Chapter 23: Only Jiang Lingyao Cares About Them

Song Lian'er masked the sneer on her face and advised, "Third Brother, do not be angry over such things; it is not worth it."

Jiang Xiushu grew angrier the more he thought about it, and with a flick of his sleeves, he stormed off.

"Lian'er," Jiang Xiumo frowned. "Since Grandmother was displeased today, we shall accompany you to see her again tomorrow."

Song Lian'er responded with feigned understanding, "I understand, Fourth Brother. Please, go after Third Brother quickly; don't let him do something rash in his rage."

Jiang Xiumo’s face darkened, as if reminded of past incidents, and with a curt nod, he hurried after his brother.

Watching them retreat, Song Lian'er could not help but smile, feeling quite pleased with herself. In truth, the people in this Duke's manor were all fools. Jiang Xiushu and Jiang Xiumo were legitimate sons but not the eldest; they could never bypass Jiang Xiuyuan to inherit the title. Although they appeared harmonious, fissures had long since formed between them.

She had only needed to stir the pot slightly to strike a nerve. The twins, convinced that Jiang Lingyao favored Jiang Xiuyuan because of her status, turned their affection toward her instead, using her as a tool to spite Jiang Lingyao. They certainly cared for Jiang Lingyao, but that suppressed resentment sat heavily in their hearts, and she was the one who reaped all the benefits.

But she was not Jiang Lingyao. She did not care why they were kind to her; she only cared for the advantages. Only a fool like Jiang Lingyao would be obsessed with pleasing others and craving their love.

At this thought, she glanced back at the Old Madame’s courtyard, and the smile on her face slowly faded. This old hag—she did not believe she could protect Jiang Lingyao forever!

"Third Brother!"

Jiang Xiumo caught up to him. Worried that Jiang Xiushu might cause trouble, he forcibly dragged him back toward their quarters. "Grandmother has only just returned to the manor. If you cause a scene, Father will not spare you."

This struck a chord. Jiang Xiushu, still bottling up his fury, found the words stifling. He gritted his teeth and spat, "I think Jiang Lingyao is just begging for a lesson. What good has it done her to be close to Eldest Brother? She ended up being left at the temple to take the fall for him!"

Jiang Xiumo’s expression turned grim. Before he could speak, he spotted a servant carrying a large stack of books, who looked flustered upon seeing them.

"Third Young Master, Fourth Young Master."

The servant’s hands trembled, and the books clattered to the ground. He knelt, pressing his forehead against the earth as if he wished to bury it. "Just now… just now the maid serving the Sixth Young Lady brought back her schoolwork."

"What?"

Jiang Xiushu, enraged, grabbed the servant by the collar and hauled him up. "Jiang Lingyao brought back her homework? What else did she say?"

The servant, choked by his own collar, gasped, "She… the maid said the Sixth Young Lady had no time to do it."

The fire Jiang Xiushu had barely managed to suppress flared up again, making his temples throb with rage. He snapped at Jiang Xiumo, "She has the energy to brew soup for Jiang Xiuyuan, but no time for her studies? What does this mean? She doesn't even bother to pretend anymore!"

Jiang Xiumo remained silent, but his eyes grew dark and cold.

The more Jiang Xiushu thought about it, the angrier he became. He charged toward Mingzhu Courtyard, and Jiang Xiumo, no longer inclined to stop him, followed.

He approached with a ferocious air, but his pace slowed the closer he got to Mingzhu Courtyard. Eventually, he was barely shuffling, his eyes widening as he stared at the charred, uncleared ruins.

He froze, a sudden, uneasy pang in his heart. He asked furiously, "What happened to Mingzhu Courtyard?"

"Replying to the Young Master, the courtyard burned down a few days ago. The Sixth Young Lady is currently staying in Yunting Garden."

Burned down? How could a perfectly fine courtyard suddenly catch fire? And who in the manor would dare burn Mingzhu Courtyard? Surely, only Jiang Lingyao herself would be bold enough to do such a thing!

He sneered, assuming it was Jiang Lingyao’s own doing. "Serves her right. She threw a tantrum and ended up hurting herself."

As the words left his lips, he suddenly remembered the pained cry Jiang Lingyao had let out when she shook him off earlier. A strange, uncomfortable feeling washed over him. He felt she deserved it, yet a seed of worry took root, leaving his mind in a chaotic, gloomy state.

Jiang Xiumo looked coldly at the servant. The man trembled and said, "Replying to both young masters, it seems Lady Lian'er accidentally started the fire, and then..."

"Lian'er started the fire?"

Jiang Xiushu snapped his head up in astonishment. Jiang Xiumo looked equally shocked, and the two exchanged a look, their expressions shifting.

"Was she injured?"

The servant quickly replied, "Lady Lian'er is unharmed."

Jiang Xiushu kicked him aside. "You useless wretch! Do you think I was asking about Lian'er?"

The servant, in great pain, stammered, "This servant does not know how the Sixth Young Lady is. The Duke ordered that no one is to speak of this matter. I truly do not know."

Jiang Xiushu’s rage had not yet dissipated, but looking at the ruins of Mingzhu Courtyard, he felt a tightness in his chest. After a long silence, he gritted his teeth and muttered, "Forget it. I am her Third Brother; I cannot hold a grudge against her."

He turned to Jiang Xiumo, who had remained silent. "Fourth Brother, I remember someone gifted you some Snow Skin Ointment. Let’s just give it to her. Jiang Lingyao is so vain—she used to cry and worry about scars if a tree branch merely scratched her hand. This time, she’ll be miserable enough!"

Jiang Xiumo nodded. "Go and fetch the ointment."

The servant, as if granted a reprieve, scrambled to his feet and hurried away.

Silence fell, and the brothers stood staring at each other.

As the sky grew dim, Jiang Lingyao and Wenqiu waited in the courtyard, their eyes fixed intently on a small, bubbling porcelain pot.

Earlier, she had worried that since Grandmother had just returned, she might lack an appetite. The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became. She had gone back to consult Nanny Li, who served the Old Madame, and decided to brew some nourishing porridge before her grandmother woke from her nap.

Yunting Garden had no small kitchen, and the servants, having sensed the manor's attitude toward her, were nowhere to be found. Jiang Lingyao had simply set up a makeshift stove in a sheltered corner of the courtyard and set to work with Wenqiu.