Everyone was puzzled. With such a wonderful opportunity, why would Jiang Ruan speak thus? Xia Yan sneered inwardly, thinking it was merely Jiang Ruan’s affected behavior to gain the Empress Dowager’s sympathy.

Even so, many present were officials’ wives, and women in this regard were always more tender-hearted. Thinking of Jiang Ruan losing her mother in childhood and now with her birthday approaching, unable to fulfill even such an ordinary wish as viewing peach blossoms with her mother, it was truly pitiful.

Jiang Xinzhi hadn’t expected Jiang Ruan to speak thus either, sighing slightly inwardly. As an elder brother, though he tried to compensate for Jiang Ruan in every way and let her live carefree days, a mother was irreplaceable. His sister, no matter how mature she appeared, was actually just an ordinary little girl seeking maternal love.

On the Zhao family side, Zhao Guang, Zhao Yuanjia, Zhao Yuanfeng, and Zhao Yi sighed in unison. Lady Li was already tearful, saying softly: “How could Mei’er leave so early? Poor Ruan’er missing her so – how sad she must be without her birth mother.”

Zhao Yulong and Zhao Feizhou also sighed, while only Zhao Yuanping’s gaze was profound. He wouldn’t assume Jiang Ruan was merely touched by the scene just because she spoke thus. In fact, in Zhao Yuanping’s view, Jiang Ruan was someone with clear objectives. Everything she did had purpose, and her goals possessed wonderful foresight – though this seemed incredible. But every seemingly ordinary action Jiang Ruan took ultimately became an indispensable link in achieving her aims.

Moreover, in Zhao Yuanping’s mind, Jiang Ruan wasn’t someone who acted emotionally. Her current words must have some intention. But what exactly?

Seeing this, the Xia family members were all disdainful. Especially Xia Jiaojiao, who cursed Jiang Ruan thoroughly in her heart, thinking she was merely acting like a fox spirit trying to appear pitifully moving.

The Xia family disapproved, but many among the male guests were tender-hearted toward beauties. Seeing the beauty’s melancholy, they felt they wanted to cherish and protect her. Especially Gu Yi, whose heart nearly melted from Jiang Ruan’s furrowed brow. Seeing this, Guan Lianghan said curiously to Xiao Shaoqi: “What’s wrong with the Gu family boy? Looks like he’s also taken with that Jiang family girl?”

Mo Cong clicked his tongue in wonder: “When one family has a daughter, a hundred families seek her. With Deputy General Jiang gaining power, this originally unremarkable Miss Jiang also rises with the tide. Good thing, good thing.” He then casually said to Liu Min sitting beside him: “Lord Liu, don’t you think so?”

Liu Min responded perfunctorily, somewhat distracted. Since the Emperor appointed him as top scholar, he had been quite trusted, rising to third rank almost effortlessly. If Jiang Xinzhi was the Great Jin Dynasty’s fastest-promoted young military officer, he was the fastest-promoted young civil official. This should have been good, but the deeper he entered court, the more difficult he found navigating society. Many secretly created obstacles for him – some from jealous envy, others with false flattery. Daily wearing a false mask to deal with everyone wasn’t the official path Liu Min desired.

At such times, he would remember the stranger who had corresponded with him at the Imperial Academy. That person had also discussed the ways of officialdom. Initially he’d thought the other too smooth and insufficiently upright, but now he felt it was a perceptive and shrewd way of viewing all things.

But that person had never appeared again.

Xiao Shao carefully observed Jiang Ruan’s every movement. He also noticed the Empress Dowager’s distraction, feeling somewhat puzzled, yet showing nothing on his face. Like an outsider, he sat leisurely drinking tea, drawing infatuated gazes from numerous female guests.

The Empress Dowager finally recovered, saying: “What kind of wish is this? This dowager wants to hear your reasoning.”

“Among all things in the world, nothing surpasses having loved ones beside you in harmony,” Jiang Ruan smiled. “However, this subject daughter and mother have long been separated by death. In this life, there’s no chance to view Ningshui Valley’s newly bloomed peach flowers together. Ruan only regrets that when mother was still alive, I didn’t view them with her more often, leaving only lifelong regret with no possibility of remedy.”

With each sentence she spoke, Empress Dowager Yide sat straighter, though her expression revealed nothing. But Jiang Ruan knew the Empress Dowager had deeply absorbed her words.

