Xiao Yan had always prided himself on being the most dashing young gentleman in Shangjing; how could he ever be content with such menial tasks? At this moment, he was genuinely afraid, and immediately begged, "Grandfather, I truly know I was wrong..."
State Duke Xiao let out a cold snort. "If you refuse to be a martial officer, then go take your uncle’s place at the Yanmen Pass in Ganzhou. Our Xiao family does not raise useless layabouts!"
Xiao Yan dared not say another word and hastily surrendered: "Grandfather, I understand. I will go tomorrow." After all, he knew the difference between losing face and losing his life.
"Get out now. Don't be an eyesore here."
"Yes."
With the backing of the State Duke, the others who came to pay their respects to Jiang Lingzhi were very measured in their behavior. Even those who joked around kept things lighthearted, ensuring nothing happened that would leave anyone embarrassed.
Lady Lu, seeing how quickly everyone in the estate had accepted the bride-swap and even offered flattering words to Jiang Lingzhi, grew increasingly furious. She felt as though her Yan'er had become the one being abandoned.
As soon as the tea ceremony concluded and they left Rongan Court, Lady Lu instructed Mammy Wang to prepare the carriage, then hurried with lightning speed toward the Yanguì Garden, where Xiao Yan lived.
Upon entering the room, she saw Jiang Lingyuan sobbing in Xiao Yan’s arms, with him continuously trying to soothe her. Lady Lu’s rage flared up even higher. Her slanted eyes glared at Jiang Lingyuan with a sharpness like a blade.
Terrified, Jiang Lingyuan felt a chill down her spine and hurriedly sat up from Xiao Yan’s embrace, cautiously greeting Lady Lu: "Greetings, Madam."
Lady Lu’s eyes were bloodshot. She stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face. Her words were as venomous as she could make them, determined to unleash all the frustration she had suffered today onto the girl: "Greetings? Thanks to you, Second Miss Jiang, I don't know how many years of my life I’ve lost! You wanted to enter our State Duke's estate—couldn't you have used any other method? Did you really have to make such a scene at the wedding banquet? Not only did you drag our estate’s reputation through the mud, you also caused Yan’er to be saddled with that miserable assignment! Did your father and mother have your fortune read when they adopted you? Are you a jinx or a husband-killer?"
The more she scolded, the more she believed it. Yan’er was the eldest grandson of the State Duke; who in all of Shangjing would have dared to speak ill of him behind his back? Yet now, he was reduced to this wretched state because of her.
Jiang Lingyuan held her face, browbeaten and humiliated, her face flushed with shame: "Madam, I didn't..."
Fortunately, Xiao Yan was still willing to protect her. He pulled her behind him and muttered discontentedly, "Mother! What are you doing? Do you still want a grandchild or not?"
"If it weren't for the one she’s carrying," Lady Lu said, her rage getting the better of her, "I would have had her dragged out and drowned in the pond long ago!"
Xiao Yan wanted to say more, but Jiang Lingyuan, seeing Lady Lu’s vicious and furious face, quickly stopped him, fearing he would anger her further. Recalling her own mother’s instructions, she quickly said, "Madam, please don't be angry. My mother said that the one hundred and some crates of dowry sent to the estate were prepared by her in my sister’s name specifically for me. I am willing to give them all to you, if only you would let go of your anger."
Her mother had told her she’d looked into it: Lady Lu was greedy. With such a generous dowry, she wouldn't be too hard on her, no matter how angry she was.
As expected, Lady Lu cursed a few more times but eventually suppressed her fire. "I suppose you’re sensible."
Jiang Lingyuan smiled and curried favor: "As long as you are happy, Madam."
Lady Lu said ungraciously, "Second Miss Jiang, I can hold onto your dowry for now. However, staying in Yan’er’s courtyard without a formal proposal or marriage agreement is improper. I will have someone send you back to the Jiang family for now, and after some time has passed, we will formally come to propose."
The dowry was one thing, but this was her own son; no matter how resentful she felt, she couldn't allow others to point fingers at him.
Jiang Lingyuan was overjoyed. She and Xiao Yan exchanged a look filled with affection; soon, she would be his lawfully wedded wife.
After she left, Lady Lu looked at her son, finally catching her breath. A smile gradually returned to her face: "Yan’er, the Old Madam has already suppressed yesterday’s events. There won't be any rumors outside. You can rest easy. Just go and accept the assignment your grandfather arranged; once his anger fades, this whole matter will be completely behind us."
Xiao Yan looked utterly dejected: "Mother! I am the legitimate eldest grandson of the State Duke’s estate, and you really want me to patrol the streets and guard the city gates? I don't want to! As the old saying goes, one should settle down before pursuing a career. Can't I wait until I marry Lingyuan to start making progress?"
