Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi each took a goddaughter. One’s family name was Chen, and the other one’s was Lai. Now they both changed their family names to Jiang. Honestly speaking, those fifteen-year-old girls were both beautiful. They both had round eyes and rosy cheeks. Their skins were smooth and white. Their temperament was very pleasing as well. They were gentle and generous, which made them perfectly suitable for being amiable hostesses.

However, Qiu Yelan mistakenly saw them as spies. So, she hated them very much, no matter how she thought.

Despite those two girls treated her with great respect and addressed her as their sister-in-law, she still decided to kill them as planned!

However, …

She didn’t find a chance to do it. It wasn’t because Empress Jiang didn’t want to take the blame for her. Empress Jiang was capable of doing so. Those two girls were just the daughters of the Jiang Family’s subordinates. She could kill Empress Dowager Ye without hesitation, let alone those two girls. It was mainly because Madame Dou, Madame He, and Madame Dou Junior accompanied them to the Palace.

Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi didn’t find out Qiu Yelan’s plan. In fact, those two girls didn’t have titles, and they weren’t Empress Jiang’s biological nieces. Thus, they weren’t qualified to meet Empress Jiang alone. So, the madams of the Jiang Family needed to bring them along.

Madame Dou and Madame Dou Junior were worried about their families in the Jiaofang. They surely didn’t want to waste such a good chance to plead with Empress Jiang.

When Madame He heard that they were going to come, she was afraid that her husband would scold her if something bad happened. So, she had to put aside her household chores and come with them. After all, one of those two girls belonged to her branch.

So, the Beique Hall was quite lively. After the formality, Madame Dou and Madame Dou Junior began to badger Empress Jiang about their families. Madame He felt embarrassed because she couldn’t join their conversation. So, she began to talk to Qiu Yelan.

They kept talking until they left together. Qiu Yelan didn’t find a chance to kill those two girls in the meantime.

And they even badgered with her on their way back.

“The men in my family made mistakes. But the women are innocent. Yelan, You’re always kind. You often spend time with Her Majesty. Please speak up for us while you have the chance!” said Madame Dou.

“Why did Her Majesty suddenly want to see those two girls? Did she have a plan? You’ve been spending a lot of time with Her Majesty lately. Don’t hide it from me if you have any news!” said Madame He.

“Yelan, please forgive me for offending you before. My cousins are so pitiful,” said Madame Dou Junior.

And those two girls took a hint from their godmothers. They also tried to woo her, “Yelan, you’re so beautiful. We heard it back at home… Now we see… Yashuang is so thoughtful… You’re so lucky… From now on… Please give most concern…”

Qiu Yelan talked to them reluctantly and asked for a pot of tea after getting back. She was so frustrated!

Jiang Yashuang laughed so hard after knowing what happened and reminded her, “I don’t think those two girls are Men of Sacrifice. I’ve asked around. They’re indeed daughters of the Chen Family and Lai Family. They raise them to be ladies. Have you ever seen anyone at their age who come from common families be trained as Men of Sacrifice?”

He thought his wife was paranoid. There were female Men of Sacrifice in their families. How could they let two ladies do it? Everyone knew that they took them in as goddaughters. They should consider how the Western Army would react even if they didn’t care about Qiu Yelan’s feelings!

“People from the first and the third branch all mean my brother no good!” said Qiu Yelan with absolute certainty. “Our family has a lot of daughters. They took those two girls in suddenly. How couldn’t it be about my brother? I need to kill them for precaution!”

Jiang Yashuang said with a smile, “But you shouldn’t do it yourself. Even if our aunt can cover for you when you kill them in the Palace, do you think you can hide anything from our grandfather? If our grandfather is mad at you, I don’t know what he will do to you. What if he takes it out on our brother?”

“Eh, you have a point!” Qiu Yelan pondered for a while and pounded the table, “You! Go to see Yadan!”

