I haven’t repaid you yet.”
It had always been her asking Jiang Shen this question, getting an answer from him, and then happily bustling around in the kitchen for an hour. No one had ever asked her what she wanted to eat.
Feeling a bit sour in her nose, Xu Chuniang said: “I don’t like Eight Treasure Rabbit Ding; I want to eat dessert.”
“Alright.” Chijin nodded. “Come with me.”
Huaiyu was in the county magistrate’s office reviewing documents when she suddenly heard Lu Jingxing’s voice at the door: “Come out and see the excitement!”
Startled, Huaiyu glared at him: “You, the esteemed Master Lu, how can you act like a common person on the street, always wanting to see the excitement?”
Lu Jingxing leaned against the door frame, half-covering his face with a fan: “You want to see the excitement of Xu Chuniang and Chijin? Are you interested?”
Her eyes lit up, and Huaiyu ran to the door: “Where is it?!”
Pulling her away, Lu Jingxing teased: “You, the Eldest Princess, how can you act like a common person on the street, always wanting to see the excitement?”
“This is different; I’ve been pondering how to help Chuniang vent her anger these past few days, and this just came up,” Huaiyu smiled mischievously. “Don’t you feel indignant for Chuniang? What a good girl; how could she end up with such a scoundrel as Jiang Shen?”
“Fate has never been fair,” Lu Jingxing sighed. “I’m such a good person, yet I ended up with someone like you.”
Li Huaiyu: “I hope Master Lu can stop discarding your face.”
If we’re talking about scoundrels, she could be a “scoundrel,” and he could be a “class.” Two coal balls; how could anyone expect to come out clean?
Lu Jingxing chuckled, leading her to the kitchen and closing his fan, pointing to the other side.
Huaiyu looked over and saw Xu Chuniang sitting obediently at the door, watching Chijin, who was making pastries inside.
Chijin was handling the smoky and fiery task with no sign of clumsiness; instead, he appeared quite clean and efficient, kneading the dough and sugar in one go.
Xu Chuniang watched in admiration: “Your technique is truly skilled.”
“I’ve learned a bit from the palace chefs,” Chijin said, feeling a bit shy. “I only learned a few years of cooking skills.”
“Is that so?” Xu Chuniang felt embarrassed. “In just a few years, you’ve already surpassed someone like me who has learned for ten years.”
“After all, I learned from the imperial chefs in the palace,” Chijin said, usually quiet but now seeming to open up. “When I was in Feiyun Palace, I didn’t need to cook, but later, someone tampered with the meals, trying to harm the princess. Jiu Wu and the others discussed it and thought it was safer for the princess’s meals to be handled by someone from her side.”
“Then why is it only you who can cook?” Xu Chuniang asked curiously. “I see that Jiu Wu and the others don’t seem to go near the kitchen.”
Speaking of this, Chijin bit his lip: “I was young and didn’t know how treacherous people could be. They decided based on age, saying the youngest should learn, claiming it was easier to teach.”
The devil’s age was small; when they entered the palace, they all knew each other’s ages. Jiu Wu and the others had deceived him, and he had foolishly fallen for it.
Xu Chuniang finally smiled, raising her sleeve to cover her lips, her eyes sparkling.
Li Huaiyu watched with her hands on her heart: “This looks so pleasing; a girl like Chuniang should have someone who can take care of her and understand her by her side.”
“Why?” Lu Jingxing glanced sideways. “Do you want to arrange a marriage?”
“Where are you thinking? If she has someone in her heart, how could it be so easy to remarry?” Huaiyu shot him a glance, then smiled. “I’m happy that she doesn’t have to wear a sorrowful face every day anymore.”
Lu Jingxing was puzzled. He pulled her a little further away: “I thought you had plans to have her remarry. That’s why you had her distribute grain, earning a good reputation in advance.”
If she wasn’t in a hurry to remarry, why would she pile all the good deeds on Xu Chuniang?
“Isn’t it possible to earn a good reputation without remarrying?” Huaiyu pouted. “You cold-blooded merchant.”
Lu Jingxing looked at her seriously, and Huaiyu made two funny faces before becoming serious again.
“Not just Xu Chuniang, but also Jiu Wu, Qing Xian, Bai Ai, Chijin… and you.” Looking at him earnestly, she said, “You all have borne the unjust stigma because of me, so I must clear your names. You haven’t done anything wrong; you are all upright people.”
“I will make the Jiang family apologize for what they said.”
Lu Jingxing was taken aback.
He hadn’t been at the Ning County Magistrate’s office that day. He didn’t know the specifics, and when he returned and heard people mention it, he thought it was just a quarrel.
He didn’t expect her to genuinely care about it and to start planning.
Yixian City, they could say they didn’t care, but it wasn’t within Danyang’s territory. However, she pressed the officials, had Lu’s grain sold at a low price, and made that group of concubines share the responsibilities of the Yixian City officials. She also made Xu Chuniang be remembered and praised by the people of Yixian City. With one move, she paved the way for them.
With the Eldest Princess no longer having concerns and shielding the emperor from the dark hands behind the scenes, she could lead them to do things upright.
Suddenly feeling a surge of passion, Lu Jingxing extended his hand toward her, smiling as he asked: “Counterattack?”
“Counterattack!” Li Huaiyu slapped her palm against his, her tone resolute.
At first, the common people of Yixian City were panicked; there were many unfamiliar officials in the city, and each one looked formidable. However, the merchants quickly discovered that these new officials didn’t accept bribes and didn’t deliberately make things difficult. They looked fierce but were very reasonable.
They were tough; if they found merchants maliciously raising prices, they would show up with seals to block them. Honest merchants would hang a somewhat strange red silk flower at their shop entrance.
It was said that this red silk flower came from the Eldest Princess, and long after, it became a symbol of conscientious merchants in Yixian City.