Chapter 18: Inquiries
Second Miss Jiang’s birth mother, Ye Zhenzhen, had married into the Jiang family for three years without bearing a son. It was only after Jiang Yuanbai’s bedmaid gave birth to an illegitimate eldest daughter that Ye Zhenzhen finally conceived Jiang Li. Unfortunately, Ye Zhenzhen’s fate was ill-fated. After giving birth to Jiang Li, her health declined day by day, and she passed away half a year later. It was precisely because Jiang Yuanbai considered his young daughter needed someone to care for her that he soon married Ji Shuran into the family.
The courtyard where Ye Zhenzhen had once recuperated from her illness was none other than this Fragrant Garden Courtyard.
Jiang Yuanbai was a scholar—though one who was ambitious for power and climbed relentlessly—he still retained some of the pedantic traits of a scholar. For instance, he liked to flaunt his refinement and despised gaudiness. Ye Zhenzhen, born into a merchant family, had always preferred vibrant and lively things. Even when cultivating flowers, she favored those that were delicate and brilliant. Jiang Yuanbai, on the other hand, preferred elegant lotuses and verdant bamboo.
Ji Shuran knew how to cater to his preferences, presenting herself as cultured and graceful. She disdained entering the Fragrant Garden Courtyard. Now that Jiang Li had returned to the estate, intentionally or not, she was given the courtyard where her birth mother had once recuperated.
To think more deeply and cynically, this courtyard was the most remote one in the main household, far from her siblings, not to mention Old Madam Jiang and Jiang Yuanbai. This naturally indicated a lack of closeness. Moreover, living in the courtyard where her birth mother had recuperated, would Second Miss Jiang be reminded of the past, perhaps even feel provoked or angered?
Tong’er’s worries completely vanished when she saw Jiang Li’s reaction.
Jiang Li showed no sorrow or anger. Apart from a momentary daze when she first saw the name "Fragrant Garden Courtyard," she remained calm throughout. Even Sun Momo was quite surprised. After hurriedly giving a few instructions, Sun Momo left.
Only Jiang Li and Tong’er remained in the room. Now that they had returned to the Jiang estate, Yuxiang had also gone back to the Chengde Official’s residence to rejoin Madam Liu. Before leaving, Jiang Li entrusted Yuxiang to convey her gratitude to Madam Liu, promising to visit in person another day to express her thanks.
The room was relatively clean, but the courtyard, which had once been filled with various flowers planted under Ye Zhenzhen’s orders, had been abandoned for many years. Aside from the cleared weeds, it was desolate, and because the courtyard was so large, it felt particularly lonely.
Tong’er looked at Jiang Li, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Miss, are you feeling alright?"
"This courtyard is quite nice," Jiang Li said, looking around. "It’s spacious and quiet." She seemed to pay no mind to Tong’er’s concerns. Instead, she gazed thoughtfully at the abandoned flower beds and said, "It’s just a bit barren without any flowers or plants. But it doesn’t matter. We’ve lived on Qingcheng Mountain for many years and are quite skilled at tending to plants. Another day, go find some flower seeds. We’ll plant them in the courtyard, and in no time, it’ll be lively."
As Tong’er listened, she grew happier and said, "You’re right, Miss. We’ve grown crops on Qingcheng Mountain, and flowers are no different. This courtyard is large, so it’ll surely look beautiful once it’s filled with flowers." She felt that ever since Jiang Li had narrowly escaped drowning and awakened, her life had been improving day by day. Perhaps the incident with Marquis Ningyuan had truly spurred Jiang Li on. Now, Jiang Li acted with purpose and a resilient spirit—perhaps this was what the elders called "breaking through to rise anew."
"Our lives will bloom like the flowers in this courtyard, growing livelier and better with each passing day," Tong’er said sincerely.Jiang Li smiled faintly. She hadn't planted flowers in the courtyard for mere decoration or to show optimism about life. Rather, she needed to do something to attract attention—to make people aware that the Jiang family's second young miss couldn't simply be cast aside like dust-covered forgotten objects in some corner.
Planting flowers was just the beginning; her future actions would follow the same principle.
She had no intention of remaining an obscure noble daughter.
By evening, Fragrant Garden Courtyard buzzed with activity. First came the tailors sent by Ji Shuran to make clothes for Jiang Li. After Jiang Li's public remarks at the Jiang residence gates that morning, Ji Shuran couldn't possibly brush the matter aside. To display her generosity as a stepmother and salvage her damaged reputation, Ji Shuran naturally went all out, commissioning several truly luxurious outfits for Jiang Li.
Not stopping there, Ji Shuran also sent a case of jewelry, while Old Madam Jiang had someone deliver silver taels. Compared to jewelry, Old Madam Jiang's silver proved far more practical. With empty pockets currently, Jiang Li knew she couldn't command anyone's service in the Jiang household without money.
Jiang Yuanbai also visited once. Seeing Fragrant Garden Courtyard decently arranged, he nodded in approval. After exchanging a few words, both father and daughter felt the distance bred by years of separation, and Jiang Yuanbai soon departed.
