GTB Chapter 218

Chapter 220: Returning Home

Chapter 220: Returning Home

Jiang Manor.

Upon receiving the gatekeeper’s report, the Jiang family, wearing puzzled expressions, hurried towards the main entrance, treading on the snow. They seemed confused as to why Jiang Jiuchu would be returning at this hour.

However, when they arrived at the gate and saw Jiang Jiuchu returning alone, along with the maidservants and coachmen unloading numerous packages, their expressions froze instantly, each wearing a look of bewilderment.

Madam Ye immediately noticed that her daughter’s eyes were slightly red and her expression was off.

Her heart tightened, and she immediately stepped forward, gently taking Jiang Jiuchu’s cold hand, and asked with concern, “Chu’er, what is this… did you quarrel with His Highness?”

“Ah! Quarrels between husband and wife are common…” Madam Ye tried to comfort her, but Jiang Jiuchu interrupted.

“Mother, we didn’t quarrel. We just have no feelings for each other, so we divorced.”

She didn’t want her parents to worry, so she pretended to be nonchalant, but her red-rimmed eyes and slightly flushed nose betrayed that she had been crying.

Upon hearing this, the Jiang family was stunned, unable to recover from the word “divorce” for a long while.

Madam Ye’s eyes blinked in shock. Just as she was about to ask something, Shí Qingya hurriedly said, “Mother, it’s cold outside, quickly bring Chu’er into the mansion.”

Madam Ye came back to her senses, hooked her arm through her daughter’s, and said softly, “Let’s go, come home with Mother.” She held Jiang Jiuchu’s hand tightly, as if to transmit all her warmth to her.

“Mm.” Jiang Jiuchu nodded, her empty heart receiving a trace of warmth at this moment.

Jiang Yuan and Jiang Jiuche exchanged glances, both sensing something was amiss in the other’s eyes.

Jiang Yuan’s brow furrowed, a hint of worry flashed in his eyes, while Jiang Jiuche pursed his lips, seemingly pondering something.

Inside the hall, the red-hot charcoal emitted occasional crackling sounds.

Everyone fell into silence as they listened to Jiang Jiuchu’s account.

After a moment, Madam Ye slammed the table and said angrily, “Given the Crown Prince’s current situation, using marriage to win over power is understandable, but divorcing or demoting his wife to a concubine is too much.”

From the moment Shí Yan was appointed Crown Prince, she hadn’t expected him to grant her daughter a lifetime of devotion to one person, but she never imagined he would be so heartless. In the end, she had misjudged him.

Jiang Yuan and Jiang Jiuche also looked displeased. They were men and could understand Shí Yan’s current situation, but their daughter/sister, whom they held in the palms of their hands, had been sent back to the Jiang manor by Shí Yan on a snowy day. How could they not be angry?

Although it was a divorce, it ultimately ruined a young woman.

Shí Qingya glanced at the expressions of the others and said uncertainly, “Could it be that Seventh Brother has other difficulties?”

After she spoke, seeing everyone looking at her, she pursed her lips and said bravely, “After all, his current situation is not good. Divorcing Chu’er may be to avoid implicating her.”

Jiang Jiuche looked at Shí Qingya, disagreeing with her point of view for once, “But the Crown Prince has already made it clear.”

His voice was low, with a hint of dissatisfaction, “He abandoned Chu’er in his anger at her saving Song Fuge, choosing the daughter of the Marquis of Zhenbei, who is more beneficial to him. It’s not difficult to understand.”

Jiang Jiuchu had no desire to listen to everyone’s analysis. She stood up, her tone tinged with exhaustion.

“Father, Mother, Older Brother, Sister-in-law, I’ll go back first. You don’t need to worry. I’m fine. I’ll forget about it in a couple of days.”

Madam Ye looked at her daughter with heartache and said softly, “Alright, go! Mother has already had your room cleaned up.”

Jiang Jiuchu nodded, lifted her foot, and stepped out of the room. She looked up at the gloomy sky, her heart filled with emptiness.

Mu Qing, who was guarding outside the door, quickly opened an umbrella for Jiang Jiuchu.

