Chapter Ninety-Five Untitled

  Thank you for the 2 zongzi rewards from Yu Hou Tingyuan, thank you blue51742 for the peace symbol reward... hehe...

  The old lady heard the words of Murong's family with a deeper meaning, and her eyes flashed with understanding. She opened her mouth to Murong's family: "I understand what Your Highness means, I will definitely instruct the people in the house..."

  When Mu Rong heard Le Jiaojiao say that, she knew that Le Jiaojiao understood her meaning and nodded in satisfaction towards Le Jiaojiao.

  Qing Jin, on the other hand, returned to the Anji Marquis Manor from the Banruo Temple in the imperial suburbs and heard from the doorman that her grandmother, Shen Shi, had also returned from the palace. She immediately took Yuanyang to her grandmother's courtyard.

  Qing Jin walked into the Shen family's room wearing a pale blue dress, her slender and pale figure evoking a pang of sadness in Shen Shi. This granddaughter had always been proud and radiant, later gaining a sense of stability and understanding, but now, due to an unexpected imperial edict arranging her marriage, she had become...

  Her granddaughter, had she ever looked so pitiful?

  "Grandmother——" Qingjin slightly bowed her body, saluting her grandmother Shen, with a bright and cheerful smile as always, but the weakness beneath this smile was palpable.

  "Gu Qingjin, you are the legitimate daughter of our Anji Marquis Manor. Never tarnish the prestige of our manor at any time." Madam Shen saw Qingjin's expression and felt a little sympathy for her, but still spoke sternly to her.

  Qing Jin heard the stern tone of Shen Shi and was stunned for a moment, then looked up at her grandmother Shen Shi, seeing the sternness in her eyes but also concern hidden within, thinking of Shen Shi's words, her mind suddenly cleared like the sound of an ancient temple bell ringing, and she became clear-headed in an instant.

  Yes, what's the point of her being so self-pitying? Has she really become one of those weak and helpless women from ancient times just because she's been living in ancient times for too long? Does she really need to rely on a man to feel secure? As she thought this, a confident glow shone out from her eyes.

  Since her rebirth, the life she had always wanted was for her family to be safe and sound, and then she could live a peaceful life with Long Hanshan. Everything seemed to be going well according to her plan. But today, out of nowhere, she received an inexplicable imperial decree ordering her to marry Long Hanshan. She was struck by the news, her mind in disarray, wondering if this was really her fate. No matter how hard she tried, fate had brought her back to her past life again. Was she doomed to escape her fate and continue "loving and killing" with Long Hanshan, ultimately losing everything? Would she die in a sea of flames?

  However, Shen's words reminded her of Gu Qingjin in her past life. At that time, she had the opportunity to become a proper wife, but because of her infatuation with Long HanYuan, she dared not accept her fate and tried every means to get what she wanted, no matter the cost. Of course, her willingness to be reduced to being a concubine for Long HanYuan was also one of the stupidest things she had ever done. It wasn't something worth mentioning, but she shouldn't forget that Gu Qingjin who dared to fight against fate was the real Gu Qingjin, with a spirit that dared to resist.

  She was struck dumb by the sudden imperial edict of Ming Emperor, and now hearing her grandmother Shen's words, Qingjin recalled the past. She and Junmu Xi's marriage, no matter whether Junmu Xi was true or not, she should have understood something about it. Now thinking back, the emperor's bestowed marriage, her and Junmu Xi's marriage, there were many loopholes in it. First, why would the young master of Nanjiang pretend to be her cousin Junmu Xi? If the person who had been with her for some time was a young master from the Nanjiang witch tribe, then where was her real cousin Junmu Xi? Her maternal grandfather and cousin Junmu Xi, according to her mother Jun's words, must exist, right?

  Her maternal grandfather and cousin are right, there is still room for maneuver in this matter, why should she feel resigned as soon as she receives the imperial edict? Where is her former dare to love and hate? Even if she risks her life, she will fight against it, even if she really can't fight back in the end, she shouldn't be the first to admit defeat. She is no longer the gentle and weak Gu Qingjin who loved Long Han yuan in her past life. If he wants to marry her, she will marry him, and at worst, she will make a big fuss, which is better than being resigned.

  She thought of this and looked up at her grandmother Shen, saying: "Grandmother's words are indeed true, Qingjin has learned from them!"

  Shen gazed at Qing Jin, who had regained her vitality, and opened his mouth to praise her without hesitation: "This is the daughter of my Anji Marquis Manor."

  "Grandma said that before, it was just a case of the granddaughter being blind to one leaf."

  "It's good if you think so, is there anything you want to ask?" Shen said, looking at Qingjin.

  "What did the Empress Dowager and Grand Empress Dowager say? Can Grand Empress Dowager tell her granddaughter? Why would the Emperor suddenly issue such an imperial edict to her granddaughter and Jing Wang?"

  "This is Grandma and your mother's fault, it's because Grandma didn't clarify that your cousin Junmu Xue never came to the capital. The Empress Dowager meant that the Junmu Xue from last time was not your cousin."

  "What?" Qing Jin looked at Shen Shi with feigned surprise.

  Shen saw Qingjin's disbelieving expression and said, "Grandmother was also shocked when she heard what the Empress Dowager said. Who would have thought that someone with such elegance and poise is..." Shen couldn't help but sigh at this.

  "...Grandma means someone is impersonating Qingjin's older brother, that...that person's true identity..."

  "He is from southern Xinjiang."

