The prefect's wife choked on her words, but Shen Rou suddenly smiled and smoothed things over, saying, "I was just thinking of having a chat with you, madam. Let the young girls go play in the courtyard by themselves. Su Su, you may join them as well."
Yu Ya frowned, glanced at Jiang Ruan, but ultimately stayed by Shen Rou's side.
Jiang Susu also smiled. "Very well."
The three of them left the main hall together. Only then did Jiang Susu say to Jiang Ruan, "Da Jiejie must have much to discuss with Miss Zhao. Susu will take her leave first." Naturally, she had no desire to remain with Jiang Ruan, who always overshadowed her brilliance. How could she bear it? Moreover, she wanted to visit the west garden to see the young men there. She refused to believe that with her beauty, she couldn't gain a few more admirers.
Watching Jiang Susu's retreating figure, Zhao Jin asked curiously, "That's not the way to the west garden. What is your second sister up to?"
"Pay her no mind," Jiang Ruan replied.
"Ah, aren't you worried something might happen and people will blame the Jiang family?" Zhao Jin found this even stranger. If she had come with her brothers, her parents would have sternly reminded them that their actions reflected the entire household's reputation and that they must never disgrace the family name outside.
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. Zhao Jin lived a simple life. If the Jiang family were to collapse because of Jiang Susu, it would be a good thing. She would have to be mad to voluntarily clean up Jiang Susu's mess and salvage the Jiang family's reputation.
Seeing Jiang Ruan remain silent, Zhao Jin didn't press the topic further. Instead, she looked at her and said, "You're quite carefree. It's been a while since we last met. I’d like to catch up with you." She glanced outside and asked, "Would you like to see the chrysanthemums?"
At the mention of chrysanthemums, a trace of impatience flickered across Zhao Jin's face. As the daughter of a military family, she had little interest in flowers and plants, nor did she share the sentimental tendencies of other young ladies. The women in the garden, ostensibly admiring flowers but actually competing for attention, gave her a headache. If not for her mother's insistence, Zhao Jin would never have come.
Jiang Ruan could tell what she was thinking from her expression and couldn't help but smile. "No, I wouldn't."
"Perfect, neither would I," Zhao Jin said cheerfully. "I knew Ruan Meimei would feel the same. Come, let's find a quiet spot and talk properly." With that, she took Jiang Ruan's hand and led her away from the chrysanthemum viewing area.
As they walked, Zhao Jin said to Jiang Ruan, "I haven’t seen Yinger in a long time. The other day, I ran into the wife of the Capital Magistrate, who said Yinger had fallen ill and couldn’t go out to avoid catching a chill. I wonder if she’s better now."
Jiang Ruan lowered her eyes. Madam Dong had indeed concealed Dong Yinger's situation. Even now, with Dong Yinger's portrait sent to the palace, the matter remained hidden from everyone. Zhao Jin voiced her confusion: "How did she suddenly fall ill? I heard Young Master Chang the Third has also broken off his engagement with Yinger. At first, I thought the Chang family was rejecting her because of her weak health. I even wanted to confront Chang An about it, but then I heard..." Zhao Jin, being straightforward by nature, suddenly stopped, as if realizing she had touched on a sensitive topic. She glanced at Jiang Ruan, who wore a faint smile, and tentatively asked, "You already know, don’t you?""I know. Madam Dong has spoken to me, hoping I could persuade Sister Ying'er not to waste her thoughts on impractical matters."
Zhao Jin sighed: "Ying'er and I grew up together. She's simple-minded and doesn't understand much. But, Ruan Meimei, do you know who the person in Ying'er's heart is?"
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly: "I don't."
Zhao Jin sighed again: "I just hope she comes to her senses soon. As for Feifei, her family has already arranged a marriage for her, set to take place after the New Year. It's a well-matched union—a military officer from the capital."
Wen Feifei also came from a military family, and now was the age to marry. Jiang Ruan asked: "What about Sister Lin?"
"Zixiang?" Zhao Jin chuckled: "She's always been stubborn. She was supposed to come today, but she ended up quarreling with Minister Lin at home, insisting she wouldn't follow outdated customs. If she were to find a good match, it had to be someone she approved of."
That sounded exactly like Lin Zixiang's straightforward personality, though one wondered how many more headaches Minister Lin would have to endure. The two had now arrived at a secluded spot. Jiang Ruan asked: "Sister Zhao, have you ever thought about what kind of family you'd like to marry into?"
