After Princess Kangren got on the bed and lay down, Jiang Changning came out and told the maid, "Serve the princess well, persuade her more, and don't leave her alone, understand?"
"Yes, princess," the maid replied.
Jiang Changning gathered his cloak, looked up at the bright moon in the sky, sighed, left Fanzhi Courtyard, got on the sedan chair, and said, "Let's go back to Rujing Courtyard."
Leaning back in the chair, Jiang Changning raised his hand and rubbed his forehead to make himself a little more awake.
At this hour, it was already past her bedtime.
I covered my mouth and yawned, I have to get up early tomorrow.
When we returned to Rujin Courtyard, Prince Jin was still awake.
He sat upright on the kang and read a military book, unlike Jiang Changning who always leaned lazily on the pillow.
"I told you to come back and go to bed early, but you didn't. Why are you reading here?" Jiang Changning walked over, took the book from his hand and put it on the table.
"You're back." King Jin smiled, "I've been waiting for you. I can't sleep without you by my side."
"Then I'll go wash up first, wait for me." Jiang Changning said with a smile.
That night, the couple did not have sex, but slept in each other's arms.
The next morning, Jiang Changning got up early and went to the front yard to check on the construction of the mourning shed.
In order to perform in front of the new mistress, the servants worked with all their might and everything was in order.
Jiang Changning was very satisfied, and the people who were arranged to go out to report the death came back one after another.
This was an opportunity to find out the relationship between the Qiao family and those families, so Jiang Changning asked them one by one.
When Jiang Changning heard the name of Marquis Zhongqin's Mansion, her eyelids twitched, and she recalled what Marquis Zhongqin's wife had done last night, and the questions that came out of her mouth just like hers.
Jiang Changning smiled. Qiao actually had the same idea as her.
However, she came up with this plan because she knew that Qiao couldn't swim.
When Qiao was designing it, did he know that she was good at swimming
Of course, none of this matters anymore. Qiao is dead, and he deserved it.
After Jiang Changning inspected the mourning hall and arranged for people to accompany Princess Kang Ren in mourning, he went to Liuxuanyuan to pay his respects to the Dowager Concubine.
On the way, she met Park, Chen Yi and Liu who came to pay their respects to her. "I am here to see the princess. I pay my respects to her."
"You don't have to come over to pay your respects these days. Just stay in the yard." Jiang Changning said.
"Yes, Princess." The three responded.
Jiang Changning waved his hand to let them leave, then sat in the sedan chair and continued to go to Liuxuanyuan.
The three concubines did not return to their own courtyards, but went to Park's courtyard together. They looked down on the two maids and Annan's ten beauties.
"The weather in the mansion has changed," Park began.
"This was bound to change sooner or later, but I didn't expect it to change so quickly," said Chen Yi.
Liu looked at the two ladies and asked, "Could the death of the concubine be the work of the princess?"
The room was silent for a long time, and Chen Yi said, "Is this important?"
"It's important. If the princess did it, it means she is cruel and ruthless. We have to be careful and not fall into her hands." Liu said seriously.
Park snorted coldly, "If she didn't do it, how dare you serve her carelessly? Don't forget how Zhou was driven away to the manor."
Liu looked embarrassed, pursed her lips and said nothing.
Mrs. Park added, “Our princess is beautiful, delicate and gentle, and seems easy to get along with, but in fact she is not a kind-hearted person.”
Chen Yi nodded in agreement. Liu stood up and said, "Let's go. There's nothing to discuss. We just need to be humble and serve the prince and princess well."
After saying this, she lifted the curtain and walked out of the door, telling her maid to leave.
"Sister Park, I'll go back to the yard first." Chen Yi stood up and bent her knees slightly.
"I'll take you out." Park said with a smile.
On the other side, Jiang Changning, who had greeted the concubine, returned to the front yard again.
Jiang Changning quickly asked him, "How many days did the Imperial Astronomical Observatory's Yin-Yang Department choose?"
