The Rebirth of an Ill-Fated Consort (Chapters 1- 203)

Chapter 70 : Without Any Sense of Shame

Thinking of her gentle and kind eldest brother, Jiang Ruan clenched her fists. If Jiang Xin Zhi was still alive, she would expend all her energy to protect her beloved flesh and blood, no matter what the cost.

What about Marquis Xia's fu? Her eyes turned cold; there were some people there that she had not seen for a long time.

"Lu Zhu, for the next few days, you and Bai Zhi stay in the fu and keep watch on the activities and movements here, especially pertaining to Fifth Yiniang," Jiang Ruan said. "Lian Qiao, you stay with me. Ask Shu Xiang to come here."

"Shu Xiang?" Lian Qiao frowned. "Miss, that girl does not have good intentions, she may cause us some trouble."

"If so, it will be her own trouble." Jiang Ruan smiled faintly as she said, "Go on, I have made my own arrangements in these matters."

Early the next day, Shu Xiang and Lian Qiao were waiting outside. Compared to before, Shu Xiang had clearly lost some weight, and when she looked up at Jiang Ruan, her eyes contained a hint of fear. When Jiang Ruan looked at this servant girl kneeling before her with her head bowed, she found it very difficult to associate her with the gentle and self-confident palace maid in her memory, who always appeared before Jiang Ruan with concern upon her face.

She put on her outer coat, smiled and said, "Let's go."

Jiang Su Su and Xia Yan had already been waiting in the horse carriage for some time. When Jiang Ruan entered, she discovered that Jiang Li and Jiang Dan were also there. Jiang Chao was in another carriage. Jiang Li looked at Jiang Su Su's veiled face with derision, but, since Xia Yan was present, she did not dare to say anything. Jiang Dan was sitting right in the middle of the carriage and looked extremely uncomfortable. When she saw Jiang Ruan arrive, she smiled timidly at her. Jiang Ruan returned the smile and sat down next to Xia Yan.

Xia Yan looked at her and smiled. "This is Ruan'er's first visit to your maternal grandfather's[2] residence. The last time he saw you was five years ago. In the blink of an eye you have become a young lady."

[2] Waizufu ( 外祖父 ) - maternal grandfather.

Jiang Raun smiled faintly. "Ruan niang also misses maternal grandfather very much."

The first time she had met Old Marquis Xia was when Zhao Mei died. As she knelt in the mourning hall in her white silk mourning robes, she had seen that elderly man with an amiable face move forward to chat with Jiang Quan. Not long later, Xia Yan became the legal wife.

Later, when she entered the palace, she often saw Old Marquis Xia and his womenfolk at the palace banquets. The Xia family's utter lack of shame was vivid in her mind. At that time, the granddaughter of the Xia family, Xia Jiao Jiao, had entered the palace together with her. She had been conferred the title of 'Mei Ren'[3], and had tripped up Jiang Ruan many times, both covertly and overtly. Ultimately, Xia Jiao Jiao had received the Emperor's favour, and even though no one knew whether this 'favour' was authentic, Xia Jiao Jiao used her power to humiliate Jiang Ruan continually. She could only remember, at the end, when she was disgraced and imprisoned, that Xia Jiao Jiao had emerged unscathed, and had been sent back to the fu by Old Marquis Xia.

[3] Mei ren ( 美人 ) - lit., beautiful lady, one of the ranks of the imperial concubines. Depending on which dynasty this story is set in, mei ren could be a fairly high rank.

As soon as Jiang Ruan said those words, Xia Yan felt an inexplicable chill seize her. She examined Jiang Ruan's expression carefully, but was unable to decipher the meaning behind her words. She thus smiled and said, "Then, has Ruan'er already decided what present to give?"