The Young Marquis Regrets Too Late - Chapter 6

Jiang Runchu’s head started hurting a lot more after he heard what his mother said. However, he knew that it’d be a waste of energy and breath to continue talking to her, so he just got up and went to Rongde Hall.

As expected, after Jiang Ruchun told Jiang Jingchun about the invitation, she wanted to go back to Chongming Hall.

This was bound to happen. Lady Li truly knew how to control her.

She hadn’t even lasted that long before she fell under her mother’s sway once again.

However, Jiang Jingchun still had a lesson with Governess Liu later that evening, so she had to return early after her conversation with Jiang Runchu.

In the evening, Lady Li finally met the person she wanted to see.

Jiang Jingchun stood at the doorway, craning her neck to peek inside. When Lady Li spotted her, she snorted coldly and said, “I waited for you for over ten days, yet you didn’t bother to come back. Now that you’ve heard I’m about to go to the marquis’ residence, you’ve finally deigned to lower yourself and come to see me?”

Jiang Jingchun had expected Lady Li to utter these sharp words. After all, what she had done was indeed a bit unkind. She put an ingratiating smile on her face and squeezed through the door before Lady Li could scold her further. Without waiting for more berating words, she threw herself into Lady Li’s arms and said, “Mother, don’t be so mean…”

She had always known how to coax her mother. As long as she obediently followed Lady Li’s words, her mother would undoubtedly be happy.

Lady Li’s expression softened slightly. She cast a sidelong glance at Jiang Jingchun and said, “You heartless girl, what did you even come back for? I don’t want to see you.”

Jiang Jingchun quickly replied, “Mother, don’t say such cruel things. If you didn’t want to see me, why do you send people every day to ask Huayun about how I’m doing? I know all about it. Besides, I just went to Grandmother’s place to learn proper conduct. Once I’ve learned everything, I’ll naturally come back. Look at me—haven’t I grown thinner these days? Don’t you feel sorry for me?”

At her mention of learning proper conduct, Lady Li looked at her. Sure enough, she found that Jiang Jingchun’s face had visibly grown smaller.

The old madame was a famously strict elder, so Jiang Jingchun must have suffered a lot during her time there.

However, Lady Li still refused to speak kind words to Jiang Jingchun. She said, “Who told you to insist on going there? Serves you right.”

Still, Jiang Jingchun could notice her mother’s tone softening. She continued to speak a stream of coaxing words to her. After a long while, Jiang Jingchun finally promised that once she had properly learned all the rules of proper conduct, she would definitely come back. It was only then that Lady Li’s expression completely relaxed. She agreed to take Jiang Jingchun with her to the Gu family residence.

At the beginning of the fourth month, the day to visit the Gu family residence finally arrived.

Jiang Jingchun first went to her grandmother to request leave, and then, she joyfully set off for the Gu family residence in a carriage alongside Lady Li.

Among those going weren’t just Lady Li and her daughter from the first branch of the family, but also some people from the second branch of the family.

After Jiang Nan rose to the position of a second-rank minister, he moved into a residence befitting his status, which was a spacious estate with five courtyards and three gates. Since he had plenty of room for his family and more, he allowed the second branch of the family—his younger brother’s family to move in as well. Now, both branches of the Jiang family resided in the minister of personnel’s residence.

Jiang Nan’s brother was named Jiang Cheng, and he was several years younger than Jiang Nan. Back in the day, he hadn’t been fortunate enough to experience good times for long before the Jiang family was demoted. Later, the old madame devoted herself to supporting Jiang Nan and left Jiang Cheng somewhat overlooked. As a result, Jiang Cheng never achieved much in terms of his career. He had then relied on Jiang Nan’s position as the minister of personnel to secure a job as a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Personnel.

Jiang Cheng married Lady Lin, a woman from a modest family. Compared to Li Wanning—Lady Li, Lady Lin’s background was certainly less noteworthy.

