Chapter 540
Chapter 540
"Aunt, cousin has brought back some fox spirit from who knows where!" Jiang Siyue stomped her foot in dissatisfaction.
"What?" Madame Jiang frowned.
She thought to herself, could Jiang Yuanrang have been with that woman during all these days he was missing?
If that was truly the case, would he still be willing to marry Jiang Siyue?
At that thought, Madame Jiang glanced at Jiang Siyue who was standing beside her.
"Madam, perhaps it would be best to wait until the young master arrives before you question him about this matter." Nanny Tang glanced at the young miss from the maternal side, who could no longer sit still.
She shook her head inwardly.
With such conduct, her young master would hardly take a liking to her.
With that thought, Nanny Tang sighed inwardly.
It seemed her mistress's plan was about to fall through.
A moment later, Jiang Yuanrang arrived at Madame Jiang's Jing'an Courtyard with Wen Xiu in tow.
"Rang'er!" Madame Jiang stepped forward excitedly, wanting to embrace Jiang Yuanrang, but she noticed a young woman standing beside him—one with delicate features and an elegant, graceful demeanor.
"I pay my respects to Mother!" Jiang Yuanrang bowed to Madame Jiang.
"It's good that you're back. It's good that you're back." Madame Jiang said with a smile.
"I pay my respects to Madame." Wen Xiu bowed to Madame Jiang.
"Rang'er, who is this young lady..." Madame Jiang ignored Wen Xiu and instead pulled Jiang Yuanrang aside to ask.
"Mother, this is Wen Xiu, my betrothed." Jiang Yuanrang took Wen Xiu's hand and introduced her.
"Betrothed?" Madame Jiang was stunned, then erupted in anger: "Nonsense! I do not agree to this!"
Madame Jiang was still counting on Jiang Yuanrang to marry Jiang Siyue.
This wild girl who had appeared out of nowhere wanted to be her daughter-in-law? Not a chance!
"My father and mother have already agreed!" Jiang Yuanrang looked at Madame Jiang and said coolly.
Madame Jiang was left speechless!
Every word she had intended to say got stuck in her throat.
He knew?
He had even found his birth parents?
"Rang'er..." Madame Jiang looked at Jiang Yuanrang, wanting to say something, but the words would not leave her lips.
She did not know what to say to him.
"Mother, you are my mother. I am grateful for your raising me, and no matter what, I will never forget that kindness." Jiang Yuanrang looked at Madame Jiang as he spoke.
But in his heart, he thought that if Madame Jiang insisted on making things difficult for him, he would simply take Wen Xiu back to the capital.
He would arrange for someone to care for Madame Jiang until she passed.
If she was willing to treat Wen Xiu well, he would not mind bringing her to the capital as well.
"You... you want to go back?" Madame Jiang's expression changed drastically at his words.
The very reason she had hidden Jiang Yuanrang's true origins from him was to prevent him from going back to find his birth parents!
And now, Jiang Yuanrang actually wanted to return!
What was she supposed to do then?
"Aunt..." Jiang Siyue spoke up anxiously from the side.
She did not understand how her cousin could already have a betrothed.
That woman had such a seductive face—she was clearly nothing good.
How could her aunt possibly agree to this!
"If you wish to marry her, that is not entirely impossible, but you must also marry Yue'er first—she is your betrothed!" Madame Jiang quickly grabbed Jiang Siyue beside her and pushed her toward Jiang Yuanrang.
Jiang Yuanrang's face darkened as he pulled Wen Xiu back a step.
The disgust in his eyes toward Jiang Siyue was utterly unconcealed.
"Mother may be disappointed, but I will not marry her!" Jiang Yuanrang said coldly.
"Madame, my engagement to Young Master Li was personally graced by the Empress herself. If you wish to break off this marriage, I am afraid you will need the Empress's approval as well." Wen Xiu looked at the aunt and niece pair and said.
