Chapter 96 The Active Princess Yongfu
Jiang Qizheng was “reminded” by Madame Tao. Knowing that it was Mrs. Gu who had harmed Qiu Yelan, she no longer opposed the marriage.
However, she was not in favor of it either. After all, Qiu Yelan’s reputation was really not that good. Jiang Qizheng always loved his brother more. She struggled between guilt for Qiu Yelan and love for Jiang Yashuang for a long time and decided not to care about this matter, “Anyway, grandma is smart and capable, and she has always treated him like her own grandson. There is no need to worry.”
She was not ready to be the sister-in-law, but Princess Yongfu was anxious.
She was a naughty princess. As for the gossip on reputation… When Empress Jiang decided to do politics, the criticism from all over the empire was much fiercer than the rumor today. There were even imperial censors who threatened to commit suicide in court.
As Empress Jiang’s daughter, she wouldn’t care about such trifles as now. Besides, who was Qiu Yelan’s “lover”? It was my cousin! Not an outsider!
Princess Yongfu regarded herself as the matchmaker of Qiu Yelan and Jiang Yashuang. She hoped wholeheartedly that they would marry each other so that she could show off her climbing skills… Oh, no, it was her vision… No… Anyway, it was the thought of a naughty kid.
All of a sudden, there was no more news on this matter. Princess Yongfu was too anxious to stay in the palace and rushed to the Jiang’s residence for information.
She was Madame Tao’s direct granddaughter. When Madame Tao saw her, her eyes and brows were all stretched out. She couldn’t wait to hold her in her arms and rub her on the body before asking with a smile, “Why are you out again? Did you make trouble and were afraid of being scolded by your mom?”
“Oh, no!” Princess Yongfu snuggled in her arms, “I miss grandma!”
Madame Tao laughed, “You are not telling the truth! You are so eager to ask about something. Do you want to coax me? Anyhow, what are you up to?”
Princess Yongfu’s demeanor is not as high as that of Jiang Qizheng, and she said directly, “Cousin Yashuang’s marriage.”
“Why do you care about that?” Madame Tao was stunned and poked her lightly on the forehead. “Are you worried that you’ll have no sister-in-law?”
“I am the matchmaker of Cousin Yashuang and Commandery Princess Ningyi!” Princess Yongfu was irritated, “What’s the point if Commandery Princess Ningyi were not my sister-in-law?”
Madame Tao said, “Do you treat your cousin’s marriage as a joke? Come on, don’t ask about it anymore.”
Madame Tao wanted very much to get Qiu Yelan engaged to Jiang Yashuang. Such a n.o.ble, impeccable and powerless granddaughter-in-law is not so easy to find.
But now Qiu Yelan’s reputation was ruined and she herself didn’t want to marry. Madame Tao was not certain now. Princess Yongfu was too young and not experienced, so Madame Tao wouldn’t tell her anything.
Princess Yongfu tried every way in vain and left unhappily. But she was not willing to give up, so she went into the adjoining Prince’s Mansion of Xihe as soon as they came out of the Jiang’s residence regardless of the maids’ dissuasion.
Being very anxious now, Princess Yunfu did not feel like being formally greeted and rushed directly to the school and called Qiu Yelan, who was in cla.s.s, to one side, “Why haven’t you married my cousin yet?!”
Qiu Yelan was bewildered at Princess Yongfu’s intention and she felt embarra.s.sed at the words, “What do you mean, Your Highness? I stayed at home these days for mourning for my mom. I haven’t seen your cousin!”
Was somebody else trying to defame her? Even Princess Yongfu got to know it!
Princess Yongfu’s personal maid, who had been following her, rushed up and covered her mouth. She explained to Qiu Yelan awkwardly, “Please don’t misunderstand Your Highness, Your Grace. Don’t you mind…” She dragged Princess Yongfu away while she was speaking. What a joke! Empress Jiang can only make a recommendation on Jiang Yashuang’s marriage. Her proposal will definitely be valued by the Jiangs, but it is impossible for her to decide!
Now that Princess Yongfu had interfered with it, things would be in a mess if the Jiangs did not make the engagement.
Qiu Yelan knew that the princess was unreliable, and she probably guessed what was going on. She couldn’t help but sigh with relief, “See you, Your Highness!” Hurry up! You naughty kid! You almost scared me to death!
Princess Yongfu was reluctant and grabbed a sachet around Qiu Yelan’s waist before leaving.
Watching her go away, Qiu Yelan twitched her mouth slightly, “Don’t take it to Jiang Yashuang!”
She did it!
Realizing that Qiu Yelan’s status as her would-be sister-in-law had been challenged, Princess Yongfu, who firmly believed that her own status as the matchmaker was challenged, began to take action!
Leaving Prince’s Mansion of Xihe, she ran back to the Jiang’s residence and quietly showed the sachet to Jiang Yashuang, “This is from Commandery Princess Ningyi. She has been missing you! It’s a pity that it is inconvenient for her to come over. When she saw me, she begged me tearfully to give it to you!”
Jiang Yashuang did not think much of Princess Yongfu’s lines which she edited referring to the lines from stories of wits and beauties. The little princess killed a guard the first time she went to the palace. What was more, she even went to steal food to eat afterwards. How was it possible that she would send the sachet tearfully?
Seeing that Jiang Yashuang, who forced a smile, kept silent, Princess Yongfu got impatient, “She is so willing. What on earth is your idea?”
Jiang Yashuang looked at her and chuckled. He knocked on the table, “I bet three months’ allowance. This sachet was either stolen or taken in your name!”
