Zheng Bao saw Jiang Xuening out, his expression showing no fluctuation. It was as if what they had discussed over the past two hours wasn’t something earth-shattering that would cost heads if exposed. He simply stood by the door and said: “Security on the day of the marriage alliance will inevitably be strict. There won’t be much time for Miss to act. This is all Zheng Bao can help with. For the rest, I must ask Second Miss Jiang to plan carefully.”

Jiang Xuening stared at him blankly.

Her footsteps had been heavy when she came, and they felt even heavier when she left. Several times she opened her mouth but couldn’t speak.

Zheng Bao’s pair of peaceful, clear eyes seemed to see the guilt and unease welling up in her heart. He smiled at her reassuringly and said: “Her Highness the Grand Princess is a good person. This humble one should repay kindness received. Moreover, according to Second Miss Jiang’s plan, even if the matter is discovered, it will at most be a crime of negligence. Since the decision has already been made, please do not hesitate, Miss.”

In her previous life, Zheng Bao had been saved by Shen Jie. After Shen Jie ascended the throne, he had served at Shen Jie’s side year-round, visible everywhere, doing everything carefully and meticulously without any leaks. It was just that this person was truly inconspicuous, and Jiang Xuening normally paid little attention to him. Only at the very end, when Xie Wei and Yan Lin rebelled, did this person silently draw his sword and die for his master, making others realize that within the palace there had been such an iron-boned, hot-blooded man.

She was silent for a long while.

But as for saying apologetic words—she was the one asking him to “repay kindness,” so she truly had no qualification or position to do so. She could only bow in courtesy before descending the steps, toward this person she hadn’t given a second thought to in her previous life.

Because their plotting was so secretive, she had come out alone today. On her way back, she walked slowly through the streets.

The sounds of common life were all around her ears.

Yet Jiang Xuening’s mind was somewhat distracted. When she reached the area near Liuli Factory, she went to find Zhou Yinzhi once more. In her previous life, Zhou Yinzhi had betrayed her, so she didn’t dare trust him completely. Without revealing her entire plan, she only instructed him to handle a few matters. After hearing him agree, she finally returned to the Jiang manor.

By this time, the sun was already setting in the west.

Prince Linzi Shen Jie’s consort selection was today. If things were similar to her previous life, the results should already be out by now. Without her interference, and with Jiang Xuehui bringing the embroidered handkerchief, in this lifetime she should finally have her heart’s desire, right?

Indeed, as she stepped through the gate, she saw the maids all talking and smiling.

Passing through the hall, she also saw some rewards bestowed from the palace displayed inside.

Jiang Xuening pondered—in her previous life, her reputation hadn’t been very good, and that old hag in the palace had strongly opposed it, yet Shen Jie had directly chosen her who held the red ginger flower handkerchief. In this lifetime, Jiang Xuehui’s reputation had similarly been affected by her, and there were likely some criticisms and resistance in the palace too, yet Shen Jie had still chosen Jiang Xuehui without any suspense.

Though he didn’t show it outwardly, he certainly valued old affections in his heart.

Meng Shi’s and Jiang Xuehui’s courtyards were both on the east side. Guessing they should be happy and content, she couldn’t be bothered to seek them out and spoil their mood. Changing direction, she prepared to pass through the covered walkway, through the hanging flower gate, and circle around the west side to return to her own courtyard.

Who would have thought that before she got there, a commotion came from the other end.

It actually sounded like Jiang Xuehui.

“Mother! Why must you do this? Please don’t go!”

“Let go, don’t stop me! Originally it was a perfectly good match, practically assured, but if not for her ruining our reputation and interfering, how could someone have stolen it away midway? At her age! About to be married off, yet still running around outside mixing with who knows whom! All the proper upbringing we had people teach her has long been thrown away somewhere—what will people say if this gets out? I must go see when she’s finally willing to come home!”

“Mother—”

Meng Shi was full of anger, her face taut, walking quickly ahead.

The maids didn’t dare stop her; Jiang Xuehui couldn’t stop her.

Jiang Xuening, hearing this, vaguely felt these words seemed directed at her. Her footsteps had just paused when she turned her head to look and came face to face with Meng Shi emerging from the other side.

