Jiang Yashuang sighed, “I think you have known a little about the battle between Yadan’s wife and concubines. When Madame Tao Junior is in good health, she would be in charge of distributing those things. If any concubines or kids felt unfair, they could argue with Madame Tao Junior, which did not bother Yadan at all. But now, Madame Tao Junior got ill…”

Qiu Yelan felt even worse about Jiang Yadan after she understood the situation, “He did not want them to bother him because of unfair distribution. So, he decided to leave nothing to them? You just said we should save some for his kids when we take the lychees. But, how to distribute?”

“His concubines are not in our distribution range. Ask the maids to save the same amounts and pick the same size of lychees for each niece and nephew,” said Jiang Yashuang coldly. He added, “And don’t forget to tell the kids if they fight for more behind us, we will tell their father. He will punish them!”

“Su He, you are in charge of this!” nodded Qiu Yelan, beckoning Su He. Among the maids serving her, Su He was her favorite. She was fierce and reckless. She was the perfect one to manage the demons and monsters in Jiang Yadan’s house.

Lychees distribution was a small thing for Su He. She could handle it well. Qiu Yelan and Jiang Yashuang did not want to waste much time on it. While chatting about what was going on about themselves in a day for a while, they were served dinner.

When they finished their dinner, Su He returned with a half basket of lychees, reporting that she had already sent some lychees to Jiang Yazhu.

“In fact, we should have given more to Sheng Shishui as she is pregnant. She must want some fresh fruit. But lychees are a kind of fruit that you would feel hot and dry if you had too much,” said Qiu Yelan, adding, “When you distribute the lychees, is there any fight among Jiang Yadan’s kids?”

Su He replied, “Princess Shishui said we should have saved more for ourselves! She told me that she had a bad appetite. Lychees tend to go bad over time, and if the lychees are not eaten, they’re wasted.” She stopped for a second and added, “Nothing special happened. When I gave the lychees to the twentieth young lady, one mistress said she can’t eat them as she is still a baby. The lychees will be eaten by mistresses finally!”

“What did you tell her?” asked Qiu Yelan, having a glance at Jiang Yashuang. He was frowning.

Su He pursed her lips, “I told her that our prince made the distribution plan. If she had something to say, go and talk with our prince!”

Jiang Yashuang couldn’t help but laugh, “Whoa! You really know how to pass the buck!”

“She is Prince Yadan’s concubine. I, as a maid, dare not say she is wrong!” Su He reasoned.

Jiang Yashuang shook his head while he was smiling, not bothering by her answer. It was getting darker. He asked the maids to retreat. Only the couple was in the inner chamber now. It was a perfect time to have a private talk while peeling off the lychees. “The lychees are still frozen. Which one of Yadan’s men sent this to him? He must have a wide relationship.”

In effect, the Jiang Family had distributed the lychees twice this year. For the first time, the lychees were offered by a man with a higher rank. He could send the lychees directly to Marquess Qin. Everyone in the Jiang Family got some as he sent a big amount. And later, He Shuijin asked some servants to pick and buy some for the Family. The amount was even much more than the first time.

The lychees Jiang Yadan sent to them were extra dessert.

Jiang Yadan was a fifth-ranked military officer. His man must be lower than his rank. The man must have a broad and solid relationship to offer two big boxes of lychees to Jiang Yadan.

Jiang Yashuang thought for a while, saying, “I’m not really sure… The man seems to have a relative who is an officer and serves in the south or something.”

It was not a big deal anyway. They talked simply with each other about it.

Qiu Yelan then mentioned Qiu Jinglan, her brother, “My brother’s job? Is it in two days or longer?”

“In two or three days,” nodded Jiang Yashuang. He peeled a lychee off and fed it to her mouth. He said with a smile after watching her eat it, “Don’t worry about him… Grandfather is getting better in advance. He has sent a message to Prime Minister Xue to discuss it. With the help of two seniors, your brother will be fine.”