"Me?" Zhao Jin shook her head: "I don't want to be like those sheltered girls, submitting to their husbands and spending their days embroiled in trivial household matters. I'd rather follow in my father and brothers' footsteps, fighting on the battlefield to protect the people of the Da Jin Dynasty."
Such words were hardly typical for a woman, but Zhao Jin had always been raised with a tomboyish temperament by her family, giving her a bold and heroic air. Zhao Jin seemed to recall something, her expression darkening as she shook her head: "But..."
Jiang Ruan looked up at her.
Zhao Jin hesitated, then leaned in closer: "Ruan Meimei, I feel a connection with you, so I'll share a secret. You mustn't tell anyone."
Jiang Ruan nodded.
"It seems the Celestial Jin Kingdom has colluded with the Eastern Barbarian Country. The Eastern Barbarians have sent reinforcements, and the war has intensified these past few days. The Emperor has issued strict orders—it looks like more troops will be deployed." Zhao Jin whispered into her ear: "My father received a secret decree from the Emperor. In a few days, he'll be leading the campaign. The Celestial Jin Kingdom is far and treacherous—I fear something might happen."
Jiang Ruan's heart skipped a beat. Zhao Jin had already pulled away, her gaze distant and somber: "I may have martial skills and could fight on the battlefield, but I can't share my father's burden. It's truly shameful."
Just as Jiang Ruan was about to comfort her, a faint, unusual sound came from the depths of the quiet peach grove ahead. The noise was so subtle that if Zhao Jin hadn't lowered her voice at that moment, it might have gone unnoticed.
Zhao Jin, trained in martial arts, had sharper hearing than Jiang Ruan and immediately noticed the disturbance. She glanced at Jiang Ruan, signaled with a gesture, and quietly moved forward. Jiang Ruan motioned for Tianzhu to stay close to Zhao Jin in case of trouble, then followed as well.
They all treaded as lightly as possible. Before they could even reach the corner, they heard a woman's sharp, indignant cry: "You! You shameless—!"
A man's voice followed, laced with anger and confusion: "You're the strange one! Why are you undressing in front of me? Have you no shame?"Zhao Jin and Jiang Ruan exchanged a glance before carefully parting the dense foliage blocking their view. In the grove stood a man and woman with their backs turned. The young man appeared to be one of the attendees of today's Golden Chrysanthemum Banquet, dressed like a young master from some noble household. The woman was unfamiliar, her garments askew to reveal pale shoulders in a rather disheveled state.
"That's the fifth young miss of the Guo family, Guo Meng, a concubine-born daughter of the Vice Minister," Zhao Jin whispered into Jiang Ruan's ear. "She came today with her legitimate elder sister."
"You..." The fifth Guo miss's voice trembled with sobs, utterly wretched. "You've dishonored me, and now you speak like this? I... I've no face left to live! Better to end my life!" With that, she stood and made to dash her head against a tree.
The young man startled, hastily grabbing her arm and nearly toppling over himself in the process. "There's been a misunderstanding!" he protested urgently. "How could any man of the Zhao family be the shameless villain you describe!"
As he turned, his face came into clear view for those hidden in the grove—none other than the Zhao family's third young master, Zhao Feizhou.
Zhao Feizhou was merely a teenager, his face flushed not with guilt but with indignant frustration. Observing this, Zhao Jin nudged Jiang Ruan. "Ruan Meimei, something's amiss here."
Jiang Ruan arched a brow—of course there was. This fifth Guo miss kept accusing Zhao Feizhou of dishonoring her, yet hadn't bothered to straighten her clothing from start to finish. Any proper young lady truly violated would at least cover herself properly. This woman seemed almost eager to display her exposed skin. Moreover, among the Zhao family's three young masters: Zhao Yi was steady and resolute; Zhao Yulong took after Zhao Yuanping in cunning and strategy; only this Zhao Feizhou, inheriting none of Zhao Yuanfeng's shrewdness but all of his father's recklessness, remained simple-minded and guileless. If someone wanted to scheme against the Zhao family, Zhao Feizhou would be the obvious target.
At seventeen or eighteen, Zhao Feizhou was precisely at marriageable age. As for this fifth Guo miss—a concubine-born daughter could never normally aspire to wed into the General's Residence. But if Zhao Feizhou were caught dishonoring her, he'd have no choice but to marry her. Wouldn't that fulfill Guo Meng's ambitions perfectly?
