At that moment, looking at his smiling daughter, Jiang Ancheng’s eyes welled up with tears.
His daughter had grown up and could now accomplish what she wanted on her own.
As a father, he felt both ashamed and gratified.
The gratification outweighed the shame. In this world, relying on oneself was always more important than relying on others, even if those others were one’s father, brother, or husband.
“Xiao Yu, please accompany the Earl,” Zhen Shicheng said.
Dressed in casual clothes, Yu Jin bowed to Zhen Shicheng and came to Jiang Ancheng’s side. “Uncle, shall we go?”
Jiang Ancheng looked at the handsome young man, then at his graceful younger daughter. Amidst his joy, he let out a sigh in his heart.
Xiao Yu and Si’er were quite compatible. He’d have to sound out Si’er’s feelings later. If she was willing, he could ask Brother Zhen to be the marriage witness. It would be much more reliable than Si’er’s desire to marry into a noble family.
As for his daughter’s bet with the Old Madam?
Heh, since the authorities had already ruled that Yi’er and Zhu Ziyu were divorced, of course, they should go back on the bet!
Jiang Ancheng decided for his daughter without any psychological burden.
As the crowd dispersed like the ebbing tide, leaving the courtroom cold and empty, Zhen Shicheng walked with his hands behind his back towards a spot.
Zhen Heng stood there, looking lonely now that the spectators had left.
Seeing his father approach, Zhen Heng smiled, “Father.”
Zhen Shicheng’s tone was meaningful: “Well, were you frightened?”
Zhen Heng couldn’t help but look in the direction Jiang Si had left, a clean smile on his face. His voice was even cleaner than his smile: “Your son wasn’t raised to be easily frightened.”
He was fond of that young lady, not because she was a well-bred young woman with a demure smile. From their first chance encounter in the forest, he had accepted her uniqueness.
And just now, he had seen another side of her, radiant and captivating.
When a person becomes increasingly unique in one’s heart, it must be a sign of deeper affection, he thought.
He realized he had fallen in love with her.
He wanted to have breakfast with her, to sleep in each other’s arms, to spend their lives together in joy.
If it were anyone else, he would feel very regretful.
Looking at his son’s expression, Zhen Shicheng suddenly felt a headache coming on.
He had called his son to witness this, intending to make him realize that Miss Jiang wasn’t a conventional well-bred young lady, that she wasn’t compatible with his son who loved reading, poetry, and the refined arts. He had hoped his son would give up on her early.
But judging by this fool’s expression, it seemed he had fallen even deeper…
Oh no, it looked like he was heading down the path of tricking his son with no turning back. He must never let his wife know about this!
As the Shuntian Prefecture grew quieter, a vast crowd surged towards the Zhu family’s main gate, frightening the gatekeepers who hurried to report to Madam Zhu.
Madam Zhu had been waiting in the flower hall of the front courtyard.
The East Peace Earl’s household had suddenly filed for a divorce at the government office. Her husband and son had all gone to the yamen. How had things turned out?
When the servant came to report, Madam Zhu had already walked out of the flower hall and was standing absent-mindedly on the stone steps.
“Ma-Madam, many people have arrived!” the servant reported.
“Where are the Master and Young Master?” she asked.
“I didn’t see the Master or Young Master. There were too many people.”
“Madam—” The steward who had accompanied Zhu Shaoqing and his father to the Shuntian Prefecture rushed in.
Seeing the steward’s face as pale as a ghost, Madam Zhu’s heart sank. She quickly asked, “What happened?”
The steward fell to the ground, weeping bitterly: “Madam, we lost, we lost…”
Madam Zhu staggered backward, quickly reaching out to steady herself against a pillar.
Another servant came running urgently: “Madam, the East Peace Earl is at the gate saying he wants to take away the eldest Miss.”
Madam Zhu’s expression changed several times before she strode out.
Jiang Ancheng hadn’t entered the Zhu family gate but stood waiting beside the stone lion outside.
Accompanied by maids and old women, Madam Zhu stepped over the high threshold. Looking at the sea of people outside the gate, she felt waves of dizziness.
