Chapter 411 - Madame Zhuang Met Her Sister-in-law.
“It is a problem.” Jiang Yashuang frowned. In Madame Zhuang’s opinion, all concubines could be killed. Madame Zhuang thought that Man’er was like her and so she was also easy to be jealous. Ling Zui was such a guy who even wanted to flirt with all girls in the world. If they matched him with Zhuang Man, something terrible would happen!
However, Jiang Yashuang didn’t agree with her. He smiled and then reminded his wife, “I know you are afraid of making mother disappointed, so you haven’t told her the truth. However, mother loves them so she wants to get them together. Now that she has told you her plan, she will also ask both of them whether they agree or not in case of making the wrong match. I believe Man’er will refuse her.”
Qiu Yelan agreed with him. She felt that she was officious. She mocked herself, “I stay at home all day long to guarantee the safety of my kids. If I don’t go out, I will be more stupid than before.”
“It is because you care about them that you are just flurried.” Jiang Yashuang smiled and rubbed her nose with his finger, “Do you have a good appetite today?”
They talked about her pregnancy for a while. And then Qiu Yelan asked him what was going on in the first branch, “Did he agree with you?”
“Sure.” Jiang Yashuang mocked, “Did he have any choice?”
“You took nothing to there. Did he ask you for evidence?” Qiu Yelan was surprised, “I thought he would not believe in you and ask for the evidence. But you didn’t prepare any evidence about that the eldest grand aunt had something to do with the issue in Shazhou.”
It was Madame Han who wanted to frame Wang Qingqian with slander. However, there was nothing to do with her anymore about the issue in Shazhou. So, when Jiang Yashuang told his wife and mother that he wanted to blackmail Jiang Tianao with this issue, Madame Zhuang and Qiu Yelan were worried about him.
Jiang Yashuang wrapped in a wisp of hair hanging down beside her temples. He smiled, “If he wants evidence, it is easy for me. I just ask my servants to ask my eldest grand aunt for it! If she admits that she has murdered Yayue and Yaqing, grandfather and my youngest grand uncle will give a guarantee to the second branch and the fifth branch. But if she denies, they will attain nothing. So, what will she do? I am sure she will!”
“You just pay it back! They deserve it!” Qiu Yelan didn’t feel sorry for Jiang Tianao at all. “The one who was the murderer was even more reasonable than the one who was murdered. It was the first branch’s turn to have this feeling!”
She thought for a while, “Now the first branch would stop. I am wondering whether the third branch will stop or not!”
Jiang Yashuang smiled, “What can they do? Does my third uncle want to go to my eldest grand uncle and put blame on me?”
If so, Marquess Qin would kill him! After all, he was his son!
“The disturbance finally ended!” Qiu Yelan was relaxed. She started to talk about the marriage of Qiu Jinglan. “Prime Minister Xue has already been to Jingbo’s Mansion. But Sir Jingbo and his wife are all in the Beijiang. So Bicheng said that he had to ask their parents for opinions. I count the dates. Even if Sir Jingbo and his wife write back as soon as they receive the letter, we can only receive their replies after my cousin’s wedding ceremony. So, I want to talk to Mr. Ruan about rebuilding the mansion of the Ruan Family. Do you agree with me?”
“The Ruan’s Mansion is indeed a little bit dilapidated. Your brother was the only one who lived there before, so all he wanted was for the main house to be intact.” Jiang Yashuang nodded, “Now if he wants to get married, whether in the future he and his wife will live in Xijiang or not, this mansion should be well repaired. Otherwise, it is inconvenient for them to carry on the six ceremonies of betrothal and marriage.”
But Jiang Yashuang said, “I can handle it. Don’t worry. Just keep you and our baby safe!”
Qiu Yelan was disappointed, “Again? I am so bored at home!”
She thought she could find something to kill time!
Jiang Yashuang smiled, “If my mother allows you to handle it, I will not oppose!”
“…” Qiu Yelan reluctantly gave up. She knew her tricks which were used for treating Qiu Jinglan and Jiang Yashuang was useless to her mother-in-law who taught her how to kill the concubines and how to guarantee the true-born kids’ profits. And Madame Zhuang definitely would not allow her to watch on the construction progress. So, she said in dejection, “Alright.”
She was so boring after she got pregnant. The next day Madame Zhuang asked her to handle an issue, “Look at the list. Do you know how many of them are eager to marry Yadan after An’s mother died?”
Qiu Yelan was surprised, “Mother, what do you want to do?”
“Dan’er’s private life was in a mess.” Madame Zhuang hummed. “So, I want to get him another wife to constrain him as soon as possible! Those guys who just have the desire for wealth and honor will never bring up elegant girls! Those girls are just another version of Madame Duan!”
Madame Duan was An Zhenshang. She was under too much pressure pushed by Madame Zhuang. So, she changed her family name. And the An Family now changed their family name to Jiao. It was said that the family name of An Zhenshang’s grandmother was Jiao.
“So those guys who want An’s mother to die as soon as possible don’t expect to marry their daughters to my son!” Madame Zhuang pointed at the list holding in Mrs. Chang’s hands. “This list is given by your grandmother. These are the guys who want to marry their daughters to Dan’er. Please help me to pick out those who are ill-intentioned. We will later discuss those guys who are left.”
Qiu Yelan now got her. She consented happily, “I will do it right now!”
Madame Tao Junior’s funeral was held by He Shuijin. But those who wanted to marry their daughters to Jang Yadan were too eager. So, they just set a base in the funeral hall and then scrambled to flatter Madame Tao.
