Chapter 172: Mother Will Surely Blame Me
When Wei Chang heard this news, his expression was also extremely strange.
But as the Crown Prince, he had seen all kinds of storms and remained calm on the surface.
Yet inwardly, it was actually similar to Jiang Ruanxi’s feelings; he really wished he could find a hole to crawl into right now.
They inwardly only felt.
Jiang Ruanxi: Shocked, and incredulous.
Wei Chang: Absurd, and incredulous.
The atmosphere was awkwardly quiet enough to hear a pin drop, but the old woman servant didn’t notice at all and continued, “However, it’s now late autumn, about to enter winter. Even lemonade is cold water, so it’s better to drink less.”
Jiang Ruanxi only felt her ears buzzing, unable to hear a word.
“Old woman servant, you can go out first.”
Suddenly hearing Wei Chang’s voice, Jiang Ruanxi looked up, but thinking of last night’s matter, her face blushed even more, and her gaze quickly shifted away, darting left and right, never landing on Wei Chang.
Wei Chang had originally felt a bit awkward, but seeing Jiang Ruanxi’s reaction, he suddenly felt as if a feather was brushing across his heart.
The corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curve up.
After the old woman servant left, Wei Chang walked forward and sat down beside her.
Seeing her ears red to the point of engorgement, Wei Chang wanted to reach out and touch them, but he knew that if he did, Jiang Ruanxi would definitely get creeped out, so he held back and didn’t move.
Smiling, he asked, “Madam, have you eaten breakfast yet?”
Jiang Ruanxi answered softly, “Not yet.”
Speaking of eating, Jiang Ruanxi remembered something and suddenly stood up, startling Wei Chang. “Madam, what’s wrong?”
“I think I haven’t paid respects to Mother yet.”
Glancing outside, the sun had already risen to mid-sky. She strode toward the door. “Mother will definitely blame me.”
Wei Chang smiled and pulled her hand. “No need to go. Didn’t Mother say a couple of days ago that you don’t need to pay respects?”
Jiang Ruanxi then remembered this and immediately stopped in her tracks.
She had fainted from exhaustion and forgotten about it.
Wei Chang stood up, placed his hand on her shoulder, and pulled her back to her seat.
“Mother has always liked quiet. Since she said that, you don’t need to go in the future. After the Lingnan matter is over, we’ll return to the Capital.”
Jiang Ruanxi was stunned, not expecting it so soon, but thinking of something, she frowned tightly. “Second Master, with my current identity, how can I go back?”
After she spoke, the atmosphere became a bit heavy.
Returning to the Capital, Wei Chang would be the Crown Prince again, no longer Second Master Yu.
Then what about her?
The Lin Family grandmother’s identity was that of someone who had died. If she returned with Jiang Ruanxi’s identity, then everything about the feigned death in the Capital would have no meaning.
Could she go as Jiang Ruanxi to be the Crown Princess?
That was even more impossible.
“Madam, don’t worry about this matter. I’ve already arranged your new identity; it won’t wrong you.”
Jiang Ruanxi trusted Wei Chang and couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
With a new identity back in the Capital, she would seek revenge on the Jiang Family. Jiang Ruanxi’s heart was full of ruthlessness.
A pattering light rain started falling again. With one major matter settled, Jiang Ruanxi said, “Second Master hasn’t eaten breakfast yet, right? I’ll have someone bring the food up.”
“Good.”
Hong Ye quickly brought the food and dishes up.
The two in the room leisurely ate their meal, gazing at the rain outside. Jiang Ruanxi then remembered yesterday’s matter. “Second Master, has the disaster situation in Lingnan been resolved?”
Speaking of this, Wei Chang put down his bowl and chopsticks.
“The rioting commoners have dispersed, and the grain price is slowly recovering quite a bit. I believe it won’t be long before it returns to normal. Without that batch of grain from you, who knows what Lingnan would have turned into. Speaking of it, this matter still requires gratitude toward you.”
“Second Master is too serious. The grain in my hands only increases my wealth. I already have enough money; more is just gilding the lily. But for the commoners of Lingnan, it can save lives. Lingnan can be considered my hometown after all, and my adoptive parents are also in Lingnan. Even if I could bear to see the commoners suffer, I wouldn’t want to see them implicated.
But my status is limited; even with that grain, I couldn’t arrange it. Only by handing the grain to you could the commoners truly benefit, and my adoptive parents be safe. In the end, rather than saying I helped you, it’s more like you helped me better resolve this problem.”
Wei Chang knew she was referring to her adoptive parents.
He felt very grateful toward Jiang Ruanxi as well.
One must know, Lingnan’s climate is suitable, allowing three seasons of rice planting per year; it is one of the granaries of the Qin Dynasty. If something happened, it would shake the nation’s foundation.
“Do you want to see your adoptive parents?”
Jiang Ruanxi’s expression showed excitement, but on second thought, she shook her head. “Forget it. The more they know, the worse it is for them.”
She had been in Lingnan for so long, not without thinking of seeing them.
But the Jiang Family was too vicious. If she showed even the slightest slip-up, the Jiang family members would find her.
If the matter of her going back to see them was discovered by the Jiang family members, the consequences would be irredeemable.
Wei Chang understood her concerns and said nothing.
“Then shall we have someone prepare for tomorrow’s return to the door?”
Jiang Ruanxi nodded. She had almost forgotten; she was still the Zhong Family’s daughter now. With this identity, the Zhong Family had to go back no matter what.
The two continued eating, but Jiang Ruanxi’s heart remained uneasy. “Second Master, how do you plan to deal with the Jiang Family?”
“The Jiang Family obstructed the disaster situation, nearly causing the Lingnan commoners to have no means of livelihood. I’m already investigating the bandit matter now. If it’s confirmed to be the Jiang Family’s doing, they naturally cannot escape responsibility.”
“What does Your Highness think is the likelihood that, upon returning to the Capital, His Majesty will directly take action against the Jiang Family?”
Wei Chang frowned. The Jiang Family’s merits overshadowed the sovereign. Although Jiang Changjun had been granted death back then, for the remaining Jiang family members, even if His Majesty took action, it would probably be insignificant.
Jiang Ruanxi also thought of this and said indifferently, “If Second Master wants to deal with the Jiang family members, Jiang Linlei absolutely cannot return to the Capital. If he does, there will be no opportunity.”
Wei Chang certainly understood this reason. After thinking for a few seconds, he said darkly, “You’re right. Lingnan is remote and far from the Emperor; even if any accident happens, it would be very normal.”
Jiang Ruanxi immediately understood his meaning.
“Second Master, I’m considered a Jiang family member after all. I want to go see Jiang Linlei.”
Wei Chang looked at her fixedly, and after a long moment, said, “I’ll go arrange it.”
After breakfast, Wei Chang still had to handle disaster situation matters, so he went to the yamen with Lord Li.
Jiang Ruanxi wore a cloak and braved the rain to reach the yamen prison cell.
In the dim dungeon, Jiang Linlei, dressed in a moon-white long robe, was squatting on the ground, his gaze dull, disheveled, and filthy all over.
The once arrogant and disdainful Son of Heaven’s Chosen had now become a prisoner, extremely disheveled.