If Princess Baling did not die of illness during the New Year holidays, her spirit would usually be kept for 49 days.
After the New Year, the New Year is considered over, but Mrs. Qiao died of old age unnaturally, so there are also some rules for setting up her wake.
"On the fifth day, my eldest sister-in-law drowned. My mother and mother-in-law are still alive. I am an unfilial person."
The Qiao family lived far away, and even if the wake lasted for forty-nine days, they would not be able to make it. However, Jiang Changning still arranged for a messenger to go and report the news.
Jiang Changning secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was great that he only had to work hard for five days. "The plain clothes are in the side room. Go and change."
"I'll go change it. Don't work too hard. Let the servants do it if there's anything." Prince Jin instructed.
"Got it, don't worry about me."
The sound of monks chanting came from outside. The monks were invited to chant the Great Compassion Repentance to pray for the souls of the dead.
They also invited a Quanzhen Taoist priest to perform a ritual to resolve grievances and cleanse karma.
People came to pay their respects one after another, and Jiang Changning also met the wife of the Earl of Zhongqin.
Jiang Changning treated the wife of the Marquis of Zhongqin the same way he treated the wives of other families, but the wife of the Marquis of Zhongqin felt guilty and did not dare to look Jiang Changning in the eye.
Whenever their eyes met, Lady Zhongqin would quickly look away.
As a result, Jiang Changning became more and more certain that the wife of the Earl of Zhongqin was the person arranged by Qiao to lure her into the trap.
Mrs. Qiao was afraid that she would not go to Qingshui Bridge, so she specially arranged someone to ensure that she would go to Qingshui Bridge.
Unfortunately, Qingshui River did not become the burial place of Jiang Changning, but became the river where Qiao drowned.
At noon, the maidservant beside Princess Kangren came hurriedly to report: "Princess, the princess refused to come to dinner."
Jiang Changning stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I'll go over and take a look."
King Jin hummed lightly, waited for Jiang Changning to walk away, frowned and said, "You are ignorant."
Jiang Changning worked hard all morning and finally had the time to have lunch. However, Princess Kang Ren got angry at this time and prevented Jiang Changning from eating and resting. This displeased Prince Jin, who loved his wife dearly.
Prince Jin followed and saw Jiang Changning approaching Princess Kang Ren and calling out, "Kang Ren."
"Aunt." Princess Kang Ren looked haggard, her eyes were red and swollen like peaches, and her voice was hoarse.
"If you skip meals and starve yourself to death, will your mother be able to come back to life?" Jiang Changning asked.
Princess Kang Ren lowered her head and cried, "Aunt, I, I can't eat."
"You have to eat even if you can't eat. If you don't eat, your body won't be able to support you and you'll collapse. Do you think it's good that there's no filial daughter kneeling in front of your mother's spirit?"
"Aunt." Princess Kang Ren looked up, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Jiang Changning squatted down and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. "Kang Ren, children are the continuation of their parents' lives. Only if you live well, your father and mother will feel relieved. As long as you care about them, they will live forever in your heart. Do you understand?"
"I understand." Princess Kang Ren said, holding back tears.
Jiang Changning took her hand and said, "I understand. Let's go to dinner with Auntie."
Looking at Prince Jin standing at the door, Jiang Changning said, "Kang Ren, your uncle is also worried about you."
"Uncle." Princess Kang Ren called.
"Don't be too sad. You will follow your aunt from now on." Prince Jin had thus decided who would raise Princess Kang Ren.
Princess Kangren nodded. She would rather be with her gentle aunt than her strict grandmother.
Jiang Changning's eyes moved slightly, but he did not deny King Jin's words on the spot.
Mrs. Qiao died because of her. She was not willing to have too deep feelings for Princess Kang Ren, so she had to find a way to give up the task of raising Princess Kang Ren.
(End of this chapter)