Yet... how would a concubine-born daughter dare such boldness? A harsh, unyielding face surfaced in Jiang Ruan's mind.
"Young Master Zhao, do you mean to shirk responsibility?" Guo Meng sobbed piteously. "Today I came properly with my sister to attend the Golden Chrysanthemum Banquet, yet how..." She paused dramatically. "If you refuse to take responsibility, Meng'er's life is ruined. What meaning is there in living? Better to end this wretched existence."Jiang Ruan glanced around the area. Not far away stood a small cottage—the kind typically built within the gardens of noble estates for leisure and rest. If guests grew weary from strolling, they could retreat to such a woodland cottage for tea. Today, however, the cottage appeared deserted, without even a maid guarding the entrance. Jiang Ruan understood immediately.
The fifth young miss of the Guo family was currently weeping and wailing. A simple and honest man like Zhao Feizhou would naturally find himself at a loss. Before long, the mastermind behind this scene would likely arrive with a group of people, "accidentally" stumbling upon this scandal.
Then, before countless noble ladies, young misses, and officials' sons of the capital, Zhao Feizhou would lose all face. The two madams of the Zhao family were kind and gentle by nature. No matter how protective they were, they would be outnumbered. And once the crowd pressured Zhao Feizhou into making a commitment to this Guo Meng, she would smoothly enter the Zhao family's household in the future.
Once Guo Meng stepped through those doors, the Zhao family could forget about peace. She would do everything in her power to sow discord within the family, even bringing about their ruin.
Yet, with the fifth young miss of the Guo family entering the Zhao household under such public scrutiny—and after Zhao Feizhou had "wronged" her—Guo Meng would become untouchable, like a fragile crystal figurine. She could neither be scolded nor struck. Given Zhao Guang's temperament, he would likely be driven to illness by sheer frustration.
This scheme not only ruined Zhao Feizhou but also plagued the Zhao family—a single move with multiple gains. Such a calculated act made it impossible not to suspect foul play.
Jiang Ruan's gaze darkened slightly as she asked, "What is the background of the fifth young miss of the Guo family?"
Zhao Jin was taken aback and whispered, "The wife of the Guo Vice Minister is gravely ill and unlikely to survive the year. The vice minister favors his concubine over his wife, and his wife only has one legitimate daughter, the eldest Guo miss. The fifth young miss is the concubine's daughter, with an elder brother above her. These two siblings run rampant in the household, while the poor eldest Guo miss has to endure them daily. Today, it was the vice minister who insisted Guo Meng accompany them—otherwise, how would a mere concubine-born daughter qualify to attend the Golden Chrysanthemum Banquet?"
Jiang Ruan lowered her eyes. Another case of a man favoring his concubine over his wife. This fifth young miss of the Guo family was certainly bold—but if she dared to scheme, she should also dare to face the consequences.
She reached out to push aside the branches. Zhao Jin, startled, grabbed her hand. "Ruan Meimei, what are you doing?"
"Being a witness for the fifth young miss of the Guo family," Jiang Ruan replied with a faint smile.
Guo Meng and Zhao Feizhou turned at the sound. Both were stunned to see Jiang Ruan. Zhao Feizhou hadn't laid eyes on her since three years ago, but he eventually recognized the stunningly beautiful girl in red from back then—his cousin. Guo Meng, however, had never met Jiang Ruan before. Seeing a suddenly appearing young woman whose enchanting beauty and noble elegance far surpassed her own, she was instantly consumed by jealousy and humiliation.
As a concubine-born daughter, nothing gnawed at Guo Meng more than her own lowly status. Like Jiang Susu, she harbored hostility toward anyone who outshone her. The moment she saw Jiang Ruan, resentment flared within her. "Who are you?" she demanded.
"This princess happened to pass by and caught quite the performance," Jiang Ruan replied with a smile."County Princess?" Guo Meng was taken aback. The young lady before her carried an extraordinary air of nobility—even her own elder sister would pale in comparison. If this was indeed the County Princess, could it be...? She looked at Jiang Ruan, and two streams of tears immediately flowed down her cheeks. "I beg the County Princess to uphold justice for this humble girl. The Third Young Master Zhao forcibly took my purity..."
Jiang Ruan nodded. "Very well."
Both Zhao Jin and Zhao Feizhou were stunned—the former didn't understand what Jiang Ruan intended to do, while the latter was furious. After all, Jiang Ruan was his cousin—how could she side with a stranger over him?
