Speaking of Jiang Ningkang, he is indeed a character!
Jiang Ningkang was frail from a young age, so his parents named him Ningkang, hoping he would grow up peacefully and healthily. Because of his poor health, Jiang Ningkang spent most of his childhood at home reading and writing. At the age of nineteen, he took the imperial examination and became a high-ranking official in Beijing. He rose to his current position step by step without any help from the Jiang family.
It must be said that this person does have some abilities and means. He has a good reputation in Beijing over the years, and his connections and influence cannot be underestimated.
Of course, even though he didn't have the Jiang family's help, he was still a member of the Jiangnan Jiang family, so it was inevitable that he would have some advantages. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to enter the six ministries of the imperial court so easily.
In addition, Jiang Ningkang was born in the Jiangnan Jiang family, but stayed in Beijing to serve as an official for many reasons. The biggest reason was probably that Jiang Ningkang did not have a good relationship with the Jiangnan Jiang family.
Back then, the third daughter of the Jiang family, Jiang Ningkang's younger sister, insisted on marrying Lin Hengzhong, who was not yet the Prince of Lin. This was opposed by the Jiang family, and the relationship became extremely strained for a time.
Jiang Ningkang, who cared deeply for his sister, naturally sided with her, unwilling to see her forced into a marriage alliance with the family. Furthermore, Jiang Ningkang disliked certain behaviors within the family, and gradually distanced himself from them. After Jiang Wan's death, Jiang Ningkang rarely returned. While his relationship with the Jiangnan Jiang family had eased somewhat, it remained distant.
Before coming, Lin Jiangnian had already learned from Lin Kong what had happened during this period.
When they arrived in the capital that day, Zhiyuan and her group were taken in by the Jiang family and moved into their home.
Zhiyuan grew up in the Jiang family in Jiangnan. Due to her special status as being adopted by the princess, the Jiang family in the capital was not unfamiliar to her and could even be considered her second home.
Before entering the capital, Lin Jiangnian had indeed planned to visit the Jiang Mansion in the capital upon arrival. It seemed that the Prince of Lin had never met his uncle, who lived far away in the capital?
At this moment, outside the Jiang Mansion, there was no one else except a few servants and maids.
This was also something Lin Jiangnian had specifically instructed. There were still rumors in the capital that he was missing or even dead. This was actually beneficial to Lin Jiangnian, as he was not in a hurry to reveal his identity.
After getting off the carriage, Lin Jiangnian entered the Jiang Mansion under the guidance of Lin Kong and the servants.
The entire mansion was enormous, decorated in an antique style. The courtyard was filled with the chirping of birds and the fragrance of flowers. The snow, still not yet fully melted, carried a chilling winter air. Although it was far from comparable to the Linwang Palace, it was still considered a very nice mansion in the capital.
At this time, Lin Kong, who was leading the way in front, seemed to think of something and suddenly stopped.
"Your Highness..."
Lin Kong hesitated, not knowing whether to say it or not.
Lin Jiangnian glanced at him and said, "Go ahead."
Lin Kong then whispered, "Miss Zhiyuan, maybe... she's still angry with you, Your Highness."
Lin Jiangnian was slightly stunned. Angry?
What's going on?
"Your Highness, you knocked Miss Zhiyuan unconscious and sent her back to the capital. When she woke up, she was extremely angry..."
Lin Kong carefully mentioned this matter to Lin Jiangnian.
The situation in the inn was dire and critical at the time, but Miss Zhiyuan insisted on staying there to help His Highness. His Highness agreed on the surface, but then he knocked Zhiyuan unconscious and sent her to the capital.
When she woke up, Miss Zhiyuan rushed back to the inn, but the inn was already empty and His Highness was nowhere to be seen...
Lin Kong found it difficult to describe the aura of Miss Zhiyuan at that moment. The overwhelming aura was so overwhelming that he couldn't breathe, and he dared not approach. Afterwards, Miss Zhiyuan ordered to dig three feet deep to search for the whereabouts of His Highness, but before they could do anything, a mysterious person delivered a letter.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they learned that His Highness was still alive, but Miss Zhiyuan's expression remained grim.
Just as he was about to meet Miss Zhiyuan, Lin Kong reminded Lin Jiangnian of this matter.
Miss Kite, I'm afraid you're still angry.
Lin Jiangnian was stunned for a moment before realizing something.
The situation was critical at the time. Based on his understanding of Zhiyuan, if he didn't stop her, she would definitely clash head-on with Shen Lao. Given her strength, it was unlikely that she would be Shen Lao's opponent.
It is even very likely that you will lose your life!
Therefore, Lin Jiangnian had no choice but to resort to this last resort.
I had no choice at the time, and now when I think about it... it's normal for me to be angry because I was tricked by him.
If you are not angry, there will be something fishy!
"No problem."
Lin Jiangnian waved his hand and said, "Women just need to be coaxed."
"Your Highness, Your Highness?!"
At this moment, a surprised, excited, and somewhat trembling voice came from the yard not far away.
