Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1189: Chapter 1191: Return to the Jiang Family_1

Bai Ruozhu arranged that very day for the servants to accompany her to the Jiang Family, then instructed her subordinates to pack her belongings, and herself went to the Palace.

To be honest, before saving Achun, her mind was entirely occupied by Achun’s safety; but once Achun was rescued, her heart was filled with guilt for Consort Yue.

As she had done in the past, she walked towards Cining Palace. However, on the way, she encountered a concubine whom she didn’t have much of an impression of, and for a moment, she couldn’t discern the other’s rank.

This concubine seemed to hold a low position, for none of the subordinates scolded Bai Ruozhu to pay obeisance. Instead, the eunuch guiding her whispered a reminder, ”Madame Jiang, that lady is Beauty Fang.”

Bai Ruozhu nodded slightly in acknowledgement—indeed, she was a beauty, those small eyes were quite flirtatious.

The two parties had no interaction; one might say that without a proper matter to discuss, they each went their separate ways. However, not long after, Bai Ruozhu heard Beauty Fang use a mocking and sarcastic tone with a palace maid beside her, ”Isn’t she running to the Empress Dowager for help? Does she really think that clinging to the Empress Dowager means she has nothing to fear? She doesn’t even consider what lowly status her husband holds.”

Bai Ruozhu paused mid-step, a surge of anger rising in her heart, but she quickly suppressed it. This was the Imperial Palace, where it was better to avoid trouble than to seek it. Besides, you had to look at the master before hitting a dog—she should give face to the Emperor.

Nevertheless, that Beauty Fang better pray she doesn’t run into her again!

The guiding eunuch beside her apparently hadn’t heard anything and showed no reaction. Soon, they reached Cining Palace, where he greeted the eunuchs from Cining Palace and then took his leave.

The one who came out to greet her was Hao Mu. She warmly linked arms with Bai Ruozhu and said, ”Madame Jiang, you finally came. You have no idea how much the Empress Dowager has been talking about you.”

”No wonder I’ve been sneezing so much lately—I suppose it’s because the Empress Dowager has been mentioning me.” Bai Ruozhu joked.

Laughing, they entered the Main Hall, where the Empress Dowager was seated at the head, her face still adorned with that warm and tender smile.

Bai Ruozhu stepped forward and curtsied, her eyes catching a glimpse of a silver hair at the temple of the Empress Dowager—her heart inevitably filled with gloom. The Empress Dowager had been worrying a lot these days and seemed to have aged a few years. How cruel was fate to have such a gentle and beautiful person continually live in widowhood?

Ruozhu has come, and I have already heard about that matter. It’s just...” The Empress Dowager spoke with a sigh of helplessness—after all, her natal family wasn’t powerful, and her words didn’t carry much weight.

Bai Ruozhu immediately realized that the Empress Dowager had misunderstood, thinking she had come to the Palace to plead for mercy. She hastened to clarify, ”Empress Dowager, you have misunderstood. We are going to the Jiang Residence tomorrow. I came today to visit you and Consort Yue.”

The Empress Dowager showed a look of apology, ”You are a considerate child.”

Afterward, the Empress Dowager took Bai Ruozhu to see Consort Yue, who was now sitting up in bed, looking somewhat pale, but the poison had mostly been resolved, though she still couldn’t walk around freely.

”Ruozhu, thank you for thinking of that method to save me and the child,” Consort Yue said, attempting to perform a courtesy to Bai Ruozhu but was stopped by her.

”Your Highness, I am just glad you don’t blame me for leaving temporarily; how could I possibly accept your gratitude?” Bai Ruozhu spoke.

Consort Yue shared a smile with her, ”You’re being too polite with me. My child’s life and mine were saved by you. The medical sage also said that without your method to sustain our vitality, even his ability to detoxify us would have been too late.”

Bai Ruozhu’s impression of Consort Yue improved slightly. If it were someone else, they might have felt she had abandoned them and held resentment in their hearts.

