Jiang Tianchi got along well with Madame Tao, which showed a harmonious and lively picture between a mother and a son. However, when it came to Madame Ou, there was far less harmony. Actually, it was far more than disharmony. Madame Ou even disdained to see him!

Even if Jiang Tiancan and Jiang Tianhe, Madame Ou’s son and daughter, came over and tried to persuade their mother earnestly outside the window, Madame Ou still spat out one word in the room, “No!”

“Mother, why are you so hardhearted?” Jiang Tiancan said in earnest, “Even if you ignore the filial piety of my fourth brother to my father, at least you should consider for my fourth brother. He comes back after a long journey and pays respect to you before back to health! How can you bear it?”

The door opened when he just finished speaking. Madame Ou appeared behind the door. But she didn’t seem to be softhearted at all. Instead, she put on a chilly face. Glancing coldly at the juniors outside the door, she said, “How can I bear it? Right. I also want to ask you, Jiang Tianchi. The Northern Army is the enterprise of our Jiang Family. Beijiang is so important that any mistakes are not allowed to happen! Besides, you started your career as a soldier. Although you have been supported by Kunlun and done very well, your fellow officers in the army have also helped you a lot, right?”

“When you joined the army, you didn’t know anything. You rushed forward recklessly when the war started! Several old soldiers who didn’t know your identity risked their lives to pull you back because they thought you were still young. If it were not for them, how could you be where you are now?”

“As for the battle that made you get promoted to a general, your Imperial Guard sacrificed his life to get an arrow for you. Otherwise, you would have lost half of your life even if you had survived. You would have been retired and gone back to Jing City long ago. How could you continue to gallop on battlefields?”

“Just five years ago, you were assassinated by the spies bribed by people from Beihu when you were patrolling the front line. Although you were not seriously injured, you were harmed by a toxicant that was only produced in Beihu. It was Bikong who led thirty picked men to attack Beihu at night. Thirty-one men’s war robes were all stained with their blood. After they returned to the camp, the least injured one was unconscious for three days. Nearly half of them passed away! Even so, they still held the key antidote tightly to save you!”

The more Madame Ou scolded, the angrier she became. She couldn’t help but hurry forward and slap Jiang Tianchi seriously. She scolded him angrily, “Years of comradeship! No matter how well Kunlun has treated you, he is only one person! How can he be equal to the kindness of thousands of people to you? You’re so good. For his death, you ignored both the army and Beijiang and came back to Jing City. If you are just an inferior officer, it can be understood. However, you are a general! There should be a general like you who was born in our Jiang Family and taught by Kunlun!”

“Luckily, he had died before you came back. Otherwise, he’d have died of anger for you!”

Speaking of this, Madame Ou couldn’t help crying, “Kunlun worked hard for so many years. He taught you military tactics. He made no efforts to build your prestige. He taught you the way of command hand by hand… He cultivated only you all his life. He depended on you to thrive our family and keep the Jiang Family’s reputation in Beijiang! What have you done? The condolence destroys everything!”

“I regard my uncle as my benefactor. I have to come back to say goodbye to him!” Madame Ou was proficient in riding and shooting. Although she was old, she was still strong. She slapped Jiang Tianchi with all her strength. Even if Jiang Tianchi was a military general, he felt a burning sensation on his face and a faint smell of blood in his mouth. But he still stood straight and respectfully said, “Aunt, I…”

“You say you have to say goodbye to him. You could have sent a person on your behalf. Will I blame you?” Madame Ou’s answer was another unrelenting slap to Jiang Tianchi. Her eyes were blazing with anger and full of disappointment and sadness, “Our Jiang family is now in power. Can’t we keep your uncle’s body for months or even years? After you put down Beijiang, you can return to Jing City and personally see Kunlun to be buried. We have always regarded you as our own son. We’ll definitely meet your wish!”

Seeing that Jiang Tianchi still didn’t mean to repent, Madame Ou was absolutely furious! Without saying a word, she went back to the room. She picked up a one-foot-high vase and intended to throw it at Jiang Tianchi’s head, saying, “What a loser! Dare to delay at here! As long as you are taught by Kunlun, go back to Beijiang now! If you don’t go, that is good! I’ll clean up our family for Kunlun today!”

“Mother, don’t do that!” Jiang Tiancan realized that Madame Ou didn’t mean to frighten Jiang Tianchi at all. She really wanted to hit Jiang Tianchi hard. If Jiang Tianchi got the blow, he might almost die. Jiang Tiancan was so scared that he hurried up to grab Madame Ou, “Mother, calm down! Calm down!”

Jiang Tianhe was also stunned. When her brother grabbed her mother, she pushed Jiang Tianchi hard, “Fourth brother, you just go! Hurry! Go back to the Marquess’s Mansion now. We’ll talk to my mother!”

