First Madam Yun had previously thought Jiang Yuan Niang's temperament was too timid, not as lively and straightforward as the eldest daughter of the Guo family. But now, looking at her, she felt that Jiang Yuan Niang's disposition was also quite good—at least she wouldn’t cause any commotion or trouble when faced with difficulties.
As she thought this, First Madam Yun stepped forward and took Jiang Yuan Niang’s hand, her eyes reddening as she said, "Good child, I truly must apologize to you today. That wretched boy… that wretched boy, he…"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan Niang, who had already held back her tears, could no longer restrain them. She simply covered her eyes with both hands and began to cry.
Seeing this, First Madam Yun thought that Jiang Yuan Niang must have been deliberately feigning composure earlier, and that deep down, she was both frightened and ashamed. The pity on her face grew even more sincere. She stepped forward, wrapped an arm around Jiang Yuan Niang’s shoulders, and gently patted her back, offering words of comfort while expressing the Yun family’s apologies to her.
It took quite some time before Jiang Yuan Niang finally calmed down. She took the handkerchief handed to her by Qiuxiang, wiped her tears, and continued to sob intermittently.
Seeing that she had finally settled somewhat, First Madam Yun said, "Good child, don’t be afraid. What happened today was all the foolishness of that wretched boy of ours. Once we find him, we will naturally make things right for you. You have always been well-behaved and sensible, and you know how much Old Madam Ren and I adore you—we wish you could have been born into our family. Regarding today’s matter, the Yun family will give you an explanation, rest assured! Old Madam Ren and I will take charge of everything for you!"
Qiuxiang, who had been standing nearby with a worried expression and wiping her own tears, paused at these words, her eyes lighting up with joy. She quickly asked, "First Madam, will you truly take charge for our young lady?"
The term "take charge" carried significant implications, but everyone in the room understood that what First Madam Yun meant was for Second Young Master Yun to marry Jiang Yuan Niang. Qiuxiang had been deeply worried about her young lady’s future, fearing that today’s incident would ruin Jiang Yuan Niang’s marriage prospects. Now that the Yun family was willing to have Jiang Yuan Niang marry into their household, it was the best possible outcome.
Even before the Jiang family young lady came to Yunyang City, the various branches of the Jiang family had already known that the Yun family had intentions of forming a marriage alliance with them.
The Jiang family was a renowned scholarly clan in Shunzhou, with ancestors who had produced two top scholars in the imperial examinations, four second-place scholars, three third-place scholars, and dozens of others who had passed the imperial examinations at the second-tier level.
The Jiang family was also a large clan, with many branches and a flourishing lineage. The main branch to which Jiang Yuan Niang belonged had five households counting from her grandmother’s generation. Because Jiang Yuan Niang’s great-grandfather, Jiang Zhenwen, was still alive, these five households had not yet divided the family property. To outsiders, it appeared as a prosperous and thriving five-generation household, but only those within understood the difficulties of survival in such a large family.
The Jiang family upheld the tradition of farming and scholarship. After moving back to Yanbei from the south, they had never held official positions in the court. While their ancestors had left the Jiang descendants with boundless glory, they had also limited the paths they could take. The first rule of the Jiang family’s ancestral teachings was that no descendant of the Jiang family could engage in commerce or lowly occupations.
Thus, the entire Jiang clan relied solely on the farmland and ancestral properties passed down through generations. The main branch fared better, holding control over the clan’s fields, sacrificial lands, and the Jiang Family Academy established by the clan. The collateral branches, however, could only rely on the clan’s provisions to get by. Even so, the men of the Jiang family remained poor yet unyielding in spirit—there was not a single male in the Jiang family who did not pursue education.
Because of this, the position of the Jiang family’s clan leader was of utmost importance.Jiang Yuan Niang's great-grandfather Jiang Zhenwen was already over seventy years old. Among his five sons, the eldest Jiang Shi and the second Jiang Huai were the most accomplished. In a family like the Jiang Family, accomplishment was measured by academic success. Both Jiang Shi and Jiang Huai had passed the provincial imperial examinations before reaching the age of twenty, and both had achieved the title of Jieyuan (top scholar in the provincial examination). Unfortunately, Jiang Shi fell seriously ill and died before he could succeed in the metropolitan imperial examination, while Second Master Jiang Huai passed the metropolitan examination and became a Jinshi.
The position of clan head should have fallen to the eldest son of the main branch, but Jiang Shi passed away early, and his only son was still an infant. Jiang Zhenwen, who did not involve himself much in affairs, gradually handed over clan matters to his second son, Jiang Huai.
Over the years, Jiang Huai had taken charge of the Jiang Family's academy and all clan affairs. Though he did not hold the title of clan head, he effectively acted as one.
According to Jiang Zhenwen's intention, he actually wanted to pass on the family's legacy to his eldest grandson, Jiang Yan—the son of the deceased Jiang Shi. However, given his advanced age and his long-standing detachment from clan affairs, even if he wished to favor his grandson, he lacked the means to do so.
Thus, the Jiang Family now faced the question of whether the family's legacy should be passed to a son or a grandson.
The Yun Family chose to propose a marriage alliance with the Jiang Family precisely at this critical juncture, adding further complexity to the marriage for the Jiang Family.
In the end, only two eligible young women from the Jiang Family came to Yunyang City to attend the Thousand Gold Banquet: one was Jiang Qianniang from the eldest branch, and the other was Jiang Yuan Niang, the granddaughter of Jiang Huai from the second branch. Unfortunately, Jiang Qianniang fell ill on the day of her arrival in Yunyang City due to the unfamiliar climate, breaking out in a rash all over her body and unable to be exposed to the wind. She had no choice but to remain in the Jiang Family's villa in Yunyang City to recuperate.