After regaining her composure, Madam Zhu forced a smile and said, “Earl, since you’re here, why not come inside to talk?”
Jiang Ancheng, with a grim face, pulled at the corners of his mouth: “The Shuntian Prefect has already ruled for the divorce of the Zhu and Jiang families. I won’t be entering the Zhu household again. I’ve come to take my granddaughter Yan’yan.”
“That’s impossible!” Madam Zhu was stunned, instinctively looking for Zhu Shaoqing and his father, but only received countless contemptuous gazes.
These gazes seemed to flay Madam Zhu’s body like knives.
“Pah! And they call themselves a scholarly family, yet they raised such a son!” someone in the crowd spat.
“Exactly! To harm his wife just to be with another woman, and when that failed, he wanted to actively be cuckolded so he could divorce her. How can such a person exist in this world…” another voice chimed in.
Madam Zhu felt as if these words were floating in from the horizon, obscured by clouds and mist.
“What are they saying?” she muttered.
The steward leaned in close to Madam Zhu’s ear and said, “Madam, the authorities have ruled that the eldest Miss is to be raised by the First Madam…”
Madam Zhu’s eyes went blank as if she hadn’t understood the steward’s words.
“Madam Zhu, please don’t faint.” A young girl’s gentle voice came like a bucket of ice water poured over her head.
Madam Zhu struggled to lift her eyelids, and a cold, pretty face came into view.
“Fourth Miss Jiang.” Madam Zhu came to her senses, warily eyeing Jiang Si.
Jiang Si took a step forward, smiling gently and harmlessly: “You see, I said I’d come to pick up Yan’yan.”
“You, you—” Madam Zhu pointed at Jiang Si, unable to utter a word, feeling that this overly beautiful face was more terrifying than a demon’s.
Jiang Si’s face turned cold as she addressed the Zhu family steward: “Go and bring out your eldest Miss!”
The Zhu family steward instinctively turned to walk into the mansion, but after a few steps, he suddenly realized: Wait, why am I following the Jiang girl’s orders?
The Zhu family steward hesitated and looked towards Madam Zhu.
Madam Zhu’s expression was numb, showing no reaction.
Yu Jin, standing to the side with several yamen runners, spoke calmly: “Yan’yan, the daughter of Zhu Ziyu and Jiang, has been ruled to be raised by the mother’s side. If your household refuses to comply, I’ll have to go in and bring her out myself.”
An old voice rang out: “Bring out the eldest Miss.”
Madam Zhu’s face changed dramatically, and she almost pounced forward: “My lord, how could you do this?”
Zhu Shaoqing had left the mansion dressed impeccably, but now his clothes were indistinguishable in their original color, covered in yellowish-green unknown substances. Even his hair was dripping with broth, forming icicles in the cold weather.
Zhu Shaoqing raised his eyes to look at the thick, resplendent plaque above the Zhu family gate, muttering, “If a child is not taught, it is the father’s fault. I have sinned, and I must pay for it!”
Jiang Si walked out carrying Yan’yan.
“Auntie, why didn’t Mother come?” the child asked.
“Your mother is making the snacks you like,” Jiang Si replied.
“Really? Can Yan’yan bring some back for Grandfather, Grandmother, and Father to eat?”
Jiang Si paused, glancing at Zhu Shaoqing and Madam Zhu, but blocking the direction where Zhu Ziyu stood.
“Of course,” Jiang Si held Yan’yan tighter, “Yan’yan can discuss it with your mother and ask her to make more.”
In the young daughter’s heart, her father was the most reliable mountain. Whether to topple this mountain in Yan’yan’s heart shouldn’t be her decision to make.
“Let me carry her, children can be quite heavy,” Yu Jin extended his hands.
“Yan’yan might be shy with strangers,” Jiang Si demurred.
Yu Jin smiled gently at the little girl: “Yan’yan, would you like an uncle to carry you?”
Yan’yan tilted her head, looking at the young man with bright black eyes, and reached out her arms: “Big brother, carry me.”