northernbook Chapter 120 Return of the Engagement
Chapter 120 Return of the Engagement
"Prime Minister Jiang doesn't say anything, which means he knows about the rumors."
Pei Zhanzhou spoke slowly, yet with an air of oppression that made one afraid to look directly at him. "Prime Minister Jiang knew of such a rumor that damaged a woman's reputation, but he didn't stop it. Could this be what Second Miss Jiang meant when she said, that you would treat our national teacher's benefactor as your own daughter? Would you treat us all equally?"
Although these words did not sound like a single dirty word, they were tantamount to rubbing Jiang Gaoyuan's reputation, which he had always valued, into the ground.
Jiang Gaoyuan's face changed slightly. He was about to say something, but Pei Zhanzhou didn't give him a chance. "Miss Jiang is my master's savior, so after hearing about this, my master ordered an investigation and caught the culprit."
As he spoke, he turned to look at the mother and son who were tied up and pressed to the ground, their legs numb from kneeling.
Jiang Gaoyuan immediately understood what Pei Zhanzhou meant.
Those rumors outside were spread by this mother and son.
Jiang Gaoyuan's face was gloomy, and he had no doubt in his heart that this was Pei Zhanzhou's frame-up, because he was the one who personally instructed Li Ma to do that thing back then.
In order to avoid being noticed, he did not arrange for anyone around him to do it, so he followed his mother's instructions and handed it over to his confidant, Li Ma.
Over the years, Nanny Li has indeed kept her mouth shut. Even when facing Jiang Wansang, she did not show any flaws, and he gradually felt relieved.
But I didn't expect that she would cause trouble again, and it was even a big trouble...
At this moment, Jiang Gaoyuan regretted that he had not killed Li Ma and the others.
All kinds of curious and inquiring eyes looked at Jiang Gaoyuan, as if wanting to know how he would respond to this matter.
Jiang Gaoyuan naturally knew Jiang Wansang's identity and background, but he would not be stupid enough to say it out at this time.
After a brief thought, Jiang Gaoyuan said, "I don't know about these things..."
He didn't say whether he didn't know Jiang Wansang's background or whether he was referring to the two servants spreading rumors outside, leaving it to the people watching the excitement to guess for themselves.
He glanced at Nanny Li and the other woman, who were kneeling on the ground, trembling all over, and said, "I will investigate this matter thoroughly and will not let Wansang suffer any injustice. What do you think, Imperial Master?"
He said that he would make the decision for Jiang Wansang, but he was actually asking for Pei Zhanzhou's opinion, as if his answer was more important than Jiang Wansang himself.
But Pei Zhanzhou did not answer him. Instead, he turned to look at someone who was sitting next to him and watching the show like a big boss.
Jiang Wansang had an expression of indifference on his face. When he saw Pei Zhanzhou looking at him, he just smiled at him, as if to let him make all the decisions.
Seeing this, Pei Zhanzhou turned around and said, "This is Prime Minister Jiang's family affair. How to deal with it is none of our country's teacher's business."
Jiang Gaoyuan's face froze. He didn't dare to say it out loud, but he felt resentful in his heart.
Since it's none of his business, why did they come here with such a big fuss?
As if seeing his confusion, Pei Zhanzhou kindly explained, "This national teacher is here today on behalf of the royal family."
No one understood what he meant by "representing the royal family" and their faces were filled with confusion. Only Jiang Zihan had a bad feeling in his heart.
It was an intuition, like something destined to go out of control.
Before she could figure out what that feeling was, she heard Pei Zhanzhou say, "The rumors outside have spread Miss Jiang in such a bad light, but Prime Minister Jiang has no intention of stopping it. It seems that he doesn't care about Miss Jiang, his adopted daughter."
"If that's the case, then the engagement between the Jiang family and the Seventh Prince shouldn't fall on Miss Jiang. What do you think, Prime Minister Jiang?"
Jiang Gaoyuan hadn't expected him to bring up the rumors about Jiang Wansang's background and discuss her engagement with the royal family. After a moment's pause, he quickly replied, "Master Imperial Master, this is the children's own business. I just hope they can live well and don't want to interfere..."
"You only hope they live well. Prime Minister Jiang's words, as always, have not disappointed our national teacher." Pei Zhanzhou interrupted him directly, "Prime Minister Jiang means that the marriage of the dignified prince should be decided by your Jiang family?"
The questions were neither too serious nor too light, but they secretly set up several traps for Jiang Gaoyuan, so that no matter how he answered, he would be caught.
Jiang Gaoyuan's face changed. He didn't understand why the engagement that he had just managed to get away with in front of the emperor not long ago was being brought up again by Master Pei.
He raised his head inconspicuously to glance at Jiang Wansang who was refilling his tea, and doubts arose in his heart.
Could it be that this idiot, relying on the support of Master Pei, selfishly wants to arrange the marriage for himself?
Jiang Gaoyuan's face was tense, but he still said, "As for marriage, I still hope to let the children make their own decisions."
His movements of looking at him were very subtle, but they did not escape Pei Zhanzhou's eyes.
This old fox speaks better than he sings. Does he really think he doesn't know what he is thinking?
Jiang Zihan is his biological daughter. In his opinion, it is not cost-effective to pair her with Su Huanyu, a rising prince. She should be used as a bargaining chip to bet on the crown prince or the third prince.
Although Jiang Wansang was not favored by him, she was his daughter in name after all, and had a childhood friendship with the Seventh Prince. If the two of them could be together, he could not only maintain his good reputation of not betraying the Seventh Prince when he was in decline, but also place a bet with the Seventh Prince that he could use her if she succeeded and throw away if she failed.
Pei Zhanzhou would certainly not do as he wished with such a thorough and safe plan.
He suddenly turned to look at Jiang Wansang, who had remained silent, and asked, "Prime Minister Jiang said that you can make the decision on the engagement. What do you think, Miss Jiang?"
Having said that, Jiang Wansang of course knew that Pei Zhanzhou's purpose today was to help her get rid of that disgusting engagement.
This is certainly a good thing for her, but Pei Zhanzhou made such a big fuss just for this purpose, which is not in line with his identity and character as Pei Guoshi.
Although Jiang Wansang was puzzled, she didn't show it on her face. "The imperial decree granting the marriage was between the Jiang family's daughter and the Seventh Prince. I'm just an adopted daughter. Of course, this engagement should be returned to my good sister."
Jiang Zihan's heart trembled slightly when he was named, and a light appeared in his eyes.
Her engagement with the Seventh Prince...
She truly felt that this engagement should have been hers, but remembering the Seventh Prince's instructions not to reveal their relationship for the time being, she quickly said, "Sister, you and the Seventh Prince are in love with each other, I..."
"I'm not the one who's in love with the Seventh Prince," Jiang Wansang interrupted her. "I was kind to him before, but that was only because life in the Prime Minister's Residence was tough, and I used him as a support. But now I have a new supporter."
She turned to look at Pei Zhanzhou with a smug look on her face, "With such fine pearls and jade in front of me, who would want to look at a worthless stone?"
Such flattering words came out of her mouth without any sense of shame, but were very frank and sincere.
Everyone looked at Pei Zhanzhou in surprise, thinking that he was definitely not someone who could be flattered by a few words of flattery.
Unexpectedly, Master Pei smiled softly and said, "Miss Jiang, what you said makes sense."
Everyone: "..."
Everyone was shocked by Master Pei's reaction, but no one thought about the meaning of Jiang Wansang's words.
Life in the Prime Minister's Residence is difficult, and the Seventh Prince is regarded as a backer. The meaning contained in these two sentences is thought-provoking.