Chapter 545
Chapter 545
"Mother, what are you doing?" Jiang Yuanrang quickly steadied Madame Jiang, who was about to kneel, a wave of helplessness washing over him.
"Rang'er, does this mean you've agreed to your mother's request?" Madame Jiang, however, mistakenly assumed that Jiang Yuanrang was agreeing to her plea.
After all, to Jiang Yuanrang, such a matter carried no real loss.
In the future, the child borne by Yue'er would not only inherit the Jiang family business, but would also share a blood bond with her.
And Jiang Yuanrang, once he returned to his biological parents' side, could marry whichever girl he wished.
Madame Jiang felt her request was not at all unreasonable.
"Mother, this matter—" Jiang Yuanrang wanted to refuse, but seeing the look of hopeful expectation in Madame Jiang's eyes, the words of refusal caught in his throat.
However, deep down, Jiang Yuanrang was resistant to the whole idea.
"Rang'er, just think it over. Your mother won't force you." Madame Jiang said this, then turned away, secretly wiping her tears.
But in a spot where Jiang Yuanrang couldn't see, the corner of her mouth curled up slightly.
Madame Jiang seemed confident that Jiang Yuanrang would not turn her down.
After Madame Jiang left, Jiang Yuanrang stood by the window, hands clasped behind his back.
"Young Master—" Changfeng looked at Jiang Yuanrang, never having imagined that in the days their young master had been missing, he had actually gone to find his biological parents.
The thought that their young master would soon leave the Jiang family stirred many questions in Changfeng's mind — would he follow the young master to his new home?
Or would he stay with the Jiang family?
Then, his gaze fell on Zhou Xu, who was still standing right before him.
Changfeng's heart suddenly turned bitter.
This man, clearly more capable than himself, would surely be the one by the young master's side in the years ahead, wouldn't he?
But then, he recalled the look on Madame Jiang's face as she left, and he didn't know how to advise his young master.
Jiang Yuanrang did not turn around, his mind occupied with what Madame Jiang had just said.
Having a child with Jiang Siyue, and staying on with the Jiang family.
Would Wen Xiu agree to that?
Nanny Tang followed behind Madame Jiang.
"Tang, where is Yue'er?" Madame Jiang felt that she should speak with Jiang Siyue about this matter first.
Though, of course, she had no intention of telling Jiang Siyue that Jiang Yuanrang would one day return to the capital.
She would find a way to coax Jiang Yuanrang into staying in Lucheng and marrying Jiang Siyue.
"Madam, the young miss will surely be waiting for you in Siwu Courtyard." Nanny Tang quickly replied.
"Then let's go see Yue'er." Madame Jiang planned to give Jiang Siyue a dose of reassurance. No matter what, the Jiang family could not fall into the hands of the second branch.
By the time Madame Jiang reached Siwu Courtyard, Jiang Siyue could no longer contain her impatience.
"Aunt!" Jiang Siyue was truly anxious. Even before she had met Jiang Yuanrang, she had known that her purpose in coming to the Jiang family was to marry her cousin.
She had thought of him as he was in childhood, imagined what he might look like now.
And she had been more than willing to marry him.
The first time she laid eyes on Jiang Yuanrang, she was taken aback by his looks.
Though at the time, she hadn't recognized him as Jiang Yuanrang.
And besides, there was that woman Wen Xiu beside him, even prettier than herself. How could she tolerate such a woman appearing in the Jiang family?
What if her cousin took a fancy to that wretched woman and refused to marry her?
At that moment, her first instinct had been to keep the two of them from entering the Jiang household.
But when she learned that Jiang Yuanrang was indeed her cousin, Jiang Siyue was overjoyed.
And yet, at the same time, furious.
Sure enough, her cousin had been blinded by that woman's charms.
And he wanted to marry her!
The only one she could rely on was Madame Jiang.
After all, with parents' command and a matchmaker's word, as long as Madame Jiang refused, she still had a chance.
"Yue'er." Madame Jiang sat down beside her, patting Jiang Siyue's hand soothingly.
"Aunt, does my cousin not care for Yue'er?" Jiang Siyue's eyes reddened, and she looked at Madame Jiang with a pitiful expression.
After all, it had been her aunt who had sent word to her parents, prompting her to come to the Jiang family in the first place.
She was the daughter-in-law candidate her aunt had chosen for her cousin.
"Don't you worry. Your aunt will make sure your cousin marries you." Madame Jiang spoke with great certainty.
"But... that girl—" Jiang Siyue was still wary of Wen Xiu.
After all, the people around Wen Xiu were clearly not to be trifled with.
Jiang Siyue felt that Wen Xiu's presence would surely become a major obstacle to her marrying her cousin.
"Hmph! A wild girl of unknown origins wants to step through the gates of the Jiang family? Don't you worry, I will never allow it." Madame Jiang also thought that she should go have a word or two with that Wen Xiu herself.
A girl of such dubious background was hardly fit to be her daughter-in-law.
The fact that she had been granted a marriage by the Empress was only because of the good fortune of her son's biological parents.
With that in mind, Madame Jiang decided to first have Jiang Yuanrang marry Jiang Siyue.
And have a child.
Once a child bound them together, Jiang Yuanrang would surely not go looking for his biological parents again.
After all, Lucheng was where he had lived for nineteen years; this was his true home.
"Aunt, your niece can see that my cousin seems rather fond of that woman." Jiang Siyue added with some resentment.
Jiang Yuanrang hadn't even given her a single glance, but he was quite attentive to that wretched woman.
She had arrived first, so why was it that her cousin only showed warmth to that woman?
"Don't worry about that. Your aunt will send that shameless girl packing." Madame Jiang patted Jiang Siyue's hand, assuring her.
"Thank you, Aunt!" Jiang Siyue, now reassured by Madame Jiang's answer, felt quite pleased with herself.
At that moment, in the main hall of Qiyun Courtyard.
"Miss, that Madame Jiang seems to hold some prejudice against you," Qiuyue said with some irritation.
She thought to herself that her mistress was after all the younger sister of the Grand General; how dare a mere merchant's wife look down on her?
"Pay it no mind." Wen Xiu was not concerned. After all, she would be living with Jiang Yuanrang in the future.
If Madame Jiang chose to behave, Wen Xiu would not mind if Jiang Yuanrang provided for her in her old age.
But if Madame Jiang insisted on making trouble, she would not hesitate to be ruthless.
She had seen plenty of dirty tricks in the capital. A woman like Madame Jiang was hardly worth her notice.
Besides, her backing was not just her brother, but also Li Zhiwei and Cheng Qingli.
"Miss, it seems to me that Madame Jiang is intent on having Young Master Li marry that young miss," Qiuyue said as she helped remove the ornaments from Wen Xiu's hair.
"Qiuyue, you mustn't speak nonsense!" Nanny Lin, who was nearby, frowned at Qiuyue.
"But I wasn't saying anything wrong," Qiuyue pouted, not understanding why Nanny Lin had to scold her over this.
"We are in the Jiang household. No matter who you are on the outside, you cannot speak carelessly here and bring trouble upon Miss," Nanny Lin said.
Nanny Lin was an old nanny who had once served in the Empress's own palace, and she was extremely strict when it came to etiquette and propriety.
As for this small Jiang family, she certainly did not hold it in high regard. But the Jiang family was not just any family — it was also the adoptive home of Young Master Li.
And everything depended on what kind of attitude Young Master Li chose to take.