After Old Madame Xiao left, Xiao Jingyi sat there, savoring the memory. So, this was what it felt like to be close to one’s mother.
Jiang Lingzhi’s reading voice rose once more.
Xiao Jingyi felt a surge of unexpected gratitude. Initially, he had taken her for a greedy little village girl with more guts than sense, but he was starting to realize she possessed a knack for making people feel at ease.
The next day, Nanny Li, from the Second Madam, Lady Gu’s side, paid a visit. "Madam, the Second Madam asked me to inform you that the Duke Estate will be holding a Peony Banquet in a few days. Princess Consort Rui will be bringing Princess Lingshu, so please be prepared."
Princess Lingshu?
The one who had sent that plaque to Xiao Jingyi?
A strange thought suddenly crossed her mind: could it be that this Princess Lingshu was in love with Xiao Jingyi?
With this in mind, she couldn't help but ask, "Nanny Li, what about this Princess Lingshu?"
Nanny Li sighed and answered with great tact, "Our General was once renowned for his brilliance. Many young ladies in Shangjing admired him, but he always conducted himself with integrity and never grew particularly close to any of them."
Jiang Lingzhi nodded, understanding perfectly: unrequited love.
Nothing to worry about, then!
However, Xueying and Yunrou grew nervous. The Second Madam had sent Nanny Li specifically to warn them that the Madam’s love rival was coming, and they had to dress her up properly!
Lying on the bed, Xiao Jingyi also heard Nanny Li’s words, and his heart tightened. He had no feelings for Lingshu, but in his memory, she was always headstrong and clingy. He was worried this little village girl wouldn't be able to handle her.
He couldn't intervene, so he could only hope that seeing him now—comatose and paralyzed—might finally make her let go.
Xueying and Yunrou were already in a frenzy. One went to the storeroom to select jewelry, while the other rummaged through the wardrobe, determined to make Jiang Lingzhi look her best.
Two days later, Jiang Lingzhi’s period finally ended.
The two maids began their ritual again, soaking her in a milk and petal bath and applying fragrant oils. After all the scrubbing, Jiang Lingzhi felt like she had been pickled in perfume.
Finally, the day of the Peony Banquet arrived.
Jiang Lingzhi was pulled out of bed at the crack of dawn. Xueying chose an ivory-white damask robe embroidered with gold begonias, paired with a pale purple pomegranate skirt. It looked elegant and noble. Yunrou, with her nimble fingers, styled her hair in a lively flying-fairy bun, adorned with a tassel butterfly hairpin.
Jiang Lingzhi looked into the mirror and clicked her tongue. It was true what they said about clothes making the person; she actually looked the part. Her face was as smooth as jade, her nose delicate, her lips red and teeth white. Most notably, her peach-blossom eyes were filled with a faint smile, bearing a striking resemblance to Second Young Master Jiang.
The thought flashed through her mind, and she was startled. *Pah!* She quickly pushed the thought away.
She then selected a bamboo-green spring robe for Xiao Jingyi. With his hair tied in a jade crown, the long confinement to his bed had softened his sharp edges, giving him a gentle, youthful air.
She admired him for a moment before having him wheeled out.
Second Madam, Lady Gu, was strolling through the garden, beaming with pride; she loved being the center of attention. When she saw Jiang Lingzhi and her group, she walked over with a wide smile. "Fourth Sister-in-law, where have you been hiding these past few days? Look at this face, this figure—what a beauty!"
Everyone likes a compliment. Jiang Lingzhi replied politely, "Second Sister-in-law is the one who truly shines. From afar, I thought a celestial being had descended to earth."
Lady Gu was in her thirties and had raised a son and daughter who were both successful. Her son, Xiao Yu, had passed the provincial examinations at eighteen, and her daughter, Xiao Yue, was betrothed to the heir of Marquis Yongding’s Estate. Lady Gu lived a life of ease and maintained her appearance well. Hearing such praise, she beamed. She felt more than ever that Old Madame Xiao was right—her fourth sister-in-law was a lucky charm! Talking to her was such a delight.