  "But what does this have to do with His Majesty granting a marriage between Sun'er and Jing Wang?" Qing Jin asked in confusion.

  "...This matter involves the royal family and some things about the previous emperor. When the previous emperor was still alive, there was a favorite concubine named Lotus Concubine. The person who came for her is unfortunately too late, as Lotus Concubine has been gone for many years. The Empress Dowager didn't say much, and my grandmother also doesn't know much. My grandmother only remembered Lotus Concubine when the Empress Dowager mentioned her name. When my grandmother was in the palace, she vaguely heard about this Lotus Concubine...The previous emperor doted on her extremely...It's because of this that the royal family decided to compensate by arranging your marriage with the Third Prince..." Shen Shi briefly told Qing Jin some things she had discussed with the Empress Dowager in the palace.

  Qing Jin heard what her grandmother, Shen Shi, said. These were all messages she already knew. The only unexpected thing was that her marriage to Long Han Yuan was actually a compensation from the royal family, and also a way to silence the An Ji Hou Fu. Her grandmother's words seemed to imply that the emperor did not want to pursue the matter of the young master of Nanjiang, and even had some protective meaning.

  Qingjin thought for a moment, then looked up at her grandmother Shen and said: "Grandmother, I don't want to marry into the royal family. Can the marriage with Jing Wang be...?"

  Upon hearing Qingjin's words, Shen Shi looked over and said, "Jin'er, are you...?"

  "Grandma, it's not that I don't want a granddaughter...it's just that my daughter doesn't want to be the concubine of the Third Prince..."

  "The imperial decree has been issued, I'm afraid it's too late..."

  "Grandma..."

  "You may not be willing... but it's the royal family... Alright, I'll discuss this with your father..."

  "Thank you, Grandma," said Qingjin as she bid farewell to Shen Shi and went downstairs first.

  Shen's family waved his hand at Qingjin.

  Qing Jin left Shen's courtyard and went straight to her mother Jun's courtyard. When Jun saw Qing Jin coming in, she immediately felt guilty and apologized to Qing Jin: "Jin'er, it's Mother who owes you an apology." After Shen returned, Jun soon realized that she had misjudged her nephew.

  "Mother, I don't want to marry into royalty."

  "Alright, if you don't want to get married, then don't. I'll write a letter to your maternal grandfather. If all else fails, I'll take you and Xuaner back to Lingnan."

  "Mother, at first grandfather's letter from afar..."

  "That letter is real, I've already written to your grandfather, he must give us an explanation for the two of us. I'm confused too, and it's impossible that I wouldn't recognize your grandfather's handwriting. Moreover, that person looks very much like your aunt..."

  "That person looks like Aunt? Mother said that the one who has always been by our side and calls himself my uncle's brother looks very similar to Aunt."

  "Exactly, otherwise how would I have recognized you wrongly?"

  Qing Jin fell silent after hearing her mother's words.

  "Jing'er, don't worry, mother will definitely make your maternal grandfather give us an explanation." Jun saw Qing Jing's silence and felt a bit uneasy, it was she herself who had wronged her nephew, causing her daughter to become someone else's concubine now.

  Qing Jin returned to her own courtyard, thinking of her grandmother and mother's words, called for Yuanyang, had Yuanyang send someone to gather some information, then went to bed.

  The capital has been bustling with news these days, and the streets are filled with discussions about the eldest daughter of the Anji Marquis' estate being betrothed but suddenly being bestowed as a concubine to the King of Jing. At first, it was just some idle gossip, but today, somehow, rumors spread that the eldest daughter of the Anji Marquis had been promised in marriage but then given to the King of Jing as a concubine. A woman cannot serve two husbands, and yet she has been bestowed with the title "Chaste". Is the eldest daughter of the Anji Marquis worthy of this title? Within just one morning, all sorts of malicious speculation and slander about Qingjin spread throughout the city.

  "How can this be, the marriage was clearly bestowed by the Emperor himself, what does Guan Gongzhu have to do with it? These common people are truly stirring up trouble!" Yuyang said in a huff.

  Qing Jin sat by the window, carelessly flipping through the travel notes in her hand, and replied to Yuanyang's words with a lack of concern: "Since you know it's just nonsense from common people, what's there to be angry about?"

  "I'm here to stand up for my mistress, this marriage wasn't something we asked for, why are these people slandering my mistress like this? What's with the rumors about whether the eldest daughter of the Anji Marquis is worthy of the title 'chaste'? Of course, my mistress is worthy, let me find out who started spreading such nonsense and I'll skin them alive, rip their mouths apart..."

  Qing Jin heard Yuanyang's words, her heart moved slightly, and she raised her head to speak to Yuanyang: "Yuanyang, go get me a bowl of iced sour plum soup, I'm a bit thirsty."

  "Miss, at this time you still have the heart to drink what iced sour plum soup, shouldn't we..." Yuanyang heard Qingjin's words and felt a bit resentful.

  "What should I do? Should I starve myself to death..." Qingjin continued, picking up where Yuanyang left off.

  "Miss, the mandarin duck isn't that kind of thing. The mandarin duck will bring you the iced sour plum soup you want." After finishing speaking, he turned around and left the room.

  Qingjin watched as Yuanyang's figure left, lowering her head to continue reading the book in her hand. But unexpectedly, Yuanyang hastily returned, and Qingjin looked at her in puzzlement, asking: "What? Didn't the kitchen have any chilled plum juice?"