Chapter 30 The Old Lady Asks for Marriage
Ignoring Second Aunt's angry expression, Jiang Shiyuan took a piece of Hui ink from Liuhua, handed it respectfully to Jiang Huaishan and then said.

"Dad's promotion to the position of Zongzheng is a great joy for the Jiang family. I knew that you have a good handwriting, so I specially asked someone to find this ink. Now I finally found it, so I specially present it to Dad. I hope you like it."

Jiang Huaishan took the Hui ink and couldn't let it go, with a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

"This gift is very good. Father likes it."

When Old Madam Jiang saw it, her face turned a little surprised. This thing could have been given privately, but now it was given in front of so many people. Was he trying to show off?
So she wanted to say something to her, but then Jiang Shiyuan took out another box, which contained an eighteen-bead string made of small-leaf red sandalwood, and walked up to her. She smiled sweetly and said.

"This is a gift for grandma. Daddy is where he is today thanks to grandma's hard work and support. That's why daddy always told me and my brother to be filial to grandma. The gift was prepared a long time ago. I didn't take it out before because I knew that grandma worshipped Buddha, so I specially sent it to Guanghua Temple to have the abbot bless it. It was only sent back a few days ago, so I hurried to send it to grandma today. I hope grandma will accept it."

Old Madam Jiang was a widow who raised two sons by washing clothes and mending clothes. Naturally, she didn't have much experience and had never seen anything good. So when she saw the bracelet and heard that it was an object that was gifted with good fortune, a smile appeared on her wrinkled face, which was a bit more friendly than her previous coldness. She said something with satisfaction.

"A Nian is thoughtful."

For a moment, the anger that had been accumulating in her stomach was reduced a lot. Second Aunt Zhang, who was sitting opposite her, saw Jiang Shiyuan giving her two generous gifts in succession, and her eyes couldn't help but look behind her, as if she was waiting for her. Unfortunately, Jiang Shiyuan didn't let her have her way.

He just said this casually and sat down next to his father Jiang Huaishan.

"As long as grandma likes it, I'm glad. By the way, I also prepared gifts for Second Aunt and my brothers and sisters, but they are a little too heavy to carry. I will have them delivered to your respective courtyards when I return. It is also a small token of my appreciation."

"Thank you, big sister."

Three or four young boys and girls stood by and half-bowled to Jiang Shiyuan to express their gratitude. One girl, wearing a bean green skirt embroidered with a gourd pattern and pomegranates, caught her attention.

She has almond eyes and a pointed face, and is pretty and elegant.

She was Jiang Shiyue, the second daughter of the second wife in the Jiang family, born to Aunt Hai.

She is three years younger than Jiang Shiyuan and is about thirteen years old now. Although her figure has not fully grown yet, she can be seen to be a rare beauty. It's a pity that Jiang Shiyuan's reputation as the most beautiful woman in Dasui has caused outsiders to have little impression of the other girls in the mansion.

"Big sister, you are finally here. I was thinking that the weather might be too hot and the roads might be hard to walk on, so I was planning to go out to meet you."

"Oh? Really? I'm sorry that you made my fourth sister worry about you. You look beautiful dressed up today, but are there any guests coming home?"

Jiang Shiyue was suddenly startled by Jiang Shiyuan's words which seemed to be of great importance but were so casual. She was young and had never seen the world, so she naturally could not resist her elder sister's casual question. However, she was also afraid that if she failed to handle the matter well, she would be beaten and scolded by her stepmother Zhang, so she could only pretend to be calm and said something.

"Big sister, you are joking. I just thought today is the day for the whole family to reunite, so I cleaned up a little. I can't compare with you, big sister."

Jiang Shiyuan smiled calmly, and glanced at the people in front of him. He quickly noticed the discomfort on the faces of his second aunt Zhang and grandmother who were sitting opposite him, and he made a conclusion in his heart.

Using a silk handkerchief to pretend to cough twice, Jiang Shiyuan's "weak" appearance made Second Aunt Zhang look proud. Although Jiang Shiyue standing next to her was still well-behaved, her eyes were not as innocent as she said. She looked expectant and overwhelmed with joy. It looked like someone was really coming to the mansion.

But the person who can make them pay so much attention must be of high status. But the Jiang family has only moved to Xijing City for a few days, so what high-ranking family can they know?

Jiang Shiyuan was just thinking about it when he heard Old Madam Jiang speak.

"Your father's promotion is a happy event for the whole family. Our family has also formed an in-law relationship with Prince Chun's Mansion, which means we have a firm foothold in Xijing City. Your second sister has not forgotten her family even after getting married, so today we specially invited the prince's third brother to come to our house for a gathering. I have also inquired about it. His mother was born as a concubine in the mansion, but the son she gave birth to is a good person. It is said that he has been working in the Weiwei Temple for a long time. She thought that there were still several sisters in the family who were not married, so she thought that if the sisters could marry the brothers, it would be a rare fate."

After Mrs. Jiang explained it, Jiang Shiyuan understood it immediately.

I guess she felt that Jiang Shijin was isolated and helpless in the palace, so she came up with the idea of ​​"sisters marrying brothers" and wanted Jiang Shiyue to show off in front of the prince's third brother. If this could happen, their second branch would be able to hold their heads high.

After all, it takes extraordinary means to send both daughters to Prince Chun's Mansion.

Outsiders have to give face to Buddha even if they don't give face to the monk. In the future, people from the second house will naturally have some face in the circle of noble ladies.

Thinking of this, Jiang Shiyuan immediately glanced at Aunt Yang and his third sister Jiang Shishu. Sure enough, both mother and daughter had faces full of sadness and loss. As the daughters of an aunt, they were both illegitimate daughters who were not valued in the family. If the fourth sister Jiang Shiyue, born to Aunt Hai, really climbed up this high branch, wouldn't it be done on purpose for the eldest wife to see?

Feeling disappointed and heartbroken, Jiang Shiyuan glanced at her father who was sitting next to her and saw that he was also a little surprised. Then she looked at Aunt Yang and her daughter with concern. She knew that this was done by her grandmother and second aunt, and her father had also kept it secret in advance.

hateful!

She and her father still had some family affection for each other, so she endured the substitutionary marriage. There were many rumors outside, saying that Jiang Huaishan was an incompetent housekeeper, which was why such a thing happened. His reputation was already damaged.

Now it’s even more exaggerated. I have to send my daughter home to walk this route again!
Princess Chun is already dissatisfied with Jiang Shijin. If she were to vent her anger on the Jiang family or her father and brother, wouldn't that be a loss?

You have to know that Princess Chun's family has someone in the Imperial College. If her brother's future was known, the Jiang family would have to suffer in silence.

Besides, Song Shizhui is also a hypocritical person. Although Jiang Shiyuan did not have much dealings with him after marrying into Prince Chun's Mansion in her previous life, she knew that he was not a good person. He was submissive at home and bullied others outside. If she married such a man, I am afraid that the fourth sister would not be able to get anything good!

She didn't have much affection for her fourth sister, but Aunt Hai was a nice person.

When she was a child, her brother would bring her younger brother Jiang Shilin to play in their mother's yard. After a few visits, she naturally knew that Aunt Hai was also a humble and gentle person. That's why she didn't want this to happen, so she calmed down and said.

"Grandma, I'm afraid this is inappropriate."

As soon as she opened her mouth, several people shot her unfriendly looks. If their eyes were as sharp as knives, Jiang Shiyuan would have been covered in blood by now.