Lady Li and Lady Lin’s personality clashed, and the two never got along. Besides, Lady Li looked down on Lady Lin’s low birth status and thought of her as unpresentable, while Lady Lin resented Lady Li for her arrogant and haughty demeanour. 

Because of the discord between the two madames, there was always an undercurrent of tension between the first and second branches of the Jiang family.

Still, when Madame Gu sent an invitation to the minister of personnel’s residence, she couldn’t very well just invite the legitimate wife of the first branch and not invite the legitimate wife of the second branch of the family. If the old madame were to find out, she’d surely be displeased. That was why the second branch of the family was now also going to the event.

The old madame felt guilty for neglecting her second son in the past, so she now showed more consideration towards her second son’s family in matters like this.

Lady Lin, the second madame of the Jiang family residence, was accompanied by her daughter Jiang Jingfang, who was only a year younger than Jiang Jingchun.

They ran into each other just as they were leaving.

“Oh, what a coincidence! Is Sister-in-law also headed to the marquis’ residence?” 

Lady Lin was the first to speak. 

Then, she turned to look at Jiang Jingchun and said mockingly, “I heard my eldest niece has been learning proper conduct with the old madame recently, who even brought in a governess from the palace for her. I thought she’d really settle down, but here she is again, playing around. This kind of half-hearted effort won’t do.”

Lady Lin’s tone was dripping with sarcasm and instantly infuriated Lady Li. She cursed inwardly that people from small households were always so uncouth. Just as she was about to retort, Jiang Jingchun spoke up first.

“Thank you for your concern, Aunt. It’s getting late, and the performance will begin soon. If you’re not in a hurry, take your time. We’ll head in first.”

Without waiting for Lady Lin’s reaction, Jiang Jingchun grabbed Lady Li’s hand and left.

This action surprised not only Lady Li but also stunned Lady Lin and her daughter, who couldn’t react for a moment.

In the past, Jiang Jingchun would’ve argued alongside her mother. Both of them had strong tempers, and Lady Li especially wouldn’t tolerate even the slightest loss. If they started bickering, it would never end. Because of this, even if it was the second branch that had provoked the conflict, it was always the first branch’s reputation that suffered. 

But now, Jiang Jingchun seemed to have matured.

It appeared the old madame’s proper conduct lessons hadn’t been in vain.

Lady Lin quickly calculated her next move. She started thinking that it might be a good idea to send her own daughter to learn from the old madame as well. After all, why should the first branch get such benefits alone? If her daughter could also learn something valuable and grow closer to the old madame, it certainly wouldn’t hurt.

The minister of personnel’s residence wasn’t far from Marquis Heyang’s residence. In less than half an hour, they arrived.

Because of the earlier exchange with Lady Lin, Lady Li didn’t want to give her any respect right now. The moment she stepped out of the carriage, she marched straight inside without waiting for anyone.

Lady Li didn’t care to bother with her either. She just followed her at a leisurely pace and pretended nothing had happened.

The tensions between the two branches were no secret. Lady Li wasn’t one to hide her feelings, and her likes and dislikes were always plainly visible on her face. The servants of Marquis Heyang’s residence had seen enough before to understand the current situation. Still, they kept their heads down and pretended not to notice.

Jiang Jingchun followed behind her mother and was unusually well-behaved and quiet. She kept her head lowered. Her eyes fixed on the ground, and she didn’t glance around as she used to.

She wore a pale green gown today. Unlike before, she didn’t adorn herself with extravagant accessories, and she no longer looked like a colourful little peacock wherever she went. Her hair was styled into twin hanging buns, which didn’t sway with her steps. With the addition of her delicate and refined touch of makeup, she looked far more composed and graceful than usual.

She had changed a great deal, yet one thing remained the same—she was still as stunningly beautiful as always.

The others noticed Jiang Jingchun’s transformation, though they couldn’t quite put their finger on what had caused such a drastic change.

