flstandardbreds Chapter 155: The Cannon Fodder Sister Who Was Married Instead in Ancient Chinese Literature 35
Chapter 155: The Cannon Fodder Sister Who Was Married Instead in Ancient Chinese Literature 35
"Shushu, auntie is still worried about you."
Yun Xi held Jiang Yueshu's restless hand and spoke earnestly.
"Today, Hui'er happened to be saved by Prince Lu. This matter will surely spread throughout the imperial city. Hui'er has no other choice but to marry the prince. You were worried about the replacement marriage before, isn't it just right now?"
Jiang Yueshu was stunned, thinking about Yun Xi's words.
"But didn't the prince say that the elders from the Marquis' Mansion would come to discuss tomorrow?"
Yunxi: "......"
"Shushu, that's the case, but they won't cancel the engagement without reason. Your aunt guesses that they might let you two sisters marry into the Marquis's Mansion as co-wives. But it's obvious that only one person needs to be sacrificed, and Hui'er has no other way, so why should he sacrifice you?" Yunxi wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.
"Why don't you just tell the two elders tomorrow that you want to cancel the engagement, so that Hui'er can marry into the Marquis' Mansion?"
Jiang Yueshu frowned and thought, and after a while she complained impatiently.
"Oh, it's so annoying, aunt. You asked me to think about it carefully. Besides, who knows whether the Marquis's Mansion will cancel the engagement?"
Yunxi: "......"
She rolled her eyes at Jiang Yueshu when she wasn't paying attention. She was afraid that saying too much would cause Jiang Yueshu to be disgusted, so she could only avoid the topic.
As soon as Jiang's father and Jiang Yixiu entered the house, they were ready to pull Jiang Yueshu aside to show concern, but Yunxi kept asking her to chat, so the two had to leave first.
Jiang Yueshu was feeling uncomfortable because of falling into the water before, and she had been thinking about taking a hot bath, so she spoke a few perfunctorily to Yun Xi absentmindedly.
Seeing this, Yunxi had no choice but to let her leave first.
After the maids had prepared everything, Jiang Yueshu soaked in the water for a while before calling a few maids to come forward and clean up.
Jiang Yueshu closed her eyes and let Xia He wring out her hair. Xia He looked at her expression, tightened her throat, and then spoke.
"Miss, I heard some gossip in Yun Mansion today. Are you willing to listen?"
"Go ahead."
Jiang Yueshu's tone was calm and he seemed to be in a good mood. Xia He breathed a sigh of relief and spoke.
"I heard the maids and servants from other houses talking about the prince. They said that the prince preferred thin people and had very strict requirements on the meals of everyone in the courtyard, with fixed amounts and regular times. The servant also secretly said that he was starving every day. I saw that he was indeed weak and almost fainted."
Jiang Yueshu opened her eyes when she heard this, "Are there others? What about the other masters in the Marquis' Mansion?"
"I don't know about this, but I heard that the women in the Marquis's mansion are all as thin as willows, and they even eat very little. These are also what the maids and servants said."
Jiang Yueshu stopped talking and closed her eyes again, as if thinking about something.
Xia He then quickly finished her speech and stopped talking.
When the Jiang family had dinner, it was rare for Old Lady Jiang to sit at the first seat.
Father Jiang used a serving chopstick to pick up some food for Jiang Yueshu before speaking with concern.
"Shushu, are you feeling unwell? After all, you fell into the water today?"
"It's okay, father." Jiang Yueshu said.
"What about the maids who accompanied you today? Why didn't they protect you well?"
Seeing that his daughter was fine, Jiang's father began to scold the maid.
He remembered that when they were looking for Jiang Yueshu in Yun Mansion today, they saw a familiar maid sitting in the corner, staring at the lake without moving.
Whether she called for someone to come over to find them or report to them, she did nothing. Instead, she just stood there like a headless fly.
When Lu Ping and Xia He, who were waiting behind, heard what Jiang's father said, they immediately knelt down in fear.
"Father, it's cool in autumn, and I felt a little cold at that time, so I asked Lu Ping to get clothes for me." Jiang Yueshu pointed at one of the little maids in green and said.
"Okay, then you get up." said Father Jiang.
"What about you? The master fell into the water, what were you doing?" Father Jiang looked directly at the maid who was still kneeling.
Xia He was frightened by the Prime Minister's deep gaze. She quickly lowered her brows and knelt down to beg for mercy.
"Master, I...I also tripped and fell, so I lost track of the young lady."
"Oh? Since you can't find your master, why don't you go and inform the other masters in the mansion?" Father Jiang sneered.
Xia He was frightened. She was specially arranged to be there by the lady just in case. If the Second Miss was rescued by others, she would be responsible for bringing the Second Miss to the guest house.
So, she had been waiting at the place closest to where the second young lady fell into the water, but she never waited for the second young lady to come ashore.
Xia He thought quickly in her mind, but the Prime Minister's cold eyes were fixed on her, and she couldn't delay any time.
Her mind uncontrollably recalled the image of Chunyu being beaten with a stick in the same yard. An idea suddenly occurred to her and she spoke hesitantly.
"I...I followed Madam's orders..."
"Bitch, what order of mine did you follow? You better tell me clearly!" Yun Xi glared at Xia He.
"Shut up! Yun! You can't even manage the maids around you, what's that? Wait until I deal with this matter, and then we can talk properly." Father Jiang scolded Yun Xi.
Yun Xi was speechless for a moment. Anyway, she had just warned Xia He.
She looked at Hong Luo, who had a nervous expression, and began to think.
"Master, it was Madam who asked me to stay here. If the young lady falls into the water and comes ashore, I will immediately take her to the guest house to change clothes. Master, I am loyal to the young lady. This time I did something wrong. Please punish me."
Xia He was very smart and knew that a man of insight is a wise man. If it was revealed that she was framing the second young lady, the Prime Minister would definitely not forgive her.
But if she was loyal to her master and just made a mistake, if she begged her master again, perhaps her life could be saved.
Father Jiang didn't say anything, but just looked at Jiang Yueshu, obviously leaving the decision in her hands.
Seeing this, Xia He crawled to Jiang Yueshu's feet and begged for mercy.
"Miss, I made a mistake. You can punish me as you like, but I beg you to spare my life!"
Jiang Yueshu looked at Xia He. She remembered that Xia He seemed to have a younger sister who lived in Jiang Xinghui's yard.
Then Xia He should be kept for now, she is still useful.
After thinking it through, Jiang Yueshu spoke.
"Punishment of ten strokes of the cane, demoted to a servant, and fined six months' salary."