Real Empress from a noble family

Qiu Yelan approached and saluted after hearing Madame Tao's words. Jiang Tianhe raised her hand to stop Qiu Yelan. She looked closely at Qiu Yelan and then complimented her for her beauty, "No wonder they married you to Jiang Yashuang. You are indeed a matchless beauty I have never seen!"

Madame Tao smiled and said, "Fubing is pretty, too. They two look like twin lotus flowers when they stand together in front of me, delicate and charming. I seem to be young again with them!"

Seeing Madame Tao already replied to Jiang Tianhe for her, Qiu Yelan just stood there and kept a smile quietly.

"You are still so youthful that you haven't aged even a day after so many years!" Jiang Tianhe didn't mention Qiu Yelan anymore after that compliment. She responded to Madame Tao by making a few modest remarks for her daughter. After that, she looked out at the sky and was ready to leave, "It's getting late. It's time for me to go back home to see my daughter and mother-in-law, and I need to visit my parents in the Mansion of Sir Jibei tomorrow." Jiang Tianhe did come straight here as soon as she entered Jing City without going to see her parents or back to her own mansion. No wonder her servants outside all looked so tired.

Madame Tao didn't stop Jiang Tianhe from leaving as she heard the words and she just ordered Qiu Yelan to see Jiang Tianhe off on her behalf.

After getting out of the room, Jiang Tianhe soon questioned Qiu Yelan about the whole story between Jiang Huizhi and Emperor as she saw no other people around. Qiu Yelan had heard Jiang Yashuang emphasize that Jiang Tianhe was so aggressive that she and Madame Zhuang were evenly matched in the past years. Qiu Yelan thought, "If she made the matter more trouble later and then told others she heard it all from me, how wronged I would be!"

So Qiu Yelan just retold Jiang Tianhe Empress Dowager Jiang's original words. Finally, she emphasized that these were all told by Empress Dowager and she saw nothing in person.

Jiang Tianhe perceived her thoughts and sneered slightly, "You don't have to worry! I am not so foolish that I even cannot distinguish the person who helped my daughter and the one who harmed her! Now I ask you only in order to know if there is anything inside. I will not get you involved! I owe you a favor this time. Come to me when you have any trouble!"

"Never mind, Aunt Tianhe. I have had a good relationship with Fubing before I get married. And at that time, she pitied me for having few sisters and went to Prince's Mansion of Xihe to accompany me during my wedding. How can I not care about her?" Except for Jiang Yashuang, Qiu Yelan didn't trust other people in the Jiang Family on the credit or character, so she didn't take Jiang Tianhe's remarks seriously. She replied politely, "This is what I should do. Don't mention it."

"Could you please keep Fubing company more if you have time? She is lonely and pitiful since she has no sisters!" Jiang Tianhe didn't respond to Qiu Yelan's words. She took a jade bracelet off her wrist and forced Qiu Yelan to wear it, "I am afraid she will have no one to talk to in the Palace even if she becomes the Empress!"

They had already arrived at the door of the yard while talking. Jiang Tianhe waved her hand, signaling Qiu Yelan to stop here, and then she got on her carriage and left by herself.

At this time, Qiu Yelan took a close look at the jade bracelet that this aunt gave her. It was bright green without any flaw, gleaming and crystal-clear. Everyone could find it a priceless treasure at first sight.

"What a generous gift!" Qiu Yelan took the bracelet off after appreciating it for a while. She went back and reported to Madame Tao, handing the bracelet over to her.

After hearing her words, Madame Tao took the bracelet and glanced at it. She then said, "Such a bracelet is worth at least ten thousand taels of gold. Since Tianhe has given it to you, it belongs to you now. Tianhe has brought everyone gifts this time, but the bracelet is worth much more than the things other people got. You'd better wear it a few days later in case of causing trouble."

Qiu Yelan thought that the gift Madame Tao got was probably not as precious as the bracelet and so she said, "Grandma, how can I wear such a good bracelet? It's better that you keep it for me!"

"Everything will be good on a good-looking girl like you!" Madame Tao smiled and shook her head, "Tianhe brought me other presents. Don't worry!" Though what Madame Tao got was really not as valuable as this bracelet, she was not so shallow to covet the bracelet of her grandson-in-law since she came from a prestigious family. Naturally, she refused.

