Chapter 72: The Tamed Fox
After the heavy rain, the ground was covered with clear puddles, and Huaiyu looked down, seeing the faces of the crowd reflected in the small pools.
Jiu Wu was genuinely angry, his sword-like brows furrowed as he met Old Master Jiang’s gaze directly, like a hen protecting her chicks. Opposite him, the old master’s eyes were sharp as an eagle’s, and his dragon-headed cane sent ripples across the puddles.
“Are you talking about the Eldest Princess of Danyang?” he asked. “The one who was sentenced to death for killing Prime Minister Sima?”
“Killed Prime Minister Sima?” Bai Ai couldn’t hold back any longer and stepped forward, saying, “Who exactly killed Prime Minister Sima is known best to Ziyang Jun. The princess was wrongfully executed back then; are you trying to wrong her again?!”
“The case of Sima Xu seems to have yielded no results,” Jiang Chong chimed in from behind. “No one can be certain that Danyang is innocent.”
Bai Ai laughed in anger: “You’re speaking nonsense with your eyes wide open! Qi Han killed Sima Xu and framed the Eldest Princess. Ziyang Jun, without distinguishing right from wrong, sent the poisoned wine to the princess! He felt guilty, which is why he reopened this case. The person is right here; you can ask her!”
Everyone turned to Jiang Xuanjin, who stood stiffly in front of the Jiang family, silent for a moment before nodding: “Sima Xu was indeed killed by Qi Han. The emperor sheltered Qi Han and did not convict him.”
The old master was momentarily speechless and then turned to Li Huaiyu, sneering: “So you married into my Jiang family to settle scores? My son obeyed the imperial decree and delivered poisoned wine. You don’t resent the one who issued the decree, yet you, under the name of my Jiang family’s daughter-in-law, rebelled, trying to drag my entire Jiang family down with you?!”
Li Huaiyu pressed her lips together: “I never intended to rebel.”
“Old Master, please understand the situation before speaking,” Jiu Wu said. “After all, you are an elder. Isn’t it unwise to accuse someone without understanding? Why did the princess bear the label of rebellion? Wasn’t it to save Ziyang Jun? Who would have thought she would save an ungrateful wolf!”
“Who are you calling a wolf?” Jiang Yan pushed through the crowd and stood in front of Jiang Xuanjin, frowning. “Your Highness has a notorious reputation. She ruined her credibility, yet you blame my uncle for not trusting her? What did my uncle know at that time? All he saw was you attacking the imperial study! Who would think you were there to save someone?”
“Is it so hard to ask?” Bai Ai said. “If he had even a shred of marital affection, he wouldn’t have put a sword to the princess’s neck!”
“How should my uncle have asked?” Jiang Yan sneered. “After finally agreeing to marry, he brought home a wolf in sheep’s clothing! For the past six months, hasn’t my uncle treated her well? If she had confessed to my uncle earlier, would it have come to this?”
“Confess?” Qing Xian scoffed. “To tell Ziyang Jun that she is the reincarnated Eldest Princess? The outcome would probably be worse than now.”
“So, what was the princess’s intention in approaching Xuanjin?” The old master’s gaze darkened. “Knowing there is a deep-seated enmity, yet still marrying him?”
“Isn’t it simple? To get close to my uncle for revenge!” Jiang Yan said. “We all thought she was the Bai family’s fourth fool; she must have been laughing at us all along, playing us for fools.”
“Ziyang Jun was wrongfully executed first. The princess deceived Ziyang Jun later,” Jiu Wu said. “Please, everyone, distinguish clearly; without cause, there would be no effect.”
Jiang Xuanjin’s expression darkened, and Li Huaiyu lowered her eyes, remaining silent.
The things they had been avoiding were now being unearthed in broad daylight, with their closest people on both sides confronting each other. Old Master Jiang looked genuinely furious, while Jiu Wu’s side was also ablaze with anger. If it weren’t for the two of them in the middle, a fight might have broken out.