“But it is a plan, right? I won’t worry about him until I know he is safe,” said Qiu Yelan, spitting out the lychee pit. She rolled her eyes to him and said, “What about his schedule? Has it been decided yet? Is it the beginning of next year?”

Jiang Yashuang replied, “It will be yes if nothing unexpected occurs… But, I heard that your brother said he would feel at ease for the job if Ciyi got married before he left.”

“Given Ciyi’s age… She should not delay the time for her marriage any longer,” said Qiu Yelan, frowning. “I wonder what kind of people my brother would choose for her.”

“No need to worry about that, either,” consoled Jiang Yashuang. “He would pick a perfect man for her, given his insight on people. And we also can help him to choose the man. We should do what we can do to help her not suffer from the marriage again!” said Jiang Yashuang. He had a good impression of Ruan Ciyi because she helped him out of trouble when Qiu Jinglan asked him to run from pillar to post before he married Qiu Yelan.

She was, both nominally and practically, the elder sister of Qiu Jinglan. As the younger ones must respect the elder brothers and sisters, Qiu Jinglan could denounce Qiu Yelan severely without saving her face but he must respect his elder sister, Ruan Ciyi… Hence, even if Qiu Jinglan were making things difficult for Jiang Yashuang, once Ruan Ciyi stood out, speaking for Jiang Yashuang, Qiu Jinglan would stop what he was doing promptly.

As she helped him a lot in the past, Jiang Yashuang knew he should payback for her now. What was more, given the Jiang Family’s influence, it would cost nothing of the Family to protect Ruan Ciyi from domestic violence by her future husband.

“As I have married and if Ciyi gets married later, she and I can have leisure days to enjoy in the capital. But my brother, he has to do the revenge alone…” said Qiu Yelan, lying on the bed unhappily. “I should do something!”

You are reading story Real Empress from a Noble Family at novel35.com

Jiang Yashuang thought that as there was a male in her family. It was natural for the male to take responsibility for revenge. If he were Qiu Jinglan, he wouldn’t let Jiang Qilai or Jiang Qizheng take the responsibility. That was what he thought, but the thought might provoke his wife. He did not say it loud. Instead, he said, “If you two have good lives, your brother can deal with Kuang Shihan without worrying about you two. What’s more, he will go to the west alone. If there is something wrong, he can leave or stay in a safe place without burdens.”

It was midnight. He was afraid that the more they talked about her brother, the more upset Qiu Jinglan would be. He decided to change the topic, “The hairpin, the maid told me it was made to match with Empress Jiang’s dark reddish Diyi (a kind of gown for the highest-ranking women in the palace). But I found it perfect for you no matter what clothes you wear!”

“You are so…” Qiu Yelan said sweetly. Sure enough, her attention to her brother was distracted. She resumed, “You dare take away the hairpin made for Empress Jiang. But I dare not wear it to meet people!”

“Empress Jiang doesn’t care about this at all,” smiled Jiang Yashuang, “Think about it. She would not give it to me if she cared about this stuff.”

As the tense talk eased, Jiang Yashuang began to flirt with her. Qiu Yelan pretended to refuse but accepted it anyway. They went to bed together…

The next morning, Qiu Yelan saw her husband off for work, and then she went to see Madame Tao Junior again.

As a saying said, “When you were upset, the good news was the best medicine for it.” Madame Tao Junior looked like a dying woman yesterday. But only one night, she lifted her energy though she was still skinny.

Seeing Qiu Yelan coming to see her, she could not wait to enquire about the prescription which could get her pregnant.

Qiu Yelan had sent her maid to tell her more about the prescription yesterday after returning from the Green Villa. Madame Tao Junior used not to be a flip-flopper. Her impatience justified she took this prescription very seriously. Her life depended on the prescription. Qiu Yelan explained to her with patience after seeing her impatience, “Some integration in the prescription is rare. They could not be found in the mountains. It is unlikely we can get from ordinary drugstores. But fortunately, we stored some in the Ruan Family when we cook the herbs. Hence, I have sent a servant to fetch it at the Ruan Family… It will take days to come back. So, don’t be nervous. I have told you everything about it. I promise I will give it to you.”

