Zhu Ting is the eldest son of the Zhu family. Although he is currently only a minor official, he comes from a prestigious family and is under the emperor's nose. He will be promoted sooner or later, and his future is limitless. Today, he is marrying the daughter of another prominent family. Therefore, this wedding banquet is exceptionally grand and solemn.
Tong Aning and Xue Lin arrived together.
When Xiao Pingtai saw the two of them arrive, he quickly went to greet them.
" Miss Tong, Heir Xue."
After exchanging pleasantries with him, Tong Aning remarked, "It's so lively!"
"Wedding banquets should be lively, right?"
Xiao Pingtai invited the two of them inside.
After watching the wedding ceremony, Tong Aning and Xue Lin sat down in their pre-arranged seats, sitting side by side. They waited and waited, but the groom did not come out to toast them.
Some joked, "Could it be that the groom doesn't want to leave the bridal chamber after their wedding night?"
As a good friend of Zhu Ting, Xiao Pingtai quickly replied, "Not at all, not at all, something must have kept you waiting."
Xiao Pingtai sent someone to urge him on, and he apologized by offering several glasses of wine.
The servant returned quickly and shook his head helplessly at Xiao Pingtai.
Not only did they fail to bring Zhu Ting back, but the guests also heard several cries coming from the backyard.
"This is?"
Many people were looking in that direction.
Xiao Pingtai didn't know what had happened either, so he could only laugh it off, "It's nothing, it's nothing, everyone, please continue drinking."
Xue Lin walked to Xiao Pingtai's side and said in a deep voice, "These people are one thing, but I am the Vice Magistrate of the Jingzhao Prefecture. I need to go check the backyard."
"This..." Xiao Pingtai hesitated, "Could a case possibly happen in this backyard?"
Xue Lin didn't speak, but his eyes darkened slightly. Xiao Pingtai's heart skipped a beat. He found two people and led Xue Lin and Tong Aning over.
Before long, Xiao Pingtai, feeling uneasy, pulled Xiao Pingtai Zhu Ting's younger brother over to hold the fort, and then ran to the backyard.
When Xue Lin and Tong Aning arrived, they saw the bride throw down a white silk ribbon, preparing to hang herself.
Tong Aning: "!!!"
Before she could react, she had already lunged forward.
"What are you standing there for? Hold onto her other leg, and the two of us will lift her down."
Zhu Ting then firmly held onto his wife's legs, and together with Tong Aning, they lifted Jiang Yin down.
Tong Aning patted Jiang Yin's back and said softly, "It's your wedding day. What's bothering you that you want to hang yourself?"
Jiang Yin looked at Tong Aning, then threw herself into Tong Aning's arms, her tears almost soaking Tong Aning's neck, making Tong Aning's nose tingle as well.
She's crying like this; she must be so upset.
Seeing Jiang Yin so heartbroken, Tong Aning could do nothing more, so she could only pat Jiang Yin's back gently.
She was a few years younger than Jiang Yin, but at this moment she seemed more like the older one, patiently comforting Jiang Yin.
Just as Jiang Yin Jiang Yin calmed down, her father arrived. He stormed over, raised his hand, and was about to slap Jiang Yin.
Tong Aning shielded Jiang Yin, glaring at him. "You dare?"
"You little girl, what wouldn't I dare to do?"
Xue Lin walked up to Tong Aning, shielding Tong Aning behind him. He looked at Jiang Yan with a chilling gaze, "Or perhaps you could hit me too?"
Crown Prince...
Jiang Yan's hand trembled slightly, and he smiled ingratiatingly, "With Your Highness here, I naturally wouldn't dare to act presumptuously."
Tong Aning was furious. She grabbed Jiang Yin and stood up. "You wanted to hit your daughter without even knowing what happened, and now that the Crown Prince is more powerful than you, you say you don't dare to act rashly. You don't know you're wrong; you're just afraid."
Jiang Yan scoffed, "I'm her father, how could I be wrong?"
"You..."
Tong Aning's hand was held down by Xue Lin, but Tong Aning was still unwilling and glared fiercely at Jiang Yan.
" Ayin."
Jiang Yin's mother came to Jiang Yin and asked softly, "Tell your mother, what exactly happened?"
Jiang Yin threw herself into Ruan Hanjiao's arms, crying, "Mother."
"Alright, alright, Mother's here," Ruan Hanjiao, her eyes reddening as she saw her daughter crying so miserably. "What happened?"
Jiang Yan said impatiently, "She just regrets it. It's all your fault for spoiling her so much. She's already married Zhu Ting today, how could she possibly call off the wedding?"
" Ayin, is that so?"
Seeing the disappointment in Ruan Hanjiao's eyes, Jiang Yin hurriedly shook her head, "No, no."
"Then what exactly happened?" Ruan Hanjiao asked anxiously.
Jiang Yin looked at Ruan Hanjiao's face, her hands gripping Ruan Hanjiao's sleeve tightly, tears streaming down her face as she murmured, "I can't say, I can't say."
" Ayin!"
"Mom, it's no use yelling at me, I'm not going to tell you."
Jiang Yin's face, red from crying, was full of determination and a resolute look, which infuriated Jiang Yan.
"You, you, you..."
Jiang Yin glared at the hypocritical Jiang Yan, her anger erupting, "What right do you have to talk to me like that?"
Jiang Yan was taken aback, "You..."
[ Jiang Yin is right, Jiang Yan really has no right to criticize her.]
Where is that sound coming from?
[I thought the Yan family's situation was already explosive enough, but I never expected the real bombshell to be here!]
