usatvline Chapter 404 The Return of the Youth
Chapter 404 The Return of the Youth
into the night.
Miaomiao went to the princess's residence next door.
She originally intended to mediate the fight.
When her father found out that the princess had brought her to the palace, she was afraid of being scolded and tried to run away.
Father really understands Mother.
The carriage had only gone a few steps when the princess was blocked at the alley entrance by her father and had to turn back.
Miao Miao went to the princess's residence, intending to explain on behalf of her mother, the princess.
The moment she saw her uncle, the Crown Prince, she understood why her mother had brought her to the palace.
I suppose they didn't want to have any regrets.
Judging from his appearance, the Crown Prince's uncle probably doesn't have much time left.
She realized this, especially after she uttered those words entrusting her son to someone else.
The Crown Prince's fate seems to be just like in the dream, beyond any hope of change; all he can do now is endure the days.
Some people wish for him to live, while others wish for him to die.
A strange sadness welled up in Miao Miao's heart.
However, before Miaomiao could even explain, her parents went back into their room, closed the door, and started arguing inside.
Each had their own opinions, and neither could convince the other, nor would they give in.
Father is cautious and steady in his actions. What seems like a casual remark has actually been carefully considered by him a thousand times over.
He probably wouldn't take any action unless he had an 80% chance of winning.
The mother and daughter's entry into the palace was not part of his plan.
It's too risky.
My mother, on the other hand, was the kind of person who was unconventional, loved adventure and excitement, and was good at adapting to changing circumstances, with her ideas changing frequently.
She'd give it a try if she was 60% sure.
Both of them felt that their decision was right, and neither was willing to back down.
They're a perfect pair of bickering lovers.
In the midst of the argument, they even started bringing up old grievances.
Bringing up old grievances is quite something; they'll say anything.
She revealed everything about the days when the two of them were inseparable...
Miao Miao and Xi'er listened to the beginning of the conversation outside the window before Granny Feng called their mother to take them away.
Granny Feng's brows twitched.
Good heavens!
These servants, big and small, are all a handful, so she had no choice but to send the servants far away and guard the place herself.
Her princess is really asking for trouble, she had to provoke the person she should never have provoked.
If the Emperor found out, they wouldn't all have enough heads to be chopped off.
But this little one still came to join in the fun, and we couldn't get her to leave no matter how much we called her. We had no choice but to ask Madam Lu to deal with her.
When Lu Qingyao came over, she saw the little girl lying on the window with her ears sticking out, not moving at all.
Out of curiosity, she went over to listen and heard faint sounds of arguing coming from inside.
"Yuqing, can you change your temper? Even if it's for Miaomiao's sake, you should restrain yourself a bit and not act so recklessly?"
"This is just how I am, I can't change it. If you're afraid, then stay far away from us."
"What are you saying? Miaomiao is my daughter, and you are... Anyway, I will take full responsibility..."
Lu Qingyao: ...
These two are truly destined to be enemies.
It seems that Prime Minister Cui won't leave until he's appeased the princess.
Then she reached out, grabbed her daughter's arm, and pulled her away.
“Jiang Miaomiao, it’s bad to eavesdrop on people, you have to change that… But what did you hear?” Lu Qingyao held a lantern in one hand and her daughter’s hand in the other.
"No... I didn't hear anything, Mother, and you came."
"Really?"
"Um……"
Miaomiao sensed that her mother was in a good mood today.
Surprisingly, he didn't ask any more questions, nor did he put on a stern face; he even walked with a light and brisk pace.
"Mother, what happy thing happened to you?"
Lu Qingyao smiled, "You'll find out soon enough."
I went home with my mother.
Passing through the covered walkway and looking through the latticed windows, you can see a familiar figure under the flickering lights inside.
Under the candlelight, she held a book in her hand, but her eyes were fixed on the young man at the door.
Miaomiao thought she was seeing things, rubbed her eyes, and quickened her pace to get closer.
Second brother?
It really is my second brother who's back.
"Second brother..." Miao Miao was so excited that she let go of her mother's hand and ran over.
Then she saw her second brother come out to greet her.
The second brother, dressed in a green robe, with his hair half-tied up and flowing down to his waist, stood there craning his neck in anticipation.
Her profile under the light looked like it had been sculpted, with extremely beautiful bone structure.
She perfectly inherited the best qualities of Jiang Yunze and her mother.
Having shed his childishness, he possesses the refined handsomeness of a young man, yet also subtly exudes a maturity beyond his years.
With his strong features and deep-set eyes, it was impossible to tell what he was thinking at that moment.
Miao Miao was a little dazed.
I don't know what my second brother ate at my grandparents' house.
He transformed from a boy into a handsome young man, his height soaring to become much taller than his mother's.
I'd guess he's about 1.7 meters tall.
It felt like he had become a completely different person, to the point that she almost didn't recognize him.
