From the words of Old Lady Zhuang and Wu, we can hear that the person who wanted the Princess Dowager of Runan to choose her as a bride should be Wu.
However, Mrs. Zhuang should have acquiesced, otherwise it would not have been someone around the old lady who invited her.
"I see that Miss Jiang looks very well. She must have fallen ill because she often stays in the house without going out for exercise. As long as she moves around more, she will naturally get better." The Dowager Concubine of Prince Runan held Jiang Changning's hand tightly and stroked it gently to show her closeness.
The actions of the Princess Dowager of Runan made Jiang Changning uncomfortable. Her body froze. She pulled her hand away and deliberately took the teacup on the table. "Your Majesty, please have some tea."
"Okay." The Queen Mother of Runan looked at her with a smile, as if she was looking at a lamb to be slaughtered.
In a moment, Jiang Changning had already thought of an excuse, "What the Concubine said is true, but I have this disease since my mother's womb. The doctor told me to rest in my room and not to walk around."
"Miss Jiang is not only beautiful, but also smart in speaking. The more I look at her, the more I like her. I want to adopt her as my goddaughter. I wonder if you are willing to do so, madam?" The Dowager Concubine of Prince Runan was confident of her noble status and revealed her true intentions without any scruples.
It would be easy for a high-ranking royal concubine to bully an orphan girl who has no parents and no one to rely on. There is really no need to beat around the bush.
Although Jiang Changning was furious, she looked calm. She wanted to see how Old Madam Zhuang would respond.
Wu spoke first, "It is the child's good fortune to be favored by the queen."
Old Madam Zhuang glanced at her coldly, thinking of her as a short-sighted fool. Jiang Changning was an orphan who depended on the Zhuang family. If she was adopted by the Dowager Consort of Prince Runan and sent away as a substitute for marriage, how would the Zhuang family save its reputation
Besides, Jiang Changning is extremely beautiful. If she could be sent to the palace or married off for an alliance, it would be extremely good for the Zhuang family.
Being sent to marry on behalf of someone else can only bring temporary benefits.
Wu curled her lips and turned her head away. What did she say wrong
Zou had an indifferent expression, as if it was none of her business and she didn't want to bother with it.
"This girl has had a weak constitution since she was young. The imperial physician repeatedly warned her not to overwork herself with this illness, so she was allowed to rest at home. She has never learned any of the arts, such as music, chess, calligraphy, or needlework, and has never seen the world. She is unworthy of the queen's favor." Old lady Zhuang politely declined the request of the Queen Mother of Runan to adopt Jiang Changning as her goddaughter.
When she asked her maid to invite Jiang Changning, she regretted it, but she couldn't call her back in front of the Queen Mother of Runan King.
"You are too modest, old lady. If such a smart and lovely child is not good, there will be few good girls in the world." The Queen Mother of Runan Prince said with a smile.
"There are so many beautiful girls in the capital." What Mrs. Zhuang meant was that the Princess Dowager of Runan should find a girl from another family.
The Queen Mother of Runan Prince did not respond, but looked Jiang Changning up and down carefully. She had fair and smooth skin, long and curved eyebrows, eyes black and bright like gems, and slightly pursed red lips.
Such bright and attractive beauty is three times more beautiful than the Empress Dowager who was the most beautiful woman in the harem back then.
It's really a pity to send such a beautiful woman to marry.
But she was an orphan, and being sent to marry was her fate.
The Queen Mother of Prince Runan's eyes fell on the purse on Jiang Changning's waist. White gardenias were embroidered on the light green brocade.
She held the purse in her hand and said, "Look at this. The stitches are so fine and the embroidery is so lifelike. This kind of exquisite embroidery is better than that of experienced embroiderers."
"I am ashamed to accept the praise from the Concubine Dowager." Jiang Changning bowed her head and pretended to be shy. "This purse was embroidered by Changning's nurse, not Changning herself."
Wu stared at Jiang Changning with annoyance and anger. This girl was too ignorant and didn't even follow the concubine's words.
The Queen Mother of Runan heard the old lady Zhuang's evasion and also saw Jiang Changning's resistance, but she was determined to use Jiang Changning to replace her daughter. "Changning, my daughter and I really get along well. I also like this gardenia."
"What a coincidence! I didn't expect that Your Majesty also likes gardenias." Jiang Changning said as he took off the purse and handed it to the Queen Mother of Runan, letting her play with it.
As Jiang Changning expected, the Queen Mother of Runan found something in the purse. "What delicious food is in it?"
"It's not food, it's a golden lock." Jiang Changning said with a smile.
The Queen Mother of Runan Prince thought it was the longevity lock that Jiang Changning wore when she was a child, but when she saw the words "Jin Shu" engraved in seal script on the locket, her face changed slightly.
Jinshu is the Empress Dowager’s maiden name!
"Where did you get this golden locket, young lady?" asked the Queen Mother of Prince Runan.
Old Madam Zhuang and the others heard something strange in the concubine's tone and looked over.
The gold locket is not much different from the ones that wealthy families give to their children.
Why was the Queen Mother of Prince Runan so nervous about my origins
"In reply to the Concubine Dowager, this golden locket was given to me by a lady." Jiang Changning replied.
"What kind of lady is she?" asked the Queen Mother of Runan Prince.
"That lady has a beautiful and bright appearance, a dignified demeanor, and an awe-inspiring and inviolable noble demeanor." Jiang Changning deliberately complimented the Queen Mother, "There is a cinnabar mole on her forehead."
The most obvious feature of the current empress dowager is the cinnabar mole between her eyebrows.
"Why have you never told me about this?" Mrs. Wu asked dissatisfiedly.
If the banker had known earlier that Jiang Changning had such a relationship with the Queen Mother, he would definitely have been able to make further progress.
"My father once told me that one should not expect anything in return for doing a favor. Besides, it was just a piece of cake. There's no need to mention it," Jiang Changning said calmly.
Wu gritted her teeth and pulled the handkerchief in her hand hard. What a troublesome girl!
There was no need to mention it, but I kept the gold lock with me.
There was a hint of scrutiny in the eyes of the Queen Mother of Runan when she looked at Jiang Changning.
This girl is nothing like what Zhuang Qingru said, weak and without her own opinion.
"In which year did Miss Jiang come to Beijing?" asked the Queen Mother of Runan Prince.
"Early winter of the fourteenth year of Chenglong."
"That was six years ago."
"Yes."
Six years ago, the late emperor was seriously ill, and secretly arranged for Concubine Li and the third prince, who had fled to Lingnan after being framed by the imperial concubine and the eldest prince, to return to the capital.
The Imperial Concubine and the eldest prince sent numerous assassins to hunt down Concubine Li and the third prince to prevent them from entering Beijing. On the way, Jiang Changning saved Concubine Li and the third prince by chance.
We were on the same ship for seven days and got along well.
Concubine Li specially left a golden lock as a proof and promised that she would be rewarded handsomely.
After the death of the previous emperor, the third prince ascended the throne with the strong support of several princes, and Concubine Li was also named the Holy Mother Empress Dowager.
Jiang Changning didn't want to have anything to do with the royal family, so he kept the matter secret, but he didn't expect that he would be forced to reveal it today.
(End of this chapter)