The truth about the marriage was stripped away layer by layer, and it was clearly visible in front of Jiang Wanru. The indifference of the Wang family, the coldness of the Jiang family, all the ins and outs were clear. After Jiang Wanyi and Jiang Wanyan left, Ji Yan rushed into the room, carefully examining Jiang Wanru for several moments, seeing that her expression was a mix of sadness and joy. She asked with concern: "Miss, are you okay? Did your sisters say something unpleasant to you?"

  Jiang Wanmu tried to calm her emotions and looked at him calmly, shaking her head and saying: "I'm fine, they just came to tell me a secret out of kindness." Ji Yan smiled after hearing this and clapped his hands, saying: "Miss, don't believe what the first and second young ladies say. If it's good news, they won't come looking for you. You don't need to hear the secret to know it's not good news." Jiang Wanmu heard Ji Yan's words and smiled, saying: "This time, their secret is something that I can neither be happy nor sad about, it's probably just half-open."

  Ji Yan listened to Jiang Wanru's complicated words and was somewhat puzzled, saying: "Miss, is there a matter that combines joy and sorrow? Miss, if it's something that can be told to others, tell me about it." Jiang Wanru glanced at her and said, "Of course, I can say it. Since the two young ladies already know the secret, they themselves will explain it to you, how could I not let you know? However, this matter is of great importance, after hearing it, you must keep it in your heart, but cannot spread it out from your mouth."

  Ji Yan saw Jiang Wan's cautious expression and nodded, saying: "Miss, I'm listening to you. For now, I've only brought my ears, not my mouth." Jiang Wan thought back to that matter, it was truly shocking to say out loud. She declared beforehand to Ji Yan, "Ji Yan, what the eldest miss and second miss think is good might be bad for me. What they think is bad might actually be a great thing for me instead."

  Ji Yan saw Jiang Wanru turning around and speaking, with a look of urgency on her face, her expression showing some impatience, yet worried that she wouldn't continue. Jiang Wanru looked at her inquisitive appearance, and the worry in her eyes dissipated somewhat. She deliberately started telling the story from the beginning, including the arrangements made by the Wang and Jiang families regarding their own marriage, and the length of time before the wedding date was set.

  After hearing the words, he stared at Jiang Wanru in surprise, his mouth trembling as he spoke: "Miss, did the first and second young ladies conspire to deceive you into being unhappy because they were jealous that you could enter the Lian Wang Fu?" Jiang Wanru shook her head lightly and said: "Ji Yan, what they said is roughly the truth. I've heard people outside say that the young master of the Lian Wang Fu has a reckless personality and does things without restraint. If this marriage isn't temporary, with his personality, he will definitely cause a huge commotion. It won't be as calm as it is now, still acknowledging the engagement on the surface."

  Ji Yan believed in Jiang Wanru's judgment. She looked at Jiang Wanru's calm face and suddenly burst into tears. "Miss, what's the good of this? Isn't it just a way to drive you to death? After three years of marriage, who will still believe in your innocence? Miss, how will you spend your days after three years? You are also a lady of the Jiang family, how can Master and Madam agree to such conditions? Waaah, thinking about it makes me feel so sad... waaah..."

  Ji Yan choked back tears. Jiang Wanmu looked at her, with a hint of emotion on her face, and took out a handkerchief to wipe away Ji Yan's tears. She comforted her in a low voice, saying: "Ji Yan, this is a great thing! I just need to endure for three more years, and then I'll be free to go wherever I want. I won't have to pretend to be stupid at the Jiang family, nor will I owe them any gratitude for raising me. In those three years, I'll repay the Jiang family's kindness in raising me. After that, I can be myself again, and cut ties with the Jiang family forever."

  Ji Yan took the handkerchief from Jiang Wan's hand, wiped her face with a hint of hatred, and said in a low voice: "Miss, what's wrong with this marriage?" Jiang Wan hesitated for a long time before saying in a deep voice: "My requirements are not many, but I don't know if others will allow me to live in peace. I'm worried that even if I obey them, there will still be times when I go against their wishes. If they don't want me to live, they have thousands of ways to make me die naturally."

  Ji Yan looked at Jiang Wan with a frightened expression, pulling her hand and saying: "Miss, you should leave. You can earn your own money, don't worry about starving to death." Jiang Wan saw her flustered appearance and shook her head lightly, saying: "After the engagement is settled, I won't have anywhere to go. Don't be afraid, maybe I'm just overthinking and scaring myself. As long as I marry into the Wang family properly and follow their rules, they will let me live in peace for three years. It's just that we need to plan carefully about your family and the Mu Gen family."

  Ji Yan tightly grasped her hands, and when Jiang Wanru said this, she lifted up her tear-stained face and hoarsely said: "We'll follow you into the Wang Fu, we can help as much as we can." Jiang Wanru looked at Ji Yan and said: "The more people in the Wang Fu, the worse it is. I just want to quietly get through those three years, during which I don't have to pretend to be stupid, but only be a gentle and polite woman."

