Chapter Twelve: The Jiang Family

Lately, many events have shaken the capital of Yanjing, and the storytellers in the city’s taverns have found their storybooks brimming with new tales. The most sensational among them is the scandal titled “The Pretty Nun and the Ascetic Monk’s Midnight Tryst, Startled by a Curious Monkey.”

Just a few days prior, a group of esteemed ladies returned from offering incense at Crane Forest Monastery with a shocking piece of news. It was said that Liaowu, the favorite disciple of Abbot Tongming at the renowned monastery on Mount Qingcheng, had been revealed as a lecherous monk who had violated many women in the vicinity, even the abbess of the neighboring nunnery was not spared.

Crane Forest Monastery is a famous temple, and many noblewomen had once prayed for blessings there. Upon hearing of this disgraceful scandal, those who had ever visited were struck silent by fear, worried that their reputations would be tarnished by association. The matter was brought before the emperor, and Emperor Hongxiao was enraged upon reading the report, issuing severe punishments to all involved. Even the centuries-old Crane Forest Monastery was ordered closed.

Many had witnessed the scandalous rendezvous between monk and nun with their own eyes. The ladies kept their silence, but the men spoke with relish of Abbess Jing’an’s youthful beauty, treating the affair as nothing more than a tale of romance.

Yet, this so-called romance, aside from provoking the emperor’s fury, unexpectedly entangled another figure: Jiang Li, the legitimate daughter of the capital’s Grand Minister Jiang Yuanbai.

Eight years ago, Second Miss Jiang Li was accused of causing her stepmother’s miscarriage. Jiang Yuanbai punished her by sending her to the family’s ancestral temple to reflect and improve herself, and she vanished from public view. Now, with Liaowu’s disgrace, it was discovered that Second Miss Jiang was residing at Abbess Jing’an’s nunnery.

No matter how malicious or unruly Second Miss Jiang might have been, sending her to a family temple was understandable, and even if she had her hair shorn and became a nun, it could be forgiven. However, to place her under the care of such a notorious abbess was truly indefensible on Jiang Yuanbai’s part.

Lady Liu, wife of Chengdelang Liu Yuanfeng, had visited Crane Forest Monastery and, deep in the night, found Second Miss Jiang being tormented by the abbess—forced to kneel in the Buddha Hall without water or food. Liu Yuanfeng composed his memorial with great skill: he did not mention Jiang Yuanbai’s name, knowing Jiang’s influence and the risk of offense. Instead, he wrote that though Jiang Li had erred in her youth, a child’s fault is the father’s failing; how could a legitimate daughter be entrusted to someone of such corrupt morals, left to her own ruin? He subtly indicted Ji Shuran, the mistress of Jiang’s household, as excessively severe and acting out of personal spite, sending Jiang Li to Abbess Jing’an’s hands with ill intent.

Originally, the memorial was a minor affair. However, the current Emperor Hongxiao was not born of the late empress; his own mother died at his birth, and he was raised under the empress’s care. The empress had her own son, the crown prince, and despised him, subjecting him to countless hardships. In the end, Emperor Hongxiao endured all and, after a long struggle for power, ascended the throne.

Liu Yuanfeng’s memorial immediately reminded the emperor of his own childhood: the loss of his mother, the cruelty of his stepmother. Instinctively, he developed an aversion to Ji Shuran akin to his feelings for the late empress, and his sympathy shifted toward Second Miss Jiang. When he next summoned Jiang Yuanbai to the imperial study, he dropped a few pointed hints.

Once Jiang Yuanbai left the palace and returned to the Grand Minister’s residence, his first order was to bring Jiang Li back to Yanjing at once.

When Ji Shuran heard the news, she hurried in and asked, “Husband, why are you suddenly bringing Second Miss back…?”

With a sharp slap of his hand, Jiang Yuanbai pressed the memorial onto the table, silencing her instantly. She rarely saw him so furious.

Jiang Yuanbai turned away. Though he was now past forty and the father of several children, as Grand Minister and the emperor’s mentor, his youthful elegance had matured into a singular, refined gravitas befitting the foremost scholar-official. Yet the usual gentleness in his expression was gone, replaced by suppressed anger.

“The emperor summoned me today. Though Liu Yuanfeng did not mention my name in his memorial, I have been implicated,” Jiang Yuanbai said. “Bringing Li home is the emperor’s command!”

Ji Shuran was shocked. “The emperor’s command? Why would he concern himself with such a matter?”

“His Majesty’s birth mother was not the empress dowager—” Jiang Yuanbai left the rest unsaid. As the emperor’s childhood tutor and chief supporter, he knew Hongxiao’s character well; this matter had touched a sore spot.

There was no refusing now. The emperor was no longer the young monarch who deferred to his ministers on all things. With his authority established, any direct imperial involvement was a command that could not be ignored, lest it be seen as defiance.

“Besides, Li is still my daughter,” Jiang Yuanbai sighed. “She’s been away too long. My conscience cannot bear it. Madam,” he turned to Ji Shuran, his voice softening with guilt, “will you blame me?”

He had reverted to his former gentleness, his eyes full of remorse.

Ji Shuran smiled and leaned into him. “How could I? Am I some wicked woman? Second Miss is a daughter of the Jiang family, your own flesh and blood. She was only a child when she erred; I let go of it long ago. If you wish to bring her back, I’ll have the maids prepare her rooms and everything she needs.”

“There is no one in the world as thoughtful as you,” Jiang Yuanbai sighed, embracing her.

“It’s only right. I just hope… I hope I can get along with Second Miss,” she added nervously.

Jiang Yuanbai’s brow furrowed as he recalled Jiang Li’s past misdeeds, but he reassured her, “She’s no longer a child. If she dares misbehave, I will not be lenient!”

After comforting Ji Shuran further, Jiang Yuanbai left to make arrangements for Jiang Li’s return.

No sooner had he departed than Jiang Youyao burst in with her maid, blurting out, “Mother, did you know Father is bringing Jiang Li back…?”

“Youyao!” Ji Shuran cut her off sharply, closing the doors and windows before scolding, “How can you be so reckless?”

Jiang Youyao, aggrieved, protested, “Mother, it’s not me! But why is Father suddenly bringing her back?”

Ji Shuran frowned. “How many times have I told you not to fixate on Jiang Li? She’s nothing but a weed, destined to be trampled. You are the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family; why stoop to her level?”

“But…” Jiang Youyao began to protest.

“So what if she returns? I am the mistress of this household. Can her return possibly bring her any benefit? This is merely a stroke of luck for her.”

“Can’t you make sure she doesn’t come back?” Jiang Youyao demanded.

Ji Shuran shook her head. Had it been only Jiang Yuanbai’s will, or someone else’s, she could have intervened—perhaps arranged a fatal mishap on Jiang Li’s journey back to the capital. But now the emperor was involved. Should anything happen, the entire Jiang family would be ruined.

Not only must Jiang Li come to no harm, she must be brought back with every honor and shown off to Emperor Hongxiao.

The very thought was vexing.

“No matter,” Ji Shuran said coldly. “She may have gained seven extra years of life, but she’s still oblivious. Let her return—I have my ways of dealing with her. In time, she will find that coming back to the capital is no blessing at all.”