Old Madam Feng was irritated by Jiang Si’s nonchalant attitude, but she could only suppress her anger. She patiently advised, “Princess, you mustn’t be willful, lest you implicate His Highness in the future—”

Jiang Si frowned, interrupting Old Madam Feng’s rambling: “Grandmother, what are you thinking? If I were willful and ignorant before His Majesty, would he tolerate it? As for offending Prince Qi—”

Jiang Si paused, looking at Old Madam Feng with a hint of mockery: “Where did Grandmother hear such idle gossip?”

Old Madam Feng was at a loss for words.

How could one trace the source of such rumors? They had suddenly appeared, reaching her ears and frightening her. Fearing that Prince Qi might take revenge on the Earl’s household if he came to power, she hurried to caution Jiang Si.

Looking at her granddaughter’s stern face, Old Madam Feng felt her temple throb.

How had this girl become so prickly? She couldn’t even accept a well-meant reminder without confrontation. Had becoming a princess made her disregard her grandmother entirely?

Thinking of Jiang Si’s various words and actions since marrying into Prince Yan’s household, the frustration that had been building in Old Madam Feng’s heart for days finally erupted. Her face darkened as she said, “It doesn’t matter where I heard it. What’s important is that since you’re in the royal family now, you must be cautious in your words and actions, lest you offend those you shouldn’t and bring misfortune to your relatives in the future.”

Jiang An Cheng couldn’t help interjecting, “Mother, Si’er has always been sensible. She knows her limits—”

“Silence!” Old Madam Feng, facing her long-disliked eldest son, didn’t hold back and snapped at him.

Seeing her father treated this way, Jiang Si’s gaze grew colder. She raised an eyebrow and asked, “Who does Grandmother think shouldn’t be offended?”

Old Madam Feng remained silent, her face stern.

Jiang Si smiled and uttered three words: “Prince Qi?”

Old Madam Feng didn’t want to create too much tension with her granddaughter who had become a princess. She sighed and said, “Si’er, Grandmother isn’t blaming you. It’s just that Prince Qi truly can’t be offended. He’s now the eldest prince after Prince Qin…”

“Grandmother is overthinking,” Jiang Si said coldly.

Seeing her granddaughter not heeding her advice at all, Old Madam Feng became irritated: “Fourth girl, do you want to act recklessly, not fearing you might implicate the Earl’s household in the future?”

Jiang Si glanced at Old Madam Feng and suddenly said, “Princess Qi has lost her mind and won’t be seen in public anymore.”

Old Madam Feng was stunned, unsure of Jiang Si’s meaning.

But Jiang Si simply picked up her teacup and started sipping leisurely.

Old Madam Feng felt these words held deep meaning and stared at her intently.

Jiang Si seemed to notice Old Madam Feng’s scrutiny and smiled slightly: “It’s nothing, I was just saying.”

Jiang Yi, sitting beside them, suddenly changed color, her heart pounding wildly.

Fourth Sister… had she taken down Princess Qi again?

Old Madam Feng noticed Jiang Yi’s sudden change in expression, making her frown. She suddenly understood the meaning behind Jiang Si’s words.

At that moment, Old Madam Feng’s heart nearly stopped. When she recovered, only one thought remained in her mind: The fourth girl must be trying to scare her, right?

After a while, Old Madam Feng spoke dryly: “Princess—”

Jiang Si played with her teacup, asking calmly: “Doesn’t Grandmother think life is unpredictable?”

Old Madam Feng’s expression fluctuated, and she didn’t respond.

Jiang Si put the white porcelain teacup on the table and smiled: “So, don’t think too much about everything. Isn’t it foolish to compromise yourself for something so distant and uncertain?”

Old Madam Feng shook her head repeatedly.

This girl had gone mad! She even dared to plot against Princess Qi, just because she didn’t want to suffer the slightest inconvenience.

She would surely cause big trouble sooner or later!

Old Madam Feng adopted an earnest tone: “Si’er, serving the emperor is like accompanying a tiger—”

She couldn’t confront this crazy girl directly anymore. If this girl dared to scheme against Princess Qi, what did she, a mere grandmother, count for?

By now, Old Madam Feng had to admit that the bond between her and this granddaughter who had risen to high status was thin. There was no chance to assert her authority as a grandmother anymore.

Seeing Old Madam Feng’s softened tone, Jiang Si smiled slightly: “Grandmother, don’t worry. Father Emperor treats me well.”

Old Madam Feng couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

With the fourth girl’s prickly personality, could His Majesty favor her?

Just then, a maid rushed in: “Old Madam, the… the palace has sent someone to deliver an imperial edict!”

Old Madam Feng stood up involuntarily, glanced at the bewildered Jiang An Cheng, then at the nonchalant Jiang Si, and hurriedly adjusted her hair, ordering, “Help me change clothes.”

After hastily changing into formal attire, Old Madam Feng led a group of people to the front courtyard.

The eunuch delivering the edict was waiting in the yard and turned around hearing the commotion.

Old Madam Feng moved swiftly, saying repeatedly, “We’ve kept the eunuch waiting.”

“No need for such formalities, Old Madam.” The eunuch’s attitude was gentle. Seeing Jiang Si, he quickly bowed, “Greetings to the Princess. I didn’t know the Princess was here too.”

Jiang Si nodded slightly: “No need for formalities, Eunuch Le.”

Old Madam Feng, listening to this exchange, felt somewhat uncomfortable.

She was so afraid of slighting the edict-bearing eunuch that she nearly ran her old legs off, while the fourth girl calmly accepted the eunuch’s bow. This was the difference in status, something countless people dreamed of.

Having such a granddaughter should be a supreme honor, but this girl’s peculiar temperament made her constantly worry about causing trouble.

For instance, right now, Old Madam Feng’s heart was racing, unable to guess the purpose of this imperial edict.

If it was compensation for Jiang Zhan’s matter, shouldn’t it wait until Prince Yan returned from the south?

The more Old Madam Feng thought, the more confused she became, her heart in her throat.

Little Le had already taken out the golden imperial edict and begun to read it.

Led by Old Madam Feng, everyone in the Earl’s household immediately knelt.

The eunuch’s high-pitched voice echoed above: “By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: We rule the world with culture and quell chaos with military might. Earl of Dongping, Jiang An Cheng, excels in both civil and military affairs, a pillar of the court. He has sired a son, Zhan, who stands out among his peers, and a daughter, Si, of exceptional beauty and character… Now We grant the Earl of Dongping hereditary peerage for three generations. So be it.”

For a long while after Little Le finished reading the edict, the courtyard remained silent, as if time had frozen.

Among the kneeling crowd receiving the edict, even Jiang Si couldn’t come to her senses for a moment.

What had happened? She hadn’t done anything, so why had this windfall suddenly dropped from the sky?

The title belonged to Jiang An Cheng, and it could be inherited for three generations, ensuring security for his descendants.

Jiang Si couldn’t help but feel genuinely happy for her father.

Seeing that no one had reacted, Little Le coughed lightly: “Earl, please accept the edict.”

Jiang An Cheng dazedly accepted the imperial edict, his mind blank.

“This servant shall return to the palace to report now.” Little Le didn’t linger and left hurriedly.

Old Madam Feng, supported by the Third Madam Guo, stood up, but her body felt limp and powerless.

She grabbed Jiang An Cheng, asking urgently: “Eldest son, what’s going on?”

Jiang An Cheng looked at Jiang Si with a bewildered expression.