0p0 Chapter 321 Hatred for Two Lifetimes
Chapter 321 Hatred for Two Lifetimes
spring day.
Plants and trees are reviving, and ice and snow are melting.
The Grand Canal will resume operation around the time of the Qingming Festival.
Sailing ships crisscrossed the canal, and merchants flocked to the docks.
Before dawn, the dock was already crowded with people, bustling about.
After a harsh winter, businesses of all sizes in the capital city are in dire need of replenishing their supplies.
Lu Mingxi led the carriages and horses to wait at the dock early in the morning to welcome the goods coming from Jiangzhou.
Since he started doing business with his aunt, he has visited almost every shop, cloth store, and ranch except for Yipinju.
Today is the first time we've received goods from Jiangzhou since the beginning of spring.
He came not only to pick up goods, but more importantly, to pick up people.
We received Jin Su, the manager of Yipinju.
This man was one of my aunt's benefactors. When my aunt went to Jiangzhou to do bamboo shoot business, Manager Jin helped her a lot.
My aunt said that this person has keen insight and great talent, and it would be a waste of his talent to keep him in Jiangzhou.
Therefore, he was summoned back to the capital.
Aunt Xiuxiu was originally supposed to come with him to pick up Manager Jin.
Upon seeing the women from the Qi family, he spurred his horse and rode away.
Lu Mingxi looked up and saw several carriages parked behind Qi and her daughter, with servants preparing to load things onto the boat.
Wait! Is this a scheme to abscond with the money?
It's a beautiful idea.
In early spring, the canal was opened to navigation.
Qi Caiwei immediately prepared to send her mother out of the capital.
Without her father's protection, her mother was helpless and alone in the Qi family, like a piece of duckweed drifting on the water.
Her stepmother wouldn't care whether her mother lived or died.
Only after using the prescription given by Jin'er was she able to be released.
Fortunately, my mother had secretly hidden some private property, so finding a place to spend her old age in peace with her trusted confidants wouldn't be a problem.
Mrs. Hu held her daughter and granddaughter's hands, bidding them a reluctant farewell.
I never imagined that at my age, I would have to leave my hometown and flee alone.
She had already made up her mind.
If the head of the family is demoted or exiled, she will stay by his side and follow him through thick and thin.
This can be considered as fulfilling his duty of protecting others.
The only thing I can't let go of is my silly daughter.
My granddaughter Jin'er, though young, has a maturity far beyond that of children her age.
As long as the Jiang family doesn't fall, she can live a peaceful and carefree life as a dutiful daughter of the Jiang family.
She stroked her granddaughter's face and said, "Jin'er, after your grandmother leaves, take good care of your mother and keep an eye on her. Don't let her do anything foolish again."
Qi Caiwei thought her mother must have gone mad.
It should be her, as the mother, taking care of her daughter.
Jiang Zijin nodded obediently, "Grandmother, don't worry, I will take good care of Mother."
Madam Hu nodded in satisfaction, then instructed Qi Caiwei, "Wei'er, after I leave, you must remember this: none of your stepmother and stepsisters are trustworthy, especially the one in the palace. You must keep your distance from her and be careful in everything you do."
It was only later that she understood why Vera had been raised to be the way she was.
She clearly tried her best to teach him, but the child just wasn't very bright.
Although Wei'er was a concubine's daughter, the head of the family valued her and her mother, and their food, clothing, and daily necessities at home were even better than those of the legitimate daughters.
From childhood to adulthood, even when she made mistakes, the mistress always turned a blind eye.
When a dispute arose with her sisters, the matriarch only blamed her own children.
But the more she acted this way, the more her sisters-in-law loathed her and bullied her even more.
At first, she thought the mistress was a kind-hearted bodhisattva, but later she discovered that she was a bodhisattva in appearance but a snake in heart.
If it weren't for the mistress's excessive pampering, Wei'er wouldn't have developed such a personality.
And her older sisters, none of them were easy to deal with.
A few days ago, I heard my daughter crying and telling me how Jiang Yunze had schemed to make her his concubine.
Hu suddenly realized that this matter must be related to her stepmother and stepsisters.
Back then, the mistress of the house took the girls of the family to a banquet. There was more than one concubine's daughter in the Qi family, but she only brought her along.
It was probably a scheme they conspired with Jiang Yunze.
