Shen Qing curved her lips slightly. "Please come in."
Yingxiu then went out to invite Jiang Chan in.
As soon as Jiang Chan entered the door, she said with a beaming smile, "Cousin-in-law must be bored to death taking care of the affairs in the mansion for so long. I've come to keep you company and relieve your boredom. You won't turn me away, will you?"
Shen Qing replied, "Of course not. There's some taro and chicken just made by the kitchen. If you don't mind, cousin, sit down and have some."
"Yingxiu, set another place."
Jiang Chan took a seat next to Shen Qing. "Cousin-in-law, why isn't cousin here to dine with you? I'll have to ask aunt to talk to cousin later."
Shen Qing gave a faint smile, but in Jiang Chan's eyes, it looked a bit forced. "Perhaps the marquis is busy with something else."
Yingxiu said indignantly, "That's not it at all. The marquis has taken a mistress outside. His heart has been stolen by that woman. How could he still remember there's a wife in the mansion?!"
"A mistress?!" Jiang Chan exclaimed.
"Yes," Shen Qing's smile turned bitter. "Cousin, do you know why I wasn't back the other day? I saw the marquis with that mistress. They were so lovey-dovey. The shop opposite where that mistress lives belongs to my maternal family. I waited until the next day. If I hadn't gone to call the marquis, he wouldn't have been willing to leave..."
Shen Qing looked at Jiang Chan and said earnestly,
"Cousin, actually, I stopped you from entering the mansion today for your own good. The marquis has been so infatuated with that mistress that he won't listen to anyone. Even if you enter the mansion, you'll just be left alone in the empty boudoir like me. It would be better for your mother to find you a good marriage so that you can be a proper wife happily."
"Cousin, am I right?"
Jiang Chan was already in a complete mess. She didn't really listen to what Shen Qing said later. When Shen Qing asked her, she just nodded absent-mindedly and forced a smile.
"Cousin-in-law, I just remembered I have some things to attend to. I won't bother you anymore."
"Feel free to go, cousin."
Jiang Chan left in a hurry, just as she had come.
After Jiang Chan's figure disappeared from the courtyard, Shen Qing dropped her previous pitiful look and calmly picked up a chopstick of food and tasted it.
Yingxiu was puzzled. "Madam, don't you want Miss Jiang to enter the mansion? Why did you let me say those things in front of her? Will she still be willing to enter the mansion now?"
"She will."
In her previous life, Jiang Chan didn't discover that Xu Yanchi had taken a mistress outside until she had been the concubine for almost a year. She had immediately gone to complain to the old madam.
By that time, Lu Mian's child had already been brought back by Xu Yanchi and placed in her care. She had naively thought that the child was just adopted from the clan by Xu Yanchi. She had carefully raised the child as if it were her own, using her resources to support the child's studies and official career.
Now that she thought about it, Xu Yanchi's lies had been so flimsy. She had just clung to that thin shred of hope in their marital relationship and refused to face the truth.
Shen Qing's fingers tightened around the chopsticks.
In this life, she had directly exposed Xu Yanchi and Lu Mian's true colors. She wanted to see what else they could use to force her to raise that child!
Jiang Chan was extremely ruthless, and with the old madam's support, Lu Mian had suffered a great deal from her in her previous life. Given Jiang Chan's personality, how could she let Lu Mian off easily once she knew about her existence?
She just had to sit back and watch the show.
After leaving Shen Qing, Jiang Chan didn't return to her own residence but went to Xu Yanchi's place. She saw Xu Yanchi fully dressed as if he were about to go out.
"Cousin, are you going out?"
Xu Yanchi was almost startled. "It's you, cousin. What do you want from me at this time?"
Jiang Chan twirled the fabric of her cuffs with her fingertips, her face full of admiration. "Cousin, Chan'er has liked you since childhood. We grew up together. When aunt said she would marry Chan'er to you, I was so happy. But cousin-in-law..."
Jiang Chan lowered her eyes and pursed her lips, showing just the right amount of disappointment.
"Cousin-in-law doesn't seem to like Chan'er very much..."
"You mean this?" Xu Yanchi said. "I was just going to talk to mother about this. I have no intention of taking you as my concubine. I'll also keep an eye out for a suitable husband for you. Please, cousin, don't waste your feelings on me."
"Why?" Jiang Chan looked up in disbelief.
Xu Yanchi frowned. "You're the legitimate daughter of the Earl of Chengen's mansion. There are plenty of good young men in the capital for you to choose from. It would be a pity for you to marry me as a concubine..."
"I don't care!" Jiang Chan stamped her foot. "Cousin, do you have someone else in your heart?"
Xu Yanchi's face changed. "It's none of your business."
But Jiang Chan ignored his changed expression. "Your relationship with cousin-in-law isn't good. Is your sweetheart outside?!"
"Stop talking nonsense!" A look of panic flashed across Xu Yanchi's face. He quickly said, "This isn't something a young unmarried girl like you should worry about. I'll talk to mother later and ask her to find you a good family quickly!"
After saying that, Xu Yanchi turned around and left.
Jiang Chan stood there, as if struck by lightning.
Actually, she hadn't wanted to believe what Shen Qing said, but now, her cousin's reaction just proved that everything Shen Qing said was true!
Since childhood, everyone around her had been saying how good her cousin was and that she would marry him in the future. She had already set her heart on her cousin, so she was willing to be his concubine.
Because she thought her cousin felt the same way about her.
But now, her cousin had a sweetheart and kept her outside. He was even afraid that she would be wronged and didn't even take her into the mansion...
Her cousin was so devoted to his sweetheart. Then what was she?
What were their childhood joys and vows?
Jiang Chan was in a complete turmoil. She even forgot the pain when her fingertips dug into the flesh of her palm.
"Xiangyun!"
Jiang Chan suddenly came back to her senses. She grabbed her personal maid's hand and whispered in her ear,
"Follow cousin quietly and see where he goes. If it's to a woman's place, remember the location and come back to report to me!"
Xiangyun hesitated but still replied and stepped back.
Even after Xiangyun's figure disappeared, the hatred in Jiang Chan's eyes didn't fade. Instead, it seemed to be intensifying.
Her cousin didn't have any social engagements these days. Going out so late, he must be going to that woman's place. She wanted to see who that presumptuous woman was who dared to compete with her for her cousin!
News of this quickly reached Shen Qing.
Yingxiu's mouth fell open in surprise. "Madam, you're amazing!"
With just a few words, she had made Miss Jiang take the initiative to follow the marquis and find out where the mistress lived.
Even if the marquis came looking for trouble, he wouldn't be able to find them.
Shen Qing gave a faint smile.
Jiang Chan was extremely petty and always thought that Xu Yanchi belonged to her. If it hadn't been for the fact that the Guangping Marquis Mansion had committed a crime and needed a powerful in - law to help them, according to the old madam's personality, Jiang Chan might have been the current wife of the Guangping Marquis.
Since Shen Qing entered the mansion, Jiang Chan had always been dissatisfied. She had often added fuel to the fire in front of the old madam. How could she tolerate Lu Mian, the mistress that Xu Yanchi doted on so much behind her back?