Volume 1, Chapter 20: Jiang Ruozhen Kneels in Punishment-Após cortar os cabelos e romper com a família, todos perceberam que jamais perdoarei.(Sonhos luminosos em sono tranquilo)

"From this day forward, she must kneel in the ancestral hall for an hour every day until Niannian's injuries have fully healed!"

Nanny Zhu felt this punishment was most appropriate; as the Second Miss was a young lady, it took her physical constitution into account while also providing some retribution for the Eldest Miss. Yet, she feared the First Madam would still be dissatisfied. Old Madam Jiang was well aware of this, but she had to consider Niannian—partly out of affection for her granddaughter, and partly for the future of the Jiang household.

"Furthermore, in the coming days, those who are injured should focus on their recovery, and those who are being punished should fulfill their penance. Do not venture out of your courtyards to disturb Niannian!"

Having issued these instructions, the Old Madam went inside to check on Jiang Zhinian. Sensing the distance between Zhinian and her parents, the Old Madam felt compelled to offer some counsel.

"You, child... you were hurt so badly and lost so much blood, yet you didn't even shed a tear. Don't you know that the child who cries is the one who gets the candy?"

Jiang Zhinian lowered her eyes, only to hear her continue, "After all, your parents have shared over a decade of familial bonds with you; that is an immutable fact."

"Grandmother knows you have been sensible since you were small, never causing your elders to worry. But you must understand, the more one worries and invests their energy into someone, the more they will cherish them."

Did her grandmother want her to compete for favor with Jiang Ruozhen? Did she truly believe that if she were to weep and shed a few tears like Ruozhen, it would awaken the conscience of the Jiang family?

How laughable. If the Jiang family had chosen to remain blind to her devotion for the past sixteen years, eventually conspiring to humiliate her, then such kinship and such parents were not worth her consideration!

Jiang Zhinian knew that her grandmother was old, and nothing mattered more to her than a harmonious family gathered at her knees. But if she were to choose to compromise and endure, merely to manufacture a facade of harmony, she would be betraying the sacrifices she made over the past sixteen years. She would be betraying the version of herself that died a miserable death in the snow in her previous life!

"Grandmother, if I shed a few tears now, could you grant me a request?" Jiang Zhinian asked, playing along.

The Old Madam had not expected the girl to learn how to use a counter-strategy. "Tell me what it is."

"Mother has dismissed the Jiang family tutors, likely because the harvest this year was not as good as before. I can provide the funds for their tuition myself."

"If you are paying for it yourself, why tell me?" the Old Madam asked.

"Naturally, because you are the one who presides over the Jiang household. If I didn't ask you, wouldn't I be overstepping my bounds?" Jiang Zhinian replied with a bright smile.

Though she said this, the Old Madam knew that Zhinian was merely worried about hurting her feelings. The second and third branches of the family were not her own, so she held little affection for them. When Lady Chen dismissed the tutors, she had simply turned a blind eye. If Jiang Zhinian intervened now, it was best to consult her, which only proved that her Niannian was truly sensible and understood the way of the world.

The Old Madam did not ask further, knowing that Jiang Zhinian always had her own plans. Since it had little to do with her, she let the matter drop. Thinking of Niannian's injuries, the Old Madam stopped nagging, and the grandmother and granddaughter shared a quiet dinner together.

At the Marquis of Rong'an's residence, Yun Chu relayed everything his scouts had learned at the Ministry of Personnel.

Lu Junyan lay back in a grand master's chair, his legs crossed and resting upon his desk. The gauze bandage wrapped around his eyes tangled with his long, flowing hair. If anyone were to see him now, they would surely find him a stark contrast to the gentle, steady, and courteous Lu Junyan known to the world.

Hearing the report, Lu Junyan slowly sat up, as if the news were entirely unexpected.

"It is truly hard to imagine that Miss Jiang, usually so calm and formidable, lives such a life at the Ministry of Personnel," Yun Chu concluded.

It was indeed hard to imagine. In his dreams, Jiang Zhinian was delicate and moving, while the Jiang Zhinian he had met was poised and composed. But in both versions, she had always seemed like a pampered daughter held in the palm of her family's hand. He had initially thought that a woman favored by the Empress and raised by the entire clan's resources would surely be proud and celebrated, surrounded by love and protection. Only after hearing this did he realize how difficult her life had truly been. No wonder she had been so severely injured.

"She is not the Jiang family's biological daughter?" Lu Junyan asked after a moment of silence.

Yun Chu replied, "The Jiang family has always claimed that their Second Miss was sent to the countryside to recuperate because of poor health in her youth, but in truth, the children were swapped at birth. Now that the Empress favors Miss Jiang, the Jiang family is naturally not foolish enough to miss the chance to become relatives of the imperial family."

Lu Junyan understood. But since the Crown Prince clearly favored Jiang Ruozhen, would the Jiang family continue to keep this secret?

Jiang Zhinian had thought the Jiang family was being so quiet because her grandmother had ordered them not to disturb her recovery. During the day, she went to the palace to pray and transcribe scriptures, and even after returning to the Jiang residence, she would continue until the sky was pitch black. The medicine provided by Senior Brother Wen Jing was highly effective; by the time the palace banquet approached, the scars on her face were no longer visible.

As for the Jiang family, Jiang Ruoqi had been caned and was injured, making him unfit for his duties at the Ministry of War. The Old Madam had ordered him to resign and recover at home to prevent further trouble. As for Jiang Ruozhen, who had been ordered to kneel, she had only gone through the motions for the first few days, kneeling in the ancestral hall for half an hour at a time. Lady Chen, heartbroken, would stand outside the hall to accompany her.

When Jiang Zhinian heard of this, she was happy to see it happen. "Mother has plenty of energy, so let her keep her company; it will put her mind at ease." After all, it wasn't she who was suffering.

Later, Jiang Ruozhen fell ill, and the kneeling punishment was quietly forgotten. However, Lady Chen felt that the Old Madam was mistreating her daughter and spent her days in tears. She had intended to go to Linlang Pavilion to find Jiang Zhinian and beg her to intercede with the Old Madam, but she was stopped at the door by Nanny Zhu.

Zheliu imitated Nanny Zhu's stern demeanor: "The Old Madam says that if you are sick but cannot stay still, you may continue to kneel in the ancestral hall. If the First Madam is worried, she is welcome to kneel alongside the Second Miss!"

"First Madam, the Old Madam knows exactly what kind of 'illness' the Second Miss has. Her Ladyship has been turning a blind eye, but if you continue this behavior, the Old Madam will have to take a much closer look at the Second Miss."

These words left Lady Chen stunned, and she retreated to her own quarters in embarrassment. As Zheliu helped Jiang Zhinian remove her bandages, she remarked, "The Old Madam has been far too lenient with the Second Miss!"

Jiang Zhinian knew that her grandmother ultimately did not want to burn all bridges. After all, they were her own grandchildren; how could she not have a soft spot for them? She knew this well. The path of confrontation and revenge against the Jiang family was one she had to walk alone from beginning to end. She could be clear in her grievances, keeping her grandmother and those who hadn't harmed her out of the fray, but she could not return evil with kindness.

On the eve of the palace banquet, Jiang Zhinian finally finished transcribing the scriptures. Tomorrow was the day of the banquet, which the Jiang family would also attend. In previous years, Jiang Zhinian had always entered the palace at the side of her grandmother or mother, but this year was different. She would be entering as a priestess to burn incense and offer prayers, and would not be traveling with the Jiang family.

Lady Chen, accompanied by several maids, made a special trip to Linlang Pavilion.