But now that she's already married, with the Qi family in ruins, Wei'er has no one to rely on anymore, and she can't afford to antagonize that person in the palace.
She can only take this to her grave.
"Wei'er, Jin'er, did you remember what I just said?"
"remember."
Jiang Zijin still respected her maternal grandmother quite a bit, but unfortunately her mother only inherited her maternal grandmother's beauty, not her intelligence.
The women in the Qi family are certainly not to be trusted.
She didn't intend to believe it. The reason she helped Consort Qi regain favor was simply because she hoped that Consort Qi could save her maternal grandfather.
“Grandmother, once the Qi family matters are settled, Mother and I will personally bring you back,” Jiang Zijin said, words she herself didn’t believe.
She and her mother were both in dire straits themselves; these were just words of comfort for the old woman.
It's just for peace of mind.
Mrs. Hu looked at her shrewd granddaughter and smiled.
Once again, she earnestly admonished her daughter, "Wei'er, the Qi family is not what it used to be. From now on, in front of the Jiang family, you must put your husband first in everything, be more patient, and don't be willful anymore. Don't argue with your husband anymore. You must understand that from now on, you can only rely on Jiang Yunze."
This was the last thing she wanted to say.
But since things have come to this, all I can do is advise my daughter to accept her fate.
Qi Caiwei nodded, then hugged her mother and choked with sobs.
Now that my mother has left, I don't know when I will see her again.
Madam Hu patted her daughter's back gently, "Wei'er, I'm almost halfway to the grave. These property deeds are of no use to me. I'll keep some gold, silver and valuables with me, and you can take the rest back with you."
"Mother..." Qi Caiwei cried even harder; her mother still loved her the most.
Jiang Zijin was secretly delighted, but she didn't show it on her face.
That's exactly what she was waiting for her grandmother to say.
My maternal grandmother's family also had a nephew who had benefited greatly from her over the years, taking over a shop and starting a business.
My maternal grandmother went there to seek refuge with him. It was agreed that she would only stay temporarily. My maternal grandmother's property should have been entrusted to my mother for safekeeping.
Even though her mother was no longer destined to be the matriarch of the Jiang family, with this wealth, they could live with more confidence in the Jiang family.
Before Qi Caiwei could speak, Jiang Zijin stepped forward and hugged Madam Hu, "Grandmother, I will definitely manage the business well for you..."
The words have not yet fallen.
A group of officials walked towards them.
The one in the lead was Imperial Censor Song.
That old scoundrel is King Jing's lackey.
Relying on the fact that her grandson was Prince Jing's study companion, she was arrogant and disdainful of everyone, never taking her, the empress, seriously in her previous life.
Is he going to ruin her plans again?
Jiang Zijin's heart skipped a beat, and she stepped forward to ask, "What do you want to do?"
Imperial Censor Song immediately recognized the girl; she was practically a miniature version of Jiang the Fox.
“Miss Jiang, your maternal grandfather colluded with the rebel king and cheated in the imperial examinations. I have come here by imperial decree to confiscate your family property, so naturally I cannot allow you to take away any of the Qi family’s valuables.”
“No…not from the Qi family.” Jiang Zijin’s body stiffened slightly.
House search?
It seems that Consort Qi, that good-for-nothing, failed to persuade the Emperor.
She was unwilling to hand over the wealth she had worked so hard to acquire.
She composed herself, her expression returning to normal, and looked directly at Imperial Censor Song. "These are the property of my Jiang family, the dowry my maternal grandfather gave to my mother. There is no law in Daliang that stipulates that the dowry of married daughters should be confiscated during a house raid."
"There's no precedent for confiscating the dowry of a married woman, but is this really Lady Qi's dowry?"
Imperial Censor Song looked at the little girl with amusement.
She's quick-witted and quite audacious, daring to secretly transfer the Qi family's valuables.
Looks like there's another reason to find out about ginseng, ginger, and fox.
He stroked his beard, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Young lady, this is a crime of deceiving the emperor. Have you thought it through?"
Deceiving the emperor!
Jiang Zijin was speechless, clenching her back teeth tightly.
The dowry was all registered and recorded. Father didn't dare offend Censor Song, that mad dog censor was capable of anything.
What if they actually investigate...
She didn't dare to gamble.
……