Chapter 306: A Slap

Chapter 306

Jiang Sheng's eyes widened at that time as she glared over fiercely. The purple-clothed maid trembled in fear but forced herself not to retreat. Amidst the noisy and chaotic environment, Jiang Sheng kept her head lowered without saying a word. Even Old Lady Jiang stood up in puzzlement, wanting to walk over and ask what was going on. Filial piety comes first; no matter what, parents still have to be recognized. But before she could open her mouth, Mrs. Liao put away her cold smile and shoved over the item in her hand, saying indifferently, "Since you are unwilling to recognize me as your mother, I won't force you either. This is your greeting gift."

The cold silver ingots felt a bit rough in her hands. Based on Jiang Sheng's experience keeping accounts for the Jiu Zhen Store, there were about fifty taels.

She pursed her lips.

The nearby Mrs. Liao seemed to have her feelings hurt as she kept dabbing the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief.

Jiang Chengyuan comforted her in a low voice, mixing in a few pleading words.

Jiang Sheng sighed softly, her fair and tender palm opening to reveal the plump, rounded yet somewhat chilled silver ingots.

She still wore the beaded necklace given by Jiang Chengyu around her neck, gold bangles on her wrists from the Second Lady, and in the other hand pinched a hairpin with a hidden mechanism, while revealing one corner of a five hundred tael banknote peeking out from her bosom.

The contrast between gold and silver, the difference between multiple zeros and fewer zeros.

Old Lady Jiang halted her steps, disappointment brimming on her face.

The Second Branch held their breaths, not daring to interrupt.

Jiang Chengyuan was still comforting his mother when he suddenly looked back to see those fifty taels of silver ingots and nearly jumped up. "The deed, where did the deed go?"

Mrs. Liao's movement of dabbing the corners of her eyes paused.

"Mother, why would it be fifty taels of silver ingots?" Jiang Chengyuan's lips began to tremble. "Why, oh why?"

Jiang Chengfeng felt a little sympathy from the side and was about to speak when he got grabbed back by the Second Lady.

"What do you mean why?" Mrs. Liao regained her composure. "I was keeping the deed for you until you get married before giving it to your new daughter-in-law. You know our household is also going through financial difficulties. These fifty taels were scraped together from stopping Cheng Huan's medication."

Was that really the case?

Jiang Chengyuan was already at a loss for words as he saw the gold bangles on Jiang Sheng's wrists, the hairpin she was clutching, the beaded necklace she wore, and the banknote peeking out from her bosom.

Even his cousins could take out gold, while he as the Eldest Young Master combined with Eldest Madam only presented fifty taels of silver.

Feelings of guilt overwhelmed him. He had been so happy just earlier, but now he was utterly ashamed with no place to hide.

That desire to make amends, in the end, was completely shattered. Jiang Chengyuan didn't even dare look at Little Jiang Sheng anymore as he wandered off in a daze from the Virtuous Courtyard, leaving without glancing back.

How could there be so many whys.

It was nothing more than a deliberate scheme by one and naivety bordering foolishness by the other.

Jiang Sheng stared blankly at the fifty taels of silver ingots. Actually, this was not a small sum at all. Whether during the time wandering and begging or through years of hard work and striving, getting fifty taels would have made her secretly delighted to the point she couldn't fall asleep all night.

But now, she didn't want these taels of silver at all.

The Virtuous Courtyard finally regained its peace and quiet.

Jiang Sheng stuck out her little tongue, sprawling on the soft couch refusing to get up no matter what.

"Young Miss, let's go back to Cloud Lodge to sleep," the talkative little maid nagged. "It's not good to sleep here, easily catching a chill. What if you throw up in the middle of the night?"

Yet Jiang Sheng persisted in not getting up, and the maid couldn't budge her, about to cry from anxiety.

Old Lady Jiang returned from washing up and saw this with a smile reaching her eyes. "If you don't want to get up then don't force it, just sleep here."

Tan Yue brought over hot water and towels, first letting Jiang Sheng rinse and spit, then wiping her hands and feet clean before taking off her outer robe.

Jiang Sheng slowly shuffled from the couch onto Old Lady Jiang's bed, finally nestling into the warm embrace.

After a while, she muffled out, "Grandmother, did the Jiang family get it wrong again?"

Old Lady Jiang's expression froze, heart wrenching.

In the end, she was a girl of only eleven. How could she not yearn for maternal love and affection?

Yet tonight there was too much disappointment.

Old Lady Jiang could only try her utmost to comfort her. "One mistake doesn't mean repeated mistakes. The Jiang family has its own capabilities and would absolutely not wrongly recognize again."

So she really was Lady Jiang's child?

Jiang Sheng became even more bewildered. Drowsiness after the meal swept over her, and in her groggy state she still didn't forget to argue. "Grandmother, don't misunderstand, I'm not sad, I just don't really understand."

It wasn't only her who didn't really understand, everyone felt the same.

There would be endless discussions in the Second Branch after they left, and the maids of the East Courtyard even more so whispering to each other.

Old Lady Jiang concealed the coldness in her eyes, gently patting Jiang Sheng to sleep.

The next day, dawn broke.

The plump little girl was still fast asleep. Old Lady Jiang got up early and changed into a set of clothes before hurrying to Lady Jiang's main courtyard.

For her mother-in-law, Mrs. Liao was still rather respectful. She finished freshening up and came over to pay her respects. "Greetings to Mother. Mother seems to be..."

She didn't get to finish her sentence.

An extremely fierce and heavy slap came flying over, sending Lady Jiang crashing to the ground.

The maids and servants let out shrieks in unison, yet no one dared come over to help her up.

Because the one who struck was precisely the most dignified and stern Old Lady Jiang of the Jiang family.