Duke Jing's younger sister

Chapter 140: Remarry?

This is a two-story house, not too large in size, located at the entrance of Huajia Lane, very close to the main street.

Even though we were in a small hall, we could still vaguely hear the bustling voices coming from the street.

The sunlight slanted down on the blue-gray brick wall.

Maybe because we just moved in, some of the window papers haven’t been replaced yet, so they are slightly yellowed.

Shen Li hadn't seen her father for eight years. She thought her father would hug her, or she would throw herself into his arms and have a good cry.

When loved ones meet again after a long separation, they should be overjoyed and hug each other and cry.

She believes that this reaction is normal.

Unfortunately, as soon as Jiang Minzhi entered the door, the five-year-old girl jumped into his arms like a chick and called out sweetly, "Dad is back."

"Hey, does my A-Ke miss her father?"

This voice, this tone, didn't feel strange to her at all.

But listening to it now, it lacks the warmth and warmth it once had, and instead makes her feel mixed emotions.

It even feels a bit ironic.

When Jiang Minzhi entered the room, he didn't see Shen Li at first glance.

Afterwards, his face was full of love, and he held the little girl in his arms as if she were a treasure, unable to let go.

She never got the chance to cry again.

It would be a lie to say that there is no gap, but crying at this moment would be a bit inappropriate.

She curtseyed, "Daughter greets father."

Only then did Jiang Minzhi discover that there was another girl in a light yellow dress in the room.

He was surprised for a moment, then looked her up and down, with a hint of joy in his eyes, and sat down on the chair holding the little girl.

He picked up a piece of cake from the porcelain plate and gently put it into the girl's hand. Only then did he bother to ask Shen Li.

"Ali, have you been doing well in the Shen Mansion these years?"

She pursed her lips, Ari?

Could it be that he even forgot her nickname?

"Compared to my father and brother, it is naturally excellent."

She meant what she said.

Liangzhou is extremely hot in summer and extremely cold in winter, and there are constant sandstorms in spring.

Jiang Minzhi has been in Liangzhou for eight years, and has to work all day long. He has long lost the elegant temperament that once made him a leader in the Western School.

At this moment, he was wearing a crimson official uniform, and his complexion was dark and rough. He did not look like a pampered official, but rather like a farmer who had been working in the fields all year round.

The second master of the Shen family, Shen Chuanzhi, is about the same age as Jiang Minzhi, but he looks more than ten years older than the second master Shen.

Shen Li noticed with sharp eyes that her father's once jet-black temples were now covered in gray.

She clenched the handkerchief in her hand, feeling a surge of pain in her heart.

Just stay quiet and listen to him continue.

"I have just prepared a thank-you gift and am planning to go to the Shen Mansion early tomorrow morning to visit your stepmother, Madam Shen."

"They have taken care of you for so many years. Even if you return to the Jiang family in the future, you must not forget their kindness. You must repay the kindness you have shown us."

Shen Li bowed and said, "Yes, my daughter will remember it."

She had never expected such a polite yet distant scene.

She raised her eyes slightly and saw the woman standing next to Jiang Minzhi. She looked to be about thirty years old, with fair skin, a pointed face and long eyebrows.

Although she also came back from Liangzhou, there was no sign of the ravages of time on her body.

Seeing Shen Li's eyes occasionally glancing behind him, Jiang Minzhi coughed twice with a little discomfort.

"Ah Li, this is... Zou. When I was in Liangzhou, it was thanks to her that I was able to survive and wait for the day when the Jiang family will rise again and you and I can be reunited as father and daughter."

Shen Li guessed what Jiang Minzhi said.

The wholehearted treatment when one is down and out is more likely to touch people's hearts.

So she didn't intend to object.

Of course, her objection was useless.

Now, she just needed some time to buffer herself from this sudden situation.

She remained silent the entire time, listening to her father chattering about his days in Liangzhou, his words full of gratitude towards the woman.

Zou had also been observing her secretly.

The eldest son of the Jiang family was born with good looks, and even in a place like Liangzhou, he was still outstanding.

The girl from the Jiang family was no less beautiful, with cheeks as white as snow and a pair of sparkling eyes that seemed to be able to see into people's hearts easily.

Especially the light yellow dress she was wearing, which had a great drape. When she walked, the skirt fluttered in the wind, and it was obvious that it was expensive.

It is said that Jiangdu City is prosperous and wealthy, and a piece of clothing for nobles would cost dozens of taels of silver. It seems to be true.

Once again, she secretly congratulated herself on her good judgment of people.

"Father."

Shen Li said, "It's your own business, just make your own decision."

Jiang Minzhi finally put down the burden on his heart after hearing this and said with a smile,

"In a few days, your father will return to Changzhou to worship the ancestors. At that time, I will ask the elders of the clan to bear witness and promote Zou as the mistress of the Jiang family. At that time, she will be your mother."

Shen Li was stunned when she heard this, Mistress?

So he not only wants to take a concubine, but also wants to remarry?

Shen Li felt very choked up.

Jiang Minzhi lost his wife at a young age, and in the early years, there were people who came to propose marriage to him.

But he rejected them all, and made it known that he would only have one wife, and the Jiang family would never have another mistress in this life.

So now, he wants to overturn the promise he made back then?

Shen Li immediately questioned, "Father, I still remember you said that the Jiang family would never have a mistress in this life, right?"

"As a father, I know that you will feel uncomfortable."

Jiang Minzhi sighed and said, "She has been with me for six years, working hard without complaint, and never asked for any status. It's just that I feel that taking her as a concubine would be unfair to her."

Shen Li: "Father, do you really think that she has the ability to be the mistress of the Jiang family and manage the Jiang family for you?"

It's not that she looks down on this Zou.

Jiang Minzhi is now a third-rank official in the court. As the mistress of the Jiang family, she not only has to manage the household expenses, but also has to maintain good relations with the major families so that her husband has no worries and can devote himself to court affairs.

According to Jiang Minzhi, Zou couldn't even read a few words, so how could she be qualified to be the mistress of the Jiang family?

Zou heard that something was wrong, and she twisted her hands around her abdomen, rolled her eyes back and forth, and said with a smile,

"I chose to follow you, Master, not for any status. But now, we already have Ke'er. If I am a concubine, then Ke'er will become a concubine, right?"

Zou frowned slightly and looked at her young daughter in Jiang Minzhi's arms, her voice choking with sobs.

"I heard that in Jiangdu City, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children is the most important. If Ke'er becomes a concubine's daughter, then in the future, wouldn't it be..."

She wiped her tears with a handkerchief and sobbed,

"If I had known this, I would have left my mother and me in Liangzhou so that we wouldn't have to suffer this humiliation."

"Do you think I humiliated you?" Shen Li asked.