Lin Jiangnian looked up and saw a pretty little girl standing under the eaves of a house not far away in the courtyard. Her cheeks were rosy, and her delicate, round face was flawless and fair. She was looking at him excitedly with tears in her eyes.
"Xiaozhu?"
Who else could it be if not Xiaozhu?
Xiao Zhu's eyes welled up with tears as she trotted over to Lin Jiangnian. She looked him up and down, her voice trembling, "Your Highness, are you okay?"
She remembered vividly what happened at the inn that night.
Especially when His Highness sent them away, no matter how stupid Xiao Zhu was, he realized something.
His Highness's behavior at that time was more like...making arrangements for his funeral!
For days, Xiao Zhu had been terrified, afraid something might have happened to His Highness. It wasn't until she saw His Highness standing before her, alive and well, that she carefully examined him, making sure he wasn't missing anything. Only then did Xiao Zhu burst into tears of joy. Unable to hold back her tears, she threw herself into Lin Jiangnian's arms, sobbing.
Lin Jiangnian held the little maid in his arms and comforted her softly for a long time before the little maid's crying gradually subsided.
"Okay, this prince is still alive, right? You're crying like this, and others will think that this prince is really dead."
Lin Jiangnian helped the little maid wipe away the tears on her face. The little maid looked resentful and aggrieved, pouting: "Your Highness, please don't talk nonsense..."
"Okay, okay, I won't talk nonsense anymore."
Seeing Xiaozhu again, still so well-behaved and cute, Lin Jiangnian was in a good mood. After spending some time with Xiaozhu, he asked, "By the way, where's Zhiyuan?"
Hearing Sister Zhiyuan's name, Xiaozhu finally remembered the important matter and hurriedly broke free from Lin Jiangnian's arms: "Your Highness, Sister Zhiyuan is in the room!"
Xiao Zhu then realized that she was so excited to see His Highness that she almost forgot that Sister Zhiyuan was still waiting for His Highness.
"Your Highness, Sister Zhiyuan is very worried about you. You should go and see Sister Zhiyuan." Xiaozhu said, and then pulled Lin Jiangnian to the room in the courtyard.
"Sister Zhiyuan is right here..."
Xiao Zhu led Lin Jiangnian to the door of a room, and when he was about to say something, he was stunned again.
"Where's Sister Zhiyuan?"
The room in sight was empty, with no one in it.
Where is the kite?
Xiao Zhu looked puzzled: "Sister Zhiyuan was here just now, why is she gone?"
Xiao Zhu looked around the room but still couldn't find Zhiyuan.
Where did you go?
The quiet room was filled with a faint, familiar fragrance, originating from Zhiyuan. She had indeed been here just now, and the lingering fragrance in the room indicated that she had left not long ago.
So……
Lin Jiangnian looked around, as if thinking about something.
This is, still angry?
Hiding from him?
Thinking of this, Lin Jiangnian couldn't help but feel a little amused. He didn't expect that Zhiyuan would have such a sulky side?
At this moment, footsteps were heard outside the door again, and Lin Kong's voice came from outside the door: "Your Highness."
Lin Jiangnian walked out of the room, and Lin Kong walked up to him and whispered something.
Lin Jiangnian looked back at the room behind him, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded: "Let's go."
After Lin Jiangnian and Lin Kong left, Xiaozhu stood in the room, wondering where Sister Zhiyuan had gone. As she walked out of the room and across the corridor, she spotted a figure under the eaves on the other side.
"Sister Kite?"
Zhiyuan leaned quietly against the wall, looking at her, his expression cold and his eyes focused.
Without saying a word.
She was wrapped in a simple white dress embroidered with cloud patterns. Her figure was graceful and tall, cool and elegant. On this cold winter day, the cold wind blew away a few strands of her hair. Below her forehead, her beautiful and calm face was revealed.
"Sister Zhiyuan, why are you here? His Highness was looking for you just now..."
Xiao Zhu took small steps forward and began to speak with an excited smile on her face, but Sister Zhiyuan didn't say anything. She looked up and found that Sister Zhiyuan was staring at her.
His cold eyes seemed to want to see something.
For some reason, Xiao Zhu suddenly felt a slight chill in his heart. Sister Zhiyuan's eyes...why was there something wrong again?
"Sister Kite?"
Xiao Zhu was a little uneasy and looked down at herself: "What, what happened?"
Is there something on her?
I didn't notice anything unusual.
Zhiyuan stared at Xiaozhu for a long time before looking away.
"Xiaozhu."
The voice was neither cold nor indifferent.
"Um?"
Xiao Zhu looked up in confusion and saw Zhi Yuan looking up at the yard. His profile showed neither joy nor sadness, and his voice was devoid of any emotion.
"Wait and move to the room."
Xiao Zhu was puzzled: "Moving room, where to move?"
"I have an empty room over there. You can live there from today."
Zhiyuan glanced back at her and spoke.
Xiao Zhu looked bewildered, not knowing what Sister Zhiyuan was going to do, but she nodded obediently: "Okay, I'll go move it later."
