Chapter 16
Old servant Yang's face was very ugly and she was trembling in anger.
This weak and timid fourth miss actually.....dared to shred the book madam sent to her! How dare she!
The servants around her were shocked with their eyes bulging.
Their hearts was guessing that the fourth miss might be stimulated too much from the annulment of her engagement.
Yes, it must be like this. The few servants who were informative had known that the fourth miss said in front of the old madam that even if she would die marrying over, she would have no regrets.
Fourth miss was seeking death, ah.
The hearts of the servant girls trembled. Don't look at fourth miss' soft and gentle appearance. If she hardened her heart, she would be terrifying.
Jiang Ningbao fixed her eyes at old servant Yang and as if she did not notice old servant Yang's sunk face, she smiled a little but her voice turned ice cold, "Old servant Yang, you go back and tell oldest aunt. Women Commandment this kind of thing, how many she send will be how many I shred."
Old servant Yang glared at Jiang Ningbao and left with the servant girls furiously.
Jiang Ningbao sipped her fragrant tea. She did not think that oldest aunt would act so quickly. If it was old madam who sent it over, she would not shred it but feigned compliance.
This old servant Yang.....bully people by flaunting her powerful connection. A fake tiger.
From a few years back from the moment her daughter wanted to get into her father's bed and failed, then sold mercilessly, old servant Yang hated the second branch. When dad was still here, she did not dare to do anything. After her parents 'died' and she, the second branch's miss, lost her backing, old servant Yang became brave from the support of Madam Zhang.
She also did some things in the dark against her.
Jiang Ningbao smiled coldly in her heart.
Right then, there was the sound of footsteps outside. Not long later, someone knocked on the door, seemingly unsettled.
"Fourth sister, are you here?"
Jiang Ningbao did not think that her fifth sister Jiang Mingyao would visit her.
"You may enter."
Fifth sister was, how should she put it, a person with a cool personality and her morals were not screwed. She did not resemble Madam Zhang at all, but in this era of parents being the matchmaker, she had to marry Xie Jingyi's legitimate little brother in the end.
In the book, after she got married, because of her guilt toward Jiang Ningbao, she secretly helped Jiang Ningbao many times.
And then after she was found out by Xie Jingyi and the female lead, Jiang Mingyao who had not given birth to any child was schemed and detested by her husband. She was sent to a monastery and became a nun.
Jiang Ningbao sighed.
Sometimes, you shouldn't be too straight as a person.
Chapter 17
Jiang Mingyao came in alone and when she saw the shredded pages of a book on the floor, her face showed her stunned emotion. She looked the the shredded pages and found out that the book was Woman Commandment.
Thinking back to her meeting old servant Yang on her way here, Jiang Mingyao's heart sunk and she pursed her lips. Her cool voice carried a trace of apology.
"Fourth sister, I'm sorry."
Jiang Ningbao smiled and gestured her to come closer then poured her some tea.
"Fifth sister, it's no your fault, don't worry too much. This is the spring tea Manager Yao sent over, you should try it."
Jiang Mingyao sat in front of Jiang Ningbao and sipped the tea. The slight bitterness entered her throat. She glanced at fourth sister's tranquil face and her unsettled heart became calm. She then spoke in a low voice.
"Fourth sister, grandmother and my mother favored Xie family's second branch's legitimate second son, Xie Jinghui. They want me.....they want me to get married to him."
"But I'm not willing."
"I don't want to step on fourth sister and get married to Xie Jinghui."
Jiang Ningbao already knew Madam Zhang's calculations from the book. 'Jiang Ningbao' did not agree to the engagement annulment no matter what but First Madam secretly formed an agreement with Duke Ding Residence and forcefully annulled the engagement.
All the benefits were reaped by Madam Zhang.
But now that she agreed to the annulment but was not willing to be the heir's little sister, also declaring that she wanted to marry Duke Ding, their calculations went off.
First Madam Zhang and Old Madam Jiang must be furious.
But fifth sister's destiny was still the same. Fifth sister being bound to Xie family's second branch was imperative.
"Fifth sister, Xie Jinghui this guy, as long as you don't cross his bottom line, he's not bad." Jiang Ningbao spoke softly, stating the fact.
No matter how hateful Madam Zhang was, fifth sister was innocent.
Jiang Ningbao was not the kind of person to drag innocent people into her vengeance.
The book's Xie Jinghui had some feelings toward Jiang Mingyao. As long as Jiang Mingyao rectify her attitude and not distanced herself from him because of guilt, then got schemed by another that caused Xie Jinghui to wear down his feeling toward her. She might even be happy with him.
Sometimes, a little change could make the whole picture different.
Jiang Mingyao was stunned. She lifted her eyes to look at the smiling fourth sister and slowly asked, "Fourth sister, you.....you're not mad?"
"Why should I get mad? I'm just a niece and you are oldest aunt's biological daughter. Who she gets close to, isn't it obvious? I've said, right? I admire Duke Ding. Even if I die getting married to him, I won't regret it." Jiang Ningbao smiled and the smile carried gentleness that belonged to a girl.
This was actually not true. Jiang Ningbao was someone who cherished her life in this lifetime.
She carried an undying body type and aside from dying from old age or committing suicide, she won't die like a weed that won't die from being burnt. Her life-force was so strong it was shocking. This was why she could think about Duke Ding. If they met and he was to her liking, Jiang Ningbao did not mind chasing after him.
Old Madam Xie should not be a challenge.
As for whether or not Duke Ding agree, Jiang Ningbao did not care.
She would get him one day.
Jiang Ningbao was being domineering and confident.
Jiang Mingyao looked at fourth sister in shock. She suddenly felt that fourth sister's smile was very beautiful.
