Chapter 156: Questions of Appearance

What should we do now?

Jiang Lan hurriedly explained, "It was just a few petty thieves—they were caught immediately. Grandmother need not worry."

Madam Wang clearly found Jiang Lan’s words somewhat hard to believe; it was obvious she was trying to comfort herself. She looked toward her eldest daughter-in-law. "Let your eldest aunt speak."

Lady Gu sighed and revealed the truth.

Knowing the real situation, Madam Wang clung to Jiang Lan, unwilling to let go.

"My dear child, how could you have been locked up and imprisoned without grandmother knowing? Just now, I wrongly blamed you for a long time, never expecting you to have endured such hardship. Where is your eldest uncle? Next time, go find your eldest uncle. If anyone dares to bully you, our British Duke’s Mansion is not afraid of him."

Lady Gu, standing beside her, finally let out a sigh of relief when she saw the old lady’s mood had not shifted too much. Hearing such childlike words, she smiled faintly to herself, thinking, “That child has her aunt behind her. There’s no need for us to support her on stage. With the Empress Dowager’s favor, she probably wouldn’t tolerate even a bit of grievance for her nephew.”

Lady Zhou added from the side, "Mother, there is no need to worry." Then turning to Jiang Lan, "Lan’er, if you ever suffer any injustice outside, we are family. You can come to your second uncle and aunt as well. Although your second uncle does not hold an official position in court, he has wide connections. Even if we have to spend money, we will make sure you are comfortable."

Lady Zhou spoke half-jokingly, making the entire main hall burst into laughter.

In the British Duke’s Mansion, the lady most favored by the matriarch was the fourth wife’s daughter, Xue Yun. The eldest daughter-in-law was the most respected, and the second daughter-in-law the one with the most face.

"Thank you, second aunt."

"It is we who should thank you. Warm Warm has become much more cheerful these days."

Lady Zhou had only a few biological sons and no daughters of her own. She did not wish to raise any concubine’s daughters at her knee, to avoid future unpleasantness.

Therefore, she doted most on Warm Warm, born through great effort by her cousin, treating her like a daughter. When she grew up, Lady Zhou hoped one of her sons would marry her, believing it better to have her under her own protection than to face a harsh mother-in-law.

Unfortunately, Jiang Si had a cold and aloof temperament, and none of her three sons could handle her. Poor Lady Zhou, the thought of sending the beloved child away pained her so deeply she nearly fainted.

"It's all my sister who takes care of me," Jiang Lan said.

Lady Zhou looked at Jiang Si, who was smiling by the old lady’s side. "Take care of each other, take care of each other."

Jiang Lan met Lady Zhou’s gaze and felt that this second aunt truly cared for her sister Jiang Si. No wonder the third aunt had entrusted her orphan to them back then—she must have seen early on that the third uncle would be unreliable.

Amid the playful banter, Jiang Lan suddenly slapped her forehead. "I almost forgot."

Everyone looked over as Jiang Lan summoned her maid, this time bringing up a box.

"Inside is a birthday gift my grandfather asked me to bring. Grandmother, you know my grandfather’s leg ailment; he rarely even leaves his own courtyard. I believe this was carefully chosen by him. I hope you will like it."

The old lady’s attendant said, "Please thank my father-in-law on my behalf."

"Yes, Grandmother."

At this moment, Xue Mingrui stepped forward. "Grandmother, now that the gifts are all delivered, your obedient grandson will take his leave. There are still some matters to attend to outside."

"Go ahead, go ahead," the old lady waved him off.

Jiang Lan bowed to everyone. "Warm Warm is in the care of Grandmother, all the aunts, and sisters."

"Don’t worry, go have fun," the old lady said.

Lady Zhou smiled, "With second aunt here, go play outside; don’t keep yourself locked up."

Xue Yun also came out joking, "Lan cousin is afraid we sisters might eat up Sister Warm Warm, huh?"

Jiang Lan shook her head, smiling, "I wouldn’t dare."

Even Xue Shao, the only daughter of the third wife, came forward and took Jiang Si’s hand, promising Jiang Lan, "I will take good care of sister. Brother, rest assured."

Jiang Lan patted her head, "Good girl, I’ll bring you some treats next time."

The others protested, "Lan cousin, what about us?"

"All of you too."

The old lady looked at this cheerful family with great delight and said, "Don’t really eat your cousin into poverty."

Xue Yun pouted, "Grandmother is teasing us. We could never eat brother into poverty."

"You little rascal."

Stepping out of the main hall, Jiang Lan breathed a long sigh of relief. Surrounded by so many women, she still felt a little unaccustomed.

"About half an hour or so—that should be just about right. Father should have arrived at the front courtyard by now," Xue Mingrui said, pulling Jiang Lan along. "You really have a generous hand. After this round, you’ve sent away your savings of several years."

Thinking back on the earlier scene at Chunyi Residence, where her cousin’s foolish landlord son traded for these treasures, she guessed that the cousin might have been conned quite a bit.

"Forget it, forget it. Who told me I’m your legitimate cousin," Xue Mingrui said, pulling out two silver notes worth a thousand taels each from his pocket. "This is the leftover money from the Jade Guanyin statue. Take it and spend sparingly. If you need more later, just move in with your cousin. Your cousin is pretty broke now too."

Jiang Lan looked at the silver notes, initially wanting to refuse. But seeing her cousin’s pained expression at having to give the money, she decisively reached out to take them.

"You really took it?" Xue Mingrui exclaimed.

"Are you just being polite? Then I won’t take it. Here, I’ll give it back."

Xue Mingrui, wincing, stuffed the silver back into Jiang Lan’s hand. "No need to return it. Your cousin is not short of money."

"Uh, uh, aren’t you?" Jiang Lan thought in her mind, recalling how extravagant Xue Mingrui was with antiques—utterly reckless.

"Ahem. Those are valuable items, priceless treasures..."

Seeing Xue Mingrui about to go on at length, Jiang Lan took the initiative to pull him toward the outer door.

When they reached the outer courtyard, Xue Mingrui tidied his clothes, and his entire demeanor changed dramatically.

Jiang Lan suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and followed behind him.

Just as they stepped from the inner courtyard to the outer courtyard, a middle-aged man in a brocade robe with an embroidered dragon approached. Behind him was a young man in dark clothes carrying a brocade box.

"Greetings, eldest uncle. Are you heading to grandmother’s courtyard?" Xue Mingrui bowed, also nodding to the cousin behind him, Wu Yue. Wu Yue did not respond, but Xue Mingrui was used to that—he had almost never spoken to this cousin.

Wu Zhe nodded lightly, then glanced at the young man standing behind his nephew.

Seeing this, Xue Mingrui hastily introduced, "Eldest uncle, this is my cousin, the heir of the Duke of Wei State, Jiang Lan."

"Lan, this is my eldest uncle. Behind him is Wu Yue, though I honestly don’t know which of you two is older," Xue Mingrui said, also introducing the two to Jiang Lan.

Jiang Lan stepped forward and bowed, "Greetings, Prince of Qinghe and heir of the prince."

Wu Zhe studied him carefully. The boy looked truly unremarkable—not as dazzling as the Jiang family, nor as handsome as the Xue family. Was this a good tree growing a crooked jujube?

"Just call me your uncle like you would this fool," he said bluntly.

Jiang Lan was taken aback at first, then replied, "Greetings, eldest uncle."