Qiu Yelan's statement still pleased her though she was not green with envy, and so she was willing to talk some more, "In fact, it is nothing in our mansion. I am afraid that your sixth aunt will grumble. After all, she is your Aunt Tianhe's sister-in-law and her daughter-in-law is also the nephew's wife of your Aunt Tianhe."

They were close relatives, but so what? When Xin Fubing got aggrieved at that time, only Qiu Yelan went to Xin Mansion to accompany her as the order of Madame Tao, but those of the sixth branch who should have comforted Xin Fubing all did not show up! Although it was partly because Marquess Qin wanted to suppress the case and prevent others from learning it, the sixth branch's people, as the family of Xin Fubing's only uncle, turned to be too cold and aloof!

Qiu Yelan thought that it was why Jiang Tianhe came here first to visit Madame Tao when she came back to Jing City.

"No wonder Jiang Yashuang said that Aunt Tianhe is fierce. She even did not see her parents first just for that the sixth branch didn't go to see her daughter at the time!" thought Qiu Yelan. She asked Madame Tao curiously, "Grandma, how will Aunt Tianhe deal with the case of Huizhi?"

Madame Tao glanced at her, "How can I know? After she came, she just made some usual pleasantries and asked after everyone at home. She then asked to see you and I sent you a word to come. You came here and heard everything."

"Didn't Aunt Tianhe mention the case of Huizhi?" Qiu Yelan felt surprised, "I thought she was to talk about it when she came to visit you as soon as she arrived at Jing City!"

Madame Tao said with a serene smile, "Don't worry about her! Anyway, it won't bother us!"

Qiu Yelan thought and agreed. Even if Jiang Tianhe had any plans, her target would be the first branch. Just let the first branch worry about it!

Qiu Yelan then chatted with Madame Tao for a while and talked about An. Thinking it was time to leave, she was going to say goodbye.

All of a sudden, Madame Tao gave a cry, "I almost forgot! I have something to tell you!"

"Grandma, I'm all ears!" Qiu Yelan said in a hurry.

"Qianbin has passed away for a long time, but Jiang Yadan is still in the prime of life. He needs a wife to be in charge of his family." Although Madame Tao looked calm while speaking, her voice sounded going out through her gritted teeth. By tradition, a widower should be in mourning for one year when his wife died. Although the limitation of a widower was far less strict than that of a widow, considering his past days with Madame Tao Junior and the face of An, Jiang Yadan should not have his remarriage until the next year at the very least!

However, Madame Tao Junior just died not far ago. An was born in August and it was just October now!

Only two months passed and Jiang Yadan could not wait anymore. He wanted to marry a new wife so hurriedly though he never lacked the accompany of his mistresses. It was indeed a humiliation for Madame Tao Junior and An!

After Madame Tao finished this sentence, she took a deep breath before continuing, "Nowadays, there are a great number of people who pay attention to the position of Jiang Yadan's wife! I wanted to choose a lady with both a pretty appearance and good character for Jiang Yadan and it would be better if she could persuade him to make progress! However… Do you know who he wants to marry?"

Qiu Yelan knew that the one was surely not a suitable person because Madame Tao, who kept a calm expression just now, had her face distorted in an instant when speaking of her!

Qiu Yelan asked cautiously, "Who is it?"

"An Zhenshang!" Madame Tao gritted her teeth, "Are all the ladies in the world dead? He actually wants to marry such a shameless and malicious b*tch! He surely wants to drive me crazy!"

Qiu Yelan felt speechless. If An Zhenshang were only a lady willing to be Jiang Yadan's mistress for many years, Madame Tao would not be so angry. However, she was tired of being a mistress and wanted to usurp Madame Tao Junior's position. In the past, she even tempted Jiang Yadan so profoundly that he nearly hounded Madame Tao Junior to death!

Now she wanted to be Jiang Yadan's new wife. How could Madame Tao be willing?

"Why would Jiang Yadan choose her?" Qiu Yelan really couldn't understand, "Now there are so many people available for him and An Zhenshang is not the best one among them."

"Anyway, let those who want to be your sister-in-law know the news when you go to visit others these days!" Madame Tao ordered without any expression.

Obviously, she wanted to deal with An Zhenshang through the hands of others. Those who tried every means to have contact with the Jiang Family would definitely join hands to get rid of An Zhenshang to clear the way for their daughters!

