Chapter 48: Fu Yue

“No time?” Hearing the servant’s report, the ninth young master Jiang Yan frowned and snorted disdainfully: “He’s just a small attendant in the bedchamber, yet puts on such airs, even refusing our young masters’ invitation. Does he not know that someone of his status usually can’t even enter our courtyards!”

The servant gently advised: “Young master, don’t lower yourself to the level of such a narrow-minded attendant. He may be favored now, but in a while, the second young miss might tire of him and toss him aside. Then he’ll have to come curry favor with you!”

Jiang Yan pinched his embroidered handkerchief, narrowing his eyes: “Who cares about his favor? But since he doesn’t know his place, I won’t let him off easy.”

The servant’s eyes widened, thinking the ninth young master was about to do something out of line, and hurriedly said: “Young master, please reconsider! Although Chi Mei is just an attendant, he’s currently favored by the second young miss. She dotes on him greatly.”

“……”

The servant carefully analyzed for him: “Considering your age, the most important thing now is to find a wife-master from a good family. It’s not worth getting angry over someone so lowly.”

Hearing the servant mention marriage, Jiang Yan’s bright and striking features dimmed: “Since what happened with sixth brother, father has been extremely harsh on us sons born of concubines. Seventh brother was even married into such a despicable family to suffer. Although sixth brother and I don’t share the same father, eighth brother, who also wasn’t born to Madam Liu, didn’t end up marrying well either, did he? Just a small degree holder who hasn’t passed the imperial exam in so many years, with a side room at home – another den of wolves.”

Jiang Yan sighed: “I wonder what kind of family father will marry me into? I’m not like tenth brother, born to father’s distant cousin, with a layer of kinship to father. I have to plan for my future, which is why I tried to curry favor with that Chi Mei. But he didn’t give me any face at all. Does he, a mere attendant, look down on me for being born of a concubine? He shouldn’t forget, the children he bears in the future will also be born of a concubine!”

Jiang Yang got angrier as he spoke, slamming his palm on the table, making the tea set tremble. He shouted: “I’m planning for my own future, what’s wrong with that!”

The servant immediately soothed him: “Young master, don’t be upset. How long can that Chi Mei attendant remain smug? A woman’s true heart comes and goes quickly. He’s been serving the second young miss for two months now. Given her temperament, she should be getting bored by now……”

Jiang Yan glanced at the servant, hesitating: “You mean… I should send someone to sister’s side?”

The servant nodded: “When the new person gains favor, they will naturally speak well of you. This is what you should be doing right now.”

“No! No!” Jiang Yan stood up, firmly rejecting the idea: “If father finds out I’m deliberately sending beauties into second sister’s room to seduce her, he’ll surely beat me to death!”

Though Jiang Yan longed to marry into a good family, he was more afraid of the methods Liu Shi used to deal with Madam Liu’s two sons. Back then, sixth brother merely touched second brother’s interests and ended up like that. What he would be touching was Liu Shi’s most beloved daughter. If he failed, his fate would only be worse than theirs. Jiang Yan didn’t have such courage.

In a place Jiang Yan couldn’t see, the servant’s gaze dimmed: “This is young master’s only way out. If you win the gamble, you’ll be able to become the husband of a wealthy family in the future, enjoying the honor of a master. If you lose, you’ll just suffer torment in a den of wolves like seventh young master. But even if you don’t gamble, will the master lord not marry you into a den of wolves?”

Jiang Yan sat down dazedly, his eyes uneasy and fearful.

“Young master, please think it over carefully.” The servant said as he closed the door and left.

Outside Jiang Yan’s residence, the servant cautiously avoided the many servants in the mansion and sneaked into Rong Li Garden. By now, the pear blossoms had fallen, leaving bare branches that added a touch of quietness and desolation to the courtyard.

The servant entered the main courtyard with his head lowered. Seeing the person inside, he immediately knelt down: “Xing Li greets the tenth young master.”

The person in the main seat wore white brocade silk, with vermilion lips and white teeth, thick and soft black hair, and a temperament as clear as a pool of water. It was Jiang Luo Hang, the tenth son of the Jiang family born to a concubine. His birth father was Liu Shi’s distant cousin from the Pei family. Because Pei had some friendship with Liu Shi in their youth, despite their low status, the family sent him to marry into the Jiang family.

Pei was honest and didn’t compete for favor. Unfortunately, his fate was poor and he died in childbirth while giving birth to Jiang Luo Hang. Because of the layer of kinship and Pei’s dutiful behavior after marrying into the Jiang family, Liu Shi didn’t mistreat Jiang Luo Hang.

Xing Li reported Jiang Yan’s response to Jiang Luo Hang in detail. After listening, Jiang Luo Hang put down his teacup and smiled faintly: “Ninth brother is quite timid.”

Xing Li asked: “What should we do next, young master?”

Jiang Luo Hang smiled slightly, his eyes clear as water: “Although ninth brother is timid, he still has grand ambitions deep down. Your words before leaving must have shaken him somewhat. Continue to observe and add fuel to the fire at the right moment.”

“Yes.”

After Xing Li left, Jiang Luo Hang’s personal attendant Xiang Ye asked: “Young master, what should we do next if he doesn’t take the bait?”

Jiang Luo Hang said gently: “No rush, let’s take it slow. I’m leading him to offend second sister just so he doesn’t become my marriage partner. I’ve heard that recently, a concubine-born daughter from the second branch of the Luo Chuan clan is interested in forming a marriage alliance with us. Although she’s also born of a concubine, she has the title of advanced scholar and can be posted as an official in the future without having to suffer the气 of the main line. She can even become an official’s husband.”

