“Master, the second young master is sleeping soundly, so I had no choice but to bring him over this way,” said Man Zeng.

Man Zeng was an old servant of the Guogong mansion, and his words were naturally trusted by the Duke of An.

“Wake him up,” the Duke ordered.

Before Man Zeng could react, Jiang Fengyuan flicked the tea in his hand, which splashed directly onto the face of the person sleeping in the bed.

Jiang Fengyuan said casually, “Ah, sorry, I slipped.”

Man Zeng: …

Jiang Qisheng was woken by the cold tea, wiping his face before sitting up, his bare chest exposed.

Seeing the people in the study and his own nakedness, he quickly wrapped the blanket around himself.

He clearly remembered being at Aunt Hua’s place—how did he end up here? And in such a disgraceful manner?

The Duke of An placed his personal seal on the table. “Why is this personal seal in your study?”

Jiang Qisheng froze.

“This personal seal… It’s clearly…,” he stopped himself in time. “It was in my father’s study, how could it be in mine?”

He was puzzled, as he had instructed someone to place it in his elder brother’s study.

Why did his father say it was in his own?

“Still trying to argue! Guards, drag the second young master to kneel in front of the ancestral hall!”

Just kneeling in front of the ancestral hall? Was it really that simple?

Jiang Fengyuan sneered inwardly.

From Yuanxi, he knew that he had been beaten half to death by his father because of this matter.

Now, the personal seal was found in Jiang Qisheng’s study, and he was only being punished by kneeling in front of the ancestral hall.

Clearly, the Duke of An was biased!

“Wait!” Jiang Fengyuan stood up. “Since we are clearing this up, I also have a matter to report to Father.”

The Duke’s face darkened, and he impatiently asked, “What is it?”

Jiang Fengyuan said, “The second branch, Jiang Hui, deceived my son, Yuancheng, into taking Yuanxi out, then knocked Yuancheng unconscious and abandoned Yuanxi in the mountains. I wish to ask Father for justice.”

The Duke appeared confused, and Man Zeng quickly leaned in to whisper a few words.

The Duke’s expression didn’t change, and he seemed uninterested. “Since Yuanxi has been found, let this matter pass.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Fengyuan clenched his fists tightly.

His daughter almost lost her life, and yet the Duke simply wanted to let it go with a few words?

“Father, if you…”

“Jiang Fengyuan!” The Duke called his name loudly, his voice so sharp that even those outside the courtyard could hear.

Jiang Fengyuan gritted his teeth and said firmly, “If you don’t give me justice, I’ll submit my resignation!”

“You! Very well!” The Duke was so angry his chest hurt.

In the end, the second branch’s servant, A Chang, was dismissed, and the matter was concluded.

After the Duke left, Jiang Fengyuan closed the door and sat alone in the study for a long time.

Chen Shi, his wife, was worried but didn’t want to disturb him.

Chun Zhi, noticing her concern, asked, “Madam, shall I have someone send something over?”

Chen Shi shook her head.

Although she was worried about her husband, adults had their own ways of dealing with matters.

The general needed his time alone.

Taking advantage of this time, Chen Shi had someone bring in the person who had informed the second branch.

“Madam, Madam, I was wronged! Please tell the general, beg for mercy!” Lan Xin immediately cried out as soon as she entered.

Her loud voice woke Jiang Yuanxi, who had been peacefully sleeping on the bed.

“Lan Xin, have we ever treated you unfairly?” Mrs.Chen asked.

Lan Xin weakly shook her head.

Chun Zhi threw a silver note of one hundred taels in front of Lan Xin.

“Heartless wretch! For a bit of silver, you betrayed the madam,” Chun Zhi said angrily.

Chun Tao added, “When your parents were sick, it was the madam who gave you money.”

They had all served the general and madam together, and they had developed feelings over time.

But now, the person who betrayed the madam had nothing to do with them anymore.

Lan Xin was stunned, realizing the madam had found out.

She pleaded, “Please, madam, spare me! I was blinded by greed. Please show mercy!”

Lan Xin kowtowed on the ground, making noise as she did, but her forehead didn’t show any red marks.

Mrs.Chen curiously stroked her chin.

“Iron head skill?” she wondered. How did she train that?

After all, she had served the general for a long time and was sent by the second branch, so Chen Shi was reluctant to drive her away.

[ Mother, don’t let her go. Lan Xin still wants to be my second mother,] Jiang Yuanxi thought, remembering how, after the madam’s death, Lan Xin tried to win over Jiang Fengyuan’s favor, even going so far as to poison him.

Even so, Jiang Fengyuan never took her seriously.

