Was Ah Jin coming over already?
Jiang Si was somewhat surprised by the maid’s words.
Didn’t Ah Jin go to the palace this morning to… no, to handle affairs? How did he come to the Earl’s manor so quickly?
As Jiang Si hesitated briefly, compliments arose from those around her.
“The Princess and Prince are truly affectionate, we’re so envious.”
“Indeed, the Prince even came to escort her. What more could a woman want if she were like the Princess…”
Jiang Si didn’t take any of these words to heart. She smiled and nodded to everyone, “Please enjoy yourselves. I’ll take my leave first.”
Even after Jiang Si left, discussions about the royal couple continued in the hall.
In a corner sat the sisters Jiang Yi, Jiang Qiao, Jiang Li, and Jiang Pei.
Among them, Jiang Li had married last year, while Jiang Qiao and Jiang Pei were still unmarried.
Jiang Pei, unable to hide her envy, whispered to Jiang Li, “Fifth Sister, look at how Fourth Sister has become even more glorious. Those ladies weren’t wrong, if a woman could be like Fourth Sister, what regrets could she have in life…”
Jiang Li listened with a smile without objecting but thinking of the radiant Jiang Si, her heart remained calm.
In her view, striving to live one’s own life well was the best, with no need to envy anyone.
She was a concubine’s daughter living under a formidable legal mother. Her birth mother, once a thorn in the legal mother’s side, had long been worn down. Compared to the Sixth Sister’s situation, her years as a young lady were particularly difficult, not dare to take an extra step or speak an extra word.
Later, when Fourth Sister rose to prominence, the disliked legal mother began to “recuperate” long-term. This change could be seen as fate’s kindness to her.
With the legal mother no longer managing affairs and the grandmother not caring about a concubine’s granddaughter, her marriage was arranged by the Third Aunt.
The third Aunt was a kind person with no reason to mistreat her niece and arranged for her to marry the youngest son of the Earl of Jining.
The Jining Earl’s manor had a hereditary title, slightly higher in status than the East Peace Earl’s manor; the Earl of Jining’s youngest son was a legitimate son, while she was a concubine’s daughter.
But she had her leverage: Fourth Sister was a noble Princess, something no family would overlook. Second Brother had caught the Emperor’s eye and returned safely, with a promising future ahead.
So Third Aunt’s choice for this marriage was just right. She married slightly above her station, but not so much as to be subservient to her husband’s family.
Perhaps it was because of this, along with her added gentleness and modesty, that she and her husband were in harmony.
Thinking this way, Jiang Li’s smile grew even more gentle.
“Fifth Sister, don’t you agree?” Seeing Jiang Li only smile without speaking, Jiang Pei felt a bit displeased.
Jiang Li nodded slightly, “Fourth Sister is indeed very good.”
“I’m not talking about whether she’s good or not, I mean—” Jiang Pei pursed her lips, “Never mind, let’s not talk about Fourth Sister. Fifth Sister, how are you doing?”
Jiang Pei was already sixteen this year, yet her marriage hadn’t been settled.
Seeing that Fifth Sister, also a concubine’s daughter with a dull personality, had married the youngest son of the Earl of Jining, Jiang Pei’s expectations grew higher. Third Madam Guo had proposed several families, but she always found something unsatisfactory.
Over time, Madam Guo became less enthusiastic.
It wasn’t that the niece might complain after marriage; Madam Guo wasn’t a fool, so why bother with thankless tasks?
Jiang Pei began to feel anxious, but as an unmarried lady, she couldn’t speak up about such matters. She could only keep it to herself, which made her strangely curious about Jiang Li’s married life.
Among the sisters, the eldest had returned to her maiden home in anger, the second had been sent to the countryside, the third was still unmarried, and the fourth was a Princess whom she couldn’t easily question. Only Fifth Sister could satisfy her curiosity.
Jiang Pei’s curiosity about Jiang Li’s married life was more about her future marriage.
When asked about herself, Jiang Li smiled, with a hint of undisguised shyness, “I’m doing well.”
Jiang Pei didn’t hold back with Jiang Li, rolling her eyes, “I mean, how does Fifth Brother-in-law treat you?”
“He treats me well too…” Jiang Li was a reserved person, and under Jiang Pei’s questioning, her face turned completely red.
For some reason, Jiang Pei found this somewhat irritating. She asked with a curved lip, “So after the banquet, will Fifth Brother-in-law wait for you to return home together?”
When couples attend banquets together, the men’s and women’s feasts often end at different times, so they usually return home separately, not affecting each other.
Jiang Li wasn’t one to show off, but when asked, she saw no need to hide it. With a red face, she said, “Your brother-in-law and I agreed to visit the Treasure Pavilion together on our way back.”
Jiang Pei pressed her lips together and said nothing, nearly crumpling the handkerchief in her hand. She thought to herself, he’s just the youngest son of an Earl’s manor, mediocre and untalented. Once the family divides, he’ll have nothing. Her future husband will be better than Jiang Li’s.
Jiang Si left the women’s verbal sparring far behind her.
Passing through a courtyard full of blooming plum blossoms to the front, Yu Jin was already waiting there.
“Have you been drinking?” Jiang Si smiled as she approached.
Yu Jin smiled, “I had a few bites, but I’d rather eat the rock-sugar pork knuckle stewed at home. Let’s go back and eat together.”
On such a cold day, gathering around a small stove to eat tender stewed pork knuckle, along with some white meat with pickled vegetables and warmed fine wine, was far better than the cold dishes served at the banquet.
Just thinking about it made Yu Jin’s heart fly back home.
“Mm, let’s go back then,” Jiang Si nodded slightly.
She had asked all she needed to ask, and going back home would allow her to discuss matters with Ah Jin. There was no need to waste time here.
Given the status of Jiang Si and her husband, there was no need for them to stay until the end of such a banquet. Even making an appearance at her maiden family’s event was giving enough face. Moreover, Jiang Si knew her father and brothers weren’t the type to care about such things, and as for others’ thoughts, they didn’t care anyway.
As the couple walked side by side towards the exit, a young man approached from the opposite direction.
The man was slightly shorter than Yu Jin, with a slender build. His blue robe accentuated his dark eyes and fair skin, making him appear as refined as fine jade.
Yu Jin was momentarily stunned, then quickly grasped Jiang Si’s hand and greeted the man, “If it isn’t Brother Zhen of Auspicious Fortune. So you’ve come to drink as well.”
The newcomer was none other than Zhen Heng, known as the Auspicious Fortune of Great Zhou for his triple success in the imperial examinations.
Zhen Heng was surprised to see Jiang Si, his mind momentarily distracted. Then he received this rather unfriendly greeting, which instantly brought him back to his senses, nearly breaking his image of a perfect gentleman.
Deliberately holding Miss Jiang’s hand was one thing, but calling him Auspicious Fortune!
Fine, Auspicious Fortune it is. After all, many people had been calling him that these past two years, and he had grown accustomed to it. But what did he mean by “true culprit”?
His surname was Zhen, and his father was the famous case-solving official Zhen Qingtian. How was it appropriate to call him a “true culprit”?
To say Prince Yan wasn’t doing this intentionally, Zhen Heng didn’t believe it for a second.
Looking at the intense gaze of the stern man opposite him, Zhen Heng felt somewhat weary.
He had already married the woman Zhen Heng admired two years ago, yet he still came to provoke him. Did he think the “Auspicious Fortune” couldn’t fight? This was bullying an honest person!
Zhen Heng secretly clenched his fist, feeling the urge to punch him.