Lady Lu felt a wave of dizziness from anger. She broke it down for her son, explaining the logic: "Yan’er, let me warn you: your father hasn't been named heir yet. Your fourth uncle might not live much longer, but your second and third uncles are eyeing the position like tigers. If you act willfully at such a critical juncture, do you still hope to inherit the title?"
Xiao Yan took this to heart. Compared to marrying Jiang Lingyuan, inheriting the title was obviously more important—that way, he would never have to worry about anything for the rest of his life! He nodded: "Mother is right. I will listen to you."
Lady Lu was finally happy: "Good son, I knew you were the most sensible."
...
When Jiang Lingzhi returned to Shun Garden, Yunrou had already prepared her morning meal. Bird's nest porridge, duck porridge, golden silk rolls, crystal shrimp dumplings, braised eggplant, water chestnut cake, chicken marrow bamboo shoots, pickled goose webs, sour bamboo shoot and chicken skin soup... the table was filled to the brim.
Each dish was something she had never eaten, or even seen, before.
Yunrou said respectfully, "Fourth Madam, this is all by the Old Madam’s instruction. She asked the kitchen to send over a portion of everything they prepared, saying she didn't know what you liked, so please try everything first."
Jiang Lingzhi nodded. Too busy to speak, she sat at the table and used her chopsticks to taste each dish carefully. They were so delicious she could have swallowed her tongue. These, from now on, would be the most common meals on her table.
Just as she finished, the estate’s seamstress arrived, saying that according to the rules, she needed to take measurements for the new Madam.
Jiang Lingzhi looked at the silks brought in—all the most popular cloud brocade from Shangjing, soft and magnificent, with bright colors. She liked them very much, so she picked a few pieces and, after agreeing on the styles with the seamstress, ordered four outfits inside and out.
She naturally didn't forget that such a good life was thanks to Xiao Jingyi, so she had the seamstress make several comfortable sets of loungewear for him as well.
As soon as the seamstress left, the estate’s steward arrived: "Fourth Madam, I have come to send some servants to Shun Garden."
Jiang Lingzhi understood. Previously, Xiao Jingyi had spent years on the battlefield, so Shun Garden had only a few guards and cleaning women. Now that he was in a coma, lying in bed all day, he naturally needed more personal attendants to wash him, change his clothes, turn him, and feed him every day.
Doctor Mu had already instructed that the General needed to be turned every two hours to prevent bedsores, and he could only be fed soft, liquid food for easy digestion. Furthermore, they needed to check for incontinence frequently and clean and change him in time. These were extremely tedious and exhausting chores.
Jiang Lingzhi asked a few questions, selected four maids and four manservants who appeared steady and nimble, and distributed the tasks in detail. She also settled in Di Qing and Di Hong, the General's personal guards; Shun Garden was large enough, after all.
Seeing her devotion to the General, the steward was impressed, and his tone grew even more respectful: "Fourth Madam, don't just focus on the General. According to the rules of the State Duke's estate, in addition to Xueying and Yunrou, you can choose two more first-class maids, four second-class maids, and eight third-class maids."
Jiang Lingzhi smiled. She was used to scratching a living from the dirt; why would she need so many maids? Xueying and Yunrou were enough. "Let's leave it at that for now. I think it’s plenty. If I need more people later, I’ll come find you."
The steward did not contradict her at all: "Yes."
Since the servants had just arrived and were taking on these tasks, as their mistress, she really ought to give some rewards to win their loyalty and settle them. Jiang Lingzhi then remembered that the dowry the Jiang family gave her was still in the main courtyard.
"Steward, I have a favor to ask. My hundred and some crates of dowry are still in the main courtyard. Could you please send someone to help me move them over? Oh, the dowry list—a copy should have been sent to the estate earlier, right?"
It was strange; ever since she was brought back to the Jiang family last year, her stepmother had never liked her, resenting her for snatching Jiang Lingyuan’s marriage. Yet, she had been surprisingly proactive in preparing her dowry—a full 108 crates were moved into the Xiao State Duke’s estate before she even boarded the wedding sedan. Since she had swapped places and married Xiao Jingyi, there was no reason for her dowry to remain in the main courtyard’s storehouse.
"Yes, yes, there is." The steward found this request entirely reasonable and agreed immediately: "Don't worry, Fourth Madam, I will go call someone to move the dowry right away."