“Since there is a cause and effect, then please, Your Highness, show mercy and spare my son!” Old Master Jiang slammed his dragon-headed cane down, splashing water everywhere.
“That should be what the princess says!” Qing Xian sneered. “If it weren’t for the emperor insisting on keeping her, the princess would have left long ago. Who would want to be with you? It reeks of false nobility.”
“True villains naturally think gentlemen are falsely noble,” Jiang Yan retorted. “My family is composed of upright people, unlike you who are in the harem as concubines!”
This remark was harsh, and Li Huaiyu’s face instantly darkened.
“What’s wrong with being a concubine?” she scoffed, pointing her chin at Qing Xian and Jiang Yan. “When he was single-handedly eliminating corruption, young Master Jiang was probably still drinking milk.”
Jiang Yan was taken aback, turning his face away: “A concubine living off a woman’s money can eliminate corruption? Who would believe that?”
“Believe it or not,” Huaiyu shot him a mocking smile. “Those who consider themselves noble always think everyone else is drunk while they alone are sober, holding onto useless airs and outdated rules. Besides being used by others, they can only slander others’ rights and wrongs.”
“What do you mean?” Jiang Xuanjin asked coldly.
“What do you mean, can’t you tell?” Seeing his expression, Li Huaiyu’s sarcasm deepened. “Your Jiang family is a prestigious family, so naturally, you disdain to associate with us lowly people.”
She could endure anything said about her, no matter how harshly she was scolded; she was used to it. But to speak ill of the people behind her, Huaiyu could not tolerate.
Which of these people didn’t have lofty ambitions? They had made a tremendous decision to walk this treacherous path with her. Their contributions were no less than those of officials from the previous dynasty. Why should they stand here and be insulted?
Her jaw tightened, and Jiang Xuanjin felt a surge of anger.
He had already taken many steps forward, reaching her doorstep, but for these people, she had firmly closed the door.
It made him seem somewhat ridiculous.
It felt like she had many important things in her heart: her royal brother, her concubines, and Lu Jingxing. Each one was placed ahead of him, and every time they conflicted, she would unhesitatingly abandon him.
What was this?
His fingertips tightened, and Jiang Xuanjin gathered his hands: “Is the princess’s mind made up?”
“I dare not trouble His Majesty any further.” Huaiyu cupped her hands to him and then to Old Master Jiang. “Let’s part ways here.”
“Safe travels, no need to see you off!” Old Master Jiang said coldly.
With a snap of her fingers, Li Huaiyu turned back, saying with great flair, “Let’s set off.”
Jiu Wu and the others lowered their heads in agreement, stepping aside to let her go first. Bai Ai glanced at her, seeing that she didn’t seem to have any sadness, and finally let out a sigh of relief.
They all knew that Ziyang Jun was the princess’s calamity; parting was better than clinging together, and short pain was better than long pain.
“Huaiyu!” Not far away, Xu Chuniang hurriedly chased after her, lifting her skirt.
Li Huaiyu turned back, smiling at her: “Are you going to come with us?”
“Mm!” Xu Chuniang nodded, then pulled her to look back, saying, “Today, it was that Bai second young lady who led the old master here; she wants to make things difficult for you!”
“Normal,” Huaiyu shrugged. “As a legitimate young lady, she has been bullied by me, the fourth fool, for so long. Once she has the chance, she will seek revenge.”
“But are you going to let her succeed?” Xu Chuniang said with some regret.
Huaiyu patted her hand and continued walking forward: “Even without her, Jiang Xuanjin and I would eventually reach this point.”
She had been avoiding it, pretending not to know what had happened, using their collaboration as an excuse to fulfill her pitiful selfishness. However, they couldn’t collaborate for a lifetime, nor could they continue to enjoy the good times. This had been predetermined from the start.
There was a bit of unwillingness in her heart, but it was only a little.
If only there were a next life, she wouldn’t be the powerful Eldest Princess; she would be an innocent little girl, sitting on the wall waiting for him to pass by, then jumping down to surprise him, letting him take her home. She wouldn’t deceive him or scheme against him; she would just spoil him and coax him.
