You expect me to serve your mistress? The mistress is driving this scumbag and his entire family cra

Chapter 32 What exactly is the origin of this galangal?
Liang Jiang remained calm and composed: "It's the Liang from the Duke of Liang."

"Keep your head up!"

Liang Jiang raised her face, calm and fearless.

Tong Shouliang's gaze was fixed on her face, as if trying to catch something in her eyes and brows.

Then, out of the blue, he asked, "Do you know the Duke of Liang?"

"Of course, the Duke of Liang is a native of Fucheng, and almost everyone knows him. According to our family genealogy, he is my elder."

"No wonder you were chatting so freely with Zhao'er just now, and seemed very curious about things on the battlefield."

"Fucheng is the hometown of a famous general. Although I have severed all ties with Fang Chengxu, I still admire the Fang family's loyalty and bravery."

Therefore, I strongly disagree with the young lady's boasting about General Tong and maliciously downplaying Fang Chengxu's contributions.

General Tong frowned and glared at Tong Zhao'er: "You really talk such nonsense everywhere?"

Tong Zhao'er lowered her head and murmured, "I just wanted to provoke her and make her back down."

"This is utter nonsense! The victory in the Battle of Xiliang was achieved through Cheng Xu's own risk-taking and strategic planning. How can you put the cart before the horse? You deserve to be taught a lesson!"

Tong Zhao'er was unconvinced, but she didn't dare to argue back.

General Tong said to Liang Jiang in a deep voice, "Duke Liang is the person I respect most in my life. He has been kind to me as if he were my second father. Considering that you are of the same clan as him, I will not hold this matter against you."

"Zhao'er, it's been many days since I last saw you, and I have something to say to you."

Tong Zhao'er couldn't understand why her father had so easily spared Liang Jiang and even sided with her.

"Most of the families in Fucheng are surnamed Liang, and in previous years they all said they were related to the Duke of Liang. She is just an outsider and has no connection with the Duke of Liang whatsoever."

"Alright! It's not appropriate for your father to interfere in the Fang family's feud during this holiday. Let's go!"

He turned and left Tingzhu Garden first.

Back at Yixiang Garden, after visiting his grandson and dismissing the servants, only the father and daughter remained in the room.

Fang Chengxu went to prepare the banquet.

General Tong immediately composed himself and sternly rebuked Tong Zhao'er.

"How could I have told you so much? How could you speak so recklessly and spout such nonsense in front of outsiders? Don't you understand the saying that trouble comes from the mouth?"

Tong Zhao'er was still unconvinced: "That Liang Jiang is just a country bumpkin who doesn't know anything. What's there to be afraid of?"

"A country bumpkin? You think she's really just an ordinary country bumpkin? You're seriously underestimating her!"

Tong Zhao'er was taken aback: "Father, do you perhaps know something about her background?"

"I have some doubts, but I'm not entirely sure."

Tong Zhao'er breathed a sigh of relief: "Seeing you suddenly let her go just now, I thought she really had some amazing background."

General Tong frowned: "Although she deliberately pretended to be trembling with fear, she has extraordinary bearing and sharp thinking. She is by no means an ignorant country bumpkin. Moreover, she looks a bit like someone."

"Who?"

"His eyebrows and eyes bear some resemblance to those of the Duchess of Liangguo."

"Father, do you really think she has some connection with the Duke of Liang?"

Tong Shouliang narrowed his eyes, looking puzzled: "If Princess Heya hadn't died back then, she would be about the same age as her."

"You mean that little princess from the Duke's mansion? Not long after the Duke of Liang's incident, didn't she and her mother die at the hands of assassins from Xiliang? Her second uncle personally collected their bodies."

"The mother and daughter died tragically, their faces unrecognizable. The second master of the good family could only barely identify their bodies by their clothing and hairpins. What if there is something else going on?"

Tong Zhao'er comforted him, "I know Father feels guilty about the death of the Duke of Liang back then and has always wanted to make amends to his widow. But what secrets could there be? The Emperor has already forgiven the Duke of Liang's betrayal and allowed the Duke's family to continue inheriting the title. Could it be that someone would give up wealth and honor to fake their death and come to this poor, remote place to suffer?"

"Then what about the ink stains on her face just now? Was she deliberately trying to hide her face from me?"

Tong Zhao'er shook her head: "When we were arguing, I pushed her, and her hand just happened to be on the inkstone."

“When your mother went back last time, she casually mentioned this to me, but I didn’t take it to heart, thinking she was just being paranoid. But seeing her today, it seems very similar.”

However, if it really is her, she should have recognized me immediately upon seeing my father. When I return to the capital, I'll try to find out from that respectable young master; he might know something."

Tong Zhao'er didn't understand why her father was being so cautious: "Why don't you just ask Liang Jiang directly? Why go through all this trouble?"

"Father will send someone to verify," General Tong warned in a deep voice. "Whether it is true or not, you must not alert her in front of her, nor reveal her identity."

"Why?"

"Because the Duke's wife and the Princess are dead!"

Tong Zhao'er was genuinely puzzled, as her father's words seemed contradictory, but she dared not press the matter further.

"Wouldn't that just make me even more arrogant and domineering?"

"I don't care how you fight with her, but I'm just warning you: don't say those kinds of things in front of her again. Also, Fang Chengxu must not say anything about the battlefield in front of her again."

Tong Zhao'er said softly, "I understand. I'll tell Chengxu when he comes back."

General Tong thought for a moment, then said, "Don't tell Fang Chengxu what I told you today about this woman. Do you understand?"

"remember."

"Be patient for a few more days, Chengxu's reward will be coming soon."

His fourth-rank general title is secure. I plan to recommend him for the position of fourth-rank deputy commander in the Imperial Guard. He'll be taking up his post in a few days, and then you'll naturally be free from this place.”

Tong Zhao'er was overjoyed: "Really?"

Tong Shouliang nodded: "If he can join the Imperial Guard and serve before the Emperor, with my help, Chengxu will have a bright future. I will make sure he cherishes this opportunity."

Tong Zhao'er was so excited that her face lit up: "A word from you, Father, is worth more than Chengxu working hard for decades. I thank you on Chengxu's behalf."

It's true that it's good to have a big tree to lean on. With his father as his backer, why would he have to worry about not being able to control the Fang family?

Listening to Bamboo Garden.

Everyone dispersed.

Aunt Yu immediately stepped out and asked worriedly, "It seems that Tong Shouliang is suspicious of you, Miss."

Liang Jiang nodded: "They must have recognized me, but it doesn't matter. I don't have any shameful identity. I just think it's better to keep my identity hidden for now."

"How strange. Since Tong Shouliang had suspicions just now, why didn't he investigate further, but instead just left in such a muddled way?"

"That's because he has something to hide."

Liang Jiang said calmly, "A person with a clear conscience will acknowledge me directly, like Vice General He, instead of secretly speculating and probing."

"Should this old servant go and find out what's going on?"

“Tong Shouliang has profound internal strength, so don’t take the risk. Let nature take its course. But I should inform my mother about this, because I’m afraid Tong Shouliang will come looking for her.”

"Why don't we invite Madam to stay at the Feng residence for a few days, and have Wang Ma impersonate Madam every day to deceive everyone?"

However, if General Tong were to intervene now, and Fang Chengxu and his men became wary, it would be even more difficult to obtain information from him.

Liang Jiang was not discouraged, because Tong Shouliang's attitude today was enough to show that he had something to hide! He could not escape responsibility for his father's death in battle.

(End of this chapter)