Chen Shi’s expression changed. Her fists clenched tightly.

No wonder Lan Xin served the general with more devotion than she did.

So it was like this. Such a person couldn’t be kept!

Jiang Yuanxi continued to remember.

“I remember, Lan Xin has a younger sister. What was her name again?” she thought anxiously.

Chen Shi noticed and immediately asked, “Lan Xin, do you have any relatives?”

Lan Xin’s eyes flickered.

“Replying to the madam, no,” she answered.

Chun Tao immediately stood up. “Lying! The girl, Lan Xi, in the eldest young master’s courtyard, is your sister.”

This was something Chun Tao had overheard by accident.

Though she didn’t know why they had hidden it, for the sake of their close bond, she had kept it to herself.

Jiang Yuanxi slapped her forehead in realization, though her hand inadvertently landed on Chen Shi instead.

“Yes, yes, it’s Lan Xi. Chun Tao really came through.”

“Without Lan Xi, my eldest brother wouldn’t have died so early.”

Thinking about her brother’s fate in the book, Jiang Yuanxi sighed again.

[The second branch secretly drugged my eldest brother’s meals, causing him to slowly lose his health. In the end, he died young.]

[These two sisters are not good people.] Jiang Yuanxi was angry but also curious about meeting her elder brother.

[Ah, when can I meet him?]

She recalled the book’s description of Jiang Yuancheng: “Gentle and elegant, a true gentleman.”

He was also described as “A graceful youth, looking up at the sky with a glass of wine, as beautiful as a jade tree in the wind.”

He was said to be an exceptional figure, but tragically, he passed away young.

Chen Shi was shaken.

Her eldest son… could it really be like this?

Her hands trembled as her heart ached so much she could hardly breathe.

If Lan Xi had been by Jiang Yuancheng’s side for so many years, could it be that her eldest son’s condition had been the same?

Chen Shi couldn’t bring herself to think further.

“Go, bring Lan Xi here,” she ordered, forcing herself to stay composed.

Soon, Lan Xi was brought in, dressed in blue.

Jiang Yuancheng accompanied her.

“Mother, I have returned to see you,” he greeted.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuanxi felt like she wanted to jump up in excitement.

“Wow!”

She felt as if she were seeing an immortal.

Though she herself had once been an immortal, her elder brother’s beauty surpassed all.

It was even more stunning than any celestial being she had met.

Jiang Yuanxi suddenly remembered a phrase.

[Jade stones like rocks, pines like emerald. A handsome youth, unparalleled in the world.]

[My big brother is so handsome, such a beautiful man. I want to kiss him.]

Jiang Yuancheng suddenly looked up, hearing the voice.

He glanced around.

Is that… my sister?

He stepped forward to the crib, looking at the little bundle with large, bright eyes.

So cute!

His heart softened a little.

[Beautiful Eldest Brother, hug me!]

So, he had heard his sister’s thoughts?

Looking at his mother’s expression, it seemed that only he could hear it.

Seeing her son’s dazed expression, Chen Shi smiled. “This is your sister Yuanxi. Give her a hug. Why are you back so early this time?”

Jiang Yuancheng had been studying at the academy, usually returning every two days.

Chen Shi hadn’t taken any time off when she gave birth.

Jiang Yuancheng carefully held his sister in his arms. “I just got back, and saw Chun Zhi bringing Lan Xi over, so I followed her.”

Chen Shi then noticed that her eldest son hadn’t changed his clothes yet.

“Go change your clothes and come back to see your sister.”

Jiang Yuancheng obediently went to change his clothes and returned.

When he came back, he saw that Chen Shi had ordered Lan Xi and Lan Xin to be taken away.

“Mother, what is this?”

Chen Shi replied, “They have committed offenses, so I had them locked up first.”

Jiang Yuancheng couldn’t bear to see Lan Xi like this. “Lan Xi has served me for many years, what did she do wrong? Mother, are you really going to sell her?”

Chen Shi didn’t want her son to get involved in these household matters.

He had his sights set on the imperial exams, and she didn’t want these issues to affect him.

[Such a pity. My handsome eldest brother…] Jiang Yuanxi sighed, still unsure why she kept repeating “such a pity.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yuancheng scratched his head in confusion.

What exactly was his sister regretting?

At this moment, Chun Zhi entered.

“Madam, Doctor Sun has arrived.”

Jiang Yuanxi was puzzled.

Why did her mother need a doctor?

Was she unwell?

Jiang Yuancheng also thought the same.

He held his sister and looked worried. [Mother, are you feeling unwell?]

Chen Shi shook her head, turning to the doctor. “Please, Doctor, examine my son carefully.”