Raindrops fell, splashing into the puddles and shattering a pale face.
Xu Chuniang hurriedly handed her a handkerchief: “Don’t cry, don’t cry! I won’t mention those things anymore!”
“I’m not crying,” Li Huaiyu said, confused, wiping her face and then looking up at the sky. “It’s raining, right?”
Jiu Wu fell silent, cooperatively holding his sleeve over her head, pretending it was raining.
Huaiyu laughed heartily, wiping her face vigorously with the handkerchief: “Let’s go home!”
Yes, let’s go home.
Someone had once placed their hand in hers, gently answering that. The voice passed through time, carrying a faint fragrance, ringing clearly in her mind.
Huaiyu looked down at her hand, smiling as she clenched it into a fist, tucking it into her sleeve as she walked forward.
“Xu Chuniang!” Jiang Shen chased after her, angrily asking, “Where are you going?”
Chuniang turned back, frowning: “I’m going to accompany Huaiyu.”
“Why are you accompanying her?” Jiang Shen was slightly angry. He was also injured, though not severely, but she didn’t even bother to ask him a single question!
Calmly looking at him, Chuniang asked, “What should I stay here for?”
To continue watching him and the solitary phoenix entangled together, or to keep making him various dishes, only to be ignored and cast aside?
Jiang Shen frowned, unsure how to respond.
Chuniang bowed to him, then turned and chased after the others.
“Master.” The solitary phoenix came up to support Jiang Shen, softly asking, “Are you alright?”
Jiang Shen stopped his steps, which had been about to chase after her, and smiled lightly: “What’s wrong with me? If she leaves, it’s her loss. Can’t I live without her?”
Indeed, Xu Chuniang had always been a dispensable person. His reluctance was merely a matter of habit. Her face had already turned sour enough; if she refused to step down and insisted on leaving, what could he force?
The charming second young master of the Jiang family, how could he cling to a woman?
Gently brushing his robe, Jiang Shen casually turned his head: “Go back and report to the old master. I’ve done my best; it’s not my fault.”
The solitary phoenix nodded with a smile: “I understand.”
Ning Zhendong, who had been watching the commotion from the back, smiled slightly and waved for someone to come, instructing them to relay the news back to the capital.
The complete break between the Eldest Princess and Ziyang Jun was excellent news.
Li Huaiyu and the others traveled overnight, heading straight for Yixian City. Lu Jingxing leaned against the soft pillow inside the carriage, saying, “News from within Danyang indicates that Xu Xian and the others have already helped you clear some minor troubles. When you arrive, you can take over the main city directly.”
“They are always decisive in their actions,” Huaiyu chuckled a glint of light in her eyes. “I initially wanted to take you all to celebrate a peaceful life, but now I have other ideas.”
“Hmm?” Lu Jingxing raised an eyebrow, glancing at her. “What ideas do you have? Just do it; we’re all here.”
“Alright.” Clapping her hands lightly, Huaiyu grinned, “I need to show them what it means to be one foot higher than the devil!”
The news of the Eldest Princess of Danyang’s reincarnation began to spread from Ziyang, reaching back to the capital. The court remained silent, but discussions among the people grew increasingly fervent.
“Hey, have you heard? That disaster from Danyang is still alive.”
“Isn’t that a lie? How could someone dead come back to life?”
“Don’t say that. It’s possible. My distant aunt’s cousin’s niece also suddenly came back to life after dying…”
“Let’s not talk about that. If the Eldest Princess comes back to life, wouldn’t our Northern Wei be in for a change?”
A government carriage passed by, the wind lifting the curtain to reveal Liu Yunlie’s face, full of mockery.
“Seeking death.”
Having kept it a secret, the emperor might not even have an excuse to move against Danyang. By announcing it to the world, she was essentially handing over the handle to the emperor.
The Eldest Princess was a person who deserved to die; the whole world knew that. Once she severed ties with Ziyang Jun, even if she returned to Danyang, she would still be in a precarious situation.
