12. I’m going to make them pay.
The common folk watching the commotion saw his splendid attire and recognized him as a wealthy young master, so no one dared to utter a word; they all scattered away.
Gu Xin cursed silently in his heart: Jiang Shuwan, I refuse to believe that with my status as a reborn young master, I cannot control you.
He raised his hand to signal, and the attendant nearby immediately stepped forward. Gu Xin instructed, “Go buy some jewelry and gifts to send to her immediately.”
“Yes, sir.” The attendant bowed and turned toward the jewelry store.
“Wait.” After only a few steps, Gu Xin called him back. The attendant stopped.
“Don’t buy anything too expensive. She doesn’t deserve it,” Gu Xin said through clenched teeth.
“Yes, sir.” The attendant hesitated but agreed.
After walking a while, Jiang Shuwan’s maid Liusu spoke cautiously, worried, “Miss, just now the young master said that the Marquis has died.”
“I know,” Jiang Shuwan replied calmly.
“Then you still…”
Before Liusu could finish, Jiang Shuwan interrupted, “Don’t worry about me. Since I agreed to marry the Marquis, I have my own ways to handle things.”
Her gaze grew deep and resolute.
She recalled that in her previous life, after the death of the Marquis of Pingning, the emperor had summoned the old madam Gu to the palace and regretfully said that if the Marquis had remarried before he died, his new wife would have been granted the title of First-Rank Commandery Lady.
These were words the old madam Gu had told her in that previous life.
In this life, she had resolved to marry the Marquis of Pingning partly to spite Gu Xin, to become his stepmother and thus have him look up to her, but also to obtain that noble title and use it to seek her revenge.
Jiang Shuwan silently vowed, “Gu Xin, this time, I will bury you in the abyss.”
They arrived at a ready-made clothing shop. Jiang Shuwan planned to have a garment made for herself and another for Liusu, stepping in.
As she entered, a familiar voice called out, “Wanwan, cousin.”
Jiang Shuwan looked up and saw a man of medium build, dressed in a blue robe, his hair neatly gathered under a crown adorned with a blue jade ornament. His face was fresh and pleasant.
Before she could speak, the man hurried forward, delighted, “Wanwan, is it really you?”
Jiang Shuwan nodded slightly, “Cousin.”
The man was Shen Zhiluo, the third child of her grandfather’s second son—her second maternal uncle.
---
“Haha, I didn’t expect to meet my cousin today in the capital. It’s been so long since I last saw you. You should come out more often to stroll and see the world—it will lift your spirits.”
Jiang Shuwan usually stayed holed up in the mansion and seldom ventured out. When she did, she would go to the Jiang estate, but her visits were brief. Since their last meeting, nearly a year had passed without seeing Shen Zhiluo.
“You’re right, cousin,” Jiang Shuwan said with a gentle smile.
In the past, she had followed Lady Li’s orders: a proper young lady should never step outside or mingle beyond the home, just embroider quietly indoors. Lady Li’s schemes had also driven a wedge between her and the Shen family, so whenever she heard of Shen family members coming by, she pretended not to know and avoided them.
Looking back, she felt foolish for having believed Lady Li’s words.
Whenever Jiang Shuwan met the Shen family, her face was expressionless, rarely showing a smile, which left Shen Zhiluo somewhat stunned.
“Cousin, cousin,” Jiang Shuwan called several times before he snapped out of his daze.
“What’s wrong, cousin?”
She ignored his momentary distraction and continued, “Cousin, I remember you’re in the ready-made clothing business. Could you help me? Ready-made garments are, after all, of better quality.”
She usually wore clothes made in the mansion; ready-made clothing was unfamiliar to her.
Shen Zhiluo was surprised. “Cousin, you’re here to buy ready-made garments?”
Jiang Shuwan nodded. “Yes. The season is changing, and I want several fine outfits.”
Shen Zhiluo was astonished. “Cousin, grandfather worries that you’re not well treated at the Jiang estate, so he has me send you jewelry, cloth, and clothes every month. This month, I just sent them to the Jiang estate earlier today because I was busy.”
“Cousin, is that true?” Jiang Shuwan asked seriously.
“Of course it’s true. There’s no reason for me to lie. Since you were seven, after your aunt passed away, we’ve been sending these gifts every month without fail.”
“But I never knew,” she said.
Neither in her past life nor this one had she known about it.
Shen Zhiluo’s face darkened. “Do you mean the Jiang family is stealing the jewelry and clothes we send you?”
“That’s possible.”
Seeing Jiang Shuwan dressed plainly, nothing like the legitimate daughter of the Bo family, Shen Zhiluo was furious. “I’ll go confront them.”
Jiang Shuwan grabbed his sleeve to stop him. “Cousin, it’s not good for you to get involved. I’ll handle it.”
---
Shen Zhiluo was a businessman in the capital. Though the Jiang estate held little real power, it was not something a mere merchant could provoke.
After all, a strong dragon cannot suppress the local snake.
“But I’m worried about you going alone.”
Shen Zhiluo well understood this truth, but the way they treated Jiang Shuwan proved she had no standing in the Jiang family.
Now that he was her closest relative, how could he not support her?
Jiang Shuwan was touched, a warm current flowing through her heart. She comforted him, “Don’t worry. I have my own way to take back what’s mine. I’m not the Jiang Shuwan I used to be. They can’t bully me anymore.”
Seeing her determination, Shen Zhiluo said no more.
---
After Jiang Xunian returned from court, he sent for Jiang Shuwan, but the servants told him she had left early that morning.
Jiang Xunian slammed his hands hard on the square table, shaking it several times in anger. “That ungrateful child thinks she can hide by running away.”
Yesterday, because of other matters, he hadn’t accompanied the search for the alleged affair, but upon returning, Lady Li had told him everything.
He had planned to confront Jiang Shuwan last night, but it was late, so he resolved to do so after the morning court. Unexpectedly, she had already sneaked out early.
A gleam flashed in Lady Li’s eyes, but her voice was sympathetic as she pleaded for Jiang Shuwan. “Master, please don’t be angry. She’s still young and inexperienced. Please don’t be mad at her.”
“You spoil her too much, letting her run wild. Yesterday she took it upon herself to marry Gu Yunting and then accused her own cousin of infidelity, bringing disgrace on the Jiang family. If we don’t teach her a lesson, who knows what trouble she’ll cause next,” Jiang Xunian said, chest rising and falling with rage.
A look of triumph crossed Lady Li’s eyes.
Old Madam Jiang placed her teacup on the table and spoke calmly, “Son, there’s no need to be so angry. Actually, letting Wan’er marry Gu Yunting isn’t a bad thing.”
Jiang Xueyu also comforted him, “Yes, Father. Since sister has made her choice, there’s no need to be upset over her.”
If she was willing to marry a dead man and live a widow’s life, then let her. The more miserable she was, the happier they would be.