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Xiang Ye said happily: “That would be an excellent marriage indeed.”

“Precisely because it’s so rare and precious, I have no choice but to take action. Ninth brother is a year older than me and has been trying hard to please father these years. Father has already gained a bad reputation for marrying off two concubine-born sons poorly in succession. After so many years, second brother’s life has improved and father’s anger has subsided. He might take this opportunity to betroth ninth brother to the Luo Chuan family. It would be difficult for me to encounter such a good match again.”

Xiang Ye bit his lip: “But you’re related to the master lord, and isn’t the master lord quite good to you?”

Jiang Luo Hang smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes: “Anyone can pretend to be nice on the surface.”

Xiang Ye nodded, seeming to understand but not quite: “This slave understands. We absolutely cannot let the ninth young master block your path.”

Only when the master marries well can slaves like them have better days in the future.

“But what if the ninth young master really succeeds in pleasing the second young miss?” Xiang Ye asked worriedly.

“Even if he succeeds, I have ways to make him unsuccessful. Second sister is father’s darling, untouchable by anyone. I’m just letting ninth brother touch father’s reverse scale, while I only need to be dutiful, greet father every day, and chat idly with brother-in-law. Father will naturally favor me, the most honest and dutiful one in the family.”

Xiang Ye nodded in confusion.

Jiang Luo Hang took a sip of clear tea and continued: “Speaking of brother-in-law, he’s also aware of that Chi Mei attendant in Hui Xue Residence. He seems quite interested in this attendant who has bewitched second sister, and even sent gifts through his servants.”

Xiang Ye covered his mouth and giggled: “It seems even the dignified and steady first son-in-law can’t help but be curious.”

−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−

In Hui Xue Residence, Jiang Yang looked at the gift box in front of her, lost in thought.

Chi Mei sat beside her, looking at the brightly colored paper wrapping the gift box, his small hands itching to move. He asked softly: “A’Yang, can I open it?”

“……” Jiang Yang didn’t answer.

Since Jiang Yang didn’t speak, it meant he couldn’t touch it. Chi Mei withdrew his small hands and placed them on his knees, sitting properly.

The things sent by the first brother-in-law were vastly different from those sent by her concubine-born brothers. She had no choice but to accept them, but Jiang Yang was puzzled – was this gift sent on the first brother-in-law’s initiative, or was it Jiang Qingzhou’s idea?

Speaking of the first brother-in-law, Jiang Yang glanced at Chi Mei, who understood nothing. If he knew these gifts were from his brother’s love rival, would he still want to accept them?

He’d probably be so angry he’d throw them away directly.

Talking about the first brother-in-law, Qin Shi, Jiang Yang had interacted with him before. She had to say, Qin Shi was a typical traditional woman-respecting man – gentle, virtuous, beautiful, dignified and steady. Internally, he could serve Jiang Qingzhou well; externally, he could help Liu Shi manage the large family well. For a career-oriented woman like Jiang Qingzhou, a wise helper like Qin Shi was the best choice.

Then Chi Mei’s brother Fu Yue was probably just a fling for a fickle woman seeking novelty, who ultimately didn’t want to give up her family and chose to abandon her lover and return to her family.

But Jiang Qingzhou was an ancient woman-respecting woman, who had never been exposed to the concept of monogamy. Taking concubines and keeping lovers were basic operations. Even if the first brother-in-law Qin Shi knew about Fu Yue’s existence, he could only magnanimously accept it, otherwise he would be considered unvirtuous and jealous.

As for Fu Yue, a love-brained heir of a prestigious family, he also grew up in a women-respecting environment. The concept of being a mistress simply didn’t exist. Even if he felt humiliated, it would only be because he, a noble prince of the merfolk, couldn’t be the main husband.

After returning from the sea, Jiang Yang had secretly searched for Fu Yue, but didn’t dare to make his information too obvious for fear of attracting Jiang Qingzhou’s attention. Thus, she found nothing.

But Lan Qian unexpectedly discovered that Jiang Qingzhou was absent from the military camp for a few days last month, yet she wasn’t at the Jiang family home either. Her whereabouts were difficult to trace.

Upon learning this, Jiang Yang silently withdrew all her people and stopped searching.

Jiang Qingzhou had an extremely good reputation in the outside world, so good that she could be called the dream wife-master of men in Lingnan. This was because she only had one main husband in her back courtyard – one life, one world, one pair. Her life was also very regular. Apart from being in the military camp, she occasionally visited colleagues’ mansions, and spent the rest of her time at the Jiang family home.

But judging from Jiang Qingzhou’s subtle abnormalities recently, Jiang Yang guessed that she probably kept a lover outside, and it was very likely to be Fu Yue.

After consideration, Jiang Yang didn’t tell Chi Mei about the relationship between Fu Yue and Jiang Qingzhou. This stupid fish couldn’t keep secrets; it would be good enough if he could protect himself.

Looking at the stupid fish sitting straight beside her, she curled her long, lustrous fingers. Chi Mei’s eyes lit up, his invisible tail fin seemingly swaying again.

Author’s note:

Thank you to the little angels who cast landmines or watered with nutrient solution during 2022-08-08 00:50:57~2022-08-10 01:09:34~

Thanks to the little angel who cast landmines: Gu Dong Dong Xing 1;

Thanks to the little angels who watered nutrient solution: An An, Tomb Grass 10 bottles; Xie Wu Yan 4 bottles; 42293163 1 bottle;

Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!