Peeking out from behind the curtain, the sky was overcast, and the dark clouds made one feel uncomfortable. Liu Yunlie suddenly felt that something was off, but for a moment, he couldn’t recall what it was.
Yinping City.
Jiang Xuanjin had been kneeling before the Buddha for three days.
Jiang Chong couldn’t bear to watch and pleaded with the old master: “This isn’t the fault of the third brother; he was deceived…”
“Deceived?” Old Master Jiang sneered. “He was deceived before; what about after she was released from prison? Was he also deceived when he brought her along?”
Jiang Chong was momentarily speechless, helplessly saying, “People are not grass or wood; who can be without feelings? Even if she is from Danyang, they have been married for half a year…”
“My Jiang family’s sons have always been clear about right and wrong; we will not be burdened by emotions.” The old master’s anger was palpable. “He is indeed foolish; being deceived once is not enough, and he is still obsessed! You need not persuade me further. Unless he swears never to associate with that Eldest Princess again, he should not expect to rise!”
Jiang Chong felt helpless, squatting beside Jiang Xuanjin, trying to persuade him: “It’s not difficult to agree to Father’s request, is it?”
Jiang Xuanjin knelt straight, not responding.
“Don’t be so stubborn; what good does it do to be angry with him?” Jiang Chong said. “Moreover, when the princess left, she intended to sever ties with you.”
He had been standing there for so long, and she hadn’t even turned her head once.
Jiang Xuanjin said coldly: “Severing ties is severing ties, but Ziyang and Danyang will inevitably intersect in the future; I cannot swear.”
Jiang Chong was surprised, then delighted: “Is that what’s bothering you? If you had said so earlier, Father is only worried that you might still have feelings. If it’s a matter of business, he certainly won’t blame you. I’ll go talk to him right now!”
A gust of wind brushed by, and Jiang Xuanjin slowly raised his head, looking at the compassionate eyes of the Buddha statue before him.
If the Buddha could truly relieve suffering, why not relieve him? Was it because his past twenty years had been too smooth, getting everything he wanted, that he had to repay in this lifetime?
Then the things he had to repay were far too many.
“Master?” Cheng Xu came in to support him, worry evident in his voice. “You should rest for a while; Yufeng has made porridge.”
Slowly standing up, Jiang Xuanjin pursed his lips and softly said, “I want to eat oranges.”
Oranges? Where could one find oranges in this place? Cheng Xu tentatively said, “The pomelos in Yinping are delicious; would you like to try those?”
Jiang Xuanjin shook his head: “I only want oranges.”
His tone was firm and willful, like a child throwing a tantrum.
Cheng Xu froze in place, his throat suddenly tightening.
He remembered a long time ago when his master was unhappy, the lady would peel oranges for him gently.
“Try this; is it sweet? Sweet, then don’t be angry. Look at you, your beautiful brows are all furrowed.”
“Ah, this one is sour; come kiss me! It’ll suppress the sourness!”
“Wait until next year when the orange tree in the backyard bears fruit; I’ll peel them for you to eat, okay?”
The slightly sour and acidic taste of oranges filled the main building of Moju. His master sat there with a stern face, disdainfully watching the lady jumping around. But when the orange was fed to his lips, he still opened his mouth and bit into it.
The lady must not have known that his master initially didn’t like eating fruit, especially oranges. Most of the oranges sent to Moju would end up in his and Yufeng’s stomachs.
But ever since she came, not a single orange had been left in the main building.
“Should I go find out about her?” Cheng Xu asked. “Calculating the days, she should have arrived in Yixian City by now.”
“No need.” Jiang Xuanjin turned and walked outside. “This prince is not concerned.”
He had just been conferred as Ziyang Jun that year when someone sent him a snow fox. The fox was beautiful but wild, and very wary of people. He found it hard to tame, but the person who sent it said: “This thing is easy to tame; just make the room warm and feed it well. Over time, it will get used to it and won’t want to leave.”
Thinking back, it was indeed this principle; people and animals were the same, inherently craving warmth and comfort. Once tamed by someone, they would willingly stay in their cage.