“I’m p.i.s.sed off!” Princess Yongfu jumped up and said, “I’m trying so hard to help you, but you still laugh at me!” Jiang Yashuang laughed breathlessly. Since Empress Jiang told her to be back to the palace before the gate was to be locked, Princess Yongfu did not have much time. She was not interested in his explanation but looked at him, grabbed a piece of jade pendant and ran away. “Write some love poems tonight and I will send them for you tomorrow. All geniuses in the storybooks impress the beauties with poems. You should learn from them!”
Jiang Yashuang wanted to get back the jade pendant. However, Princess Yongfu was also a martial artist, who ran out of the yard swiftly. Thinking that others would gossip about it when they saw him chasing her, he had to return to his room. “According to grandma, Commandery Princess Ningyi’s problem with pregnancy might not be true. Otherwise, the Duke of Xihe and his wife, who had hatred against her, would have spread the news long ago… She said that because she was still afraid of being embarra.s.sed by Jiang Qisheng and others after getting married….”
“I have explained that to her. It seems that she still doesn’t believe it.” Jiang Yashuang stopped smiling, thinking about what to do next. “The gossip outside is getting more and more vicious. Grandma reminded me last time that a lot of girls were forced to die by the gossip…” Thinking of this, Jiang Yashuang had some complaints about Jiang Yadan. “That was not a good joke for the girl’s reputation! You were ruining her life!”
He couldn’t put it down his mind and decided, “I’ll go and see her in the evening… In case she should…”
Princess Yongfu worked tirelessly and ran back to Prince’s Mansion of Xihe to find Qiu Yelan. Out of breath, she said, “I helped you and sent that sachet to my cousin! My cousin was very pleasantly surprised and stored it in his best box! This is his return… Keep it!” And she whispered, “I will continue to pa.s.s things between you. Don’t worry!”
We are not worried at all. I only worry about you now!
Qiu Yelan almost knelt down to her. Your cousin himself admitted that he wanted to marry me out of pure responsibility instead of love. How could he be so disgusting?!
She was about to reject it when Princess Yongfu looked up at the sun and exclaimed, “I’m going back to the palace! Here you are!” She put the jade pendant in her hand. Skirt in hand, she called at the maids who had just run to her, “Be quick! Go back to the palace! Otherwise, mom will be mad and ground me for several days!”
Watching her hurriedly in and hurriedly out and leaving a jade pendant with a wave of the sleeve, Qiu Yelan told Su He emotionlessly: “Tell others I am ill tomorrow. Do not let Princess Yongfu into the yard in case she should be infected!”
Su He didn’t hear Princess Yongfu’s intention and said okay.
Qiu Yelan rummaged through boxes and cases in the inner chamber that night, hoping to find something un.o.btrusive to hold the jade pendant and return it to Jiang Yashuang. She heard a slight cough behind the screen when she had a big pile of boxes and cases and had difficulty choosing a suitable one!
She turned back instantly!
Seeing Jiang Yashuang, she couldn’t help but touch on the forehead, “You are here?”
Before she had time to say “then you can take your jade pendant back”, Jiang Yashuang looked at the boxes and cases that filled the room with a peculiar expression and said, “In fact, that jade pendant was just what I carried with me and not a good one. You don’t have to put too much care on it. I have more at home.”
Qiu Yelan almost vomited, “You misunderstood me. I just want to find an unremarkable case for it and then give it back to you!”
Jiang Yashuang looked at the boxes and cases, which were obviously not found in a short time, and smiled with tolerance, “Okay.”
What’s okay! What’s that expression of yours? You just need to write on your face “I know you have me in your heart, but because I’m honest and kind, I won’t say that”, okay?
Qiu Yelan said with a stiff face, “You came to get back you jade pendant, didn’t you? I know Princess Yongfu didn’t tell the truth.”
Jiang Yashuang smiled, “Yongfu has always been naughty. Don’t blame her. But she didn’t mean any harm.”
“How dare I blame Her Highness?” Qiu Yelan immediately said in an alienated manner, “Young General, please take the jade pendant and return the sachet to me and go back!”
“The rumours are getting worse these days.” Jiang Yashuang didn’t respond to her but said, “Someone is behind the scenes. News came from the main residence just now that Qiu Dian intends to impeach me for seducing you.”
Qiu Yelan’s expression changed slightly, “Doesn’t he care about Deng Yi’s reputation?
And, does he have evidence?”
“Several servants of Yunyi Restaurant have disappeared.” Jiang Yashuang answered the latter question first and then smiled slightly, “Deng Yi is not an heir of the Gus. Besides, if this matter can be used to attack our family, it doesn’t matter even if his surname is Gu.”
Qiu Yelan didn’t care about rumors, because, with her moral integrity, fame is nothing.
But when it came to conflicts in court…
“Actually, even if I canceled the engagement with Deng Yi now, would it be appropriate to get engaged right away?” Qiu Yelan thought for a long time and said, “After all, I’m still in the mourning period.”
Jiang Yashuang heard the looseness in her tone and chuckled slightly, “It’s only two or three years. Even if we are not engaged, everyone will know it.”
“Then…” Qiu Yelan murmured, “Shall we talk about it when I’m out of the mourning? Otherwise, Princess Chunfu’s efforts would be in vain.”
Sending away Jiang Yashuang, Qiu Yelan hit on the bed forcefully, “Qiu Dian, Jiang Qisheng, Tao Peibin, Jiang Yadan… hum!”
There is nothing more hateful than a blow right on the head when you are on the way up!