After examining Consort Yue again, Bai Ruozhu grew even more admiring of the medical sage’s skills. She then took her leave from the Empress Dowager and Consort Yue and returned home from the palace.

The next morning, Jiang Yichun, accompanied by Bai Ruozhu and Little Dengdeng, as well as a horse carriage filled with daily necessities and a host of followers, maids, and nannies, bid farewell to the Bai Family and set out for the Jiang Family Residence.

On the horse carriage, Bai Ruozhu sighed and said, ”I’m not worried about other things, the only thing I’m concerned about is Little Dengdeng. I always feel that the Jiang Family isn’t as simple as it seems on the surface.”

Jiang Yichun put his arm around her shoulder, ”With Nanny Zhang to help you look after him, and with Chenfang also keeping an eye, it should be fine. There was someone in the Jiang Family who managed to harm my father, they’re definitely not simple. I just can’t figure it out; did my father know who hurt him, and if he did, why didn’t he tell me?”

Bai Ruozhu’s eyes suddenly widened, ”I’ve got it! Your father must have known, which is why he was willing to take you with him. Otherwise, given his affection for you, wouldn’t you have been better off staying in the Jiang Residence with nothing to worry about? The reason he didn’t tell you is probably that the other party is very powerful, and he was afraid that you’d lose your life seeking revenge for him.”

Jiang Yichun’s eyes darkened, a storm seemingly hidden within them; he did not speak for a long time and only after a while did he manage to regain his usual demeanor.

Bai Ruozhu held his hand tightly all along, silently offering him comfort and support. Little Dengdeng, being a clever child, quickly sensed that his father was in a bad mood, immediately climbed onto his father, wrapped his arms around his neck, and planted a kiss on his face.

”Daddy, don’t be mad, Dengdeng is good,” Dengdeng said in his childish voice, drool slipping out because he was still teething. This made him look especially funny and triggered Bai Ruozhu to burst into laughter.

As if naturally shy, Dengdeng laughed shyly upon seeing his mother laugh and then buried his little head into his father’s body, coyly nuzzling, leaving a trail of drool on his father’s clothes.

Jiang Yichun knew exactly what his son was up to but he adored his son too much to care, smiling as he patted his head, ”Our Dengdeng is the best, daddy isn’t angry anymore.”

The mood lightened considerably after that, and it wasn’t long before the horse carriage arrived at the gates of the Jiang Residence. Jiang Xuexiang and his wife, along with their children, personally came to the door to greet them, but this time the face of the Jiang Family’s mistress was not as pleasant as last.

After a brief thought, Bai Ruozhu understood. The Jiang Family had previously benefited from Bai Ruozhu’s favor, and Bai Ruozhu had also spoken disparagingly about a cousin the Jiang Chenshi disliked, so she naturally found Bai Ruozhu much more agreeable. But now that Bai Ruozhu and her husband had been ordered to return to the Jiang Family, Bai Ruozhu might threaten Jiang Chenshi’s authority as the steward, so naturally, she found Bai Ruozhu less pleasing to the eye.

Bai Ruozhu, however, found it amusing. She had no interest whatsoever in the Jiang Residence and would much rather leave immediately; why would she compete with Jiang Chenshi for the steward’s position? Besides, she was from the younger generation. Jiang Chenshi was indeed short-sighted.

Jiang Zhihe and Jiang Yihong, on the other hand, were particularly enthusiastic about them, both genuinely glad about the return of Jiang Yichun and his wife.

Jiang Yichun took Bai Ruozhu forward to pay their respects. Jiang Xuexiang happily made a gesture of support, saying, ”There’s no need for such formalities between us. Let’s quickly go inside and talk. Grandpa and your uncles and aunts must be waiting in the Main Hall.”

The Main Hall? Bai Ruozhu secretly rolled her eyes. It wasn’t that she had any concerns about Jiang Xuexiang, but she highly doubted whether Elder Jiang Ge, with his pretense of propriety, would actually consider leaving his decrepit hut.