In the Jing City…

The heavy snow in the first lunar month was vast and boundless. Firecrackers were scattered in the sound of wind and snow. The atmosphere of the new year was still strong. However, servants in Marquess Qin’s Mansion were trembling and nervous.

In the study in the front yard, the atmosphere was in tension.

“Kuang Qingwu is a callow youth. If he is not Kuang Shihan’s only son, he is just a mediocre man! Kuang Shihan himself was caught by Qiu Jinglan, not to mention him.” Jiang Tianao sneered and looked at the people, “Even if he escaped by chance, what did he do later? Instead of quickly finding a corner to hide and make a living, he openly becomes a bandit in Shazhou.”

“The most ridiculous thing is that since the Western Army knows that the so-called bandits are always against the Western Army and even have harmed the soldiers several times, the Western Army won’t kill them all every time… The Western Army, known as the elite in the world, has guarded Xijiang for years. Although the western savages can’t advance half a step to the East over the years, they can’t kill a 17-year-old child of a criminal.”

Jiang Tianao looked at Jiang Yazhu and Jiang Yashuang and said, “Don’t you dare think that this person was not ordered by Qiu Jinglan to eradicate dissidents under the guise of bandits?”

It was the first time that Jiang Yazhu was called to participate in a negotiation of this level. He didn’t expect to be caught by his uncle. Moreover, he knew nothing about the matter. At the moment, he was stunned and speechless.

“Now that you have said this, I want to ask you and my third uncle a question. How did Jiang Qizheng, Xing, and the young son of Earl of Jingchuan offend you?” Jiang Yashuang also knew that his brother couldn’t cope with their oldest uncle. So, he stood out expressionless and his dark eyes were cold. He asked angrily, “To deal with my wife’s brother, you colluded with Kuang Qingwu to take them away!”

“Ridiculous!” Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi denounced at the same time, “You connived at your wife’s brother to let Kuang Qingwu make trouble in Shazhou, but now accuse your elders and incite your brothers. The more you grow up, the less sensible and the more mischievous you are. If you continue to be like this, you will be no better than Jiang Yadan…”

“Sensible? Mischievous? These should be judged by my grandfather and father!” On his way to the study, Jiang Yashuang had inferred who was the real culprit behind the attack on Jiang Yadan and his group. Now looking at the first branch and the third branch, who couldn’t wait to put the blame on Qiu Jinglan, he was more determined. Although he had been colluding with these two uncles on behalf of the fourth branch in recent years. However, due to Marquess Qin and their blood relationship, attacks were mostly aimed at each other’s forces. In terms of their own harm, they all held their hands and controlled the bottom line.

He had restrained the bottom line. What did the first branch and the third branch do?

Jiang Qizheng was the only daughter in the fourth branch. Her son with Qiu Feng was just born.

Ou Qinglan, the earliest and most loyal follower of the Jiang Family, was the only girl of this generation!

Even if the Jiang Family didn’t care about Ling Zui’s life, Jiang Yashuang couldn’t sit back and watch him in danger because of his friendship with Qiu Jinglan and his care for Qiu Yelan and Ruan Ciyi.

“When Lanlan was newly pregnant before, I reminded myself that I must use extraordinary means at a special time.” At the moment, Jiang Yashuang’s heart was suffering and his hatred was overwhelming.

“Now I know that I’m still too young. How can I compare with these two uncles in terms of cruelty?”

He thought that the three people should have little chance to survive. After all, the death of them would hit the fourth branch hardly. Jiang Yashuang couldn’t think of any reason for the first branch and the third branch to stop? Family affection? If they still knew it, they wouldn’t do it.

“The only helper is Qiu Yelan’s brother, but his power has been basically exposed when Kuang Shihan was eradicated. Ren Ziyong’s family wealth that accumulated for many years has been mostly cost. The first branch and the third branch were well organized and prepared. There is basically no hope.”

Jiang Yashuang cleared his mind and suddenly smiled. He thought, “Although my father is far away in Beijiang, my grandfather is close and he can admonish his nephews. The two uncles were so anxious to take over the reins because I was right.”

“Slander elders without evidence! Jiang Yashuang, you’ve never been such an unreasonable person!” Jiang Tianqi sighed, showing pity, and his tone changed kindly, “But I understand you. After all, you must feel very sad when Jiang Qizheng suddenly has suffered the misfortune. Now you are upset and have a few words to the elders. Although it’s impolite, we all are a family and no one will care…”

Speaking of this, he looked at Jiang Tianao. As soon as Jiang Tianao frowned, he immediately understood that it was time to start the model of kindness and tolerance for the elderly, so as to hint that Jiang Yashuang was making trouble on purpose.

When he was about to assist, Jiang Yashuang said, “It’s easy for my third uncle to see the evidence.”

