Chapter 33: Mutual Needs

Lady Shen frowned, her expression somewhat unnatural as she said, “It’s nothing. It was just that after the Empress Dowager bestowed the marriage, I had Jin’er go to the ancestral hall to offer incense to our ancestors.”

Minister Jiang listened and quickly sensed something amiss.

This was not Lady Shen’s usual temperament. If she were truly happy, she would have gone herself rather than sending her daughter alone.

But with outsiders present, he could only drop the matter for now.

Jiang Jin observed Lady Shen’s behavior and understood.

So, it was the same old pretense of harmony as always.

Thinking it over carefully, it made sense.

Given Mother’s nature, how could she ever truly believe herself to be in the wrong!

The corners of her lips curved upward as she suddenly let out a self-mocking laugh.

Xie Chengzhi glanced at her, noticing her pale complexion, which made her appear even weaker than he, who was injured.

He furrowed his brows and said to Minister Jiang, “May I speak with the Third Young Lady alone?”

Minister Jiang quickly nodded. “Of course, of course. Please make yourself at ease, Your Highness.”

With that, he took Lady Shen by the arm and led her out of the hall.

As they stepped outside, he asked Lady Shen, “What exactly happened earlier? Why did you send Jin’er to the ancestral hall?”

Lady Shen remained silent for a moment before replying helplessly, “Today, the Yong’an Marquis Mansion came to deliver the betrothal gifts!”

“This matter… I know.”

“At the time, there was an issue with the betrothal gifts. Jin’er saw it and, unable to contain her anger, wanted to confront the Yong’an Marquis Mansion. I was afraid she would make a scene, so I…”

Minister Jiang asked anxiously, “So what did you do?”

“I… slapped her!” Lady Shen’s expression remained calm, showing not a hint of guilt. “But I did it for her own good! At the time… I didn’t know about the Empress Dowager’s marriage decree. Besides, although Lady Yong’an’s behavior was somewhat inappropriate, Linyuan is a good child. If Jin’er were to marry him in the future, she wouldn’t suffer!”

“Moreover, given Jin’er’s heart ailment, there aren’t any better options!”

Even now, with Jiang Jin betrothed to Ning Wang, Lady Shen still worried about the future.

After all, Ning Wang was marrying for the first time and had no children of his own. If Jin’er were to marry him, just the ordeal of childbirth alone would be enough to threaten her life!

But without her own biological children, her life in Prince Ning’s Mansion might not be easy either!

So, compared to becoming the esteemed Princess Consort Ning, Lady Shen would rather Jiang Jin become the successor wife of the Marquis’s Heir.

At the very least, the young master of the marquis estate was her own nephew by blood!

“You are truly—so foolish!” Minister Jiang sighed. “She is your own daughter. You could have advised her or had someone take her away, but you should never have laid a hand on her!”

“Do you remember how, after sending Jin’er to Jingzhou, you cried for nearly ten days before you recovered? How could you now… bear to raise your hand against her for the sake of others!”

Lady Shen listened, her lips trembling, unable to speak for a long time.

Minister Jiang looked at her. After all, they had been married for decades, and he understood that Lady Shen’s heart was always with their children, even if her actions were occasionally misguided.

“I only hope Jin’er won’t hold a grudge against you in the future!”

“She won’t. She is my daughter, and I know her best. Jin’er, this child…”

“Alright, alright. Let’s go rest for a while.”

As Minister Jiang spoke, he guided Lady Shen toward a nearby side room.

Meanwhile, inside the hall, Jiang Jin and Xie Chengzhi sat down side by side.

Jiang Jin instinctively reached to remove the jade pendant from her waist to return it to Xie Chengzhi, but just as she untied the cord, she heard him say, “Keep it!”

Jiang Jin looked up in shock. “Your Highness… this…”

Xie Chengzhi nodded. “This was my mother’s pendant, meant for her future daughter-in-law. Now that you have accepted it, it is fitting.”

Jiang Jin stared at him, her eyes filled with disbelief.

This was the object Yu Fei had cherished most in her lifetime. Since Xie Chengzhi wore it close to his person, he must have treasured it deeply. How could he now give it to her?

Moreover, hadn’t everything he done been to retrieve this pendant?

Perhaps sensing her confusion, Xie Chengzhi explained, “Whether this pendant exists or not, I will still marry you!”

“Why?”

Xie Chengzhi fell silent for a moment before replying, “To repay a debt of gratitude.”

“But—” Jiang Jin still did not understand.

Yet Xie Chengzhi soon provided an answer: “There is someone from my past in my heart, and I do not wish to marry anyone else. And since you are also troubled by marriage arrangements, marrying you is both a way to repay my debt and to avoid being forced to wed another.”

“Since I must marry someone, why not let it benefit both of us?”

Jiang Jin blinked, momentarily unable to process his words.

But soon, she took a deep breath, her pupils contracting slightly.

After what felt like a long time, Jiang Jin finally said, “Jiang Jin thanks Your Highness for your kindness! I promise you that from now on… I will fulfill my duties and never overstep my bounds. If the one you love is willing to marry you, I will step aside without hesitation!”

Xie Chengzhi looked at her, his gaze deep and unreadable. After a long pause, he let out a soft laugh.

“Good!”

Then, recalling Jiang Jin’s pale complexion earlier, he couldn’t help but ask, “Are you… feeling well?”

“I am perfectly fine, thank you for your concern, Your Highness.” Jiang Jin did not understand his meaning, assuming he was merely expressing concern.

Seeing that she did not wish to elaborate, Xie Chengzhi did not press further.

He only said, “If you need anything, you may send someone to Prince Ning’s Mansion to seek the Zhangshi at any time.”

Jiang Jin nodded. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

…

That night, Jiang Jin had a long dream.

In the dream, she seemed to spend an entire lifetime with someone.

Unfortunately, that lifetime was far too brief.

When Jiang Jin awoke, she forced herself to sit up against the headboard, her mind lingering on the dream she had just experienced.

She remembered everything that had happened in the dream, but she could not see the person’s face clearly.

And as time passed, even the figure of that person grew hazy.

By the time the sun rose, Jiang Jin could only recall that the person… was a man!

As for any other details, she knew nothing at all.

She furrowed her brows, wondering why her memory was so poor.

She could still remember the dreams from her previous life clearly.

Yet today, she could barely recall the person in her dream!

After trying and failing to remember multiple times, Jiang Jin sighed softly in resignation.

Then, amidst the sound of pattering rain, she slowly rose from her bed.

“Furong, I wish to bathe,” Jiang Jin called out.

Hearing her voice, Furong quickly entered the room.

“Miss, did you have another nightmare?” Furong asked.

For some reason, the frequency of her mistress’s nightmares had increased recently.

Jiang Jin nodded. “Yes.”

“Shall I prepare some calming herbal soup for you?”

“Please.”

As Jiang Jin soaked in the bathtub, her mind gradually cleared.

She wondered: Since Mother had accepted the betrothal gifts from Yong’an Marquis Mansion, would she… as she did yesterday, sacrifice her younger sister for the sake of preserving the greater good?

Or… to ruin this marriage for the sake of her sister?

After all, she could easily use the leverage sent by Yong’an Marquis Mansion yesterday to stand up for her sister.

Jiang Jin lowered her gaze, her brows slightly raised. Perhaps because this matter did not concern her directly, she appeared more composed than before.