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“Our eldest uncle and third uncle took them in officially. They even have changed their family names!” Jiang Yashuang was frustrated. “It’s fornication if Yadan sleeps with them!” Jiang Yashuang murmured in his heart, couldn’t Yelan always think of their eldest brother whenever she wanted to do bad things? Yadan was already reckless enough. How would he become if Yelan kept inciting him?

“He seduced his uncle’s concubine before! That’s even worse, okay?” Qiu Yelan grumbled inwardly and then said pitifully, “Can you give me any advice?”

Jiang Yashuang replied with a smile, “They actually want to give those two girls to your brother. And those two girls definitely won’t harm your brother. Why do you insist on killing them? They’re just our family’s goddaughters. Honestly speaking, our uncles won’t be sad if they’re dead. They can take another two girls in. Judging by the numbers of their trusted subordinates, a few dead goddaughters don’t matter.”

He smiled meaningfully, “Why don’t you win them over?”

“If so, I need to ask our aunt for help!” Qiu Yelan pondered for a while and then looked up. “Our eldest aunt and third aunt always keep an eye on them at home. I can’t go to talk to them very often. If I go to see them too often, they’ll find an excuse to stop me. And then what can I do? I just have to ask our aunt to summon them to the Palace. Our eldest and third aunt are both ladies of the house. They can’t go with them all the time! Even if they let our eldest and seventh sister-in-law tag along, no one dares to disobey our aunt when she commands.”

Jiang Yashuang said smilingly, “Shishui is taking care of our eighth sister-in-law now. And our grandmother doesn’t restrain you. You’re closer to our aunt than me. Just do what you need to do.”

Qiu Yelan asked Empress Jiang for help as expected. They summoned those two girls to the Palace every now and then. Madame Dou and Madame He couldn’t stop them. They could only complain to their husbands. Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi couldn’t do anything but inform Empress Jiang. They reported it to Marquess Qin, “She is deliberately giving us a hard time!”

Marquess Qin was a little impatient, “Do you want me to help with such a minor matter?” It was true that Marquess Qin adored the two. But they were so useless, weren’t they?

Jiang Tianqi’s face became red at once. He was the eldest son after all. He valued his image in his father’s mind. Jiang Tianao had fewer scruples because he was spoiled. He had the cheek to say, “Second uncle, we have ideas. But we’re just afraid that Tianluan misunderstands us!”

“How could she misunderstand you since we’re a family?” Marquess Qin looked up. “Don’t come to me with every trifle. What’s the use of your subordinates?” They both had grandkids. Unlike his grandson Jiang Yashuang, he was still young and needed to be cultivated. So, Marquess Qin concerned himself with everything related to Jiang Yashuang.

Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi had grown up. Marquess Qin thought they shouldn’t bother him with trifles. He had a few grand grandkids. How long could he keep helping them? He would turn over in his grave since they still depended on him so much!

The two persons, sent away by Marquess Qin, were on the same page about taking over the Western Army. But they hadn’t decided whose goddaughter would be Qiu Jinglan’s wife. So, they didn’t discuss but tried to find their own way instead.

Jiang Tianqi instructed Madame He after getting back, “From now on, you need to try every means to badger with Qiu Yelan and keep her at home. If you can’t, let Shuijin do it!”

Madame He was unhappy when hearing that, “If you want me to keep Qiu Yelan at home, just say it. Don’t use the word ‘badger’. I’m her senior after all. Besides, why do you say that you will ask Shuijin to do it if I can’t? You clearly mean that I’m less capable than her!”

However, Jiang Tianqi had been staying with Madame Chi lately. He treated his wife more and more coldly. Madame He didn’t dare to make him mad. She had to swallow her anger and only agreed.

Since Jiang Tianao’s wife and daughter-in-law both didn’t get along well with the fourth branch, he claimed that his goddaughter was sick and afraid to infect others in the Palace and turned down the Empress’s summon.