Later, when lamps were lit in the rooms, the two maids sent by Ji Shuran—Xiang Qiao and Yun Shuang—arrived.
These two maids, described by Ji Shuran as "sensible and well-behaved," stood before Jiang Li to pay their respects.
As maids gifted by Ji Shuran, they could only serve as Jiang Li's personal attendants. Their attire far outshone Tong'er's simplicity—particularly Xiang Qiao, whose gold bracelet was pure, gleaming brightly.
Though Yun Shuang stood in formal greeting, her eyes held arrogance, and her courtesy appeared perfunctory. She likely viewed Jiang Li as a disgraced young lady who, despite returning home, would inevitably meet misfortune under Ji Shuran's current household control—so much so that she couldn't even bother pretending properly.
Xiang Qiao proved shrewder, with a honeyed tongue and eyes that darted incessantly. Her gaze lingered on the jewelry case from Ji Shuran before she bowed to Jiang Li with exaggerated respect.
Regardless of their attitudes, both were undoubtedly Ji Shuran's spies. With one glance at their expressions and mannerisms, Jiang Li roughly grasped their natures.
Yun Shuang fawned on superiors and bullied inferiors, looking down on everyone. Xiang Qiao coveted wealth and switched sides opportunistically. Both were petty individuals—not allies, yet not necessarily unusable.
Tong'er found both utterly disagreeable, her displeasure written plainly across her face.
Jiang Li waved a hand dismissively. "I require nothing further here. Xiang Qiao, stay and brief me on the household's current affairs. Yun Shuang, you may withdraw."
Yun Shuang, eager to leave, complied immediately. Xiang Qiao remained, and when Jiang Li invited her to sit, she repeatedly declined out of "respect."
After Xiang Qiao's ritual refusals ended with her seated, Jiang Li opened Ji Shuran's jewelry case, selected a ruby dragonfly hairpin, and pressed it into Xiang Qiao's hand. "Having just returned, I must rely on Sister Xiang Qiao's guidance. Please enlighten me about the household situation."
Xiang Qiao swallowed. She ought to refuse, but the weight of the gemmed hairpin in her palm stole all words of protest.When Second Miss Jiang made a move, it was always with an irresistible temptation! Who could possibly resist?
After some thought, Xiang Qiao concluded that the second young lady must be rather simple-minded. Since she was now serving her, as long as she kept the young lady happy, wouldn't she be able to make a fortune every day? As for the household situation, Jiang Li didn't have any clever people around her anyway—it all depended on her own glib tongue. This way, she wouldn't be betraying the madam, and she could even earn double the silver.
Thinking this, Xiang Qiao grew cheerful and said, "Second Young Lady, you mustn't say such things. It is this servant's duty to clear your doubts. In this household now..." But she never let go of the hairpin in her hand.
Tong'er was so anxious she was scratching her head and ears. This Xiang Qiao clearly had ill intentions, yet Jiang Li was giving her such a generous reward. Didn't she know that human greed knows no bounds? But looking at Jiang Li now, she was listening to Xiang Qiao with rapt attention.
Xiang Qiao talked until she was spitting and her mouth was dry. Seeing Jiang Li listening so intently, she couldn't help but feel smug. What she was saying seemed detailed, but most of it was about the second and third branches of the family. As for the madam of the main branch, she hadn't revealed a single word. This second young lady was truly foolish, believing everything so readily. Just by spouting some trivial nonsense, she could get a gemstone hairpin—what a rare and easy task!
After talking for half an hour, she finally ran out of things to say. Xiang Qiao said, "Reporting to Second Young Lady, this is the current situation in the household."
Jiang Li had been completely absorbed. Now that Xiang Qiao stopped, she seemed to want to hear more. After a moment's thought, she said, "Since there's nothing more to say about the household, then tell me some interesting stories from outside."
"Outside?" Xiang Qiao was taken aback.
"Yes, like what interesting things have happened in Yanjing City in recent years? I heard the old lady of the Rong Xinling family passed away three years ago. I remember when I was little, she gave me a double-sided Guanyin embroidery. Also, I heard Sister Yuxiang mention the number one beauty of Yanjing City—her husband was the top scholar in the recent imperial exams, and I heard he passed away from illness a while ago. Is that true?"
Unlike previous female leads, such as soft girls or imperial consorts, who often lacked proper family education and guidance during their growth, leading to minor personality flaws, this story's Lizi is different. Her family was complete and happy, and the scoundrels she encountered in her previous life were only after she married. Therefore, Lizi's personality isn't dark; on the contrary, she is a wise, warm, and righteous young woman.
In this story, the one with personality flaws is the male lead—an especially ruthless, heartless, and sinister great demon king.
But isn't taming such a little pepper particularly thrilling? Isn't it satisfying to turn a big bad wolf into a loyal dog?
Yes!
From Tea Tea's mischievous taste [smile].
(End of chapter)
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