Lady Gu teased Xiao Jingyi, "Fourth Brother, your Second Brother has grown a whole garden of peonies, but your new bride is even more beautiful than the flowers."
Xiao Jingyi didn't know what Jiang Lingzhi looked like, but he instinctively assumed a village girl would be, at best, passably pretty—hardly "more beautiful than flowers." His second sister-in-law was merely being polite. But to him, it didn't matter. Regardless of her looks, even if she were as ugly as Zhong Wuyan, he had married her, and he would acknowledge her as his bride.
After a few more pleasantries, Lady Gu went to greet other guests.
The garden was filled with unfamiliar faces—relatives and connections of the Duke Estate. As Jiang Lingzhi pushed Xiao Jingyi through the garden, she looked at the rows of peonies with genuine interest. "Husband, I don't recognize many of these. When you wake up, you must teach me their names."
Xiao Jingyi thought to himself that he knew many varieties of peonies. However, he was surprised that in such a lively crowd, no one had come over to greet the "little village girl." She was the Fourth Madam of the Xiao family, after all—wasn't it common courtesy to pay respects? How rude!
He didn't realize that, far from being ignored, eyes from every direction were fixed on her—some filled with disdain, others with criticism or spite. Very few were kind.
Xueying and Yunrou felt the tension, but Jiang Lingzhi remained calm, unfazed. Back in the village, when she returned from gathering pig feed, the looks from the village gossips were far sharper than this. She had long since developed a thick skin.
Some began to whisper openly:
"So, that’s the village girl who came back from the countryside?"
"She looks ordinary enough, no figure to speak of. I don't know where she found the nerve."
"You don't know? The Imperial Observatory said she and the General were fated to be together."
They didn't lower their voices, clearly wanting her to hear. Jiang Lingzhi thought they were talking nonsense. She had checked the mirror before coming out—how was she "ordinary" or lacking a figure? She was clearly a beauty!
"Let me hear who is spouting nonsense in my Duke Estate!" A sharp, clear voice rang out at the entrance.
Jiang Lingzhi looked over to see Second Aunt Xiao Jingxi. Her eyes were wide, and she said with a cold smile, "Whoever dares to say such garbage again, get out before I throw you out!"
Many who heard her lowered their heads, afraid to say another word. Xiao Jingxi affectionately took Jiang Lingzhi’s hand. "Fourth Sister-in-law."
Jiang Lingzhi smiled and nodded.
Just then, there was a commotion at the gate. Xiao Yan arrived, leaning on a cane. Behind him were his two concubines, Jiang Lingyuan and Shuiyun.
Jiang Lingyuan was dressed magnificently today, which gave her delicate appearance a touch of grace. She followed Xiao Yan, her brows furrowing. She had intended to outshine everyone today. She had been in the manor for several days, but because concubines didn't have a formal tea ceremony to meet the family, she hadn't met everyone yet. In contrast, the favored concubine Shuiyun, who had grown up in the manor, had a massive advantage.
She had decided to seize this opportunity to make a grand impression. She wanted the entire Duke Estate and its relatives to remember her. However, to her shock, people merely glanced at her briefly before looking away, as if she were insignificant.
They turned back to their gossip: "Why is Princess Funing so nice to Jiang Lingzhi?"
"Well, maybe we shouldn't provoke her, then!"
"Right, right, let's go say hello!"
A group of ladies flocked toward Xiao Jingxi and Jiang Lingzhi.
Jiang Lingyuan bit her lip and tugged on Xiao Yan’s sleeve, signaling him to introduce her. But Xiao Yan had already noticed Jiang Lingzhi the moment he entered. Seeing her laughing with the crowd, completely unbothered by her paralyzed husband in the wheelchair, he raised an eyebrow.
*Just as I thought,* he mused, *she’s a woman who loves the spotlight! Life as a widow can't be easy; she must regret swapping marriages bitterly. I should show her some concern when I get the chance...*
"Husband," Jiang Lingyuan whispered, "there are so many people here I don't know..."
