Chapter 36: Much Easier

Jiang Jin thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

On the way back, the woman approached Jiang Jin’s carriage and thanked her.

“Miss, if it weren’t for you, I truly wouldn’t have known what to do!” the woman said, her tone noticeably lighter than before, clearly indicating that her husband was now out of danger.

Jiang Jin shook her head. “I didn’t do much. As long as everyone is safe, that’s all that matters.”

Hearing this, the woman smiled at Jiang Jin and added, “Miss, my surname is Shi, and my given name is Hongying. If you ever need anything in the future, please remember to come find me.”

Jiang Jin nodded with a faint smile. After bidding farewell to Lady Shi, she boarded her carriage and left the village.

After they departed, Doctor Jiang walked out of the courtyard.

He extended his hand, and a white carrier pigeon immediately flew down and perched on it.

He removed the message tied to its leg and released the bird.

Unfolding the small slip of paper, he saw a few words:

The young master will arrive in Qingzhou in five days.

Though simple, these words were the answer Doctor Jiang had been eagerly awaiting.

After investigating for so long, it was time for the young master to uncover the truth.

If he truly couldn’t find anything, then Doctor Jiang had misjudged him and overestimated his abilities.

Satisfied, Doctor Jiang returned to the courtyard and went to check on Wei Feng in his room.

“He will arrive in five days,” Doctor Jiang said.

Upon hearing this, Wei Feng’s expression grew intensely excited. He tried to sit up, but his injuries left him too weak, making even the effort to rise difficult.

Seeing this, Doctor Jiang quickly stopped him and said, “I know you’re excited, but right now, you need to rest and recover. Today’s incident was a warning from that person, or perhaps… even a test.

For the next few days, focus on healing. I’ll handle everything else.

We’ve endured hardships for so long—a few more days won’t make a difference!”

“Mm,” Wei Feng blinked and managed to utter a single, strained syllable.

…

After returning to the Shen Residence, Jiang Jin was summoned by Lady Shen.

As soon as she saw her, Lady Shen took her hand and seated her beside her.

“My dear, did you go to Shijia Village today?”

“Yes. On the way, Lady Shi stopped my carriage. At first, I didn’t understand the situation, but I learned the truth after arriving at Shijia Village.”

Jiang Jin explained, carefully omitting what Doctor Jiang had said earlier.

Regardless of whether her grandmother knew the details, some things were better left unheard by too many people.

Lady Shen looked at Jiang Jin with affection and sighed. “Back then, Shen Mu and Doctor Jiang came to Qingzhou with a group of people. Initially, they didn’t plan to seek our help. It was only after your grandfather investigated their identities that he offered assistance on his own initiative.

That battle from years ago had too many unanswered questions and involved too many people. Some things don’t need to be completely clarified or understood!”

“Then, Grandmother, do you think the current situation is good or bad?” Jiang Jin asked in return.

She understood her grandmother’s thoughts, but that incident from years ago was a knot that had to be untied.

Seeking peace by avoiding conflict wasn’t necessarily the best outcome.

Sometimes, a “fight to the bitter end” could yield unexpected gains!

Lady Shen was taken aback by Jiang Jin’s question. She looked at her granddaughter in surprise, then shook her head.

“Never mind. Today’s incident serves as a warning as well.”

After a pause, she remembered something and said earnestly to Jiang Jin, “No matter what, you must remember that behind you, your mother, and your younger brother stands the Shen family!”

“I understand, Yue’er.” Jiang Jin nodded, raising her eyes to look at Lady Shen, tears already glistening in the corners.

Seeing this, Lady Shen took out a handkerchief and gently wiped Jiang Jin’s face, then did not bring up the matter again, instead shifting to talk about other things.

“Sweetheart, I heard before that you wanted to refuse the marriage proposal from the Guogong Residence. Could it be that you don’t think much of that family’s young man?”

Upon hearing about the marriage, Jiang Jin shook her head and replied, “Young Master Cheng is a good person, someone worthy of entrusting one’s life to.”

“Then why were you so resistant back then?”

Hearing Lady Shen’s question, Jiang Jin knew that her mother had already told her grandmother everything.

After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Jin said, “I… initially didn’t know it was him.”

If she had known, perhaps she wouldn’t have sought him out and spoken to him about refusing the marriage.

Lady Shen looked at her affectionately, her wise eyes already seeing through Jiang Jin’s subtle regret.

She chuckled softly, holding Jiang Jin’s hand and patting it gently. “It’s alright. You’re still young now; some things can be considered later. You are Lady Shen’s granddaughter, the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family. With these statuses alone, you won’t have to worry about marrying someone you like!”

Lady Shen came from a noble family and had been educated as such since childhood, so she naturally spoke these words to Jiang Jin.

If not for her past life’s experiences, Jiang Jin would likely share the same views as Lady Shen now.

But the outcome of her past life had already explained everything—even someone as noble as Prince Li Jue could not marry the person he loved.

Even she had to obey the imperial decree and marry someone she did not love at all!

“Grandmother.” Thinking of her past life, Jiang Jin leaned down, resting her head on Lady Shen’s shoulder.

In her past life, both she and her mother had passed away one after another. How heartbroken her grandmother, far away in Qingzhou, must have been upon hearing the news!

As she thought this, Jiang Jin could no longer hold back the tears flowing from her eyes.

Gradually, the tears dampened Lady Shen’s clothes. Though she wore an inner garment, the wetness was still palpable.

Lady Shen immediately turned to look at Jiang Jin. She wanted to ask something, but upon seeing the lingering sorrow on Jiang Jin’s face, the words she intended to speak simply wouldn’t come out.

When had this child ever been so sentimental? Now, faced with this, she didn’t know how to comfort her.

In the end, Lady Shen could only wipe Jiang Jin’s tears while gently stroking her head to soothe her.

…

That evening, Lady Shen kept Jiang Jin to sleep in her quarters, and only the next day did she have someone escort her back to Tanhua Courtyard.

Five days later, Jiang Jin was preparing to leave Tanhua Courtyard to pay her respects to her grandmother.

But just as she stepped over the threshold of Tanhua Courtyard, she heard a familiar call.

“Third Younger Sister.”

Jiang Jin turned around and saw Xie Chengzhi walking toward her.

She stopped and waited for Xie Chengzhi to approach.

“Second Elder Brother, why have you come here?” Jiang Jin looked at him curiously. With Xie Chengzhi’s abilities, he should have been able to investigate the situation with the seal.

Perhaps he already knew that the matter of the seal was merely a trap set by Doctor Jiang.

Xie Chengzhi looked at her gently, taking a hairpin from his sleeve. “This is the one you asked me to help you choose before.”

With just that one sentence, Jiang Jin understood.

“Lady Ming has always been generous, so she must have brought back many hairpins. It seems you spent quite some time selecting this one. Unfortunately, I have not yet had my hair-pinning ceremony, so I will keep it for now and wear it after I come of age,” Jiang Jin said, smiling at him as well.