Qiu Yelan also didn't have a good impression of An Zhenshang. She nodded and said, "I haven't seen Zhuang Man, Xing, and others for some days. Jiang Yashuang will be on duty tomorrow and I will pick them up to have fun."

Madame Tao nodded, "OK, just do it!"

Qiu Yelan returned to her yard and Jiang Yashuang was waiting for her. He directly asked her with a smile, "What good things did Aunt Tianhe give you?"

"Has Aunt Tianhe always been so generous? So, you know before seeing it." Qiu Yelan took out the bracelet, "Grandma has said it is worth ten thousand taels of gold."

Jiang Yashuang smiled, "It is normal that Aunt Tianhe has always been generous to the ones who she thinks well of. And Empress Jiang is much like Aunt Tianhe in this respect, isn't she?" He then asked Qiu Yelan what requirements Jiang Tianhe made for Jiang Huizhi's case.

"She said nothing!" Qiu Yelan pouted her lips, "Grandma said that Aunt Tianhe only asked after the families and left a bunch of gifts. By the way, Aunt Tianhe did come directly and visit our grandmother after she arrived at Jing City. She didn't go home, nor did she go to see her parents! She went back home just now and she will go to the Mansion of Sir Jibei tomorrow!"

Jiang Yashuang was not shocked at all. He said calmly, "This is natural. The sixth branch did nothing when Cousin Xin was wronged!"

"As for this, I feel weird! The sixth uncle is the only uncle of Cousin Xin! Why is he so indifferent to his niece? Our uncle seems very affectionate to Jiang Yadan, Jiang Qizheng, and you, and he also cares about Jiang Yazhu," Qiu Yelan asked suspiciously, "Was it because Cousin Xin was unwilling to marry Jiang Yalan?"

If so, the uncle was too narrow-minded!

"Sixth uncle was not deliberately indifferent to Cousin Xin, but something had happened. Some time ago, the tenth sister-in-law went home to serve her heavily ill father after the sixth aunt allowed. Hence, she was not in the Mansion of Sir Jibei at that time." Jiang Yashuang mocked, "And Jiang Yalan showed pity on Cousin Xin when he heard the case of Jiang Huizhi. So, his wife naturally had grievance! Even though the sixth aunt scolded Jiang Yalan, Mi Yinyin still refused to visit Cousin Xin. The sixth aunt is an elder and it is impossible for her to visit a junior by herself, right? So, she just sent a servant to Xin Mansion. Cousin Xin had been in a bad mood and when she saw only the servant come, she turned to be much unhappier. She didn't even see the servant but called the butler to deal with the one."

"Now it seems that Cousin Xin has kept their negligence in mind and told it all to Aunt Tianhe!"

The sixth uncle and his wife of the sixth branch had two sons and one daughter. The daughter Jiang Qijia ranked twelve. She got married long ago and already had her children. She was living with her husband out of Jing City. So, the ones that could get along with other families on behalf of the sixth branch were only the two daughters-in-law. The tenth madame went to serve her own father and thus Mi Yinyin should be the one to visit Xin Family last time.

But Mi Yinyin cared about her husband's admiration for Xin Fubing in his early years. What was worse, her husband spoke for Xin Fubing again this time. It annoyed her and so she refused to visit Xin Fubing. Madame Mi, the sixth aunt, pampered Mi Yinyin so much and just let her do as she wanted. As a result, the sixth branch was negligent in comforting Xin Fubing at that time.

Qiu Yelan felt that they deserved it, "Although the sixth uncle did not intend to be indifferent to Cousin Xin, he even did not ask about it personally when such a thing happened to his only niece. If he had said anything, the sixth aunt would not dare to indulge Mi Yinyin not to visit Cousin Xin. No wonder Aunt Tianhe feels angry!"

However, it was not her concern and so she then changed the topic to Jiang Yadan's remarriage, "It might be better if he chooses any others. As for An Zhenshang, I have to say if she hadn't had the desire to usurp the position of eighth sister-in-law and egged Jiang Yadan on to make trouble last year, the eighth sister-in-law would not have got ill and then become weak, and An would not have lost his mother at birth!"

Jiang Yashuang's face darkened, "Follow what our grandmother has ordered you and have contact with others more often! Let's see whether she can be lucky enough to fulfill her dream!"