Luzhu and Tianzhu, however, stood silently to the side. The longer they followed Jiang Ruan, the clearer it became: the gentler Jiang Ruan appeared, the more certain it was that someone was about to face misfortune.
Guo Meng seemed overwhelmed with shame, covering her face as she sobbed. "Earlier, I was admiring chrysanthemums in the courtyard with my sister when I saw a butterfly and playfully followed it. Unexpectedly, I encountered Third Young Master Zhao along the way. He spoke with me for a while, and then... then I twisted my ankle. When he helped me up, he drugged me. When I awoke..." She couldn't continue, breaking into loud, wailing sobs.
"That's not what happened at all!" Zhao Feizhou stomped his foot in anger. "You twisted your ankle, and I kindly helped you up. You handed me a handkerchief to wipe my sweat, and somehow I passed out. When I woke up, I was here. You accuse me of taking your purity, but I did nothing of the sort!" Reflecting on this, Zhao Feizhou felt a surge of frustration—there must have been some drug on that handkerchief, and he had fallen right into the trap.
"Young Master Zhao, your words make no sense. Are you suggesting I deliberately drugged you so you could defile me? What possible benefit would that bring me?" Guo Meng was quick with her retort. She turned back to Jiang Ruan, weeping. "The County Princess is wise and just—she will surely uphold justice for this humble girl."
Jiang Ruan crouched down, meeting Guo Meng at eye level, and smiled gently. "Very well, I shall uphold justice for you." She spoke softly, "Then... Miss Guo, did you truly lose your purity?"
The question was oddly phrased. Guo Meng gave Jiang Ruan a suspicious glance, but Jiang Ruan merely smiled back at her. Her gaze was like a clear spring, yet also like a dark whirlpool—bottomless, as if some lurking beast might burst forth at any moment to devour her whole. Under such scrutiny, Guo Meng couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. She lowered her head and said mournfully, "Why does the County Princess ask such a thing? After what has happened, I no longer wish to live."
"I didn't—" Zhao Feizhou tried to speak, but Zhao Jin shook his head at him. Jiang Ruan smiled faintly and stood up. "Then, Miss Guo, please stop crying for now. Later, we shall have a matron examine you. If it is indeed true that you are no longer pure, we shall have Third Young Master Zhao marry you. How does that sound?"
"No, no! I never touched her!" Before Guo Meng could respond, Zhao Feizhou leapt to his feet.
"Does the County Princess mean to humiliate me?" A flash of panic crossed Guo Meng's eyes before she quickly replaced it with an expression of wounded dignity, turning her head away in indignation."Not exactly," Jiang Ruan said slowly. "I just feel there might be some misunderstanding. Since Miss Guo the Fifth claims her purity was violated by Third Young Master Zhao, there should naturally be evidence of blood. Yet I've looked around this area and found no trace. Could it be that Third Young Master Zhao didn't actually defile Miss Guo here? But then why would he carry her all the way to this spot afterward—wouldn't that be adding legs to a snake? Or perhaps he wanted to show off his stamina?"
Her words left all three listeners dumbfounded. Even Luzhu and Tianzhu (Nandina), who were accustomed to Jiang Ruan's unexpected remarks, couldn't help but twitch their lips.
Zhao Jin and Zhao Feizhou shared the same thought at that moment—here was Jiang Ruan, an unmarried young lady, discussing such intimate matters openly before everyone, speaking with such shameless candor that it was breathtaking. It completely overturned their previous impression of her as a gentle, refined noble lady.
Zhao Feizhou's face flushed crimson, nearly fainting from the shock of Jiang Ruan's scandalous words. His grandmother and aunts had always praised Jiang Ruan, calling her well-mannered, proper, and dignified as if she'd come straight from the palace. Now he couldn't help but wonder—was this really the same refined cousin they'd spoken of?
Guo Meng, however, was left speechless by Jiang Ruan's words. No matter how she calculated, she never expected Jiang Ruan to counter her like this. Who could have imagined a noble lady casually mentioning "virgin blood"? Yet such evidence couldn't be faked—if they actually called for a matron to examine her, she'd be in deep trouble. Guo Meng's expression changed abruptly as she suddenly said, "Does the County Princess have some grievance against me? Why must you speak such insulting words?"
