freenovelworld Chapter 22 Jiang Si
Chapter 22 Jiang Si
A few days later, Ye Mingyue returned from the matchmaking trip and shook his head vigorously, "You didn't see? She's almost as tall as me! We can't talk to each other, not at all!"
Miss Jiang wasn't on the list for the imperial concubine selection because of her height. If things were any other way, Lord Jiang wouldn't have agreed to meet the Ye family.
Ye Mingde was furious and lectured his younger brother, "When choosing a wife, one should choose a virtuous one. Miss Jiang is good-looking and has a good character. She didn't look down on you, but you look down on her? Ye Mingde, what kind of girl do you want to marry?"
"I'm not thinking about marriage. I need to establish a career first before thinking about starting a family," Ye Mingyue said, resorting to his shameless act. "Brother, don't you always say that a man should be upright and capable enough to protect his family? I have nothing now, just a scholar's degree, which is really not good enough for Miss Jiang. How about this, brother, let me go south to do business. Maybe in a couple of years, I'll give you a richest brother?"
His eyes sparkled as he looked at Ye Mingde expectantly.
Even the good-natured Ye Mingde couldn't help but pat Ye Mingyue a few times. "Don't even think about it. Your parents are gone, and your aunt is gone too. I'm the eldest brother, and you have to listen to my arrangements. Starting tomorrow, you're not allowed to go out and fool around. Stay home and study hard. It's okay if you don't like Miss Jiang. I'll let you out when you pass the imperial examination!"
This time, Ye Mingde was truly angry.
When Ye Wanning arrived with the sugar cakes, the door was locked, leaving only a crack for the servants to bring food.
"Little sister, you have to save me! My eldest brother is so inhumane! I'm already so grown up, why does he still treat me like a child?" Ye Mingyue didn't understand. "In other families, the eldest son goes to court to fight for his country, while the illegitimate son manages the family business and earns money. In our family, why is my eldest brother so strict with me?"
"Big brother is afraid he won't be able to explain to our parents. Second brother, are you really that eager to do business?" Ye Wanning stuffed the sugar cake through the gap.
"Of course, I was born to travel all over the world, how could I be confined to one place!" Ye Mingyue had high hopes for the future. "Good sister, your older brother listens to your advice the most. Go and persuade him that I am hopeless and that studying is not my future. Don't force me anymore."
He was focused on learning how to do business and had no interest in reading.
Ye Wanning knew that her second brother was also intelligent, and in his previous life, he had done well in the imperial examinations, but that was due to being forced into it by difficult circumstances. Becoming an official certainly offered greater status, but what about his interests?
When you live your life, do you live as you please, or do you force yourself to stand out from the crowd?
Ye Wanning quickly came to an answer. She went to find her eldest brother, but he was still angry and refused to see anyone. She planned to wait until her eldest brother calmed down before discussing her second brother's matter.
Before this, Ye Wanning and her sister received an invitation from Miss Jiang.
Ye Wanning didn't understand the Jiang family's intentions, so she went to find her sister-in-law.
Lin said, "When I met Madam Jiang, before I could convey my second brother's message, Madam Jiang praised you sisters first. She said that her eldest daughter was already married, and she only had this one daughter, who had never had a playmate since childhood, and she wanted to invite you to visit. Since she said that, I couldn't bring myself to say anything."
Lord Jiang works in the Censorate and has many protégés. It would be good for the Ye family to associate with such a family.
Even if we can't be in-laws, we can still keep in touch regularly.
Ye Wanning understood her sister-in-law's meaning. The next day, she took her sisters to the Jiang family. As soon as they got off the carriage, the nanny next to Madam Jiang was waiting for them.
"Our young lady has been looking forward to this day. This must be Miss Ye, right? She truly deserves to be called the most beautiful woman in the capital. Even this old servant is delighted to see her." After praising Ye Wanning, Granny Wang went on to praise the other two young ladies of the Ye family.
Upon arriving at the main courtyard, Madam Jiang and Jiang Si were already waiting. Madam Jiang was well-proportioned and had a dignified air, clearly the matriarch of a prominent family.