Ignoring the expressions of the first branch and the third branch after they hearing the speech, he adjusted his clothes and suddenly bowed down, “Grandfather, you and grand uncle know Xing and Jiang Yadan’s power. Please say a fair word for me.”

After saying this, he knocked heavily. Although the floor of the study was covered with thick felt, his forehead was bruised at once. However, Marquess Qin closed his eyes slightly to refresh himself. It seemed that he didn’t see this scene at all. Fortunately, there was Sir Jibei. He was a grand uncle, not a grandfather. So, he couldn’t afford to lose Jiang Yashuang’s face.

Seeing that, he changed his face and said, “Don’t kneel. Get up and talk!”

“I beg you to say a fair word.” Jiang Yashuang stopped kowtowing, but refused to get up and insisted, “Although Jiang Yadan is a man and older than Xing, how can his kung fu be compared with Xing because of the neglect over the years?”

“You…” Sir Jibei smiled bitterly, looked around, and saw that Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi were also looking at him. His eyes were complex. He pondered for a moment and said, “It should be Xing!”

“What uncle has said is very true!” Jiang Yashuang smiled. He got up and returned to his seat. He looked around with cold eyes and said, “Of course. It’s Xing! Xing’s brother Ou Bicheng can’t practice martial arts. Jing Bo has always educated Xing as a boy. In terms of riding, shooting, and drinking, she is no weaker than a man! Moreover, since she was a child, she often traveled between Beijiang and Jing City. She was not afraid of traveling, but after the attack, the only one who wasn’t kidnapped was Jiang Yadan, rather than Xing who was most likely to escape!”

“It was Kuang Qingwu’s intention to let Jiang Yadan go.” Jiang Yashuang asked with a smile, glancing sideways at Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi, “You two really deserve to be elders! You’re so calculating and cruel. Jiang Yadan is also the eldest son of the fourth branch. If something happened to him, my grandfather would punish related people even if he took my uncle’s kindness into consideration. But Xing and Ling Zui don’t have a surname of Jiang and Jiang Qizheng is a married woman. So, you let Jiang Yadan go so as to avoid my grandfather’s punishment.”

“That’s why you have misunderstood us?” Jiang Tianao frowned and said in a gentle voice, “But your inference is too arbitrary! Jiang Yadan and others were accompanied by bodyguards. Of course, when they were attacked, they mainly relied on bodyguards to resist. There was absolutely no reason to rely on the four of them! Bodyguards couldn’t protect everyone and should give priority to the protection of Jiang Yadan! Among the four of them, Jiang Yadan is the most valued, isn’t he?”

Jiang Tianqi also said calmly, “And perhaps it was Qiu Jinglan who inspired Kuang Qingwu to do this calculation for making trouble among us and then he would benefit from it. Jiang Yashuang, you are the best in the Jiang Family. We, elders, have high hopes for you! You can’t do things that hurt your relatives and make your enemies happy because of the voice beside your pillow!”

Speaking of this, he looked at the crowd, “Although it is said that the commander of the Western Army has always come from the Ruan and Qiu Family since the founding of our Dynasty, it is still a long time ago. Qiu Jinglan himself promised that he would only take revenge. After that, he will never take any power of the Western Army. Kuang Shihan has been killed for years and he kept Kuang Qingwu for himself. Others are still in the Western Army, obstructing our family from taking over the army. This is really…”

The two cousins made a rigorous inference and a bold assumption. Both of them believed that the fourth branch was trapped this time and it was Qiu Jinglan who had planned it with his purpose to drive away Jiang Yayue and Jiang Yaqing and monopolize the Western Army. Jiang Yashuang’s suspicion was bewitched by his wife Qiu Yelan.

“In fact, there is a clue about this, but Shazhou is too far away from Jing City. When the news arrived, it coincided with the good news from your wife. We thought it was your first child and should not be ignored. So, we don’t want to tell you the annoying news.” Jiang Tianao continued to pretend to be a good elder, “I was going to remind Qiu Jinglan, so as not to embarrass you in the future. I think maybe it is what I have done that makes him decide to do this.”

“Shazhou is vast. Jiang Yadan and others were not ostentatious when they traveled. How could they be blocked by Kuang Qingwu?” Jiang Tianqi added, “Someone must have revealed their whereabouts. Jiang Yayue and Jiang Yaqing are cousins of Jiang Qizheng. Don’t mention Jiang Yadan, that girl of the Ou Family was held often by Jiang Yaqing when she is three or five years old in Beijiang. He took her as a sister. There are scum killing relatives in the world, but even if there is a gap occasionally among us, we won’t go this far. Jiang Yashuang, what you just said really hurt our hearts.”

They two cooperated and created a lively image of an elder who was misunderstood by his younger generation but still full of love and compassion. Jiang Yashuang just looked at them indifferently. Seeing that they had finally finished, he said, “Since both uncles think I am making troubles without reason, I don’t know if you can answer my question.”