Qiu Yelan was impressed by them. So, she took the list and returned to her house. She asked her maids to give her the zinnober to underline the names of those guys who wore vivid clothes at Madame Tao Junior’s funeral. She was so lightsome just like having iced plum soup in the summer!
But after finishing it, she frowned, “There are not so many of them left…”
However, she had a sense of guilt. “These families didn’t flatter. So, they might have a conscience. But would it be right to marry those girls from these families to Jiang Yadan?” She hesitated for a while. And then she asked her maids to take orpiment and erased some families who did not have the dignitary and critical status.
She knew An would surely be raised by her husband and herself. So, she wasn’t worried about what his stepmother would do to him. If this second wife was not virtuous, she was just the scourge of Jiang Yadan. Anyway, Jiang Yadan was not a good man so there was no need to marry him a nice girl.
The reason why she didn’t choose the daughters of high officials and noble lords was that she was afraid that if they had power and got developed after the wedding, they would want more, like An.
With these thoughts, Qiu Yelan checked the list again. And then she handed the list to Madame Zhuang.
Madame Zhuang received the list and asked her to sit down. After looking it through, she asked her, “Who is the most proper one for your brother?”
“I think the most proper one is the one who is born in a noble family, and her martial arts must be equal to Xing, and also is ruthless and merciless. Otherwise, how could she handle them?” Qiu Yelan thought in her mind. But she told to Madame Zhuang, “I am not familiar to anyone of them. So, I don’t know.”
“That’s fine. Even if Empress Dowager doesn’t know who is the most proper girl, she knows about their mothers. Girls are always like their mothers. So, we can have a speculation!” Madame Zhuang looked at her daughter-in-law. She smiled, “You are so boring these days to stay at home. Why don’t you accompany me to the imperial palace?”
Qiu Yelan was awkward after hearing that. She doubted that Jiang Yashuang told what she said to her mother-in-law. She covered up hastily, “Now?”
“Yep!” Madame Zhuang said happily, “I have been back for a while. But I haven’t met anyone yet. Now if there exists an explanation of the issue in Shazhou, I guess your grandfather will not supervise me all the time anymore. Yesterday I sent a post requesting a visit. Now we can have a visit.”
She knew that her mother-in-law was also boring. Once the first branch and the third branch stopped making trouble, she wanted to have a visit right away!
Qiu Yelan found her droll, “Mother, if you do not feel me burdensome, how could I be so stupid not to go?”
Madame Zhuang made the decision, “It’s settled. Go to change your dress. I have already prepared the carriage!”
They went to the imperial palace. It might be because that the fourth branch now was more and more powerful, Empress Dowager Jiang specially asked Princess Royal Yongfu to welcome them at the gate of Hall of Taishi. “Aunt, you finally come! My mother has always been missing you these days!” And then she smiled to Qiu Yelan, “I haven’t seen you for a long time!”
Madame Zhuang had no conflict with Empress Dowager Jiang. And Princess Royal Yongfu was easy-going. They entered the hall while chatting. And then they met Empress Dowager Jiang in a harmonious atmosphere. Empress Dowager Jiang asked them to sit beside her. She sighed, “So many years have passed. It seems like yesterday that before you left Jing City.”
They were separated for so many years. So, when they met, they had many topics to talk about, like how they were going after they separated.
Princess Royal Yongfu was naughty all the time. So, she didn’t listen for a while and then found an excuse, taking Qiu Yelan to go out,
Qiu Yelan couldn’t refuse her. So, she told elders before she left. She warned the princess, “Now I am pregnant. I can’t cook for you anymore!”
“Do I come to you for food?” Princess Royal Yongfu grimaced at her and said, “I see that my mother is talking to my fourth aunt warmly, but what they are talking about are all matters of the old time. We can’t get involved. Why do you just sit there? It is better to come out!”
“Is that so? I have wronged you!” Qiu Yelan made amends with a smile. Princess Royal Yongfu didn’t take it seriously, saying, “I have made an appointment with Bicheng to watch lingbo dance in the waterside pavilion of the imperial garden. Do you like it? Shall we go together?”
Qiu Yelan smiled and looked at her. She thought, “I don’t want to get involved with you two!” So, she rejected without hesitation, “I have no interest in dance and songs. Just go to watch it! I want to take a walk in the imperial garden!”
The Jiang Family now was powerful. Everyone in the court knew it. So, Princess Royal Yongfu didn’t worry that she would be hurt in the imperial palace. So, she agreed with her immediately. And then she left with her maids hastily.
After she left, Su He laughed, “I originally believed that princess thought you two couldn’t get involved in the conversation and so she wanted to take a walk. She is just afraid of her boyfriend waiting for her!”
“She is young!” Qiu Yelan sighed like she was old, “Seeing they get along with each other so well, I am glad!”
Su He didn’t know that she thought of the innocent County Princess Duanrou, Chu Chunxiao. She smiled, “Princess Royal Yongfu is treated like his own sister by young master. And Emperor’s son-in-law is a good friend of young master. If they are good, it is so nice!”
As they spoke, they were already in the imperial garden. It was late spring but the garden was lush and still interesting. Though Qiu Yelan entered the imperial palace a couple of times before, she hadn’t come to the imperial garden for a visit. And when Gu was still alive, she had never been relaxed. So now she looked at the scenery with relish. They enjoyed sharing the scenery with each other and they were amused.
But they didn’t go far. There appeared several people from the back of the fake mountain. The paths of bluestones they walked on were narrow. So, they met with each other!
“Your Majesty?” Qiu Yelan was surprised after she discerned the guy who was around by people, “Wishes your Majesty happiness and prosperity!”