The next day, Que'er arrived at the Duke of Chu's residence.
After listening, Chu Ruoyin remained silent for a long time before speaking softly, "Please go back and tell Miss Jiang that Ruoyin will be there on time tomorrow."
Que'er assented and left. Her maid, Bihe, said worriedly, "Second Young Miss, are you really going to meet her? She's probably doing this because of the Prince of Qin..."
"I know," Chu Ruoyin lowered her eyes and smiled faintly. "It's just as well. I'll make things clear with her, so as to avoid any future misunderstandings between the two of them."
"Worried about misunderstandings between them? But what about you? Are you really going to give up?" Bihe's face was full of indignation on her behalf.
Chu Ruoyin chuckled and pinched her cheek. "Silly girl, there has been no possibility between him and me for a long time now. What is there to give up?"
Just as Bihe was about to speak, Chu Ruolan ran in. "Second Sister! Grandfather is here and wants to see you!"
Chu Ruoyin's delicate brows drew together slightly. "Yes, it is time I saw the old master."
Main Hall.
Old Master Jiang was seated in the guest-of-honor seat, accompanied by Eldest Uncle Jiang and the siblings Jiang Huaian and Jinxue.
The moment Jiang Huaian saw Chu Ruoyin, he called out excitedly, "Cousin!"
Chu Ruoyin kept her eyes downcast and said nothing. She walked in and performed a proper curtsey. "Ruoyin pays her respects to Grandfather, Eldest Uncle, Cousin Huaian, and Cousin Jinxue."
Old Master Jiang stroked his beard and nodded. Lady Jiang the Younger chided, "Why still call him 'Grandfather' and 'Eldest Uncle'? You should be calling them 'Grandfather' and 'Father' now!" She then smiled and looked at her father and brother. "Father, Eldest Brother, my daughter is shy. After she enters the family, I must ask you to be patient with her."
Eldest Uncle Jiang hurriedly said, "Second Sister, you are too formal. Ruoyin is both your daughter and my future daughter-in-law. Our families are becoming even closer. In the future, we will certainly treat her as our own daughter. You can rest assured!"
Lady Jiang the Younger smiled radiantly and looked at her father.
Old Master Jiang's sharp eyes appraised Chu Ruoyin for a moment before he said slowly, "Good girl, you have spirit! After you enter our household, you may live as your heart desires. Although our Jiang family is wealthy, we don't have many tiresome rules. There is only one: from now on, you must not associate with members of the imperial family anymore. Do you understand?"
Chu Ruoyin still did not speak. Jiang Huaian said anxiously, "Cousin?"
Lady Jiang the Younger also frowned. "Why are you just standing there? Quickly agree with your Grandfather!"
Chu Ruoyin raised her head and said calmly, "Grandfather, Mother, please forgive Ruoyin's rudeness. Ruoyin... is unwilling to marry again."
A commotion erupted in the hall!
Jiang Huaian's face changed drastically. "Is it because of the Prince of Qin? You still can't let him go, is that it?"
Chu Ruoyin shook her head and curtsied to him. "No, it has nothing to do with the Prince of Qin, Cousin Huaian. Even if Ruoyin does not marry you, she will not marry him either."
Jiang Huaian sighed in relief and was about to ask more when Chu Ruoyan's voice suddenly came from the doorway. "Grandfather? Eldest Uncle is here too? Why wasn't Ruoyan informed?"
Everyone looked towards the entrance. Old Master Jiang's eyes gleamed. "Yan'er is here? This old man was just looking for you! Come, come, come! Let's you and I have a private talk!"
With that, he ordered his servants to carry him out. Lady Jiang the Younger hurriedly said, "Father, the matter concerning Ruoyin..."
"You handle your daughter's affairs yourself! Yan'er, let's go!"
The old master was as swift as the wind, leaving immediately and causing immense awkwardness for the Jiang family members present.
Bodhi Courtyard.
Only after Old Master Jiang had dismissed everyone did he take her hand and ask, "Your father has told me everything. You... know it all now?"
Chu Ruoyan knew he was asking about her origins. She knelt down. "Yes... Grandfather, I'm sorry. It's all because of me that the Jiang family has been implicated..."
Old Master Jiang supported her arm and snorted. "Get up! What talk of implication? You were just an unknowing infant then, what could you possibly understand? All of this is the sin of the Murong family!"