Meng Shi was usually a refined noble lady, but at this moment her expression was unprecedentedly ugly. Upon seeing Jiang Xuening, she immediately shouted: “Perfect timing that you’re back! Stop right there!”

Jiang Xuening frowned, not understanding what was happening.

She glanced to the side at Jiang Xuehui, only to discover the other’s complexion was somewhat pale. Though her expression was calm, she couldn’t hide a trace of dimness at the corners of her eyes and brows—she actually seemed quite dissatisfied.

Wasn’t the Princess Consort of Prince Linzi position already secure?

What more could there be to be dissatisfied about?

Jiang Xuening coldly laughed internally and was already quite impatient with Meng Shi: “What does Mother want?”

“What is it? Could you really not know what it is? Our Jiang family, and sister Hui, have practically become the laughingstock of the entire capital!” If she hadn’t spoken it would have been fine, but once she did with that self-righteous attitude, it made Meng Shi’s heart even more blocked. “If not for you ruining the family’s reputation, mixing and carousing with people everywhere, how would any of this have happened?”

Only then did Jiang Xuening detect the implications.

Her eyebrows arched upward with genuine surprise: “Don’t tell me the princess consort position wasn’t selected?”

This time she was truly caught off guard—this surprise held no pretense whatsoever.

But in Meng Shi’s eyes, it was extremely grating.

No matter how she heard it, it sounded like provocation; no matter how she looked at it, it seemed like mockery!

Jiang Xuening’s gaze then shifted from her to Jiang Xuehui. She only felt this matter was somewhat inconceivable—firstly because in her previous life, Shen Jie had ignored others’ words and selected her, and secondly because when she returned just now, she had clearly seen things in the hall bestowed from the palace for a joyous occasion.

If she hadn’t been selected, why would they bestow these?

Unless…

A possibility emerged in her mind, but it seemed rather absurd. She shook her head and muttered: “That’s truly very strange.”

Meng Shi finally could bear it no longer.

When she came out from Jiang Xuehui’s courtyard, many maids and matrons had been following her. Halfway there, she saw Jiang Xuening returning from outside at this hour—how many daughters of good families in the capital were like this?

Earlier entangled with Yan Lin, now mixed up with that Xiao Dingfei!

The entire inner residence of the Jiang family was losing all face because of her!

Meng Shi’s face was covered with frost as she said coldly: “In the past, you were led astray by those with ulterior motives. You could always find people to protect you—even the master couldn’t control you, nothing could be said. But Prince Linzi’s consort selection concerns your sister’s lifelong happiness, yet it suffered from your reputation’s drag, losing the primary consort position for nothing! Even getting a secondary consort position still subjects her to gossip! You’ve already passed your nineteenth birthday—you’re long past the age to be running wild outside. If we don’t restrain and discipline you now, who knows what greater disaster you’ll cause in the future!”

Jiang Xuening was immediately stunned: It really was a secondary consort position?

She looked toward Jiang Xuehui.

What Jiang Xuehui recalled was the embarrassment she had faced during the consort selection. Even though Wen Zhaoyi had spoken for her, Xiao Shu’s barbed words and others’ eyes containing mockery had still made her feel a rare sense of humiliation.

Meng Shi waved to two burly matrons beside her and said: “Take Second Miss back for me right now. Starting today, she’s confined to the manor. Have her properly copy the Admonitions for Women a hundred or eighty times! Without my permission, no one is allowed to let her leave!”

The matrons received their orders and immediately walked toward Jiang Xuening.

After all, Meng Shi was the mistress. Though they knew Jiang Xuening wasn’t easy to provoke, this time she had dragged down the eldest miss’s selection as Prince Linzi’s consort. Even if the master came, he probably wouldn’t give her a pleasant face. So gritting their teeth and steeling their hearts, they had already decided to use force the moment Jiang Xuening showed signs of resistance.

The development of events was completely beyond Jiang Xuening’s expectations. Jiang Xuehui actually hadn’t been selected as primary consort by Shen Jie. She was first surprised, then naturally felt somewhat amused and took schadenfreude in it.

Who told her she had never been very fond of Jiang Xuehui?

