Jiang Si stopped in her tracks and calmly looked at Jiang Pei.
Jiang Pei seemed as if she had been slapped hundreds of times in the face, completely dumbfounded.
“I was just thinking that Sixth Sister is still young and might not be comfortable away from home…” Jiang Qian began.
“Second Sister—” Jiang Pei murmured, her mind blank.
How had she suddenly become too young and uncomfortable? She had been here before—
“Alright, Sixth Sister, I’ll have someone escort you back first. Second Sister will invite you to visit another time,” Jiang Qian casually offered an excuse, not caring about Jiang Pei’s thoughts.
One was a married legitimate daughter with the status of the heir’s wife, while the other was a concubine-born daughter who needed to please the main wife for any hope of a decent marriage. Jiang Qian had never truly cared about this half-sister.
Among the six sisters of the Earl’s family, the only one she truly paid attention to was Jiang Si.
Such beauty, even knowing her limited prospects, still instilled wariness in her as a fellow woman.
Jiang Pei’s face turned pale as she looked at Jiang Qian.
She couldn’t understand what was happening at all.
True, she was born to a concubine, but she and Jiang Qian were both daughters of the second branch. Jiang Qian had invited her first, and now she was sending her back—was she completely disregarding her face?
Jiang Pei suddenly looked at Jiang Si.
Jiang Si still maintained her composed demeanor.
Jiang Pei’s heart sank.
She vaguely felt that she had been set up, but the trap was one she had jumped into herself. Now she was left on the verge of tears with nowhere to turn.
Seeing Jiang Qian about to call someone in, Jiang Pei snapped back to reality.
Instead of pleading with Jiang Qian, she grabbed Jiang Si’s sleeve and said pitifully, “Fourth Sister, I was wrong.”
Being able to bend and stretch was nothing for a concubine-born daughter raised under Second Madam Xiao.
Seeing no reaction from Jiang Si, Jiang Pei raised her hand and slapped herself. “I’ve eaten too much dung; my mouth stinks. I shouldn’t have angered Fourth Sister. Please forgive me, Fourth Sister.”
That time when Grandmother had chased her out of the Hall of Kindness, she had already lost a lot of face. If she were sent back again this time, she might never be able to go out again.
As the sound of slaps rang out, Jiang Si watched coldly, speechless.
No wonder someone else’s concubine-born daughter married well, while she had married twice—once to become a living widow, and once to be trapped to death.
People were different.
“Fourth Sister, you see—” Jiang Qian was pleased to see Jiang Pei confront Jiang Si.
She had invited these people, and being forced by Jiang Si to send Jiang Pei away was no different from slapping her face. Yet she could only accept it.
Now, the lower Jiang Pei’s posture, the more unreasonable Jiang Si appeared.
“Does Sixth Sister not want to go back?” Jiang Si suddenly asked.
Jiang Pei instinctively shook her head. “I want to return with my sisters.”
“Since Sixth Sister has fulfilled the bet, do as you please,” Jiang Si relented.
Seeing Jiang Si give in, Jiang Qian smoothly said with a smile, “Alright, we’re all sisters. No conflict can’t be resolved. It’s better to go together and return together. I’ve prepared some food in the flower hall. Why don’t you sisters join me for a bite?”
“Second Sister, shouldn’t we pay our respects to the Marchioness?” Fifth Miss Jiang Li asked timidly.
“No need. The Marchioness is busy. I’ve already mentioned that I’m hosting you for a short stay, and she said you should feel free to do as you like.”
Jiang Li seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and lowered her eyes without further comment.
Jiang Pei’s face was still red from the slaps, and she also lowered her head as she followed the others to the flower hall.
In the flower hall, the dining table was already set, and soon maids entered in a line carrying fruits, pastries, and fish dishes.
“Please sit, sisters,” Jiang Qian said, entertaining everyone with smiles and laughter as if nothing had happened.
However, the atmosphere had indeed cooled, and the fresh fruits tasted bland in their mouths.
Jiang Qian didn’t mind this.
