CH 3

1 Feb Written By LG LR6-8 minutes

“Oh, Momo...” Jiang Mingyue stepped before Zhou-momo and used her hands to pat down and tidy up the messy hair around Zhou-momo’s temples.

This move of the Jiangs’ Second Miss made Zhou-momo feel somewhat more at ease.

Old Madam Xu, on the other hand, got so angry that she almost fell backwards onto the ground. She spent such a long time berating Zhou-momo for Jiang Mingyue’s sake... Had she simply been imagining the close relationship she had with her granddaughter?

When Jiang Yue’e saw that her grandmother was about to fly into a rage, she rushed over to grab hold of Old Madam Xu and prevent her from charging up and giving both Jiang Mingyue and Zhou-momo a beating.

“Momo, for major events like marriage, I’ll do as the Old Madam says,” Jiang Mingyue said. She took a silk handkerchief and wiped away Zhou-momo’s tears before adding, “So for this matter, I will only do what the Old Madam says.”

Despite her furrowed brows and blazing eyes, Old Madam Xu was currently no longer about to destroy someone, nor was she vexed anymore.

“See the guest out,” Old Madam Xu said to a few servants standing at the side.

“Quickly, quickly,” Jiang Yue’e urged hurriedly when she saw that the servants were still in a motionless daze. Old Madam Xu was finally willing to let Zhou-momo go, so why weren’t they seeing her off without delay?

“Momo, just go back.” Jiang Mingyue smiled at Zhou-momo.

Even after the several servants sent off Zhou-momo like they were casting out the god of plague, Zhou-momo—who had always been astute—still had yet to regain her senses. It didn’t matter that much that Old Madam Xu had pointed at Zhou-momo’s nose, berated her, and even spat saliva at her. However, the Jiangs’ Second Miss had actually rejected Zhao Lingxiao, the Crown Prince of Tushan...? Was this because she didn’t know about the Crown Prince’s good points or because she was simply unable to tell the good from the bad?

While Zhou-momo was lost in thought outside the manor... Inside the manor, Old Madam Xu was fiercely jabbing Jiang Mingyue’s head with her finger.

“You even smiled at her!” Old Madam Xu said in dissatisfaction. “This damned girl—you can’t even tell the good from the bad! Zhao Qingrong is not a good person! Did she come to set up a marriage contract for you, or did she request the emperor to arrange a marriage for you? Neither of those things. She just sent someone here to talk nonsense before doing anything! She’s simply out to smear your reputation! Yet you’re still smiling?!”

Jiang Mingyue supported her grandmother’s arm with a smile and said softly, “If I don’t smile, am I supposed to cry to Zhou-momo then?”

“Let’s go back inside to talk,” Old Madam Xu said and smacked away Jiang Mingyue’s hand bemusedly.

Old Madam Xu then took a couple of steps toward the little reception pavilion before stopping again. She yelled in the direction of the flower bed under the left courtyard wall, “My Old Husband, what are you still standing there for? Are a few flower buds worth you watching like that?”

Old Sir Jiang, who had been standing silently in front of the flowerbed this whole time, finally let out an “Mm” at this moment. He clasped his hands together behind his back and walked over to his old wife.

The servants of Anyuan Houfu who were in the courtyard: “......”

They had truly forgotten that the old sir had been standing there.

As Jiang Mingyue watched her grandfather walk over exasperatingly slowly, her face suddenly took on an expression of shock like that of an emoticon, 囧. She hadn’t even noticed that her grandfather was also in the courtyard despite the fact that she’d been standing there talking for quite a while.

Old Sir Jiang—formal personal name, San Zhuang—had farmed his entire life. When his second son developed great future prospects, San Zhuang followed his second son into the capital. Back when San Zhuang farmed, the person who took care of all the internal and external household matters was his wife, Madam Xu. Now that he wasn’t farming anymore, the person in charge of all the internal and external household matters was still Madam Xu. Old Sir Jiang had an innate ability to go invisible. If he didn’t speak, those around him wouldn’t notice him. Even when he did finally speak, there wouldn’t be many people still around by that time to notice him.

The family of four sat down in the reception pavilion and watched as Old Madam Xu drove out all the servants and even shut the pavilion doors.

Jiang Yue’e could no longer contain herself and opened her mouth to say: “Grandma, look at how much trouble you’ve turned this into! The Crown Prince of Tushan is such a good person!”

Old Madam Xu said unhappily, “What’s the matter? Have you also been captivated by that Crown Prince?”

“Grandma!” Jiang Yue’e’s face instantly became flushed. If what her grandmother had just said were to get out, would Jiang Yue’e still be able to return to Ningguo Gongfu?

“That Crown Prince is handsome,” Old Sir Jiang, who seldom spoke without being prompted, said this.

Jiang Mingyue was somewhat taken aback. Her grandfather was always farming vegetables in the rear garden of the Houfu all day long. How could it be that he had seen Zhao Lingxiao?

“When I went to East Street to find Wang Er to repair my hoe the day before yesterday, Tushan’s Crown Prince was riding a horse, and he cracked his whip right before my eyes as he crossed,” Old Sir Jiang said. He turned to look at Jiang Mingyue and repeated: “He is handsome.”

“All right, stop talking!” Old Madam Xu shouted loudly at this moment. This blood-related grandfather and older sister—were they both wanting to match Zhao Lingxiao and Jiang Mingyue together?

“Let’s not talk about his appearance. Grandmother, what’s bad about Tushan Wangfu (King of Mt Tu’s Manor)?” Jiang Yue’e couldn’t figure it out.

If her younger sister married the Crown Prince, she would become the Crown Prince’s Imperial Concubine. Then, once the Crown Prince became the King of Tushan, she would become the Imperial Consort of the King of Tushan. Which part of this marriage was even a little bad? The Jiangs’ Eldest Miss truly couldn’t figure it out.