Jiang Ruan's smile remained gentle, completely unruffled by the other's anger. She replied softly, "It's not an insult, but a matter of fairness. We shouldn't show bias just because you're a woman, nor should Third Young Master Zhao suffer in silence. It's like going to market—one must inspect the goods to ensure they're intact."
By comparing Guo Meng to merchandise, Jiang Ruan turned the other girl's face ashen. Zhao Jin covered her mouth to stifle laughter—this was the first time she'd seen Jiang Ruan so aggressive. She never knew her cousin could argue so skillfully, leaving Miss Guo the Fifth utterly humiliated in just a few sentences.
"Miss Guo the Fifth demands responsibility from Third Young Master Zhao without evidence of blood—how very strange. Either you're still pure and this was all a misunderstanding, or..." Jiang Ruan looked at her with feigned confusion. "Could it be you weren't a virgin to begin with?"
"Pfft—" Zhao Feizhou burst out laughing, realizing Jiang Ruan was just like his second uncle—speaking mildly while actually delivering cutting insults that trapped the listener. No matter how Guo Meng answered now, she'd lose face either way.
Guo Meng's eyes reddened with frustration, her heart burning with humiliation. Though she was a concubine's daughter who'd shamelessly schemed against Zhao Feizhou, she was still unmarried. Never did she expect Jiang Ruan's every word to corner her so completely, leaving her flushed with shame. Now if she admitted this was all a misunderstanding, she'd be conceding defeat. But if rumors spread that she wasn't pure, even if she won the argument, people would still look at her differently.Guo Meng couldn't hold back her composure any longer and blurted out in panic, "Is the Princess of Great Peace showing favoritism just because she's related to the Third Young Master Zhao? This is utterly unfair. Do members of the royal family think they can bully others at will?"
Jiang Ruan let out a soft chuckle, her eyes gleaming with startling brightness. She merely said, "I never mentioned being related to the Third Young Master Zhao. How could you make such claims so freely, Fifth Miss Guo?"
Zhao Feizhou's expression darkened, and Zhao Jin also stopped laughing. Although Zhao Feizhou was straightforward by nature, he wasn't foolish. Upon hearing Jiang Ruan's pointed remark, he immediately realized he'd been set up. Inheriting Zhao Yuanfeng's temperament, he was naturally hot-headed. Earlier, he had thought it was merely a misunderstanding and hadn't taken any action against Fifth Miss Guo, but now fury surged through him. He strode forward and demanded, "You dare scheme against me?"
"I don't understand what the Princess is talking about," Guo Meng insisted, knowing she had misspoken but refusing to back down. She was filled with regret—this Princess of Great Peace was far more troublesome than the rumors suggested. What had seemed like a sure success today was now ruined by her interference, leaving Guo Meng both furious and resentful.
Jiang Ruan said coolly, "Fifth Miss Guo doesn't understand? Shall I explain it for you?"
"Ruan Meimei, what exactly are you going to explain?" Zhao Jin played along perfectly.
"Fifth Miss Guo, the sons of the General's Residence are among the finest. How many noble daughters in the capital dream of marrying into the Zhao family? But if everyone resorted to such clumsy schemes as yours, the General's Residence would have been overcrowded long ago. I truly don’t understand—where does a mere concubine-born daughter find the audacity to covet the General's Residence?"
Guo Meng’s heart skipped a beat as she looked up at Jiang Ruan. The young woman, wrapped in a lotus-green padded dress, possessed a beauty as radiant as flowers, yet her countenance was inexplicably shadowed by a dark gloom. It was as if... she were a malevolent spirit born from a pile of bleached bones in hell—beautiful yet terrifying.
"Princess, this is all just a misunderstanding," Guo Meng said decisively. As a concubine-born daughter, she had long learned to trim her sails to the wind in the household. Seeing that her plan had failed and that Jiang Ruan was no pushover, she knew further entanglement would only bring her harm. Even if her father, the Vice Minister, doted on her more than his legitimate daughter, he would never forgive her for offending the Princess of Great Peace.
The more she thought about it, the more fearful she became. Forcing a smile, she said, "It seems there was some misunderstanding between me and Third Young Master Zhao. Now that it’s been cleared up, everything is fine. I wrongly accused Third Young Master Zhao, and I offer him my sincerest apologies."
Zhao Feizhou was furious. Coming from a military family, he had little experience dealing with women. His aunts and mother were all gentle-natured, and the household was peaceful, free from the scheming and intrigue common in other noble houses. Never had he encountered someone so shameless, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words.
(End of Chapter)
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