Chapter 45: Calm
Jiang Ruan returned safely, leaving Jiang Li with no advantage to gain. Shen Mingzhen beckoned another maid, who hurried off. Before long, Jiang Li and Xiaocui were seen rushing over. Jiang Li's face was flushed with barely suppressed anger as she approached Jiang Ruan and demanded sharply, "Why did you come back first?"
Before Jiang Ruan could respond, Lin Zixiang, standing nearby, couldn't help but interject with disdain, "The Jiang family is, after all, an official household of standing. How can there be such disregard for hierarchy? A younger sister of low birth dares to be so disrespectful to the legitimate eldest daughter."
Her voice was loud enough for many noble ladies nearby to overhear, and Jiang Li's face reddened with humiliation and fury. Jiang Ruan merely smiled and said, "It's nothing. Between sisters, we don’t stand on ceremony. Li Niang was just momentarily anxious."
Lin Zixiang frowned. "In my household, such behavior would warrant strict discipline."
This time, Jiang Ruan remained silent, only smiling faintly, her expression unreadable—neither angry nor perturbed. Jiang Susu stood up and said with a gentle smile, "What’s the matter? Da Jiejie has just returned from the estate and isn’t fully acquainted with everything yet. Third Sister is still young—Da Jiejie, please don’t take it to heart."
Her words were cleverly phrased, subtly shifting blame onto Jiang Ruan when it wasn’t her fault at all. Some of the ladies nearby, unaware of the full context, began to regard Jiang Ruan with odd looks, as though she truly had been harsh toward her younger sister.
Jiang Ruan smiled, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on Jiang Susu. Under the gaze of those upturned, mesmerizing eyes, Jiang Susu felt an inexplicable chill, her back stiffening involuntarily. Jiang Ruan sneered inwardly. Jiang Susu had always maintained the facade of a benevolent fairy. Even in her past life, right up until Jiang Ruan was branded the Nation-destroying Enchantress and thrown into prison, this younger sister had comforted and advised her with endless patience. Why was she now so impatient, even deliberately bringing up Jiang Ruan’s return from the estate to alienate her from the crowd?
Had Jiang Susu’s temperament changed in this life, or had she always been like this? Had Jiang Ruan, in her past life, been so blindly trusting that she overlooked every venomous word Jiang Susu had ever spoken?
Lin Zixiang cast a cold glance at Jiang Susu. Proud and unyielding by nature, she made no effort to hide her dislike and scoffed audibly. "How hypocritical!"
Jiang Susu stiffened, forcing a smile but saying nothing. The scene now made it seem as though Lin Zixiang was bullying her while Jiang Susu endured it for the sake of harmony.
Behind them, Luzhu nearly burst out laughing. Lin Zixiang was truly a marvel—daring to openly humiliate Jiang Susu in front of so many people, yet no one dared to criticize her for it. Jiang Ruan smiled gently and said, "It was my fault for not explaining clearly to Li Niang. Li Niang, I waited for you for a long time, but you didn’t return. Worried that Mother might be concerned, I happened to meet a maid and asked her to bring me back first. That maid should have gone to inform you—did you not run into her?"Jiang Li swallowed her frustration. She hadn't seen the little maid Jiang Ruan mentioned, but Jiang Ruan likely wasn't lying—otherwise, how could she have returned so easily on her first visit to the Shen residence? This meant Shen Mingzhen's arrangements had been wasted for nothing, and she had only managed to incur Shen Mingzhen's displeasure. Jiang Li cursed Jiang Ruan bitterly in her heart before replying with a lukewarm tone, "If Da Jiejie didn't want to wait for me, fine, but why bother with all these excuses?"