"That's nothing, you'll get to know them in time," Xiao Yan said, completely missing her hint. "Look, they're all over there chatting—go join them."
Jiang Lingyuan was speechless. They were all surrounding Jiang Lingzhi! In her eyes, Jiang Lingzhi was just a country bumpkin who had committed the outrageous act of swapping weddings in a funeral hall. Shouldn't the entire estate despise her? Why were they all fawning over her?
She bit her lip, comforting herself that it was all just fake courtesy for Xiao Jingyi’s sake. Anyway, he would be dead soon. Jiang Lingzhi’s days would be miserable; her time in the sun was fleeting! Even so, she couldn't stand seeing Jiang Lingzhi playing the part of a phoenix on a branch.
Xiao Yan went off to chat with the men. Jiang Lingyuan had no choice but to sit alone. Her maid, Chunliu, noticed her expression and whispered, "Second Miss, should we go speak to the Eldest Miss?"
Jiang Lingyuan glared at her so fiercely that the maid turned pale and dared not say another word.
The other maid, Xiayue, thought she was being clever. "Chunliu, you can't call her Second Miss anymore. We’re in the Duke Estate. You must call her Auntie Yuan, or people will say we have no manners."
Jiang Lingyuan’s expression darkened even further. These two idiots were making everything worse. They were originally the dowry maids Lady Chu had arranged for Jiang Lingzhi, but they had followed Jiang Lingyuan back to the Jiang family. She had brought them to the Duke Estate to show off in front of Jiang Lingzhi, but instead, they were just driving her mad.
A voice announced at the gate: "Princess Consort Rui has arrived—Princess Lingshu has arrived—"
The garden fell silent. Jiang Lingzhi pushed Xiao Jingyi, watching curiously.
A noble, graceful woman entered, followed by a young lady of about twenty, who looked haughty and proud.
Xiao Jingxi whispered to Jiang Lingzhi, "Fourth Sister-in-law, that is Lingshu. She used to pester Fourth Brother constantly."
As soon as she finished, Jiang Lingzhi felt a gaze filled with jealousy land on her. She looked up and saw Lingshu staring daggers at her. Jiang Lingzhi curved her lips into a bright, sunny smile.
Lingshu rolled her eyes, fuming.
"No need for formalities. It’s a family banquet today; I am a guest as well," Princess Consort Rui said with a soft smile, taking a seat on a stool nearby. She beckoned to Xiao Jingxi, "Jingxi, have your fourth sister-in-law come over and let me have a look."
Xiao Jingxi looked conflicted, but Jiang Lingzhi, knowing it was coming for her, composed herself. "It's fine. I'll go see her."
She pushed Xiao Jingyi’s wheelchair over. She curtsied, and the Princess Consort pointed to a seat. "Sit and talk."
Jiang Lingzhi sat slightly to the side, and they took each other's measure. The Princess Consort was truly stunning, and Princess Lingshu had inherited her mother’s beauty in full. Jiang Lingzhi sighed inwardly. *Strange, doesn't Xiao Jingyi like beauties? ...What am I supposed to do then?*
The Princess Consort was secretly surprised. This girl, raised in the countryside, looked bright and elegant, her manners easily rivaling any noble lady in Shangjing.
After a long gaze, she said with a teasing tone, "You were bold enough to swap weddings in a funeral hall. Did you bet that Jingyi would come back to life?"
Jiang Lingzhi sensed a test. She gave a half-truth: "Perhaps it was fate. My fortunes clashed with Xiao Yan’s, so I thought to swap. But my fortunes favored the General, and he came back to life."
The Princess Consort stared at her, but Jiang Lingzhi just looked innocent.
"Is that so?" The Princess Consort smiled, as if she believed it. "And how is Jingyi now?"
Jiang Lingzhi figured this was the question Lingshu most wanted to know. She sighed, "Not great. The doctor says if he doesn't wake up within three months, then..." She paused, acting a bit shy. "So, my most urgent task now is to secure an heir for the General."
