The Double
Chapter 337 - 122 Prince Consort_5

Chapter 337: Chapter 122 Prince Consort_5

Although Jiang Yuanbai was not very affectionate towards Jiang Li, she was still his own daughter, and he was naturally displeased with Jiang Youyao’s unruly behavior.

"But she’s coming back!" Jiang Youyao stomped her foot, "Mother, have you thought about how to deal with her?"

Ji Shuran had a headache.

When the news that Jiang Li was returning to the capital reached her, she could hardly hide her surprise. The assassins she had sent were top-notch, and the arrangement was orchestrated entirely by her sister, Lady Chen Ji. The guards accompanying Jiang Li were no match for those assassins.

She had been anxiously waiting in Yanjing City for any news, but no messages came. Ji Shuran was already feeling uneasy until Jiang Yuanbai received that letter.

She gritted her teeth, it seemed that Jiang Li had escaped disaster. Otherwise, those people could not have failed to succeed over such a long time. She actually had such ability!

Jiang Youyao, unaware of her mother’s secret arrangements, impatiently said: "Mother, what should we do now? It’s because of her that I’ve become a laughingstock in Yanjing City and lost Prince Zhou. I’ll never let her off!"

"I know," Ji Shuran sighed, "I will figure out a way to handle this. Don’t worry, she is not back in Yanjing yet but has already caused so much trouble. Your father is very unhappy, and this time your grandmother will not be on her side either. If she really offends someone she shouldn’t, there’s no need for me to act, she would already be seeking her own death. Time is on our side. After all, I am still the principal wife of the main branch, and there will be plenty of opportunities to act against her." She looked at Jiang Youyao, her expression becoming slightly more serious, "As for you, Youyao. Prince Zhou is over, and in the future, Mother will find you an even better husband. Stop thinking about him. You re-entering the Zhou Family is now impossible."

Jiang Youyao’s eyes immediately reddened, and with a choked voice, she said, "I know, Mother. I won’t."

Ji Shuran asked a maid to bring a handkerchief, and while wiping away Jiang Youyao’s tears, she continued, "Mother isn’t trying to upset you. You are my daughter, and I naturally want you to be happy and not suffer any wrongs. The Zhou Family has already decided to take Shen Ruyun in, and given Lord Xiao Shen’s status, they will not allow you to interact with Prince Zhou any longer. Of course, with their kind of people, I don’t hold them in high regard."

"There are thousands of men in this world, not just Zhou Yanbang. You deserve better, and no one can compare to you," Ji Shuran said softly.

Jiang Youyao buried her face in Ji Shuran’s embrace, her hand hidden in her sleeve slowly clenched into a fist.

She was not resigning herself to this fate.

...

The news about Jiang Li was causing quite a stir, reaching both the Jiang Family and the Zhou Family.

Jiang Yue was in the yard washing clothes.

Her hair was styled in a married woman’s bun, and her clothes were splashed with water droplets, making her appear even less well-dressed than when she was in the third branch of the Jiang Family. A few maidservants stood aside, chatting nonchalantly as if they didn’t see Jiang Yue laboring over the laundry.

Jiang Yue felt extremely humiliated.

She had never lived like a servant before, even if she had to please Ji Shuran and her daughter at the Jiang Family, at least she had the status of a young miss there, and the Jiang Family had not mistreated her.

But since she entered the Zhou residence, what awaited her was not Zhou Yanbang’s affection and tenderness. He didn’t even spare her a glance on their wedding night before leaving, and since then, he had not visited her courtyard again. She had entered the Zhou residence as a concubine, and the servants did not treat her as a mistress. Mockery behind her back was common, and now they even dared to disregard her to her face.

Jiang Yue wanted to appeal to someone, but she didn’t know who to turn to. She couldn’t even leave the Zhou residence, and people there gossiped behind her back, saying she "climbed into the young master’s bed while he was drunk."

Jiang Yue hated Zhou Yanbang, and also hated Jiang Youyao, and even more so Jiang Li. If it weren’t for Jiang Li’s series of misfortunes, she would not be in this situation.

Almost aiming to vent all her anger on the laundry bat, as she laundered, a pair of boots suddenly stopped in front of her.

Jiang Yue was startled and slowly looked up.

Zhou Yanbang’s handsome face appeared before her eyes, and Jiang Yue couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

After so many days, Zhou Yanbang had never once seen her. Gradually, Jiang Yue came to realize that what she thought was a sliver of affection Zhou Yanbang had for her was non-existent. He blamed her for ruining his career and for the disgrace at the palace banquet, ending his potential marriage alliance with the Jiang Family.

He blamed everything on Jiang Yue, he was punishing her.

With a trembling voice, Jiang Yue said, "Princely Heir..."

Zhou Yanbang looked at her coldly; the gentle and refined demeanor he had previously shown was gone. Since the palace banquet, it was as if he had turned into someone else, brooding and inscrutable. He glanced at what Jiang Yue was doing and said, "I heard Jiang Li is returning to the capital."

Jiang Yue was taken aback. She had also heard that Jiang Li had left the capital to visit the Ye Family in Xiangyang. Laughable, a mere merchant family, what was there to see? They had been out of touch for over a decade – it was all just for show.

"Jiang Yue, do you want to be my woman?" Zhou Yanbang looked down at her from his height, his tone brimming with disrespect.

But Jiang Yue did not feel humiliated; instead, a sense of excitement surged from deep within her heart.

"When Jiang Li returns to the capital, you help me lure her out," he said.