First Madam Yun said, "Since the words have been spoken, they must be true. Our Old Madam Ren shares the same sentiment."
Jiang Yuan Niang looked at First Madam Yun, her expression not as joyful as Qiu Xiang's but instead tinged with unease and hesitation.
Seeing this, First Madam Yun knew she was recalling Yun Wenfang's methods. She patted Jiang Yuan Niang's hand reassuringly and said, "Don't worry, I will stand up for you not just this once but always. I will never let you suffer any injustice."
Jiang Yuan Niang lowered her eyes and bowed her head, her face gradually flushing.
Seeing her demeanor, First Madam Yun knew she was obedient and could be persuaded. She breathed a sigh of relief, her smile growing even more amiable. "I heard you came to Yunyang City with your eldest aunt this time?"
Jiang Yuan Niang nodded gently. "My sixth sister fell ill, so my eldest aunt stayed at the villa to care for her."
First Madam Yun pondered for a moment before tentatively asking, "Then, should this matter be discussed with your eldest aunt? She is the only senior from the Jiang Family who came this time, isn't she?"
Jiang Yuan Niang shook her head, then nodded. After a pause, she said, "Originally, my grandmother was supposed to come, but there were some matters that required my grandfather and grandmother to attend to at home, so my grandmother stayed behind and sent my eldest aunt instead. My eldest aunt is already exhausted from caring for my sixth sister. Yesterday, I sent someone to check on them, and it seems my eldest aunt is also unwell, with little appetite. This matter... it's better not to let her know."Jiang Yuan Niang's words indicated she did not want her family elders to know about today's incident. Indeed, when a young lady encounters such matters, she would naturally wish to conceal it rather than let it become widely known. Moreover, as First Madam Yun understood, Jiang Yuan Niang's aunt was actually her paternal cousin's wife.
This suited First Madam Yun perfectly, and she grew even more pleased. She took Jiang Yuan Niang's hand and said, "Good child, you are truly considerate and sensible. However, I still think it would be better for me to discuss some matters with your grandmother and mother. By the way, how serious are your aunt and sister's illnesses? The Yanbei Prince's Mansion has several highly skilled physicians. If needed, I can request the Princess Consort to send a physician over to examine them. If you are short on any medicines or supplies, do let me know."
Jiang Yuan Niang replied, "Thank you, First Madam. My aunt has already consulted several physicians, and they all say my sixth sister is suffering from acclimatization issues. She will recover after some rest. As for my aunt, she caught a chill and is fatigued from taking care of my sixth sister for two nights without rest, but it is not serious."
First Madam Yun nodded with relief. "If you need anything, do not hesitate to tell me. By the way, it is getting late. Let us return now. There is no hot tea here anyway."
Jiang Yuan Niang obediently nodded.
First Madam Yun grew increasingly satisfied with Jiang Yuan Niang. After all, a daughter-in-law who was obedient and well-behaved was the most pleasing.
On the surface, the matter seemed temporarily resolved, at least as both parties involved indicated they would not deliberately cause trouble for the Yun Family.
After escorting Jiang Yuan Niang back, First Madam Yun returned to report to Old Madam Yun.
Old Madam Yun first listened to the details about Jiang Yuan Niang and nodded with satisfaction. "I knew this girl understood propriety. You previously complained about her ordinary appearance."
First Madam Yun sighed. "I had thought earlier that the Jiang Family had more than one eligible young lady, so I wanted to wait until the Jiang sixth young lady recovered from her illness to take a closer look. I heard that the Jiang sixth young lady is also exceptionally talented and more beautiful than Jiang Yuan Niang."
Old Madam Yun disagreed. "What use is beauty? For a wife, the most important qualities are gentleness, grace, and knowing when to advance or retreat." Beautiful young ladies often had higher aspirations. Yun Wenfang was the second son and would not inherit the family estate. The criteria for selecting his wife differed from those for the eldest son's wife. Moreover, given Yun Wenfang's temperament, a more gentle and compliant wife would be preferable.
First Madam Yun nodded. "You are right, Mother. Now that I have observed this Jiang eighth young lady, she seems quite suitable. Besides, the Jiang sixth young lady fell ill so easily, which suggests she may not be in good health and might face difficulties in bearing children."
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Yun pondered for a moment. "What illness does the Jiang sixth young lady have? Why did she suddenly fall ill at this time?"
First Madam Yun replied, "They say it is acclimatization, and she has developed a rash."
Old Madam Yun frowned. "Send a physician to examine her. Report back to me once you have a clear understanding."
First Madam Yun was taken aback. "Mother, are you concerned that the Jiang sixth young lady's illness might be suspicious?"
Old Madam Yun said calmly, "It is better to investigate thoroughly for peace of mind. You have managed the household for so many years. Have you not seen enough of the twists and turns within the inner courtyard?"
First Madam Yun felt a chill and immediately replied, "Yes, Mother. I understand.""Wu Yiyu said she wants Fang'er's life in return?" Old Madam Yun asked with a calm expression.
"That's what she said. With Miss Wu's temper... I'm truly somewhat worried," First Madam Yun said with a frown.
Old Madam Yun glanced at her. "Haven't you already sent someone to warn Fang'er?"
First Madam Yun fell silent.
Old Madam Yun then snorted lightly. "However, our Fang'er's life isn't something she can just take as she pleases."
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