He couldn’t leave, but the one who tamed him left decisively.
“Your Majesty.” Yufeng entered from outside, cupping his hands. “Ning County Magistrate sent word that several important ministers from the main city have arrived in Yinping. If you have time, you should meet them this afternoon.”
Jiang Xuanjin came back to his senses. He asked, “Which ministers have come?”
Yufeng replied: “County Magistrate Tang Zhong, along with Liu Gong and Qian Wenshu, among others.”
“What about Lu Qing?”
Yufeng thought for a moment: “It seems the Ning County Magistrate didn’t mention him.”
Lu Qing was someone from the Jiang family, who had been working for him in Ziyang. Since the Jiang family members had come, he should have come to greet them; how could he not be here?
Thinking carefully, it seemed that it had been half a month since he last received news from him.
His gaze turned cold, and Jiang Xuanjin said: “Cheng Xu, go do something.”
……
Upon reaching Yixian City, the desolate scenery greeted them. Li Huaiyu looked around and said, “We’ve left Ziyang; we can stay here for a while and wait for Qingsi.”
Jiu Wu whispered: “After the commotion with the Jiang family, will His Majesty still send Qingsi back?”
“Others may not, but he definitely will,” Huaiyu said. “Dealing with an upright person has this advantage; you don’t have to worry about him going back on his word or doing something unethical.”
Lu Jingxing’s injuries had improved significantly, and he could now get out of bed. Leaning against the side of the carriage, he rolled his eyes at her: “I say, Miss, you can stop anywhere else, but Yixian City? Look at this place; can anyone live here?”
After walking two miles, there wasn’t even a decent inn. It was autumn, yet it hadn’t rained a drop, and the ground was all hardened clumps of dirt.
“Do you know why Jiang Xuanjin wanted me to help with this place?” Huaiyu asked, crossing her arms.
Lu Jingxing pulled out a small, exquisite fan, shaking it in front of him: “I’m not sure what you can do, but he insists on managing this place that doesn’t belong to Ziyang, which has ulterior motives.”
Waving her hand, Huaiyu said: “He’s truly wrong this time. The only river in this area has been dry for three years because a river in Danyang was redirected. If the border city of Danyang is willing to unblock the dammed river, the drought in Yixian City could be alleviated significantly.”
Lu Jingxing was taken aback: “There’s such a thing as redirecting a river? Who did it?”
Li Huaiyu pointed at herself with great candor.
Lu Jingxing: “……”
“I can’t be blamed. The redirection was decided five years ago. At that time, the county magistrate of Yixian City was dissatisfied with me, so he allowed the people of Yixian City to plunder and rob the neighboring border city of Danyang. Danyang was left without a master, and I was busy dealing with Pingling Jun, so the border city was bullied by the people of Yixian City. The people spontaneously blocked the river. The county magistrate of Yixian City reported it to the court, and I tore up the memorial he sent me and returned it to him.”
Huaiyu shrugged: “If I had had the time back then, I wouldn’t have chosen such a radical method, as it caused a lot of innocent people to suffer.”
Lu Jingxing felt gratified, thinking that Li Huaiyu had calmed down a lot and realized she had been too radical. Just as he was about to praise her, he heard her say: “It would have been better to just bring people to Yixian City and beat that county magistrate up!”
Lu Jingxing: “……”
Jiu Wu nodded in agreement: “The conflict between the two cities started with that county magistrate; the blame should indeed fall on him.”
“Unfortunately, the person has run away now.” Huaiyu sighed, looking around. “There’s only this desolate city left.”
As far as the eye could see was yellow earth, and occasionally, there were figures in the fields, digging through the cracked ground to see if there was anything edible.
“How much silver did we find in that black shop?” Huaiyu asked Jiu Wu.
Jiu Wu replied: “Not much, but not little either; over three hundred taels of silver and more than six hundred taels in silver notes.”
Nodding, Huaiyu looked at Lu Jingxing: “Shall we sell food?”