Madame Tao Junior felt relieved after hearing her promise. She said apologetically, “I did not mean that you wouldn’t help me… But I just… I just can’t believe it that my wish can come true one day!”

“Heaven helps those who help themselves,” smiled Qiu Yelan. “If you were somebody else, I wouldn’t tell her a word. The prescription, actually, has a side effect on health. If Yashuang or the seniors know about it, I will be punished severely, I am sure!”

“I promise I won’t tell anyone a word about it!” said Madame Tao Junior immediately. “You are my savior as you give me the prescription. I won’t sell you out. If I do so, I go to hell. I swear to heaven that if one day, the prescription is exposed. It’s all me to be blamed. You are certainly innocent!”

Qiu Yelan was exaggerating to make herself believable. She said promptly after hearing her words, “I did not mean that. Don’t overthink it!”

Madame Tao Junior thanked her for her kindness again. Although she was recovering from illness, she has been hurt severely by the sickness. It would take a long time to recover. Hence, she felt tired shortly.

Realizing her tiredness, Qiu Yelan said good-bye to her. She then went to see Sheng Shishui as what she did yesterday.

She once said to Madame He that she did not have time to manage the family business because she must tend to care for two ill sisters-in-law. She had to pretend to be busy.

As she did not need to go to the Green Villa and it was still morning when she came out of Madame Tao’s house, she went directly to see Sheng Shishui. After she arrived at Sheng Shishui’s house, she saw Sheng Shishui lolling in a rocking chair for cooling herself under the corridor. She was needling something leisurely.

Sheng Shishui put down her needles and smiled at Qiu Yelan, “I know you will come!”

“I would have stayed with Madame Tao Junior longer, but she is tired. So I am coming here, asking for a cup of tea!” smiled Qiu Yelan. A clever maid had put a chair opposite Sheng Shishui when Qiu Yelan was crossing the corridor.

Qiu Yelan sat down on the chair, and Sheng Shishui asked a maid to serve her a cup of tea. She began to ask about the situation of Madame Tao Junior. Hearing Madame Tao Junior was getting better, she demonstrated a complicated expression. Sheng Shishui was a complex woman. She did not ask more after realizing Qiu Yelan did not intend to say more. She said, “It is good news to hear that she is getting better now… As you mention her, I haven’t been to see her for many days. Back then, in the Summer Palace, I visited her frequently. But grandmother and Madame Tao Junior said that I need not visit her often as I am pregnant. So, I have to ask my maid to do it for me.”

“Now, I am back. I will come and tell you her situation after I see her, which will spare you the worry,” smiled Qiu Yelan. She asked, “How are you doing now? Feel good?”

“Nothing to complain,” replied Sheng Shishui. “Oh, I remembered, Yadan gave me too many lychees last night. Yazhu doesn’t like it. It’s too many for me. I am thinking of delivering some to your place.”

Qiu Yelan said promptly, “We have many too. Thank you.”

“I should have asked Su He to distribute more to nieces and nephews. It is inappropriate to deliver it to them now.” thought Sheng Shishui. A maid suddenly rushed toward them while she intended to say something. The maid seemed hot with sweat falling from her head. It looked like something big occurred. She stopped before them, giving them a quick salutation and saying hurriedly, “Princess Yelan, please hurry to go to see Madame. She is about to go to the palace!”

Qiu Yelan and Sheng Shishui were shocked, “Something happened in the palace?”

Could it be that it was something about Yongfu and Xiao Su?

While they were thinking about what was going on, the maid continued, “I heard that Jiang Qiyun bullied Prince of Qi and Prince of Qi hung himself. Now his life is unknown—”

“…!!!” Qiu Yelan and Sheng Shishui looked at each other, puzzled. They felt frustrated: What kinds of kids the Jiang Family raised? Jiang Yadan, bullied his wife to death for a concubine! Jiang Qiyun, intimidated the eldest prince of the Emperor into hanging himself because of her anger!

Did they think the Jiang Family had too long good days?