Chapter 7
The white and blue branch incense burner on top of a frame in the parlor was lit with white sandalwood and the smoke lingered.
Out of the corner of her eye, Jiang Ningbao secretly took in the expressions of Old Madam Jiang and the First Madam Zhang. She lowered her eyes. It was indeed as the book wrote. The compensation of canceling the engagement was being the adopted sister, also Duke Ding Residence's oldest miss.
If the one whose engagement was canceled was not her, then Jiang Ningbao might even praise this move.
The fiancee who had the engagement but lost her parents would had her marriage plan controlled by Old Madam Jiang and the First Madam.
Xie Jingyi was no doubt the book's male lead. He grasped the hearts of Old Madam Jiang and the others accurately.
Old Madam Jiang and First Madam Zhang was not willing to revoke the engagement because they did not want to lose the support of Duke Ding Residence. If Jiang Ningbao became the eldest miss of Duke Ding Residence, entering the Xie clan genealogy book, then Changning Count Residence would forever be bound to Duke Ding Residence.
At this moment, the willingness of Jiang Ningbao who was at the center of this matter was not needed.
The clan's interest was the most important.
Jiang Ningbao lowered her eyes and pretended to bit her lower lip in, feeling upset. No one noticed the indifference in her eyes.
Now, Changning Count Residence's biggest power in the household – First Madam Zhang, broke this silence.
"Mother, don't you think that you should give fourth girl's engagement further thought?"
Jiang Mingyao snapped toward her mother. On her cold and icy face was a trace of her dumbfounded feelings, as if she could not believe that the first to agree was her own mother.
She bit her lips and lowered her head. She did not dare to look at fourth sister in fear of seeing the stupefied gaze in her eyes.
Being Duke Ding Residence's oldest miss was good, but her engagement being canceled would cause some damage to the reputation.
Even if she was to be married, this stain won't disappear.
The husband family might not make a fuss to give face to Duke Ding Residence, but when it's already long, they might think differently.
Since fourth sister was not Xie clan's flesh and blood.
Could Duke Ding Residence protect her for the rest of her life?
Jiang Mingyao won't believe that her mother did not think of this.
Old Madam Jiang thought it through and her heart already leaned on the compensation, but she was embarrassed to open her mouth. First Madam Zhang's suggestion gave her a leeway and Old Madam Jiang glanced at Jiang Ningbao who felt unsettled and moved her gaze away.
"It should indeed be thought further."
Once these words came out, Old Madam Jiang was indeed slapping her own face. She just promised that her granddaughter's reputation preceded everything, but not even fifteen minutes later, she said the opposite. The servants inside the hall did their best to become invisible.
Madam Zhang heaved a sigh of relief in her heart. As long as mother agreed, it mattered not if her niece opposed. She turned to Butler Zhao and with a careful and probing voice, she asked, "Butler Zhao, regarding Sir Heir's compensation, what is the opinion of Old Madam Xie and Sir Duke?"
Chapter 8
Although Jiang Ningbao already prepared herself for this outcome, but once this scene happened, her heart turned cold. If her parents were still here, even if she did not care, the matter of this engagement won't be up to oldest aunt.
How could Butler Zhao not understand the meaning of Old Madam Jiang and Countess Changning? He swept his gaze to Jiang fourth miss who stayed silent and his heart heaved a sigh. Sir Heir's calculation was on spot, but he had to do it according to sir heir's instructions, so he hardened himself to speak of the other compensation.
"Our old madam agreed with sir heir's suggestion and also promised to give your residence a position of counselor in Minister of Public Works. What does the old madam thinks?"
Counselor in Minister of Public Works was a fifth rank position.
First Madam Zhang sucked in deep breath and her heart was palpitating in excitement. Her eyes already turned green.
She gave birth to two sons and two daughters. Both her sons were useless. The first son was ordinary. He was twenty years old and studied diligently for ten years, participated in imperial examinations several times but never obtain scholarly honor. But the oldest son could inherit Changning Residence. Her second son gave up on imperial examinations this year and his future was unknown. Changning Count had pulled his connections and wanted to give his second son an official rank. It should be easy because others would give face to Duke Ding Residence.
But after the matter in Peach Blossom Banquet, seeing Duke Ding heir's attitude to Anyuan Marquis' legitimate daughter, everyone was looking around. The seventh rank position which they agreed on for her second son never came.
First Madam Zhang could not sleep well or eat well because of this matter. But now, there was suddenly a position of fifth rank official. How could she still think of her niece? She was dying for this engagement to be canceled.
She took a deep breath and suppressed the excitement in her heart, wanting to open her mouth.
"Mother, since Duke Ding Residence is sincere. Why don't we just agree on this matter?"
Saying this, Madam Zhang awkwardly looked at Jiang Ningbao and gave her an apologetic smile, "Fourth girl, don't blame oldest aunt. This is also for your own good. Being a duke residence's young miss is better than being a count residence's young miss."
Jiang Ningbao did not say anything but her pair of beautiful eyes stared at Madam Zhang silently. There was no longer any gentleness and her brows emanated coldness.
Really her 'good' relatives.
Benefit for Changning Count Residence and loss for her reputation.
If her parents were still here.....