Xiao Pingtai, who had just arrived. "?"
How did I get involved with that damned Yan family again?
[Years ago, Jiang Yan had a complicated relationship with Zhu Ting's mother. After Zhu Ting's mother gave birth to Zhu Ting, he said he couldn't marry Zhu Ting's mother, then married and had a daughter, Jiang Yin.]
Ruan Hanjiao was stunned.
In other words, her Ayin and Zhu Ting are siblings.
Ruan Hanjiao's vision went black.
Zhu Ting's mother, Lu Yilü, was about to leave when Zhu Ting stopped her.
Zhu Ting asked in a trembling voice, "Mother, tell me, is all of this true?"
"I..."
Lu Yilü raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corner of her eyes, "What a tragedy."
Zhu Ting stood there, stunned. No wonder, no wonder Jiang Yin wanted to hang herself.
[ Lu Yilü still had a conscience; although Jiang Yan threatened her not to reveal the matter, she still had someone pass a note to Jiang Yin on their wedding day. How could Jiang Yin not be devastated to learn that her groom was actually her brother?]
Jiang Yin covered her face in anguish; she hated Jiang Yan so much.
Her father knew perfectly well that Zhu Ting and she were siblings, but for the sake of his own face and reputation, he didn't want the truth to be revealed, so he watched them get married.
And now, they actually have the audacity to criticize her!
If she and Zhu Ting really consummated their marriage tonight and she conceived a child afterward, how would she face the consequences?
Whenever Jiang Yin thought about these things, she wished she could die immediately.
Jiang Yin aimed at the corner of the table, but was stopped by Tong Aning.
Although Tong Aning didn't open her mouth, Jiang Yin still heard her voice.
[Why are you trying to die? Jiang Yan is still alive and well, why doesn't he feel even a little bit ashamed?]
[And Zhu Ting, although he was in pain, he didn't seem to want to die. In my opinion, women are still too concerned about shame. Putting all that aside, it's really not a big deal. The fault lies with Jiang Yan; if anyone should die, it should be him.]
[If I were Jiang Yin, I would report Jiang Yan to Heir Xue and have him killed.]
Jiang Yin was shocked by Tong Aning's point of view.
But after thinking about it carefully, she realized that Tong Aning's words made sense.
If it weren't for Jiang Yan, the mother and daughter wouldn't be suffering so much.
Jiang Yin turned and knelt before Xue Lin, declaring firmly, " Heir Xue, I wish to file a lawsuit against Jiang Yan."
Xue Lin asked, "Sue him for what?"
"Sue him for being utterly inhuman; he's worse than a beast."
"Very well, I, the Prefect of the Capital, will do my utmost to investigate this matter thoroughly."
Tong Aning helped Jiang Yin up, and looked at Jiang Yin with relief.
Yes, that's how it should be!
*
Three days later.
Jiang Yin and Ruan Hanjiao came to Tong Aning's door.
Tong Aning asked, "Why are you here?"
Jiang Yin said, " Jiang Yan has been imprisoned, and Mother has already divorced him. We came here today specifically to thank Miss Tong for saving our lives."
"You're making such a big deal out of it, I'm almost embarrassed," Tong Aning said, scratching her head.
Jiang Yin said firmly, "You deserve it."
"And this," Jiang Yin handed a land deed to Tong Aning, "This is a garden in the south of the city. I hope Miss Tong likes it."
Tong Aning blinked, "Really giving it to me?"
Jiang Yin: "Of course."
"It's too valuable..."
Jiang Yin grasped Tong Aning's hand, just as Tong Aning had held her hand before. If it weren't for Tong Aning, she probably would have been a stubborn fool and a ghost in the underworld long ago.
Jiang Yin smiled and said, "Just keep it."
Tong Aning looked at the smile on Jiang Yin's face and nodded. The storm has passed, that's good.
*
Tong Aning chose an auspicious day and took Lou Yingyu and Azhu to admire her newly acquired garden.
Lou Yingyu: "Tsk tsk tsk, our Aning is really rich and powerful."
Tong Aning said proudly, "I didn't want it at first, but they insisted on giving it to me."
Lou Yingyu and Azhu exchanged a glance, Lou Yingyu asked, "Does Aning mean we should also send something?"
Tong Aning smiled, her eyes crinkling. "How could I possibly accept that..."
"You're sorry, we're empty-handed, that's perfect."
Tong Aning: "..."
She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Really empty-handed?"
Lou Yingyu retorted matter-of-factly, "You didn't say you were bringing a gift."
Tong Aning: "..."
Azhu had an idea. "How about we go into the garden later and I pick a bunch of flowers for you?"
Isn't this just using someone else's flowers to present to Buddha?
[Well, something is better than nothing.]
Tong Aning said, "That works too."
"Miss, we've arrived."
The three got off the car one by one and looked up at the three large characters "Radiant Youth Garden" in front of them.
Just standing in front of the door, they could almost smell the rich fragrance of flowers, which lifted their spirits a little.
The steward of the Jiang family was already waiting in front of Radiant Youth Garden. He hurriedly said, "Miss has instructed that Miss Tong may go straight in."
Tong Aning nodded.
The three of them had only poked half their bodies inside when they were stopped.
"How dare you! Who are you to dare trespass into Radiant Youth Garden?"
Tong Aning went to see the steward, who said, "You're the one who dares to do this! I'm the steward of the Jiang family, get out of the way!"
The man squinted at the butler for a few moments, then finally said, "I don't know him."
housekeeper. "..."
[Our base has been raided!]