Indeed, everyone knew Empress Dowager Yide was cold and ruthless, able to use even her own biological son and daughter – everything could be sacrificed for this realm. Back then, Princess Yuanrong was in her prime and already had a sweetheart, unwilling to marry far into foreign lands, yet Empress Dowager Yide locked her in the palace under house arrest. Despite Princess Yuanrong’s bitter pleas, Empress Dowager Yide showed no mercy. Finally, Princess Yuanrong had no choice but to marry into foreign lands, but within three years died of excessive grief in that foreign country. Empress Dowager Yide didn’t even have Princess Yuanrong’s remains returned. Thus Princess Yuanrong could only sleep forever in foreign soil.

Those who knew of this matter all thought Empress Dowager Yide too cruel, so vicious even toward her own biological daughter. But in fact, in her previous life, Jiang Ruan learned from Xuan Li that Empress Dowager Yide wasn’t a callous person – actually, she valued her three children extremely highly. The eldest prince’s death was an accident, and Princess Yuanrong’s marriage alliance was a desperate measure. On the day Princess Yuanrong departed for marriage, Empress Dowager Yide wept in Cining Palace for an entire month. When news of Princess Yuanrong’s death arrived, Empress Dowager Yide even wanted to follow her in death. If not for the Emperor’s throne still being unstable and needing support, Empress Dowager Yide would never have continued living.

What Empress Dowager Yide loved most and felt most guilty about in her lifetime was Princess Yuanrong.

Xuan Li had once carefully investigated those past events. Because Empress Dowager Yide held the Emperor’s throne too importantly, Xuan Li found a woman whose appearance and figure closely resembled Princess Yuanrong to enter the palace as a companion reader. Xuan Li had specifically instructed that woman. Not long after entering the palace, the woman was “accidentally” seen by Empress Dowager Yide, who summoned her to serve in Cining Palace. After some days, that woman became a princess. Not long after, Empress Dowager Yide suddenly died.

In her previous life, Xuan Li told Jiang Ruan that his grandmother constantly missed his little aunt and grieved excessively, so he had specifically found someone resembling Princess Yuanrong to make her happy. Initially Jiang Ruan thought Xuan Li’s filial piety admirable, but now thinking back, Empress Dowager Yide’s sudden death was certainly connected to that woman enfeoffed as princess.

Regardless, now with time reversed, she was fortunate to arrive before that woman entered the palace, even before Xuan Li thought to investigate Empress Dowager Yide’s past. If she couldn’t gain Empress Dowager Yide’s trust, that would be inexcusable.

Empress Dowager Yide looked quietly at Jiang Ruan, her gaze unexpectedly gentle. Everyone thought the naturally stern Empress Dowager was moved by Miss Jiang’s tragic background, but no one knew her current inner excitement and surprise.

Because whether Jiang Ruan’s dress, smile, or spoken words were exactly like Princess Yuanrong of old!

When the late Emperor died, her position as Empress Dowager was unstable. The eldest prince, then Crown Prince, was assassinated, and the second prince was made new Emperor, but various factions stirred restlessly. Helplessly, she could only think to use Princess Yuanrong for a marriage alliance.

Princess Yuanrong had long stayed in the deep palace with few opportunities for others to see her. At that time, Princess Yuanrong also loved wearing peach-pink, clearly already a girl of age yet still loving single spiral buns with rose hairpins, appearing like some family’s pampered daughter. Princess Yuanrong had an excellent nature – though kind and simple, she was also overly understanding. Upon learning of the marriage alliance, though unwilling, she didn’t resist desperately as rumored. She still remembered that day when Princess Yuanrong entered the bridal sedan, bowing long before her with a smile of farewell: “This daughter departs with mountains high and waters long, not knowing if there will be opportunity to return to Great Jin’s soil and view Ningshui Valley’s peach blossoms with Mother Empress together.” She said slowly: “Take care.”

Whenever Empress Dowager Yide recalled Princess Yuanrong’s farewell bow, her heart felt excruciating pain. Afterward, as Princess Yuanrong said, with mountains high and waters long, mother and daughter were separated by death, never again able to view Ningshui Valley’s newly bloomed peach flowers together.

Now Jiang Ruan’s attire was exactly like Princess Yuanrong’s. When she bowed long, there was that familiar feeling, and her words made Empress Dowager Yide seem to see Princess Yuanrong’s voice and smile across decades. She suddenly closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

Those who knew of past events were now almost all gone from court. The private words between Princess Yuanrong and her wouldn’t be known by a second person. Jiang Ruan was now only so young – naturally this wasn’t someone deliberately instructing her.