At a time of chaos, looking at his father and his elder brother, Jiang Yashuang requested softly, “Father, let me persuade my youngest grand aunt, shall I?”

Before Jiang Tianchi answered, Jiang Yadan reminded, “Our youngest grand aunt may beat you severely now. We can come back until she calms down.” His last sentence was encouraging Jiang Tianchi to leave.

“You go and try. I’ll go out of the yard with your brother.” After considering for a while, Jiang Tianchi told Jiang Yashuang gently.

Jiang Yadan was very anxious and he said, “Father, what if my youngest grand aunt…” He didn’t say out all his thoughts, “What if she hits Jiang Yashuang instead of you?”

Fortunately, although Madame Ou was so angry, she didn’t want to punish a son instead of his father. She just pointed to Jiang Yashuang and shouted angrily, “What are you doing here? Pull your father out and help him get on the horse quickly! Ask him to go back to Beijiang to deal with the war!”

“My youngest grand aunt, let’s go in first!” Jiang Yashuang winked at Jiang Tiancan. Jiang Tiancan had given up martial arts for many years. He was no match for his strong mother and could hardly hold his mother. He also knew that Jiang Yashuang was strong enough. He immediately put his hand away. Wiping his sweat, Jiang Tiancan tried to persuade Madame Tao, “Mother, listen to Jiang Yashuang. My fourth brother has done something wrong, but Jiang Yashuang doesn’t make any mistake, right?”

Madame Ou didn’t want to hear it. However, Jiang Yashuang was young and strong. He was brilliant at martial arts. He coaxed Madame Ou and suddenly held her, dragging her into the room. And then he slammed the door!

Madame Ou was about to get angry. Unexpectedly, Jiang Yashuang said softly, “My youngest grand aunt, do you really think my father will go back to Jing City without preparations?”

“… Kunlun has passed away so suddenly. What can Jiang Tianchi prepare?” Madame Ou was stunned and sneered!

“I haven’t gone to Beijiang yet. It’s hard to say.” Jiang Yashuang said calmly, “But when we visited my grandfather this morning, my grandfather was very gentle to my father!”

Madame Ou frowned, “Gentle?”

She knew Marquess Qin’s feeling to Sir Jibei. Marquess Qin had brought the Jiang Family from humble to thriving. She also knew that Marquess Qin would definitely not allow personal feelings to outweigh the overall situation!

At that time, Jiang Tianchi had determined to return to Jing City regardless of the war in Beijiang. When Marquess Qin had heard that, he had fainted on the spot, which had almost led to a direct fight between branches of the Jiang Family! If Jiang Tianchi had appeared in front of Marquess Qin at that moment, Marquess Qin might have throttled Jiang Tianchi! It only passed a few days. He should be gentle when he saw Jiang Tianchi.

“Is it….” Seeing that Madame Ou calmed down, Jiang Yashuang quickly released his grip. Madame Ou sat at the top seat and pointed a seat near her to ask Jiang Yashuang to sit down. She frowned, “Is it Jiang Tianchi’s plan to let Beihu attack Beijiang?”

“My father insisted on returning to Jing City day and night. I’m afraid it is also a part of his plan!” Jiang Yashuang sighed, “And it coincided with my grand uncle’s death. My father might have made other arrangements to convince Beihu that he must return to Jing City suddenly!”

Madame Ou thought for a moment. Although Jiang Tianchi was beaten and scolded by her just now, he was neither ashamed nor worried about Beijiang. It seemed that he had a plan in mind. She sighed with relief, “If so… I wronged him!”

But her face became gloomy again, “Why didn’t he tell me earlier? Does he like being beaten? Does he want me to beat him again later?”

“Maybe it is inconvenient for my father to say it in public.” Jiang Yashuang guessed. He didn’t know anything, but he thought he was right. Sir Jibei and Jiang Tianchi might be like a father and a son. In Jiang Tianchi’s mind, his uncle was even more important than Marquess Qin. But what was Jiang Tianchi like?

In his youth, he resolutely abandoned the prosperity in Jing City. As a son of a general, he got promoted step by step from a soldier to a general. Regardless of his perseverance, competence, and efforts, the reason for his behaviors lied in ambition. Frankly, it was careerism!

While his brothers were fighting for the interests in the royal court, Jiang Tianchi aimed directly at the foundation of the Jiang Family!

Jiang Yashuang never thought that his ambitious and insightful father would be so impulsive to push the overall situation aside. There was no room for such a mentally disabled general in the Northern Army!

So, Jiang Tianchi insisted on returning to Jing City like a brain cripple. There was nothing to explain the reason except that he planned to entrap Beihu.