How strange indeed.

In this lifetime, she hadn’t interfered much, which showed that these two probably had no real fate together.

But Meng Shi attributing this matter to her naturally generated several parts sincere disgust. Seeing two matrons forcing their way toward her, the violent energy in her heart suddenly surged. Her brows furrowed as she grabbed a wooden stick from the nearby flower stand and swung it wildly at them!

With a ruthless energy in her heart, she naturally showed no mercy in her strikes.

The wooden stick hitting heads and bodies hurt solidly and truly. Those two matrons hadn’t even managed to touch Jiang Xuening before they were beaten into screaming chaos.

Meng Shi had always known Jiang Xuening was stubborn and unruly, but she hadn’t expected her to not only dare resist but dare to fight back. Nearly fainting from anger, she cursed: “Rebellion! Rebellion! This is truly outrageous rebellion!”

The commotion in the covered walkway was quite considerable.

Jiang Boyou was returning from the government office, just leading Xie Wei toward his study when he walked over and saw Jiang Xuening holding a stick, beating servants with a face full of violent energy. His brows immediately furrowed as he shouted: “What is all this?! Put it down immediately!”

With a “thud,” after hearing the voice, Jiang Xuening struck the matron on the left’s back with another blow, causing her to collapse to the ground. She looked back once before throwing the stick to the ground and dusting off her hands.

Meng Shi trembled with anger, pointing at her: “Master, look at her—with this lawless appearance now, she clearly can’t be controlled anymore!”

Jiang Boyou sighed internally and only asked: “What happened?”

Jiang Xuening stood in place, a cold smile playing at the corners of her lips, not responding.

Xie Wei stood beside Jiang Boyou and also stopped.

Having come directly from the Grand Secretariat, inside he wore a black crossed-collar deep robe layered up to below his neck, exposing his prominent Adam’s apple. His official robes removed, rarely was he not wearing his usual Daoist robes—instead, he had changed into a dark blue crane cloak embroidered with silver cloud and thunder patterns.

His form like a sword atop a mountain peak, his eyes like twin handfuls of snow at the bottom of a cliff.

Compared to his usual Daoist robes that gave him the air of a reclusive sage, today, though he still had that transcendent quality like clear wind and bright moon, he carried several parts more of a lofty, noble austerity measured in thousands of feet.

The situation within the Jiang manor and Jiang Xuening’s usual conduct—though he appeared to be an outsider, in reality he knew them in great detail. His gaze fell on Jiang Xuening, then swept in a circle to Meng Shi, Jiang Xuehui, and that wooden stick on the ground. The smile at the corners of his lips became slightly shallower.

Meng Shi said: “She’s always going out to make trouble and cause chaos. This concubine intended to discipline her, but she’s so used to being unruly that not only is she completely disobedient, she even picks up sticks to beat and scold servants! If this continues, the Jiang family’s reputation will be completely ruined by her!”

Jiang Boyou was truly somewhat vexed.

No one wanted outsiders to see the bad things in their own family, yet right now there was an outside guest. With a glance, he knew the key issue lay with Jiang Xuening, so he said: “These days, gossip has indeed been spreading everywhere throughout the capital. Ning girl, though your mother’s words are somewhat overcautious, they do have some merit. You’re approaching twenty years of age and preparing to discuss marriage. Even for your own good, you should restrain yourself somewhat. Today we won’t pursue the matter—everyone go back to your rooms first.”

Jiang Boyou’s words seemed to admonish Jiang Xuening, but they really had the meaning of lifting heavily and setting down lightly. Meng Shi was already full of resentment, and at this moment inevitably lost her composure, revealing some dissatisfaction: “But Master, if not for her ruining the family’s reputation and dragging down sister Hui, how would sister Hui have been laughed at today and only obtained a secondary consort position?!”

Jiang Boyou’s expression immediately changed.

Jiang Xuehui also realized Meng Shi’s words were very inappropriate at this moment. She tugged at Meng Shi’s sleeve, wanting to first persuade her to leave together.

But unexpectedly, Xie Wei, who had been standing to the side without speaking for so long, suddenly gave a soft laugh.