Lu Jingxing quickly pulled out a small abacus, tapping it as he said: “I’ve never liked doing business in Yixian City, but there’s still a grain shop open at the market. The grain prices here are high; one tael of silver for one dou of rice, and it’s fair to all.”
In normal places, the price of grain was usually thirty wen per Dou, but due to the drought in Yixian City, the land couldn’t produce grain, and they had to rely on imports. The officials stationed here were all ruthless in making money, causing the prices to soar. Those who remained here were either too poor to leave, eating wild vegetables every day, or unwilling to leave their hometown, gritting their teeth to hold on.
“Let’s make a deal,” Li Huaiyu said, smiling as she brushed off the dust from his shoulder. “I’ll deal with the officials, and you handle the grain. Let’s calculate it at fifty wen per dou, how about that?”
Lu Jingxing put away the abacus: “Even good brothers need to keep accounts clear; fifty wen is not a good deal.”
“I pfft!” Huaiyu scolded him, “Are you shameless? A large part of that one tael of silver you sell will go to the officials, right? I’ll bear the pressure from the officials for you; you won’t even have to pay taxes. With a small profit and high sales, are you afraid you won’t make a fortune?”
With a smile in his phoenix eyes, Lu Jingxing shook his fan and said: “If you agree to one request of mine, I’ll help you.”
“You say!”
Pointing at her belly, Lu Jingxing said: “Let it call me ‘dad.’”
Her belly, which was over two months along, was still flat, but when he pointed it out, Li Huaiyu suddenly felt a weight in her heart and instinctively reached down to check.
“Are you crazy?” she frowned. “Calling you ‘godfather’ would be more appropriate.”
Lu Jingxing shook his head: “You know I hate Jiang Xuanjin the most. If I can’t do anything about him, it would be nice to snatch his son.”
This was all an excuse; Huaiyu understood very well that Lu Jingxing was worried she would give birth alone and attract unwanted attention, making it easier to get entangled with the Jiang family.
But… hmph, she said: “Whoever it belongs to is who it belongs to. I’ll bear whatever happens.”
Her words were indeed firm, and Lu Jingxing said: “Can’t you think about the consequences of your actions?”
“I thought about it,” Huaiyu said, hands on her hips, speaking with conviction. “But compared to other things, I think your happiness is more important.”
“For so many years, I’ve troubled you many times. Even if I initially owed you a favor, you’ve long since repaid it. There’s no reason to drag a little one along and make it hard for you to live your own life.”
“Do you think I haven’t thought about just remarrying? Seeing him with Bai Xuanzhi makes me uncomfortable, but I can’t do that.”
With a bitter smile, Huaiyu lowered her gaze: “The child’s father is him; it can’t be anyone else. When he understands, I will tell him he has a proper father, but the grass on his grave is already taller than him.”
Lu Jingxing: “……”
“Don’t worry about this; let someone transport the grain. I’ll go check the county magistrate’s office.”
Taking Qing Xian and Bai Ai with her, she got into the carriage and left.
Lu Jingxing stood stiffly in place, gripping the fan’s ribs until his knuckles turned white. After a long time, he finally opened the fan, blocking his brows and eyes: “Why is this person so ungrateful?”
Not giving him even a chance to overstep.
Jiu Wu looked at him sympathetically: “The princess is doing this for your good.”
“Who cares?” Lu Jingxing muttered, “I want to marry her.”
“But the prince has Jiang Xuanjin in his heart,” Jiu Wu said. “Even if they can’t be together, no one else can enter.”
“Don’t speak so absolutely,” Lu Jingxing snorted. “Until the day I’m in the coffin, who knows what the outcome will be?”
The human heart is inherently changeable; no emotion can last a lifetime, especially between two people separated by distance.
A commotion broke out in Ziyang City.
Ziyang Jun, who was supposed to be welcomed back by several officials from the main city, suddenly changed his mind and mobilized ten thousand troops to station in Yinping. Outsiders were puzzled; why mobilize troops for no reason? Jiang Yan also didn’t understand and didn’t dare to ask Jiang Xuanjin, so he ran to Jiang Shen instead.