Jiang Si was indeed very tall, more than half a head taller than Ye Wanning, but she had delicate features and fair skin. When she saw Ye Wanning and the others, she bowed respectfully.
Ye Wanning and her sisters returned the greeting. Having been raised by their mother, they were all well-mannered and obedient. Out of the corner of her eye, Ye Wanning saw Madam Jiang let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief.
"Everyone says the Ye family daughters are wonderful, and seeing them today, they are indeed all beautiful as flowers," Madam Jiang said politely. She didn't particularly like Ye Mingyue as her son-in-law, but her daughter did. Fortunately, the Ye family daughters all seemed upright and proper young ladies.
"Sister Jiang is also very kind. I have long heard of Madam's beautiful reputation, and seeing it today, I can confirm it is indeed true," Ye Wanning praised.
She was dignified and elegant, and spoke in a gentle and soft voice, which made Madam Jiang like her more and more. At the same time, she was very puzzled as to why Zhou Yu liked someone like Xu Zhuling when there was such a beautiful woman in front of him.
Madam Jiang had many questions in her mind, but since it was someone else's business, she found an excuse and left first.
Jiang Si was finally able to speak. She had someone bring out a gift, which was rouge. "I've seen you sisters from afar at banquets before. I didn't know what you liked. This is a small token of my appreciation."
Ye Wanning glanced at the rouge; it was actually from her shop. Recently, the rouge shop had been doing brisk business, and the best rouge had to be ordered in advance. It seemed that Jiang Si had put a lot of thought into it.
The Ye sisters liked it very much. They had been elegant for a long time and were both in their prime, loving to dress up. Ye Wanyu went straight to the point, holding the rouge, and asked, "Sister Jiang, what do you like about my second brother? He's a pretty good person, but he's completely different from your Jiang family."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Si's face turned so red it looked like it could bleed.
"Wanyu." Ye Wanning glanced at her sister, but she was also curious about why.
"Brother Ye... Brother Ye is a good person." Jiang Si wrung out her handkerchief, her cheeks burning. She had always been much taller than other girls since childhood. Once, when someone made fun of her, it was Ye Mingyue who stood up for her. Her parents loved her, but they would secretly sigh, wishing she weren't so tall. She heard so many comforting words from her family until Ye Mingyue said to those who were making fun of her, "Being tall is great! You can pick more persimmons than others. You laugh at girls for being tall, even though you're short and stout. You're all men!"
It was a very small thing, but Jiang Si always remembered it.
The word "good person" can encompass many things. Ye Wanyu wanted to ask more, but Ye Wanning stopped her.
Young women are easily embarrassed and can't stand being questioned too much. They're here as guests, not to interrogate criminals.
Jiang Si had read many books, and she could answer any questions Ye Wanyu and Ye Wanhua had.
Just before they were about to go home, Jiang Si pulled Ye Wanning aside and asked, "Big sister, could you please pass on a message for me?"
"what?"
“Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses in life. I know that Second Brother Ye doesn’t like the formalities of scholars. He does what he wants and likes what he likes now. I’m not quite meant to be with him, but I wish him a happy life. My father is old-fashioned, but he was willing to break his principles for me, which shows that the Jiang family isn’t as harsh and terrible as the rumors say.” Jiang Si’s eyes were filled with tears.
Ye Wanning originally thought that Jiang Si wanted to curry favor and ask the sisters to persuade her second brother, but it turned out that she was being petty.
She readily agreed, saying, "Don't worry, little sister, I will definitely convey your message verbatim."
Jiang Si smiled and thanked her, "I knew that Brother Ye's family was very kind. I'll see you out."
It was getting late, and Jiang Si escorted Ye Wanning and her sister to the door. As soon as she stood still, she saw Xie Bohuai jump off his horse.
Jiang Si greeted Xie Bohuai as usual, "Lord Xie." After Xie Bohuai entered the mansion, she explained to Ye Wanning, "Lord Xie used to be my father's student. He would occasionally come to visit my father and brother." She paused and added, "Actually, he's a very nice person, not as terrible as the rumors say."