Jiang Ningbao could not help thinking about her parents who were 'deceased' and her older brother who was still studying at Azure Mountain Academy. Her heart was bitter. She and her older brother Jiang Jin had a good relationship. Jiang Jin already had already passed the county level imperial examination and was now studying at the academy to prepare for this year's provincial examination. He wanted to pass, gave honor to the second branch, and let her marry with pride.
But a pity he did not know that his little sister's engagement was being canceled.
Remembering the ending of the second branch, Jiang Ningbao's heart was doused with cold water.
Madam Zhang was being stared until her guilty conscience came out. She felt angry and silently thought that this niece could not tell good from bad. She turned to Old Madam Jiang who was silent and called in an anxious voice, "Mother!"
Jiang Mingyao's face changed. Her mother's attitude made her felt worse. She closed her eyes and did not dare to glance at her fourth sister. She was afraid that she would see a look of despair.
Old Madam Jiang's heart waver even more. Between exchanging a granddaughter that she did not like for her legitimate grandson's future, she would choose the latter.
But she could not agree too quickly since Old Madam Jiang really value her face. She had slapped herself once and although she said to think it through, she really wanted to agree right now. But if she did that, she would leave a bad impression on the servants present.
Seeing her oldest daughter-in-law being so impatient, old madam wanted to scold her for being an idiot. Where was the calculation she had usually?
Not receiving a reply from Old Madam Jiang, First Madam Zhang's face sunk.
Butler Zhao waited patiently. He looked at the delicate looking Jiang fourth miss from the corner of his eye and noticed her expressionless face. His heart felt weird.
Jiang fourth miss' reaction was not normal.
A moment later, Old Madam Jiang glared at Madam Zhang and said sternly, "Madam Zhang, fourth girl is mu legitimate granddaughter. Her marriage will be according to my decision, you don't need to worry."
Chapter 9
Madam Zhang's face turned white and her face became anxious. What did mother mean by this?
"Grandmother, since it's related to granddaughter's happiness, can granddaughter speak up?" Jiang Ningbao suddenly smiled and her voice was light. There was no anger or unwillingness in it.
Once Butler Zhao heard this Jiang fourth miss speaking, he could not help but become curious.
Her granddaughter who was usually gentle suddenly spoke up at this moment made Old Madam Jiang's heart to jump. She frowned and her eyes flashed with unhappiness. She could not berate Jiang Ningbao in front of Butler Zhao so she spoke faintly, "You can speak."
Jiang Ningbao smiled faintly and the gentle helplessness between her brows was gone. "Grandmother, granddaughter can agree to cancel the engagement. Since getting married is knotting two families together and sir heir does not like granddaughter, granddaughter is not someone who likes to force things."
Old Madam Jiang felt relieved. Jiang Ningbao's words were spoken on time and excused Old Madam Jiang to feel troubled. Old Madam Jiang gave her a amicable smile.
"If fourth girl can think like that, then that's good."
First Madam also heaved a sigh of relief silently, her heart coming back to the ground. As long as this niece did not hold onto this engagement tightly then all was good. Engagement was gone but she could become sir heir's little sister. Their count residence would get some benefits from it.
Most important was her second son could get a fifth rank official position.
In Madam Zhang's heart, this position was her second son's. She did not even think about Jiang Ningbao's older brother Jiang Jin who was talented.
"Grandmother, granddaughter does not want to become sir heir's little sister." Jiang Ningbao pretended she did not see Madam Zhang's reaction and lifted her head to stare at Old Madam Jiang.
Once these words came out, Old Madam Jiang's happy face sunk and almost threw the teacups to this fourth girl she disliked. She roared, "Don't be ridiculous!"
Madam Zhang glared at Jiang Ningbao and thought that this niece was really idiotic.
Duke Ding Residence's oldest miss. That was a position that even princesses had to respect and make friends with.
This niece was really an ignorant lard.
So idiotic that people could not look at it.
Madam Zhang looked at her daughter who had a cool aura and pretty face and felt if this kind of good thing fell on her daughter's head, it would be better.
A pity her daughter was not that lucky.
"Butler Zhao, canceling the engagement is alright, but I don't want to become sir heir's littler sister Why don't we change the compensation?"
Jiang Ningbao was not scared of Old Madam Jiang's rage. She stared at Butler Zhao and patted her ruby bracelet softly as she asked gently.
Butler Zhao was stunned and asked in curiosity, "What compensation does the fourth miss wants?"
"Sir heir is really skilled, giving a compensation people cannot refuse. I've seen his determination in canceling the engagement. But I'm not resigned. Why should I give away the title of fiancee to Yang Shuqing? Just because my status is lower than hers, do I have to lower my head and give way to her?"
"I will not. So I've decided that I agree to cancel the engagement, but I want to marry Duke Ding. I want to step on their heads. Butler Zhao, the compensation I want is this."
Jiang Ningbao glanced at Butler Zhao with a smile and spoke with a pace that was not fast nor was it slow, but the words spoken shocked everyone present.
Butler Zhao was shocked.
He thought that this Jiang fourth miss was weak and timid, only enduring even when her engagement was canceled. He didn't think that she would be waiting for this moment.
Old Madam Jiang and First Madam Zhang was shocked by Jiang Ningbao who suddenly became tough and unyielding, different from her usual gentleness. Jiang Mingyao snapped her heard at her fourth sister who was no longer timid with surprise in her eyes.
Was this still that weak and gentle fourth sister?
Not only were they in disbelief, the servants in the hall were also shocked till their jaws dropped.