After the latest banquet hosted in the palace by the Emperor, three stories circulated and beca household topics in the capital.
First, Rui Wang was gay so he annulled his engagent with the Jiang's first miss. When the prince managed to clear his na, three days had already passed and quite a number of ladies were already sent crying, lanting why another handso man fell to the dark side.
Second, the Jiang's first miss and Chen Wang were in love with each other. This was the reason why after the Emperor approved the dissolution of the betrothal, the forr imdiately cried in delight and jumped into Chen Wang's arms.
Most from the upper ranks who heard of this tale snorted and thought, 'What a joke! She threw herself against a pillar, and the prince just happened to save her! Whoever spread this beautified tale is obviously just doing so to clear her bad reputation. Hah, let's see if Chen Wang doesn't smack her down!'
While these people brainstord to guess what would happen to the one who courageously created this rumor, the courageous one they were talking about was busy investigating the people involved in the third news.
A day after the banquet, Hai Wang requested an audience with the emperor and asked for a decree to give the first miss of the Sheng family to him. On the sa day, he proposed and sent a hundred chests full of valuables to the pri minister's estate as betrothal gifts.
Jiang Li didn't know if this was because it was a formal event starring the male lead, but even though Hai Wang was not as popular as him and Rui Wang, the high-profile proposal beca the greatest talk of the week.
...
It was in the afternoon of the second day that Lady Lu, his mother, visited his residence to confirm the validity of the stories. Apparently, even though the middle-aged lady was anxious for the 24-years-old oddball who was sought after but had neither wife nor concubine, she didn't consent to the idea of welcoming Jiang Ying Yue into the house.
"Ah Ling, I'm sorry, but if you're thinking of making the first miss of the grand marshal's household as your Chen Wang Fei, I have to say, that young lady is unsuitable for you."
Jiang Li sipped on his tea without breaking eye contact with the preaching woman.
"The grand marshal seems to dislike her. But even if he doesn't, since the marshal is supporting one of the princes competing for the throne, marrying her would an getting embroiled in the war of princes. Ah Ling, more than enough history books already accounted how perilous a battle for the throne always is. This is why our wise ancestors passed down a family rule that at tis like this, we must stand on the neutral side and not get involved. You should not forget this!"
'Uhhh, how about sure for the last one?'
The elegant and soft-spoken lady threw him a worried gaze.
"Please forgive your mother for being like this. But, believe , I'm saying all of these with your future and reputation in mind. Rui Wang has just annulled his engagent with that young lady and all the other aristocratic families know. A prince like him would not just do things on a whim. There must be sothing wrong with her. My son, how about you just pick soone from the royal family or the other first-rank families?"
He placed his tea cup down the low table. "I will think about it."
The madam was not discouraged by his lackluster response. "My son, to be honest, I've brought the portraits of the fairest unmarried ladies in the empire with . Let's take a look at them together. Maybe one of them will capture your heart!"
Jiang Li did not reply and only rolled his eyes at her. The madam instantly froze, asking herself nurous tis if she had seen wrong. She felt that her eyes were playing with her because the son she was most proud of was very filial and courteous. There was no way he would do sothing childish and ungentlemanly, right?
It was when she was busy gulping down her tea to calm herself down that Mao Hong entered the audience room and walked to Jiang Li's side. The man did not forget to salute at them before speaking in a low voice. "Your Highness, two of our people had just co back and said that sothing went wrong in that place."
Jiang Li looked at him with a frown on his face, before raising his hand to stop Mao Hong from speaking. He realized the man was referring to the grand marshal's residence.
'... For so reason, I feel that the plot is going against again.'
"Mother, please forgive your son's impudence, but it seems there is an urgent military issue that I need to talk about with my deputy." He stood up while Mao Hong bowed to the madam.
Lady Lu was confused. "Didn't His Majesty give you a month of vacation?"
Jiang Li lied with a straight face. "Indeed, but sothing ca up in the new training camp. I can't leave it alone since I'm registered as one of the head instructors."
Lady Lu had doubts in her heart, but after rembering his son doesn't know how to lie, she had no choice but nod and go back to her own building.
When the woman left, Jiang Li asked what happened.
Mao Hong reported that the Jiang family cut ties with Jiang Ying Yue. She was accused of causing the miscarriage of one of the marshal's pregnant concubine. And since conclusive pieces of evidence were presented, she was taken for a malicious woman and was imdiately driven out of the house.
"I need to see her situation for myself."
With no expression on his face, he rode his horse into the bustling streets with his attendant leading the way.
"Your Highness, according to Xun He, Miss Jiang insisted on not leaving the Jiang estate's gate and is still pleading for rcy and justice. Once we arrive, she should still be there." The Xun He he was referring to was Chen Wang's other loyal attendant.
Jiang Li nodded. However, he had a feeling this would not be the case once he gets there. In the original plot, she also did that, and when the marshal got annoyed by her wails, he ordered one of the manservants to drag her away. She almost ended up sold to a brothel, yet even though she managed to escape, traffickers caught her not long after.
He complained in his mind, '...I feel like the marshal needs to be educated about family managent and scheming. If he's right in the head, he would have first confird if I really took a liking to his daughter before driving her out of his ho. Why did he not do that? Why is he making my life difficult?'
Deep inside, he knew it was the plot machinating this situation. But reason rarely gets into an angry person's head. This becos especially true when the person was unreasonable to begin with.
'That damn old man, if I don't teach him a lesson after this, I'm not Jiang Li!'
He followed Mao Hong into taking another turn to the left. At this point, they were only around a kiloter away from where Jiang Ying Yue should be. However, to his annoyance, the next street turned out to be packed with a watertight crowd. It was simply impossible to go through.
The other thing that annoyed him was when they were about to take a detour, a voice rang behind, stopping them from advancing.
Ling is MC's given na
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