After confirming it was her second brother, Miao Miao rushed over and hugged him tightly. "Second brother, when did you get back? Why didn't anyone tell me you were back?"
Jiang Ziyan was stunned for a moment before he reacted when the little girl suddenly hugged him.
My little sister is no longer a little kid.
She's also grown taller and changed a lot; I almost didn't recognize her.
My memory of the little guy is still from when he left—a chubby, plump little guy who hopped around as he walked.
She always likes to stick to him when she has nothing to do, and she hates being drawn by him, especially portraits of her childhood.
It's said to be her dark history.
The thought that he hadn't painted a picture for Miaomiao for three years made Jiang Ziyan feel like he had missed out on a lot.
Some regrets.
In the blink of an eye, they've grown up.
She's already grown into a graceful young lady, having lost her baby fat and becoming even more beautiful.
Her eyebrows and eyes now resemble Princess Yuqing even more.
Jiang Ziyan pulled his younger sister into the house, affectionately patting the little girl's head. He squatted down in front of her and said with a smile, "Brother wanted to give you a surprise. How was it? Were you scared?"
He arrived home shortly after his sister went next door, and had just finished showering, changing, and having dinner.
Although there had been speculation that Miaomiao might be the daughter of Prime Minister Cui and Princess Yuqing.
But then I received a letter from Miaomiao saying that she had found her biological parents.
Jiang Ziyan felt a sense of emptiness inside.
My sister will eventually have to acknowledge her ancestors and return to the Cui family.
He felt a strange sense of loneliness and hugged his sister even tighter.
"Second brother, I missed you." Miao Miao hugged her second brother's neck, rested her head on his shoulder, and felt a little sore.
After my second brother left without saying a word.
Miaomiao was both angry and scared.
For the past three years, she has been constantly worried about her two older brothers.
In the days when they were not around, she would occasionally recall that dream from her past life, the dream of her mother and brothers dying tragically.
Especially after seeing the Crown Prince in the palace, she remembered it again and began to worry.
Uneasy.
So when she saw her second brother standing safely in front of her, she instantly lost control of her emotions.
Jiang Ziyan thought his sister was crying tears of joy, so he gently patted her back to comfort her.
Holding my little sister in my arms now, I realize she's really grown up.
She's no longer that soft little dumpling. Nearly three years is neither a short nor a long time.
For him, it was very short.
It was so short that he couldn't quite keep up with his sister's growth.
For the past three years, he has only ever studied in his room, without interruption through the cold and heat of summer. When he gets tired, he will take out his sister's picture book to look at.
When I look up at the starry sky at night, I wonder what my mother and sister are doing, and whether my older brother, maternal grandfather, and uncles are safe on the frontier.
time flies.
In the blink of an eye.
So when the list of successful candidates was released, he couldn't wait a moment longer and just wanted to return to the capital as soon as possible.
Miao Miao regained her composure and looked up at that handsome and bright face. "Second brother, what did you eat? You've grown so tall all of a sudden!"
Jiang Ziyan was taken aback, then laughed.
The little girl was so clever and mischievous that he was a bit overwhelmed.
He just habitually flicked the tip of her nose.
Seeing that her second brother was silent, Miao Miao was at a loss for words, probably because he had already rambled on in his letters.
My second brother seems to have changed; he's become more taciturn.
In the past, I would definitely banter with her, or ask her how her homework was going, or whether she had practiced her calligraphy properly.
But now, he just quietly watched her smile.
Has he gone stupid from reading too much?
But then I thought it was impossible; how could someone who could win the championship be a bookworm?
Seeing her mother and Aunt Xiuxiu enter the house, Miaomiao snapped out of her thoughts and asked, "Second brother, have Sister Qiao and her husband gone back to the Sun family?"
"No, they should still be on their way." Jiang Ziyan had left Jiangzhou before them.
Having learned about his sister's background, and having heard that the situation in the capital was dire.
He was really worried.
They rushed back as fast as they could.
Actually, there's another reason: they came to avoid people.
Lu Qingyao brought in some late-night snacks for her son, and was also curious as to why he had come back first, so that they could look after each other.
"Yan'er, did you run into trouble in Jiangzhou, or are you hiding from someone?"
Jiang Ziyan was taken aback. "Mother, how did you find out?"
“You are my child, how could I not know?” Lu Qingyao smiled.
Her son is handsome, even better-looking than Jiang Yunze, and surpasses his father in both appearance and talent.
With such good looks, she still won the championship.
The young ladies and girls from all these families are now eager to marry Yan'er.
Now that her father has been exonerated and the Lu family has been reinstated, the bamboo shoot industry in Jiangzhou is all hers again.
As the grandson of a great general and the young master of Lu's family, Yan'er was someone the people of Jiangzhou didn't admire.
