Volume One, Chapter Six: Jiang Ruoqi Is Dismissed from Office

Jiang Cheng’s heart tightened, feeling he had gone too far, and he moved to support the two of them.

Jiang Mu was even more upset and shoved him aside. “If Ruozhen had been switched at birth and left outside, enduring untold hardships all these years... She has just returned, and you already look down on her like this. You truly have no heart!”

The “you” Jiang Mu referred to was certainly not Jiang Cheng, so it had to be herself.

Jiang Zhinian saw that Jiang Mu was making veiled accusations, her words full of reproach. Suddenly, Jiang Zhinian felt her limbs grow cold and a sharp pain twist through her abdomen.

Nearby, a scene of maternal affection and filial piety unfolded. Jiang Mu struggled to rise, but Jiang Cheng had no mind to pay her any heed and told her to go kneel in the ancestral hall as punishment!

After everyone had left, Zheliu quickly helped Jiang Zhinian to her feet. “Miss, do you really want to go to the ancestral hall?”

As they stepped out of the main hall, Jiang Zhinian glanced toward the ancestral hall, then looked away with a calm gaze. “Help me back to my room to rest. If anyone asks to see me later, just say I fainted while kneeling in the ancestral hall and haven’t woken yet.”

Now that the Jiang family ignored and mistreated her, they would soon be the ones seeking her favor.

Zheliu did not understand her lady’s meaning, but as long as it was for her good, she was glad.

In the Linglang Pavilion, Zheliu laid a thick mattress on the bed. Jiang Zhinian was menstruating, her lower abdomen aching fiercely. Clutching a hot water bottle, she drifted into a deep sleep.

The next day, Fuguang came in from outside and quickly closed the door, worried that the cold wind might disturb her mistress.

“Miss, yesterday Lord Huang came in person. When the young master returned in the evening, his face looked very grim. It seems Lord Huang has temporarily dismissed him from his post.”

After drinking the freshly made sweet soup, Jiang Zhinian was not surprised, as if she had already foreseen this.

—

Yesterday, just as Jiang Cheng had soothed the lady and daughter, word came that Lord Huang had visited. Lord Huang was Jiang Ruoqi’s direct superior.

The Ministry of War held great power, so Jiang Cheng had to take it seriously.

He hurried to greet the guest, and after some conversation, the topic turned to Jiang Zhinian.

Lord Huang mentioned how much he missed the Sichuan delicacies Jiang Zhinian had sent him last year and asked where she had bought them.

Jiang Cheng knew nothing about this. Thinking of Jiang Zhinian being punished by kneeling in the ancestral hall, he could only smile awkwardly and suggest trying a different flavor this year. The smile on Lord Huang’s face immediately faded, and after a few words, he left.

“Did Father really say that?” Jiang Zhinian asked, though she knew her father was stubborn, bookish, and indifferent to social niceties.

Yet the implication was so clear that it surprised her he had not noticed.

—

Lord Huang was not interested in the Sichuan delicacies she sent as a gift, but in the silver she sent along. Since there was no silver, the official post the Jiang family bought for Jiang Ruoqi would naturally be revoked.

Zheliu nodded and recounted vividly, “When the young master came back last night, he went straight to our Linglang Pavilion. It was only because I stopped him that he didn’t disturb the miss’s rest.”

“The young master asked that once the miss wakes, she should come see him.”

Zheliu gave a cold glare. “Bah! He came to the Linglang Pavilion in the middle of the night with a favor to ask but didn’t even bother to show concern when he heard the miss was ill and unable to see anyone!”

“What an attitude!”

“Zheliu, don’t speak recklessly!” Fuguang interrupted sharply.

But Zheliu was still not satisfied. “I’m not wrong. When the second miss coughs twice, the entire Jiang household scours the capital for the best doctors and floods the neighboring room with all kinds of remedies!”

“But when it comes to the miss, there’s nothing—not even an act of concern! Luckily, she’s not truly gravely ill.”

Jiang Zhinian’s eyes darkened. Even a maid could see that the Jiang family truly did not know. Though she had lost all hope in them, hearing this still pierced her chest like needles.

Fuguang held Zheliu back; she did not want her to continue, not to defend the eldest master, but because hearing more would only hurt her lady.

Fortunately, Jiang Zhinian smiled faintly, the sadness in her eyes gradually fading and replaced by a chill. “I will take good care of my health these days. Let them fret on their own.”

—

Meanwhile, the Jiang family was indeed anxious. The main branch was focused on Jiang Ruoqi, the only legitimate son, now dismissed and at home.

Jiang Ruoqi did not even know the reason for his dismissal, only that Lord Huang had mentioned Jiang Zhinian.

But Jiang Zhinian had been punished by their father with kneeling and was now seriously ill. He was like an ant on a hot pan, confused and desperate, only hoping Jiang Zhinian would recover quickly.

Jiang Cheng’s expression was grim. He probably realized he had spoken wrongly and that Jiang Zhinian’s illness had caused his son’s current plight.

But as a father, how could he be at fault? He said coldly, “Enough. The Ministry of War isn’t a place for you now. In time, we’ll find you another position.”

Jiang Ruoqi grew restless. “Father, how can the Ministry of Rites compare to the Ministry of War!?”

At this, Jiang Cheng’s face darkened like ink, his anger flaring.

Jiang Ruozhen quickly intervened, “Father, elder brother is just anxious and misspoke in his hurry...”

She quickly winked at Jiang Ruoqi to signal him to apologize.

Jiang Ruoqi realized his rudeness and knelt in apology. Although Jiang Cheng was calmed by Jiang Ruozhen’s words, he could not suppress the nameless anger inside. He had just punished Jiang Zhinian—would he admit he was wrong and apologize as a father?

Impossible.

“Is there truly no other way? How can Father and elder brother know this matter better than elder sister?” Jiang Ruozhen asked. She did not know the full reason and thought Lord Huang had only mentioned Jiang Zhinian in passing.

Jiang Ruoqi hung his head. At this moment, who else could he turn to but Jiang Zhinian? After all, it was Jiang Zhinian who had told him he could work under Lord Huang.

It must have been Jiang Zhinian’s involvement that caused his dismissal.

Suddenly, as Jiang Ruozhen spoke, he remembered, “Zhenzhen, didn’t the Empress grant you favor?”

He didn’t need to say more; everyone understood the implication.

Jiang Ruoqi wanted to use Jiang Ruozhen’s imperial favor to reclaim or even elevate his position.

“Elder brother... this isn’t appropriate. I’ve already said I don’t seek favor, and if I mention it again, it might...” Jiang Ruozhen hesitated.

No one knew her true thoughts. “Besides, I can’t just enter the palace whenever I want.”

Jiang Ruoqi found her reasoning sound and dropped the subject. Now, only Jiang Zhinian’s help remained.

Suddenly, Jiang Ruozhen’s eyes reddened, and she knelt down.

“Father, sister must feel wronged and unwilling to see her brother. Why not punish me along with you, so sister can calm down...”

“No!”

Jiang Mu entered and pulled Jiang Ruozhen into her arms. “Zhenzhen has suffered so much all these years; she must never suffer again!”

Hearing this, Jiang Mu specially summoned the matriarch. Jiang Zhinian refused to see them—could she refuse to see her grandmother?

Jiang Old Madam looked at Jiang Cheng with disappointment and frustration. It was she who had raised her eldest son to be so stubborn, unable to understand Lord Huang’s hints, biased toward Jiang Ruozhen, and harsh to Zhinian!