“My grandfather was angry a few days ago. I discussed with Jiang Yadan privately to cheat the first branch and the third branch. Unexpectedly, we should have the same idea as my father… My father also set a trap for Beihu!” Jiang Yashuang felt a little embarrassed inwardly. He looked up and said, “If you don’t trust me, why don’t you go and ask my grandfather later, my youngest grand aunt?”

… After Madame Ou visited Marquess Qin, she really didn’t scold Jiang Tianchi anymore. But she didn’t send any servant to visit him. She pretended that she had never beaten him.

When Madame Tao knew this, she felt amused. She asked Mom Hu to comfort Jiang Tianchi, “That’s your aunt’s temper. It hasn’t changed for many years. Just pardon her! She is also for you!”

Jiang Tianchi didn’t mean to argue with his aunt. When his sons were waiting for him to apply for medicine on his face, he thanked his stepmother for her concern. And then he didn’t mention it anymore. Of course, others didn’t dare say anything.

Because Jiang Tianchi’s face was beaten by Madame Ou, it was inconvenient for him to appear in front of people. Therefore, the funeral procession that was planned to go the next day was delayed for two days. When his face looked normal, it officially began. It was particularly grand. Marquess Qin saw the procession off in person. The Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and the Empress arrived at the Mansion of Sir Jibei to light incense. The whole Jing City was shocked by the funeral!

The funeral procession, which was more than ten miles long, included people of the whole royal court and most of the imperial clan. They surrounded the heavy coffin and slowly moved to the suburb. After consultations among the Jiang Family, they decided to hide the death of Sir Jibei from Kui Xiannan so that Sir Jibei’s body couldn’t be buried in his hometown now. They buried his body around the Jing City. After Kui Xiannan passed away in the future, the sixth branch would send his body to his hometown.

This was a tragedy for those noble attendees. According to the rules, if the coffin of Sir Jibei was sent back to Kui County, they just needed to send the procession to the resting station outside the city. It was a place where many people walked by with neat official roads all the way. It was easy to go without any trouble!

But now, in order to show their attention to the Jiang Family, they had to accompany the procession all the way to the temporary cemetery on the mountain!

It was alright for young and strong ones. But for those old people like Xue Chang, when they looked up the rugged mountain path at the foot of the mountain, they wanted to swear. If Xue Chang could still climb this kind of mountain now, why should he bet his hope on Qiu Jinglan? He should wholeheartedly wait for his grandson to recover!

Fortunately, Marquess Qin was sensible. If those old civil officials including Xue Chang really climbed the mountain, he might need to dig more tombs in the mountain.

So, before he went up to the mountain with others’ help, he asked them to stay at the foot of the mountain. After the Jiang Family buried Sir Jibei, they would go down and return to Jing City for the last funeral banquet.

“Prime minister Xue!” Xue Chang stayed in the temporary pavilion at the foot of the mountain. Feeling stuffy there, he stood up and went to the nearby forest for a walk. As soon as he walked to a secluded place, he heard someone behind him saying, “The Great General of North insisted on returning to Jing City for his own sake, regardless of the overall situation. Although Marquess Qin was angry at first, he acted as if nothing had happened later… What do you think, Prime Minister Xue?”

Xue Chang looked at the person and frowned slightly, “No idea.”

“Why are you so defensive?” The person smiled slightly, “In those days, the ‘Tian’ generation of the Jiang Family intended to be officials in the royal court. Even Jiang Tianqi, who was reminded by Madame Tao, was reluctant to abandon the prosperity in Jing City and unwilling to suffer in the army! Only Jiang Tianchi was far-sighted and ambitious… His trap for Beihu just coincided with the death of Sir Jibei… However, what would he do if Sir Jibei didn’t die?”

“If you’re curious, why don’t you ask Jiang Tianchi? After all…” Xue Chang was only halfway through his words, the person interrupted him, “Draw a snake out of its hole. Even if he can’t completely annihilate Beihu, he’ll beat them seriously! And Beihu can’t attack the border in a short time!”

Xue Chang’s face was gloomy, “Enough!”

But the person didn’t stop, “It seems to be a good thing, but Jiang Tianchi’s position is so stable. There is no room to promote. Why should he be eager to make such a great achievement? It’s better to keep Beihu and slowly deal with it. After all, he still needs to cultivate his younger son Jiang Yashuang, who is recognized to be his successor, right?”

“He is so eager to free himself. What does he want to do? You are so perceptive. Can’t you see it, Prime Minister Xue?”

The person saw Xue Chang turning around to leave. He hurried to keep up. Although the person’s voice was light, his words pricked Xue Chang’s heart, “When the Gus with the Empress Dowager’s support forced you to surrender for your whole family. You once said that in your life, you were only loyal to Emperor and the country, but not the Empress Dowager… Now I wonder if you still have such firm and unyielding character!”