She spoke bluntly, hoping to scare off Princess Lingshu—she didn't want any more "sisters" in the house!
"You truly are shameless," Princess Lingshu snapped, her voice full of hostility.
She had loved her cousin Xiao Jingyi for years, waiting until she was twenty, but he had always been indifferent. Four months ago, she heard he was dead and went to a nunnery to live as a lay practitioner. When she heard he had survived, she rushed down the mountain to see him, only to find he had married a village girl—the very woman who had been his nephew’s fiancée and had swapped weddings in a funeral hall!
Lingshu had nearly fainted from anger. Her brilliant, heroic cousin had ended up with *this*? A royal princess, losing to a discarded village girl?
"Princess, what are you saying?" Jiang Lingzhi replied, unflinching. "Continuing the family line is a wife’s duty. I married your cousin, so I must fulfill my duties as a wife."
"Sharp-tongued wench!" Lingshu hissed.
"That's enough, Lingshu!" The Princess Consort shot her daughter a look, then smiled at Jiang Lingzhi. "Don't take it to heart. Lingshu is just worried about her cousin; she means nothing by it."
Jiang Lingzhi blinked. "It's fine. Once the Princess is married, she will understand."
Lingshu’s eyes turned red with fury. She didn't want to marry anyone but Xiao Jingyi! But with only three months left to his life, what would happen to her if she did?
Seeing Lingshu’s reaction, the Princess Consort knew her daughter had likely given up. Relieved, she said to Jiang Lingzhi, "Indeed. We shall have to worry about finding a husband for the Princess soon."
As soon as she finished, Lingshu swept the teacup off the table. It shattered on the ground. Everyone in the garden looked over.
"Lingshu! You’re tired. Come home with me." The Princess Consort glanced at her daughter, a look of genuine relief on her face. She stood up and looked at Jiang Lingzhi, taking a delicate phoenix hairpin from her hair. "I hope you help Jingyi blossom and expand his family line soon."
Jiang Lingzhi knew this was a reward for helping Lingshu let go. She smiled and accepted it. "Thank you, Princess Consort."
As the Princess and her daughter left, the ladies in the garden turned their gaze toward Jiang Lingzhi, their expressions shifting once more, and they swarmed toward her again.
Seeing the phoenix hairpin in Jiang Lingzhi’s hand, they realized how highly the Princess Consort regarded her. Who would dare cross her now?
Jiang Lingzhi felt as if a riot of flowers was vying for her attention, and she found herself a bit overwhelmed.
"Fourth Madam, let's go pin some flowers!"
"Alright, alright..."
Jiang Lingzhi pushed Xiao Jingyi along to join the lively group of ladies.
Not far away, on a stone bench, Jiang Lingyuan had been sitting for most of the day. Since she arrived, all she had seen was Jiang Lingzhi basking in the center of the crowd. Princess Funing smiled at her, the Princess Consort rewarded her, while she herself hadn't even met everyone, let alone fit in.
If there had been poetry or music, she might have shown off her talents, but Lady Gu had insisted this was a family banquet. Without a stage, how was she to build an image for herself?
Watching from afar, she saw a charming, noble-looking young lady placing a bright peony in Jiang Lingzhi’s hair, while the others showered her with praise. Her face turned black.
Suddenly, a soft voice reached her ears: "Lingyuan?"
A gentle, elegant woman stopped before her and sat down naturally. "Why are you sitting here all alone?"
Jiang Lingyuan stood up in a panic. The woman looked to be under thirty, but Jiang Lingyuan couldn't place her and felt awkward about asking.
The woman noticed her embarrassment and said calmly, "I am Yan’s Third Aunt. You can call me Third Aunt, as he does."
"Third Aunt," Jiang Lingyuan said, feeling a weight lift from her heart. She hadn't expected someone so kind in the Duke Estate.
The Third Madam, Zhao Ruowei, nodded and glanced briefly at her stomach. "Sit and rest. Your health is what matters most."
Jiang Lingyuan’s face went pale; she assumed the Third Madam was mocking her.