Chapter 214: My Ruanxi Is Still Alive?
Wei Chang held her hand and took a step back.
Madam Jiang, however, acted as if she couldn’t bear it, tears streaming down her face as she rushed forward, “My child… you died so miserably…”
Before the words “wronged” could be spoken, Madam Jiang changed her tune, “So young, at the prime of your life, why did you encounter such a thing? You make your mother a white-haired person sending off a black-haired one; how can I ever get over it?”
Madam Jiang appeared utterly heartbroken.
Jiang Ruanxi recalled the past, when she too had died…
The Jiang Family was calm as water, as if she had never existed.
“I’ll go over there to talk for a bit. If you’re fine, wander around the courtyard or wait for me outside.”
Wei Chang seemed to sense her mood and reached out to stop her, murmuring a few words by her ear.
It looked intimate to others, but only Jiang Ruanxi knew deep down that Wei Chang was comforting her.
Indeed, life always involves gains and losses.
In the past, she had truly envied such familial affection, but now she no longer did.
With Wei Chang’s care, she didn’t need those hypocritical family ties.
Madam Jiang knew she just needed to cry a little; if she overdid it, it would surely provoke the royal family’s anger.
She stopped while ahead and, upon hearing Wei Chang’s words, wiped away her tears. “Crown Princess, there are many people coming and going here. I’m afraid they’ll bump into you later. Why don’t we go to the back courtyard and sit?”
“Then I’ll trouble Madam.”
Jiang Ruanxi saw her expression and understood clearly that inviting her to the back courtyard was false; probing her identity was true.
Fine then. If she didn’t make her give up all hope, she would likely try something else.
“This way, please.”
Following Madam Jiang to the back courtyard, when passing Jiang Xuerou’s room, she instinctively glanced inside.
This tiny action made Madam Jiang stop. “Crown Princess, you wouldn’t know. That was my adopted daughter’s courtyard before.”
Jiang Ruanxi smiled. “Oh, you mean that Jiang Xuerou, who was clearly the Heir Apparent’s Wife of Zhenguo Marquis Manor, but couldn’t stand loneliness and seduced the Lin Family’s second young master? Didn’t I hear she was already dead?”
Madam Jiang’s mouth twitched. “…”
If not for her being the Crown Princess, Madam Jiang would have beaten her to death with a stick.
But now she could only endure her anger, her face alternating between pale and green.
Jiang Ruanxi pretended not to notice, even putting on a surprised expression.
“She committed such a grave mistake and has been mocked like this, yet Madam Jiang still keeps her courtyard. As the saying goes, an unfilial child’s fault is the father’s. For Jiang Xuerou to do such a sordid thing, it must be due to Madam Jiang’s guidance.”
“Crown Princess, you misunderstand.” Madam Jiang thought of her objective, suppressed her emotions, and lost her former arrogance, simply explaining, “This room was hers before, but after she did something so shameful, it brought disgrace to our Jiang Family. This courtyard hasn’t been hers for a long time.”
Jiang Ruanxi smiled. “Oh? Not hers, then why keep it?”
Madam Jiang looked at her with pity, trying to gauge her emotions, but Jiang Ruanxi remained silent, her face calm.
“To tell the truth, this is the room I kept for my biological daughter Jiang Ruanxi.”
Jiang Ruanxi’s eyes remained calm, but she couldn’t help cold smiling inwardly.
A room kept for her?
Or leftovers from Jiang Xuerou?
Such a room—not only did she not want it now, even if she did, she wouldn’t take it.
“Oh?” A faint smile rose in Jiang Ruanxi’s eyes.
“You mean Second Madam Lin? But keeping a dead person’s things for someone else—isn’t that inauspicious?”
Jiang Ruanxi seemed to remember something and gently covered her face with her hand.
“Oh, I heard Second Madam Lin burned to death in a big fire. Keeping a dead person’s things for another dead person—doesn’t Madam Jiang fear their souls return home, can’t tell whose room it is, and fight over it?”
Madam Jiang’s face looked very ugly, but she soon smiled again. “Though I raised Jiang Xuerou, she wasn’t truly Jiang Family. After her outrageous act, she was long expelled from the Jiang Family. Even if she returned, there’d be no place for her.”
Madam Jiang wore a sad expression. “It’s just that my Ruanxi is so pitiful. I hadn’t treated her well, and she died. If she could return, I’d treat her twice as well.”
Jiang Ruanxi wasn’t a fool; she naturally understood this was Madam Jiang playing the family card with her.
Just a room Jiang Xuerou didn’t want, and they thought she would fall into the trap. How much did they think she craved affection?
Why assume that a little kindness would make her forget past grievances?
Ridiculous, utterly absurd.
“So, Madam Jiang must really want to see Second Madam Lin?” Jiang Ruanxi’s lips curved, her voice still faint.
Madam Jiang’s eyes flickered, thinking she had taken the bait.
“Yes, back then I failed to cherish my living daughter’s time, deceived by my adopted daughter, and treated her poorly. If heaven gave me another chance, I certainly wouldn’t treat her well. Not just me—even her elder brother and her father would treat her well. But what’s the use of saying this now? I no longer have the chance.”
If Jiang Ruanxi didn’t clearly know her true nature, she might really be deceived by the seemingly affectionate and remorseful Madam Jiang.
At this moment, she truly looked regretful, just a pitiful mother confessing to her daughter.
“How could there not be? I think there’s still a chance.” Jiang Ruanxi said faintly.
Madam Jiang’s eyes glistened, her emotions becoming excited. “Crown Princess, you… what do you mean? Could it be… my Ruanxi is still alive?”
Before Jiang Ruanxi could speak, Madam Jiang continued, “Crown Princess, do you know something? Don’t worry, whatever secret you have, tell me and I won’t tell others.”
Madam Jiang stepped forward and gripped her hand tightly, looking expectant, with a hint of scheming in her eyes.
Jiang Ruanxi truly felt sorry for her past self.
The Jiang family members didn’t love her and had no real family ties; how had she failed to see it back then?
She also felt disgust at the spot where she was grabbed and struggled hard. “Madam Jiang, you misunderstand.”
She quietly wiped her hand with a handkerchief.
Jiang Ruanxi’s lips curved with a teasing smile. “My meaning is, Second Madam Lin is already dead. She can’t hear your regretful words now. If you truly repent and want atonement, why not go down below and say it to her face? That way, any misunderstandings should be cleared up.”