Jiang Shen had been punished by family law and had been staying behind closed doors, dazed. Hearing Jiang Yan’s commotion, he impatiently said: “What’s so strange about this? Ziyang is his territory; he can do whatever he wants.”
Jiang Yan shivered in fear, feeling quite wronged: “What’s wrong with you all lately? Uncle doesn’t want to talk to anyone, and even you, Second Uncle, are so irritable.”
Jiang Shen paused, reflecting on himself: “I’ve been a bit troubled lately; perhaps the weather is too cold.”
In the past, when autumn arrived, Xu Chuniang would bring him the newly embroidered cloak, as she was afraid of the cold. She would also worry that he was cold, carefully advising him: “You should wear more clothes.”
That look was truly obedient; although he hadn’t paid much attention, every cloak was very warm.
But this year, there was nothing; not only was there no cloak, but there was also no one.
“Is Uncle missing Second Aunt?” Jiang Yan asked.
Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Jiang Shen propped himself up angrily: “What do I want her for? Is it that the solitary phoenix isn’t obedient enough, or that the snow is not pretty enough?”
“But…” Jiang Yan glanced at him, “Neither of them can read.”
Only Second Aunt would appreciate his writings and happily tell others how amazing Second Young Master was. She understood him but wouldn’t flatter him to his face; if she praised him, it would be behind his back.
“I heard someone say that the one called Chijin, before entering Feiyun Palace, was a young master from Jiangnan’s Zhuang family,” Jiang Yan said. “My father said Second Uncle doesn’t like him.”
Not just dislike? Jiang Shen sneered: “What is the Jiangnan Zhuang family?”
“You don’t know?” Jiang Yan said. “It’s a very famous martial arts family with considerable status in the martial world.”
No matter how prestigious, they were still just a bunch of grass and weeds from the martial world. Jiang Shen looked down, thinking that with Xu Chuniang’s timid nature, she couldn’t be with such a person.
But… what if she had lost her mind?
“Should I write a divorce letter?” Jiang Shen said sarcastically. “To prevent her from learning from Li Huaiyu and writing one to me in return.”
Jiang Yan looked at him: “You are willing to part with her.”
“Why would I be unwilling? A wife like her can marry anyone anywhere,” Jiang Shen said angrily, his expression very unpleasant. “Does she think I can’t live without her?”
“Then you should go tell Uncle,” Jiang Yan said. “Just in time, Yufeng is going to Yixian City; perhaps he can help you take the divorce letter.”
Jiang Shen stiffened, turning his head away: “I’ll take a nap first.”
“Hey, don’t sleep!” Jiang Yan said. “Yufeng is about to set off. If you don’t speak now, it will be too late.”
“…My back hurts.” Jiang Shen lowered his gaze. “Your father was too heavy-handed.”
“How long has it been since that happened? It still hurts?” Jiang Yan sighed, standing up: “Then I’ll go help you speak; wait here.”
Saying that he ran out while shouting: “Yufeng! Yufeng!”
Yufeng was listening to Jiang Xuanjin’s orders when he heard the voice and turned back, only to see the young master peeking in at the door, then quickly retreating.
“Come in and speak,” Jiang Xuanjin said in a flat tone.
“Yes.” Gritting his teeth, Jiang Yan stepped inside, secretly glancing at his uncle, noticing that he seemed to have lost some weight and looked a bit unwell.
Clearly, with the momentum pressing down on Ziyang, he should be a spirited person, yet he looked like he hadn’t fully recovered from a serious illness.
“Speak.” Seeing him silent for a long time, Jiang Xuanjin urged impatiently.
Jiang Yan came back to his senses and immediately said: “Second Uncle wants Yufeng to take a divorce letter to Yixian City; please wait for him.”
A divorce letter? Jiang Xuanjin raised an eyebrow slightly: “He said that himself?”
“Yes, just a moment ago.”
His previously gloomy mood inexplicably lightened a bit, and Jiang Xuanjin said slowly: “Let’s go watch him write it.”