"besides……"
Zhiyuan glanced at her again and said calmly, "Go copy a few scriptures for me later."
"oh."
“…”
Jiang Mansion.
Lobby backyard.
Before Lin Jiangnian stepped into the backyard, an excited voice was heard from the yard.
"Jiang Nian is here? Where is he? Jiang Nian, where are you?!"
A graceful lady appeared in her sight. She was about forty years old, and the years had left some traces on her face. When she saw Lin Jiangnian, she was startled, and the next second, her eyes suddenly reddened. Then she walked up quickly and grabbed Lin Jiangnian's hand, very hard. She looked at Lin Jiangnian excitedly: "You are Jiangnian, right?!"
"Like, so similar, just like your mother..."
The lady's voice was filled with uncontrollable excitement. She looked Lin Jiangnian up and down, as if wanting to see him clearly. Her eyes were red. "Why did you come so late, kid?"
Looking at the noble lady in front of him, Lin Jiangnian gradually identified her identity in his mind.
Jiang Ningkang’s wife, that is, Lin Jiangnian’s... second aunt!
Lin Jiangnian had never been to the capital before, so he had never met his second aunt. Perhaps infected by Jiang's mother's excitement, Lin Jiangnian was slightly moved and called out, "Aunt."
Hearing the name "Auntie," Jiang's mother's eyes instantly flushed with excitement, tears streaming down her face. She grabbed Lin Jiangnian's hand and said excitedly, "Good boy, good boy, your auntie has finally seen you... Come on, let your auntie take a good look at you. You must have suffered a lot along the way..."
Although it was the first time they met, Jiang's mother was extremely enthusiastic and excited. She held Lin Jiangnian's hand and talked to him incessantly, crying with joy.
"I've wanted you to come to the capital to see your aunt for a long time, but I never had the chance. Now, I finally get to see you..."
"Your mother passed away early, and you must have suffered a lot..."
"I heard you were attacked not long ago. How are you? Were you seriously injured..."
Looking at Jiang's mother who looked nervous and excited, Lin Jiangnian felt an indescribable strange feeling in his heart. Certain emotions piled up in his chest and he couldn't put them into words.
He shook his head gently: "Aunt, don't worry, I'm fine!"
"That's good, that's good..."
Mother Jiang nodded repeatedly, and her excitement gradually subsided after a long time.
"Good boy, since you are in the capital this time, stay for a while and spend some time with your aunt."
Mother Jiang looked at Lin Jiangnian from head to toe, her heart filled with joy.
Back then, she and Lin Jiangnian's mother were close, more like sisters. Wan'er passed away early, leaving Lin Jiangnian alone and helpless, and they hadn't had the chance to meet until today. Seeing Lin Jiangnian's resemblance to his mother, Mother Jiang was overwhelmed with emotion and heartache.
Jiang Nian lost his mother when he was young, so his life must have been very hard, right?
"Okay, I'll do as my aunt says."
Lin Jiangnian nodded slightly, then seemed to remember something: "Where's my uncle?"
Mother Jiang said, "Your uncle is busy with government affairs. He went to the palace this morning and hasn't returned yet. He will definitely be very happy to see you when he returns..."
As she spoke, she wiped away the tears from her eyes: "Look how happy I am, I forgot you just came back. Come in quickly and sit down, your aunt will welcome you back!"
As she spoke, Mother Jiang ordered the maid to prepare the meal and pulled Lin Jiangnian into the house.
Before arriving at the Jiang residence, Lin Jiangnian had anticipated many possibilities, but he hadn't expected Jiang's mother to be so fond of him. Back when Lin Hengzhong married Jiang Wan, his relationship with the Jiangnan Jiang family had indeed become strained, so much so that even after all these years, the rift between the two families hadn't been completely resolved.
But the second aunt who was far away in Beijing did not seem to be affected by these things. She warmly entertained Lin Jiangnian and excitedly asked about how Lin Jiangnian had been doing over the years and was concerned about his current situation.
Looking at Lin Jiangnian in front of her, she became more and more happy. As she spoke, she couldn't help but wipe away her tears: "If only Sister Wan'er were still here, she could see that you have grown up so much."
Speaking of her younger sister Wan'er, Mother Jiang felt distressed again.
At this time, the maid beside her couldn't bear it anymore and persuaded the lady that she was very tired today and should rest.
Jiang's mother was reluctant to leave, and asked someone to arrange for Lin Jiangnian to sit down at the house. After Lin Jiangnian asked his aunt to have a good rest, he left the yard.
Standing outside the yard, Lin Jiang sighed.
The sudden family affection made him feel a little difficult to adapt to.
After leaving, Lin Jiangnian glanced around, finding no one around. He retraced his steps, intending to return to find Zhiyuan.
The kite is still angry, so we have to find a way to coax it.
Just as he was passing by the pavilion in the courtyard of the mansion, Lin Jiangnian suddenly heard a familiar voice.
"Hey, come here, young master!"
The voice was a little rebellious.
Lin Jiangnian paused slightly, turned around, and saw a familiar figure appear under the eaves of the yard not far away.