Chapter 35: A plan in the open and a plot in the dark(3)
Apart from Aunt Rong’s son who followed General Ouyang to the army, the rest of the sons all stayed at home. An Shuo was astute but he didn’t want go to the scholarly institutions to only be bored at this time. An Zhouhang was usually weak and cowardly so how could he dare to venture outside? Lastly, there was the sickly Aunt Zhao’s son, An Zijing. He had a mother who was always ill so he studied medicine for years, developing a cold personality. Thus, he would definitely not head there.
While An Jin was walking towards Aunt Rong’s courtyard, she was thinking what to say when she met Aunt Rong.
Aunt Rong’s temperament was gentle and kind so she would be easily swayed with a few persuasions to agree to her request.
“Miss, did third Miss really believed us?” An Jin’s servant, Liu Yu asked doubtfully.
“Hmpf! How could she not believe me? That poison girl has been ignored since birth, nor has she received any training of noblewomen. Moreover, she also didn’t read any poems and books. Hence, she will easily believe in whatever she hears.”
An Jin’s words were full of disgust for An Yan.
Liu Yu thought back, That’s right. The Third Miss really showed a convinced expression just now.
Meanwhile, Aunt Rong, in a room in her courtyard, was sitting facing a mirror as she groomed herself, with Nanny Fang beside her. Her expression was somewhat sorrowful.
“Aunty…”
Hearing this voice, Aunt Rong turned her head to the source of the sound. She then came to face with An Jin who was wailing. She was a little curious. Isn’t today this girl’s birthday? What went wrong? Why is she wailing this badly?
“A grown up young lady’s weeping face is unpleasant to sight. Today is your birthday as well so why are you crying? Who bullied my family’s Jin-er?” Aunt Rong eye-indicated to An Lianer, who was beside her, to fetch some hot tea while she took hold of An Jin’s hand.
“Just now, I saw Yan meimei wearing ragged clothes. She looked so pitiable. Thinking of me dressed in magnificent clothes, while she is suffering, my heart aches. So I came to Aunty’s place.” Yan Jin pouted. She then blinked her large eyes that was glimmering with tears. When her tears was about to flow out of her eyes, she paused and looked at Aunt Rong. She, however, then thought about what she was going to do and hesitated slightly.
Aunt Rong frowned slightly before she sighed.
“To see An Yan-er suffer, really causes people’s heart to feel constricted.”
“Jin-er will soon be married. Yan meimei is also now of marriageable age. I then thought of letting Aunt Rong to find Yan meimei a good family’s son so she can also have someone who dotes on her dearly.”
An Jin calmly took out a handkerchief from her pocket to dry her eyes. This handkerchief was very rare in Jin City. Only the imperial household’s first-in-line young miss could possess. Her sleeves were drawn up by her hand movement when she tapped the corners of her eyes with it, making her bracelets of jade and pearls to echo melodiously as they clinked against one another.
Aunt Rong looked her with a narrowed eyes from smiles before she said,
“Yan-er, please return to your room. I have already planned it out long ago. I just need to discuss it with the Lord Prime Minister.”
Hearing this, An Jin became alarmed. If she had known about this earlier , she would not have needed to come up with this event!
“What is Aunt Rong’s plan?”
An Yan, was curious as to what Aunt Rong’s plans would be. That poison girl lived in a rotten courtyard, and with her reputation, even if she is the third young Miss of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, who would want to marry her? It was just a fool’s dream. Yet, Aunt Rong actually had a plan?