In Crabapple Courtyard, inside the main room, Green Lo and Green Intent had finished tidying up the things they had brought back and had lit the charcoal fire when they saw Jiang Jiuchu enter the room.

The two quickly placed a small round stool next to the charcoal fire, then picked up a small basket of chestnuts and came over.

“Miss, don’t you like to eat roasted chestnuts the most? The kitchen sent a lot of chestnuts just now. This servant will help you cut a small opening, and you can throw them in yourself.”

“Okay, cut more, let’s roast them together.” Jiang Jiuchu said, calling out to Mu Qing at the door, “Mu Qing, there’s no need to stand guard outside. Come in and warm yourself by the fire.”

She didn’t know if it was because people who practiced martial arts were not afraid of the cold or because the willpower of secret guards was inherently strong, but Mu Qing was just a girl a few years older than her. She couldn’t bear to see her standing guard outside in the cold.

In the afternoon, Shí Qingya personally brought a pot of red date, longan, and white fungus soup to Jiang Jiuchu’s place.

“Chu’er, your injury has just healed. Sister-in-law specially brought you sweet soup to replenish your qi and blood. Drink it quickly.”

“Thank you, Sister-in-law.” Jiang Jiuchu got up and took the soup from Shí Qingya’s hand. “On a snowy day like this, Sister-in-law could have just asked a maidservant to bring it over. Why bother coming yourself?”

Shí Qingya opened the lid of the pot while saying caringly, “If I asked a maidservant to bring it, what if you didn’t drink it? Sister-in-law came here specifically to supervise you to finish it.”

Jiang Jiuchu forced a smile. Even though she had no appetite, she had no choice but to pick up the soup spoon.

After drinking half of it, she really didn’t want to drink anymore. Mainly because the taste was strange, somewhat like it had red sugar in it, and she didn’t like the taste of red sugar very much.

Seeing this, Shí Qingya picked up the soup spoon that Jiang Jiuchu had put down, with an attitude that brooked no refusal, “You have to finish it. This is Sister-in-law’s goodwill in personally bringing it over. Drinking it will make your complexion better.”

Seeing this, Jiang Jiuchu helplessly took the soup spoon from Shí Qingya’s hand and continued drinking.

Shí Qingya was also very helpless. After all, there was an antidote in this sweet soup, which could completely eliminate the remaining poison in Jiang Jiuchu’s body. She had no choice but to make her drink every last drop.

She sighed in her heart. Her Seventh Brother had created such a scene. If it really failed, it would be fine, because it would have preserved Chu’er.

But what if it succeeded? He had done things to this extent. Was there any room for maneuver?

Or what if Chu’er really got together with Fu Gongzi? Then wouldn’t he not even have a place to cry?

Shí Qingya pursed her lips, feeling sorry for a man other than her husband for the first time.

Red lanterns hung high, and window decorations were fully pasted up.

On New Year’s Eve, the Jiang family gathered in the main hall. Everyone was talking and laughing as usual, and even the amount of money received in the red envelopes was the same as usual.

This scene made Jiang Jiuchu feel as if she had never married. Perhaps she had just had a dream, and when she woke up, she had returned to reality.

It was funny to say, she had slept alone for fifteen years, and she had only been with Shí Yan for less than a year, yet she already felt unaccustomed to it.

Sure enough, the word “love” was the most untouchable.

In the Seventh Prince’s manor, inside the main room, Shí Yan was playing chess alone at the round table.

The candlelight flickered, reflecting on his handsome profile, making him look particularly stern.

The game that he could never break in the past was now being broken frequently because he couldn’t steady his mind.

He threw down the chess piece in his hand, no longer trying to control his thoughts, and leaned back in his chair dejectedly. His handsome eyes were slightly closed, allowing that small face to flash through his mind frame by frame.

There was theJiaoqi ke’ai, the charming and alluring, the sly and angry, and the… heartbroken and tearful.

His heart ached. He opened his eyes suddenly, and after a moment of silence, he got up, picked up a black cloak, and quickly walked out of the room.