Jiang Lingzhi nodded. Once the steward left, she told Xueying to take the servants to familiarize themselves with their duties. Her heart felt as if a fire had been lit inside. Since she had finally reached such a good life, she had to keep it going. Therefore, she hoped from the bottom of her heart that he would truly wake up. After all, when it came to carrying on the family line, seven parts relied on effort, while three parts were up to heaven’s will. And as long as he was alive, she could live a life without worry in the State Duke's estate!
Inside the room.
In the midst of the chaos, Xiao Jingyi heard the sound of women laughing in the courtyard. He felt his consciousness calming bit by bit, following that chattering, skylark-like voice. His senses grew clearer, and he struggled to open his eyes to see, or to open his mouth to ask who she was, but in the end, he found he couldn't move a muscle; he had no power to control his own body.
Right, he remembered falling off a cliff. He must be too severely injured. Unable to move, he could only listen.
"In such a spring, the General should be able to come out and soak in the sun," Jiang Lingzhi was instructing Yunrou: "Find a craftsman who knows bamboo weaving. Have him make a wheelchair for the General. I saw a bamboo lounge chair in the countryside that was very light and soft... actually, never mind. Find some mottled bamboo; I’ll weave it myself."
Xueying asked, surprised and admiring: "Fourth Madam, how do you even know how to do that?"
Jiang Lingzhi said lightly: "What’s so special about that? I can even slaughter a pig."
Xueying cooperated enthusiastically, expressing her amazement.
Xiao Jingyi naturally didn't miss the title "Fourth Madam." He was astonished. He was the fourth master of the State Duke's estate, so this "Fourth Madam" must naturally be his wife?! He was in a coma—did his father and mother decide to marry this girl to him for "spirit-soothing" purposes?
Xiao Jingyi couldn't help but feel resistant. He was the dignified General of the North, who made enemy armies tremble on the battlefield; was he now reduced to relying on a woman to save his life? Also, judging by her words, she seemed to be a country woman brought from the estate’s roots. Such a woman must be greedy for money to have agreed to marry a comatose patient like him.
Thinking this, Xiao Jingyi felt disdain and naturally didn't take this "spirit-soothing wife" seriously. He recalled that he had more important things to attend to. He had encountered an ambush on his way back to the capital, watched as two hundred of his vanguard soldiers were slaughtered in a sea of blood, and was surrounded and killed by dozens, falling off a cliff with serious injuries. He swore that if he did not avenge this debt, he would not be a man! He had to get better.
***
Main Courtyard, Ya Garden.
"What? Jiang Lingzhi wants you to move her dowry?"
Lady Lu’s eyes widened, her face turning green. She was being asked to spit out something that had already reached her stomach? Besides, the First Master was in urgent need of silver, and she was planning on selling the dowry for money.
The steward said cautiously, "It is the Fourth Madam’s wish. Since she has married the Fourth Master, her dowry should be kept in Shun Garden."
Lady Lu sneered, "Go back and tell her that the dowry was prepared by Madam Jiang for Lingyuan. It was only moved to our main courtyard beforehand; it has absolutely nothing to do with her, Jiang Lingzhi. Tell her to keep that in mind."
The steward was horrified; the First Madam was being too overbearing, but as a servant, he couldn't say much. He had to agree and go relay these words to Jiang Lingzhi.
At that time, Jiang Lingzhi was in the courtyard, chopping bamboo. Seeing the steward standing at the gate looking troubled, with nothing behind him, she raised her eyebrows in slight surprise: "What, is the First Madam refusing to return my dowry?"
She remembered clearly that according to the laws of Dayong, a woman’s dowry was her own private property, and the husband’s family had no right to dispose of it. No matter how one looked at it, Lady Lu had no right to withhold it.
The steward found it difficult to speak, but finally nodded with great difficulty and repeated Lady Lu’s words exactly.
Jiang Lingzhi sneered in her heart, a sudden realization dawning on her. No wonder Lady Chu had been so generous with the dowry; she must have planned for Jiang Lingyuan to snatch the wedding and marry Xiao Yan as his legal wife all along. Yet, she had insisted on doing it under the guise of treating the original daughter well, wanting to have her cake and eat it too, gaining both face and substance.
As for Lady Lu, she probably figured that for the sake of the dowry, she would let Jiang Lingyuan enter the door smoothly. But why should she let them have their way?
Jiang Lingzhi threw down the bamboo, picked up the machete in her hand, and started walking out: "Is that so? I’ll go see for myself."
The steward’s heart jumped into his throat: "Oh, Fourth Madam, you mustn't..."
Yunrou was also so pale with fright that she couldn't speak; how could the Fourth Madam resort to knives at the slightest disagreement!
Before they could react, Jiang Lingzhi had already swept out the gate like a gust of wind, stepping onto the white jade bridge, her dress fluttering with murderous intent.