"Fourth sister, Duke Ding is a very dangerous person. Don't play around with your life just for getting even."
Jiang Ningbao just smiled at this but the determination in her eyes was seen by Jiang Mingyao. Jiang Mingyao was very worried and just when she was about to speak, Jiang Ningbao warmly patted her hand, "Fifth sister, this relates to my happiness. I have my own plan, don't you worry."
Jiang Mingyao could only carry her guilt as she left.
The courtyard became silent.
Jiang Ningbao took a pile of accounting books as she sipped her tes. She slowly looked it over while the tiny rays of warm sunlight peeked from the window, shining on the table. The atmosphere was bright and warm.
First Madam Zhang who was in the central courtyard received old servant Yang's report and she was furious. She suddenly smashed the teacup in her hand and spoke with a sunken face, "Good, very good! Fourth girl is very disobedient. When this engagement is successfully canceled, I will take care of her!"
Old servant Yang heard this and her old face showed joy. She fanned the oil by saying, "Madam is right. Fourth miss' marriage is in your hands."
Old servant Yang was a venomous person.
She was just a servant so even if she hated the second branch, she could not do things in the open, only doing some things in the dark. Only the first madam could get rid of the fourth miss.
First Madam Zhang smiled coldly, "Fourth girl recklessly declared wanting to get married to Duke Ding. See if she had that destiny! It's good if she's dead but if she isn't, then I will find her a 'good' marriage."
Old servant Yang was happy.
Chapter 18
Duke Ding Residence, Thriving Joy Hall. The incense smoke wafted in the air.
Old Madam Xie whose hair was all white slowly sipped her tea as she heard Butler Zhao's report, her expression changing.
Her son's marriage was always Old Madam Xie's sore point. But she was helpless since her son had that kind of body constitution that led to women hiding from her son. Now, there's actually a girl who did not want her life who wanted to get married to her son!
Even if she was once her adopted grandson's fiancee, it's fine.
Jiang family's fourth miss was born into Changing Count Residence's second branch. Both her looks and her background was not bad. If she really could resist her son's ominous energy.....Old Madam Xie's eyes flashed.
She's only a mother who wanted her son to have a wife who could accompany him. The adopted grandson and those etiquette was not as important as her son.
Old servant Huang was Old Madam Xie's trusted servant and also Butler Zhao's wife. She was once the servant who followed Old Madam Xie after marriage and the one who knew Old Madam Xie the most. She glanced at Old Madam Xie and spoke.
"Old Madam, why don't we take Jiang fourth miss' eight characters to Monk Gao to see if she's suitable with Duke Ding's eight characters. If she is, then the change of the engagement should not be a problem."
Old Madam Xie only sipped her tea, but the wavering in her eyes became stronger.
"You're right. There's nothing wrong in trying."
Butler Zhao released a breath mentally. He took out a card with the horoscope and respectfully gave it. "Old Madam, this is Jiang fourth miss' horoscope."
The horoscope card should be returned at first, but Changning Count Residence had not agreed to the annulment officially so Jiang Ningbao's horoscope card was not sent back.
Old Madam Xie nodded and her eyes flashed with anticipation. She gestured for Old servant Huang to keep it.
"Old Madam, there's another thing. Changning Count Residence's first madam sent someone over with a condition." Butler Zhao thought back to the servant send by Countess Changning and his heart pity Jiang fourth miss even more.
"What condition?"
"Countess Changning hoped that her youngest daughter can get married with Xie family's second branch, Young Master Xie Jinghui." Butler Zhao respectfully answered. He had not good impression on Countess Changning who stepped on Jiang fourth miss to get benefit.
Old Madam Xie snapped her head and frowned. She said with indifference, "I will not get involved in this matter. You tell the heir and he will decide."
In the end, the one who wanted to annul the engagement was that grandson so he should be the one dealing with the problems that came after.
Old Madam Xie originally liked this adopted grandson and he was also from the Xie clan's main house so she doted on him and let the servants call him 'heir'. Who knew that he would cancel his engagement with Jiang fourth lady for Anyuan Marquis' legal daughter? Old Madam Xie could not accept this. She knew how their engagement came to be so toward his action, there was a knot in her heart.
A girl having her engagement canceled and the etiquette was harsh on girls so that girl would either be married off randomly or she would be sent to the monastery to be a nun.
How could they talk about happiness?
Especially a girl whose parents were deceased. Even if she had a good brother, but since he had not gained merits, adding the fact that Countess Changning was a calculative person, one could guess the difficulty Jiang fourth miss was facing.
But Duke Ding Residence still needed him to impart and inherit.
Old Madam Xie closed an eye on this matter and helped him clean up after his mess and compensated Jiang fourth miss. She secretly hoped that Jiang fourth miss' eight characters were compatible with her son's, so her grandson won't destroy a life.
"Butler Zhao, don't let the heir know the compensation Jiang fourth miss wants. As for Changning Count Residence, there shouldn't be any word leaking about Jiang fourth miss declaring she wants to get married to my son."
Old Madam Xie could not help giving instructions. She did not want Jiang fourth miss being dissed at this time, even if her eight characters were not compatible with her son's.
Butler Zhao agreed and did not tell the heir.
The result was as Old Madam Xie expected. Old Madam Jiang and First Madam Zhang did not leak what Jiang Ningbao said.
So outsiders only knew that Butler Zhao visited to annul the engagement.
Even the male lead Xie Jingyi did not know that his former fiancee would agree to the annulment and wanted to marry his adopted dad, Duke Ding, without any reluctance.
.
Note: Things are heating up and there's about to be a confrontation between the Jiang Ningbao and Yang Shuqing.
.