Looking at Jiang Ruan, she increasingly felt the resemblance.

In this world, was there reincarnation? If truly so, could Jiang Ruan be Princess Yuanrong returned?

Empress Dowager Yide didn’t know that Jiang Ruan was indeed a reincarnated person, but not that kind, understanding Princess Yuanrong who sacrificed herself for the greater good. She was the previous life’s weak, ignorant Jiang Ruan reincarnated – the one deceived and covered in bloody tears – reborn as the current Jiang Ruan who spoke and laughed while secretly killing like hemp.

Worldly cycles have their own karma. What Xuan Li told her in the previous life had all become her best tools against Xuan Li in this life.

The longer Empress Dowager Yide remained silent, the more it appeared to everyone that she increasingly pitied Jiang Ruan, this ill-fated Minister’s residence daughter. Seeing this, Princess He Yi’s eyes flashed with displeasure, her gaze toward Jiang Ruan carrying some malice. Jiang Susu’s face paled – already fair-skinned, she now looked like a white sheet of paper. Her usually ethereal features now appeared bland and tasteless, actually showing sickly decline.

Seeing Jiang Ruan hadn’t taken the opportunity to make other requests, Consort Chen’s smile became more gentle, even containing faint sympathy and comfort, like a girl passing by a Jiangnan lakeside accidentally seeing an injured rabbit and holding it tenderly in her palms. She said: “Poor child, the departed are gone – you should look more toward the future.”

The future? She would certainly look toward the future. Jiang Ruan lowered her head slightly. In the future, she would watch these people collapse and be destroyed bit by bit, becoming sacrifices for revenge.

“Thank you for Your Ladyship’s consideration,” Jiang Ruan said.

“This palace suddenly remembered something,” Consort Chen smiled toward the Emperor. “Your Majesty, previously this subject found this Miss Jiang quite good – proper in advance and retreat, very well-mannered. This subject’s heart was quite fond. Now hearing her speak thus, this subject also feels heartache. This subject humbly requests Your Majesty grant this subject a wish.”

“What wish does beloved consort have?” The Emperor held high position without much womanly compassion. His memories of Princess Yuanrong were already quite faint. To him, Jiang Ruan was no different from others. Hearing Consort Chen ask thus, he naturally inquired.

Consort Chen smiled at Jiang Ruan: “Such a well-behaved child – this subject wonders if there’s that fortune to have her as this subject’s daughter-in-law.”

Silence. Complete silence throughout the hall.

Upon hearing Consort Chen complete this sentence, Jiang Susu’s face immediately turned deathly pale, even her lips white, her entire being swaying as if about to fall backward. Fortunately Xia Yan quietly supported her, or some accident would certainly have occurred.

The Zhao family’s expressions also tensed. What did Consort Chen mean by this?

“Beloved consort means…” the Emperor asked.

“Little Eight has now reached marriageable age, but this Miss Jiang is still young. They could be engaged first, and after her coming-of-age ceremony, she could enter Little Eight’s residence as the head mistress – Little Eight’s primary consort.”

If before there was silence, now one could only hear everyone’s sharp intakes of breath.

Actually the primary consort.

Though Jiang Quan’s status wasn’t low, for Jiang Ruan to become the Eighth Prince’s consort was still somewhat above her station. A secondary consort would be more appropriate. From Consort Chen’s earlier words, everyone thought she wanted to take Jiang Ruan as a secondary consort. Who knew she immediately wanted Jiang Ruan as primary consort? Now anyone with insight knew the Eighth Prince might be the future heir apparent, the Great Jin Dynasty’s future Emperor. Wouldn’t Jiang Ruan become Empress? This was tremendously profitable.

Jiang Quan’s expression was complex. He’d always wanted to build relationships with Xuan Li, and to maintain more stable relations, having a daughter marry over would be best. Now Consort Chen had spoken his secret wish aloud – naturally he couldn’t ask for more. But why was that person Jiang Ruan? Why not Jiang Susu?