  A glimmer of hope rose in Jiyan's eyes as she looked at Jiang Wanting and said, "Miss, if Master knew that you weren't like what people outside say, he might treat you well. Three years later, you can still stay in the Wang Manor." Jiang Wanting slapped her heavily and said, "Fool, three years is just three years. A family like that will not change their minds. We cannot have any unrealistic fantasies, that's a dead-end way of thinking.

  To live in peace, we can only follow their arrangements. We strive to be weak and insignificant in their eyes. Auspicious words, if you want us to leave the Liang Wang Fu safely, you must remember that your young lady is not good-looking, not intelligent, and has no other virtues except for being gentle. Everything is ordinary and unremarkable. This way, after we come out, we can be ourselves again, earn our own money, and eat a peaceful meal.

  Ji Yan looked at Jiang Wanru and said, "I'll listen to Miss's words. Whatever Miss says, I'll do." Jiang Wanru leaned in close and whispered, "You know that Big Miss and Second Miss don't have good intentions towards me. Let's just pretend we don't know anything about it and continue as usual until Master and Madam bring it up themselves." Ji Yan nodded silently, but she didn't think Master and Madam would take the initiative to mention that matter to Jiang Wanru.

  Jiang Wanmu glanced at Jiyuan, who was a bit calmer, and said: "When your brother and Mugen return, ask them to come here together tonight. I have something important to discuss with them." Jiyuan nodded, and as she walked out, Jiang Wanmu gazed at her rosy face and red eyes, calling out to stop her: "Jiyuan, go outside and splash some snow on your face. Now is not the time for people to notice that you're upset. You need to put on a happy appearance."

  Ji Yan turned around and smiled at Jiang Wanru, saying: "Miss, is this how you smile?" Jiang Wanru glanced at her and nodded, saying: "You need to smile more naturally. If you smile like that, others will think you're going to collect debts." Ji Yan heard this and couldn't help but laugh, saying: "Miss, I'm already worried about you, what can I do if you say things like this?"

  Jiang Wan said with a white eye: "Think about it carefully, after a few months, we will go to Lian Wangfu. It's a great joy to enjoy the glory and wealth, it's a big happy event. Many people haven't even entered the gate of Lian Wangfu, but we can stay inside for three years, what a wonderful thing! Of course, I have to laugh with excitement, hurry up and wipe your face clean, thinking about that great thing, go out and smile more sweetly at people." Jiyan nodded vigorously: "Miss, yes, I want to smile more beautifully."

  Ji Yan closed the door, and Jiang Wanru was inside. She slid onto the stool beside the table, feeling weak all over. In the midst of uncertainty, a glimmer of light shone through. Whether this engagement with the Wang family would bring her good fortune or disaster, only time would tell after she entered the Wang household. Jiang Wanru leaned on the desk, the cold surface making her smile wryly: "What kind of miserable fate has the world given me? First, I played the fool, and now I have to play the obedient, timid, and cowardly role."

  It's all just acting, for the sake of a good show, fate should give oneself a role from bitter to sweet. How can one let oneself struggle so hard, just hoping to live in peace? If others had this kind of opportunity, relying on past life memories, they could live with vitality even if it went against heaven's will. But only I, born into a noble family, yet living in a remote place, struggling to survive. Just when there seems to be a turning point, fate is again like escaping from a wolf's den only to enter a tiger's lair.

  No matter how depressed Jiang Wan was in her room, when she opened the door, her face was calm and serene. Ji Yan returned from outside and looked at Jiang Wan, her heart calmed down a lot. She spoke to Jiang Wan: "Miss, this time Eldest Miss and Second Miss came back mainly to add to your dowry. They said you were very happy with the gifts they gave you and that they suited your taste." Ji Yan spoke while looking at Jiang Wan's expression.

  Jiang Wanru was taken aback and looked at Jiyuan, asking: "They said 'I really like the gifts they gave me?' What kind of gifts are they going to give me?" Jiyuan turned her head away from Jiang Wanru and whispered: "The eldest miss sent Miss a food basket with lotus seeds, and the second miss sent Miss red dates. They said 'Originally wanted to send some fabric to Miss, but as soon as Miss heard the word fabric, she shouted that she didn't want it and only wanted those two things.'" Jiang Wanru burst out laughing and said: "What a pair of sisters who speak nonsense, what a deep sisterly love."

  Ji Yan turned back, looking at Jiang Wanru who was laughing loudly and said: "Miss, everyone in the Jiang family believes in the words of the first and second young ladies. They left our courtyard with smiles on their faces, and people outside say that the first and second young ladies, as well as the fourth and fifth young ladies, are being extremely careful about you now because of the royal marriage." After stopping her laughter, Jiang Wanru's eyes became desolate, and she said faintly: "Such family members, what is there to be nostalgic about?"

  My friend's new book: "Sparrow on the Branch" has a very bold choice to become a poor man's wife, the couple relies on their own hands to eat and wear clothes, but things seem not to be that simple...

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  Hard study