Without waiting for them to answer, Jiang Yashuang asked with a smile, “You keep saying that my wife’s brother has a bad intention for a long time. But for this time, there was also a clue about the experience of Jiang Yadan. Since you had arranged for someone to remind my wife’s brother, why didn’t they remind Jiang Yadan and others who are going to Shazhou?”

Hearing this, the first branch and the third branch all slightly change their expression!

Jiang Yashuang stared at them and asked word by word, “You know Kuang Qingwu has a problem, but you let Jiang Yadan and others enter Shazhou unprepared… I dare to ask you that since you are so tolerant and considerate of me, how can you forget to care for Jiang Yadan and others?”

He suddenly laughed, “Fortunately, Jiang Yadan is all right. He is the eldest son of the fourth branch. No one dares to harm him! Therefore, if you can’t remember whether you have told him or not, it doesn’t matter. When Jiang Yadan returns to Jing City, we’ll know! I think that although Jiang Yadan is a little mischievous at ordinary times, he is in his prime of life. He won’t forget the concerns of you so soon, will he?”

“…” Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi still looked calm, but their hands under their wide robes and big sleeves trembled slightly. They thought, “We are careless! We want to push Jiang Yashuang step by step. Unexpectedly, we fail to force him into hysteria, but he has caught a flaw!”

If they said that they hadn’t reminded Jiang Yadan before, they could find some excuses to explain. But now they pretended to be nice and acted as that they knew Qiu Jinglan had a problem with Kuang Qingwu but didn’t tell Jiang Yashuang and his wife because they thought about them. How could they explain they didn’t tell Jiang Yadan?

Just as Jiang Yashuang said, they dared not kill Jiang Yadan!

If they couldn’t kill them, they had to explain. But how?

The study became quiet strangely.

“Jiang Yazhu?” After a brief silence, Jiang Yayi suddenly said, “Although the fourth uncle and Jiang Yadan are not here, the fourth branch has not only Jiang Yashuang now but you. You are his brother. Do you think the first branch and we will be responsible for the misfortune of Jiang Qizheng?”

Hearing the speech, in addition to Marquess Qin who was still meditating with his eyes closed, all people in the study focused on Jiang Yazhu!

Jiang Yazhu had never appeared on such an occasion. He caught up with such a nervous scene for the first time. He was at a loss. Being looked at like this at the moment, he suddenly blushed.

Jiang Yayi’s eyes flashed a glance of contempt, but outwardly he asked kindly, “Jiang Yashuang has said his opinion before you. Now it’s time to listen to yours. After all, the fourth uncle and Jiang Yadan are not here. According to the age, the fourth branch is now in your charge.”

Of course, this was accusing Jiang Yashuang of not obeying the order of the elders and surpassing his brother.

When Jiang Yashuang smiled calmly and was about to speak, Jiang Yazhu suddenly said, “Although I’m older, he is the trueborn son.”

Everyone was stunned!

Especially, Jiang Yayi was astonished!

But Jiang Yazhu, who was not used to speaking on this occasion, said with a red face, “The old saying goes that the trueborn son is the first. Now the fourth branch has Jiang Yashuang and me. He is the trueborn one. It’s natural for him to come out to speak for us. Brother, what’s your intention to make trouble between us?”

Jiang Yazhu was flattered outside, but he was very insignificant in the Jiang Family. To be honest, other people didn’t take him seriously except Jiang Yadan, Jiang Qizheng, and Jiang Yashuang, who respected him. Jiang Yayi also didn’t respect him. He thought he could make a breakthrough by questioning him. Unexpectedly, Jiang Yazhu, who had always been a waste, was clever. He not only found a good reason for Jiang Yashuang, but also showed his decision to rely on Jiang Yashuang.

This put Jiang Yayi into a dilemma.

Jiang Yazhu had not finished his words yet. He looked at the people around him and said, “I’m not the trueborn son. I’m not very talented. I let go of it earlier. I wouldn’t be here today if it didn’t involve the fourth branch. But since Jiang Yayi has come to me and asked me what I mean, I will say directly. I’m not familiar with Ling Zui and Lady Ou. However, Jiang Qizheng is my sister and her children are still raised in my yard now! Whether it is because of brotherhood or the explanation we need to make to my nephew in the future, we, the fourth branch, will never accept it if it is not investigated thoroughly.”

“Thorough investigation!”

The sudden interruption surprised everyone.

Following the voice, Marquess Qin slowly open his eyes and glanced at Jiang Yazhu without any emotion. He said indifferently, “There’s something wrong with the people in your branch. You want thorough investigation… Then investigate!”

After a brief silence, Jiang Yashuang asked calmly, “And then who will investigate it?”