"Impossible!" Jiang Siyue blurted out without thinking.
She did not believe it. How could that woman possibly be so fortunate as to have the Empress arrange her marriage?
Madame Jiang was also deeply shocked at these words.
The Empress had graced the marriage!
How could that be possible?
The Jiang family was merely a merchant household.
How could the Empress possibly bestow such an honor upon their family?
This was an unparalleled glory—if only this marriage had been meant for Yue'er...
"Mother, do you want to know who my birth parents are?" Jiang Yuanrang suddenly asked Madame Jiang.
"Who... who are they?" The moment the words left her mouth, Madame Jiang regretted them.
For Jiang Yuanrang to ask such a question, his parents must surely be of no ordinary standing.
At that thought, Madame Jiang's heart tightened.
Was he planning to leave the Jiang family?
If his birth parents were of such high status, how could they have been willing to let their flesh and blood be raised elsewhere?
Madame Jiang's heart began to race with panic.
Was she truly going to lose him in the end?
"The Deputy Minister of Revenue—the former Li Family!" Jiang Yuanrang said frankly.
He had originally planned to reveal this later.
But if Madame Jiang insisted on making things difficult for Wen Xiu, he would have no choice but to make her back down.
Madame Jiang's expression changed drastically at the news.
The Li Family!
How could she possibly compare to them?
"Mother may not be aware, but I have a sister who has married His Highness Prince An and is now the Princess Consort of An!"
As if what he had just said was not enough, Jiang Yuanrang quickly added another line.
Madame Jiang's face turned even worse.
With a family like that, how could she possibly compete with them for her son?
Even here in Lucheng, she had heard of the Li Family.
Word had it that the Li Family had only one daughter, deeply cherished by them. Now that they had learned Rang'er was their child, how could they possibly give him back to her?
"You—" Madame Jiang's eyes reddened as she looked at Jiang Yuanrang, wanting to ask him whether this return meant he would be going back to the Li Family from now on.
But she could not bear to believe that outcome, for Jiang Yuanrang was a child she had raised with her own hands.
"Mother, I will take Wen Xiu to rest now." Jiang Yuanrang said no more to Madame Jiang, instead leading Wen Xiu away from Jing'an Courtyard.
"Nanny, is he leaving?" After Jiang Yuanrang had gone, Madame Jiang sank heavily into a nearby chair and asked in disbelief.
"Madam, this old servant believes that since the young master has returned and is still willing to call you 'Mother,' he likely has no such intention." Nanny Tang thought for a moment and said, for although Jiang Yuanrang was cool in temperament, he was indeed a filial child.
But Nanny Tang could also see that Jiang Yuanrang had no intention of marrying Jiang Siyue.
Nanny Tang actually wanted to advise Madame Jiang to simply go along with the young master's wishes.
That young lady looked most proper and dignified, and moreover, she had the Empress's blessing on her marriage—what great glory that was!
In that way, the young master would remember Madame Jiang's kindness, and their relationship would not be strained over this.
But seeing Jiang Siyue standing nearby, Nanny Tang ultimately held back those words.
"Aunt, what am I supposed to do?" Jiang Siyue, from the side, seemed unable to see Madame Jiang's distress at all, thinking only that her aunt could make decisions on her behalf.
Jiang Siyue had no idea where that woman had come from, daring to fight her for a man.
She had originally thought the victory was hers, but seeing her aunt's reaction, could it be that she had no choice but to let go?
How could she ever accept that?
"Yue'er, go down for now." Madame Jiang had no heart to console her niece at the moment.
"Aunt, please don't be sad. Yue'er will stay with you." Jiang Siyue, however, had indeed come up with an idea of her own.
Jiang Yuanrang was not her aunt's child after all.
But she herself shared half a bloodline with her aunt. Rather than let an outsider benefit from it, the Jiang family might as well be left to her.
At that thought, Jiang Siyue felt a surge of excitement.