Jiang Yu did not hesitate any further. She stood up, walked to the center of the room, and offered a formal, respectful bow to Old Madam Jiang. "Old Madam."
Old Madam Jiang looked at Jiang Yu, slightly surprised by the change in her demeanor, before nodding with satisfaction. "Hmm. After a few years at the manor, you have become much more sensible."
Jiang Yu smiled. She did not refute the remark, instead following the Old Madam’s lead: "As you say, Old Madam."
In her previous life, Old Madam Jiang had always favored her eldest granddaughter, Jiang Wanqian. As for the power struggle between Lady Li and Madam Zhao, she had mostly turned a blind eye, acting as if she saw nothing. Unless Madam Zhao went too far, she would only offer a subtle hint out of concern for her eldest granddaughter. She never took sides, and as her health steadily declined, she passed away the second year after Jiang Yu returned.
As for Jiang Wanqian’s marriage, the Old Madam had personally arranged a good match for her before she died. Unfortunately, Madam Zhao had sabotaged it, and in the end, Jiang Wanqian was forced by Jiang Zhiping to marry a man of cruel and violent temperament. Jiang Wanqian had never believed the Old Madam died of natural causes and had even investigated the death, though she found nothing of use.
But connecting the events of her past and present lives, and observing the jealous look on Madam Zhao’s face at the mention of the Old Madam’s favoritism toward Jiang Wanqian—
"Jiang Yu really has become more sensible. I heard that as soon as she returned yesterday, she cleaned out the servants in her own courtyard. Those servants had been with her for so many years, too," Jiang Xueshu interjected at the perfect moment.
*So that’s it,* Jiang Yu thought. *I wondered why Madam Zhao would be so kind as to mention me to the Old Madam. It was all a setup waiting for me here.*
"Xueshu, it is only right for our third sister to discipline the servants in her own courtyard," Jiang Yingxi remarked, furrowing her brows in an act of feigned understanding.
"To discipline the maids who guarded her courtyard faithfully for years the moment she returns—Jiang Yu certainly puts on a grand display of power," Jiang Xueshu said, looking at Jiang Yu with undisguised sarcasm.
"Don't speak like that to our third sister..." Jiang Yingxi sighed, looking at them as one might look at an incredibly unruly child.
Standing to the side, Jiang Yu watched the two of them perform their little duet and nearly laughed aloud. *They are truly two idiots. How did I ever lose to people like this?* Jiang Yu found it hard to fathom. In truth, when she thought about it now, the one she had really lost to wasn't Jiang Yingxi or Jiang Xueshu, but that detestable man—Xuanyuan Ling.
"Is there something wrong with Jiang Yu disciplining her own servants? Fourth sister, have you disciplined your own servants any less? To bring such a trivial matter before the Old Madam... And regardless, Jiang Yu is your older sister. Calling her by her first name without any regard for hierarchy—do you have no sense of decorum?" Jiang Wanqian spoke up, defending Jiang Yu.
"Eldest sister, don't blame the fourth sister. She has always been like this—lacking a filter," Jiang Yingxi said. She knew exactly how to make one’s skin crawl; she framed Jiang Xueshu’s blatant targeting of Jiang Yu as nothing more than a lack of restraint.
"Second sister, you saw it yourself yesterday when I disciplined those servants, didn't you? They were stealing the valuables from my courtyard and disrespecting those closest to my mother. Am I not even allowed to discipline such servants?" Jiang Yu dropped her aggressive stance from the previous day, speaking with a look of aggrieved innocence.
Jiang Yingxi had not expected her to change her face so quickly. She had been banking on Jiang Yu responding aggressively so that the Old Madam would think she hadn't shed her bad habits and would take a dislike to her.
"I... of course I saw it. But third sister, you are a bit too focused on material wealth. That old servant was loyal to you; even if she had no great merits, she had at least put in the effort. Why go as far as to beat her half-dead and throw her out?" Jiang Yingxi sighed, as if she were too kind-hearted to witness such a bloody scene.
"What? Jiang Yu, this is where you are in the wrong. As a young lady, it is better to avoid such violent tendencies," Madam Zhao said, frowning.
Jiang Yu sneered inwardly. That was a remark better suited for Jiang Xueshu.
"There must be some misunderstanding. Yuer is not that kind of person," Lady Li said, stepping forward. Seeing Madam Zhao interjecting in the affairs of the juniors to target her daughter, she could no longer stay silent. She was usually a non-entity in these settings, rarely arguing about anything.
"Yesterday’s events were seen by Yingxi with her own eyes. Surely they cannot be false? Furthermore..." Madam Zhao looked at Lady Li with a sneer of disdain. "Furthermore, as an older sister, you should really teach your daughter better. Sending things away only to demand them back later—it is a disgrace to the Jiang family."
Mother Luo had already informed Lady Li of this matter yesterday. In the past, Yuer had often given the things she was gifted to the other two, and Lady Li had felt that as long as it kept the peace, a few material objects didn't matter, so she had never told Jiang Yu not to give away valuables. But since Yuer had called it a loan, how could asking for it back be shameful?
Just as Lady Li was about to explain, Jiang Yu spoke: "Second sister and fourth sister always said they liked the jewelry I wore. I am very fond of my second sister, so I would often lend her my precious jewelry to wear. But going to the manor this time made me realize how hard-earned money and possessions truly are. I realized that the jewelry I lent to second sister had never been returned, so I simply reminded her of it yesterday. I never expected Madam Zhao to misunderstand it as such..."
By the time she finished, Jiang Yu’s voice was laced with tears.
The crowd turned, casting meaningful glances at the sour-faced Madam Zhao. Everyone knew how substantial Lady Li’s dowry was. While no one spoke of it openly, everyone knew that Lady Li had been footing the bill for the Marquis Manor’s expenses for a long time. It was one thing that Madam Zhao was bleeding Lady Li dry, but now it seemed her daughter was doing the same to Lady Li’s daughter.
Today’s performance was truly spectacular.
"You lie! You clearly gave them to Yingxi as gifts!" Madam Zhao felt her face burning as she saw everyone staring at her. *This little slut Jiang Yu—after a few years at the manor, her tongue has become quite sharp!* She vowed that one day, she would tear that mouth apart.
"Madam Zhao, I truly did not. Why don't you ask second sister? When I gave her the jewelry, did I ever use the word 'give'?" Jiang Yu raised her eyes, her expression one of utter innocence.
Jiang Yingxi felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles under the weight of everyone's gaze. How could she answer? When Jiang Yu had given her the items, she had indeed never used the word "give." At the time, she had only said things like, "Since second sister likes this, why not take it and use it for a while."
She had not expected that Jiang Yu, at such a young age, would be so cunning. She had played the part so well before—she had severely underestimated her.
Just then, a man’s voice rang out.
"What is all this arguing about? I could hear you from outside."
It was Jiang Zhiping.
*Heh,* Jiang Yu thought. *Now that my biased father is here, it seems this play won't be so easy to wrap up.*