Chapter 5: Still Trying to Control Her?
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Jiang Nian composed herself, lowering her gaze as she sat quietly in the chair. After waiting for the time it takes to brew a pot of tea, she finally heard footsteps. Looking up, she saw Xiao Ru, who wore a veil across her face.
Before Jiang Nian could rise, Xiao Ru took the initiative to ask, “Miss Jiang, have you heard any unusual sounds while waiting here?”
“Unusual sounds?” Jiang Nian looked at her in confusion.
“The tabby cat in my courtyard just knocked over a vase—nothing serious,” Xiao Ru explained. Seeing that Jiang Nian no longer pressed for details, she took the opportunity to reveal the purpose of her visit, “The one who wishes to meet you today is not me, but Brother Jin.”
“Young Master Bo?” Jiang Nian feigned surprise.
“To catch the eye of Brother Jin is your good fortune.”
“There really are women like Miss Xiao, so infatuated, who would arrange meetings for other women on behalf of Young Master Bo...”
“You!” Xiao Ru’s eyes suddenly sharpened.
Jiang Nian, however, pretended not to notice Xiao Ru’s anger.
Good fortune? Clearly, Xiao Ru herself did not want such fortune!
She would never allow herself to be used so blatantly to curry favor.
Stunned yet innocent, Jiang Nian looked at Xiao Ru and said, “Miss Xiao, it is inconvenient for Young Master Bo and me to meet in secret.”
“Since I invited you here, no one else will know,” Xiao Ru gradually softened her tone, assuming Jiang Nian was merely shy.
Jiang Nian insisted, “I have no interest in Young Master Bo. Miss Xiao, please don’t waste your efforts.”
“Are you truly indifferent to Brother Jin?”
“In future, if Miss Xiao sends another invitation, I’m afraid I won’t attend. After all, the marriage talks have begun, and I am quite busy.”
Xiao Ru’s gaze faltered as she reevaluated Jiang Nian. She was somewhat convinced by her words and thus slowed her voice, “I was presumptuous, Miss Jiang. I apologize. You are clear-minded, unlike other noble ladies in Bianjing. I wonder if I might be fortunate enough to become your friend?”
Jiang Nian replied vaguely, “Who in Bianjing wouldn’t want to be friends with Miss Xiao?”
“Brother Jin is still waiting in the garden. I’ll go explain to him. Rest assured, Miss Jiang.”
“Then I shall take my leave.”
“All right.” Xiao Ru responded softly. Only after Jiang Nian’s figure completely disappeared did she remove her veil, revealing cheeks swollen and reddened with palm prints.
A maid nearby asked puzzledly, “Miss, why deliberately provoke Madam to come, only to receive such a harsh slap? Maybe that Miss Jiang was deceiving you—who knows if she overheard everything...”
Xiao Ru curled her lips slightly.
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This is her courtyard; could she not hear every sound from the main hall clearly in the side chamber? She wanted Jiang Nian to hear it all!
“Only when she thinks she has a hold on me will she consider me one of her own.”
“Do you think Miss Jiang is useful?”
“At the flower appreciation banquet, with just a few words, she dispelled all doubts cast upon her. She’s cunning. If she truly doesn’t want Brother Jin’s rightful wife position, then she will be a sharp blade for me to wield against Meng Yingying!”
“But if she says you are infatuated with Young Master Bo, isn’t that deliberate?”
“She has a temper,” Xiao Ru had to admit. Her sudden anger then was because Jiang Nian’s words disgusted her.
“Shall I have someone teach her a lesson?”
“No need. Just keep a close watch on whether she’s really involved in marriage talks.”
Xiao Ru and her maid discussed Jiang Nian at length—none of which Jiang Nian knew.
After leaving the Marquis of Yongning’s residence, Jiang Nian exuded an aura of despondency.
“Green Wax, I’m in a foul mood today, and I don’t want others to be happy either.”
Green Wax, who had been stopped outside the Marquis’s gates, unaware of the injustice her mistress had suffered, asked with concern, “Did Miss Xiao trouble you? Please don’t be upset, Miss...”
“No, it wasn’t her,” Jiang Nian leaned listlessly against the side of the carriage.
Xiao Ru first feigned weakness, then tried to use her to curry favor, finally pretending kindness. Plainly put, Xiao Ru wanted to use her.
Her schemes were perfectly calculated; Xiao Ru still hoped to manipulate her?
It wasn’t hardship or anger—Jiang Nian was merely playing along in Xiao Ru’s little drama.
Her true displeasure was because of Pei Jiuru!
“Green Wax, why do you think Pei Jiuru didn’t respond to me?”
Green Wax answered honestly, “No decent man would agree to it. It’s one thing for you to harbor feelings, but to be so direct with Master Pei—he must have been frightened!”
Jiang Nian immediately reflected on herself.
Originally, her and Pei Jiuru’s arrangement was mutually beneficial, a good deal for both. But she had spoken too hastily, revealing some genuine intention—it seemed she truly scared him.
Yet today’s Pei Jiuru appeared cold, distant, and scrupulously proper, which made her want to conquer him even more!
“You’re right. Enough, enough—if fate is not ours, then so be it.”
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No sooner had Jiang Nian finished speaking than the coachman whispered, “Miss, someone is following us. By their clothes, they are a maid from the Marquis of Yongning’s residence.”
“Hm, just ignore them. Ah... no going home—let’s head to the Tang residence instead!”
Determined to cause trouble for her second uncle’s family, Jiang Nian made no effort to restrain her anger as she stormed into the Tang residence.
Upon seeing her elders, she merely gave a perfunctory bow before sitting down to watch them.
Madam Tang was furious to the point of near collapse over Jiang Nian’s impudence. If she hadn’t restrained herself from confronting Jiang Nian, it would have been a mercy. Yet Jiang Nian still dared to show such insolence!
“Jiang Nian, you’re getting more and more reckless!”
“What is the meaning of this?” Second Uncle Tang asked, confused.
“I’m here to collect the silver you owe me. Uncle and Aunt, today I sit as a creditor.”
“Would your uncle not repay your family’s silver?”
“He will.”
Uncle Tang frowned, “Did your mother send you? Have her come speak with me herself. It seems she’s growing more disrespectful to me, her elder brother.”
Jiang Nian produced an IOU, “Over fifteen years, you’ve borrowed a total of four thousand taels of silver. Even if my mother came, or officials from the government, Uncle, you must repay today.”
“Impossible! There’s no way it amounts to four thousand taels!”
Jiang Nian sneered. When she collected these IOUs at home over the past three days, she was momentarily shocked. Each time they borrowed a hundred or two, it accumulated to four thousand taels.
“Each IOU bears your or Aunt’s private seal. Can this be forged?”
Uncle Tang insisted, “Go fetch your mother. Let her speak to me directly!”
“Fine. I’ll call Grandfather, Grandmother, and my eldest uncle’s family as well. Let them hear some interesting stories.”
She looked at Uncle Tang, “For example, someone on Zhuque Street keeps a mistress and has a five-year-old illegitimate son.”
Then she turned to Aunt Tang, “And someone’s own younger brother paid a bribe and is now hiding in some village, crying and wailing because the secret’s out.”
Seeing Uncle and Aunt Tang shocked, Jiang Nian prepared to add fuel to the fire.
She wanted far more than just repayment of silver.