For her, as long as Jiang Si had come, her goal was achieved. She had no interest in anything else.
Footsteps sounded, and a young man walked in smiling: “Is the food ready? I’m starving—”
Halfway through his sentence, he seemed to notice Jiang Si and the others, and his words abruptly stopped.
Jiang Pei was the first to stand up. “Brother-in-law.”
Jiang Si greeted the man along with Jiang Qiao and the others.
This slightly thin, pale-faced young man was Cao Xingyu, the heir of Marquis Changxing.
As Jiang Si and the others bowed their heads in greeting, Cao Xingyu remained silent, taking the opportunity to stare directly at Jiang Si.
He had been obsessed with this exceptionally beautiful sister-in-law since he first saw her at his wedding to Jiang Qian.
At that time, this little girl was just coming of age, standing emotionlessly with her sisters, like a snow bud on a mountain. That kind of cool beauty had precisely tickled his fancy.
At that moment, he thought that he would eventually have this little girl, or it wouldn’t be worth being a man.
Watching Cao Xingyu’s behavior, Jiang Qian was furious.
After all, she had been through, she didn’t care what kind of woman this man fancied, but that didn’t mean she could tolerate Cao Xingyu acting foolishly in front of everyone.
She had invited her sisters over, and if something happened, her grandmother would eat her alive.
“I forgot to send someone to tell you that my sisters have come,” Jiang Qian quickly walked to Cao Xingyu’s side, secretly pinching him under the cover of her sleeve.
Cao Xingyu finally came to his senses, looking refreshed. “I didn’t know the sisters were coming at this time. It was rude of me. Qian’er, entertain your sisters well. I’ll eat in the study.”
Jiang Qian breathed a sigh of relief. “Take care, Young Master.”
With Cao Xingyu’s coming and going, the atmosphere livened up.
“Second Sister, does Brother-in-law eat with you every day?”
“Yes,” Jiang Qian smiled.
“Brother-in-law and Second Sister are so loving,” Jiang Pei smiled.
Jiang Qian’s hand tightened on her chopsticks, her knuckles turning slightly white, but her face maintained a smile. “Don’t tease Second Sister.”
The meal was finished in a relatively harmonious atmosphere. Jiang Qian held her teacup and took a few sips before suggesting, “The garden of the Marquis’s manor is quite beautiful. Don’t be constrained, sisters. Go and enjoy yourselves.”
“Isn’t Second Sister going?” Jiang Li asked.
Jiang Qian smiled slightly. “Of course, I’ll accompany you sisters for a stroll.”
Hearing that Jiang Qian was also going, Jiang Li breathed a sigh of relief.
Perhaps out of habitual caution, she always felt a bit uneasy in unfamiliar places.
“These rocks in the artificial mountain were brought from South Lake. The pavilion on the mountain is called the Eight Sounds Pavilion. This season is perfect for sitting up there…” Jiang Qian said gently, playing the role of a good older sister.
Jiang Qiao pointed and said, “Second Sister, those peonies are blooming beautifully. Let’s go appreciate the flowers first.”
Jiang Qian paused, then smiled. “I’m not very fond of the scent of peonies. How about this: I’ll rest in the pavilion, and you all can do as you please.”
“Second Sister, I’d like to sit in the pavilion too,” Jiang Pei immediately said.
Jiang Li, adhering to the principle of avoiding trouble, nodded in agreement.
Jiang Qiao was very eager to see the peonies. Seeing that no one else was going, she pulled Jiang Si and asked, “Shall we go appreciate the flowers?”
“Let’s go,” Jiang Si nodded readily.
Jiang Qian calmly watched Jiang Si and Jiang Qiao walk towards the peony patch, her eyes growing colder.
“It’s quite rare for the Marquis’s peonies to bloom so well at this time,” Jiang Qiao said, standing among the flowers and taking a deep breath. She then sighed, “Such a large patch of peonies, but the fragrance is a bit too strong.”
Amidst the deep red and light green, Jiang Si’s face suddenly turned as white as snow.
In the thick, sweet fragrance, she smelled the scent of death.