It seems that all the officials, big and small, in Jiangzhou with daughters are waiting to find a son-in-law after the list of successful candidates is released.
As a result, he hid.
Jiang Ziyan helped her mother sit down and said solemnly, "Mother, there's something I want to tell you. Can you help me think of a solution?"
"Oh! What is it?" Lu Qingyao raised an eyebrow.
"Mother, you have no idea, those officials in Jiangzhou have gone mad. I had just finished the imperial examination when they blocked me outside the examination hall. They were all thinking of marrying their daughters to me, and even those who were already engaged were crowding around me. I was almost devoured alive by them..."
Xiuxiu almost spat out the tea she had just drunk. She wiped her mouth and asked, "So how did you get away?"
"Second brother, what happened next? Did you find anything you liked?" Miao Miao leaned closer and asked impatiently.
Jiang Ziyan rolled her eyes at her and continued speaking to her mother, "I'll have them come to our house to look at the candidates on the day the results are announced."
"So you sneaked away as soon as the results were released, without waiting for your sister, without even taking the waterway, and rushed back on horseback?" Lu Qingyao smiled, pursing her lips.
She really doesn't need to worry about her second child.
If this were the eldest son, and he couldn't refuse, he'd probably bring back a whole bunch of wives and concubines.
However, such incidents may occur occasionally in the future.
Jiang Ziyan nodded, poured a cup of tea for his mother, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Mother, I don't want to get married so early, nor do I want to get engaged so early. If anyone comes to our door, could you please help me refuse them all? If that still doesn't work out, just say that I have a hard fate, and the Taoist priest said that I have the appearance of someone who will bring misfortune to his wife..."
Lu Qingyao was so shocked she almost fell to the ground. She glared at her son and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? How can you use fate to make wild guesses? Public opinion can be deceiving. What if we really can't find a wife in the future?"
Jiang Miaomiao opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.
My second brother is really something else.
While others fear not being able to find a wife, he seems to fear that girls will cling to him.
Who says good-looking people have no worries? They have plenty of worries.
Jiang Ziyan clicked his tongue and muttered with his head down, "Mother, even if we don't talk about fate, please help me cancel them all, especially Father. I'm worried that he might arrange my marriage on his own initiative in order to curry favor with the powerful."
"Don't worry, with your mother here, Jiang Yunze won't be able to use your marriage to climb the social ladder." If her son hadn't reminded her, Lu Qingyao would have almost forgotten about this.
Jiang Yunze has stopped pretending and is now shameless.
Feng'er's marriage has been arranged, and it's with Princess Rong'an. I doubt he would dare to have any objections.
The most difficult thing to manage is the banquet.
After the start of spring comes the spring imperial examination, and if one is fortunate enough to be selected, the next step is the palace examination.
By then, Jiang Yunze will probably be searching everywhere for a marriage partner for Yan'er.
It has added a lot of trouble.
Miao Miao suddenly remembered the matter she had asked her father to do before, and her father said that he would definitely take care of it before the imperial examination.
She tugged at her second brother's sleeve. "Second brother, if your scumbag father is sent to a post outside the capital or is dispatched to another region and doesn't come back for three, four, or five years, will he have no time to care about your marriage?"
"Yes, yes, I almost forgot about that." Lu Qingyao hugged her daughter and kissed her repeatedly. "Miaomiao is truly my precious darling."
Miaomiao: ...
She knew that Prime Minister Cui had this ability, but she couldn't give others a reason to criticize her.
Ideally, Jiang Yunze would make the mistake himself.
If we can capture Jiang Zijin now, we might be able to use her to implicate Jiang Yunze.
Whether it's being transferred to another region or being sent abroad, it all makes perfect sense.
As long as he doesn't get in his son's way, it's fine.
Lu Qingyao looked at Xiuxiu, who was eating melon seeds on the side: "Xiuxiu, go to that house again tomorrow and see if you can find any trace of Jiang Zijin."
"Sister, I'm afraid she's run away. That girl is good at slipping away unnoticed." Xiuxiu has been there several times, but still hasn't found anything.
Logically, there should be a secret room or similar place.
But they found a small secret room in the study, and that was it.
Jiang Zijin seemed to have vanished into thin air.
Miaomiao raised her little hand, "I want to go too."
"Miaomiao, where's your Xiaobai? Why don't you take Xiaobai with you? Xiaobai has a good nose." Jiang Ziyan returned home to find that Xiaobai was not at home.
Otherwise, he would definitely be dozing off in front of his sister right now.
Miao Miao looked mournful. "Little White has forgotten his mother now that he has a wife. He left with his wife. I'll go to the outskirts tomorrow to see if he's still there."
Lu Qingyao looked at her son, "You haven't visited your maternal grandmother since you came back, have you? She often talks about you. Tomorrow, take Miaomiao to see her first, and then go find Xiaobai."
"it is good……"
……