His features were those of a banished immortal—his smile was truly beautiful to behold.

Yet when his gentle voice emerged, it inexplicably made people feel uneasy. He actually addressed Meng Shi: “Madam still finds the secondary consort position to His Highness Prince Linzi insufficient?”

Meng Shi froze.

She had met this Mentor Xie in the past—his manner refined, possessing the lingering presence of ancient sages, his speech making people feel like bathing in spring breeze. But his current words gave her an inexplicable sense of dread.

She suddenly didn’t know how to respond.

Xie Wei didn’t even glance at Jiang Boyou beside him. Instead, he turned his eyes to look at Jiang Xuening, seeing her stare at him blankly, as if she hadn’t expected him to speak. His heart suddenly spread with a layer of gloom.

Yet his face remained clear as moonlight and wind, revealing not a trace of his thoughts.

He only beckoned to her: “Ning’er, come here.”

Jiang Xuening didn’t understand why, but ever since the Tongzhou matter concluded, her relationship with this mentor could be considered harmonious. Thinking he had something to say, she didn’t think much of it and walked toward him.

Standing before him, she was still shorter by more than half a head.

Xie Wei had originally been holding a snow-white brocade handkerchief. After appraising her, his brows furrowed slightly, then he casually handed the handkerchief to her. Without raising his head, he continued: “In the Tongzhou incident, your daughter was also involuntarily drawn into danger. For Madam to blame a child who was trapped in peril and nearly lost her life is truly rather biased.”

Only then did Meng Shi realize the words were directed at her, and moreover directly saying she was biased!

Her face immediately alternated between green and white.

Even though Xie Wei was the Imperial Mentor and Jiang Boyou’s friend despite their age difference, at this moment his words were protecting Jiang Xuening, causing her to feel some dissatisfaction. But the other’s status was truly extraordinary—even Jiang Boyou usually didn’t dare offend him and was quite careful—so she forced herself to smile and said: “It’s not that this concubine is biased. The affairs of our Jiang manor’s inner residence are not known to others. Mentor Xie truly doesn’t know the full situation.”

Jiang Xuening actually didn’t care much about what was happening behind her. After receiving Xie Wei’s handkerchief, she was somewhat puzzled.

Had something gotten on her face?

She picked it up and wiped her face, but the handkerchief was clean and dry, without half a trace of dirt.

Xie Wei lowered his eyelids to look, calmly reminding her: “Wipe your hands.”

Jiang Xuening looked down and only then discovered both her hands were covered in dirt and grime.

It must have gotten on them when she grabbed the wooden stick to beat people earlier.

She said “Oh,” thanked her mentor, and began wiping her hands.

Xie Wei observed her, unable to see obvious joy or anger on her face. The sadness and mockery that had flashed across her features when she threw down the stick seemed to have never existed at all. Even the people standing behind her seemed not to be her closest kin. His heart then recalled how on the return journey from Tongzhou that day, when she sat in his carriage reading the letter Jiang Boyou had written, she had seemed to have this same numb expression.

Sometimes in this world, the closer the kin, the deeper the hurt.

In this moment, he wanted to reach out and pat Jiang Xuening’s head, tell her not to be sad, but in the end he restrained himself. Watching her wipe the snow-white handkerchief until it was completely soiled, he smiled coolly and raised his eyes to look at Meng Shi: “The private matters of your manor’s inner residence—outsiders truly don’t know. Though Miss Jiang’s past circumstances occurred long ago, and she was raised at Madam’s knee and reported as legitimate-born, that was also appropriate. After all, the imperial family hasn’t investigated. But if one isn’t content and others investigate and pursue the matter, covering it with a charge of deceiving the sovereign would ultimately be unpleasant. Though Ning’er is willful as a student, she also shows filial devotion to her teacher. Young girls have impetuous temperaments and are indeed difficult to tame. Xie presumes to be bold and plead on her behalf—I must ask Madam to treat her with magnanimity.”

A voice without half an edge, yet falling into ears it splashed up thunderous reverberations!

Meng Shi’s heart was greatly shaken.

She raised her head to meet Xie Wei’s gaze—a pair of gentle, deep, tranquil eyes, his smile like spring mountains.