The steward chased after her in a panic: "What to do, what to do? The State Duke is ill, and the Old Madam has gone to the palace... who can manage our Fourth Madam?"
Yunrou was about to cry: "Who can manage her? She knows how to slaughter pigs!"
Xueying remained calm: "I’ll go find someone..."
By the time she spoke, Jiang Lingzhi had already charged into Ya Garden where the First Madam lived. The maid at the gate wanted to stop her, but seeing her murderous appearance, her legs turned to jelly: "Bad news, the Fourth Madam is here, the Fourth Madam she... she..."
Mammy Wang walked out and slapped the little maid across the face: "Are you wailing at a funeral? Is she the King of Hell, to scare you like this?"
Jiang Lingzhi stepped into the courtyard and happened to hear Mammy Wang’s words. She tossed the machete in her hand and stepped onto a stone stool in the courtyard.
She smiled and said, "Mammy Wang, you really do have a way with words. Go on, call your mistress out and have her repeat what she said just now so I can hear it?"
This uncouth, bandit-like behavior shocked Mammy Wang into silence. She stared blankly at Jiang Lingzhi, unable to utter a single word. The Xiao State Duke’s estate was a century-old aristocratic family; even if the women in the back courtyard disliked each other, they would at most trade barbs with their tongues—where had anyone ever seen someone come at them with a real blade? No wonder she was a shrew raised in the countryside!
Mammy Wang knew why Jiang Lingzhi was here. She didn't dare let her see Lady Lu, so she braced herself, hoping to stall: "You’ve come at a bad time, our Madam she..."
Jiang Lingzhi swung her blade, slicing Mammy Wang’s neatly coiled bun clean off. Her hair scattered like a hedgehog’s needles. She asked again, "Is it a good time now?"
"Ah..."
Mammy Wang collapsed to the ground, trembling as she clutched her head. She had lived for so many years and had never seen such a fierce and unreasonable woman! She had no doubt that if she dared to provoke this Fourth Madam again, she would really cut off her head.
Mammy Wang dared not fool her any longer: "Our Madam is right inside, she is inside."
"Sister-in-law, come out. Let us sisters-in-law have a talk." Jiang Lingzhi was truly displeased. When she was displeased, her words were harsh:
"Don't play deaf and dumb in there like a turtle! You have the guts to withhold my dowry, but you don't have the guts to come out and explain it to me? You insist on saying that the dowry was prepared by my stepmother for Jiang Lingyuan; what is the meaning of that? Does it mean you condoned Xiao Yan and Jiang Lingyuan’s illicit affair in my wedding room yesterday? Is the reputation of the State Duke's estate to be humiliated by you like this? The First Master is an official in the court and cares about his reputation and face—sister-in-law, aren't you afraid that holding onto this dowry will burn your hands?"
Inside, Lady Lu could finally no longer sit still, her entire body trembling with anger. She had originally thought that once Jiang Lingzhi knew the truth, she would only blame her stepmother for being biased and swallow the bitter pill. She never expected Jiang Lingzhi to be such a mad, unreasonable shrew.
To get her dowry, she had no sense of propriety, and the words coming out of her mouth were getting more and more savage, more and more piercing! She was even threatening them with the reputation of the State Duke’s estate and Xiao Jingping’s future.
Lady Lu couldn't help but feel wary. If Jiang Lingzhi really made a scene and angered the State Duke, it might cause further trouble for the request to name the heir. But she was in urgent need of money. Thinking it over, she decided to let the Jiang family fight among themselves.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, you’ve misunderstood."
Lady Lu walked out with a forced smile, but seeing the knife in her hand, she jumped and spoke from a distance: "I meant that the scoundrel Yan’er took the storehouse keys and gave them to Lingyuan yesterday, insisting it was the dowry the Jiang family gave her. I really had no choice. Lingyuan has also gone back to your Jiang family, which is why I told the steward to tell you to go find Lingyuan for the keys and move your dowry after you return home tomorrow. Oh, the steward must have passed on the message incorrectly, causing us sisters-in-law to have this misunderstanding."
While she spoke, Xueying arrived with the Second Madam, Lady Gu. The Second Madam, Lady Gu, hadn't even caught her breath when she heard Lady Lu’s words and became agitated:
"Oh, Sister-in-law, what are you saying? Is not having the key any real difficulty? If the Fourth Sister-in-law wants to move her dowry, just smash the lock on the storehouse! Sister-in-law, are you still delirious from your illness? If so, shall I take over managing the household for a few more days for you?"
Lady Lu had been ill every winter for the past two years, and Lady Gu had been managing the household and the festivals in her stead.