Jiang Ruan said nothing further, merely smiling as she sat down. The way she carried herself only confirmed the suspicions of the noble ladies present. It seemed the Jiang family's legitimate daughter was not as favored as the Jiangs themselves claimed. Even a mere half-sister could openly provoke her, suggesting her life was far from easy. Yet, to their surprise, she displayed remarkable composure—neither petty like someone raised in the countryside nor cowardly. She neither argued nor lost her dignity, carrying herself with the grace befitting a true eldest daughter.
Jiang Li hadn't expected today's scheme to backfire—not only had Jiang Ruan emerged with a better reputation, but Shen Mingzhen was now displeased with her. Her hatred for Jiang Ruan deepened. When she glanced up and noticed Jiang Susu's stiff expression, she suddenly smiled. Jiang Ruan's return was bad for her, but it was equally troublesome for Jiang Susu. Otherwise, why would her usually ethereal sister act so out of character today? It must be the first time her beauty had been overshadowed. Though Jiang Susu carried herself like an immortal, aloof from worldly affairs, her reputation as the most beautiful in the capital had always been unchallenged. Now, with Jiang Ruan's arrival, the title of "peerless beauty" was shared, and having someone equal—or even superior—to her must be unbearable for Jiang Susu.
The thought filled Jiang Li with a sense of schadenfreude.
The day passed quickly. Xia Yan led the group back to the Jiang residence and reported the day's events to Old Madam Jiang. With a smile, she said, "Ruan'er performed exceptionally well today. All the noble ladies praised her striking beauty, saying they had never seen such a sight before. Truly, she lives up to the phrase 'a beauty that could topple kingdoms.'"
Old Madam Jiang's expression shifted slightly. Excessive beauty in a young girl was not necessarily a good thing. If she were as refined and elegant as Jiang Susu, it might be acceptable, but Jiang Ruan's dazzling allure seemed more like a curse than a blessing.
Back in Ruan Residence, Luzhu handed Jiang Ruan a warmed hand-warmer. Though she had only spent the day socializing at the Shen residence, the effort had still drained her, and she felt slightly weary. Zisu closed the door carefully and brought over a silver basin for Jiang Ruan to wash her hands. As she gently dried Jiang Ruan's hands with a soft cloth, she whispered, "Miss, I heard from the servants that Magistrate Qian from the estate has been dismissed by the palace."
"Qian Wanli?" Jiang Ruan thought for a moment. "Because of Imperial Censor Wang?"
"They say many prisoners in the jail were wrongfully convicted. Their families submitted petitions to the capital, which happened to be received by an upright official. Upon investigation, numerous wrongful cases spanning years were uncovered. Qian Wanli had taken vast sums of dirty money, and the prisoners' cries of injustice were too loud to suppress. The streets are buzzing with the news. In his fury, the Emperor not only stripped Qian Wanli of his position but also ordered the confiscation of his family's property."Jiang Ruan gazed at the rippling water in the silver basin, her mind involuntarily recalling the young widow she had met in prison that day. She supposed the woman's grievances had also been redressed. The heavens were just, and retribution was never misplaced—sometimes, there was indeed some truth to it.
The days flowed by like water. Jiang Li remained as domineering as ever, occasionally provoking with a few words, but Jiang Ruan paid her little heed. On the other hand, Jiang Susu and her mother's attitude toward her had grown somewhat peculiar. Whether it was because Jiang Ruan now saw people differently or because Jiang Susu and her mother could no longer contain their impatience, their words had taken on a subtly confrontational tone several times. Old Madam Jiang, though neither warm nor cold toward Jiang Ruan, did not deliberately suppress her either. In the blink of an eye, it was time for Jiang Quan and Jiang Chao to return to the residence.
As the year-end approached, official duties were rife with social engagements. Jiang Quan had mentioned returning home earlier, but his superior's affairs had delayed him, dragging it out until today. Naturally, Xia Yan was overjoyed. She had long since ordered preparations to begin, insisting on hosting a lively reunion dinner to celebrate. After all, Jiang Quan had toiled hard for the Jiang family outside the residence all year—he deserved a proper reward.
(End of Chapter)
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