He closed his eyes to calm himself for a moment, then continued, "Yan'er, now that you know, you must be even more careful from now on. The Murong family is full of cunning and treacherous scoundrels. Back when they seized the throne, if not for Yan Xu, it wouldn't have gone so smoothly! Once they learn of your identity, they will spare no effort to eradicate you root and branch. So, today, Grandfather also wanted to ask you: would you like to return to Yangzhou with me?"
"Return to Yangzhou?"
"Indeed. I have built my life's work in Yangzhou. Even if the Murong family suddenly moves against us, they won't be able to touch you for a while..."
Chu Ruoyan looked at this white-haired old man who had toiled his whole life and was still laboring for her sake in his twilight years.
Her eyes stung. "Grandfather, you need not worry about Yan'er anymore. I have truly wronged you all too much..."
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw the old master's expression turn solemn. "No! To have served the Prince Regent was the Jiang family's honor! As long as we can protect you, even the extinction of our entire clan would be worth it!"
Chu Ruoyan's heart was profoundly shaken.
What kind of man was her birth father, the Prince Regent, to inspire such unwavering loyalty that so many were willing to die for him?
After a long moment of contemplation, she slowly shook her head. "Grandfather, I will not go to Yangzhou. Yan Zheng's home is here. I cannot let him return and not find me... But please rest assured, I will be extremely careful in the capital, leaving no opening for others. It is you I worry about. The journey back to Yangzhou is long. Please take good care of your health!"
Disappointment flashed across Old Master Jiang's face. He reached out and patted her shoulder. "Perhaps it's for the best not to go. Huaishan says you are with child, and indeed, a long journey is not advisable... But Yan'er, let Grandfather give you one final piece of advice: if the situation turns bad, come to Yangzhou immediately. Do you understand?"
Chu Ruoyan gave a solemn promise and only then saw the old master off.
Returning to the main hall, she found the Jiang family had already left, with only Chu Ruoyin still kneeling on the floor.
Lady Jiang the Younger's face was livid. "What exactly are you thinking? You don't want a fine boy like Huaian, so who do you want? The Prince of Qin? He is about to marry the Jiang girl. You're not still clinging to those foolish delusions, are you?"
Chu Ruoyin's face paled slightly. Chu Ruoyan coughed twice and said, "Aunt, what matter has stirred such anger?"
Seeing her, Lady Jiang the Younger reined in her fury and tossed out, "You think it over carefully yourself!"
Chu Ruolan made a mouthing gesture of "I'll calm Mother down, you calm Second Sister" and hurriedly chased after her.
Chu Ruoyan instructed Yulu to help Chu Ruoyin up and asked, "You rejected Cousin?"
Chu Ruoyin lowered her head dejectedly. "Yes... But Cousin was unwilling. He begged me to give him another chance... Eldest Sister, I don't want to hurt him anymore. During our time together these past days, I have only felt sisterly affection for him. But..."
She bit her lip, and after a long pause, forced out a bitter smile. "Perhaps, no matter what I choose, it will be wrong."
Chu Ruoyan frowned. "Second Sister, matters of the heart can never accommodate a third person. Whether you choose someone, or choose no one, I hope you can be decisive. Sometimes, the longer you drag things out, the harder it becomes to sever them. Do you understand?"
Chu Ruoyin was taken aback, pondering her words. "Eldest Sister's advice is correct. After I meet Miss Jiang tomorrow, I will make things clear with Cousin Huaian. If he insists on marrying..." She paused, then resolved herself, "...then I will marry! In the future, even if there is no conjugal love, we will certainly treat each other with respect."
Chu Ruoyan gave a slight nod, then suddenly asked, "Miss Jiang? The sister of the Director of the Imperial Observatory? Are you acquainted with her?"
Chu Ruoyin was puzzled. "Not at all. Today, she sent her maid to find me, inviting me to meet tomorrow at the Auspicious Tavern... I imagine she must have heard about the matter between me and the Prince of Qin and wants to get to the bottom of it."
Chu Ruoyan immediately felt something was amiss.
It was true that her second younger sister and the Prince of Qin were deeply entangled, but to preserve the royal family's dignity, the matter had never been publicly disclosed.
Even on the day of the Jiang family's grand wedding, the two had addressed each other as sworn brother and sister. How could Jiang Yi, a lady from an official's household, have come to know of it?
She pondered for a moment and said, "Second sister, it has also been a long time since I last saw Miss Jiang. I shall accompany you there tomorrow."
"Very well."
