CH 5

“Don’t just watch me lecture your elder sister.” Old Madam Xu had talked so much that her oldest granddaughter bowed her head and no longer said a word. As such, Old Madam Xu’s changed targets to Jiang Mingyue, “You’re just as bad as your elder sister!”

Jiang Mingyue raised her head, glanced at Jiang Yue’e and saw an awkward smile on her face. Jiang Mingyue let out a light sigh. In Jiang Mingyue’s previous life, Jiang Yue’e didn’t live as long as Jiang Mingyue did. Before a year had passed after Jiang Mingyue got married, left the capital, and moved into Tushan Wangfu, she received news from the capital that her older sister had died due to having a difficult childbirth. In the present, Jiang Mingyue gazed at Jiang Yue’e with a blank expression and thought about this. If she prevented Jiang Yue’e from giving birth, would she be helping her older sister avoid an early death?

“When your elder sister left for Ningguo Gongfu, she was at least skilled in weaving and embroidery. If those skills were of no use, she could still raise chickens and ducks,” Old Madam Xu said long-windedly. “What do you know how to do?”

Jiang Mingyue: “…..”

If she didn’t serve as Emperor Dongsheng’s eyes, what could she do in this life? Jiang Mingyue’s thoughts became somewhat messy because of what her grandmother said. She wanted to live out her days well, but even if she was just passing her days, she still had to have a way of living. Where would she go to get this way to live now?

“You don’t have skills in a single trade that you can use to survive with,” Old Madam Xu criticized Jiang Mingyue. “Yet you watched me mock your elder sister? Oh, my dear Mingyue’er, can you please worry about yourself?!”

“Old Madam!” The shout of a boy servant from outside the reception pavilion interrupted Old Madam Xu’s lecture.

“That’s Bao Shu, right?” Old Madam Xu asked.

It was only after Jiang Mingyue saw the shouting child, Bao Shu, did she immediately recognise that this was the boy servant of her eldest younger brother, Jiang Yu.

“The Third Young Master and Fourth Young Master got into a fight!” Bao Shu entered the reception pavilion and burst into tears the moment he opened his mouth.

Bao Shu, a dignified and strong looking 10-year-old boy, did not appear to have any wounds on his face or body, but the child was crying so hard that he had snot and tears all over. Old Madam Xu understood immediately that her two grandsons had taken a beating.

“T-They’ve gotten into a fight?” Poor Jiang Yue’e had just sat down. Then she heard what Bao Shu said and got such a fright that she jumped back up again. She asked urgently, “Who did they fight with? For what reason?”

Bao Shu wiped his tears and gingerly took a glance at Jiang Mingyue.

Jiang Mingyue: “???”

“For the Second Miss?” Old Madam Xu asked.

Bao Shu’s mouth moved twice, but he did not dare to speak.

Anyuan Houfu’s two young masters were 10-year-old Jiang Yu and 13-year-old Jiang Xian. The two brothers were studying at the Imperial Academy now. Their grades were at the bottom, and they were the epitome of the ignorant and incompetent. It was a common occurrence for them to get into fights with others. However, to say that these two rascals exchanged blows with others because of Jiang Mingyue…? The members of the Jiang family in the pavilion could not understand what was going on. This made no sense at all.

“Just say it,” Jiang Mingyue said. She looked at Bao Shu and added softly, “The matter will not be blamed on you. Bao Shu, you don’t need to be afraid.”

“The Third Young Master of Government Minister Wei’s family quarreled with our young master.” Baoshu once again wiped his tears. “Wei’s Third Young Master scolded you, Second Miss.”

“That can’t be,” Old Madam Xu was both alarmed and furious, as well as a bit dumbfounded: “The Wei family’s young master knows our young lady?”

Jiang Mingyue was not exactly a demure1It’s more like prim and proper, someone who doesn’t get up to much. Can’t really find the right word for it. person, but Old Madam Xu dared to use her own life to guarantee that her second granddaughter was not acquainted with the Third Young Master of Weixiang Fu (Government Minister Wei’s Manor)!

“Mingyue knows where Weixiang Fu’s entrance gate is…?” Jiang Yue’e asked, feeling confused.

Jiang Mingyue narrowed her eyes. The moment Bao Shu mentioned Weixiang, she understood what was going on. Weixiang Fu’s eldest daughter, Wei Lanzhi, was Zhao Lingxiao’s sweetheart. In Jiang Mingyue’s previous life, Wei Lanzhi married Zhao Lingxiao to be his second wife. Everyone said that these two people had a true love that touched the heavens and moved the earth. Only envious of the pair of mandarin ducks rather than the immortals2只羡鸳鸯不羡仙: Only envious of the pair of mandarin ducks rather than the immortals. This is referring to a proverb written by Lu Zhaolin, one of the Four Great Poets of the Early Tang dynasty. It’s about being envious of an affectionate couple who are able to hold hands and grow old together, accompanying each other for their whole lives like a pair of mandarin ducks. They’re so happy together that they wouldn’t even want to become celestial immortals if they were given the chance., they cursed Jiang Mingyue for wrecking this marriage that was predestined by divine fate3Referring to the immortals who set the red thread of marriage. How could this be? In this life, the wedding had only just been set into motion. Yet she was already gaining infamy?

“The Wei’s third young master said that Second Miss’s marriage to the Crown Prince of Tushan is… is…” Bao Shu stuttered for quite a while. Under Old Madam Xu’s glare, Bao Shu finally managed to say, “He said that our Second Miss is shameless. That she’s something candlelight something. Anyway, it simply wasn’t anything good.”

“Candlelight?” Jiang Yue’e said with a blank stare: “What kind of insult is this?”

“Sigh,” Jiang Mingyue let out a sigh: “It is scolding that I am a candlelight that wants to vie for the splendor of the sun and the moon—that there’s no limit to my boldness.”

“This—” Jiang Yue’e was stupefied, “W-Why does this Wei family’s Third Young Master scold others in such an unpleasant manner?”

“Aiyo!” Old Madam Xu jumped up from her seat and ran out of the reception pavilion. “The Wei’s third son… That little shriveled calf! I’m going to flip him upside down!!”

“Grandma!” Jiang Mingyue chased after Old Madam Xu. The old madam of her family was going out to quarrel!

Jiang Yue’e had yet to even fully understand the situation, and her grandmother was already heading out to do who knows what. However, this did not hinder Jiang Yue’e from also chasing after Old Madam Xu with fervent urgency.

By the time the third person ran out of Anyuan Houfu, housekeeper Wang Decai had a sullen expression. He walked into the reception pavilion, stopped in front of Old Sir Jiang, and asked softly, “Old Master, you’re not going out to have a look?”

Old Sir Jiang slowly raised his gaze to look at the housekeeper before taking his time to say, “Is there a point to me going? It’s of no use even if I were to say anything.” Earlier, when those three people ran out like they were being chased by a dog, none of them had turned back to glance at him.

Wang Decai: “……”

‘Yes, Old Master, it’s best that you just rest. There really is no use for you.’

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