Chapter 30: Mother, I Don’t Understand

Jiang Jin looked calmly at Lady Shen. She let out a soft, derisive “hah” and slowly withdrew her hand from Lady Shen’s grasp.

She shook her head. “Mother, I don’t understand.”

“All I know is that while reputation is important, it is not more important than one’s own life!”

“We only live once in this world. I may have a heart ailment, but I’ve managed it for years. I may not live to be seventy or eighty, but at least I can reach the age of forty.”

She lowered her head, her voice tinged with sarcasm. “I’m only sixteen now. I still have decades ahead of me. Why should I hang myself from a single tree? Is there only the Yong’an Marquis Mansion in this world? Is Song Linyuan the only man?”

Speaking with emotion, Jiang Jin’s eyes grew firm and resolute. “Besides, I’ve done nothing wrong!”

“They are the ones in the wrong! The Yong’an Marquis Mansion!”

Her words were sharp and precise. “It was Lady Yong’an who disregarded right and wrong, acting as if she could cover the sky with one hand. It was Brother-in-law Song Linyuan who failed to distinguish between right and wrong. They never had a moment of sincerity!”

As she spoke, a fierce intensity rose in Jiang Jin’s eyes.

“Moreover, this marriage was never mine from the start!”

“Back when Eldest Sister was on her sickbed, I heard every word she said. What she wanted was Fifth Younger Sister, not me!”

Lady Shen’s eyes widened, perhaps not expecting Jiang Jin to bring up the past again and drag Jiang Yun into it.

She raised her hand and slammed it hard on the table.

The teacups rattled and clattered.

But Jiang Jin lifted her head and met Lady Shen’s gaze directly. “If Mother was unwilling back then, you could have refused right in front of Eldest Sister.”

Seeing the guilt in Lady Shen’s eyes, Jiang Jin continued. “But you didn’t! You and Father couldn’t bear to give up the marriage alliance with the marquis estate, yet you didn’t want your most beloved Fifth Younger Sister to marry into it.”

“So, you turned your attention to me.”

“Mother, you once said Fifth Younger Sister was too young, but have you forgotten? I’m less than two years older than her!”

“Others say the palm and the back of the hand are both flesh. But Mother… which part of your hand has ever included me?”

Listening to Jiang Jin’s accusations, Lady Shen’s pupils trembled slightly.

She looked at Jiang Jin in disbelief, never imagining that her most sensible daughter could utter such rebellious words!

Lady Shen pointed at Jiang Jin, her expression pained. “Jin’er, I never thought you saw me this way in your heart!”

Jiang Jin sneered and stood up.

“Mother, I ask you only this: have I spoken a single word of falsehood?”

Lady Shen’s teeth chattered. Her face tightened as she looked at Jiang Jin’s stubborn, unyielding expression, and her heart ached uncontrollably.

After a long silence, she finally closed her eyes in distress and pointed toward the door.

“Someone, take Third Miss to the ancestral hall and make her kneel.”

“She will not be released until she admits her mistake!”

Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Nanny Lin quickly stepped forward to stabilize things.

She called out softly, “Madam, you mustn’t! Third Miss has a weak constitution. The ancestral hall is damp and cold—she won’t be able to endure it!”

But Lady Shen paid no heed. She raised her voice. “Someone, take Third Miss away!”

Hearing this, Jiang Jin’s eyes suddenly grew calm.

It was just kneeling in the ancestral hall—she wasn’t afraid of that.

After all, in her previous life, during the ten years she was married into the Yong’an Marquis Mansion, she had lost count of how many times she had knelt there.

What harm is there in kneeling in the Jiang family ancestral hall for a while?

————

After Jiang Jin was brought to the ancestral hall, Nanny Lin tried to persuade her: “Third Miss, the mistress is just angry right now, please don’t take it to heart. She truly cares for you deep down. If you just admit your mistake to her, everything will be fine.”

“You’re not in good health—there’s no need to make things harder for yourself!”

Jiang Jin shook her head. “Nanny Lin, there’s no need to persuade me. I know you’re saying all this because of Cuiyu, but as you must know, she has already left Tingfeng Pavilion. No one can harm her anymore.”

Seeing that Jiang Jin remained unmoved, Nanny Lin could only sigh helplessly.

Upon entering the ancestral hall, Furong still felt somewhat nervous.

She looked at Jiang Jin and asked hesitantly, “Miss, are you really going to kneel?”

Jiang Jin nodded. “Yes.”

“Although I don’t believe I was wrong, as long as I remain in the Jiang family for even a day, I must follow the Jiang family’s rules.”

And Mother’s orders were the rules of the Jiang family’s inner household!

Jiang Jin walked to the ancestral tablets, chose a suitable cushion, and knelt down.

Although Mother was angry, she only wanted Jiang Jin to yield and admit her mistake. Thus, her punishment was far less severe than the harsh treatment Jiang Jin had endured in the past at Yong’an Marquis Mansion under Lady Yong’an.

Jiang Jin closed her eyes, and memories from the past occasionally surfaced in her mind.

Back then, when she was punished with kneeling, two matrons sent by Lady Yong’an stood on either side of her.

If she relaxed even for a moment, those two matrons would step forward and harshly correct her kneeling posture.

While adjusting her, they would say, “Shizi Furen, when you make a mistake, you must show a proper attitude to correct it. Look at how sloppy you are—what kind of posture is this? If you keep slacking off like this, you won’t be leaving the ancestral hall this month!”

But in truth, she had been kneeling perfectly straight. It was just that her wrists were sore, and she had gently rotated them once…

“Miss.”

Furong’s voice pulled Jiang Jin back from her memories. Furong approached and took out two knee pads. “Miss, I went to find these for you just now. Please stand up for a moment, and I’ll help you put them on.”

Jiang Jin looked over. The two knee pads were thick and stuffed with plenty of fur, looking substantial even at a glance.

Jiang Jin nodded. “Alright.”

After Furong helped Jiang Jin put on the knee pads, Jiang Jin knelt down again. This time, her knees only felt softness, not the harshness of the cushion from before.

Finding kneeling tedious, Jiang Jin thought of asking Furong to fetch a book for her to read.

But just as Furong reached the door of the ancestral hall and before she could open it, the door was pushed open from the outside.

“Sister Furong, is Third Miss still kneeling?” The speaker was Cuiyu.

Furong nodded. “Yes, she’s been kneeling for the time it takes an incense stick to burn.”

“What about Third Miss…” Cuiyu hesitated. “Perhaps it would be better to ask the miss to yield and apologize to the mistress? I noticed the weather outside looks bad—it might rain. If it rains, the dampness in the ancestral hall will only get worse!”

Furong shook her head gently. “If the miss wanted to say anything, she would have already asked me to call someone.”

“It’s good that you’re here. Stay and watch over the miss while I go fetch something for her.”

After saying this, Furong walked out. Before she could leave the courtyard, she saw someone from Xuesong Studio rushing over.

Upon seeing Furong, the person quickly grabbed her.

“Furong, hurry! Take Third Miss out to receive the decree!”

Furong asked, “Receive what decree?”

“Of course, it’s the decree from Her Majesty the Empress Dowager!”

Though still confused, Furong ran back to find Jiang Jin.

Furong caught her breath, calming herself for a few moments before hurriedly sharing the news with Jiang Jin.

Upon hearing it, Jiang Jin was momentarily stunned as well.

What… was going on?