Quick Transmigration: Saving The Crazy Villainess

Chapter 113: Jiang Ying Yue (20)

The mother and daughter didn't know that an hour before they got back to the Jiang household, something happened on the way to one of the other palanquins. The one belonging to the least favored concubine and son among the Marshal's entourage today suddenly had one more person inside it. And from the looks of it, he was long there before the other processions even started or probably even before the mother and son pair arrived.

"Y-Your Highness Chen Wang."

Sweat was forming on the concubine's forehead. Her name was Jin Yahui, a minor concubine of the second rank. She came from a humble merchant family and only managed to enter the estate after being fancied by the marshal when he caught sight of her in a local festival.

Given her less splendorous background, it was already quite amazing that she had come this far and even managed to attend an event hosted by the Emperor. Part of a reason was the current Imperial family's lack of high requirements for the number and type of people an official could bring. Still, it was quite outstanding that out of all the concubines, she was one of those allowed to come.

But no matter how high her accomplishments as a concubine was, she was still nothing more than dirt before a high personage like Chen Wang.

As she looked at the man who was sitting inside, because of his status in her mind, the place appeared just so not fitting for someone of his caliber. But in the first place, why was he in her shabby palanquin?

"Come in. The wind is blowing hard in this season so it's not good for kids his age to stay outside for a long period of time." As if he was the owner of the place, Jiang Li invited the two in.

The child holding his mother's hand stared at the stranger in red. His gaze held extreme curiosity since it was his first time seeing this person. Earlier, his eyes too focused on the golden boat and the rowing contestants which caused him to miss out Jiang Li in the crowd.

"Mother, a male fairy has appeared in our carriage," said the child to his mother in a cute crisp voice. To the kid's eyes, Jiang Li truly looked beautiful. He once heard from the nannies that beautiful people were fairy so he called the beautiful male stranger a male fairy.

Hearing this though, Jin Yahui's face blanched. What floated in her was that one time when she roamed the commercial streets with her brother and learned from a wealthy-looking matron that those beautiful men working as escorts in the red-light district were called male fairies.

'Dear heavens, what did just my child call His Highness?'

She widened her eyes at her son in horror. A second later, he pushed him forward and spoke in a stern and terrified voice, "Lei'er, apologize now!"

"Mother?" The child had a bewildered expression on his face, not understanding the woman's actions.

Jin Yahui didn't see that since she was looking apologetically at Jiang Li. "This small one is guilty. I didn't teach my son well. Please forgive us, Your Highness." She then turned to the child with a half-fierce, half-pleading expression. "Hurry, now. Bow and apologize to His Highness!"

The child was only four to five years old. He was easily scared. So even though he felt wronged and aggrieved, he did as his mother told.

Jiang Li didn't say a thing since his brain quite short-circuited for being called something he never ever expected to be addressed at him. 'Which damn one taught a child to call a man fairy?' For a man from the modern world, it was just very weird, and slightly hair-raising.

"T-this small one apologizes to His Highness."

Only after the child's shaky voice drifted to his ears did Jiang Li regain his senses. He looked at the mother and son pair. They were both shaking, one from fear, the other from being on the verge of crying. He then shook his head and said, "I'd rather you two apologize for making a scene outside instead of hopping in like what I instructed."

With terrified faces, the two did bow and apologize. Jiang Li was already feeling irritated. So he just ordered the two to get in. It seemed his frosty expression did the trick since the two obediently complied.

Knowing they would be talking about something confidential, the mother covered both her son's eyes and ears.

As for Jiang Li, he only spoke after hearing from Mao Hong outside that nobody heard and saw them creating the scene earlier. The status of Jin Yahui and her son among those who came from the Marshal seemed to be the lowest since they were the last to depart.

"Madam, this ride should be not long, so how about we stop wasting time?"

Jin Yahui cautiously nodded. The man did not mind the wariness in her the other party's eyes, he continued, "First of all, I want to say that you don't need to worry about me doing anything to you or your son. I chose to speak with you today because I know what position you have in that household and that I deem you good enough to cooperate with me."

"Cooperate?"

Jin Yahui doesn't know what the enigmatic man before her wanted to do, but she had a hunch the next words he would say would haunt her for the rest of her life. With fear and trepidation in her heart, she asked, "Y-your Highness, this one is merely a small concubine and her abilities are limited. What can this one help Your Highness with?"

"This Prince won't ask for much." Jiang Li was smiling. Nevertheless, the woman couldn't see any hint of warmth from it. Her palms that were on her son's ears and eyes subconsciously trembled and even became a bit sweaty from nervousness.

Her voice also shook as she asked, "May I know what it is then, Your Highness?"

The man's fingers tapped on the small round mahogany table, his actions giving his bearing a lackadaisical feeling. "As a member of that household, you should be very much aware of what happened there just recently."

Jin Yahui looked away. "I, this small one, doesn't know." 

He laughed. "Fine then, I'll just bet that you know how to choose the correct side. You should be very capable to be able to survive in that estate given your background. " Jiang Li started. 

"Since I'm a bit in awe of what I've heard about you, This prince will generously tell you. In the next few months, a storm will strike the capital. It's not only because of the imminent war of princes. But because the son of heaven will be provoked."

He paused for a while to check the other's expression, chuckling as he beheld her holding her breathe. His gaze turned to the clueless child before continuing, "His Majesty's anger will definitely descend upon every corner of this empire. By then, innocent or not, the whole Jiang Household will also surely be no more..."

...

On their way back to the manor, Mao Hong curiously asked Jiang Li, out of all people they could contact in the Marshal's estate, why does it have to be that low-ranked concubine.

He didn't reply, since it was not his style to explain, unless absolutely needed or if doing so would directly damage those he was targeting.

However, he did muse in his mind,

'The fact that she and her five-year-old son are still alive until today means she is quite smart and capable. After all, that Second Madam has no son yet which means the boy could be the Jiang Clan's heir. How could that woman allow it? With them perfectly fine, it means the concubine is capable enough to protect herself and her son, and at the same time, continued being in the eyes of that damnable Marshal.'

When Jiang Li talked to the woman earlier, he didn't really give any definite instructions to her. He merely challenged her to show her worth so he would be compelled to save her and her son once a disaster strikes the Jiang family.

Jin Yahui was definitely aware of what he wanted given that he never hid to anyone that Jiang Ying Yue was currently under his wings.

It would take time, but he was looking forward to what that woman would show him.

He was hoping it would be a surprise.