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

Chapter 97 You've completely disgraced the Duke's mansion.

Liang Jiang slammed the box shut: "Someone took advantage of Qin Gui's wife and daughters diverting our attention and switched the items."

"Qin Gui's wife and daughters, I doubt they would have the guts to do that, would they?"

Liang Jiang tapped the box lightly with her fingers: "Then someone must have been behind it."

"You mean the second young lady?"

Yu Ma couldn't help but recall the light in Liang Su's eyes when he looked at the box in his arms.

Liang Jiang nodded slightly: "Most likely."

Yu Ma broke out in a cold sweat: "This is simply outrageous! Why would Miss Er do something that harms others without benefiting herself?"
"Thanks to your quick thinking, Miss, otherwise, if we had presented a stone to the Empress Dowager in the main hall, it would have been a serious offense."

Liang Jiang hesitated for a moment, then instructed the driver, "Turn around."

"Where are you going?"

"Prepare a grand gift for the Empress Dowager again."

Aunt Yu was a little worried: "I don't know if there's still enough time. Why don't you go to the palace first, and I'll go to the pharmacy to see if there's any decent ginseng or lingzhi that I can send over to you?"

Liang Jiang hesitated for a moment: "Since Liang Su has taken action, how can we just let it go and repay her for all her hard work? I'd better go myself. You have other important matters to attend to and must ensure that everything goes smoothly, so don't come to the palace with me."

He leaned close to his mother's ear and whispered a few words.

Aunt Yu nodded: "I understand, Miss, please rest assured."

He immediately got off the carriage, hurriedly left, and returned to the Duke's mansion.

The coachman asked Liang Jiang, "Princess, where are we going?"

"The Earl's Mansion".

Galangal acted without hesitation.

royal palace.

When Liang Jiang finished arranging everything and hurriedly arrived at the main hall, it was already late. Almost all the civil and military officials, especially those of the fourth rank and above, had already arrived.

According to their official rank and seniority, everyone, along with their families, stood in orderly rows on both sides, waiting for the arrival of the Emperor and Empress Dowager.

Liang Jiang planned to blend quietly into the crowd, but as soon as she stepped into the main hall, the guards outside stopped her.

"Wait a moment, young lady. You look unfamiliar. May I ask which esteemed person you are from? Do you have an invitation?"

Liang Jiang took out the imperial edict from her sleeve: "The Liang State Duke's Mansion has come to offer birthday greetings to the Empress Dowager on His Majesty's orders."

"So you are Princess Heya of the Duke's Mansion. I was blind to your greatness. Please come in."

The guard raised his voice slightly, immediately attracting the attention of many people in the hall, who all turned to look at Liang Jiang.

Liang Jiang was almost certain that the guard had done it on purpose.

Her plan to slip through unnoticed failed, and she had no choice but to bite the bullet and enter the main hall.

The guard added with ulterior motives, "Princess Heya, please slow down and watch your step."

As a result, galangal became the focus of attention.

These days, all sorts of rumors about her are raging, causing a stir throughout the capital.

Amidst the mix of truth and falsehood, and with the deliberate embellishment by some, the story of her betrayal with the Duke of Liang ruined her reputation, making her infamous and subject to all sorts of unpleasant accusations.

When Liang Jiang appeared in public in a flowing gown, all eyes were drawn to her, their eyes filled with astonishment. The woman before them was not a stunningly beautiful woman, but her entire being possessed a refined and ethereal grace, a gentle breeze in March or a mountain spring in June, which naturally inspired goodwill in everyone.

After being amazed, he unconsciously compared her to Tong Zhao'er in his mind, and then to Liang Su.

Tong Zhao'er's appearance is somewhat rough and lacks the refinement of a young lady; Liang Su's attire is too elaborate, to the point of being gaudy.

The beauty of galangal is breathtaking, just right, and it exudes a noble, elegant, and sophisticated air.

Women inevitably feel a pang of jealousy and envy.

Someone scoffed, "She dares to be late for the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet? Isn't she incredibly arrogant?"

"That's right. The Duke of Liangguo betrayed his country and surrendered to the enemy. The evidence is irrefutable. How can they still have the face to enter the palace and pay their respects to the Empress Dowager on her birthday?"

"This Princess Heya is indeed very beautiful, far surpassing the daughter of the General's Mansion. If the Fang family had known her identity beforehand, they certainly wouldn't have picked up a sesame seed and lost a watermelon, would they?"

"Tch, the glory of the Duke's mansion is all in the past. Now the General's mansion enjoys the Emperor's favor and is at its zenith. Smart people would choose to become the son-in-law of the General's mansion. What use is a handsome face? That's just a woman's view."

The crowd lowered their voices and began to whisper amongst themselves.

Liang Su quietly stepped forward, tugged at her sleeve, and said in a low voice, "Why are you so late, sister? Are you still feeling the effects of last night's drinking? Excessive drinking not only harms your health but also leads to mistakes. You must not be so greedy for alcohol in the future."

Liang Jiang blinked and teased without any politeness, "Why is Second Sister suddenly so concerned about me today? I'm actually a little flattered."

Liang Su's face stiffened: "I was just trying to advise you, sister. I was worried that it would ruin your reputation if word got out that you, a young lady, were drinking so much with another man in the middle of the night."

Liang Jiang sneered: "You deliberately brought this up in public, are you afraid others will find out, or are you afraid others won't know?"

One sentence left Liang Su speechless.

Lady Liang stepped forward and scolded her unhappily: "Your own behavior is improper. You are fooling around with men in the middle of the night. People will say that our Duke's Mansion has no family education!"

Su Su kindly offered you some advice, but you remained so unruly and unrepentant! You've tarnished the reputation of the Duke's mansion!

This is the first time in years that Galangal has made an appearance at such a banquet.

Because of her father's wrongful conviction and the Fang family's affairs, Liang Jiang knew that she would inevitably be gossiped about and criticized behind her back.

Or perhaps someone will make things difficult for you to your face, saying some hurtful things that are meant to be sarcastic.

But she never expected that the one who would make things difficult for her would be her own nominal family member.

Liang Jiang chuckled mockingly, "Grandmother, did you perhaps witness me mingling with a man?"

"The servants said a man drove you back to your residence and said goodbye to you outside. How could that be false?"

"Just because a man escorted me back to the manor, Grandmother immediately accused me of having an affair. Am I the one who has tarnished the reputation of the Duke's manor, or is it you, Grandmother, who are ruining my reputation?"

"A clear conscience fears no accusation. If you are like Su Su, upright and honest, how can others criticize you? You are restless and have been missing for several days. Who knows where you went or who you were with?"

Liang Jiang retorted sharply: "If anyone dislikes my granddaughter, they'll always find a way to stir up trouble and nitpick."

The three engaged in a heated debate, and the gazes of everyone in the hall toward Liang Jiang naturally carried a layer of disdain and contempt.

A dignified and proper young woman values ​​her reputation more than her life, and would never leave her home like she does, secretly meeting and drinking with men outside the home and returning late at night.

What's more, they've been missing for several days?

Just as some rumors suggested, Princess Heya was no pushover or a docile person!
The discussion inside the hall was in full swing when a eunuch outside loudly announced, "The Empress Dowager has arrived! The Emperor has arrived! The Empress has arrived!"

Everyone hurriedly stopped talking, knelt down, and respectfully welcomed the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

(End of this chapter)