Jiang Xinzhi clenched his fists tightly. He hadn’t expected his good intentions to become the current situation. Though he didn’t favor Xiao Shao, he liked Xuan Li even less. Regardless, Xuan Li was imperial family – what were imperial family members? Wives and concubines in abundance, with rear courtyard scheming more dangerous than court. How could he let Jiang Ruan go to such a place? Why would Consort Chen drag Jiang Ruan into this? Wouldn’t Jiang Susu be better – Jiang Quan would be happy, achieving two goals. Why specifically Jiang Ruan? Jiang Xinzhi decided that if the Emperor agreed, even risking all his achievements to resist the imperial decree, he would secure Jiang Ruan’s freedom.

From the moment Xiao Shao heard Consort Chen’s request, he frowned, his beautiful eyes showing cold light like finest black gems. However, his long lashes lowered to hide his emotions, only his overall aura becoming more aloof.

He looked toward Jiang Ruan. She lowered her head slightly, her expression unclear. Xiao Shao’s heart stirred – regardless of anything else, Jiang Ruan was ultimately just an eleven-year-old girl. She hated Xuan Li so much for unknown reasons, but certainly wouldn’t willingly marry him. Consort Chen was favored before the Emperor – if the Emperor agreed, Jiang Ruan absolutely couldn’t resist the decree.

His heroic brows furrowed tightly. Actually, there weren’t no solutions. If he stepped forward now and told the Emperor he wished to request Jiang Ruan’s hand, it could avoid Jiang Ruan’s fate of marrying Xuan Li. But Jiang Ruan might not want to marry him either. Having taken charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and often traveling outside, Xiao Shao had absorbed some jianghu customs, but he understood capital aristocratic family rules. He understood what marriage meant for women. With his nature, he hadn’t planned to marry in this lifetime. Jiang Ruan was his lifesaver – even though this lifesaver was currently only eleven years old, if she encountered danger, Xiao Shao would certainly honor his oath and help her.

But changing from the Eighth Prince’s residence to Prince Jinying’s residence – would Jiang Ruan truly be willing?

Pure Consort suddenly laughed “pfft”: “How is sister randomly playing matchmaker? Setting aside whether the Eighth Prince knows of this matter, just the Miss Jiang before us is also Minister Jiang’s precious daughter. Why doesn’t sister ask whether Miss Jiang is willing to marry the Eighth Prince?”

Despite such pointed confrontation, Consort Chen didn’t even furrow her brow, instead looking toward Jiang Ruan with increasingly gentle, amiable tone: “This palace forgot – Miss Jiang, do you fancy my Little Eight?”

This question was intimate and playful, like an ordinary family’s common woman’s teasing. But Jiang Ruan silently sneered inwardly. What an excellent question from Consort Chen! What could she say? Say no – that would be looking down on Xuan Li. Not to mention before so many people, even the Emperor wouldn’t spare her first. But say she liked him – wouldn’t that be jumping into a fire pit with eyes wide open?

Everyone held their breath, waiting to hear Jiang Ruan’s answer. The female guests were naturally indignant, while among the male guests, Gu Yi, Jiang Xinzhi and others wished they could rush up and immediately take Jiang Ruan away from this place of trouble. Dong Ying’er and Zhao Jin secretly sweated for Jiang Ruan – they naturally knew Jiang Ruan had never intended to marry into the imperial family. Zhao Guang’s heart shook violently. His just-acknowledged granddaughter would so quickly be drawn into this succession struggle. For the first time, Zhao Guang felt his powerlessness. He didn’t dare risk the entire General’s residence to help Jiang Ruan resist the decree, even though his heart was bleeding. Following the female family members, Lady Li in the women’s section nearly tore her handkerchief to pieces, her eyes filled with life-and-death anguish.

Jiang Ruan appeared quite troubled, not immediately answering: “This…”

She lowered her head deeper, while inwardly counting calmly.

Consort Chen smiled more deeply: “Such a shy child indeed. Your Majesty, this subject sees this as an excellent match. Would Your Majesty be willing to play Cupid once and find Little Eight a suitable person?”

The Emperor appeared comfortable and showed no inclination to object.

Xiao Shao’s expression was cold. After thinking, he placed one hand on his teacup, about to stand and request Jiang Ruan’s hand from the Emperor. Just as he was about to rise, he heard a cold, hard voice: “This dowager is unwilling.”

Jiang Ruan’s heart had just counted to three when she heard this, smiled slightly, slowly raised her head, and followed that person’s words with firm tone: “Replying to Your Ladyship Consort, Ruan is unwilling.”