Jiang Jingchun sensed the sidelong glances but paid them no mind. She just continued walking in the proper manner that she had learned.

Just then, she heard Jiang Jingfang exclaim behind her, “Cousin!”

This was followed by Lady Lin’s voice, saying, “Fuyan, did you just return from outside? How timely—we were just about to visit your mother. Shall we go together?”

It was the tenth day of the fourth month, and Gu Huaisheng hadn’t gone to work. He had probably been out running errands and happened to return just in time to run into them.

Lady Lin was pleased to see Gu Huaisheng suddenly. She had seen Jiang Jingchun’s behaviour and felt like she was just pretending. Everyone knew Jiang Jingchun’s true personality—this sudden display of decorum had to merely be a pointless pretence.

Gu Huaisheng had just returned home from somewhere. In the past, Jiang Jingchun would’ve run up to him, bouncing excitedly, and loudly called out, ‘Cousin Gu’—as if afraid he wouldn’t see her.

Now that Gu Huaisheng had appeared, she thought Jiang Jingchun would surely reveal her true self. 

Gu Huaisheng responded indifferently to Lady Lin’s words, without even looking at her or her daughter. Instead, his eyes fell idly ahead. Yet, without him even realising it, his attention drifted towards the figure that had yet to turn around.

For some reason, at some point, she had begun to stubbornly force her way into his line of sight. No matter who else was around, no matter the circumstances, she always insisted on squeezing her way to his side.

As a result, her current behaviour—which was so uncharacteristically out of place—unconsciously drew Gu Huaisheng’s attention.

The usually noisy little girl was unusually quiet today.

His gaze remained fixed ahead, though his peripheral vision couldn’t help but catch sight of her.

He thought to himself that he was just curious, and that was all.

Finally, Jiang Jingchun turned around.

Unlike a young girl seeing her crush, she showed no excitement—only poise and propriety. Her hands were neatly folded in front of her, just as Governess Liu had taught her, and she curtsied slightly to Gu Huaisheng.

In a soft voice, she said, “Greetings, Cousin.”

Her voice was different from the sweet and clingy tone of the past. Instead, it was now gentle and calm, like a soft breeze that brushed across one’s face and soothed the furrowed lines of one’s eyebrows.

Yet this change didn’t seem to stir any emotion in Gu Huaisheng. His expression, from beginning to end, remained almost unchanged.

However, his gaze finally and openly fell upon her.

It was only then that he realised his cousin had become an entirely different person.

He recalled how, just a few days ago, she had stood before him, stubbornly asking, ‘Cousin, what kind of person do you like?’

The little girl’s thoughts were easy to guess. In his eyes, she was purer and more transparent than a blank sheet of rice paper that had never been touched by ink. Gu Huaisheng didn’t even need to think to know what Jiang Jingchun was thinking in her heart.

What kind of person did Gu Huaisheng like? Even he didn’t know.

He had no idea where Jiang Jingchun got the mistaken impression that this was the kind of person he would like.

Still, he was happy to let Jiang Jingchun misunderstand. At least this way, he could enjoy a bit more peace and quiet.

There would no longer be the incessant chirping and chattering in his ears.

There seemed to be a hint of a smile on his face. His pair of peach blossom eyes, which had been frozen over like ice for ten thousand years, finally showed a touch of spring warmth.

He was handsome and outstanding, with bright eyes and beautiful eyebrows.

These words surfaced in Jiang Jingchun’s mind without her commanding it.

And just like that, she hopelessly found herself staring at him in a daze again.

It seemed as though he had said something to her,” Greetings, Cousin.” 

However, she couldn’t say for certain, because by then, she couldn’t hear anything at all.

Gu Huaisheng strode forward into his family residence.

She withdrew her gaze and suppressed the urge to follow him.

Her cousin didn’t like it when she did that.

So, she couldn’t act the same way as before.

She couldn’t follow wherever he went anymore.