But it was too late. Those two girls were selected because of their smartness. With their formal visits to the Palace, Madame Dou and Madame He couldn’t win them over, “Our fathers and brothers work for Deputy Premier Jiang and Assistant Minister Jiang. But they both need to bow to Her Majesty first and then skip the formality when Her Majesty allows. We can offend neither side. We’d better leave ourselves an alternative. Who knows who will be in charge in the future?”

“You’re right. Besides, Madame Dou and Madame He keep implying that our families will be held as hostages. As both sides were trying to use us, they all should have scruples. They won’t kill our families rashly. Let’s do it from now on!”

They decided after discussion and pretended to be meek and submissive to cope with Madame Dou and Madame He’s training. They didn’t talk about what was truly hidden in their minds.

Madame He and He Shuijin badgered with Qiu Yelan for a few days, which made her annoyed. And she thought that those two girls must have taken her advice. So, she implied that she wouldn’t put Empress up to summon them to the Palace anymore. She reassured Madame He and He Shuijin like that. Since she was very warm towards Empress Jiang, it would be inappropriate to be aloof suddenly. So, she kept visiting Empress Jiang.

Naturally, Empress Jiang would ask why she hadn’t come to visit her for a few days when they met.

“The third aunt and Shuijin have been keeping me busy lately, so I didn’t come to visit you!” Qiu Yelan explained.

“I knew they would hinder you!” Empress Jiang sneered, “What do you want to do now? Badgering with you won’t work. If you still want to get those two girls here, I’ve plenty of ways to make them send those two girls here willingly!”

Qiu Yelan said smilingly, “I think uncles selected them because they’re smart. They must have listened to reason.”

She didn’t need to inculcate them again and again. It all depended on if they agreed with her or not. So, she didn’t have to see them very often as long as they truly listened. Empress Jiang nodded, “That would be good!”

While they were talking, Princess Yongfu rushed in, “Mother!” She saluted casually and smiled at Qiu Yelan, “I know Yelan is here!”

Empress Jiang was truly happy whenever she saw her daughter. She asked with love, “Look at you all sweaty! You’re old enough not to be so reckless… Come over. Let me wipe the sweats for you.”

And she scolded her maids for being useless since they didn’t stop her when she was all sweaty. It was cold. What if she caught a cold? Princess Yongfu nestled in her arms smilingly. Empress Jiang wiped her face and hands. And then she touched her inner clothes which were dry. It looked like that she only sweated on her forehead after running too fast. Empress was relieved and let her go, “What is it you want to see Yelan this time?”

“My father has been spiritless lately. Food made by the royal kitchen can’t whet his appetite!” Princess Yongfu said, “I thought that Yelan’s cooking was unique. I’m wondering if Yelan could cook for my father. Just need a few dishes!”

Empress Jiang didn’t love Emperor. It was difficult for a vixenish woman like her to love such a timid man. But they were a couple after all. Emperor had always been weak in front of her. So, she should at least feel sorry for him. And considering the downfall of the Empress Dowager’s party, Emperor’s future was uncertain. So, she sighed after hearing what her daughter said. She praised Princess Yongfu for being a filial kid while touching her hair. And then she looked towards Qiu Yelan.

Qiu Yelan could only say, “It’s an honor to cook for His Majesty. I’m just afraid that my skill isn’t good enough.”

“His Majesty doesn’t have an appetite. Just give your best shot,” Empress Jiang interrupted, “How could we blame you since the royal cooks fail to make things he likes?”

But no one in the Beique Hall knew what was happening in the Hall of Taishi in the meantime. When Empress Dowager Gu heard from the servant that Princess Yongfu asked Qiu Yelan to cook for Emperor as expected, her dim eyes lit up at once. She instructed solemnly, “Do you remember what you should say and do?”

“Your Majesty, please don’t worry. All is ready,” Maid Zheng moved forward with her knees in a tremble and reported with a low voice, “Just wait for Jiang’s people!”